A growing push to legalize marijuana in conservative Indiana is setting up a clash among Republican leaders, with Gov. Mike Braun signaling openness to change while Sen. Jim Banks is urging him to hold the line.
The Hoosier State remains one of the few states that largely bans marijuana in all forms, but pressure is mounting as surrounding states have moved to legalize the drug in some capacity.
“I’m kind of agnostic on that issue,” Braun said last month, according to <a href="https://www.wfyi.org/public-affairs/2026-03-21/gov-braun-says-reform-possible-on-states-cannabis-laws" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WFYI</a>. “But when you’ve got four states surrounding you, you’re probably going to have to address it.”
Braun has directed state agencies to meet with pro-medical marijuana groups, <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/indiana-gop-governor-directs-state-agencies-to-meet-with-medical-marijuana-advocates-as-federal-rescheduling-takes-effect/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marijuana Moment</a> reported on Monday, as his administration weighs whether to revisit the state&#8217;s longstanding ban.
Marijuana is now legal for recreational use in 24 states, while 40 states allow it for medicinal purposes, according to the <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/health/state-medical-cannabis-laws#:~:text=Legislative%20Updates,a%20program%20is%20%22comprehensive%22:" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Conference of State Legislatures</a>.
Braun on Tuesday pointed to recent federal movement on the issue, noting the Trump administration&#8217;s decision to reschedule marijuana could make changes at the state level “more likely.” He stressed, however, that any shift in policy should be guided by “what makes sense” and include input from law enforcement.
“You’re going to need to ask the legislators and the leaders in those two chambers to see what they’re thinking, because I’m clear in terms of where I’m at,” Braun said Tuesday, according to the <a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2026/04/29/braun-signals-openness-to-marijuana-legalization-as-outside-report-outlines-policy-considerations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indiana Capital Chronicle</a>. “You’ve got to take what’s evolved over time.”
“Public safety has always been a top priority for the Governor, which is why Indiana State Police have increased enforcement, drug seizures, and interdiction efforts across the state drastically over the last year,” Braun spokesperson Griffin Reid told The Daily Wire on Wednesday. “Governor Braun is aligned with President Trump &#8211; allowing further research into a substance already legal in some form in 40 states will give law enforcement better tools and clearer guidance, while also helping ensure veterans have access to safe, well-studied medical treatment options.”
Banks, meanwhile, is warning that even limited legalization could carry serious consequences. In a letter to Braun on Tuesday, exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire, the Indiana Republican argued that legalizing marijuana would put public safety at risk.
“Even in states that limit recreational use, addicts are accessing medical marijuana cards—and medical use itself can lead to use disorders,” Banks <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/1032899451/2026-04-28-Letter-to-Gov-Braun-Re-Marijuana#from_embed">wrote</a>. “Making marijuana legal does not make it safe, and it does not reduce usage.”
Banks urged Braun to &#8220;prioritize public safety and the well-being of Hoosiers—especially those under the age of 18—and maintain the state’s prohibitions on marijuana use.&#8221;
The senator said he frequently hears from constituents who want stricter controls, not looser ones.
“They tell me about how their children’s lives were ruined by addiction; how they treat the consequences of cannabis disorder in hospitals every day; and how schools are struggling to stop students from smuggling marijuana onto campus using vape pens,” Banks wrote.
Efforts to loosen Indiana&#8217;s marijuana laws have repeatedly stalled in the state legislature, according to <a href="https://www.21alivenews.com/2026/03/25/braun-says-marijuana-legalization-may-need-be-addressed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">21 Alive News</a>.
At the federal level, officials from the Trump administration have framed recent changes as an opportunity to expand research and better understand the drug&#8217;s effects.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-places-fda-approved-marijuana-products-and-products-containing-marijuana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last week that the &#8220;rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.”
“The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options,” he added.
&nbsp;

Beautiful green leaves of marijuana close up

Marijuana Push Reaches Deep Red State As GOP Senator Sounds Alarm

Indiana

Jim Banks

Marijuana

Mike Braun

The consequences of the botched Afghanistan withdrawal during the Biden administration have made their way to the American homeland after the deadly National Guard shooting in Washington, D.C., according to many Republicans, including Senator Jim Banks (R-IN), who was deployed to Afghanistan while serving in the Navy.
Shortly following the suspect’s identification as an Afghan national, Banks immediately called for proper vetting of individuals who came into the country as refugees following the withdrawal from Afghanistan. In a Thursday interview with The Daily Wire on Capitol Hill, Banks elaborated on why he “predicted that this would happen.&#8221;
“If you flood the country with unvetted Afghan nationals, we knew that there would be a large population within that group who were aligned with terrorists, and now this is playing out and proving to be true,” Banks said.
“Go back and vet all of them,” the senator said, further adding that the role of Congress should be to support the president and “fund the effort to do that.&#8221; The &#8220;One Big Beautiful Bill Act,&#8221; which passed in July, paved the way for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to hire thousands of agents, along with providing funding for immigration and border security measures.
“And all of them who weren&#8217;t properly vetted — every single one of them — should be vetted. And if they shouldn&#8217;t be in the United States, then they should be sent back to where they came from,&#8221; the Republican said.
“I served in Afghanistan, I served with translators and Afghan troops and others, and I can just tell you, not every single one of them should be allowed to come to the United States,” Banks continued.
“They should be vetted. Just because they did something in Afghanistan during the war that &#8230; aligned with America, doesn&#8217;t mean that they support American values, and no one should &#8230; be allowed to come to America that doesn&#8217;t love America,” he added.
Banks noted that the country&#8217;s immigration woes are arguably what won President Donald Trump a second term in 2024, adding that “he has a mandate to do what he’s doing.”
Millions of people were let into the U.S. through asylum and parole programs, as well as by illegally crossing the southern border, during the Biden administration. Roughly 14 million immigrants &#8220;unauthorized&#8221; to be in the U.S. were in the country as of 2023, according to the <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2025/08/21/u-s-unauthorized-immigrant-population-reached-a-record-14-million-in-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pew Research Center</a>. As for Afghans who entered after the withdrawal, they came in through Operation Allies Welcome and other programs.
The suspect in the deadly National Guard shooting last month in Washington, D.C., Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, reportedly worked alongside the CIA as a member of &#8220;Zero Unit&#8221; in Afghanistan. Rahmanullah has also dealt with mental health issues since coming to the United States.
The deadly shooting killed Sarah Beckstrom and seriously injured another National Guard member, Andrew Wolfe, who remains in serious condition, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/02/us/national-guard-andrew-wolfe">reported</a>.
Following the National Guard tragedy, Trump ordered the immigration processes for individuals from 19 “high-risk” nations halted to allow for “a thorough re-review process,” according to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services policy memorandum from Dec. 2.
&#8220;In light of identified concerns and the threat to the American people, USCIS has determined that a comprehensive re-review, potential interview, and re-interview of all aliens from high-risk countries of concern who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021 is necessary,&#8221; the memo stated. &#8220;Lastly, USCIS may, when appropriate, extend this review and re-interview process to aliens who entered the United States outside of this timeframe.&#8221;
50% off DailyWire+ annual memberships will not return for another year, so don’t miss this deal! Join now at <a class="c-link" href="http://dailywire.com/cyberweek" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://DailyWire.com/cyberweek" data-sk="tooltip_parent">DailyWire.com/cyberweek</a>.
“We must now reexamine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden, and we must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country,” Trump said in the immediate aftermath of the Nov. 26 shooting.
As for the suspect in the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told NBC News&#8217; &#8220;Meet the Press,&#8221; &#8220;We believe he was radicalized since he has been here in this country. We do believe that it was through connections in his home community and state.&#8221;
The Indiana senator pointed out that even though the withdrawal from Afghanistan was in 2021, “there hasn’t been a successful effort for accountability in its aftermath.”
During the exit of American troops, 13 American soldiers died in an ISIS-K attack, and the Taliban regained control of the country.

Screen Shot 2022-05-18 at 7.32.58 PM

Veteran Serving In Congress Demands Vetting Of Afghan Nationals After Deadly National Guard Shooting

Afghan War Vet In Senate Stresses Importance Of Vetting After National Guard Shooting

Afghanistan

Immigration

National Guard

Senate

Washington DC

WASHINGTON—New legislation from Congressman Riley Moore of West Virginia would significantly increase funding for low-income and working-class families to cover childcare costs.
This child care support could include paying a parent to stay at home or paying another relative to care for a child, The Daily Wire can first report — a major discussion point among social conservatives who argue in favor of promoting the family unit, rather than merely offering childcare options outside the home.
“For decades, conservatives have rallied around being pro-life, but far too often, the policy framework that came with it lacked strong, substantive ideas to reduce the burden on American families,&#8221; Moore told the Daily Wire. &#8220;Being pro-life means being pro-family, and with this legislation, we’re empowering families to choose what works best for them.&#8221;
The Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act would significantly increase authorized funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant, Moore&#8217;s office shared with The Daily Wire, through which state governments disburse via vouchers to low-income and working-class families to help cover childcare costs.
Moore&#8217;s office says the bill would reform the Child Care Development Block Grant &#8220;so this program better aligns with the needs and wants of families.&#8221; While the block grant technically allows families to use its vouchers to pay relatives to care for their children, few parents have done so because of the burdensome regulations involved. The bill would clear some of these hurdles out of their way.
It also would allow married parents to receive direct support from a Child Care Development Block Grant voucher, instead of having to use the voucher to pay for a third-party childcare provider — allowing one parent to potentially stay at home, rather than pay for someone else to watch their children.
The Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act would also reform Child Care Development Block Grant eligibility criteria to make sure that single parents aren&#8217;t punished should they get married.
&#8220;This bill puts parents back in the driver’s seat, letting them decide how their children are cared for, ensuring that CCDBG vouchers support the full range of caregiving options,&#8221; the congressman&#8217;s office shared in a fact sheet about the legislation.
“This is just the first step I aim to take in ushering in a new era that makes raising a family great again,&#8221; Moore said. 
Indiana Sen. Jim Banks introduced the Senate version of the legislation earlier this year. Both versions version have the support of a slew of prominent conservative groups, including Heritage Action, the American Principles Project, the Independent Women’s Forum, CatholicVote, the Family Policy Alliance, and Students for Life.
&#8220;Parents know what is best for their children,&#8221; explained American Principles Project President Terry Schilling. &#8220;When it comes to childcare, parents shouldn’t be penalized for wanting to choose a provider who aligns with their religious views, or for having a family member willing to step in to help out. Expanding the qualifying childcare providers to include these resources is a wonderful step in putting hardworking families first in America.&#8221;
Janae Stracke, Vice President of Outreach and Advocacy with Heritage Action, also argued that “parents across America need childcare that is accessible, affordable, and trustworthy,&#8221; describing the legislation as &#8220;a monumental bill that empowers parents with the freedom and flexibility to raise their children how they see fit, without facing penalties that complicate childcare coordination.&#8221;

House GOP Caucus Meets On Capitol Hill

EXCLUSIVE: Republican Bill Would Increase Childcare Options For Parents

Congress

Riley Moore

Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) signaled during an interview over the weekend that he supports confirming two of President-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s nominees in the coming weeks.
Banks signaled his support for Kash Patel being confirmed as FBI Director and Pete Hegseth being confirmed as Secretary of Defense during a Sunday interview with Jake Tapper on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union.&#8221;
The remarks from Banks came in response to an ISIS terrorist murdering at least 14 people during a terrorist attack on New Year&#8217;s Day in New Orlean&#8217;s French Quarter.
&#8220;In the wake of the New Orleans attack, you&#8217;re calling for the Senate to quickly confirm President Trump&#8217;s national security nominees,&#8221; Tapper said to Banks. &#8220;I want to play some sound from one of those nominees, Kash Patel, nominated to be director of the FBI. This is what he said about the agency that&#8217;s now charged with leading this terrorist investigation.&#8221;
&#8220;We have seen the leadership of the FBI be more focused on the political causes of the Left, going after parents at school board meetings, instead of going after and investigating ISIS members in America,&#8221; Banks said. I mean, Jabbar in New Orleans had ISIS content on his social media account. We should have been more aware of that and planned to stop that attack from happening and going after him. And, instead, the FBI has become way too bureaucratic, way too political.&#8221;
&#8220;And Kash Patel is going to be a big part of cleaning it up,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;But never forget that Donald Trump is going to be the president. He&#8217;s going to be in charge. He&#8217;s going to instruct Kash Patel. And I expect Kash Patel will help clean up the mess.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorBanks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenatorBanks</a>: &#8220;The FBI has become way too bureaucratic, way too political — and <a href="https://twitter.com/Kash_Patel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kash_Patel</a> is going to be a big part of cleaning it up.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/4ykSuNAYjK">pic.twitter.com/4ykSuNAYjK</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1875915658946560229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
Banks added that he was also looking forward to Hegseth&#8217;s confirmation hearing.
&#8220;I fully support Pete Hegseth,&#8221; he said. &#8220;He is eminently more qualified than Secretary Austin, who&#8217;s in the job, who disappeared on the job, who instructed the disastrous, deadly withdrawal of Afghanistan, and created a woke political mess at the Pentagon that Pete Hegseth is going to clean up.&#8221;
&#8220;Pete is a decorated combat veteran, served in both Iraq and Afghanistan,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;He knows what&#8217;s at stake. I fully support him. He&#8217;s going to be great at the job.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Senator Banks: I fully support <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeteHegseth</a>. He is eminently more qualified than Secretary Austin… who disappeared on the job, who instructed the disastrous, deadly withdrawal of Afghanistan, and created a woke political mess at the Pentagon that Pete is going to clean up. <a href="https://t.co/fJH3kPBih6">pic.twitter.com/fJH3kPBih6</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1875914738783457552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2025</a></blockquote>

US-POLITICS-CONGRESS

Senator Banks Backs Trump Nominees Hegseth, Patel

Donald Trump

kash patel

Pete Hegseth

Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) said during an interview over the weekend that dozens of illegal aliens smuggled into the U.S. by an ISIS-affiliated network have gone missing.
Banks made the remarks during a Sunday CNN interview on &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; with Jake Tapper following last week&#8217;s ISIS terrorist attack in New Orlean&#8217;s French Quarter in which a recent convert to Islam murdered at least 14 people.
&#8220;We have got to get down to the reality of the matter that we have had 400 ISIS smuggled people coming into our country that the Department of Homeland Security told us about last summer,&#8221; Banks said. &#8220;And 50 of them, we don&#8217;t know where they are. We don&#8217;t know who they are or where they are. And we have to take that more seriously. I know President Trump will do that.&#8221;
Banks noted that during his first term in office, President Donald Trump &#8220;eradicated the ISIS caliphate&#8221; and that the terror group has only started to make a come back over the last couple of years following President Joe Biden&#8217;s disastrous withdraw from Afghanistan.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN): “We have had 400 ISIS smuggled people coming into our country that the Department of Homeland Security told us about last summer. And 50 of them, we don&#8217;t know where they are. We don&#8217;t know who they are or where they are.” <a href="https://t.co/WdbSwqE8fS">pic.twitter.com/WdbSwqE8fS</a>
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealSaavedra/status/1875958056632332520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
Multiple U.S. officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/400-illegal-aliens-have-been-brought-into-u-s-by-isis-affiliated-human-smuggling-network-report?fbclid=IwY2xjawHnn2FleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHTCnFgr9ePBNnqRBmfVZxT7UMFHZyzqP5I2X_JDf4JljQ84JRpbyDrEGIg_aem_DiQFNiVYFOOWE3dzj0xb7w">confirmed</a> to NBC News that the Department of Homeland Security that they believe the 50 illegal aliens scattered into 17 different states after illegally crossing the border.
The illegal aliens were all released into the U.S. because there was not information at the time connecting them to terrorism when they were contacted by U.S. Border Patrol.
Illegal aliens originating from countries were ISIS operates will rarely ever have information in any kind of database that connects them to terrorism because many of them have little-to-no infrastructure to track terrorist suspects. Also, even if the countries had the information, many of them would likely not want to share it with the United States because they view the U.S. as an enemy state.

Senator Banks: 50 Illegal Aliens Smuggled Into U.S By ISIS Network Have Gone Missing

ISIS

Media

Politics

The United States Air Force has continued pushing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda in violation of federal law, Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) claims in a letter exclusively obtained by the Daily Wire.
In a letter to Alex Wagner, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower &amp; Reserve Affairs, Banks contends that the Air Force cloaked its DEI activities in an effort to circumvent provisions in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which bar the Defense Department from creating any new DEI roles or filling vacancies in existing DEI positions.
“Rather than following the law, it appears that the Air Force has simply rebranded DEI,” Banks, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Military Personnel, wrote in his letter.
<a style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View 07.10.2024 - Letter to Air Force Re DEI at Ramstein_FINAL on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/document/751070266/07-10-2024-Letter-to-Air-Force-Re-DEI-at-Ramstein-FINAL#from_embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">07.10.2024 &#8211; Letter to Air Force Re DEI at Ramstein_FINAL</a> by <a style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Daily Wire Investigations Team's profile on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/user/694252498/Daily-Wire-Investigations-Team#from_embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Wire Investigations Team</a> on Scribd
The letter comes as the military grapples with the NDAA’s ban on new DEI initiatives. The <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/12/07/pentagon-abortion-transgender-policies-safe-diversity-programs-take-hit-compromise-defense-bill.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funding bill</a> sought to curb the Defense Department’s DEI agenda by capping the pay of those currently in DEI-related positions and prohibiting any new hiring of DEI professionals, <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/2739071/final-ndaa-includes-anti-dei-amendments-while-house-transgender-priorities-get-tossed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pending an audit</a> of existing DEI spending by the Government Accountability Office. The bill also barred the Pentagon from filling any existing DEI positions that become vacant.
The DEI ban was a response to the military’s <a href="https://www.heritage.org/defense/heritage-explains/critical-race-theory-the-military" target="_blank" rel="noopener">embrace</a> of critical race theory and the Biden administration’s <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/25/fact-sheet-president-biden-signs-executive-order-advancing-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-accessibility-in-the-federal-government/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">push</a> to establish DEI offices and policies throughout the federal government. The Department of Defense has made DEI a priority under Biden, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-pentagon-slated-to-spend-nearly-270-million-on-diversity-agenda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">requesting a whopping $270 million</a> for DEI from fiscal years 2022 to 2024.
Banks’s letter highlights one Air Force DEI training in particular, a copy of which was obtained by the Daily Wire. The training, “Supporting Systemic Equity,” was administered at Ramstein Air Base and other installations by <a href="https://www.teamtriad.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Team Triad</a>, a consulting firm.
The training aims to“highlight the benefits of diversity and equity” to help Air Force personnel “recognize the importance of empowerment &amp; equity” and “understand what it means to be an ally.”
“Equity is about giving people what they need to make things fair to achieve ‘equality,’” the training materials say.
“This training is an attempt by the Air Force to contravene the clear intent of the law: Prohibited from hiring new DEI positions or filling vacant ones, the Air Force has simply contracted out its DEI training,” Banks said.
“Bureaucrats who think that carrying out the Biden administration’s woke agenda is more important than the law are in for a rude awakening,&#8221; Banks told the Daily Wire.
“Biden DOD officials need to realize that they won’t have a left wing radical Commander in Chief forever,” Banks said. “Congress has prohibited the military from hiring new DEI officials and Republicans will keep using our oversight authority to enforce the laws on the books.”
Team Triad held “Supporting System Equity” trainings at eight Air Force bases last year, and <a href="https://www.teamtriad.co.uk/supporting-systemic-equity-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> it will host 16 training sessions across 10 different bases in 2024.
Banks has requested a copy of the contract between the Air Force and Team Triad.
The Indiana Republican’s letter also addresses an April 2024 Air Force memo, “Standard Core Personnel Documents Directive for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Positions,” which the congressman says violates the most recent NDAA.
“The memo states that to deter adversaries, the Department of the Air Force ‘requires intentionally designing a force that leverages the talents of our diverse Nation’” Banks says.
“An ‘intentional design’ suggests that the Air Force desires the use of quotas and screening requirements for certain races, genders, or sexual orientations during recruiting and retention efforts and that it desires to use Promotion, command selection, and other personnel actions to ensure its preferred mix of races, genders, and sexual orientations,” Banks writes.
The Air Force’s seeming defiance of the NDAA’s DEI ban is the branch’s latest effort to push far-left ideologies. In February, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/air-force-academy-highlights-transgender-officer-at-leadership-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Wire investigation</a> revealed that the Air Force Academy hosted Lt. Colonel Bree Fram, a man who identifies as a woman, for a speech on leadership. Fram is a transgender activist and the president of SPARTA, “a non-profit that advocates and educates about transgender military service.”
Fram also spoke at a pride month event where he called for “intentional inclusivity” in the military, and demanded that leadership “initiate difficult conversations about racial and gender barriers.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH🎥: The U.S. Air Force Academy hosted a transgender Pentagon official for a symposium on inclusion. Our military is focused on transgender dogma while wars rage on two continents.
Here he is at a pride celebration calling for &#8220;intentional inclusivity&#8221; in the military 🧵 <a href="https://t.co/6BAbEwrS4j" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/6BAbEwrS4j</a>
— Spencer Lindquist 🇺🇸 (@SpencerLndqst) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerLndqst/status/1763327970893254985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
The Daily Wire also revealed that the Air Force celebrated pride month with two days of events in June, including “LGBTQ+ trivia” and a keynote speech from the CEO of an organization that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-air-force-celebrates-pride-month-with-ceo-of-organization-advocating-for-child-gender-transitions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushes transgenderism on children</a>. The group, PFLAG, has sued states that have moved to safeguard minors from irreversible sex change operations.
Banks’s letter poses a number of questions to Wagner regarding the Air Force’s embrace of DEI, requesting responses no later than July 20th.
“Are there currently any quotas or goals for race, gender, sexual orientation, or other protected categories in Air Force recruiting and retention efforts?” Banks asks. “If so, what are they? And how do these quotas and/or goals achieve the service’s required end strength goals and protect U.S. national security?”
The Department of the Air Force did not respond to a request for comment.

2024 Republican National Convention: Day 2

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Jim Banks Says Air Force Is Violating Federal DEI Ban

Air Force

Joe Biden

Leftism

LGBTQ

Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) says the Department of Justice declined to prosecute threats against his family in contrast to how it has handled similar threats against Democrats.
Banks questioned Attorney General Merrick Garland about the seeming disparity in response to threats against Banks and threats against Democratic members of Congress. Banks wrote in a letter to the Justice Department chief that the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana “declined” to prosecute a man despite “clear evidence” of threats against Banks’ family, according to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-attorney-declined-prosecution-threat-congressman-letter-claims/story?id=111201176" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a>, which obtained a copy of the letter.
&#8220;When Capitol Police referred the criminal case against Aaron Thompson to the U.S. Attorney for Northern District of Indiana, they declined to prosecute despite clear evidence that Thompson violated federal law,&#8221; Banks wrote.
Banks received several threatening voicemails from Thompson, who was later prosecuted by a local district attorney in Indiana and sentenced to two years of probation.
“Three daughters. Hey, hey, hey, three bullets hey, hey, hey one wife yay. Oh yeah, yeah, we&#8217;ll give her two bullets,” Thompson said in one message, according to Banks’ letter.
In an interview with U.S. Capitol Police, Thompson <a href="https://dailyjournal.net/2023/11/20/fort-wayne-man-gets-probation-for-harassing-rep-jim-banks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> to calling and threatening Banks over disagreements with his political views. Thompson said he was intoxicated during the calls.
The DOJ’s treatment of Banks’ case contrasts with how the department handled threats leveled against Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, according to Banks, who asked Garland why the cases were treated differently. A man accused of threatening the California Democrat <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-threats-19464591.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pleaded</a> guilty in May after being charged by federal prosecutors in January.
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In Swalwell’s case, an elderly Florida man left messages for the congressman, calling him a “moron” and accusing him of sleeping with a Chinese spy. The man also threatened Swalwell’s kids, saying, “I’m gonna kill your children.” The man said he was intoxicated at the time he left the messages for Swalwell.
In a case this week not featured in Banks&#8217; letter, federal prosecutors <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-man-threatened-kill-us-rep-maxine-waters-sentenced-33-months-pri-rcna157605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secured</a> a sentence of 33 months in prison and a $10,000 fine for a Texas man who was convicted of making threats against Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters of California. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced the sentence against Brian Michael Gaherty of Houston on Monday.
Gaherty pleaded guilty to leaving four threatening messages for Waters in August and November 2022. In one of the messages, Gaherty threatened to &#8220;put a cap&#8221; in Waters&#8217; head, “cut [her] throat,” and “stomp” her.

Republican Says DOJ ‘Declined’ To Prosecute Threats Targeting His Family, Unlike Those Against Dems

Jim Banks Says DOJ ‘Declined’ To Prosecute Threats Against His Family, Unlike Those Against Democrats

Death Threats

Department of Justice

Merrick Garland

Republicans in the House and Senate are pushing to defund NPR after a now-former editor wrote an essay exposing the liberal bias of the outlet and reports broke on leftist comments made by CEO Katherine Maher. 
Republican Reps. Jim Banks (IN), Claudia Tenney (NY), and Bob Good (VA) all introduced their own legislation to end funding for the outlet. Banks introduced <a href="https://banks.house.gov/uploadedfiles/defund_npr_act.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his measure</a> on Friday, taking aim at Maher and calling NPR “low grade propaganda.”
“NPR’s new CEO is a radical, left-wing activist who doesn’t believe in free speech or objective journalism,” Banks said in a statement. “Hoosiers shouldn’t be writing her paychecks. Katherine Maher isn’t qualified to teach an introductory journalism class, much less capable of responsibly spending millions of American tax dollars.”
Recently, clips of Maher <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-male-westernized-npr-president-said-she-opposed-wikipedias-free-and-open-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted by</a> journalist Chris Rufo show Maher saying that the “number one challenge” for her in fighting so-called disinformation was the First Amendment, which she called a “fairly robust protection of rights.” She also claimed that former President Donald Trump was a racist and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-ceo-of-npr-is-everything-wrong-with-the-news-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> about her desire to go on a road trip with Vice President Kamala Harris eating “nuts and baklava.”
Tenney, who <a href="https://tenney.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-tenney-moves-defund-npr#:~:text=%22My%20legislation%2C%20the%20Defund%20NPR,bias%20in%20our%20news%20media." target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> the “Defund NPR Act of 2024” said that the outlet had become a “partisan propaganda machine.” 
“As a former newspaper owner and publisher, I understand the importance of non-partisan, balanced media coverage, and have seen first-hand the left-wing bias in our news media,” she said. “NPR is using American taxpayer dollars to manipulate the news and lie to the American people on behalf of a political agenda. It’s past time the American people stop footing the bill for NPR, and the partisan, left-wing activists that control it.&#8221;
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Good <a href="https://good.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-good-calls-defunding-biased-npr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> similar legislation alongside eight co-sponsors, saying that it was “egregious” for taxpayers to be backing partisan news coverage. 
The lawmakers&#8217; push comes after now-former senior business editor Uri Berliner <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-lost-americas-trust-npr-veteran-says-network-has-lost-its-way" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote an essay</a> in the Free Press saying that the network had lost the trust of Americans because of its coverage of things like gender ideology and refusal to cover the Hunter Biden laptop story in the lead up to the 2020 election. 
Berliner, who resigned days after the essay was published, said that NPR lacked serious viewpoint diversity. 
“It’s frictionless — one story after another about instances of supposed racism, transphobia, signs of the climate apocalypse, Israel doing something bad, and the dire threat of Republican policies,” he wrote.

NPR To Cut 10% Of Staff As Advertising Revenue Falls

‘Partisan Propaganda Machine’: Republicans Push To Defund NPR Over Political Bias

House Republicans

Legacy Media

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/indiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indiana</a> has enacted a law that prohibits cities in the state from entering &#8220;sister city&#8221; agreements with localities in adversarial foreign nations such as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China</a>, Russia, and Iran.
Such agreements are meant to boost cultural and economic ties between communities in different nations, but some U.S. officials have been raising concerns about malign influence. One Indiana city — Carmel — recently <a href="https://fox59.com/indianapolitics/carmel-withdraws-relationship-with-united-states-heartland-china-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">withdrew</a> its <a href="https://youarecurrent.com/2024/02/08/carmel-to-end-membership-with-u-s-heartland-china-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">membership</a> with the United States Heartland China Association.
Last week, Governor Eric Holcomb (R-IN) <a href="https://www.in.gov/gov/newsroom/2024-bill-watch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> a <a href="https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/123/2024/house/bills/HB1120/HB1120.05.ENRS.pdf#page=87" target="_blank" rel="noopener">112-page bill</a> that includes a small provision that institutes the sister-city ban for counties, cities, towns, or townships. It <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-15/subtitle-A/part-7/subpart-A/section-7.4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hinges on U.S. Code</a> to define foreign adversaries, of which there are currently six: China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela.
Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), who is running for Senate, celebrated the bill&#8217;s enactment, particularly as it relates to China and its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-panel-releases-memo-on-chinas-influence-strategy-in-the-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central United Front Work Department</a> that he says manages sister city agreements through a proxy group.
“Sister city agreements are managed by the United Front, the Chinese Communist Party’s overseas influence arm which Xi Jinping called a ‘magic weapon’ for ‘national rejuvenation.’ The CCP pushes sister city agreements to get a foothold here, not to help Indiana,&#8221; Banks said in a <a href="https://banks.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2255" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Monday.
&#8220;I’m glad that state lawmakers are focused on ridding Communist Party influence from our state, whether that means banning [agricultural] land purchases or cooperative agreements with our foremost adversary,&#8221; he added.
The <a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2024/03/18/indiana-bans-sister-city-agreements-with-foreign-adversaries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indiana Capital Chronicle</a> said that the provision goes into effect on July 1, but notes there is some uncertainty about whether the ban is retroactive to affect existing agreements — and it does not apply to a state-level agreement with the Chinese province of Zhejiang.
There has been bipartisan support for action as state Rep. Mitch Gore, an Indianapolis-area Democrat, first proposed the provision and said that he believes sister-city agreements with foreign adversaries &#8220;deserve a little more scrutiny,&#8221; according to the report.
Critics included Jenna Bentley, the government affairs director at Accelerate Indiana Municipalities, who told the news outlet, &#8220;We have concerns when any kind of preemption prevails at the statehouse. Sister City relationships are often entered into for hyperlocal reasons.&#8221;

Indiana State Legislature

Indiana Approves Ban On ‘Sister City’ Agreements With Foreign Adversaries

Indiana Approves Ban On 'Sister City' Agreements With Foreign Adversaries

China

Cuba

Iran

North Korea

Russia

U.S.

Venezuela

GOP Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jim-banks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jim Banks</a> (IN) has unveiled a new bill that would cut off federal funding for child welfare agencies who discriminate against Christians and other people of faith.
Banks&#8217; bill, the Sensible Adoption for Every (SAFE) Home Act, is a response to a proposed Biden administration Health and Human Services <a href="https://www.alabamaag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2023.11.27-Foster-Care-Comment-FINAL.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rule</a> that would require foster or adoptive parents to support a child’s gender &#8220;transition.&#8221; The caretakers would have to affirm a child’s preferred pronouns, their “chosen name,” and “allow the child to dress in a way that reflects that gender identity.”
&#8220;The Biden administration is cruelly preventing countless children in the foster care and adoption system from going to loving homes just because parents are opposed to irreversible sex change procedures on kids,&#8221; Banks <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/jim-banks-unveils-bill-protect-adoption-rights-parents-who-want-raise-kids-based-biological-sex" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;This isn’t a liberal or conservative issue. This is just plain wrong, and every sane person knows it.&#8221;
The administration <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/27/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-actions-to-support-children-and-families-in-foster-care/#:~:text=Today%2C%20HHS%20has%20issued%20a,other%20foster%20home%20would%20receive." target="_blank" rel="noopener">claims</a> the HHS rule is necessary to protect &#8220;LGBTQI+ youth,&#8221; who they say are overrepresented in the foster care system and often suffer from abuse.
However, 18 state attorneys general have already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/states-press-hhs-over-illegal-rule-that-could-force-foster-care-providers-to-facilitate-trans-procedures" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed on to a letter</a> from Alabama AG Steve Marshall urging HHS to reject the proposed rule. These Republican states – which include Georgia, Virginia, Texas, Tennessee, and Kentucky – all see the rule as discriminatory and a clear violation of the First Amendment, both freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Their letter argues that the rule would effectively remove faith-based providers who refuse to bend on their religious beliefs from the foster care system.
The letter notes that the Supreme Court, just two years ago, ruled in favor of religious freedom in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. In this case, the city refused to contract with a Catholic group that wouldn’t certify same-sex couples as foster parents. The city was told they couldn&#8217;t discriminate against these Catholic groups based on LGBT opinions.
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The Republican AGs also argue in their letter that the HHS rule would hurt children in foster care the most, since Christians in particular, and people of faith more generally, are far more likely to become foster parents than the general population. Notably, there are already nearly 400,000 minors in the foster care system, and that number is expected to grow in the coming years.
The GOP AGs also claim the administration is trying to skirt legal precedent by applying most of its requirements on the states, instead of individual providers. For example, religious parents or groups could, in theory, decline to be designated as a “safe” placement for LGBT youth if they aren’t willing to agree to the HHS LGBT regulations, and as a result, would not receive those placements. This would cut them out of a huge portion of the foster care system, Republicans say, adding that this is still discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/widow-barred-from-adopting-foster-kids-over-christian-beliefs-now-shes-fighting-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Widow Barred From Adopting Foster Kids Over Christian Beliefs. Now She’s Fighting Back.</a>

Biden’s New Rule Would Limit Christians From Adoption; GOP Rep Jim Banks Is Fighting Back With New Legislation

Adoption

Department of Health and Human Services

Executive

Social Issues

Congressional Republicans unveiled legislation on Tuesday that would establish a new office tasked with enforcing the ban on affirmative action and strip federal funding from universities that engage in racial discrimination.
Titled the College Admissions Accountability Act, the legislation from Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) would create a special inspector general’s office within the Department of Education to enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling on Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which found that considering race in the admissions process violates the 14th Amendment.
The proposed legislation, which was first <a href="https://freebeacon.com/policy/republicans-propose-new-office-to-enforce-affirmative-action-ban/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by the Free Beacon, comes as several universities have indicated that they may not comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling. &#8220;Following the Court&#8217;s ruling, several American colleges and universities issued statements or unveiled new policies at odds with its letter and spirit,&#8221; the legislation states. &#8220;Institutions of higher education, including their offices of admission, must comply with the Constitution and laws of the United States, as interpreted by the judiciary.&#8221;
Columbia Law School initially stated that they would require applicants to submit a video as part of their application in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling before backtracking after critics noted it might be &#8220;a willful effort to evade the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.&#8221;
Other institutions responded to the ruling by <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/admissions/traditional-age/2023/08/02/colleges-change-essay-prompts-after-affirmative-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">modifying their essay prompts</a> to inquire about applicant’s “cultural background” and “lived experience,” as well as their beliefs on diversity and inclusion. Some universities, like Babson College and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst admitted that the prompts were created in direct response to the ban on affirmative action.
&#8220;Every student in America is entitled to equal protection under the law, regardless of their background,&#8221; Vance <a href="https://freebeacon.com/policy/republicans-propose-new-office-to-enforce-affirmative-action-ban/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contended</a> before adding &#8220;This bill creates the means necessary to enforce the Court&#8217;s decision and hold colleges and universities accountable for illegal discrimination on the basis of race.&#8221;
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In addition to creating the Office of the Special Inspector General for Unlawful Discrimination in Higher Education, the legislation would also pull federal funding from universities that violate the Supreme Court’s ruling and engage in racial discrimination. The potential punishments would also address discrimination in “financial aid determinations” and “academic programs.”
The office created by the legislation would exist separately from the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, giving applicants and employees a new means by which to file discrimination claims.
&#8220;The federal government has given the universities free rein to discriminate against white and Asian students” remarked Chris Rufo, the conservative activist who spearheaded the fight against Critical Race Theory and now serves as a trustee at the New College of Florida. &#8220;Senator Vance&#8217;s proposed legislation will put a stop to this.&#8221;

College students walking on campus, rear view – stock photo

Republicans Unveil Legislation To Enforce Affirmative Action Ban, Strip Funding From Universities That Discriminate

Critical Race Theory

JD Vance

The GOP-led House passed the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Thursday with key conservative provisions that face long odds in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
The <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2023-07-14/house-approves-hijacked-ndaa-as-democrats-denounce-conservative-social-policies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill passed</a> mostly along partisan lines in a 219-210 vote, which included amendments that prohibited funding Pentagon funding for travel for women seeking abortions and paying for transgender procedures on military service members. 
“Under this bill our men and women in uniform, who make sacrifices for our nation every day, will receive the biggest pay raise in decades, radical programs that are forced on our troops at the expense of readiness are eliminated, cutting-edge technology that is essential for the future of this country and will help deter Communist China will receive more investment, and taxpayers will save $40 billion as this bill roots out wasteful spending,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) <a href="https://www.speaker.gov/house-republicans-vote-to-defend-our-nation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. 
The NDAA will provide around $886 billion for military spending, which is more than the NDAA provided last year and than the Biden administration’s recommendation, <a href="https://justthenews.com/government/congress/congress-preps-defense-spending-increase-26-billion-debt-climbs-33-trillion?utm_source=daily&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Just the News. 
“When Speaker McCarthy was elected earlier this year he promised a more open process. He kept that promise today and it resulted in the most conservative NDAA I’ve ever seen,” <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJimBanks/status/1679881214734336001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN). 
Democrats widely criticized the bill, claiming that it politicized military defense spending. 
“It is woefully irresponsible that extreme MAGA Republicans have hijacked a bipartisan bill that is essential to our national security and taken it over and weaponized it in order to jam their extreme right wing ideology down the throats of the American people,” <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2023-07-14/house-approves-hijacked-ndaa-as-democrats-denounce-conservative-social-policies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
“I just voted against the defense bill because it was hijacked with rightwing garbage about drag shows, book bans, and attacks on women’s freedom. Under kevin mccarthy the inmates are running the asylum,” Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillPascrell/status/1679878080008011779" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a tweet.
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On Thursday, several amendments that sought to limit spending for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-moves-to-block-funding-for-abortion-travel-as-lawmakers-prepare-to-vote-on-military-spending" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine</a> were defeated. One, from Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), would have revoked $300 million in spending for Ukraine&#8217;s defensive effort against Russian forces, while another, from Gaetz, would have removed all security assistance for Ukraine. Greene’s amendment failed 89-341 while Gaetz’s failed 70-358.
The bill will likely face headwinds in the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats who will likely be opposed to the amendments blocking funding for abortion travel, transgender surgeries, and some DEI initiatives. 
Senators are <a href="https://twitter.com/NOgnanovich/status/1679495576088465409" target="_blank" rel="noopener">set to consider</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/maxpcohen/status/1678828168101130268" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their own</a> <a href="https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fy24_ndaa_bill_text.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NDAA</a> next week. Ultimately, the House and Senate will have to resolve any differences between their bills before an NDAA is sent to President Joe Biden for a signature.

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