Y Combinator CEO talks his priorities, looking for DC’s most influential advocates, Congress’s strategy to combat China on biotech, and more!
Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan talks his priorities; the Reporter is hunting for D.C.’s most influential lobbyists; Heard on the Hill; and more!
April 11, 2025
Let’s dive in.
INTERVIEW: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan on his top three priorities and the future of Little Tech in Trump’s America
INTERVIEW: Meet Jason Stverak, the former Capitol Hill staffer giving our service members reliable credit unions
EXCLUSIVE: The Washington Reporter announces open submissions for D.C.’s most influential advocates
Heard on the Hill
SCOOP: Inside Congress’s bipartisan plan to “safeguard our nation and stay ahead of China in biotechnology”
SCOOP: Republicans roll out bills targeting CBO for its "questionably low accuracy rates"
EXCLUSIVE: Reps. Mike Collins, William Timmons, and Rick Allen talk DOGE, SCOTUS, and golf ahead of Master's Week
EXCLUSIVE: Democrats poised for expensive primary in Colorado
EXCLUSIVE: "President Trump is bulldozing Biden-era barriers to fully unleash America's energy potential": RSC's Rep. August Pfluger on energy agenda
K STREET, 10,000 FEET: Conservative coalition warns against “stealth tax” that could jeopardize Trump’s corporate tax cuts
OPINIONATED: Sen. Norm Coleman’s Passover message of “Dayenu,” Rep. Jeff Duncan exposes our adversaries who use courts to undermine essential industries, and Daniel Turner explains how both President Trump and America’s coal industry are coming to the rescue — together
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INTERVIEW: Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan on his top three priorities and the future of Little Tech in Trump’s America
by Matthew Foldi
THE LOWDOWN:
Y Combinator, a startup accelerator, has helped companies like Coinbase, Dropbox, DoorDash, and Twitch go from fanciful ideas to household names.
In an interview with the Washington Reporter, Tan outlined his priorities, in order:
“immigration”
“protecting open source AI”
“competition policy and antitrust”
YC is doing all of this with only one D.C. employee: its head of public policy, Luther Lowe.
For two decades, startup accelerator Y Combinator has helped companies like Coinbase, Dropbox, DoorDash, and Twitch go from fanciful ideas to household names. Now, with President Donald Trump back in office, it’s poised to work with allies of Little Tech like Sriram Krishnan, David Sacks, and Michael Kratsios to give American innovators the tools they need to succeed.
In an interview with the Washington Reporter, Tan outlined his priorities, in order: “immigration. YC believes very strongly that the United States should brain drain the most incredible talent in the world and incentivize those individuals to build companies here.”
“Just over half of YC founders are born outside the United States,” Tan said. “It is incredibly difficult to be admitted into: fewer than one percent of those who apply get in. It's not uncommon for founders outside the U.S. to encounter difficulties in obtaining O-1 visas in order to participate in the three month program. If we are giving a founder the thumbs up, it means they are the cream of the crop.”
YC’s second priority is “protecting open source AI,” Tan said. “Competition in the application layer of AI is unbelievably exciting. In Washington and in state capitols there is an effort afoot to control AI, typically under the auspices of "safety" or national security. The irony is that we will be less safe and our national security more vulnerable if open source AI projects stop keeping competitive pressure on the market.”
Its final top priority is “competition policy and antitrust,” he explained. “Last week I testified before the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, advocating for "little tech" and explaining how unchecked big tech concentration limits innovation through restricted API access, blocked interoperability, and harmful self-preferencing. I urged Congress to pass legislation that mandates open APIs, enforces interoperability, and limits self-preferencing to restore competition and ensure America's technological leadership.”
YC is doing all of this with only one D.C. employee: its head of public policy, Luther Lowe.
Tan’s goals of boosting little tech aren’t even partisan by nature. During Trump’s famous Liberation Day, Y Combinator hosted a Little Tech Competition Summit at Gallup HQ, which featured speakers from the entire ideological spectrum.
INTERVIEW: Meet Jason Stverak, the former Capitol Hill staffer giving our service members reliable credit unions
by the Washington Reporter
THE LOWDOWN:
Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) chief advocacy officer Jason Stverak is helping our nation’s heroes have credit unions who work for them.
Stverak, a graduate of the esteemed Baylor University and Capitol Hill alumni, said his council is “also advancing legislation like the Veterans Member Business Loan Act.
Stverak told the Reporter that veterans “benefit immensely from partnering with defense credit unions, which are dedicated to serving those who have served our nation.”
Stverak advised congressional staff who are looking to go work at a trade association to lean “into your experience, but stay humble and hungry.”
Our service members defended us on the battlefield, so we need to take care of them at home. This is a rallying cry heard around the country, but Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) chief advocacy officer Jason Stverak lives it every day.
Stverak caught up with the Washington Reporter in an interview this week to talk about his work ensuring our nation’s heroes have credit unions who work for them, especially as they return to civilian life, and gave a peek into his priorities at DCUC.
“DCUC represents credit unions that serve our nation’s service members, veterans and their
families,” Stverak told the Reporter. “My top priority is making sure Washington policies support – not hinder – those credit unions and the people they serve.”
“That means defending the credit union tax status, protecting credit card rewards from harmful
regulation, ensuring that the Department of Defense works with financial institutions on bases,
and pushing back on overreach from federal agencies like the [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)] or [the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)] when it would hurt servicemembers or veterans,” he continued.
Stverak, a graduate of the esteemed Baylor University and Capitol Hill alumni, said his council is “also advancing legislation like the Veterans Member Business Loan Act, which would allow credit unions to better support veteran entrepreneurs, and championing amendments in the National Defense Authorization Act that would improve the Military Banking Program.”
The former Senate deputy chief of staff joined the DCUC in April of last year, having moved from America’s Credit Unions — formerly the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) — where he served as deputy chief advocacy officer for federal government affairs. Stverak was also named as one of Washington, D.C.’s top lobbyists in 2022 and 2023.
Stverak told the Reporter that veterans “benefit immensely from partnering with defense credit unions, which are dedicated to serving those who have served our nation” and noted that these “not-for-profit financial institutions offer lower loan rates, higher savings yields, and reduced fees, directly enhancing veterans’s financial well-being.”
“They’re also mission-driven: their policies and products are specifically designed with veterans and military families in mind,” he said.
EXCLUSIVE: The Washington Reporter announces open submissions for D.C.’s most influential advocates
by the Washington Reporter
Do you know someone who really makes the wheels move in D.C.? Are you a Swamp creature whose been around the block for several decades? Are you someone like Matthew Foldi, who just seems to know everyone in any room you walk into?
Well, you may be who we’re looking for.
The Washington Reporter is excited to announce that we are now accepting submissions for our first list of D.C.’s most influential advocates. With a new Republican-controlled Washington taking shape, we’re looking to spotlight the top power players who are navigating this shifted political landscape.
Nominees should represent the best of the lobbying world — the people who drive policy, shape legislation, and who can work with both Congress and the administration seamlessly.
To submit a nomination, please provide the nominee’s name, affiliation, and a brief explanation of why they deserve a spot. Submissions should be emailed to Editor@WashingtonReporter.news with the subject line “NOMINATION FOR INFLUENTIAL ADVOCATE” no later than May 15, 2025.
The final list will be published in June.
HEARD ON THE HILL
JOE’S DECLASSIFIED GOVERNMENT SURVIVAL GUIDE: After the Washington Reporter’s latest story on how former President Joe Biden’s CIA director Avril Haines and top staff used Signal to send sensitive but unclassified information, Rep. Pat Harrigan (R., N.C.) told the Reporter that “Democrats criticized Trump officials for using Signal, yet the Biden administration was doing the same thing all along. If they’re serious about accountability, they can start with Bill Burns and Avril Haines. The tool remains the same — the only difference is which party is in power.”
AWW, SHEIN: Anna Kelly, a White House Deputy Press Secretary responded to a Washington Reporter report that The Hill was running ads from Shein, an e-commerce company closely linked to the Chinese Community Party, by tweeting that “life (de minimis) comes at you fast!” Kelly’s post came after President Donald Trump continued his feud with the CCP.
F*** IT, WE’RE DOING IT LIVE: The Kennedy Center, under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Ric Grenell, broke its all-time record for a public event, with over 11,000 people attending its EARTH to SPACE: Arts Breaking the Sky fireworks show. The Center’s Roma Daravi noted to the Washington Reporter that 76 percent of the show’s attendees were first-time visitors to the Center. The Reporter has previously debunked several fake news stories about Grenell’s time helming the prestigious center.
GOODBYE PILL-BRICKED ROAD: Twenty-five percent of the Food and Drug Administration’s workforce is expected to resign in the coming weeks. Resignations are expected to eclipse 25 percent among those left after the reduction in force.
WHAT A HOSER: Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing scrutiny for his time on the Board of Directors of Bloomberg L.P. During Carney’s time as chair, then-presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg was pressed by Democrats like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) and then-future President Joe Biden to unseal a series of NDAs. Carney’s time at Bloomberg could threaten his standing with progressives in Canada and America, and undermine him at a critical time as Canada and America negotiate on trade.
TICKET PUNCHED: Conservative attorney Mark Meador was confirmed to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This gives the FTC three commissioners, allowing it to conduct business. The Washington Reporter previously covered exclusive polling by J.L. Partners that showed that 84 percent of Republicans polled supported Meador’s nomination, compared to only 5 percent who opposed it.
A message from our sponsor.
Medicaid helps provide security to our friends and neighbors, providing high-quality care for more than 72 million Americans, including children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Congress should vote against efforts to reduce Medicaid funding and instead focus on policies that strengthen access to 24/7 care.
SCOOP: Inside Congress’s bipartisan plan to “safeguard our nation and stay ahead of China in biotechnology”
by Matthew Foldi
THE LOWDOWN:
Amidst President Donald Trump’s tariffs that could cripple China’s economy, a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators is rolling out legislation that will help America “keep pace with our near peer adversaries, such as China.”
The group, consisting of Sens. Todd Young (R., Ind.) and Alex Padilla (D., Calif.), along with Reps. Stephanie Bice (R., Okla.) and Ro Khanna (D., Calif.), is introducing the National Biotechnology Initiative Act, in order to “set in motion a whole-of-government approach to advancing biotechnology for U.S. national security, economic productivity, and competitiveness.”
While China has strategically prioritized its approach to the industry, America’s approach has been precariously piecemeal.
The legislation would primarily create a National Biotechnology Coordination Office (NBCO) within the Executive Office of the President that would both lead and coordinate federal biotechnology efforts.
Amidst President Donald Trump’s tariffs that could cripple China’s economy, a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators is rolling out legislation that will help America “keep pace with our near peer adversaries, such as China,” a national security expert noted to the Washington Reporter.
The group, consisting of Sens. Todd Young (R., Ind.) and Alex Padilla (D., Calif.), along with Reps. Stephanie Bice (R., Okla.) and Ro Khanna (D., Calif.), is introducing the National Biotechnology Initiative Act, in order to “set in motion a whole-of-government approach to advancing biotechnology for U.S. national security, economic productivity, and competitiveness,” the group wrote. Biotechnology relates to everything from increasing supply chain security to resilience to scalability, by allowing countries to control access to critical components.
While China has strategically prioritized its approach to the industry, America’s approach has been precariously piecemeal. “Without a coordinated approach, we will fall behind China and won’t be able to recover our lead,” Khanna warned.
“The United States is facing its latest Sputnik moment, and that moment is in the field of biotechnology,” Bonnie Glick, a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told the Reporter. “The race we’re in is against our near peer rival, the People’s Republic of China. Biology, and life as we know it, is now a research area for innovation. America tends to innovate for good - we make better crops that are drought-resistant, we invent better drug therapies to treat diseases. But we are living at a time when China is innovating too, and as we learned through COVID-19, a leak in a biotech lab in Wuhan can wreak havoc on the world.”
SCOOP: Republicans roll out bills targeting CBO for its "questionably low accuracy rates"
by Matthew Foldi
THE LOWDOWN:
Capitol Hill Republicans are rolling out a series of bills taking aim at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) amidst concerns that its predictions are often wrong and that the agency has no accountability for its errors.
Rep. Andy Barr (R., Ky.) and 20 Republican cosponsors are the latest to put the CBO in their crosshairs with the CBO Scoring Accountability Act, which requires regular reviews of its cost estimates and demands transparency when its projections are off by a significant margin.
This bill “brings long-overdue accountability to the Congressional Budget Office,” a source familiar told the Washington Reporter.
Barr’s bill isn’t the only one that Republicans have rolled out recently. Rep. Claudia Tenney (R., N.Y.) is a cosponsor of his bill but also has her own bill, the REPEAL CBO Requirements Act.
Capitol Hill Republicans are rolling out a series of bills taking aim at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) amidst concerns that its predictions are often wrong and that the agency has no accountability for its errors.
Rep. Andy Barr (R., Ky.) and 20 Republican cosponsors are the latest to put the CBO in their crosshairs with the CBO Scoring Accountability Act, which requires regular reviews of its cost estimates and demands transparency when its projections are off by a significant margin.
This bill “brings long-overdue accountability to the Congressional Budget Office,” a source familiar told the Washington Reporter.
“This isn’t about politics; it’s about restoring fiscal sanity. President Trump was right when he called out the broken system in Washington that puts special interests ahead of taxpayers,” Barr said. “This bill is a serious step towards delivering honest numbers, enforcing discipline, and backing a conservative budget agenda that puts America First and stops the Left’s addiction to spending.”
Barr’s bill isn’t the only one that Republicans have rolled out recently. Rep. Claudia Tenney (R., N.Y.) is a cosponsor of his bill but also has her own bill, the REPEAL CBO Requirements Act.
“This bill affords Senate rule makers the ability to consider outside, independent experts by addressing the concept of dynamic scoring instead of being confined to static scoring that does not reflect the full impact of tax cuts,” she told the Reporter. “Historically, CBO and JCT have questionably low accuracy rates.”
If Barr, Tenney, and their colleagues have their way, that might not be true for much longer.
EXCLUSIVE: Reps. Mike Collins, William Timmons, and Rick Allen talk DOGE, SCOTUS, and golf ahead of Master's Week
by Matthew Foldi
THE LOWDOWN:
This week is Master’s Week, and a trio of southern Republican congressmen met up to discuss some of their favorite golfers, in addition to what is coming next with reconciliation.
Reps. Mike Collins (R., Ga.), Rick Allen (R., Ga.), and William Timmons (R., S.C.) joined the latest episode of the Republican Study Committee (RSC)’s Right to the Point podcast.
Collins threw his hat behind two-time jacket winner Scottie Scheffler while Allen put his money on North Irish golf legend Rory McIlroy to win the tournament.
This week is Master’s Week, and a trio of southern Republican congressmen met up to discuss some of their favorite golfers, in addition to what is coming next with reconciliation. The lawmakers also shared their thoughts on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and a whole lot more, in the latest episode of the Republican Study Committee’s (RSC) Right to the Point podcast.
In the latest episode of Right to the Point, obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter, Reps. Mike Collins (R., Ga.), Rick Allen (R., Ga.), and William Timmons (R., S.C.) spoke at length about the latest issues of the day, and about who some of their favorite golfers are.
EXCLUSIVE: Democrats poised for expensive primary in Colorado
by Matthew Foldi
THE LOWDOWN:
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released its 2026 target list, and freshman Rep. Gabe Evans (R., Colo.) is squarely on it, to no one’s surprise.
Last year, Evans ousted former Rep. Yadira Caraveo by under one percent, and Caraveo is expected by many to mount a comeback attempt.
Inside Elections noted that “Caraveo may be angling for a rematch, but not all Democrats are happy about that prospect, and the party could face a contentious primary.”
Unfortunately for Caraveo, Democratic state Rep. Manny Rutinel is already in the race, and he raised an impressive $1 million already. However, Rutinel’s campaign finance records suggest there’s already a slowdown in enthusiasm for him, which could open the door for Caraveo.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released its 2026 target list, and freshman Rep. Gabe Evans (R., Colo.) is squarely on it, to no one’s surprise. However, Democrats are poised for a messy primary that could help Evans win next year, regardless of who his opponent ends up being.
Last year, Evans ousted former Rep. Yadira Caraveo by under one percent, and Caraveo is expected by many to mount a comeback attempt. In her first interview following her loss, she said that her “voice, especially now, given that I've had my own healthcare struggles, may be needed.”
Inside Elections noted that “Caraveo may be angling for a rematch, but not all Democrats are happy about that prospect, and the party could face a contentious primary.”
Unfortunately for Caraveo, Democratic state Rep. Manny Rutinel is already in the race, and he raised an impressive $1 million already. However, Rutinel’s campaign finance records suggest there’s already a slowdown in enthusiasm for him, which could open the door for Caraveo. Rutinel raised around $400,000 in his first 24 hours, got to $500,000 within around 48 hours, and then took about two weeks to get to reach $1 million.
"President Trump is bulldozing Biden-era barriers to fully unleash America's energy potential": RSC's Rep. August Pfluger on energy agenda
by Matthew Foldi
Rep. August Pfluger (R., Texas), the chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC) is taking the House GOP’s defense of President Donald Trump’s energy independence agenda to the airwaves, praising the administration for “bulldozing Biden-era barriers to fully unleash America's energy potential.”
Pfluger joined Sunday Morning Futures, where he noted that “What President Trump is now doing is cutting that red tape, he's cutting the bureaucracy, he's making it easier. You're going to see lease sales both onshore and offshore.”
Under Pfluger’s leadership, the RSC and its House Energy Action Team (HEAT) team have backed Trump up on energy policy from the legislative branch.
The RSC’s HEAT team also praised Trump’s energy policy this week in the aftermath of Trump’s executive order that would revitalize America’s coal production. Reps. Troy Balderson (R., Ohio), Randy Weber (R., Texas), and Harriet Hageman (R., Wyo.), who are all on the HEAT team, jointly thanked Trump for “not just keeping the lights on [but for] fueling a manufacturing renaissance that will create thousands of jobs in energy communities devastated by the previous administration's reckless policies.”
K-STREET, 10,000 FEET:
Conservative coalition warns against “stealth tax” that could jeopardize Trump’s corporate tax cuts
by Matthew Foldi
THE LOWDOWN:
A coalition of conservative groups is warning Republicans in Congress to not eliminate or reduce the corporate deduction for state and local taxes (C-SALT) without a proportional cut in the corporate tax rate.
The Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) wrote to Sens. John Thune (R., S.D.) and Mike Crapo (R., Idaho), along with Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) and Rep. Jason Smith (R., Mo.), in a letter obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter.
CFIF was joined by a series of conservative heavyweights in its latest missive, including Americans for Tax Reform, Consumer Action for a Strong Economy, the Innovation Economy Alliance, the Shareholder Advocacy Forum, and more.
It comes as some Hill Republicans are deliberating a reduction or outright elimination of the C-SALT deduction as an offset in reconciliation.
A coalition of conservative groups is warning Republicans in Congress to not eliminate or reduce the corporate deduction for state and local taxes (C-SALT) without a proportional cut in the corporate tax rate.
The Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) wrote to Sens. John Thune (R., S.D.) and Mike Crapo (R., Idaho), along with Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) and Rep. Jason Smith (R., Mo.), in a letter obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter.
The coalitions caution that “eliminating or limiting the C-SALT deduction without proportionally lowering the corporate tax rate, however, would constitute a destructive and costly step backwards.”
“It would result in a stealth tax increase that would raise effective U.S. corporate tax rates for many businesses from President Trump’s 15% target upward toward the excessive job-killing rates of past administrations,” they warned.
CFIF was joined by a series of conservative heavyweights in its latest missive, including Americans for Tax Reform, Consumer Action for a Strong Economy, the Innovation Economy Alliance, the Shareholder Advocacy Forum, and more.
It comes as some Hill Republicans are deliberating a reduction or outright elimination of the C-SALT deduction as an offset in reconciliation.
However, taxpayer advocates warn that this, without a proportional cut to the corporate rate, could lead to a marginal tax increase on businesses and go against President Donald Trump’s plan to lower corporate taxes to 15 percent.
OPINIONATED
Op-Ed: Sen. Norm Coleman: Dayenu: Reflecting on President Donald Trump’s historic achievements ahead of Passover
by Sen. Norm Coleman
As Jews around the world begin the holiday of Passover, and reflect on the accomplishments of President Donald J. Trump and his administration, I am reminded of my favorite part of the Seder — a song we sing about being grateful to God for all of the gifts he has given us. If God had only delivered one blessing, we chant “Dayenu,” which means “It would have been enough.”
In 2019, I led the inaugural “RJC Dayenu,” listing many achievements of the first Trump administration. In these eleven weeks of the second Trump administration, the American Jewish community and the State of Israel have even more to be grateful for.
Join us in the 2025 RJC Dayenu…
Op-Ed: Rep. Jeff Duncan: Undisclosed litigation investments threaten American energy dominance
by Rep. Jeff Duncan
The United States is poised for an energy renaissance, with the potential to lead the way in oil, gas, nuclear, and renewable energy production. In his administration's early months, President Donald Trump removed barriers to greater American energy production, which will no doubt pay dividends in the years to come.
Still, some threats to American energy dominance continue to go overlooked. Chief among them is the problem of abusive lawsuits — funded by shadowy, often foreign-based entities that are exploiting our courts and targeting strategically-important industries like the U.S. energy sector.
Opportunistic investors now view lawsuits as a surefire way to turn a profit on the backs of productive, essential industries. Five years ago, the U.S. litigation finance industry was valued at $9.5 billion. Today that figure is over $15 billion with no signs of slowing down.
For these investors, courtrooms are not a place to adjudicate the truth, but instead a place to make a quick buck. American companies, meanwhile, are left having to expend resources fighting frivolous cases, resources which could otherwise be dedicated to building additional infrastructure and developing and bringing new products to market.
Litigation investors are capitalizing on a massive judicial blind spot. In most jurisdictions nationwide, there are no requirements for litigants to disclose their investors, meaning funders with ulterior motives can influence lawsuits while flying under the radar.
Op-Ed: Daniel Turner: President Trump and America’s coal industry are rising from the ashes together
by Daniel Turner
The split screen was perfect: as well-heeled Beltway insiders were fretting over their stock portfolios and 401(k) plans, President Donald Trump was welcoming coal miners clad in hard hats to the White House. It was more than just a symbolic photo op. The president marked the occasion by signing four executive orders aimed at boosting the coal industry, including one directing federal agencies to repeal any regulations that “discriminated” against coal production.
What a welcome and long overdue turn of events.
Perhaps no group of people have been maligned, cast aside and yes — discriminated against — by politicians than those in the coal industry. They have been villainized by the climate extremists. Rich men in faraway cities like Michael Bloomberg and John Kerry have outright called for their industry to end — their livelihoods be damned, let alone their retirement accounts.
Take these oligarchs literally and seriously. In 2019, Bloomberg donated half a billion dollars to an explicit push to shutter every coal plant, while Kerry has sneered at those who stood to lose their jobs in the energy “transition” and suggested they “learn to code.”
There are three reasons to account for, and celebrate, the sudden change of pace from President Trump.
