The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced a new policy that would ban foreign nationals and non-citizens from accessing its loan services — a continuation of efforts to refocus federal resources to ventures that align with American prioritization.

“The Trump SBA is committed to driving economic growth and job creation for American citizens,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said in a statement on Friday.

The requirement will apply to its Surety Bond and Microloan programs and is an expansion of changes made in February to the SBA’s 504 and 7(a) programs — loans for small businesses looking to finance working capital, equipment or acquisitions. Those earlier reforms prohibited SBA loans from going to businesses that are partially or wholly owned by foreign nationals.

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION UNVEILS NEW INITIATIVE TO ROLL BACK FEDERAL REGULATIONS

The Surety Bond helps new or inexperienced contractors bid for government jobs that require bonding. Similarly, The Microloan program looks to offer small businesses loans of up to $50,000 through approved third-party intermediaries.

“Last month, we made it clear that SBA would not allow foreign nationals to access our core small business loan programs – and today, we are expanding that policy to include all SBA-guaranteed loans,” Loeffler said.

SBA’s announcement comes on the heels of other, broader changes the agency has made to re-center its investments on U.S. citizens. In 2025, SBA began requiring citizenship verification across its loan programs and announced that it would move its offices out of so-called sanctuary cities, areas where local governments have instructed law enforcement not to cooperate with President Donald Trump’s federal immigration enforcement efforts.

According to data from the SBA, the agency has 3,300 loans on the books for small businesses partially owned by lawful permanent residents, largely under the Biden administration. That figure represents 4% of the agency’s total loans — currently at 85,000.

SBA framed its policy change as a way to protect its limited resources and loan capital.

“With our lending authority capped annually by Congress and amid record demand for access to capital, our responsibility is clear: the limited resource of SBA financing must prioritize American citizens who are building businesses and creating jobs here at home,” Loeffler said.

The expanded policy will go into effect 30 days after the agency’s announcement.

EXCLUSIVE: For decades, curing cancer has been medicine’s holy grail. Now economists say it could also be the ultimate economic jackpot, delivering an estimated $185 trillion to the U.S. economy.

At a time when policymakers are weighing the cost of medical research against ballooning federal deficits, the report argues that curing cancer would pay for itself many times over.

The report, released by Unleash Prosperity, a free-market policy group, finds that eliminating cancer mortality would not only save millions of lives — it would dramatically strengthen the economy through longer lifespans, increased workforce participation and higher tax revenues.

NEARLY 40% OF CANCERS CAN BE PREVENTED WITH 3 LIFESTYLE CHANGES, STUDY FINDS

The stakes are enormous. 

Between 2030 and 2064, researchers project that roughly 30.7 million Americans will die from cancer under the current trajectory — losses that would carry not only a profound human toll, but a sweeping economic cost.

The research, conducted by economists Steve Moore and Tomas Philipson, estimates that fully eliminating cancer mortality would generate $185 trillion in total economic benefits over 35 years.

That translates to roughly $15,000 per American per year, or about $39,000 annually for the average household — gains driven by longer lifespans, stronger workforce participation and expanded economic output.

DEADLY CANCER RISK SPIKES WITH CERTAIN LEVEL OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, STUDY FINDS

Even short of a cure, the economic upside remains substantial. Recognizing that a complete cure may not be immediately achievable, the study models a more realistic scenario in which cancer deaths are reduced by 80% over two decades. 

Under that scenario, the projected gains would still total nearly $130 trillion — roughly 70% of the value of full elimination — amounting to about $10,500 per person per year.

Moore said reducing cancer deaths could boost productivity enough to meaningfully accelerate U.S. economic growth.

“If we could substantially reduce cancer deaths, the payoff would be as large as just about anything you can imagine,” Moore told Fox News Digital.

“Right now, our economy has been growing at about 3%. We could probably increase that rate by a full percentage point, which would have enormous implications for our debt and deficit. This would increase Americans’ health and our wealth, and it ought to be one of the top national priorities for our country,” he added.

As researchers push ahead with new therapies and early detection tools, the report suggests the question is no longer whether progress is possible, but how quickly it can be accelerated.

Read the full Unleash Prosperity report here. 

The Pentagon on Sunday announced that U.S. forces have carried out a lethal strike on a vessel allegedly carrying suspected narco-traffickers in the Eastern Pacific, killing six people on board.

The U.S. Southern Command said it conducted “a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations” at the direction of the new leader of the Southern Command, Gen. Francis L. Donovan of the Marine Corps, who took over in January.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the Southern Command said in a press release.

NEW LAWSUIT PRESSES PENTAGON, STATE DEPT TO DISCLOSE LEGAL JUSTIFICATION FOR VENEZUELAN BOAT STRIKES

Six men on the ship were killed but no U.S. forces died in the attack on the vessel, according to the Southern Command.

The latest strike brings the death toll in the Trump administration’s attacks on ships carrying people it accuses of drug smuggling to at least 156, according to The New York Times.

This was the 45th strike since the U.S. began targeting boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific in early September and comes amid a recent increase in the pace of strikes, the newspaper reported.

BIPARTISAN PUSH GROWS IN SENATE TO FORCE RELEASE OF UNEDITED CARIBBEAN STRIKE FOOTAGE

The attack on Sunday was one of the deadliest boat strikes the military has conducted in recent weeks.

“Going on offense with Operation Southern Spear has restored deterrence against the narco-terrorist cartels that profited from poisoning Americans,” Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said last week. “Last month, we went a few weeks without targeting a single boat. Why? Well, because we couldn’t find a whole lot of boats to sink, and that’s the whole point is to establish deterrence from narco-terrorists who have been able to traffic almost unfettered.”

The Pentagon has refused to release the identities of those killed in the strikes since last fall or provide evidence of drugs on board.

The administration has been scrutinized in recent months over the strikes, including by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.

“I look at my colleagues who say they’re pro-life, and they value God’s inspiration in life, but they don’t give a s‑‑- about these people in the boats,” Paul said in January. “Are they terrible people in the boats? I don’t know. They’re probably poor people in Venezuela and Colombia.”

The senator previously cited Coast Guard statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded on suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.

Fresh satellite images give a rare aerial view of the damage across Iran after U.S.-Israeli strikes and what Tehran’s retaliation left behind across the region.

Planet Labs satellite imagery captured burning ships and damaged facilities at the Konarak base in southern Iran, as well as significant destruction at Iran’s naval headquarters in Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf, reflecting the scale of the strikes on military infrastructure.

WATCH SHIPPING THROUGH THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ GRIND TO A HALT AMID IRAN CONFLICT

Imagery from Vantor shows damage to facilities and vessels located in Iran’s Bushehr port in the Persian Gulf.

In addition to naval assets, satellite photos show a bunker at Bushehr air base hit by a strike, leaving a large crater and destroying several nearby small buildings.

More strikes targeted the Choqa Balk drone facility in western Iran.

Radar systems at the Zahedan air base in eastern Iran — near the country’s borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan — were also struck.

The two facilities are about 800 to 900 miles apart, underscoring the broad reach of the coordinated strikes.

Satellite imagery also reveals damage to aircraft on the tarmac at Shiraz air base, including scorch marks and debris around several parking areas.

Satellite imagery from Planet Labs shows thick smoke plumes rising above Tehran, signaling explosions and fires inside the Iranian capital.

The smoke underscores how the conflict has moved beyond isolated military sites and into the heart of Iran’s political center.

THE UNLIKELY TOOL TRUMP IS EYEING TO TACKLE RISING OIL PRICES AMID THE IRAN CONFLICT

Iran has since responded with missile and drone strikes of its own, expanding the conflict across the region. 

Satellite images reveal damage to the port city of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Sharjah is the third most populous after Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The Jebel Ali Port, the region’s largest maritime hub, was also targeted, underscoring how the retaliation extended beyond military sites to key infrastructure.

The new satellite imagery comes on the heels of U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several top members of the regime, triggering a succession crisis.

President Donald Trump warned on Sunday that Iran’s new leader is “not going to last long” without U.S. approval as Operation Epic Fury marches into a third week. 

President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran’s new leader is “not going to last long” without U.S. approval as Operation Epic Fury continues into its second week.

“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told ABC News in an interview. “If he doesn’t get approval from us he’s not going to last long. We want to make sure that we don’t have to go back every 10 years, when you don’t have a president like me that’s not going to do it.”

“I don’t want people to have to go back in five years and have to do the same thing again or worse let them have a nuclear weapon,” the president continued.

Trump’s comments come after Iranian state media reported that a majority consensus had been reached on a new supreme leader following the Feb. 28 assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

IRAN’S SENIOR CLERICS ‘EXPOSED’ AFTER BUILDING STRIKE IN QOM, SUCCESSION CHOICE LOOMS

Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri, who serves on Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the clerical body tasked with selecting the supreme leader, did not offer any names but acknowledged to the Mehr News Agency that there are still “some obstacles.”

ABC News reported that Trump said it’s possible he would be in favor of someone with ties to the old regime.

“I would, in order to choose a good leader I would, yeah, I would. There are numerous people that could qualify,” he said.

ISRAEL HAMMERS IRANIAN INTERNAL SECURITY COMMAND CENTERS TO OPEN DOOR TO UPRISING

The Associated Press reported that several figures are being viewed as potential successors to Iran’s supreme leadership. They include:

IRAN POSTPONES TEHRAN FAREWELL CEREMONY FOR KHAMENEI WHERE LARGE CROWDS WERE EXPECTED TO GATHER

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Iranian leadership in a post on X last week that any successor who tries to “destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people” will be an “unequivocal target for elimination.”

“It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides,” Katz said.

The new battleground in the Gulf isn’t just on the water — it’s in the insurance market, where war-risk coverage can determine which oil tankers sail and which stay put.

With the conflict driving gasoline prices higher, the White House is weighing steps to keep oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz and to keep prices from climbing further.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman, carries roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day and about one-fifth of global supply of liquefied natural gas. When conflict flares in the region, even the threat of disruption can rattle markets because so much of the world’s energy moves through that single corridor.

WATCH SHIPPING THROUGH THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ GRIND TO A HALT AMID IRAN CONFLICT

And with so much at stake, the White House is turning to an unlikely tool: insurance.

President Donald Trump said the U.S. could use a government-backed insurance program to lower war-risk premiums for vessels in the region. Under a backstop, the government would absorb part of any major losses, easing pressure on private insurers and shipowners.

Because when danger rises, the bill rises.

Insurers charge more to cover ships and cargo, shippers add “war-risk” surcharges and some vessels slow down, detour or pause altogether. Those delays can tighten supply and push crude prices higher even if oil production hasn’t changed.

Against that backdrop, the latest disruption, sparked by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 27 and retaliatory Iranian drone and missile attacks across the region, is forcing shippers and insurers to rethink whether it’s safe to transit the waterway. 

NEW SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW FIRES, NAVAL BASE DAMAGE ACROSS IRAN AFTER US-ISRAELI STRIKES

Some global insurers are already tightening terms. Maritime insurance titans Gard, Skuld, NorthStandard, the London P&I Club and the American Club, have already canceled war-risk coverage, leaving voyages through Iranian and nearby waters without insurance.

Not all coverage is disappearing though. Lloyd’s of London, an insurance marketplace that brings together multiple insurers to cover large, high-risk voyages, said its vessels operating in the Gulf region have a combined hull value exceeding $25 billion. It added that coverage is still in place.

A Lloyd’s spokesperson told Reuters the market is in talks with U.S. officials about possible options. Separately, global insurance broker Marsh said it met with Trump administration representatives to discuss the idea.

Matt Smith, an analyst at Kpler, said coverage is a baseline requirement for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, but it doesn’t eliminate the risk. 

“It’s essential for all of these tankers to have insurance. You simply cannot pass through the Strait of Hormuz if you don’t have the insurance, given the high possibility of getting struck by a missile,” Smith told Fox News Digital.

“But even with that insurance in place, it’s little comfort for those on the ship if there’s a chance the vessel is going to be attacked,” he added.

With that calculus in mind, Maersk, widely regarded as a bellwether for global ocean freight, said it will suspend all vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice and warned service to Arabian Gulf ports could be delayed.

When big shippers hit the brakes, the ripple effects can be felt fast. If oil becomes more expensive or slower to reach buyers, those increases can move through the supply chain and show up for Americans at the pump.

How much Americans feel at the pump will depend on how long the disruption lasts and whether shipping and insurance markets stabilize. Until then, the world’s most important energy chokepoint is likely to keep traders and drivers on edge.

President Donald Trump is vowing to reject signing any new bills into law until the SAVE America Act is passed by the Senate, a tall order with just 53 Republicans seated and the 60-vote filibuster threshold a high hurdle.

“Great Job by hard working Scott Pressler on Fox & Friends talking about using the Filibuster, or Talking Filibuster, in order to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, an 88% issue with ALL VOTERS,” Trump wrote Sunday morning on Truth Social. “It must be done immediately.”

“It supersedes everything else,” Trump added. “MUST GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE.”

The vow to halt all new law signings is a new one coming from the White House and notable because of the Senate hesitation to follow the urgings of Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to force the Senate to bring the bill forward through the talking filibuster.

DAVID MARCUS: PASSING THE SAVE AMERICA ACT TO SAVE CORNYN IS A FAIR DEAL

“I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed,” Trump’s post continued, “AND NOT THE WATERED DOWN VERSION – GO FOR THE GOLD: MUST SHOW VOTER I.D. & PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP: NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS EXCEPT FOR MILITARY – ILLNESS, DISABILITY, TRAVEL: NO MEN IN WOMEN’S SPORTS: NO TRANSGENDER MUTILIZATION FOR CHILDREN! DO NOT FAIL!!!”

While Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has publicly acknowledged a willingness to bring a vote on the SAVE America Act before the upper chamber, there is hesitation within the Republican Party about forcing the talking filibuster under the current Senate rules.

The talking filibuster would force Democrats to speak on the Senate floor to argue against a voter identification position widely supported by Americans, as Trump noted, but it would also force Republicans to sit in attendance with a quorum. That has been rebuked by longtime Senate GOP veterans as something that would “waste time.”

FETTERMAN EXPECTS DHS SHUTDOWN AMID PARTISAN FUNDING FEUD, BREAKS WITH DEMOCRATS ON VOTER ID

Former Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has been publicly opposed to forcing a talking filibuster because of the time constraints it would force on the Senate GOP, and he remains one of the few Senate Republicans not signing on to support the SAVE America Act.

Another development that clouds the SAVE America Act filibuster is the recent appointment of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to serve as the next Department of Homeland Security secretary, perhaps resigning from the Senate by the end of March.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mullin’s office for comment. McConnell’s office declined to comment on Trump’s Truth Social vow to block all new law signings amid the standoff on the DHS funding that has the government in a partial shutdown and the Senate sitting on the House-passed SAVE America Act.

GOP REACHES KEY 50-VOTE THRESHOLD FOR TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID BILL AS SENATE FIGHT LOOMS

“We’re going to have a vote on this, but in terms of what the president is willing to sign, Maria, we need to get the Department of Homeland Security funded,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wy., told Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures.”

“The Democrats have blocked that right now. And the greatest threat to the American people today is terrorism. So I want to make sure that the Democrats work with us to pass and fund the Department of Homeland Security, because I’m worried about the lone wolf, the sleeper cells and the cyber terrorism that’s coming our way because of what Iran is telling people around the world to do to continue this reign of terror,” Barrasso said.

Getting to 60 votes in the Senate is unlikely with just Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., as the lone potential Democrat vote to side with the Senate GOP on the SAVE America Act.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS PUSH JOHNSON TO GO TO WAR WITH SENATE OVER SAVE ACT

“The Democrats are against so many of the things that I think help this country,” Barrasso added to Bartiromo. “They’d rather stand with illegal immigrant criminals than with the safety and security of the American people. I want to get the Save act to the floor. I want to have a vote.”

“That’s the next step on this need to get the Department of Homeland Security open and funded,” he continued. “The Democrats are bowing to the liberal left: The people that want to eliminate ICE, the people that want open borders again, and the people that really aren’t looking out for the best interest of the American people.

“As the president said in the State of the Union, it is the first duty of the American government to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. But that’s what not one single Democrat stood up for that when every Republican stood and cheered loudly.”

Barrasso, the Senate GOP member whipping up support, considers the SAVE America Act “common sense.”

“You want to make sure that only citizens can vote,” he concluded to Bartiromo. “You want to make sure that when people show up, they have a photo ID to prove they are who they say they are. You need a you need a photo ID to buy a beer, to board a plane, all of those things. And it’s 90% popular with the American people. The only people against this are the Democrats because they want to make it easier to cheat.”

FIRST ON FOX: Nearly 28,000 Americans have returned from the Middle East, according to the State Department, which outlined a large-scale evacuation effort as Senate Democrats escalated criticism over the conflict in Iran.

A top State Department official, in a letter to Senate Democrats first obtained by Fox News Digital, noted that since fighting in Iran escalated following Operation Epic Fury, the agency has “taken proactive, rapid action to support Americans in the region.”

That has included chartered flights, ground transport from closed-airspace areas and round-the-clock crisis staffing.

US EMBASSY URGES AMERICANS IN IRAQ TO SHELTER IN PLACE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Paul Guaglianone, the State Department’s senior bureau official of legislative affairs, wrote in a letter to several Senate Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that before the strikes, the agency “planned immediate measures to protect and evacuate U.S. citizens.”

The letter comes as diplomats and officials have faced “multiple direct strikes from the Iranian regime.“

“The professionalism and competence of America’s diplomatic corps are inspiring,” Guaglianone wrote. “The Department has taken all necessary steps to protect its safety, both in the region and at posts worldwide.”

AMERICAN STUCK IN MIDDLE EAST ESCAPES IN RACE TO REACH CRITICALLY ILL HUSBAND IN CALIFORNIA

“Despite ongoing threats, our diplomats remain active and focused,” he continued. “They continue to communicate with our allies and partners and advance American diplomatic interests.”

His letter responds directly to criticism from Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who argued that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Trump administration have “not prioritized getting experienced ambassadors in place in the Middle East,” leading to a breakdown in evacuating diplomats and Americans since the strikes began.

The lawmakers noted that three ambassadors were dismissed in Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt “without explanation,” and that the administration is behind in finding replacements and filling vacancies.

AMERICANS STRANDED IN DUBAI FACE REPEATED FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS AMID IRAN ESCALATION

“Of the 14 countries where the Department urged Americans to urgently leave last Monday, only six have confirmed ambassadors,” the lawmakers wrote. “There are currently no pending nominees before the Senate for ambassadorships in the Middle East. As a result, many key posts are without experienced senior leadership at a time of crisis.”

“Simply put, abrupt decision-making and lack of planning by State Department leadership to ensure the safety and security of its own staff left our personnel and their families unnecessarily at risk,” they continued. “Days into the conflict, the Department still appears caught off-guard and lacks a clear, comprehensive plan to safeguard American personnel, their families or other Americans in the region.”

Guaglianone noted that the agency is providing frequent updates to more than 106,000 Americans enrolled in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, operating a 24/7 call center with no wait times and responding quickly to congressional inquiries while coordinating closely with lawmakers to assist constituents.

He also wrote that the agency is chartering additional planes for Americans as more commercial flights become available in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Oman, and that ground transportation is being offered to expand relocation options for Americans in places with closed airspace.

Americans in Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Israel who complete the Crisis Intake form receive direct outreach about upcoming charter aviation and ground transportation options from the agency.

“At this time, nearly one in three American citizens who requested help departing turn down U.S. government-provided transportation options when contacted,” Guaglianone wrote. “Some American citizens wish to remain in-country, while others prefer an alternative departure option.”

FIRST ON FOX: The nation’s history is akin to someone who has faced adversity in life, suggested North Carolina Rep. Addison McDowell’s chief of staff, Alex Vargo, 34, who almost lost his life in a rollover car crash at age 16.

Sunday marks the 18th anniversary of the car crash that nearly killed Vargo and helped shape his life after facing several hurdles in the aftermath of the accident.

Rep. McDowell also faced adversity in his life after losing his brother to a fentanyl overdose, something that the North Carolina Republican has indicated drives him and his policymaking. During an interview with Fox News Digital, Vargo pointed out how the story of adversity, such as the events that he and the congressman have faced, is very similar to the story of America. 

“Our country is not an old country, but I think in our history we’ve gone through periods of real trial – civil wars, massive pandemics that shut down our life – but I think we’re not defined by those tragedies,” Vargo told Fox News Digital. “We’re not defined by wars, we’re defined by how we came back after, how our country stuck together… The whole story of America is one of triumph. It’s one of going through hard times and coming out on the other side.”

GOV GAVIN NEWSOM: FROM PRIVILEGE TO HEARTBREAK, MY LIFE BEHIND THE HEADLINES

Vargo, who grew up in Pittsburgh, was driving home in the snow one day, when, just four days before his 17th birthday, he lost control of his car going down a hill. It slid off the road, went into a hillside, flipped and ultimately “imploded inward,” the chief of staff recounted. Half of his left hand ended up being severed and required eight hours of emergency surgery to put back together. 

“People say they’re in shock – that’s the first time I’ve been in real shock,” Vargo said. “There are events in your life, not many but a handful that really shape how you view the world, what your purpose is, and that was definitely one.”

Vargo said his purpose became more defined after the incident. He underwent months of painful therapy, where he re-learned how to use his hand for things like typing and dribbling a basketball. According to Vargo, he was given a second chance at life and wanted to make good use of it. It was those life experiences that drove the decision to enter into “the battle of ideas,” and be part of the conservative movement. 

The now-chief of staff has been working in Congress since 2014. Starting as an intern on Capitol Hill, Vargo quickly rose in rank, leading him to serve alongside McDowell in the office of Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., while he was in the House. But Vargo believes his most consequential mission was his time in the Florida legislature. There he worked for former House Speaker Paul Renner during the time when Florida had the “Session of the Century.” 

“Alex was a pivotal member of our team as we enacted transformational reforms in Florida. He was a strong advocate during my time as speaker,” Renner told Fox News Digital.

“Together, we protected life, strengthened Florida’s gun laws, and passed the largest expansion of school choice in the nation. He’s turned personal trials into triumphs, and I’m grateful for his friendship,” Renner continued, referring to Vargo. 

Vargo also has spent time with multiple grassroots organizations, such as Heritage Action For America and was the 2024 campaign manager for Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla. 

FLORIDA REPUBLICAN REP NEAL DUNN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM CONGRESS AFTER FIVE TERMS

“Going through trials is not unique to me or to the congressman. People go through trials, whether it’s in the three-mile radius we’re in right now, or throughout the country. I think it’s kind of the story of our country,” added Vargo. “As a country, we’ve gone through trials. But we’re not really defined by our imperfections. We’re defined by our principles and our values.”

When asked whether Vargo’s tragic incident led him to focus on certain policy areas, he responded in the affirmative, pointing to healthcare affordability. Vargo said that through his accident he saw how “awesome” American healthcare is on one hand, but he also recalled how his experience opened his eyes to “how messed up of a system we have in terms of financing” healthcare. 

Meanwhile, when asked about specific policy solutions, Vargo pointed to the integration between insurance companies, hospital systems, pharmacy benefit managers and pharmaceutical companies. 

“They all play a role, but I think there’s not enough time when people are advocating for the consumer,” Vargo said.

McDowell, who Vargo admitted has been through much more tragedy losing his brother than he did through his car crash, told Fox News Digital that from the first time he met Vargo he could tell he was “driven by a cause,” like himself, which McDowell described to Fox News Digital as “something bigger than himself.” 

“When I got President Trump’s endorsement, I called my wife, my political consultant and then Alex to tell him he was going to be my chief when I won,” McDowell recalled.

The House voted Thursday on a Democrat-led Iran War Powers Resolution, aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s military authority in Tehran — bringing to the fore a sharp debate over executive powers, and reviving fresh questions as to what level of consultation, if any, presidents must seek from Congress before proceeding with future military strikes. 

If passed, the Democrat-led Iran War Powers Resolution would have required Trump to terminate the use of any U.S. armed forces against Iran unless it was “explicitly authorized” by Congress. House lawmakers are largely split on the issue along party lines. 

Speaking to Fox News Digital in an interview after the House vote, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., defended her support for the new Iran War Powers Resolution. She said that, in her view, Trump had exceeded his authority and impinged upon Article I of the Constitution. “It’s about our Article I power,” she said. 

Congress alone “has the power to declare war, and we cannot be putting our troops at risk based on the ‘opinion’ of any President unilaterally,” Jayapal said in a statement. 

HOUSE VOTES TO LET TRUMP’S OPERATION EPIC FURY CONTINUE IN IRAN

The vote came amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following the U.S. strike on Iran days earlier— and as some Democrats have accused the Trump administration of racing to involve the U.S. in yet another long-running conflict in the Middle East without first consulting Congress. 

Republicans, meanwhile, maintain that the White House is acting within its authority in the best interests of the country.

Jayapal told Fox News Digital that she has long been a critic of other presidents who failed to consult Congress before taking military action — including under former President Joe Biden, after he ordered a U.S. airstrike on an Iran-backed militia in Syria.

“I spoke out against Biden as well,” Jayapal said of Biden’s 2021 airstrike in Syria.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS VOTE TO CONTINUE DHS SHUTDOWN DESPITE IRAN THREAT, NOEM’S OUSTER

“I spoke out against every Democratic and Republican president who tried to go to war without authorization, because I don’t think it should be partisan,” she continued, adding: “It’s about our Article I power.”

Her remarks come as the Democrat-led measure has sparked fierce opposition from nearly all GOP House members, and a small group of Democrats in the chamber, who noted that the commander-in-chief must retain some level of flexibility to respond to foreign threats and protect U.S. personnel and interests abroad.

They also criticized Democrats who supported the Iran War Powers Resolution for taking a posture of second-guessing military decisions during a sensitive moment overseas. 

Earlier this week, a group of Democrats urged House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to keep the House of Representatives in D.C. next week, citing the “rapidly evolving” situation in Iran.

TRUMP SAYS ‘LOSERS’ SCHUMER, DEMS WOULD HAVE CRITICIZED ANY DECISION HE MADE ON IRAN

Backers argue that restricting a president’s authority— and doing so in the middle of a volatile national security situation— could embolden foreign adversaries and undermine the U.S. ability to respond. 

Democrats, meanwhile, have continued to cite concerns that Trump has failed to demonstrate an “imminent” threat that would justify unilateral military action under his Article II powers.

The vote underscores a broader, long-running bipartisan debate over the scope of executive war powers and Congress’ role in authorizing the use of force — a tension that has spanned multiple administrations and conflicts.

Jayapal, for her part, appeared unfazed by the GOP pushback. 

She noted that, in her view, the U.S. action in Iran could be long-lasting, and is likely to have “much bigger consequences” than the U.S. involvement in Syria.

“There are real troops on the ground here in a way that wasn’t the case in Syria,” Jayapal said. “And I think it’s a much, much, much bigger war with no imminent threat.”