FEMA Chief Deanne Criswell Testifies Before Congress; Details on Trump's New Picks

Good evening and welcome to the Capitol Report on Entity Television. I'm Steve Lance. And coming up, President-elect Trump unveiling more picks, shaping his administration's trade and health care policies, why he's choosing them, and what they could mean for tariffs on China. And the head of FEMA questioned on alleged political bias by employees during hurricane relief efforts this year. We'll have highlights from today's hearing. President Biden asking Congress for another $100 billion for disaster relief in his waning days in office. And what's on the chopping block for President-elect Trump's newly formed Department of Government Efficiency. We'll speak with Republican Congressman Ralph Norman of South Carolina. Coming up. This is Capitol Report, live from our global headquarters in our nation's capital. Here's Steve Lance. And President-elect Trump moving full steam ahead with his transition as he unveils more picks for key positions. This comes as he watches the launch of a powerful SpaceX rocket along with Elon Musk. Joining us now live is Entity's Iris Tao from West Palm Beach. Good evening, Iris. So what is Trump doing and saying today? Good evening to you, Steve. President-elect Trump today flew from here in West Palm Beach to southern Texas to watch a SpaceX launch with Elon Musk. And that's another time that the two both are appearing together and this time to watch a powerful rocket launch. Along with Elon Musk and Senator Ted Cruz, President-elect Trump on Tuesday attending the launch of SpaceX's Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built on a sixth test flight from Texas. It's another show of Musk's increasing role in Trump's orbit. And it comes as Trump's moving full steam ahead with more picks for his new administration. On Tuesday, Trump announced Howard Lutnick will be his pick for the Commerce Secretary. Lutnick is the CEO of Canterfields Gerald and has been the co-chair of Trump's transition team. In a statement, Trump praised Lutnick for his work on the transition team and calling him a dynamic force on Wall Street for more than 30 years. Trump asked that Lutnick will lead our tariff and trade agenda. Trump has vowed to impose sweeping tariffs on countries like China. Same thing with China, we're going to tariff the hell out of them. And Lutnick has been also advocating for it. Our economy was rocking. This is 1900, 125 years ago. We had no income tax and all we had was tariffs. Trump also announced that he's nominating Mehmet Oz. The celebrity doctor and one-time Pennsylvania Senate candidate to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. That's the agency administering those welfare programs. And Trump says Oz will work with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick for the Health and Human Services Secretary, to quote, take on the illness industrial complex. And meanwhile, just earlier today, while at the SpaceX launch, Trump told a reporter that he is not reconsidering his nomination for Congressman Matt Gaetz to be dear attorney general, which has met with some controversies. Steve. Antony Zarras-Towell, thank you for that update. FEMA Administrator D.N. Criswell testifying before Congress today to address allegations of political bias by members of the agency during hurricane relief efforts. Antony's Washington correspondent, Luis Martinez, joins us from the Capitol with more on this story. That's right, Steve. The chair of the House's Transportation and Innovation Committee and the House's Oversight Committee held this Tuesday separate hearings to depose FEMA Administrator D.N. Criswell over allegations of political bias within the agency. Concerning press reports from Lake Placid, Florida, that FEMA skipped over homes impacted by Hurricane Milton that displayed signs supporting President-elect Trump. The FEMA supervisor who was accused of political bias has since been fired, but lawmakers have demanded further investigation into the allegations. What I'd like for the American people to know is before I even deployed to Florida, that this was the work culture there. Unfortunately, that trend ran with those Trump campaign signs. I don't create policy. FEMA does. I just implement it in the field. FEMA Administrator D.N. Criswell defended her handling of the controversy. We've seen many other government agencies that we believe have become politicized and or weaponized. So, I mean, why should we believe this is an isolated incident? Chairman, I understand your concern and I share your concern because I want to ensure that the American people know that FEMA is there to support all people, which is why we are conducting an investigation and why we have asked the IG to look into this further to ensure that this is not beyond the one employee who sent this message. House Republicans pressed the FEMA Administrator on the management of the department's funds. The aftermath of Hurricane Blue through Tennessee and North Carolina was just devastating. And up to now, the relief, I think, effort has been lackluster at best. You have these independent groups, you have Samaritan's Purse and others that are really doing great work. I think it shows that maybe government has outused its usefulness in this situation. FEMA needs a new director. The country wants a new administration. So, the way that they've been running business now, he could request $100 trillion. And I don't have confidence in the Biden administration's ability to use those funds in a matter that actually helps people. Earlier this week, President Joe Biden requested nearly $100 billion in supplemental funds for FEMA and Congress will have to review that petition. President Biden requested close to $100 billion for FEMA. What was your reaction to that? It's a huge amount of money. I mean, so, we're going to have to see, you know, obviously what all of that is for. But you're talking about unprecedented disasters in Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Lawmakers will have until December 20th to approve or reject the supplemental funds requested by the president. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Luis Eduardo Martinez, NTD News. So how are lawmakers weighing President Biden's request for $100 billion in disaster relief funds in his final days in office? And what impact will President-elect Trump's newly formed Department of Government Efficiency have on government agencies? Joining me now to discuss is Republican Congressman Ralph Norman. Congressman Ralph Norman, thank you so much for joining again. My pleasure. Congressman, the Biden administration is requesting an additional $100 billion in disaster relief funding, including $40 billion for FEMA. What are some of the key components of this request? And in your view, how should Congress be looking at it? We took it up, yeah, it was on the floor yesterday, $100 billion of money we don't have. He came to my district, Hurricane Helene damaged a portion of my district, but devastated Western North Carolina. He said, he and Mayorkas said then that FEMA was out of money, they would give them $750, which is an insult. $750,000, $750? Seven per person that has been affected by it. The bottom line, Steve, it's an insult. Now, he's a little too late now. It's been what, a month since Hurricane Helene hit? And we've got more money in COVID, unspent COVID funds that he could draw from. So that's why I was voted against it. And the money is not going where it needs to go, particularly in the case of Western North Carolina. Those people are devastated. It's going to take five to ten years to get us back. Bottom line, it should have been offsets. It should have been some way to pay for the hurricane relief. But the way he's doing it is totally backward. What is your sense of how members, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are looking for the need for these additional disaster relief funds? They're not looking at it hard enough. You're going to have natural disasters. In the business arena, you have unexpected losses. You have unexpected occurrences. And up in Congress, they don't realize that. That's why we run into $35, $37 trillion deficit debt that we're mounting up. And it's pretty simple. But to come at this late stage, when he only has another, what, five weeks in office until the new year kicks in, and of course January 20th is when Trump officially takes over. But it's unfair for the people who actually need the relief, and it's unfair to burden the taxpayers with that type of debt, when there's money in accounts that he could prioritize if he wanted to, through an executive order. And he's not doing it. Congressman, speaking of debt, and the Pentagon recently failing another audit, I want to talk to you about this new Department of Government efficiency that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are tasked with running or managing, if you will. You were very successful in business before coming into Congress here. Is this something that is needed? What are we doing wrong? The novelty and the acumen of Donald Trump to put a man like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in—the American people want that, they need it. They have been successful in business. They're not getting a paycheck. They're doing it—putting their time, tithe, and talent into this to help the country. And what's great about it, the public will have their back, and they will trust them because there's nothing to gain from them. And the great thing about it, Steve, they're publicizing it. On the 250th anniversary of America, the birthday present that we're going to be getting is a list of things that should be cut or eliminated from the federal government. And it couldn't come at a better time, and I think you'll see other states doing this. Politicians aren't the best ones to make decisions because most of them have never been in the business arena where they made money and lost money. Most politicians have signed—their biggest work is getting the government paycheck, a lot of them, to be honest with you. I served with a lot of them, and they're good members. But with where we are with America today, and the financial cliff that we're hanging on right now, it's a welcome relief. Americans are thirsty for it, and it'll be well-received. Are there signs that things may have gone too far, and that sort of administrative state that we've heard of has formed, as Vivek Ramaswamy has stated? Absolutely. Government has become—it's overwhelming. And what we have to remember, the states created the federal government. The federal government did not create the states. Tenth Amendment rights are going to have to be implemented now per the states. You wonder, with the invasion at the border, if we could rewind the clock, if Texas wouldn't take matters into their own hands and stop the invasion. But what he's done is phenomenal. He's got the right people in place, and look at the military people. Mike Waltz is a veteran. He's a Green Beret. He understands the military. He understands what's gone right, and he understands what's gone wrong. Congressman Ralph Norman, I really appreciate you joining us. My pleasure. Thank you. And President Biden's final G20 summit is now officially concluded. The last day of the gathering focused heavily on combating climate change. Biden also joined leaders in issuing a joint declaration. NTD's international correspondent, Arjen Pasdar, has an update from Brazil. Leaders at the G20 summit publishing a joint declaration led by the host country, Brazil. The document condemns ongoing conflicts, such as in the Middle East and in Ukraine. And it also includes a push to combat climate change, which President Biden highlighted on Tuesday. History is watching. I urge us to keep faith and keep going. This is the single greatest existential threat to humanity. The G20 declaration called for peace in Ukraine, but without naming Russia directly. In terms of the Middle East, the leaders highlight their, quote, unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution, where Israel and a Palestinian state live side by side in peace. The document did not mention the 100 hostages that remain in Hamas captivity. Brazilian President Lula da Silva presided over the closing session of the summit on Tuesday afternoon. He handed the G20 presidency over to South Africa. This is not a common handover of the presidency, as it is a concrete expression of the historical, economic, social and cultural links that unite Latin America and Africa. President Biden also joined his Brazilian counterpart for lunch on Tuesday. The White House says the two discussed the US-Brazil strategic relationship, rooted in our strong support for democracy. Biden also reaffirmed the United States' support for President Lula's efforts to address hunger and poverty, which was one of the main topics during this week's summit. President Biden then joined the group photo, which he and French President Emmanuel Macron had missed on the first day of the summit. The White House says President Biden officially left his last G20 summit on Tuesday afternoon. Now, many of the topics discussed here this week will soon be handled by President-elect Trump again. And Trump suggests that he'll take a different course on those issues, for example, the conflict in Ukraine and climate change. Reporting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ariane Pastor, NTD News. For the first time, Ukraine has used US-supplied long-range missiles to strike deep into Russian territory. The attack comes two days after the Biden administration gave Kiev approval to use the US long-range missiles for attacks, that's according to Moscow, which said Kiev deployed what the US calls the Army Tactical Missile System, which have a range of 40 to 190 miles. Military experts say these US missiles are able to help Ukraine defend a pocket of Russian territory it has captured, but not likely to change the course of the 33-month-long war. Changes to US support are expected when President-elect Trump returns to office in two months, having pledged to quickly end that war. In an address to Ukraine's parliament, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the war's decisive moments would come in the next year. Coming up, how will mass deportations unfold under President-elect Donald Trump? And does Tom Homan, the newly appointed border czar, up to the task? Former ICE Director, acting ICE Director John Torres shares his insights. And senators probe Chinese spying operations and the risks to US data security. This comes amid recent cyber espionage efforts targeting President-elect Trump, VP-elect J.D. Vance, and other US officials. That and more when we return. As the universe nears the end of its cycle of creation and destruction, the merciful king of kings descends to save it. Confronting the chaos sown by the malnourished red dragon, humanity faces a defining choice. Our eternal balance hangs in the balance during this pivotal moment of cosmic shift. Hi, I'm Susan Lucci. I never thought about heart disease until I had my own heart event. I received two stents in my arteries, stents developed through research funded by the American Heart Association. Those stents saved my life. I have met so many survivors. 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I am very thankful for the American Heart Association. Heart disease is America's number one killer, and your support now can help save your life or the life of someone you love. Listen to your heart. The only reason I'm here today is because I did. So please call the number on your screen or go to helpheart.org now. Join me as a monthly donor today and help save even more lives. And welcome back to the Capitol Report. I'm Steve Lance. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs taking a visit to Nogales Port of Entry at the U.S.-Mexico border on Monday to announce a new initiative. It's aimed at reducing the flow of dangerous and illegal drugs into the United States. Hobbs highlights efforts to combat drug trafficking, protect communities, and enhance border security. The Democratic governor emphasizing that border security should be a nonpartisan issue. Protecting our border is not a Republican or Democratic issue. It is an Arizona and an American issue. And that's why I will work with anyone to secure our border. Just as I worked with this current administration to launch Task Force Safe, I will work with the next one to deliver border security. That means more resources for the men and women standing with me today. Upgraded equipment, additional personnel, the technology they need to keep Arizona and America safe. And I will be relentless in advocating for those resources from Congress and the White House. The newly announced Task Force Safe brings together state and federal agencies to tackle drug smuggling as part of Operation Secure, which launched last year. President-elect Trump plans to ramp up measures against illegal immigration and restrict legal immigration upon taking office on January 20th. Hobbs says she will evaluate the new administration's policies before responding. She also noted Task Force Safe has already helped seize over 6 million fentanyl pills and 1,400 pounds of meth, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl powder. The initiative builds on Hobbs' efforts to enhance border security, including stricter sentencing for high-volume fentanyl traffickers, allocating over $84 million to support local law enforcement in combating human trafficking. So how is the CBP preparing for the incoming Trump administration? We're happy to have with us John Torres, president of security and technology consulting at Guidepost Solutions and former acting director at ICE. John Torres, thank you so much for joining us. My pleasure to be here. It's great to have you, John. You were former acting ICE director. I want to get your thoughts right now. Obviously, the whole issue of the illegal immigration, a huge issue for most Americans. We saw that in exit polls this election cycle. How do you assess that Border Patrol CBP right now is currently preparing for Trump's policies? Through a number of different ways. Right now, because the numbers have been so high over the past few years, higher than we've ever seen before, when I'm talking about border crossers, they're being pulled a lot of different directions. They're having to support non-essential, what I say would be non-critical border missions, law enforcement mission, by having to process unaccompanied minors, by having to detain family units, by having to transport people from across the border. So they're really being pulled from the primary mission. Right now, the way that they can prepare is by having people do the primary mission of enforcement and turning people around. In other words, right now, people are claiming asylum as soon as they cross the border. Ninety to 95 percent of people that claim asylum are not eligible for it. Because the process says you can come to the United States and claim this asylum and then not be detained, someone at the border has to process them, has to meet them. And that's really falling on CBP right now. John, there's a lot of doom and gloom. If you watch mainstream media talking about, it feels like there's going to be this mass roundup of immigrants, not illegal immigrants. That's sort of the perception. And it almost feels like it's a novel concept. You were there. You were in that position right around 2008 during the transition from Bush to Obama. Is this a novel concept to deport illegal immigrants in mass numbers? It is not. But it's also, at the same time, you still have to prioritize people. And we're hearing the incoming borders, our Tom Homan, say that. He basically has said, and what we did when he was an agent back in our day, when we were both working for ICE, is you prioritize the worst of the worst first. You're talking about criminals. You're talking about gang members, national security threats. And sure, at some point, you move beyond that. But the numbers today say there are 700,000 illegal immigrants here in the United States that have been convicted of a crime and already ordered removed by an immigration judge. So those are the people that you could target first and move fairly quickly with. And it's not as if you're going to turn around on day one and start rounding up people on street corners. That is not the priority. Eventually, you get to a point where you will deal with everyone else. But at the same time, there's also a lot of people here that will return voluntarily because they don't want to be detained. So they'll just leave on their own in advance of that. You mentioned incoming borders are Tom Homan, former ICE director, as well. Obviously, there's been a lot of stir about Trump's new appointments and nominees into the cabinet and also different positions. Talk to us about Tom Homan. Do you think that he is qualified for this position? He's very qualified. I've known Tom for 35 years. We've worked together in our early days as immigration and naturalization service agents. He was in Arizona when I was in Los Angeles, and we worked together in Las Vegas. But over the years, Tom originally started as a police officer in New York. Then he was a border patrol agent on the southwest border and then ultimately came over to the INS, where he rose through the ranks. At one point when we were creating Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, back in 2003, after 9-11, I was brought in to be a part of that transition team to help stand up ICE. I served as basically the chief of staff to the director and the deputy director. One of the first people I brought in was Tom Homan. Within a week of that, there was a crisis down in Victoria, Texas, where many migrants died in the back of an 18-wheeler, where there was no air condition. They were being smuggled into the United States. And as soon as that happened, the first person I sent down there was Tom Homan to get a grasp of the situation on the ground and handle the news media down there. So he's more than qualified. He's been doing this his whole life. I want to get your thoughts, John, on the border state of Arizona. Democratic Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs says she's open to collaborating with Trump's administration on some border security issues. What would effective collaboration look like between state and federal agencies at the border? So we've seen this in the past. There's a section of the Immigration Nationality Act called 287G. That's where the federal government can convey authority to state and local governments to help enforce immigration law. Because right now, that's inherently federal government responsibility. And so the state and locals don't have that authority. And so with 287G, we did this in the past, where you could have different agreements set up. One in jails, for example, especially with the sheriff's department, where people who are foreign nationals getting booked into jails and prisons, work closely with ICE to help them identify and remove those convicted criminals. That not only are they here illegally to begin with, but now they've committed a crime here and they're being booked and held for those specific crimes that they've committed here. They've already impacted someone here in the United States by committing this crime, whether it's burglary, rape, robbery, mayhem from a gang or something like that. And so that's one way that they can work together by reinstituting that 287G program, especially in the jails. And for those that want to do more than that, there's a separate 287G program that works closely with Homeland Security Investigations, where they try to identify smugglers, the human smuggling networks that are crossing the border. And I think that's a very critical thing that they could do in Arizona, because those gangs are ruthless. In effect, they're being run by the cartels now. And it puts those immigrants trying to cross the border at harm's way. It hurts families and it impacts especially the unaccompanied children. Former Acting ICE Director John Torres, thank you so much. My pleasure. And a California man was just sentenced today to 20 months in prison for plotting against a spiritual group on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. According to the Justice Department, John Chen was convicted of acting as a spy for China. He was involved in bribing an IRS agent to strip the tax-exempt status of Shen Yun Performing Arts, a New York-based dance company founded by Falun Gong practitioners. Falun Gong, a meditation practice based on truthfulness, compassion and tolerance, has been the target of a brutal nationwide persecution campaign in China since 1999. Similarly, Shen Yun has also faced various interference abroad, ranging from tire slashing on tour buses to bomb threats in major theaters. The company also found itself the target of a recent hit piece by the New York Times. We'll be exploring this in-depth in a three-part series starting tomorrow. And Congress is looking into spying operations linked to the CCP, specifically targeting text messages and phone calls of U.S. government officials. NTD's Washington correspondent Jack Bradley has more from Capitol Hill. The Senate Judiciary's Privacy Subcommittee looked into recent hackings linked to the Chinese Communist Party targeting U.S. officials. They also probed the dangers of the U.S. doing business in China during a heightened conflict. We need to radically rethink how we are protecting against Beijing's spying and influence. They try to find any little entry point in the technologies that we use on a daily basis. And frankly, for companies in a wide range of sensitive industries, they need to understand that if any part of their supply chain touches China, there are very concrete risks. It's pervasive. The security of our networks is everything to America, and we have to stay focused on increasing our security. So it's everything from an IoT device in your home to a core network router are things that have to be looked at. There have been recent attacks on U.S. telecommunications providers by the Salt Typhoon campaign, which is linked to the Chinese Communist Party. And T-Mobile is one example who have been attacked. This operation is believed to have also targeted President-elect Trump, VP-elect J.D. Vance, and other U.S. government officials. The panel emphasized that the Chinese regime is doing this mainly for espionage and prepositioning, which means the Chinese regime is putting itself in an advantageous position during a potential heightened conflict like an invasion of Taiwan. So if there was to be, for example, an escalation around Taiwan, could they use that access to disrupt logistics or disrupt military operations or critical infrastructure in the region that would potentially slow or disrupt the U.S. response? Now, in light of all of this, it remains to be seen how Congress will act with a new Congress coming in and presidential administration in about two months. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Jack Bradley, NTD News. And a documentary exposing details of an unprecedented crime against humanity, China's forced organ harvesting. The award-winning film made a recent debut in a Manhattan theater sparking audience discussion. I guess I'd never been aware of a systematic way of sort of killing people, honestly, and persecuting them by the government. I can only imagine, you know, a father looking for your daughter, just looking for answers and thinking and knowing this terrible thing has happened to them. There's also receipts for what's happening and how this persecution is affecting millions and millions and millions of Chinese people. To have the courage to speak up, irregardless of what the repercussions could be for their families or for their friends or even for them in their future, is incredibly brave. The documentary State Organs Unmasking Transplant Abuse in China delves into the stories of two families inside of China. Two young Falun Gong practitioners went missing under mysterious circumstances back in the early 2000s. Shortly after the Chinese regime launched a nationwide persecution against that meditation practice, independent investigations reveal that Beijing created a secret industry to steal organs from imprisoned Falun Gong followers and sell them for huge profits. State Organs is a contender for next year's Academy Awards in 2025 in the category of Best Documentary Feature. This week, it's playing at Manhattan's Angelica Cinema. And coming up, how can Republicans use their victories in the White House and Congress to pass the policies that got them elected? We'll speak with Congressman-elect Mark Harris of North Carolina to get his insights. And the U.S.-China Commission releasing recommendations to Congress about how to deal with the Chinese Communist Party. They outline the CCP's role in destabilizing the Middle East. The details from that report after the break. Get store-wide savings at Mathis Home with Black Friday deals all month long. We have all the latest styles with hundreds of sofas starting at just $3.99. Dining sets and bedrooms at the lowest prices ever. And we're the only place with top name recliners starting at just $1.95. It's all in stock, so you get it faster with our free delivery. So for the latest in fashion for your home at the best value, shop Black Friday deals at California's furniture superstore, Mathis Home. 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Equips children with wisdom against the world. Our homeschool curriculum teaches high schoolers to think critically. We provide primary texts, original content, reasoning tools, and mentoring videos to help them transform America. Teach your children to navigate the world's woke confusion. Teach them to fathom the good. Looking for a healthy and smooth-tasting brew? Drop by Day's Coffee Roasters today and explore our wide selection of specialty-grade small-batch roasted coffee. Home to North America's first enzyme-fermented coffee, we source a wide selection of specialty-grade coffee beans from around the world, and our baristas are ready to craft your customized brew. Visit Day's Coffee at 28 North Street, Middletown, New York. Come experience a brew like no other. And welcome back to the Capitol Report on entity television. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries isn't likely to win the Speaker's gavel while Republicans control the House of Representatives. But despite the GOP electoral sweep that also claimed the White House and the Senate, the New York congressman won re-election today as his party's leader in the lower chamber. Democratic Whip Catherine Clark of Massachusetts and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar of California also won re-election. Republicans under current Speaker Mike Johnson hold a slim majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives. Republican numbers in the lower chamber have thinned after President-elect Donald Trump tapped three GOP lawmakers to serve in his administration. Those picks include Representatives Elise Stefanik, Mike Waltz, and Matt Gaetz. The Senate still needs to confirm most of Trump's nominees. And with a mandate from voters, what are the marching orders for the 119th Congress? And can Republicans work with Democrats to pass bills on some of those priorities? Joining me now to discuss these issues is Congressman-elect Mark Harris of North Carolina. Congressman-elect Mark Harris, thank you so much for joining. Thank you so much for having me. It's great to have you on the program here. President-elect Trump has made it a campaign promise to mass-deport illegal aliens, starting with the criminals. However, this was a top priority in the campaign. There are some legal experts that say that you cannot activate federal law to activate the troops. What do you say in response to this? Well, you know, I think that's probably going to end up being adjudicated sooner or later. But I think his first priority is simply taking and putting the strength behind ICE to be able to do what they actually are equipped to do and what they're sworn to do in carrying out their responsibility. So I think they've been laying it out that they're going to go after the criminal element first and foremost, and that's the work that's going to happen. And then I think we're going to see that progress. But I think that that's kind of the first priority is to get the criminals out. Then I think sealing that border is going to be absolutely crucial as well. And then I think we'll see how those other aspects play out. Talk to us about what some of your priorities are coming into this new Congress, and also more importantly, what you're hearing from your constituents back in District 8 in North Carolina. Well, priorities that we set coming into this campaign is, you know, the theme that President Trump had back in 2016 and really in that first term was promises made, promises kept. And I don't really see any reason to back away from that theme because I think that he was always consistent in stating, here's what we're going to do. And he would check those boxes off as they were being done. I think that when we all ran this time, we were looking at securing the border. We were looking at dealing with the runaway inflation that we've got. I think there's no question we've got to deal with the issue of our national debt. That is a serious priority that has been really what helped get me into this arena to begin with. I'm concerned about our future. I've got 10 grandchildren, and I realize all of these decisions that are being made about our nation and building this national debt of over $35 trillion now. It's a serious, serious issue that we've got to deal with going forward. But then I think when you look at the national security issues, what we've got happening around the world right now, I mean, even decisions that have been made in the last 24 hours by this Biden administration to allow the Ukraine to fire missiles deeper into Russia. Those are serious elements, and all of those are going to become priorities as we begin to work through the president's agenda. To your point, the national debt is a major topic that's often kind of swept under the rug or pushed forward, kicked down the line. Talk to us about how our national debt actually does even relate to our national security. Well, I think when you start looking at what we are paying in interest, that we're spending more in interest than we are actually on our national defense in a particular year's time, that becomes very concerning. And I think that a number of issues, we look at the whole border crisis, that's a national security issue. We looked at the border crisis and everything is affected by it, whether it be the economy, whether it be education, you name it, our local communities being overrun. I just believe all of those issues tie in together and certainly are a piece of national security. I want to get your thoughts. Democrats have been calling for bipartisanship among Democrats and Republicans. Trump and some of the Republicans are saying that voters have given him this mandate, this overwhelming mandate. How will you and your colleagues balance this? Well, I think we've got to look at the mandate, but I'll be honest with you. I think when this whole idea of the Department on Government Efficiency has come along, I've started hearing some Democrats on the other side that are saying, that's not going to be a bad idea to really dive in and look at government across the board, see where we can make cuts. And I'm sure we'll have disagreements on priorities and I'm sure there'll be disagreements on how we get there. But the fact that I think it was Senator Chris Coon, I heard earlier today, make a statement that this was not going to be a bad exercise. So I think there's going to be some real needs. I think we all recognize that we're at a crisis point in our nation. And I think that everybody recognizes that we've got to find a way to work together. And Republicans, we do have a mandate. And I think that's important. And I think the president recognizes that as well. I mean, we did flip the Senate. We're going to hold on to a majority, though thin. And then we have the White House. We're going to use budget reconciliation to work together, hopefully to move things through the Senate that need to happen. So there's a lot of things that are about to take place. And I think the first 100 days are going to be exciting. Congressman-elect Mark Harris, congratulations. Thank you so much. And President-elect Trump has just selected Linda McMahon as the Secretary of Education. She's a co-chair of Trump's transition team and the board chair of the American First Policy Institute, which has been described as a White House in waiting, drafting policy ideas for Trump's second term. She served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration during Trump's first term. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to make major changes to the Department of Education or ultimately eliminate it altogether. U.S.-China Commission releasing its annual report to Congress. It contains recommendations to help the U.S. stay on top of the Chinese Communist Party's threat and underhanded tactics. NTD correspondent Jason Blair reports from Capitol Hill. The U.S.-China Commission released its 2024 report on Tuesday. One of the key focuses was the Chinese Communist Party's involvement in the Middle East. Vice Chair Reva Price said the CCP is one of the key supporters of Iran, who is one of the top destabilizing forces in the region. Buying 90 percent of Iran's sanctioned oil, meaning it effectively pays for almost half of Iran's entire government budget. They don't have any other friends who can provide the same sort of economic support that China can. So it's a very unbalanced relationship. China can get what they want from Iran. Commissioner Aaron Frederberg described how the CCP is trying to keep the U.S. busy with conflict in the Middle East. China had an interest, in a sense, in keeping the pot boiling, but not have it boil over. Another focus was unsafe and unregulated Chinese consumer goods coming into the U.S. Commissioner Kimberly Glass said the commission looked closely into this coming from a consumer product safety perspective. Everything from children's toys to makeup to pool filters that ended up killing people. There are some very serious consumer product safety risks. She said that there's currently an inability to police these kinds of products coming into the U.S. They also highlighted how it's getting more difficult to know the true origin of where goods are actually made. Often things might be labeled being made in a country, but still are actually coming from China. The U.S.-China Commission is a 12-member commission created by Congress in 2000. They focus on national security implication in regards to bilateral trade and economic relations with the Chinese Communist Party. They monitor, investigate, and send Congress an annual report with recommendations for administrative and legislative action. Reporting on Capitol Hill, Jason Blair, NTD News. The U.S. State Department today condemning the sentencing of 45 pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. It was the city's largest trial under a national security law imposed by the Chinese Communist Party. The activists were sentenced to four to ten years. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the United States is working to impose new visa restrictions on Hong Kong officials who are responsible for implementing the measure. He also called on Beijing to uphold the city's judicial independence. The national security law was largely seen as a way for the CCP to crush dissent outside its jurisdiction. China initially promised to let Hong Kong keep its democratic autonomy, but fast forward to today, the regime's grip is still tightening. This says hundreds of pro-democracy activists were forced into prison or exile. The majority of the 45 people sentenced on Tuesday had already served nearly four years behind bars. And coming up, four-time NBA All-Star Michael Ray Richardson achieved his childhood dream of playing in the NBA. He lost it all with his addiction to drugs. How did he rebound and live to tell that story? We'll speak with him about his new book, Banned. That and more when we return. A painting that has true beauty. I imagine it's like a door. The artist holds the key to open the door and bring people to a pure world. A world where people are more compassionate. I go by Jackie. I'm 44 years old. I had three kids at the time and a single mother. I was working 60 hours a week. Still couldn't pay the bills, skip meals so that they could eat. It's been hard because one thing falls into place, 10 things fall out of place. You know, I just can't do this alone and make it work. One in five children face hunger in America and food costs are rising. But everyone needs nourishing food to thrive and they can when we work together so our neighbors can feed their families. Call or go online right now to join Feeding America with your gift of just $19 a month, only 63 cents a day. Together, thanks to a nationwide network of food banks, dedicated volunteers, and the monthly support of people like you, we can fill plates with nutritious food for families across America. One day, my mother came over to my house and said, there's a meeting at the pantry. I said, okay, and I went. There were some ladies in there. They were from the food bank. They asked several questions. Some of those were about me and my story, but it helped me to open up a little bit. We're getting closer to the day when no one in America faces hunger, but we can't do it without you. Call or go online now. Visit helpfeedingamerica.org and give $19 a month, just 63 cents a day. 98% of donations go directly to help millions of people facing hunger from coast to coast and in your own community. And when you give my credit card, we'll send you this exclusive canvas grocery bag to show you are a part of a movement of supporters working together to help end hunger. I have people that I can trust. I have hope. Please call now or make your monthly donation at helpfeedingamerica.org and your gift can double in impact. And welcome back to the Capitol Report. So how did a four-time NBA all-star achieve his childhood dream of playing in the NBA? And how did he get addicted to cocaine early on in his career? Joining me now to tell his story is Michael Ray Richardson, NBA all-star for the seasons 1980 to 82 and author of the book Banned. Michael Ray Richardson, thank you so much for joining us. Thanks for having me. I really, really appreciate it. Appreciate you joining, Michael. Your story is so inspiring, also miraculous, and that you're actually alive to tell it. And also that you have the bravery to tell it breaking through a lot of the stigma that addiction has throughout the world and the country. You credit your mother with teaching you to have a really excellent work ethic. How did you achieve your childhood dream of playing in the NBA? And what was it like when your dream was actually fulfilled? Well, I think what it was is that I put in a lot, a lot of hours. I put in the hard work. I always believed in myself and I never gave up. I never took no for an answer. I mean, I was cut a couple of times as a young boy, but I always came back and came back stronger and bigger and better. Now, just three seasons into your career with the New York Knicks and after becoming an all-star for two straight seasons, you said that you sort of let your guard down and tried cocaine to quote-unquote be social. Talk about the perception of cocaine being the mark of wealth and fun in the NBA, as you said in your book, and how quickly you became addicted. Well, what happened was I was out one night at Studio 54 and it was just there. And so I was out there in the crowd. I wanted to try and not to be, you know, because before that I never drank. When I was in college, I never drank, never drank in high school. I was so focused on getting to the next level. And so when I got to the NBA, I was starting having big success and I let my guards down. So one night I was at Studio 54 and they was passing it around. I said, oh, well, let me try it. So I tried it, but the first time I really didn't get the effect. I really didn't get the effect of it. So maybe two weeks later, I tried it again and I got the, and I got the effect of it. I said, well, this is pretty good. And then slowly, slowly, slowly, I started doing it. And the next thing you know, I was in it. You mentioned, uh, quite a few times throughout your book, how important it is for children to have a father figure and positive affirmation, something you missed from your own childhood. Uh, and you talked about a string of constant rejection and loss when coaches moved to another team or were fired. Were those losses, uh, sort of, or, you know, the fact that something was missing there, part of what led you to drug use? I don't think any of those led me in there. I think I was just curious and, you know, being successful, making it to the NBA, I thought I was in control of everything. I thought that I was, that I could control anything and like whatever I had got myself into, I could get myself out of it. But at the end of the day, I found something that was more, more powerful than, uh, you know, me. Talk to us about what helped you on your, uh, road to becoming a sober and drug-free. Well, what really helped me was I had a strong, uh, background with my mom, with my siblings, and they all believed in me. And at that point I had some young kids and I didn't want my kids to, to, you know, grow up and they didn't have a father, you know, father got caught up in drugs and couldn't get his way out. And so I wanted to get myself straight, not only for myself, but for my kids, because I wanted my, I wanted to, to live a normal life. Now, Michael, there's a lot of, uh, a lot of people out there that know people who are struggling with addiction. Um, and sometimes you may not necessarily know what you can do to help. You may think it's a lost cause. Isaiah Thomas wrote you a three-page handwritten letter offering his help and saying that he was praying for you. How far do those kinds of small acts, uh, go and for people that may, uh, not know how they can help? I mean, it goes a long way, but what you got to do is, and I learned this, the first thing you got to do is you have to, you have to understand that you've got a problem. If you can't figure out that you got a problem, you'll never get sober. So once I figured out that I had a problem, I was on my way back to recovery. Former NBA star, Michael Ray Richardson, really appreciate you sharing your inspiring story with us. And thanks for having me. And the White House Christmas tree is set to be cut and transported from a North Carolina farm tomorrow. The Frasier fir is coming from one of the hardest hit counties that was devastated by Hurricane Helene. My parents were extremely humble people and they would not like all the attention, but they would be very proud that we were representing the Christmas tree growers of America and especially Western North Carolina to take the tree to the White House. Hartner's Christmas tree farm is located in Avery County. The farm lost between 5,000 and 6,000 trees in a mudslide. Now it's proud to be a symbol of hope. And that is all we have for you this evening on the Capitol Report. For around the clock original coverage, visit us at ntv.com slash live or download our NTV mobile app. From the nation's capital, I'm Steve Lance. Have a nice evening. See you back here tomorrow. You see certain things get reincarnated.