Rep. Andy Harris blasts Dems’ ‘ironic’ fixation, defending Andrew Ferguson, and more!

Rep. Andy Harris torches Dems fixating on El Salvadoran illegal; Heard on the Hill; and more!

April 18, 2025

Have a blessed Maundy Thursday. Let’s dive in.

1. INTERVIEW: Rep. Andy Harris on the Democrats' "ironic" fixation on an El Salvadoran illegal immigrant

2. Heard on the Hill

3. EDITORIAL: In defense of FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson

4. EXCLUSIVE: Congress rolls out bipartisan, bicameral legislation to "fight fentanyl”

5. EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Andy Barr rolling out innovative bill to ensure NATO nations pay their defense spending share

6. EXCLUSIVE: RSC members sound off on Democrats' immigration priorities: They "champion foreign criminals"

7. EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Andy Barr backs President Trump abandoning Paris Climate Accords amid potential Senate bid

8. SCOOP: Fact-checking attacks on Secretary Marco Rubio's elimination of an anti-American, censorship-happy bureau

9. SCOOP: The Interior Department is redefining "harm" in the Endangered Species Act; Rep. Celeste Maloy explains why this matters

10. K-STREET, 10,000 FEET: Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski pummels Jack Dorsey over calls to “delete” all intellectual property laws

11. OPINIONATED: Heather Johnston on “friendshoring” our pharmaceuticals and Chris Barnard and Aiden Buzzetti on how American manufacturing can beat China

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INTERVIEW: Rep. Andy Harris on the Democrats' "ironic" fixation on an El Salvadoran illegal immigrant

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Rep. Andy Harris (R., Md.) blasted Democrat Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland for traveling to El Salvador to demand the return of a recently-deported illegal immigrant to the U.S.

• Harris criticized Van Hollen for prioritizing an El Salvadoran illegal immigrant over the family of a recently-slain Maryland woman at the hands of a different El Salvadoran illegal immigrant.

• While some Republicans in Congress, including Reps. Jason Smith (R., Mo.) and Riley Moore (R., W.Va.) have also gone to El Salvador in recent days, Harris has no plans to visit himself, saying that “the president is handling this situation.”

• Despite Harris’s fierce ideological disagreements with Van Hollen, he told the Reporter that he is in opposition to a trade that would see Garcia return to Maryland in exchange for Van Hollen remaining in El Salvador.

Both Democrats and Republicans have focused on immigration in very different ways this week, and the contrast has been clearest with Maryland. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.).

The Maryland Democrat flew to El Salvador to press for the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who was deported to the South American nation by the Trump administration.

Van Hollen’s trip came while amid the senator’s failure to contact the family of his constituent who was murdered by another illegal immigrant from El Salvador, according to Rep. Andy Harris (R., Md.).

Harris, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, represents Eastern Maryland. One of his constituents, Rachel Morin, was brutally raped and murdered by an MS-13 gang member illegally in the U.S. from El Salvador. That gang member, Victor Martinez-Hernandez, was found guilty of all charges in the case this week.

In an interview with the Washington Reporter, which Harris conducted from Maryland, “the state where I am a citizen,” and not El Salvador, the lawmaker called it “interesting and ironic that [Van Hollen] is insisting on talking to this gentleman in El Salvador who is a citizen of El Salvador, but is not interested in talking to Rachel Morin's family.”

In the case of Garcia, Harris criticized the coverage, which has repeatedly called Garcia a “Maryland man,” attempting to confer upon him the citizenship that he lacks. That sleight of hand, Harris said, is “just completely disconnected from the facts.”

“I'm not surprised, because the liberal media is soft on illegal immigrants,” he said. “They're soft on illegal immigrant crime, and this a perfect example of it. Calling him a Maryland man just because he happens to have illegally entered the country and ended up in Maryland does not make him a Maryland man.”

“He is an El Salvador citizen, and he's back. He's been repatriated to his homeland,” Harris said.

While some Republicans in Congress, including Reps. Jason Smith (R., Mo.) and Riley Moore (R., W.Va.) have also gone to El Salvador in recent days, Harris has no plans to visit himself, saying that “the president is handling this situation.”

“We have plenty of problems here, stateside, and the president is well in charge of the situation with El Salvador…He does not need my help on that,” Harris said. Harris added that he doesn’t see a need for further legislation on immigration, because “we have all the laws we need.”

“I think the president is proving that…he has all the laws he needs to close our borders, which he proved because of the 99 percent decline in illegal border crossing since he's been president, and to begin the deportations,” Harris continued.

Harris does, however, fully back the White House’s moves to crack down on both illegal immigration and on sanctuary cities.

“This president has zero tolerance for illegal immigrants, especially ones who are gang members or criminals, and the president made that clear during his campaign, and he's delivering on his promise to the American people,” Harris said. The Maryland Republican’s state is also home to several sanctuary jurisdictions — and Harris supports moves by the administration to punish those areas, like Prince George’s County.

HEARD ON THE HILL

• SEND THEM IN!: The Washington Reporter is pleased to announce that we will announce Washington D.C.’s most influential advocates in June. If you or someone you know is a mover and shaker in this newly-Republican town, please submit your nomination to Matthew@WashingtonReporter.news. For more information on what we’re looking for, please read here before you submit!

• ITALIAN CONNECTION: Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, met with President Donald Trump today, amidst threats from the White House to levy tariffs on the European Union. Her visit is viewed by many as an opportunity for her to “set the tone for all European countries to partner with the United States in building a deeper economic and security alliance of free nations,” Michael Lucci, the founder and CEO of State Armor, told the Reporter.

• OPEN THE GAETZ: Matt Gaetz is considering a run for Florida attorney general, sources tell the Washington Reporter.

• LEVELING THE FIELD: Andrew Bremberg, President Donald Trump’s former Domestic Policy Council director, told the Reporter that Trump’s meetings with foreign leaders will allow Trump “to course correct long-standing trade disparities.” Bremberg added that “American workers and businesses have been frustrated for decades by the unfair tariffs and burdensome regulations put in place by European countries looking for an economic advantage.”

• CAUGHT IN THE ACT: Per a source in the White House press briefing room, the Reporter’s presence in the room this week left some of the liberal reporters quite unhappy. “I may or may not have been eavesdropping on another reporter’s laptop when I was sitting there, reading his messages with who I assume was his editor,” per a source. “They are not a fan of yours or the ‘MAGA shit’ generally.”

EDITORIAL: In defense of FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson

by the Washington Reporter

Shocking. The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board is bashing another Trump appointed agency head.

This time it is Andrew Ferguson, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). While the writers of the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board sit and reminisce about the Romney/Ryan era that gave us another term of President Barack Obama, it is worth noting they have been wrong about many issues over the past decade, from trade to immigration.

The Wall Street Journal had a field day the last few years attacking Lina Khan, President Joe Biden’s pick for FTC chair. Khan was praised by many on the right at the beginning, including by then-Sen. JD Vance and Tucker Carlson. However, as time went on it was clear she simply wanted to destroy business, not take a targeted approach.

Now, the Wall Street Journal is attempting to paint Andrew Ferguson as the next coming of Lina Khan. That is laughable and dishonest.

First, Andrew Ferguson clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas. While the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board was busy praising bad trade deals behind a keyboard, Andrew Ferguson was helping Justice Thomas protect the Second Amendment and religious liberty.

Second, the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board wrote in defense of then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as he faced down lies, slander, and smears during his contentious confirmation process. Andrew Ferguson was in the room working for Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) to confirm Kavanaugh.

Additionally, when Nancy Pelosi impeached President Donald Trump twice on phony charges, Andrew Ferguson led the defense charge for the dominant Senate Republicans.

Lastly, the Wall Street Journal wildly claims in its editorial that Ferguson isn’t aware of how governments create monopolies. But, the Wall Street Journal ignores Ferguson praising President Trump’s executive orders increasing economic diversity and hammering overregulation.

A source familiar tells Washington Reporter that the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board was told this, was previously unaware of the existence of Ferguson’s remarks, and simply refused to include them This is a journalistic fumble that only impacts the Wall Street Journal’s credibility. The Wall Street Journal also pointed out Khan’s attack on the oil and gas industry, but refused to acknowledge that Ferguson is working to undo her attacks.

The attempts to tie Ferguson to Khan are dishonest and wrong. Ferguson repeatedly dissented from Khan’s opinions at the FTC. Now, Ferguson is fighting Big Tech companies from his perch at the FTC.

EXCLUSIVE: Congress rolls out bipartisan, bicameral legislation to "fight fentanyl"

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Rep. Dave Taylor (R., Ohio) is taking the lead in the House to combat the fentanyl epidemic in a bipartisan way, rolling out the Fight Fentanyl Act today.

• Taylor’s legislation, which Rep. Mike Levin (D., Calif.) led on and obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter, will both reform and reauthorize the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program.

• The bill is the House companion to the Senate’s HIDTA Enhancement Act, which Sen. Mark Kelly (D., Ariz.) introduced.

• Kelly said that the House version of his legislation “is an example of the long-lasting solutions that Republicans and Democrats can work on together to secure our border and prevent the flow of drugs into our communities.”

Rep. Dave Taylor (R., Ohio) is taking the lead in the House to combat the fentanyl epidemic in a bipartisan way, rolling out the Fight Fentanyl Act today.

Taylor’s legislation, which Rep. Mike Levin (D., Calif.) led on and obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter, will both reform and reauthorize the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program.

The bill will help ensure that law enforcement, from local to federal officers, have tools needed to combat fentanyl and other illegal substances.

“For too long, cartels and other bad actors have crossed our borders, bringing fentanyl and other illicit substances into the U.S.,” Taylor said.

“Instead of being available to attend to other needs in our communities, local law enforcement officials continue to struggle to keep up with the constant flow of fentanyl in our communities,” Taylor continued.

“My bipartisan Fight Fentanyl Act will equip law enforcement officials with the tools they need to get illicit drugs out of American neighborhoods and hold fentanyl traffickers accountable for their actions,” he added.

The bill is the House companion to the Senate’s HIDTA Enhancement Act, which Sen. Mark Kelly (D., Ariz.) introduced. Kelly said that the House version of his legislation “is an example of the long-lasting solutions that Republicans and Democrats can work on together to secure our border and prevent the flow of drugs into our communities.”

These bills also aim to target fentanyl traffickers with prosecution for both bringing in and distributing illicit drugs into America. It will also reauthorize the HIDTA Program at a staggering $333 million every year through the end of the decade and the legislation will create a report that shows how HIDTA funds are used to investigate drugs traffickers and their prosecution.

The bill also provides $14 million to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to enhance fentanyl seizure and interdiction activities.

Additionally, the bill directs the attorney general to assign assistant United States attorneys to individual HIDTA programs to bolster the investigation and prosecution of organizations and individuals trafficking fentanyl and ensure that these criminals are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Andy Barr rolling out innovative bill to ensure NATO nations pay their defense spending share

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Rep. Andy Barr (R., Ky.) introduced the NATO Burden Sharing Enforcement Act that would impose visa sanctions against nations not paying their share of defense spending.

• For years, Barr worked to strengthen NATO. He participated in the NATO 2030 hearing focused on strengthening the alliance against rising global threats.

• His latest bill expands the current authority of the Secretary of State to discontinue granting visas to countries that are uncooperative in accepting returned deportees.

• The Secretary of State already has this authority to discontinue granting visas to countries that are uncooperative in accepting returned deportees.

Rep. Andy Barr (R., Ky.) is introducing a novel way to force countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to pay their two percent marks on defense spending: imposing visa sanctions against the citizens of countries that miss the agreed-upon threshold.

Barr’s latest bill, the NATO Burden Sharing Enforcement Act — obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter — amends Section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and authorizes the Secretary of State to implement visa sanctions against NATO countries that do not hit their two percent mark on defense spending.

For years, Barr worked to strengthen NATO. He participated in the NATO 2030 hearing focused on strengthening the alliance against rising global threats. However, Barr — like President Donald Trump — doesn’t want NATO countries to freeload off of America’s generous defense spending.

His latest bill expands the current authority of the Secretary of State to discontinue granting visas to countries that are uncooperative in accepting returned deportees.

EXCLUSIVE: RSC members sound off on Democrats' immigration priorities: They "champion foreign criminals"

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• At least one Democrat — Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.) — is traveling to El Salvador to demand the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant who the Trump administration recently sent to his home country.

• Republicans from the House of Representatives to the White House have been directly comparing the Democrats’ relative silence about the murder of Morin, an actual Maryland woman, to their strident advocacy on behalf of Garcia — who has been portrayed repeatedly as a “Maryland man” in liberal media outlets, despite his immigration status.

• "Democrats are fighting to protect a gang-affiliated illegal alien with an alleged history of violence against women while American taxpayers foot the bill for their international rescue mission," Rep. August Pfluger (R., Texas), who chairs the RSC, told the Reporter.

• While the main connection between Morin’s murderer and Garcia is the both are illegal immigrants from El Salvador, RSC members were quick to use the two sagas to emphasize the need for secure borders.

At least one Democrat — Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.) — is traveling to El Salvador to demand the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant who the Trump administration recently sent to his home country.

For Republicans in Congress, this has been a golden opportunity to spotlight the Democrats’ prioritization of illegal immigrants over American citizens, as several members of the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC) exclusively told the Washington Reporter.

"Democrats are fighting to protect a gang-affiliated illegal alien with an alleged history of violence against women while American taxpayers foot the bill for their international rescue mission," Rep. August Pfluger (R., Texas), who chairs the RSC, told the Reporter.

"These lawmakers rush to El Salvador for gang members but won't spare five minutes for Rachel Morin's grieving family or address the effects of Biden's border catastrophe that has devastated our country,” he continued. “While Democrats champion foreign criminals, Republicans stand firmly with American victims."

Republicans from the House of Representatives to the White House have been directly comparing the Democrats’ relative silence about the murder of Morin, an actual Maryland woman, to their strident advocacy on behalf of Garcia — who has been portrayed repeatedly as a “Maryland man” in liberal media outlets, despite his immigration status.

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Andy Barr Backs President Trump abandoning Paris Climate Accords amid potential Senate bid

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Right after rolling out the biggest fundraising quarter ever, Rep. Andy Barr (R., Ky.) is rolling out a resolution, exclusively obtained by the Washington Reporter, to give President Donald Trump some backup on withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords.

• The Paris Climate Accords, Barr has noted, were part of what he’s called “Biden’s anti-coal agenda.”

• Democrats are desperate enough to recruit Gov. Andy Beshear (D., Ky.) to run, although he has rebuffed their attempts — all the while raising millions of dollars.

• Barr is reportedly considering a run for retiring Senator Mitch McConnell’s (R., Ky.) vacating seat.

Right after rolling out the biggest fundraising quarter ever, Rep. Andy Barr (R., Ky.) is rolling out a resolution, exclusively obtained by the Washington Reporter, to give President Donald Trump some backup on withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords.

Barr, who is a rumored candidate to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), raised over $2 million last quarter — almost four times that of one of the other leading candidates. The Kentucky Republican is teaming up with Rep. Riley Moore (R., W.Va.) to back “the action of the President to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement,” according to a resolution they are both filing today.

“President Trump made the right call when he got us out of the Paris Agreement,” Barr told the Reporter. “It was a bad deal — anti-coal, anti-American, and a gift to China.”

“I’m proud to stand with President Trump and defend Kentucky energy from globalist climate mandates that would cripple our economy and kill jobs,” he continued. “America leads by innovation, not surrender.”

The Paris Climate Accords, Barr has noted, were part of what he’s called “Biden’s anti-coal agenda.” Were the United States to implement policies these suggest, it would continue a devastation of the coal industry, which remains important in Kentucky and beyond.

This latest move from Barr, a close congressional ally to President Trump, would likely aid him in a primary where he can point to a history of winning competitive races.

SCOOP: Fact-checking attacks on Secretary Marco Rubio's elimination of an anti-American, censorship-happy bureau

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the State Department will shutter the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Hub (R-FIMI), the successor to the controversial Global Engagement Center (GEC).

• During his years in the Senate, Rubio worked extensively to combat threats from China, Russia, and Iran.

• Rubio’s latest move, to eliminate the GEC’s successor, got immediate backup from others in the administration, like Dan Bishop, the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). His moves come after lawmakers led by Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) exposed how the GEC “spen[t] millions of dollars subsidizing censorship of conservatives.”

• At least as far back as 2023, Issa was calling for the GEC’s elimination.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the State Department will shutter the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Hub (R-FIMI), the successor to the controversial Global Engagement Center (GEC).

The move prompted a series of attacks from liberals at the New York Times and elsewhere, who claim that this move could jeopardize America’s work to “counter[] global disinformation from foreign actors, including the governments of China, Russia and Iran.”

During his years in the Senate, Rubio worked extensively to combat threats from China, Russia, and Iran. He led the way, for example, on the bipartisan Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, which directly strikes at the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) bottom line. Additionally, Rubio was sanction ed by the CCP.

Rubio’s latest move, to eliminate the GEC’s successor, got immediate backup from others in the administration, like Dan Bishop, the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). His moves come after lawmakers led by Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) exposed how the GEC “spen[t] millions of dollars subsidizing censorship of conservatives.”

At least as far back as 2023, Issa was calling for the GEC’s elimination.

“The federal government has plenty of offices that issue reports,” he said at the time. “If that’s all the GEC is going to do, its future may be as limited as its record of success.”

“The American people don’t need an obscure agency to ‘protect’ them from speech by silencing, censoring or banning them,” Rubio pointed out, adding that “the State Department will no longer be spending taxpayer dollars to censor Americans.”

Rubio’s move will save Americans up to $65 million per year, the State Department noted.

“There is extensive evidence showing the GEC (R-FIMI) engaged in controversial practices that used third party entities to censor and police the speech of private U.S. citizens,” a senior State Department official noted to the Washington Reporter. “There is plenty of evidence, all showcased in Secretary Rubio’s op-ed, that lay out a these examples. Perhaps the NYT doesn’t care because they agree these voices should be silenced, but this runs directly counter to our American values.”

SCOOP: The Interior Department is redefining "harm" in the Endangered Species Act; Rep. Celeste Maloy explains why this matters

by Matthew Foldi

The Supreme Court’s landmark Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision that overturned decades of Chevron deference is coming to the Department of Interior.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued a little-noticed proposed rulemaking that would “rescind the regulatory definition of ‘harm’ under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).”

97 percent of species added to the endangered species list stay there. The Interior Department’s goal in redefining “harm” aims to increase the flexibility and transparency of the law.

Some of Congress’s top experts on natural resources told the Washington Reporter that the move, spearheaded by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, is long overdue.

“I’m impressed to see the agencies taking a serious and responsible approach to bringing their regulations in line with the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright,” Rep. Celeste Maloy (R., Utah), who serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources, told the Reporter.

K-STREET, 10,000 FEET:

Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski pummels Jack Dorsey over calls to “delete” all intellectual property laws

by the Washington Reporter

THE LOWDOWN:

• Block founder Jack Dorsey called to “delete all [intellectual property] law,” sparking backlash online.

• Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski blasted Dorsey’s call as being “against constitutional intent” and “against human nature.”

• Artificial intelligence’s role with intellectual property has become an increasingly scrutinized question.

• Removing all US intellectual property law would require a constitutional amendment.

America is a nation of innovation. We lead the world in science, economics, and a cornucopia of other fields, and the U.S.’s robust intellectual property laws — enshrined in the Constitution — form the legal framework to foster innovation.

Now, at the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), intellectual property and its theft have been thrust into the spotlight as these new technologies crawl the Web in aggregation.

And one technology leader who built his career off of intellectual property wants to get rid of “all” of intellectual property law.

“Delete all [intellectual property] law,” Block founder and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey wrote on his former platform, now X.

But, one of Dorsey’s peers did not take the call sitting down. Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski launched an offensive against Dorsey’s hare-brained idea. Pavlovski told the Washington Reporter that the “Intellectual Property Clause of the U.S. Constitution is the basis for copyright and patent law in America, which is how creators are able to maintain ownership of what they create.”

“To suggest that this be eliminated, as Jack Dorsey has, is not only against constitutional intent, but it’s also against human nature and the innate right of people to own what they produce from their own minds and creativity,” Pavlovski told the Reporter. “In a free society, in no way should it be permissible for anyone to steal the intellectual work product of another, just because it happens to suit their own business model.”

“Too many AI and tech companies want to build their fortunes on the backs of others by stealing their hard work,” he said. “That should not be supported or allowed because IP protections are the backbone of innovation. How many people would create new things if they knew that someone was going to just steal it from them? All this is why Rumble will continue to lead the way — on free speech and on compensating creators for the content they provide to the world.”

It is important to note that AIs do not create. AIs can only repackage what already exists on the Internet which is more often than not under copyright or another intellectual property protection. These actions by AI have led to legal battles in the copyright sphere.

OPINIONATED

Op-Ed: Heather Johnston: With Middle East allies, Congress can strengthen American medical security

by Heather Johnston

President Donald Trump has paused many of his proposed tariffs, giving his team time to negotiate trade deals with many countries. China, however, has chosen to clash with the U.S. resulting in tariffs that range from 125 percent to 145 percent on imports from China. This will certainly be difficult for the many industries that rely on Chinese imports, but when it comes to pharmaceuticals, it’s a matter of American national security, it’s necessary, and Congress has an opportunity to support President Trump’s efforts.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is considering a bill that includes a provision establishing a Food and Drug Administration office in an Abraham Accords country. They should mark it up and move it to the House floor for a vote. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee should work on a companion bill.

Passing this legislation would be a crucial step toward reestablishing American national security when it comes to the pharmaceutical supply chain, an unsettling percentage of which is dependent on untrustworthy nations like China. In a letter to the FDA, a number of Representatives wrote, “we are worried that the United States is overly reliant on sourcing from foreign manufacturers with a demonstrated pattern of repeatedly violating FDA safety regulations.”

The United States imported $10.3 billion worth of pharmaceuticals from China in 2022. This was a stunning 485 percent increase over 2020, just two years earlier.

Congress has rightfully been concerned about the reliability and quality of foreign drug and medical device manufacturers. Chinese manufacturers receive among the most FDA Warning Letters regarding violations that include carcinogens in medicines, destroying or falsifying of data, and non-sterile manufacturing processes.

In China, the ruling Communist Party of China has expanded its National Security Law which is now so broad that it allows CCP officials to arrest FDA inspectors or block their access to manufacturers’ records if doing so is deemed in the Chinese “national interest.”

In addition, according to the FBI, “China is the world’s principal infringer of intellectual property,

and it uses its laws and regulations to put foreign companies at a disadvantage and its own companies at an advantage.” This very much includes the theft of American IP, meaning that all the medical research underlying new pharmaceuticals and medical devices produced in China are targeted by CCP industrial espionage.

The Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property is an independent and bipartisan initiative of leading Americans from the private sector, public service in national security and foreign affairs, academia, and politics. Their 2017 report estimated that the annual cost to the U.S. economy of Chinese IP theft exceeds $225 billion and “could be as high as $600 billion.” This is a tremendous economic cost to our country.

Even worse, this IP theft includes the manufacture of counterfeit goods. If counterfeit goods are knock-off faux designer purses, it’s not okay but it’s not deadly. But if these counterfeit goods are ineffective or dangerous medications or faulty medical devices, this could cost untold numbers of American lives.

Clearly, the U.S. is in need of more secure and reliable sources for the medications Americans count on for their health and well-being. Congress has an opportunity to take an innovative approach to achieving this necessary goal.

By passing legislation to create a staging ground in friendly nations in the Middle East for the U.S. Life Sciences offshore supply chain, Congress can support President Trump’s efforts to end our dependence on China and diversify our offshore supply. This “friendshoring” system will open an FDA office in Israel or one of the Abraham Accords countries, nations that are aligned with our values and have American interests at heart.

Israel has consistently been a leader in global medical advances. From smart hospitals, to healthcare AI, to medical device innovation, to life science research, Israel regularly tops international rankings, outperforming much larger countries including our own. An FDA office in the Middle East will facilitate cooperation, allowing Americans to benefit more quickly from this strategic ally’s progress.

Op-Ed: Chris Barnard and Aiden Buzzetti: American manufacturing will help us beat China

by Chris Barnard and Aiden Buzzetti

American political rhetoric is dominated by a desire to compete with China. While the economic and military threat posed by China may be our own accidental creation, it’s far from overblown. The Chinese Communist Party has a stranglehold over critical segments of the global economy. If push came to shove, the United States and its allies would find ourselves scrambling to make up the difference.

To secure American sovereignty and beat China on the world stage, the United States must re-engage in and win the global manufacturing race. A key component of this fight will be bringing manufacturing back home to the U.S. through strategic policies like the 45X advanced manufacturing tax credit.

Currently, China dominates the supply chains for at least twelve critical technologies crucial to American industrial competitiveness. China accounts for more than 80 percent of the world's manufacturing capacity for solar panels and battery cells, with energy manufacturing becoming the top economic driver in China for 2023. Despite recent investments, the United States continues to trail significantly, accounting for well under 10 percent of global manufacturing capacity in these crucial sectors.

"Beating China" is more than political rhetoric — it's an economic imperative. China's growing influence threatens American industrial strength and national security. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is buying up American farmland, spying on American citizens, and stealing American intellectual property. More alarmingly, the CCP has already weaponized its control over critical supply chains, including minerals essential to modern manufacturing, to gain geopolitical leverage on our allies.