by Ethan Faverino | Aug 26, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01) introduced the Cybercrime Marque and Reprisal Authorization Act of 2025 (H.R.4988).
This legislative measure is to counter the rising tide of foreign cyberattacks targeting American citizens and infrastructure.
The bill, referred to the Committee of Foreign Affairs, revives Congress’s constitutional authority under Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11 to issue letters of marque and reprisal, empowering the President to commission private cyber operators to disrupt foreign criminal enterprises engaged in cybercrimes. The legislation comes in response to alarming data from the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, which recorded 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime, with reported losses exceeding $16 billion— a 33% increase from 2023.
The top cybercrimes included phishing/spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches, with investment fraud involving cryptocurrency leading to over $6.5 billion in losses.
Americans over 60 were hit hardest, suffering nearly $5 billion in damages.
California, Texas, and Florida reported the highest number of complaints, with many attacks traced to state-linked “scam-farms” in nations like Myanmar and North Korea. Continuing into 2025, Arizonans 60-69 have already lost $12.5 million in the first quarter alone, due to fraud.
Congressman Schweikert stated, “Criminal syndicates backed by foreign governments are using cyberspace to prey on American seniors, steal intellectual property, and undermine national security. Our current tools are failing to keep pace. This legislation allows us to effectively engage these criminals and bring accountability and restitution to the digital battlefield by leveraging the same constitutional mechanism that once helped secure our nation’s maritime interests.”
H.R. 4988 authorizes the President to issue letters of marque and reprisal to private entities, enabling them to target individuals or foreign government-linked enterprises involved in cybercrimes such as fraud, ransomware, cryptocurrency theft, identity theft, and unauthorized access to computers or sensitive data.
These operations, conducted under strict federal oversight and requiring security bonds to ensure compliance, aim to seize assets and disrupt criminal activities outside U.S. borders.
The bill defines cybercrimes broadly, covering offenses like accessing a computer without authorization (to obtain national security information, to obtain personally identifiable information, to engage in fraud, or to transmit a program, code, or command), trafficking in passwords without authorization, pig butchering scam, ransomware attack, cryptocurrency theft, or identity theft.
Congressman Schweikert added, “Americans deserve protection from digital predators who exploit outdated laws and hide in foreign jurisdictions. This proposal harnesses innovation and constitutional authority to respond to the modern crisis of cybercrime.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Aug 22, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
On August 6, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent letters to manufacturers, importers, and distributors of unapproved animal-derived thyroid medications, notifying them of the agency’s intent to take enforcement action due to concerns over safety, potency, and dosing consistency.
These medications, derived from dried animals’ thyroid glands, are used by an estimated 1.5 million patients in the U.S. but are not FDA-approved, unlike synthetic alternatives like levothyroxine, which serve approximately 22 million patients.
The agency has allowed a 12-month transition period for patients to switch to FDA-approved medications.
Earlier this week, Congressman Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) issued a formal inquiry to Dr. Martin Makary, Commissioner of the FDA, seeking clarity on recent agency actions that could restrict access to desiccated thyroid medications such as Armour Thyroid, NP Thyroid, Nature-Thyroid, and Natural Thyroid, which are critical for many patients managing hypothyroidism.
In his letter to Dr. Makary, Congressman Hamadeh emphasized the concerns of his constituents, particularly the veterans and seniors in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District, who rely on desiccated thyroid medications for effective treatment.
“Many of these patients have found desiccated thyroid medications to be more effective than synthetic alternatives for managing their thyroid conditions,” said Hamadeh. “Any disruption to their treatment regimens could have serious health consequences and undermine the doctor-patient relationship.”
Congressman Hamadeh requested that the FDA provide answers by September 5, 2025, to the following questions:
- What specific actions, if any, is the FDA taking regarding desiccated thyroid medications like Armour Thyroid?
- What evidence supports any potential restrictions on these long-established medications that have been safely used for decades?
- Has the FDA conducted a comprehensive analysis of how any restrictions would affect patients who rely on these medications?
- If restrictions are being considered, what steps will the FDA take to ensure patients maintain access to effective thyroid treatment options?
Congressman Hamadeh continued to state, “This issue reflects broader concerns about federal agency overreach into medical decisions that should remain between patients and their physicians. The FDA’s primary mission should be ensuring drug safety and efficacy, not unnecessarily restricting access to medications with established track records of safety and effectiveness.”
Dr. Makary has already responded to the backlash and public concerns via X (Twitter), stating that the “FDA is committed to pursuing the first-ever approval of desiccated thyroid extract, pending results of the ongoing clinical trials. In the meantime, we will ensure access for all Americans.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Aug 20, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
In a unanimous decision, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has dismissed its lawsuit against Grand Canyon University (GCU) and its CEO, Brian Mueller, bringing an end to years of coordinated lawfare by former Biden administration officials targeting the university.
The lawsuit, previously dismissed by the United States District Court of Arizona on jurisdictional grounds, was fully resolved through a joint Stipulation of Dismissal with Prejudice.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, joined by Commissioners Melissa Holyoak and Mark Meador, issued a statement citing recent developments that influenced the decision.
The statement reads:
“This case, which we inherited from the previous administration, was filed nearly two years ago and has suffered losses in two motions to dismiss. These losses are compounded by recent events: Grand Canyon secured a victory over the Department of Education in a related matter before the Ninth Circuit; the Department of Education rescinded a massive fine levied on related grounds; and the Internal Revenue Service confirmed that Grand Canyon University is properly claiming 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation designation. In its reduced form, this case presents consumers very little upside relative to the cost of pursuing it to completion, especially given the developments chronicled above. We view it as imprudent to continue expending Commission resources on a lost cause. Because we have a duty to maximize consumers’ return on their tax-dollars investment, we have decided against pursuing this matter any further.”
GCU President Brian Mueller expressed gratitude for the FTC’s objective review, noting that multiple agencies and courts have consistently ruled in GCU’s favor.
“They threw everything they had at us for four years, and yet, despite every unjust accusation leveled against us, we have not only survived but have continued to thrive as a university,” President Mueller said. “That is a testament, first and foremost, to the strength and dedication of our faculty, staff, students, and their families. Above all, it speaks to our unwavering belief that the truth would ultimately prevail.”
The FTC lawsuit was part of a broader, coordinated campaign by former Biden administration officials, including the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to target GCU with duplicative investigations and lawsuits.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Aug 18, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) marks the most transformative overhaul of federal tax policy since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).
The OBBBA locks in the TCJA’s individual tax provisions, avoiding a tax increase for approximately 62% of tax filers in 2026, according to the Tax Foundation.
The group’s recent analysis also shows that the law will reduce federal taxes for individual taxpayers in every state, with an average national tax cut of $3,752 per taxpayer in 2026.
The economic impact is equally as big, with 938,000 new full-time equivalent jobs created over the long term, including 132,000 in California, 81,000 in Texas, and down to 1,800 in Vermont.
In Arizona, the Tax Foundation says that the OBBBA will deliver an average tax cut of $3,521 per taxpayer in 2026, providing relief to families and individuals across the state.
Maricopa County will see an average tax cut of $4,049 per taxpayer in 2026, driven by key provisions like:
- Income Tax Rate Cuts and Bracket Changes: $1,613 in savings per taxpayer.
- Standard Deduction Expansion: $821 in savings
- Child Tax Credit Expansion: $630 in savings
- Tip and Overtime Deductions: $50 and $229 in savings
- Business Provisions: $1,321 in savings
Other counties in the state will see major tax cuts in 2026, including Coconino County, with $3,096, Yavapai County, with $3,066, Greenlee County, with $3,011, Pima County, with $2,781, and Pinal County, with $2,553.
The Tax Foundation also projects that Arizona will gain approximately 18,014 full-time equivalent jobs in the long run, boosting local economies and supporting communities across the state.
OBBBA’s long-term outlook remains strong, with average tax cuts projected to dip to $2,505 in 2030 due to the expiration of temporary provisions like the tip and overtime deductions, before rising to $3,301 by 2035 as inflation enhances the value of permanent cuts.
Arizona’s business-friendly provisions, such as permanent 100% bonus depreciation and research and development (R&D) expense, will continue to drive investment and job creation.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Aug 16, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) has introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives formally recognizing America’s escalating national debt as a direct threat to national security.
As the national debt surpassed $36.2 trillion in January 2025, with the fiscal year 2024 interest expense exceeding $1.13 trillion, Congressman Biggs is urging Congress to confront the growing fiscal crisis head-on.
The resolution highlights the severity of the debt crisis, noting that the total public debt reached 120.87% of GDP in January 2025, equating to $104,780 per citizen and $323,045 per taxpayer.
It points to the federal government failing to produce a balanced budget since 1997, with the fiscal year 2024 resulting in a $1.86 trillion deficit due to federal outlays of $6.94 trillion.
The resolution warns that continued reliance on raising the debt ceiling and bypassing regular order in the appropriations process undermines fiscal responsibility and congressional oversight.
The resolution also references warnings from former national security leaders, including Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen, who have all emphasized the national debt’s threat to military and economic security.
Congressman Biggs, who has introduced this resolution in previous Congresses, remains steadfast in advocating for fiscal discipline. He has also proposed a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution to enforce long-term fiscal responsibility.
“The federal government’s wasteful spending spree is unsustainable and is inching us ever closer to a fiscal cliff,” said Biggs. “Our reckless spending habits will enable our adversaries to surpass us on the global stage and constrain our ability to defend our nation in the face of attack. It is past time for Congress to be serious about balancing the nation’s budget and making significant cuts to federal spending, lest we pin a $70 trillion debt on our children and grandchildren’s shoulders. Relying on continuing resolutions year after year is lazy legislating. Raising the debt ceiling every year is a cop out. American voters elected us to enact President Trump’s America First priorities through responsible budgeting, not to maintain the status quo. My resolution acknowledges that Washington has a spending problem and calls to restore regular order to the appropriations process.”
Congressman Biggs’ resolution and amendment are backed by cosponsors across the country, including Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Rep Daniel Webster (R-FL), Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), and Rep. Keith Self (R-TX).
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
