House Passes Key Bill In Nod To Trump Admin
The House of Representatives passed a bill last week that would make it easier to get federal permits to build infrastructure for AI projects. The bill, known as the SPEED Act, garners support from major tech companies such as OpenAI, Micron, and Microsoft.
Advertisement The bill passed the House by a vote of 218 – 213, despite a conservative revolt that almost killed it in a procedural vote. The Senate will now look at the bill, and it will probably be part of a bigger discussion about changing the rules for permits.
SPEED Act supporters say the U.S. must beat China and other global rivals to be the top AI leader.
Advertisement “The electricity we will need to power AI computing for civilian and military use is a national imperative,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., the bill’s sponsor and chair of the House Natural Resources Committee.
The SPEED Act would reform the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal reviews for projects that would affect the environment
The SPEED Act would reform the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal reviews for projects that would affect the environment.
The SPEED Act would shorten the current six-year statute of limitations for NEPA litigation to 150 days and tighten the deadlines for NEPA reviews.
Advertisement Recent permitting delays for Democratic-backed clean energy projects have garnered bipartisan support for permitting reform.
As AI has become a major industry and power hungry data centers have put more strain on the electric grid, pressure has grown on Congress to take action
As AI has become a major industry and power-hungry data centers have put more strain on the electric grid, pressure has grown on Congress to take action.
The SPEED Act would enable the United States to be “nimble enough to build what we need, when we need it,” according to Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, the bill’s Democratic cosponsor.
However, the majority of Democrats opposed the SPEED Act and insisted that any permitting bill reverse President Donald Trump’s efforts to stifle offshore wind and other renewable energy sources.
The GOP leadership’s insertion of language to exempt Trump’s attempts to block renewables from provisions in the SPEED Act that would limit the White House’s ability to arbitrarily yank permits it dislikes intensified Democratic resistance
The GOP leadership’s insertion of language to exempt Trump’s attempts to block renewables from provisions in the SPEED Act that would limit the White House’s ability to arbitrarily yank permits it dislikes intensified Democratic resistance.
During a procedural vote on the House floor, conservatives opposed to renewable energy demanded concessions in exchange for their votes, leading to the addition of the amendment.
“That provision codifies a broken permitting status quo. I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle in the Senate to craft a bipartisan product that can become law,” said Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., who supports permitting reform but opposed the SPEED Act.
Tech Force,” a new initiative announced by the Trump administration this month, will employ roughly 1,000 engineers and other experts to work on artificial intelligence infrastructure and other technology projects across the federal government
The “U.S. Tech Force,” a new initiative announced by the Trump administration this month, will employ roughly 1,000 engineers and other experts to work on artificial intelligence infrastructure and other technology projects across the federal government.
According to an official government website, participants will commit to a two-year employment program where they will work with teams that directly report to agency leaders in “collaboration with leading technology companies.”
According to the website, these “private sector partners” include Amazon Web Services, Apple, Google, Dell Technologies, Microsoft, Nvidia, OpenAI, Oracle, Palantir, Salesforce, and many more.
As it vies with China for supremacy in the quickly expanding field, the Trump administration is putting more effort into building America’s AI infrastructure, according to the Tech Force
As it vies with China for supremacy in the quickly expanding field, the Trump administration is putting more effort into building America’s AI infrastructure, according to the Tech Force.
Four days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a national AI policy framework, which industry leaders opposed, states creating their own regulations, the initiative was unveiled.
After completing their two terms, Tech Force members are eligible to apply for full-time positions with companies that have agreed to hire program alumni. Employees of the private partners may also be nominated to serve periods in the government.
Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor recently told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
“We’re trying to reshape the workforce to make sure we have the right talent on the right problems,” U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor recently told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
My Daughter Was Called a Thief at a Luxury Wedding… Then Everyone Watched What He Did
The ambulance doors slammed shut just as two police officers rushed into the ballroom.
The entire reception froze.
The music stopped.
The laughter disappeared.
Hundreds of guests stood silently beneath the crystal chandeliers, watching as the perfect wedding celebration transformed into something far darker.
“Nobody leaves.”
The officer’s voice cut through the room.
For the first time that night...
Preston looked uncertain.
“What is this?” he demanded, forcing a laugh. “My niece assaulted herself after stealing my phone.”
But the officer didn’t react.
He simply looked at him.
Coldly.
“We’ll decide what happened.”
Across the ballroom, paramedics carefully cleaned the blood from Sophie’s forehead.
The little girl sat quietly, her face pale, her small hands trembling.
But she never let go of Evelyn’s hand.
“I’m sorry, Mommy...” Sophie whispered.
Evelyn’s heart broke.
She immediately pulled her daughter closer.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” she said softly, kissing her hair.
“You told the truth.”
Those words carried more weight than anyone in the room realized.
Because for the past several minutes, an innocent child had been treated like a criminal.
And the person who had hurt her had believed money and status would protect him.
Just like always.
Inside the ballroom, hotel security entered and quietly positioned themselves near the exits.
The guests began whispering.
The elegant wedding atmosphere was gone.
No one was looking at the flowers anymore.
No one cared about the expensive decorations.
Everyone was watching Preston.
The hotel manager stepped forward, speaking calmly.
“Our surveillance system records every entrance, every hallway, and every angle of this ballroom.”
Preston immediately relaxed.
Almost smiled.
“Perfect.”
“You’ll see exactly what happened.”
He pointed toward Sophie.
“That little thief stole my phone.”
The manager’s expression changed slightly.
“Actually...”
A pause.
“The cameras show something very different.”
The giant screen above the ballroom stage suddenly came alive.
Every conversation stopped.
Every guest turned.
The first footage appeared.
The camera angle showed Preston sitting at his table.
Everyone watched carefully.
Then they saw it.
Preston removing his titanium phone from his pocket.
He placed it inside his jacket.
Minutes later...
Sophie was sitting beside her mother, quietly coloring on a children’s menu.
She wasn’t bothering anyone.
She wasn’t near Preston.
She wasn’t even looking at him.
Then Preston stood.
Slowly.
Calmly.
He looked around the ballroom.
Once.
Twice.
Making sure nobody was watching.
Then he walked behind Sophie’s chair.
And slipped the phone into the pocket of her small denim jacket.
The ballroom went silent.
Completely silent.
A gasp escaped from somewhere in the crowd.
“Oh my God...”
Another guest stood up.
“He framed her.”
No one laughed.
No one defended him.
Because everyone had just seen the truth with their own eyes.
The next video began immediately.
This time, the footage showed Evelyn.
She had stepped between Preston and Sophie.
Protecting her daughter.
Trying to stop the situation from becoming worse.
Then Preston lost control.
The camera captured him grabbing the heavy oak menu board from its stand.
The room watched in horror as he raised it.
And swung it toward an eight-year-old child.
The sound of the impact echoed through the ballroom speakers.
A heavy silence followed.
Because there was no misunderstanding anymore.
No excuse.
No explanation.
It wasn’t an accident.
It was an attack.
The guests who had applauded Preston only minutes earlier now stared at him with disgust.
The same people who once admired his wealth and reputation were now seeing the person behind the image.
His bride slowly stepped away.
Her face had gone pale.
“I...”
“I didn’t know.”
Her voice broke.
For the first time, Preston looked truly alone.
He turned toward his parents.
“Say something.”
But they didn’t move.
They didn’t defend him.
They didn’t speak.
Because there was nothing left to defend.
The officer slowly closed his notebook.
Then looked directly at Preston Whitmore.
“Mr. Preston Whitmore...”
“You are under arrest for assaulting a minor, filing a false accusation, and attempting to fabricate evidence.”
The ballroom held its breath.
Then came the sound.
Click.
The handcuffs closed around his wrists.
For the first time in his life...
No one protected him.
No powerful friend stepped forward.
No family member interrupted.
No one used money, influence, or reputation to make the consequences disappear.
Preston Whitmore stood in the middle of the ballroom wearing the same expensive suit he had arrived in.
But everything else had changed.
The confidence was gone.
The arrogance was gone.
The belief that he was untouchable was gone.
Because three hundred witnesses had seen the truth.
They had watched him create a lie.
They had watched him target a child.
They had watched him hurt someone smaller and weaker because he believed nobody would challenge him.
As the officers escorted him away, the ballroom doors opened.
The same guests who had once stepped aside for him now moved away.
Not out of respect.
Out of disgust.
Evelyn watched silently as Preston disappeared.
Her attention never stayed on him for long.
Instead, she turned back to Sophie.
Her daughter was still sitting with the paramedics, holding the small stuffed animal someone had given her after the incident.
A bruise was beginning to form.
Her forehead was still wrapped.
But she was safe.
That was all that mattered.
Evelyn walked over and knelt beside her.
“Are you okay, sweetheart?”
Sophie looked up.
Her eyes were still filled with confusion.
“Did I do something wrong?”
The question broke something inside Evelyn.
She immediately pulled her daughter into her arms.
“No.”
Her voice trembled.
“You did nothing wrong.”
“But he said I was bad...”
“I know.”
Evelyn held her tighter.
“Sometimes people say cruel things because they’re afraid of the truth.”
Sophie stayed quiet for a moment.
Then she whispered:
“Did you believe me?”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Because that was the question that mattered most.
Not the cameras.
Not the police.
Not Preston.
Her daughter needed to know.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“I believed you from the beginning.”
Across the ballroom, the hotel manager approached the officers.
“There’s something else you should see.”
The detective turned.
“What?”
The manager hesitated.
“Another camera angle.”
The footage was replayed.
This time, it showed something that had happened before the confrontation.
Preston had been speaking with several guests.
He had been angry.
Frustrated.
Complaining that his family name was losing respect.
Then he looked directly toward Sophie.
The detective watched carefully.
“He chose her.”
The manager nodded.
“He saw the child as the easiest person to blame.”
The detective wrote something down.
“Add that to the report.”
Meanwhile, Preston’s parents remained frozen near their table.
The room that had once celebrated their family now felt like a courtroom.
Guests whispered.
Old friends looked away.
Business partners quietly stepped back.
Because reputation was everything in their world.
And tonight...
everyone had seen exactly what kind of family they were protecting.
Evelyn stood with Sophie in her arms when one of the officers approached.
“Mrs. Brooks?”
She looked up.
“Yes?”
“We’ll need a formal statement.”
Evelyn nodded.
Then she looked at Sophie.
The little girl reached for her hand.
Evelyn held it firmly.
“I’ll tell you everything.”
And she meant it.
Every lie.
Every accusation.
Every second her daughter had been forced to stand alone.
Because tonight wasn’t just about Preston Whitmore being arrested.
It was about a child who almost believed she deserved the blame.
And a mother who refused to let anyone make her daughter feel small again.
Outside the hotel, police lights reflected against the glass walls.
The wedding decorations were still hanging.
The flowers were still perfect.
The champagne was still untouched.
But the illusion was gone.
The Whitmore family had spent years building a powerful image.
Tonight, one child and one security camera destroyed it in less than ten minutes.
And as Preston sat in the back of the police car, staring through the window at the mansion-like hotel disappearing behind him...
he finally understood something.
The person he underestimated the most...
was the only person in the room who had nothing to lose.
His eight-year-old niece.
Sophie.
