Latest news with #TomEmmer
CBS News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Minnesota House Republicans ask for federal audit of state's Department of Human Services
House Republicans in Minnesota are asking for a federal audit of the state's Department of Human Services. The push is spearheaded by state Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove, who serves as chair of the Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee. She and others submitted a formal request to the acting inspector general at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a federal audit of the state DHS on Wednesday. They say there has been extensive abuse of public funds for years within several Medicaid programs, costing taxpayers over $1 billion. That includes high-profile cases, like the Feeding Our Future scheme, which federal prosecutors called the biggest pandemic-era fraud in the country, and a new investigation into Medicaid fraud at Minnesota autism centers. WCCO learned last week that federal agents are also investigating what they call a "massive scheme to defraud" Minnesota's Housing Stabilization Services program. "This culture of corruption must end. It's time for real accountability, and that starts with a full, independent federal audit," Robbins said. "The people of Minnesota deserve to know where their money is going and why so little has been done to stop this theft." Also on Wednesday, Rep. Tom Emmer says he and the Minnesota Republican congressional delegation wrote a letter to Gov. Tim Walz demanding answers for the alleged fraud within the DHS, specifically the Housing Stabilization Services program. When the program started in 2020, it was estimated that it would cost taxpayers about $2.5 million a year. But by 2021, it cost $21 million. Last year, it ballooned to $104 million. "We ask that you provide us with the relevant information about how this fraud transpired under your administration's watch, steps you are taking to rectify the situation, and your plans to prevent future fraud within the HSS program," the letter says in part. Some lawmakers say a new office to handle issues like fraud needs to be reconsidered after being cut during special session budget negotiations.
Axios
7 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Exclusive: Emmer says Epstein is a "non-issue"
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) called the push to force release of the Epstein files a "non-issue" at an Axios News Shapers event Wednesday. Why it matters: The issue has paralyzed the House and led GOP leaders to cut this week's business short and leave town early for the August recess before things escalated further. "It's kind of funny if it was so important, then why weren't Democrats clamoring for this for the 4 years under Biden?" told Axios' Hans Nichols. Democrats — and some Republicans — have every been using multiple tools to try and force their GOP colleagues on the record about Epstein as President Trump pressures GOP leaders to make the issue go away.
Axios
7 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: Emmer confident Senate will pass crypto market structure bill
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said at an Axios News Shapers event Wednesday that he's confident the Senate will take up a sweeping market structure bill. Why it matters: Emmer has been one of the most vocal advocates in Congress for the crypto industry and has been pushing the Senate to take up House-passed crypto bills. "This is a non-partisan issue," Emmer told Axios' Hans Nichols. Catch up quick: The House passed three major cryptocurrency bills as part of "Crypto Week" earlier this month, including Emmer's Anti- CBDC bill. The Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday released its own draft version of the crypto market structure bill, the CLARITY Act, that also passed the House this month. What's next: Emmer said he leaves it up to Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) on how the Senate will pass the CLARITY Act, but he sees "no reason" why the bill can't pass on it's own.
21-07-2025
- Politics
Tom Emmer brings ABC News inside the GOP's mission to pass Trump megabill
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) joined ABC News to give an exclusive look at GOP's whip operation.
Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Crypto Week: US House of Representatives passes GENIUS Act in boost for stablecoins, digital assets and US dollar
US Crypto Week yielded positive results for cryptocurrency backers after Republican hardliners overcame initial reservations to vote in favour of a raft of legislations that are expected to forward US President Donald Trump's agenda of formalising digital assets amid dedollarisation risks. The GENIUS Act, the CLARITY Act and the anti-CBDC Act were passed by the House Of Representatives on Thursday after initial differences over central bank digital currency-related privacy fears from hardliners were ironed out at a meeting held by President Trump at the Oval Office on Tuesday. While the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act is likely to be signed into law by Trump in a ceremony on Friday, the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act will now face a vote in the Senate, before reaching Trump's desk for a presidential assent. To be sure, the road to the passage of the three bills was not smooth, since 12 hardliners scuttled a procedural vote on the GENIUS Act on Tuesday, prompting House Speaker Mike Johnson to halt the process. However, this was salvaged by hectic parleying and an assurance that there will not be an ambiguity over the Federal Reserve's issuance of CBDC, which is feared to be a tool of federal snooping in the hands of bureaucrats. The US House of Representatives passed the GENIUS Act with a 308-122 vote on Thursday. The CLARITY Act was passed with a 294-134 vote, and the Anti-CBDC Act was passed 219-210 by the House. Republican representative and Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who backed the Anti-CBDC Act, laid down the three key parameters that have defined crypto legislation in America, namely, regulatory certainty, privacy and dollar dominance. In a statement after the passage of the three bills, he said, 'President Trump and this Congress are correcting course (from Joe Biden administration's anti-crypto crusade) and unleashing America's digital asset potential with historic, transformative legislation.' The three bills passed by the House 'deliver on the America First digital assets agenda by solidifying the dollar's dominance as the world's reserve currency, spurring innovation by creating regulatory certainty with clear market structure and ensuring any development of digital money reflects our American values of privacy, individual sovereignty, and free market competitiveness,' he said. .@POTUS promised to make America the crypto capital of the world, and today we delivered. — Tom Emmer (@GOPMajorityWhip) July 17, 2025 The passage of the GENIUS Act paves the way for the issuance of stablecoins — asset-backed cryptocurrency. In the case of America, stablecoins are expected to be indexed to the US dollar or US Treasury bills to reinforce confidence. The Trump administration is also betting on stablecoins to re-emphasise the importance of the US dollar as the world's reserve currency amid fears of dedollarisation raised after the US froze Russian assets after the onset of the Russia-Ukraine War in 2022. This has prompted countries to step up gold purchases and diversify away from the US dollar as a store of value, to retain access to reserves in the scenario of a unilateral asset freeze in the future. Trump is expected to sign the bill into an Act in a ceremony to be held on Friday. 'I'm excited President Trump will soon sign Senator Bill Hagerty's GENIUS Act into law establishing a federally regulated, U.S.-dollar-backed stablecoin,' said House Committee on Financial Services Chairman French Hill. The Anti-CBDC Act and CLARITY Act Bills will now face Senate scrutiny. If passed, these will be signed into law by Trump. Bitcoin prices continued to hover around the $118,000 mark, according to CoinMarketCap. The digital token Ethereum's price rose 19 per cent over the past 7 days to $3,602.31 apiece at 2:17 pm IST on Friday, according to exchange data. Stablecoin issuer Circle Internet Group's stock price rose 0.81 per cent to $235.08 apiece. Overall, the crypto industry has been in expansion mode to capitalise on the positive momentum for digital assets under the Trump administration. The US president has also revealed earnings from crypto holdings such as the $TRUMP and $MELANIA memecoins. His sons have floated the World Liberty Financial crypto finance platform which has garnered investments to the tune of $52.1 million from across the globe in its token $WLFI. On Thursday, the Bitcoin Standard Treasury Company revealed plans to list on the tech-focused Nasdaq stock exchange through the special purpose acquisition company mode. Bitcoin Standard plans to merge with an SPAC backed by the US-based investment company Cantor Fitzgerald. An SPAC or blank cheque company raises through an initial public offering money to merge with another company and take it public. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's son Brandon Lutnick serves as chairman at Cantor Fitzgerald. US-backed stablecoin USDT issuer Tether has forayed into the commodities space by purchasing Adecoagro, a pan-South American agricultural giant to boost its balance sheet, besides paving the way for alternative payments for commodities settlements, Reuters reported.
