The US president will review his administration’s priorities at the Capitol on Tuesday. He has already warned that it will be a long speech and that he hasn’t rehearsed it much

An opinion piece discusses the potential return of good manners and civility to the US Capitol.

JPMorgan Chase has officially confirmed closing Donald Trump's and his businesses' bank accounts following the January 6th Capitol attacks. This admission arrives in a court filing for Trump's $5 bill

Republicans and Democrats in state capitols across the country agree on some things when it comes to regulating Artificial Intelligence and data centers.

JPMorgan Chase has conceded that it closed accounts belonging to former President Donald Trump following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, as revealed in a recent court filing.

An opinion piece from The Wall Street Journal questions whether good manners are making a return to the Capitol.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has rejected a request for civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol.

A Republican voting overhaul plan has resurfaced on Capitol Hill, now including a photo identification provision and a new name, drawing criticism from opponents.

2 More High-Profile Transgender Surgery Cases Head To Trial Authored by Darlene McCormick Sanchez via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Two high-profile “detransitioner” cases involving young women whose bodies were irrevocably altered as teens by transgender surgery are expected to go to trial in early 2027. Chloe Cole, an 18-year-old woman who regrets surgically removing her breasts, holds testosterone medication used for transgender patients, in Northern California on Aug. 26, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times Chloe Cole, who drew national attention after speaking out against subjecting children to gender-reassignment procedures such as hormones and surgeries, has an April 5, 2027, trial date, according to Mark Trammell, CEO of the Center for American Liberty, which represents several detransitioners. ​Cole and others, known as detransitioners, stopped or reversed a medical gender transition that they started earlier. ​She sued Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and other health care providers in California after receiving life-altering hormones and a double mastectomy when she was 15. ​“Kaiser has done everything in its power to keep Chloe out of a courtroom and to ensure that members of the press are not in the gallery,” Trammell told The Epoch Times. ​For Cole, getting a trial date signifies a victory after years of legal wrangling and delays, she told The Epoch Times via text. “After years of fighting for the voices of my generation to be heard, I’ve been given a date for trial. Every victim, every family who spoke up, every step in the culture, all led to this moment,” she said. ​“I’ve waited for my day in court, not just for my sake, but for that of every child who should’ve been protected from irreversible harm.” Kaiser Foundation Hospitals did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the lawsuit moving forward. However, the medical group told local news outlets in 2023 that it followed medical standards of “gender-affirming care.” ​Trammell also represents Luka Hein, whose case is expected to head to trial in early 2027. ​Hein’s Nebraska case names the University of Nebraska Medical Center Physicians, the Nebraska Medical Center, doctors, therapists, and others as defendants. Like others, Hein had both breasts removed in 2018, when she was 16, as the first step in her “gender-affirming care,” according to the lawsuit. Building Momentum Both medical malpractice cases could solidify gains made in the landmark Fox Varian v. Kenneth Einhorn case, which went to trial in New York last month. It marked the first time that a detransitioner case received a jury verdict. ​The Jan. 30 verdict held a surgeon and psychologist liable for malpractice surrounding the double mastectomy that Fox Varian received when she was 16. The jury found her psychologist, Kenneth Einhorn, and plastic surgeon, Dr. Simon Chin, liable for failing to communicate as required about Varian’s condition. One example was laid out in an October 2019 letter that Einhorn wrote to Chin in support of Varian’s surgery, which contained errors and omitted coexisting mental issues, including autism and depression. Chloe Cole stands near her home in Northern California on Aug. 26, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times The New York jury awarded Varian $2 million—$1.6 million for pain and suffering, and $400,000 for future medical expenses. ​The Fox verdict sent shockwaves through the gender medicine industry, while offering hope for other detransitioners. ​Trammell said that while medical negligence lawsuits aren’t new, those involving transgender medicine are. ​“How do you put a price tag on a young woman having her breasts amputated and potentially never being able to have a child?” he asked. ​The hope is that detransitioners will now see that they can win a legal victory. ​“I look at that as a tremendous, tremendous victory, not just for Fox Varian, but for other detransitioners who are maybe thinking about filing lawsuits,” he said. Chloe Cole holds a childhood photo in Northern California on Aug. 26, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times Trammell said that the success of medical negligence cases depends on establishing that doctors and hospitals failed to meet the standard of care. That’s why reviews of gender medicine, such as the recent one by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are important, he said. ​That federal report rejected medical interventions for children with gender dysphoria, recommending therapy instead. ​The HHS report noted that evidence underpinning the alleged benefits of medical interventions in pediatric gender dysphoria was “very uncertain.” ​Trammell said the pediatric gender industry appears to be based more on politics than science. ​He pointed to European countries’ changing of their policies after studies showed problems with medical interventions for childhood gender dysphoria. The United States has lagged behind Europe in adjusting its approach to pediatric gender medicine, Trammell said. ​“It’s taken the U.S., unfortunately, years to even begin to catch up. And even still, there’s a ton of money and political power behind it,” he said. Tools for Justice ​Civil lawsuits can be tools for changing behavior on the market level, and the landmark Big Tobacco lawsuit settlement in 1998 is a case in point, Trammell said. ​“I think these cases uniquely present the opportunity to put an end to this barbaric industry because ... it’s driven by money and power,” he said. When doctors, hospitals, and insurers become financially liable for pediatric gender procedures, it will have a chilling effect, Trammell said. Chloe Cole speaks in support of the Protect Children's Innocence Act as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) looks on outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Sept. 20, 2022. Terri Wu/The Epoch Times ​Trammell said states have already helped protect vulnerable children by passing laws banning transgender-related hormone treatments and surgery for minors. However, state lawmakers could have a bigger impact by creating a carve-out on the statute of limitations for medical malpractice. In many states, lawsuits must be filed within two years of the alleged malpractice, but it can take children much longer to realize the harm they suffered. In Texas, 60 lawmakers signed a letter supporting a detransitioner’s case, heard on Feb. 11 by the Texas Supreme Court, that was originally dismissed based on the expiration of the statute of limitations. The state lawmakers vowed to support legislation next year to extend the statute of limitations for detransitioners. Soren Aldaco filed a lawsuit in 2023 asking for more than $1 million in damages, claiming that doctors pressured her into gender-reassignment procedures, gave her “life-altering” hormones at 17, and later “botched” a double mastectomy. Trammell said that at the very least, the statute of limitations on cases involving minors shouldn’t start until they turn 18. “They should have five to 10 years at least to be able to make those decisions for things that happen to them as 13-, 14-, 15-year-olds,” he said. Tyler Durden Tue, 02/17/2026 - 18:25

Just hours apart on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, two congressional hearings laid bare the United States’ calibrated yet deeply sceptical approach to China, with senior officials stressing the pursuit of stable ties without trust and highlighting alleged Chinese efforts to steal or circumvent US technology restrictions. The officials’ appearances before Congress reflected bipartisan concern and underscored persistent tensions over trade and advanced technologies such as semiconductors, ahead of US...

Donald Trump is expected to deliver a State of the Union address and a campaign appearance at the Capitol, aiming to persuade increasingly disgruntled Americans and fervent Republicans.

A controversy has arisen after Speaker Mike Johnson denied Rev. Jesse Jackson the honor of lying in state at the US Capitol, with supporters calling the decision 'racist' and refuting false claims that Charlie Kirk received the honor.

"Devastating" Discovery: New Docs Confirm JPMorgan De-Banked Trump Shortly After Jan 6th Capitol Chaos New court documents released Friday show JPMorgan Chase told President Donald Trump

Democrats and Republicans in state legislatures across the United States are finding common ground on the need to regulate artificial intelligence and data centers.

An opinion piece from The Wall Street Journal questions whether good manners are making a return to the Capitol, reflecting on the civility of political discourse.

Amid Minnesota Fraud Scandal, Legitimate Autism Centers Face Closure Authored by Troy Myers via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), A Minnesota autism center for adults and children, which has been operating for more than 20 years, is facing closure in the wake of the massive fraud scandal in the state that dates back more than a decade and involves more than $9 billion of U.S. taxpayer money. The Holland Center in Minnetonka, Minn., on Feb. 11, 2026. Larson told a House subcommittee hearing on Jan. 21 that her center and numerous others in Minnesota are facing collapse after becoming collateral damage from the massive fraud scandal. Adam Hester for The Epoch Times The Holland Center is one of many legitimate centers in the state, which collectively serve thousands of disabled people. Founder, owner, and CEO Jennifer Larson built the Holland Center for her autistic, non-speaking son, who is now 25 years old. She said she has recently been forced to put hundreds of thousands of her own dollars into keeping the center afloat because the state didn’t pay a single claim for nearly two months. Because of the payment delays, Larson said autism centers like hers are being forced to reduce hours, cut staff, and close in some instances. Families are scrambling for help, disabled children and adults are regressing, and parents are leaving jobs to care for their disabled loved ones. Larson told The Epoch Times her facility can’t continue much longer. “The feds say it’s the state. The state says it’s the feds,” Larson said. “The kids are going to be the collateral damage.” The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services paused child care and family assistance funds to Minnesota in early January due to the alleged rampant fraud. The state is appealing. The Minnesota Department of Human Services told The Epoch Times via email that the federal government’s threat of withholding funds is “not impacting the current payment situation.” However, Larson’s center accumulated nearly two months of unpaid claims from Dec. 5 to Jan. 29, totaling more than $600,000. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a press conference at the state Capitol building in St. Paul, Minn., on Feb. 3, 2026. Beginning in late December 2025, the state began using a new pre-payment review vendor called Optum, which uses artificial intelligence in its claims and reimbursement processes. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images ‘Everything Was Flagged’ Beginning in late December 2025, the state began using a new pre-payment review vendor called Optum, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) “at every step” of its claims and reimbursement processes. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had announced the contract with the new system in late October 2025. “They implemented it because of the fraud. Obviously, the state wasn’t catching the fraud in the 300 or 400 centers that popped up in the last three years,” Larson said. She blames the Minnesota government for turning a blind eye to the “crime ring” involving fraud at Somali-run autism centers to an immense scale. Neither Walz nor his office could be reached for comment during multiple attempts via emails and phone calls. Now, she said, Optum is causing the delay of claims with few or unclear explanations in the review process. “The state has failed and lost millions and millions of dollars in the system, so, clearly, the state wasn’t going to be able to tell Optum what to look for because they didn’t know what they were doing,” Larson told The Epoch Times after she recently testified in Congress. “All of us, for the first round, nobody got anything. Everything was flagged.” Larson told a House subcommittee hearing on Jan. 21 that her center and numerous others in Minnesota are facing collapse after becoming collateral damage from the massive fraud scandal. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) asked Larson: “Ms. Larson, none of this would have happened if the fraud did not occur, is that accurate?” “Yes,” she responded. “What happened in Minnesota had nothing to do with the ethical, longstanding autism providers.” Larson said in her testimony that the state government’s “clumsy response” to fraud failed to distinguish between criminals and caregivers. She said abrupt disruption or loss of service can destroy weeks or years of progress for disabled children and adults, causing lifelong consequences. Payment Process The Minnesota Department of Human Services told The Epoch Times that it sent the first batch of more than 100,000 claims to Optum for review in late December 2025. The department said every two weeks, Optum receives batches of claims from the state. The system analyzes and flags any that need further review. Unflagged claims are paid after the initial analysis, the Minnesota Department of Human Services said. The agency will continue sending payments for unflagged claims on regular two-week cycles. A provider will receive an update every two weeks on a flagged or suspended claim, accompanied by reason codes, the department said. “If a claim is flagged, we may need additional information and documents from the provider before payments are made, which may cause further delay,” the Minnesota Department of Human Services said. Claims in Optum are listed as suspended until the state reaches a payment decision. The department did not provide detailed answers on why the Holland Center or other similar, longstanding facilities might have their claims flagged. Jennifer Larson, founder and CEO of the Holland Center, and her son Caden Larson in Minnetonka, Minn., on Feb. 11, 2026. Larson built the center for her autistic, non-speaking son, who is now 25 years old. Adam Hester for The Epoch Times The agency said it did not wish to disclose what kind of identifiers cause it to suspect someone is billing for services they did not provide, but officials generally look for “patterns of concern—claims that fall outside expected norms,” some of which could be blamed on administrative errors or poor documentation rather than intentional fraud. “Optum helps the state of Minnesota identify potential fraud, waste, and abuse by conducting pre‑payment reviews,” the company said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times. “Optum has no authority to approve, deny, delay, or suspend claims, and payment decisions are made exclusively by [the Minnesota Department of Human Services] and the Office of Inspector General.” Most claims should be paid within 30 days, and legitimate claims that may have been flagged within 90 days, as required by the federal government, according to the agency. Financial Hit Meanwhile, with a payroll of $250,000 every two weeks, Larson has been forced to ask many of her employees to take unpaid leave. After nearly two months of unpaid claims, her center was partially paid on Jan. 29, bringing the owed amount down to about $300,000, Larson said. She said there’s been little to no word from state or health officials on why her claims were flagged in the first place. Larson doesn’t expect to get another payment for two weeks, putting her in a several-hundred-thousand-dollar deficit she doesn’t think will ever rebalance. She’s spent so much of her own money to keep the center’s lights on, Larson said, that she’s been forced to cut back on other bills to make ends meet. Fortunately, Larson said her landlords have been understanding of the situation. New Centers Years ago, when Larson witnessed new autism treatment centers popping up around her area and the state, she was initially relieved because, to her, it meant more help was coming for disabled children and adults. “There’s a need, and there’s a high prevalence of autism in the Somali community in Minnesota,” Larson said. “And I know that and I service a lot of the kids, but we can’t take them all. We’ve always had a waiting list.” A 2023 study by the University of Minnesota showed autism rates in 4-year-olds to be much higher among Somali children compared to other races and ethnicities. The report found 1 in 18 Somali children had autism, compared to 1 in 64 for white children, 1 in 31 for Hispanic children, and 1 in 30 for non-Somali black children. But when hundreds of autism centers popped up, it was a red flag for Larson. “No one wants to talk about it because everyone’s scared of saying anything wrong,” Larson said. “That’s why we’re here. It’s because everyone’s too afraid to say something.” Independent journalist Nick Shirley, who brought national attention to the alleged Minnesota fraud at day care centers with his viral video posted Dec. 26, 2025, attended the congressional hearing with Larson. “What we saw in Minnesota is how complicit the government has been in enabling this fraud to happen. Quality ‘Learing’ Center had over 90 violations, yet they continued to give that daycare $1.9 million,” Shirley said in his testimony. Meanwhile, the closure of Holland Center would dismantle a lifetime of work for Larson that all started with the birth of her son. Read the rest here... Tyler Durden Thu, 02/19/2026 - 20:55

An 18-year-old Georgia man was arrested after allegedly rushing toward the Capitol with a loaded shotgun, prompting investigators to seek his motive.

The funding standoff for the Department of Homeland Security has extended into its second week, complicated by ongoing tensions with Iran and the upcoming State of the Union address, threatening to derail a deal on Capitol Hill.

Former President Trump's disapproval rating has reached 60%, a level not seen since the January 6th Capitol riots, attributed to public sentiment on inflation, tariffs, and immigration policies.

JPMorgan Chase has confirmed that it closed Donald Trump's bank accounts following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a practice known as debanking.

The Republican-led House said Jesse Jackson cannot lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol. The NAACP criticized the decision.

Opinion | Good Manners Returning to the Capitol?  The Wall Street Journal

A Georgia man was arrested after allegedly running toward the U.S. Capitol with a loaded shotgun, telling authorities he wanted to 'talk' to Congress.

Speaker Mike Johnson is facing increasing difficulties as rebellious House Republicans are reportedly teaming up with Democrats, leading to procedural defeats that threaten Trump's agenda.

Rep. Eric Swalwell's pool and gym videos are resurfacing in California's governor race as his opponent's campaign hammers him for missing votes on Capitol Hill.