BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a> State's Newsroom

WASHINGTON — Republicans in the Nov. 5 election took over the White House, the U.S. Senate and as of late Wednesday, the House, after calls were made in enough races to project a majority.

They are expressing high hopes for unified control of government. But before they’ll be able to celebrate enacting sweeping changes to the country’s tax code or overhauling the health insurance marketplace, they’ll need to broker agreement between centrist lawmakers and far-right members in Congress.

More often than not, those two factions of the GOP hold significantly different ideas about how to draft legislation and strong opinions about whether to amend it on the floor.

Keeping everyone on the same page will be crucial for Republican leaders once the new Congress begins Jan. 3, especially since they have just three votes to spare in the Senate and a razor-thin majority in the House.

States Newsroom looked at what’s ahead for Republicans as they begin sorting through where to make changes to U.S. law in seven key policy areas:

Nearly every Republican politician campaigned on addressing the country’s tax structure, making it one of the first issues the party is expected to take up when the next session of Congress begins.

The GOP will likely use the complicated budget reconciliation process to address the tax code, the same way lawmakers did in 2017 when they passed their signature tax law during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term in office.

That reconciliation process would allow Republicans to avoid the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster that would otherwise require them to get Democratic support. But the process has strict rules and requires a marathon amendment voting session in the Senate that’s often called a vote-a-rama.

Some provisions in Republicans’ original tax law have already expired or will do so in the coming months, giving the GOP incentives to jump through the many hoops that come with the reconciliation process.

Extending the expiring provisions will bring along a hefty price tag, however.

The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget wrote in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crfb.org/press-releases/tax-cuts-need-offsets-not-baseline-games" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;released in late September that extending the individual and estate tax elements in the law would increase the deficit by $3.9 trillion through 2035. Republicans opting to extend or bring back tax code changes for business would likely increase the deficit to $4.8 trillion.

Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, expressed concerns at the time about lawmakers ignoring or diminishing the deficit impact.&nbsp;

“There will undoubtedly be efforts to pretend that extending the tax cuts is free – obviously this is not the case,” she said. “Extending policies that are scheduled to expire — and were scored as expiring — would clearly add to the national debt.”

MacGuineas added that lawmakers “should consider carefully which parts of the TCJA are working, which parts aren’t, and if they want to extend some parts, how to responsibly extend them without increasing the debt beyond current law.”

Republicans are expected to hold votes on legislation addressing border security and immigration after much of their campaign for Congress focused on those two areas.

Whether they’ll be able to do that through the reconciliation process with only GOP support or through the traditional legislative process, which requires bipartisanship in the Senate, will depend on how exactly they write the bill and what budget impacts the various provisions will have.

Immigration and border security legislation would fail to comply with a reconciliation rule in the Senate, also known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL30862" target="_blank">Byrd Rule</a>, if it produces a change in federal revenues or spending that is deemed “merely incidental” by the Senate parliamentarian.

While the requirement is vague, it could apply to several items that don’t have big price tags when considered as part of the multi-trillion-dollar federal budget.

For example, Democrats’ efforts to raise the federal minimum wage as part of the reconciliation process in 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://rollcall.com/2021/02/25/senate-parliamentarian-nixes-minimum-wage-boost-in-aid-package/" target="_blank">were deemed “merely incidental”</a>&nbsp;by the Senate parliamentarian and removed from the bill.

Trump has already laid out his wish list for an immigration-related bill he wants Congress to send to his desk.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1855365133121253420" target="_blank">reposted campaign videos</a>&nbsp;on social media in early September requesting Congress pass legislation to prevent future presidents from using executive authority to grant humanitarian parole — something the Biden administration has used to allow more than 1 million people to obtain work permits and live in the United States temporarily.&nbsp;

Trump has called the use of parole authority “abuse,” but it’s been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/use-parole-under-immigration-law" target="_blank">used by presidents since 1956</a>, during the Eisenhower administration.

Trump, who campaigned on mass deportations of immigrants without proper legal status, is also expected to ask Congress to foot the bill for his promise to deport more than 13 million people.

Getting any immigration-related policy to the president-elect’s desk will be daunting since it’s been almost four decades since Congress overhauled U.S. immigration law.

“The last big immigration bill was passed in 1986 when Ronald Reagan was president and both houses of Congress were held by Democrats,” according to an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/can-immigration-reform-happen-a-look-back/" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;from the nonpartisan Brookings Institution. “A smaller bill was passed in 1990 when George H.W. Bush was president and both houses of Congress were still controlled by Democrats.”

Earlier this year, a bipartisan border security and immigration bill was brokered by Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford and Arizona independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

The trio of senators spent months negotiating the particulars of the deal only to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-kills-immigration-overhaul-hits-stalemate-israel-ukraine-aid" target="_blank">have it scuttled</a>&nbsp;after Trump told GOP members he didn’t want the legislation to pass.

That legislation could be used as a starting point if Republicans are unable to move an immigration bill through the reconciliation process and want to get a bill past the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.

Tariffs could become one point of contention between Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration.

The president-elect has vowed to stack tariffs of at least 10% on nearly all goods entering the country, raising alarm bells with economists and free-trade Republicans about the impact that would have on consumer prices.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-vows-levy-horrible-tariffs-imports-rejecting-fears-inflation-spike" target="_blank">said in mid-October at the Economic Club of Chicago</a>&nbsp;that he hoped to implement tariffs on foreign-made products as high as 100% or 200%.

“The higher the tariff, the more likely it is that the company will come into the United States, and build a factory in the United States so it doesn’t have to pay the tariff,” Trump said, rejecting the premise that high tariffs could harm Americans.

Mary Lovely, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, told States Newsroom&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/foreign-policy-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">in an October interview</a>&nbsp;that imposing tariffs could risk “starting a trade war with the entire world.”

Lovely’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/2024/trumps-bigger-tariff-proposals-would-cost-typical-american-household-over" target="_blank">research</a>&nbsp;with economist Kimberly Clausing, also of PIIE, found that Trump’s threats to slap tariffs as high as 20% on all foreign products, combined with his threats of 60% tariffs on all Chinese goods, could cost the typical American household over $2,600 annually.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said repeatedly during the final weeks of the campaign that he wants to overhaul the 2010 health care law that most people refer to as the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

He hasn’t shared details about what aspects of that law he wants to end or change, but said during a late October interview on Fox Business that he wants to address health outcomes.

“I said the ACA, unfortunately, is deeply ingrained in our health care system now,” Johnson said. “Do we need further improvements? Absolutely. We need to expand quality of care, access to care and obviously lower the cost of health care.”

Republicans used the budget reconciliation process to try to repeal and replace the ACA in 2017, but were unsuccessful,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-bills-0bd309f182de44d9bc320f334be94875" target="_blank">largely due to the late Arizona Sen. John McCain</a>&nbsp;rejecting the bill.

Even with the budget reconciliation process to get Republicans around the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster, it will be extremely difficult for leaders to get the party unified on any health care bill of that magnitude.

Republicans using the budget reconciliation process for tax policy and health care would take up two of the three opportunities they’ll have to adopt budget resolutions with reconciliation instructions during the 119th Congress.

GOP leaders could try for a round three, though once all is said and done with the first two reconciliation bills, Republicans might need to shift their attention toward the 2026 midterm campaigns.

Republican lawmakers have argued legislation is needed to bar noncitizens from voting in federal elections, even though it is already illegal and rarely happens. The party is expected to try again next Congress, once it holds a majority in both chambers of Congress.&nbsp;

The GOP House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-bill-requiring-proof-citizenship-vote-federal-races" target="_blank">passed a bill this summer</a>&nbsp;that would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote, but the Democratic-controlled Senate never acted on it.

Trump wrote on social media that he would demand that voter ID laws and proof of citizenship be required for voting, something that Congress would have to pass, although it’s unclear if such legislation could overcome the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

The issue is important to Trump, as Johnson traveled to the president-elect’s residence in Palm Beach, Florida,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-supports-us-house-speaker-johnson-elections-agenda-joint-appearance" target="_blank">to unveil the House’s intention</a>&nbsp;to pursue the issue.

Republicans campaigned this year on cutting government spending, but have rarely done so when they held the majority in both chambers of Congress.

The challenge lies in how government spending is approved and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59727" target="_blank">how much the various departments and agencies</a>&nbsp;require to function.

During fiscal 2023, the federal government spent $6.1 trillion, with $3.4 trillion going to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59728" target="_blank">mandatory programs</a>, like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Those programs run on autopilot, so lawmakers don’t need to negotiate the particulars every year the way they do other programs.

An additional $1.7 trillion was spent on so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59729" target="_blank">discretionary programs</a>, which are funded through Congress’ annual appropriations process. That funding went to programs categorized as either nondefense, which received $917 billion, or defense, which got $805 billion.

The nondefense funding goes to several departments, including Agriculture, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Interior, Justice, State and Transportation. Smaller agencies, like NASA and the National Science Foundation, are also funded through nondefense accounts.

Republicans have proposed cuts in the past, but members of the party who understand the federal ledger often explain that if members really want to address the government spending more than it takes in, they’ll have to address Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

Republicans could make tweaks when they write their reconciliation bills, though they’ll need those to comply with the Byrd Rule and not have a “merely incidental” impact on the federal ledger.&nbsp;

Having secured unified GOP control of government,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-won-presidency-what-does-mean-education" target="_blank">Trump’s sweeping vision</a>&nbsp;to “save American education” could set the stage for significant changes in U.S. education policy.

The president-elect has vowed to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and said he wants to move education “back to the states.” States and local governments bear much of the responsibility for funding K-12 schools, but the Department of Education handles Pell Grants for college students who demonstrate financial need and enforces civil rights cases, among other things.

Congress going along with plans to eliminate the department could have profound impacts on the billions of dollars in funding the agency provides for low-income K-12 schools, special education and federal student aid.

Trump also vowed to roll back updated Title IX regulations on his first day back in office.

President Joe Biden unveiled the final rule for Title IX in April, which strengthens federal protections for LGBTQ+ students and&nbsp;“protects against discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics,” according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-releases-final-title-ix-regulations-providing" target="_blank">Education Department</a>.

GOP members on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce have criticized the new Title IX rules and are likely to fall in step with Trump’s wishes to roll back the regulations.

Trump has also criticized the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness efforts, dubbing them “not even legal.” He could discontinue the Biden administration’s new student loan repayment plan known as Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE. The plan is currently on pause due to legal challenges from Republican-led states.

Last year, Senate Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/attempt-kill-biden-student-debt-relief-plan-tied-income-fails-us-senate" target="_blank">tried to strike down the rule.</a>

Like Trump, Republicans have focused on “parental rights” in education. House Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gop-bill-establishing-federal-parental-bill-rights-passed-us-house" target="_blank">passed their own bill</a>&nbsp;on the issue last year.

Republicans are likely to continue scrutinizing higher education institutions from diversity initiatives to college students protesting the war in Gaza.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-anti-woke-bill-aimed-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-higher-ed%C2%A0" target="_blank">GOP measure</a>&nbsp;that would bar accrediting organizations from requiring colleges and universities to adopt diversity, equity and inclusion policies as a condition of accreditation passed the House in September.

Shauneen Miranda and Ashley Murray contributed to this report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731670443807.png" alt="-South Dakota Sen. John Thune speaks to reporters after being elected Republican leader during a closed-door, secret ballot election held Nov. 13, 2024, inside the old Senate chamber in the U.S. Capitol building.&nbsp;At right is Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a West Virginia Republican elected as the Republican Policy Committee chair. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom" />
 <figcaption>-South Dakota Sen. John Thune speaks to reporters after being elected Republican leader during a closed-door, secret ballot election held Nov. 13, 2024, inside the old Senate chamber in the U.S. Capitol building.&nbsp;At right is Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a West Virginia Republican elected as the Republican Policy Committee chair. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a> State's Newsroom WASHINGTON — Republicans in the Nov. 5 election took over the White House, the U.S. Senate and as of late Wednesday, the House, after calls were made in enough races to project a majority.They are expressing high hopes for unified control of government. But before they’ll be able to celebrate enacting sweeping changes to the country’s tax code or overhauling the health insurance marketplace, they’ll need to broker agreement between centrist lawmakers and far-right members in Congress.More often than not, those two factions of the GOP hold significantly different ideas about how to draft legislation and strong opinions about whether to amend it on the floor.Keeping everyone on the same page will be crucial for Republican leaders once the new Congress begins Jan. 3, especially since they have just three votes to spare in the Senate and a razor-thin majority in the House.States Newsroom looked at what’s ahead for Republicans as they begin sorting through where to make changes to U.S. law in seven key policy areas:<h2>TAXES</h2>Nearly every Republican politician campaigned on addressing the country’s tax structure, making it one of the first issues the party is expected to take up when the next session of Congress begins.The GOP will likely use the complicated budget reconciliation process to address the tax code, the same way lawmakers did in 2017 when they passed their signature tax law during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term in office.That reconciliation process would allow Republicans to avoid the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster that would otherwise require them to get Democratic support. But the process has strict rules and requires a marathon amendment voting session in the Senate that’s often called a vote-a-rama.Some provisions in Republicans’ original tax law have already expired or will do so in the coming months, giving the GOP incentives to jump through the many hoops that come with the reconciliation process.Extending the expiring provisions will bring along a hefty price tag, however.The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget wrote in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crfb.org/press-releases/tax-cuts-need-offsets-not-baseline-games" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;released in late September that extending the individual and estate tax elements in the law would increase the deficit by $3.9 trillion through 2035. Republicans opting to extend or bring back tax code changes for business would likely increase the deficit to $4.8 trillion.Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, expressed concerns at the time about lawmakers ignoring or diminishing the deficit impact.&nbsp;“There will undoubtedly be efforts to pretend that extending the tax cuts is free – obviously this is not the case,” she said. “Extending policies that are scheduled to expire — and were scored as expiring — would clearly add to the national debt.”MacGuineas added that lawmakers “should consider carefully which parts of the TCJA are working, which parts aren’t, and if they want to extend some parts, how to responsibly extend them without increasing the debt beyond current law.”<h2>IMMIGRATION</h2>Republicans are expected to hold votes on legislation addressing border security and immigration after much of their campaign for Congress focused on those two areas.Whether they’ll be able to do that through the reconciliation process with only GOP support or through the traditional legislative process, which requires bipartisanship in the Senate, will depend on how exactly they write the bill and what budget impacts the various provisions will have.Immigration and border security legislation would fail to comply with a reconciliation rule in the Senate, also known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL30862" target="_blank">Byrd Rule</a>, if it produces a change in federal revenues or spending that is deemed “merely incidental” by the Senate parliamentarian.While the requirement is vague, it could apply to several items that don’t have big price tags when considered as part of the multi-trillion-dollar federal budget.For example, Democrats’ efforts to raise the federal minimum wage as part of the reconciliation process in 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://rollcall.com/2021/02/25/senate-parliamentarian-nixes-minimum-wage-boost-in-aid-package/" target="_blank">were deemed “merely incidental”</a>&nbsp;by the Senate parliamentarian and removed from the bill.Trump has already laid out his wish list for an immigration-related bill he wants Congress to send to his desk.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1855365133121253420" target="_blank">reposted campaign videos</a>&nbsp;on social media in early September requesting Congress pass legislation to prevent future presidents from using executive authority to grant humanitarian parole — something the Biden administration has used to allow more than 1 million people to obtain work permits and live in the United States temporarily.&nbsp;Trump has called the use of parole authority “abuse,” but it’s been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/use-parole-under-immigration-law" target="_blank">used by presidents since 1956</a>, during the Eisenhower administration.Trump, who campaigned on mass deportations of immigrants without proper legal status, is also expected to ask Congress to foot the bill for his promise to deport more than 13 million people.Getting any immigration-related policy to the president-elect’s desk will be daunting since it’s been almost four decades since Congress overhauled U.S. immigration law.“The last big immigration bill was passed in 1986 when Ronald Reagan was president and both houses of Congress were held by Democrats,” according to an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/can-immigration-reform-happen-a-look-back/" target="_blank">analysis</a>&nbsp;from the nonpartisan Brookings Institution. “A smaller bill was passed in 1990 when George H.W. Bush was president and both houses of Congress were still controlled by Democrats.”Earlier this year, a bipartisan border security and immigration bill was brokered by Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford and Arizona independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.The trio of senators spent months negotiating the particulars of the deal only to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-kills-immigration-overhaul-hits-stalemate-israel-ukraine-aid" target="_blank">have it scuttled</a>&nbsp;after Trump told GOP members he didn’t want the legislation to pass.That legislation could be used as a starting point if Republicans are unable to move an immigration bill through the reconciliation process and want to get a bill past the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.<h2>TARIFFS</h2>Tariffs could become one point of contention between Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration.The president-elect has vowed to stack tariffs of at least 10% on nearly all goods entering the country, raising alarm bells with economists and free-trade Republicans about the impact that would have on consumer prices.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-vows-levy-horrible-tariffs-imports-rejecting-fears-inflation-spike" target="_blank">said in mid-October at the Economic Club of Chicago</a>&nbsp;that he hoped to implement tariffs on foreign-made products as high as 100% or 200%.“The higher the tariff, the more likely it is that the company will come into the United States, and build a factory in the United States so it doesn’t have to pay the tariff,” Trump said, rejecting the premise that high tariffs could harm Americans.Mary Lovely, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, told States Newsroom&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/foreign-policy-where-do-harris-and-trump-stand" target="_blank">in an October interview</a>&nbsp;that imposing tariffs could risk “starting a trade war with the entire world.”Lovely’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/2024/trumps-bigger-tariff-proposals-would-cost-typical-american-household-over" target="_blank">research</a>&nbsp;with economist Kimberly Clausing, also of PIIE, found that Trump’s threats to slap tariffs as high as 20% on all foreign products, combined with his threats of 60% tariffs on all Chinese goods, could cost the typical American household over $2,600 annually.<h2>HEALTH CARE</h2>House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said repeatedly during the final weeks of the campaign that he wants to overhaul the 2010 health care law that most people refer to as the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.He hasn’t shared details about what aspects of that law he wants to end or change, but said during a late October interview on Fox Business that he wants to address health outcomes.“I said the ACA, unfortunately, is deeply ingrained in our health care system now,” Johnson said. “Do we need further improvements? Absolutely. We need to expand quality of care, access to care and obviously lower the cost of health care.”Republicans used the budget reconciliation process to try to repeal and replace the ACA in 2017, but were unsuccessful,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-bills-0bd309f182de44d9bc320f334be94875" target="_blank">largely due to the late Arizona Sen. John McCain</a>&nbsp;rejecting the bill.Even with the budget reconciliation process to get Republicans around the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster, it will be extremely difficult for leaders to get the party unified on any health care bill of that magnitude.Republicans using the budget reconciliation process for tax policy and health care would take up two of the three opportunities they’ll have to adopt budget resolutions with reconciliation instructions during the 119th Congress.GOP leaders could try for a round three, though once all is said and done with the first two reconciliation bills, Republicans might need to shift their attention toward the 2026 midterm campaigns.<h2>VOTING</h2>Republican lawmakers have argued legislation is needed to bar noncitizens from voting in federal elections, even though it is already illegal and rarely happens. The party is expected to try again next Congress, once it holds a majority in both chambers of Congress.&nbsp;The GOP House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-bill-requiring-proof-citizenship-vote-federal-races" target="_blank">passed a bill this summer</a>&nbsp;that would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote, but the Democratic-controlled Senate never acted on it.Trump wrote on social media that he would demand that voter ID laws and proof of citizenship be required for voting, something that Congress would have to pass, although it’s unclear if such legislation could overcome the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.The issue is important to Trump, as Johnson traveled to the president-elect’s residence in Palm Beach, Florida,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-supports-us-house-speaker-johnson-elections-agenda-joint-appearance" target="_blank">to unveil the House’s intention</a>&nbsp;to pursue the issue.<h2>SPENDING</h2>Republicans campaigned this year on cutting government spending, but have rarely done so when they held the majority in both chambers of Congress.The challenge lies in how government spending is approved and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59727" target="_blank">how much the various departments and agencies</a>&nbsp;require to function.During fiscal 2023, the federal government spent $6.1 trillion, with $3.4 trillion going to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59728" target="_blank">mandatory programs</a>, like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Those programs run on autopilot, so lawmakers don’t need to negotiate the particulars every year the way they do other programs.An additional $1.7 trillion was spent on so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59729" target="_blank">discretionary programs</a>, which are funded through Congress’ annual appropriations process. That funding went to programs categorized as either nondefense, which received $917 billion, or defense, which got $805 billion.The nondefense funding goes to several departments, including Agriculture, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Interior, Justice, State and Transportation. Smaller agencies, like NASA and the National Science Foundation, are also funded through nondefense accounts.Republicans have proposed cuts in the past, but members of the party who understand the federal ledger often explain that if members really want to address the government spending more than it takes in, they’ll have to address Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.The math, otherwise, won’t work.Republicans could make tweaks when they write their reconciliation bills, though they’ll need those to comply with the Byrd Rule and not have a “merely incidental” impact on the federal ledger.&nbsp;<h2>EDUCATION</h2>Having secured unified GOP control of government,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-won-presidency-what-does-mean-education" target="_blank">Trump’s sweeping vision</a>&nbsp;to “save American education” could set the stage for significant changes in U.S. education policy.The president-elect has vowed to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and said he wants to move education “back to the states.” States and local governments bear much of the responsibility for funding K-12 schools, but the Department of Education handles Pell Grants for college students who demonstrate financial need and enforces civil rights cases, among other things.Congress going along with plans to eliminate the department could have profound impacts on the billions of dollars in funding the agency provides for low-income K-12 schools, special education and federal student aid.Trump also vowed to roll back updated Title IX regulations on his first day back in office.President Joe Biden unveiled the final rule for Title IX in April, which strengthens federal protections for LGBTQ+ students and&nbsp;“protects against discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics,” according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-releases-final-title-ix-regulations-providing" target="_blank">Education Department</a>.GOP members on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce have criticized the new Title IX rules and are likely to fall in step with Trump’s wishes to roll back the regulations.Trump has also criticized the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness efforts, dubbing them “not even legal.” He could discontinue the Biden administration’s new student loan repayment plan known as Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE. The plan is currently on pause due to legal challenges from Republican-led states.Last year, Senate Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/attempt-kill-biden-student-debt-relief-plan-tied-income-fails-us-senate" target="_blank">tried to strike down the rule.</a>Like Trump, Republicans have focused on “parental rights” in education. House Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gop-bill-establishing-federal-parental-bill-rights-passed-us-house" target="_blank">passed their own bill</a>&nbsp;on the issue last year.Republicans are likely to continue scrutinizing higher education institutions from diversity initiatives to college students protesting the war in Gaza.A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-anti-woke-bill-aimed-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-higher-ed%C2%A0" target="_blank">GOP measure</a>&nbsp;that would bar accrediting organizations from requiring colleges and universities to adopt diversity, equity and inclusion policies as a condition of accreditation passed the House in September.Shauneen Miranda and Ashley Murray contributed to this report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

How will Republicans handle 7 key issues with their trifecta control of Washington?

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two Missouri police officers were indicted separately this week and accused of similar crimes — pulling over women and searching their phones to find nude photos.

The indictments of former Missouri State Highway Patrol officer David McKnight on Tuesday and former Florissant, Missouri, officer Julian Alcala on Wednesday were unrelated, but the indictments spelled out similar allegations. Both men face federal charges accusing them of depriving the rights of several women, and destroying evidence.

McKnight, 39, victimized nine women between September 2023 and Aug. 19, his indictment said. Typically, according to the indictment, he would pull over a woman for a traffic violation and tell her he needed to look at her phone to either verify identity or confirm insurance coverage.

McKnight searched the phones and used his own phone to photograph nude pictures he found, the indictment said.

McKnight was arrested by patrol investigators on Aug. 21 and resigned five days later, patrol Capt. Scott White said in an email.

White declined to discuss McKnight's case but said that patrol employees “are held to high standards and if it is determined that those standards were not met, they are held accountable.”

McKnight pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Thursday. Messages were left Friday with his lawyer.

Alcala, 29, was accused of crimes involving 20 women between Feb. 6 and May 18. Five of the alleged crimes happened on the same day.

Alcala confiscated phones from women under the auspices of confirming insurance coverage and vehicle registration, the indictment said. Like McKnight, he was accused of searching the phones for nude photos, then using his own phone to take pictures.

The indictment said Alcala also found a video on one victim's phone and texted the video to his own phone.

Alcala doesn't yet have a listed attorney. No phone listing for him could be found. He also is named in four lawsuits filed against him and the city of Florissant, a St. Louis suburb.

Alcala had been with the Florissant department since January 2023. He resigned in June amid an FBI investigation.

“We are disgusted at this behavior, which is a complete betrayal of the values we uphold and in no way reflects the professionalism and integrity of our dedicated officers," Florissant police said in a statement. “We recognize the gravity of this breach of trust and its impact on our community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731693869313.png" alt="McKnight New Madrid County" />
 <figcaption>McKnight New Madrid County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two Missouri police officers were indicted separately this week and accused of similar crimes — pulling over women and searching their phones to find nude photos.The indictments of former Missouri State Highway Patrol officer David McKnight on Tuesday and former Florissant, Missouri, officer Julian Alcala on Wednesday were unrelated, but the indictments spelled out similar allegations. Both men face federal charges accusing them of depriving the rights of several women, and destroying evidence.McKnight, 39, victimized nine women between September 2023 and Aug. 19, his indictment said. Typically, according to the indictment, he would pull over a woman for a traffic violation and tell her he needed to look at her phone to either verify identity or confirm insurance coverage.McKnight searched the phones and used his own phone to photograph nude pictures he found, the indictment said.McKnight was arrested by patrol investigators on Aug. 21 and resigned five days later, patrol Capt. Scott White said in an email.White declined to discuss McKnight's case but said that patrol employees “are held to high standards and if it is determined that those standards were not met, they are held accountable.”McKnight pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Thursday. Messages were left Friday with his lawyer.Alcala, 29, was accused of crimes involving 20 women between Feb. 6 and May 18. Five of the alleged crimes happened on the same day.Alcala confiscated phones from women under the auspices of confirming insurance coverage and vehicle registration, the indictment said. Like McKnight, he was accused of searching the phones for nude photos, then using his own phone to take pictures.The indictment said Alcala also found a video on one victim's phone and texted the video to his own phone.Alcala doesn't yet have a listed attorney. No phone listing for him could be found. He also is named in four lawsuits filed against him and the city of Florissant, a St. Louis suburb.Alcala had been with the Florissant department since January 2023. He resigned in June amid an FBI investigation.“We are disgusted at this behavior, which is a complete betrayal of the values we uphold and in no way reflects the professionalism and integrity of our dedicated officers," Florissant police said in a statement. “We recognize the gravity of this breach of trust and its impact on our community.”

Officers accused of pulling over women, searching phones for nude pictures

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A federal judge granted a request to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/11/11/topeka-man-who-participated-in-jan-6-attack-requests-trial-delay-after-trump-victory/">delay the trial</a>&nbsp;of a Topeka man who blocked officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol building.&nbsp;

William Pope, who is representing himself in the case charging him with federal crimes in connection with his actions on Jan. 6, requested a trial delay on Nov. 8, citing President-elect Donald Trump’s victory and concerns over a fair jury.&nbsp;

Trump promised throughout his third presidential campaign to pardon those criminally charged Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol if he were to be reelected. Pope was one of many defendants pursuing case changes following Trump’s win.&nbsp;

Judge&nbsp;Rudolph Contreras for the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., was sympathetic to Pope’s arguments during a Thursday hearing, which culminated in Contreras granting Pope’s motion to delay the trial.&nbsp;

Contreras said he’d been considering motions like Pope’s on a case-by-case basis,&nbsp;according to an official transcript of the Thursday hearing.

In his original motion, Pope argued his jury “was the entire American public, and they voted for a mandate to set me free.” He also expressed concerns that his case wouldn’t be heard by a fair jury because the vast majority of D.C. residents voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

Contreras said he was focused on the conservation of resources for the case’s parties, the court and any potential jurors or witnesses, according to the transcript.

“I don’t want them to bring in 70 people or so just to have it go for naught, which there’s a real possibility of,” Contreras said. “Of course, it’s speculative, but there is a real possibility of that happening.”

Federal prosecutors opposed any delay. Benet Kearney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office said during Thursday’s hearing that the case could be efficiently tried if it proceeded as scheduled. Instead, it was Pope’s “insistence of going down, kind of, a side rabbit hole that has the potential to drag this out,” Benet said.

“And so this is a manufactured situation by the defendant, you know?” she said.&nbsp;

Pope’s case has dragged on since he was indicted in February 2021, jailed in Shawnee County that same month and released on his own recognizance in early March 2021. His July 2024 trial date was delayed to weigh the possible impacts of a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June that threw out charges against a former Pennsylvania police officer who also participated in the Jan. 6 attack.

The parties are scheduled to meet again in December to set a future trial date.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613161028525.png" alt="&nbsp;Will Pope, in red, holds a flag inside the Senate Carriage Entrance on the east side of the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Pope ran for the Topeka City Council in 2018. (Screen capture from Jayden X video on YouTube)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Will Pope, in red, holds a flag inside the Senate Carriage Entrance on the east side of the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Pope ran for the Topeka City Council in 2018. (Screen capture from Jayden X video on YouTube)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A federal judge granted a request to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/11/11/topeka-man-who-participated-in-jan-6-attack-requests-trial-delay-after-trump-victory/">delay the trial</a>&nbsp;of a Topeka man who blocked officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol building.&nbsp;William Pope, who is representing himself in the case charging him with federal crimes in connection with his actions on Jan. 6, requested a trial delay on Nov. 8, citing President-elect Donald Trump’s victory and concerns over a fair jury.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613160278542.png" alt="Pope photo Shawnee Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Pope photo Shawnee Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump promised throughout his third presidential campaign to pardon those criminally charged Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol if he were to be reelected. Pope was one of many defendants pursuing case changes following Trump’s win.&nbsp;Judge&nbsp;Rudolph Contreras for the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., was sympathetic to Pope’s arguments during a Thursday hearing, which culminated in Contreras granting Pope’s motion to delay the trial.&nbsp;A new trial date was not set.Contreras said he’d been considering motions like Pope’s on a case-by-case basis,&nbsp;according to an official transcript of the Thursday hearing.In his original motion, Pope argued his jury “was the entire American public, and they voted for a mandate to set me free.” He also expressed concerns that his case wouldn’t be heard by a fair jury because the vast majority of D.C. residents voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.Contreras said he was focused on the conservation of resources for the case’s parties, the court and any potential jurors or witnesses, according to the transcript.“I don’t want them to bring in 70 people or so just to have it go for naught, which there’s a real possibility of,” Contreras said. “Of course, it’s speculative, but there is a real possibility of that happening.”Federal prosecutors opposed any delay. Benet Kearney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office said during Thursday’s hearing that the case could be efficiently tried if it proceeded as scheduled. Instead, it was Pope’s “insistence of going down, kind of, a side rabbit hole that has the potential to drag this out,” Benet said.“And so this is a manufactured situation by the defendant, you know?” she said.&nbsp;Pope’s case has dragged on since he was indicted in February 2021, jailed in Shawnee County that same month and released on his own recognizance in early March 2021. His July 2024 trial date was delayed to weigh the possible impacts of a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June that threw out charges against a former Pennsylvania police officer who also participated in the Jan. 6 attack.The parties are scheduled to meet again in December to set a future trial date.

Judge delays trial for Kansas man who participated in Jan. 6 attack

President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is filling key posts in his second administration, and it's shaping up much differently than his first. He's prioritizing loyalists for top jobs.

Trump was bruised and hampered by internal squabbles during his initial term in office. Now he appears focused on remaking the federal government in his own image. Some of his choices could face difficult confirmation battles even with Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate.

Here's a look at whom he has selected so far.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-marco-rubio-secretary-of-state-25664371f80dcf3332838352165e4d48">named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;to be secretary of state, making the critic-turned-ally his choice for top diplomat.

Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement.

The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator once called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations.

Trump said Wednesday he will nominate Florida Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/matt-gaetz">Matt Gaetz</a>&nbsp;to serve as his attorney general, naming a loyalist in the role of the nation's top prosecutor.

In selecting Gaetz, 42, Trump passed over some of the more established lawyers whose names had been mentioned as being contenders for the job.

“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and Restore Americans' badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said in a statement.

Gaetz resigned from Congress Wednesday night. The House Ethics Committee has been investigating an allegation that Gaetz paid for sex with a 17-year-old, though that probe effectively ended when he resigned. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.

DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Tulsi Gabbard

Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gabbard-director-national-intelligence-466dfdfe2f949ea20bc2f4ef13e21438">has been tapped by Trump</a>&nbsp;to be director of national intelligence, another example of Trump prizing loyalty over experience.

Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall, and she's been accused of echoing Russian propaganda.

“I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement.

Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions.

Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox &amp; Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show.

Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011. He has two Bronze Stars. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-defense-secretary-pentagon-2d8030921ecef933778cf92afd40ec72">Hegseth lacks</a>&nbsp;senior military and national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.

Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year.

Noem is a well-known conservative who used her two terms leading South Dakota to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic.

More recently, Noem faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting and killing her dog.

She is set to lead a department crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda as well as other missions. Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports.

Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump’s first term, leading the U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-trump-speech-arizona-a2638f89ddcb5de03edbe4574ca17d45">then endorsed Trump</a>. He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign.

The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-f-kennedy-vaccines-trump-rfkjr-7f8dcb25de76a5a70710d22bbc63f6fa">his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines</a>. For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism.

Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate.

Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command.

"We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The governor of North Dakota, once little-known outside his state, is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump and then spent months traveling to drum up support for Trump after dropping out of the race.

Burgum was a serious contender to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vice-president-rubio-vance-burgum-scott-8b6a3a22eecdfff668a5002ddfd3af18">be Trump’s vice presidential choice</a>&nbsp;this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs.

Trump initially announced his choice of Burgum while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Thursday night. The president-elect's formal announcement on Friday said he wanted Burgum to be Interior secretary and chairman of a new National Energy Council “that will oversee the path to U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE." As chairman of the council, Trump said Burgum will also have a seat on the National Security Council, which would be a first for the Interior secretary.

A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.

Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States.

Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR: Lee Zeldin

Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LeeMZeldin/status/1856068555865026956">X</a>, “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.”

“We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added.

During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration’s promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign that his administration would “drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration.

In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.”

Wiles, 67,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-susie-wiles-32df8958bedde5f3f2d55fd071979692">was a senior adviser</a>&nbsp;to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager.

She has a background in Florida politics, helping Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary.

Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with him. Wiles is said to have earned Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump’s three presidential campaigns.

Wiles was able to help keep Trump on track as few others have, not by criticizing his impulses, but by winning his respect by demonstrating his success after taking her advice.

Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-security-adviser-mike-wlatz-0c81d044c9ffe18dfd745202e8351b9c">A former Army Green Beret</a>, he served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs.

He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population.

Homan, 62,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">has been tasked</a>&nbsp;with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history.

He served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border once Trump won the election. Homan said at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to “run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.”

Democrats have criticized Homan for defending Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR POLICY: Stephen Miller

Miller, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stephen-miller-policy-immigration-9cc6ad3118779b23bff88022ca5e2260">immigration hardliner</a>, was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump’s priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump’s first administration.

Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation’s economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally.

Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security.

Scavino was an adviser to all three of the president-elect's campaigns, and the transition team referred to him as one of “Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides." He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president.

He previously ran Trump’s social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Blair was political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president.

Blair was key to Trump’s economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate’s “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago.

Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump’s 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president.

Budowich had also served as a spokesman for Trump after his first presidency.

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Karoline Leavitt

Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history.

The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps.

Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-inflation-donald-trump-51418003338eb89abfbfc6aac6909abd">she ran for Congress in New Hampshire,</a>&nbsp;winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign.

In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.”

SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST: Steven Witkoff

The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination.

Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud."

Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee.

Huckabee is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-huckabee-ambassador-israel-ace1894ce731c36622d5f09982a0a9b2">staunch defender of Israel</a>&nbsp;and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah.

“He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.”

Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland.

Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Huckabee has rejected a Palestinian homeland in territory occupied by Israel, calling for a so-called “one-state solution.”

Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions thru Saturday

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man was sentenced to 35 years in prison last week for a series of crimes against a young child who was found naked in the area of Brush Creek in 2019, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Gerald Smith was convicted of Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was sentenced today to 20 years on the Statutory Sodomy conviction and 15 years on the Assault in the 1st Degree conviction. Those were sentenced to run consecutively for a total of 35 years. The Endangering the Welfare of a Child conviction was sentenced to 7 years and was set by the judge to run concurrently to the Assault conviction.

According to court records, police were dispatched Sept. 13, 2019 to the area Blue Parkway and Lawn on a reported found juvenile. The caller told responding officers that he had seen a naked girl in the middle of the road. Officers found the child. The girl was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. KCPD detectives used video, cell phone records and other data to pinpoint the defendant. In April 2020, Detectives were notified that the defendant's DNA was found on the child victim.

The prosecutor's office has made every effort to protect the identity of this victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725033186313.png" alt="Smith photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man was sentenced to 35 years in prison last week for a series of crimes against a young child who was found naked in the area of Brush Creek in 2019, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Gerald Smith was convicted of Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was sentenced today to 20 years on the Statutory Sodomy conviction and 15 years on the Assault in the 1st Degree conviction. Those were sentenced to run consecutively for a total of 35 years. The Endangering the Welfare of a Child conviction was sentenced to 7 years and was set by the judge to run concurrently to the Assault conviction.According to court records, police were dispatched Sept. 13, 2019 to the area Blue Parkway and Lawn on a reported found juvenile. The caller told responding officers that he had seen a naked girl in the middle of the road. Officers found the child. The girl was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. KCPD detectives used video, cell phone records and other data to pinpoint the defendant. In April 2020, Detectives were notified that the defendant's DNA was found on the child victim.The prosecutor's office has made every effort to protect the identity of this victim.

Prison for KC man after young child found naked on the road

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man received a letter cashing in on a stranger’s life insurance policy. The Investigations Division of the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office received a copy of the letter.

The Federal Trade Commission posted the following information on the scam:

“The letter looks like it’s from a law firm and offers an “easy way” to get money using someone else’s life insurance policy. “In the letter, the “lawyer” says they have a deceased client with an unclaimed life insurance policy worth millions. Because you “supposedly” have the same name last name and nationality as the deceased, the lawyer can add your name to the policy and split the money between you, their law firm, and a charity. All you have to do, they say, is keep this information secret and email them immediately.

“There is no lawyer. It’s a scammer. If you email them, they will ask for personal information, or money, or both. The life insurance policy does not exist.

• Don’t respond. Never share your information with someone who contacts you and says they need it. And never send anyone cash or pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.

• Share this information with a friend. You probably throw away these kinds of letters. But you may know someone who could use a friendly reminder to help them spot the scam.

• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report makes a difference: by telling your story to the FTC and to others in your community, you help others avoid the scam. 

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731533471458.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man received a letter cashing in on a stranger’s life insurance policy. The Investigations Division of the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office received a copy of the letter.The Federal Trade Commission posted the following information on the scam:“The letter looks like it’s from a law firm and offers an “easy way” to get money using someone else’s life insurance policy. “In the letter, the “lawyer” says they have a deceased client with an unclaimed life insurance policy worth millions. Because you “supposedly” have the same name last name and nationality as the deceased, the lawyer can add your name to the policy and split the money between you, their law firm, and a charity. All you have to do, they say, is keep this information secret and email them immediately.“There is no lawyer. It’s a scammer. If you email them, they will ask for personal information, or money, or both. The life insurance policy does not exist.If you get one of these letters:• Don’t respond. Never share your information with someone who contacts you and says they need it. And never send anyone cash or pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.• Share this information with a friend. You probably throw away these kinds of letters. But you may know someone who could use a friendly reminder to help them spot the scam.• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report makes a difference: by telling your story to the FTC and to others in your community, you help others avoid the scam.

DA reports life insurance policy scam in Kansas

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MATTHEW%20PERRONE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MATTHEW PERRONE &nbsp;AP Health Writer</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Those ever-present TV drug ads showing patients hiking, biking or enjoying a day at the beach could soon have a different look: New rules require drugmakers to be clearer and more direct when explaining their medications' risks and side effects.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration spent more than 15 years crafting the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/175074/download">guidelines</a>, which are designed to do away with industry practices that downplay or distract viewers from risk information.

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/175074/download">Click here to read </a>the guidelines

Many companies have already adopted the rules, which become binding Nov. 20. But while regulators were drafting them, a new trend emerged: thousands of pharma influencers pushing drugs online with little oversight. A new bill in Congress would compel the FDA to more aggressively police such promotions on social media platforms.

“Some people become very attached to social media influencers and ascribe to them credibility that, in some cases, they don’t deserve,” said Tony Cox, professor emeritus of marketing at Indiana University.

Still, TV remains the industry's primary advertising format, with over $4 billion spent in the past year, led by blockbuster drugs like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mounjaro-wegovy-ozempic-obesity-weight-loss-bd0e037cc5981513487260d40636752a">weight-loss treatment Wegovy</a>, according to ispot.tv, which tracks ads.

The new rules, which cover both TV and radio, instruct drugmakers to use simple, consumer-friendly language when describing their drugs, without medical jargon, distracting visuals or audio effects. A 2007 law directed the FDA to ensure that drug risk information appears “in a clear, conspicuous and neutral manner.”

FDA has always required that ads give a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-143d1bd257e147cdbbebfa0a97f40519">balanced picture</a>&nbsp;of both benefits and risks, a requirement that gave rise to those long, rapid-fire lists of side effects parodied on shows like “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VByZc4Hn7pI">Saturday Night Live</a>.”

But in the early 2000s, researchers began showing how companies could manipulate images and audio to de-emphasize safety information. In one example, a Duke University professor found that ads for the allergy drug Nasonex, which featured a buzzing bee voiced by Antonio Banderas, distracted viewers from listening to side effect information, making it harder to remember.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731609279169.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MATTHEW%20PERRONE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MATTHEW PERRONE &nbsp;AP Health Writer</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Those ever-present TV drug ads showing patients hiking, biking or enjoying a day at the beach could soon have a different look: New rules require drugmakers to be clearer and more direct when explaining their medications' risks and side effects.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration spent more than 15 years crafting the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/175074/download">guidelines</a>, which are designed to do away with industry practices that downplay or distract viewers from risk information.<a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/175074/download">Click here to read </a>the guidelinesMany companies have already adopted the rules, which become binding Nov. 20. But while regulators were drafting them, a new trend emerged: thousands of pharma influencers pushing drugs online with little oversight. A new bill in Congress would compel the FDA to more aggressively police such promotions on social media platforms.“Some people become very attached to social media influencers and ascribe to them credibility that, in some cases, they don’t deserve,” said Tony Cox, professor emeritus of marketing at Indiana University.Still, TV remains the industry's primary advertising format, with over $4 billion spent in the past year, led by blockbuster drugs like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mounjaro-wegovy-ozempic-obesity-weight-loss-bd0e037cc5981513487260d40636752a">weight-loss treatment Wegovy</a>, according to ispot.tv, which tracks ads.<h2>Simpler language and no distractions</h2>The new rules, which cover both TV and radio, instruct drugmakers to use simple, consumer-friendly language when describing their drugs, without medical jargon, distracting visuals or audio effects. A 2007 law directed the FDA to ensure that drug risk information appears “in a clear, conspicuous and neutral manner.”FDA has always required that ads give a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-143d1bd257e147cdbbebfa0a97f40519">balanced picture</a>&nbsp;of both benefits and risks, a requirement that gave rise to those long, rapid-fire lists of side effects parodied on shows like “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VByZc4Hn7pI">Saturday Night Live</a>.”But in the early 2000s, researchers began showing how companies could manipulate images and audio to de-emphasize safety information. In one example, a Duke University professor found that ads for the allergy drug Nasonex, which featured a buzzing bee voiced by Antonio Banderas, distracted viewers from listening to side effect information, making it harder to remember.Such overt tactics have largely disappeared from drug ads.“In general, I would say the ads have gotten more complete and transparent,” says Ruth Day, director of the medical cognition lab at Duke University and author of the Nasonex study.The new rules are “significant steps forward,” Day said, but certain requirements could also open the door to new ways of downplaying risks.<h2>Information overload?</h2>One requirement instructs companies to show on-screen text about side effects while the audio information plays. A 2011 FDA study found that combining text with audio increased recall and understanding.But the agency leaves it to companies to decide whether to display a few keywords or a full transcript.“You often cannot put all that on the screen and expect people to read and understand it,” Day said. “If you wanted to hide or decrease the likelihood of people remembering risk information, that could be the way to do it.”Viewers tend to tune out long lists of warnings and other information. But experts who work with drug companies don’t expect those lists to disappear. While the guidelines describe how the information should be presented, companies still decide the content.“If you’re a company and you’re worried about possible FDA enforcement or product liability and other litigation, all your incentives are to say more, not less,” said Torrey Cope, a food and drug lawyer who advises companies.Experts also say the new rules will have little effect on the overall tone and appearance of ads.“The most salient element of these ads are the visuals, and they are uniformly positive,” said Cox. “Even if the risk message is about, for instance, sudden heart failure, they’re still showing someone diving into a swimming pool.”<h2>Patient influencers</h2>The new rules come as Donald Trump's advisers begin floating plans for the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-trump-vaccines-779495533a80ba142086a9621d75a59c">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, an anti-vaccine activist who has advised the president-elect, wants to eliminate TV drug ads. He and other industry critics point out that the U.S. and New Zealand are the only countries where prescription drugs can be promoted on TV.Even so, many companies are looking beyond TV and expanding into social media. They often partner with patient influencers who post about managing their conditions, new treatments or navigating the health system.“They’re teaching people to live a good life with their disease, but then some of them are also paid to advertise and persuade,” said Erin Willis, who studies advertising and media at the University of Colorado Boulder.Advertising executives say companies like the format because it’s cheaper than TV and consumers generally feel influencers are more trustworthy than companies.FDA’s requirement for truthful, balanced risk and benefit information applies to drugmakers, leaving a loophole for both influencers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hims-ro-lemonaid-subscription-health-care-6bbd960335fd8a7cc71563858e1a441a">telehealth companies</a>&nbsp;like Hims, Ro and Teledoc, who may not have a direct financial connection to makers of the drugs they’re promoting.The issue has attracted attention from members of Congress.“The power of social media and the deluge of misleading promotions has meant too many young people are receiving medical advice from influencers instead of their health care professional,” Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Mike Braun of Indiana wrote the FDA in a February letter.A recently introduced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.durbin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Durbin-Braun_Deceptive%20Social%20Media%20Rx%20Promotion.pdf">bill from the senators</a>&nbsp;would bring influencers and telehealth companies clearly under FDA’s jurisdiction, requiring them to disclose risk and side effect information. The bill also would require drugmakers to publicly disclose payments to influencers.“It’s asking the FDA to take a more serious stance with this kind of marketing,” said Willis. "They know it’s happening, but they could be doing more and their regulations haven’t been updated since 2014."___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.