House Passes Bill To 4x Annual Payments for Medal of Honor Recipients
Legislation was passed by the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives with unanimous bipartisan support this week that will increase the pensions of Medal of Honor recipients by four times.
The bill easily passed 424-0. If approved by the Senate and signed into law by the president, it would raise the annual pension for Medal of Honor recipients from $16,880 to $67,500.
The bill’s supporters, including Reps. Troy Nehls (R-TX) and Chris Pappas (D-NH), argue that the increase would help ease the financial strain for recipients who often travel across the country for speaking engagements at their own expense.
Veterans’ Affairs funding will fund the increased pensions through disability compensation. To offset the cost of the pay increase, the bill extends the limitation on pensions for veterans without spouses or dependents from 2031 to 2033, Fox added.
The legislation would benefit the 60 living Medal of Honor recipients, with approximately 3,500 individuals having received the prestigious award since it was first established in 1863.
The pension program for Medal of Honor recipients was introduced in 1916, with the recipients initially receiving $10 per month from the federal government. Over the years, the stipend increased to $100 in 1961 and $1,000 in 2002. The bill is introduced at a time when the National Medal of Honor Museum is set to open in Arlington, Texas, next month. It is dedicated to sharing the stories of American heroes who displayed extraordinary bravery in battle, Fox noted.
President Donald Trump has yet to award the Medal of Honor in his second term, though veterans and members of Congress are advocating for him to award it to Maj. James Capers, a Black Vietnam War veteran. Capers is recognized for saving seven fellow Marines during an ambush by North Vietnamese troops in Phú Lộc in 1967.
According to sworn testimony from the surviving Marines, then-Lt. Capers and his unit were ambushed deep in the jungle, where devastating blasts from claymore mines inflicted severe injuries on him and his men. Despite suffering a shattered leg and a torn-open stomach, Capers, who was bleeding heavily, refused to surrender command, while Fox continued.
Alongside two fellow Marines, he held off the enemy long enough for a medevac flight to arrive, ensuring the survival of his wounded comrades, according to the sworn testimony.
As the overloaded aircraft struggled to take off, Capers tried to sacrifice himself, attempting to jump from the helicopter and insisting that he be left behind so his men could escape. However, the medevac crew chief pulled him back on board.
During the firefight, Capers sustained multiple gunshot wounds and 19 pieces of shrapnel. He still carries the physical scars of that day. Despite his own severe injuries, his selfless actions ensured that all of his Marines survived, Fox added.
House Speaker Mike Johnson made headlines this week when he pointed to several successful Republican policies that he says lowered inflation and grew the economy, particularly lower gas prices and strong growth.
During an interview on Fox News, Johnson spoke with co-hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino about the success of Republican economic policies, Democrats’ calls to defund and abolish ICE, and false claims from Democrats about the Stop Insider Trading Act.
“What the President is referring to when he calls [affordability] a ‘hoax’ is the Democrats’ spin; it is Bidenomics that got us into this mess. It is Bidenomics, the outrageous spending levels that drove inflation to 40-year highs, that’s why prices are up now,” Johnson said when asked about Republican efforts to reverse the Democrats’ cost of living crisis.
“We got to work on it immediately in January when Republicans took over the Congress, the House, the Senate, and the White House, and we did exactly what we said we were going to do: bring down inflation, cut taxes and grow the economy. And that’s what all the indicators are saying. Now, inflation is going down, gas prices at a five-year low, the growth rate is over 5%. That would’ve been unimaginable, even conservative economists didn’t think that was possible,” he added.
Johnson continued, “But it is evidence that when our policies are implemented, they work. Trump policies, Republican policies, are doing right by the American people and they’re going to reward that at the ballot box in this upcoming midterm election in November.”
Johnson went on to slam Democrats’ calls to defund and abolish ICE.
SHOWDOWN ON THE FIVE: Jessica Tarlov Drops Truth Bomb on GOP’s Controversial Voter Legislation
SHOWDOWN ON THE FIVE: Jessica Tarlov Drops Truth Bomb on GOP’s Controversial Voter Legislation
WASHINGTON — A ferocious battle over the soul of American democracy erupted on cable news this week, proving once again that the clash over election integrity is reaching a boiling point.
During a high-stakes segment on Fox News' top-rated program The Five, liberal co-host Jessica Tarlov ignited an intense firestorm by sounding the alarm on the Republican-backed SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act).
Her warning was sharp, direct, and unapologetic: This isn't just a simple Voter ID bill—it’s a bureaucratic roadblock designed to keep millions of legal Americans away from the ballot box.
"Far Beyond Voter ID": Tarlov Sounds the Alarm
While GOP proponents frame the SAVE Act as a common-sense measure to restore trust in elections, Tarlov shredded that narrative live on air, dissecting the fine print of the proposed federal mandate.
Under the bill, anyone registering to vote in federal elections would be legally required to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship—such as a physical U.S. passport, a certified birth certificate, or naturalization papers.
"People hear 'Voter ID' and think it’s just showing a driver's license at the counter," Tarlov argued. "It’s not. This bill demands physical proof of citizenship upfront. Millions of everyday, hard-working American citizens do not have a valid passport sitting in a drawer or immediate access to an official birth certificate. This creates an artificial barrier to a fundamental constitutional right." without instant paperwork access.
Integrity Guardrail or Voter Suppression? The Great Debate
The fiery television debate reflects a massive political rift tearing through Capitol Hill and statehouses across the country.
The Conservative Defense: Republican sponsors and conservative commentators insist the measure is vital to national security and sovereign elections. They argue that verifying citizenship at registration is a necessary safeguard to prevent non-citizens from ever slipping onto federal voter rolls.
The Progressive Pushback: Critics like Tarlov argue that non-citizen voting in federal elections is already illegal, strictly policed, and exceptionally rare. Opponents caution that adding heavy administrative hurdles will unintentionally disenfranchise lawful voters—particularly students, low-income citizens, rural voters, and women whose names have changed due to marriage.
The Stakes Couldn't Be Higher
As the debate over voter access versus election security intensifies, the SAVE Act has turned into a major political litmus test.
Is requiring physical proof of citizenship a mandatory protection to guarantee that every vote is lawful? Or is it an unnecessary, red-tape nightmare that punishes legal citizens for not having their paperwork in order?
One thing is certain: as long as voices like Jessica Tarlov continue to push back on prime-time television, the fight over who gets to vote—and how hard it is to do so—is far from over.
Jessica Tarlov Says Trump Has 35% Approval Rating in Most Polls
Supporters of the bill strongly disagree, saying it is designed to protect election integrity by preventing non-citizens from registering to vote. Opponents argue the existing safeguards are already sufficient and fear the measure could unintentionally disenfranchise lawful voters. Is the SAVE Act a necessary election safeguard, or does it create unnecessary barriers to voting?
Jessica Tarlov Suspended Indefinitely After Allegedly Assaulting Fox News Crew Member
Jessica Tarlov Suspended Indefinitely After Allegedly Assaulting Fox News Crew Member
NEW YORK — The set of Fox News’ hit show The Five has seen its fair share of heated shouting matches, but what went down behind the scenes this week turned a political debate into an outright crime scene.
In a shocking move that has sent shockwaves through Manhattan media circles, network executives have suspended co-host Jessica Tarlov indefinitely following an alleged physical assault on a crew member during a commercial break.
The reason for the explosive violent outburst? A camera operator made the fatal mistake of laughing out loud at one of her political talking points.
The Laugh That Triggered a Rampage
According to multiple insider accounts and studio witnesses, the situation escalated with terrifying speed. During a taped segment discussing presidential leadership, Tarlov aggressively defended President Joe Biden, passionately declaring him to be "one of the most alert and engaged presidents in American history."
While her conservative co-hosts on The Five usually counter her hot takes with eye-rolls and sharp rebuttals, it was an off-camera crew member who couldn't hold back.
A veteran camera operator reportedly chuckled out loud at the statement—a moment of candid disbelief that pushed Tarlov entirely over the edge.
"She just flew completely off the handle," one studio staffer revealed under the condition of anonymity. "Jessica has always been hyper-sensitive to pushback, but this was different. The moment she heard that laugh, her face changed. She lost control, lunged at the crew member, and turned physically aggressive. It took two floor managers to pull her off."
Fox News Responds: A Mandatory "Cooling-Off" Period
Network executives acted swiftly to control the fallout. Within hours of the incident, Tarlov was escorted from the building and informed of her immediate, indefinite suspension.
While the network hasn't closed the door permanently—noting they will consider a formal appeal at a later date—the consensus inside the building is clear: She is out for the foreseeable future.
In a internal memo, management framed the suspension as a mandatory "cooling-off period" to review safety protocols and investigate the physical altercation. However, staff members say the atmosphere on set remains deeply rattled.
Beyond Political Delusion: When Rhetoric Turns Violent
Political commentators across social media were quick to seize on the scandal. For years, Tarlov served as the resident liberal voice on The Five, regularly taking fire from a panel of staunch conservatives. But critics argue that defending the indefensible finally broke her composure.
To many viewers, claiming Biden was "sharp and alert" in 2024 or 2025 was already seen as an exercise in extreme political bias—but resorting to physical violence when called out on it marks a dangerous new low.
"This isn't just about partisan bias anymore," noted one media analyst following the story. "When a commentator becomes so consumed by political delusion that a simple chuckle triggers a physical assault, you've crossed a line from political debate into total instability."
What’s Next for The Five?
As Fox News searches for a temporary replacement to fill the liberal chair, the network faces intense scrutiny over workplace safety and on-set decorum.
Will Jessica Tarlov ever walk back onto the set of The Five, or has the "token leftist" finally burned her last bridge in cable news?
This story is actively developing. Scroll down to view real-time updates, legal analysis of the alleged assault, and reaction clips from around the media world!
