Wednesday morning news: March 1, 2023

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Up next, Kent Covington with the news.

SCOTUS loans » The Supreme Court is weighing whether the Biden administration has the authority to cancel billions of dollars in student loan debt.

The Biden administration argued that it can modify a previous bill to forgive the loans.

Chief Justice John Roberts was skeptical.

ROBERTS: We’re talking about half a trillion dollars and 42 million Americans. How does that fit under the normal understanding of modifying?

The plan could cancel up to $20,000 of debt for student borrowers.

The chief justice questioned the fairness of the proposal.

ROBERTS: You have two situations both kids come out of highschool, they can’t afford college. One takes out a loan. The other says, well I’m going to try my hand at setting up a lawn care business and he takes out a bank loan for that.

Roberts said the court prefers to let Congress decide how to spend taxpayers’ money, not the executive branch.

China hearings  » NATS: The Committee on Foreign Affairs will come to order.

On Capitol Hill, House lawmakers heard testimony Tuesday about the quote—“generational threat” posed by China.

Chairman Michael McCaul …..

MCCAUL: From using a spy balloon to surveil some of America’s most sensitive military sites, to their theft of upwards of $600 billion dollars of American IP every year, much of which goes into their military.

McCaul also cited China’s continued military aggression in the Indo-Pacific region … and intelligence warnings that Beijing is considering selling weapons to Russia.

Among the leaders to testify on the threat … Alan Estevez, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security.

ESTEVEZ: I have directed and am currently overseeing a top-to-bottom review of our export control policies related to the PRC.

He said the US is working to curb China’s ability to obtain high-tech chips and components that Beijing needs to modernize its military.

That hearing happened on the same day that the House formed a new special committee whose only focus will be the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party.

House TikTok bill » Meanwhile, Federal agencies must remove the Chinese-owned TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices this month. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

JOSH SCHUMACHER, REPORTER: That’s Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mao Ning taunting the U-S saying … it’s a real reach to call an app for young people a national security risk.

But officials in Washington say the TikTok app is like having a Chinese spy balloon on your phone. And federal agencies have less than 30 days to enact a ban on the app.

Congress, the White House, armed forces, and most states have banned TikTok from government devices.

The European Union’s executive branch has done the same.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

Putin wants tighter border » Vladimir Putin saying that he wants tighter security at the border with Ukraine… After drones targeted locations inside Russian territory.

Officials say the drones did not cause any damage or injuries. But one struck within 60 miles of Moscow.

Russia blamed Ukraine for the drone attacks … as it has for limited attacks on military facilities in the past.

FDA-FOIA suit  » The Food and Drug Administration is being sued for concealing records of transgender interventions for children. WORLD’s Anna Johansen Brown has more.

ANNA JOHANSEN BROWN: America First Legal says the FDA is withholding information about the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones on minors.

The group filed a Freedom of Information Act request in September to obtain records about the drugs’ usage by minors.

So far, the FDA has not responded to the request, leading America First to file a lawsuit on Monday.

The FDA approved the drugs in question only to treat conditions like cancer and endometriosis.

For WORLD, I’m Anna Johansen Brown.

Mississippi trans procedure child protections  » Meantime, in Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves has signed a bill that will protect minors from transgender surgeries.

REEVES - There is a dangerous movement spreading across America today. It's advancing under the guise of a false ideology. And pseudo science is being pushed on to our children through radical activist, social media, and online influencers. And it's trying to convince our children that they are in the wrong body. This dangerous movement attempts to convince these children that they're just a surgery away from happiness. It threatens our children's innocence, and it threatens their health.

The bill also blocks public funds and tax deductions from paying for minors to receive treatments such as cross-sex hormones.

Reeves signed a law in 2021 banning male transgender athletes from competing in girls’ or womens’ sports.

I'm Kent Covington. For more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org.

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