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Last month, CPAC Foundation’s Nolan Center for Justice joined ranks with Faith and Freedom Coalition to pen a letter to Brad Zaun, Chairman of Iowa Senate Judiciary Committee urging reforms like those of President Trump’s First Step Act to the state probation system. The letter identified three states that implemented compliance credit programs with positive results. Compliance credit programs such as the ones cited in the letter encourage continuing education and stable employment while shortening probation periods and reducing the load on taxpayer funded probation programs. As such, the letter urges Iowa to implement a similar compliance credit program to both solve their workforce crisis and save valuable taxpayer funds. Last March, the Iowa House proposed a bill suggesting a system, in which, “an individual on probation may earn discharge credits, educational credits, and workforce credits that reduce the individual’s term of probation.” The system proposed to reward educational achievements, stable employment, and probation compliance with shortened probation terms. The bill passed the House last year and was picked up again in February of this year by the Senate with a fiscal note, exploring the financial impact of the system. Read Nolan Center for Justice and Faith and Freedom Coalition’s full comments on compliance credit systems in the letter here.

This episode features the CPAC in DC 2024 panel discussion with Tim Ballard and Eduardo Verastegui moderated by Nancy Ross on the horrors of human trafficking. Ballard and the work he did as a Homeland Security Agent to rescue victims of child sex trafficking was the inspiration behind the film, The Sound of Freedom. The movie declared, “God’s children are not for sale.” Verastegui, producer of the film, faced rejection for five years over this film until Angel Studios picked it up and gave a platform to the movie’s message. The film made waves last summer when it debuted for exposing the ugly reality of human trafficking. Americans flocked to theaters to support the film and its message, but the movie still met its critics from the media and the $150 billion dollar industry that is human trafficking. “The experts, the professionals, they told us, ‘This movie’s not going to work. Nobody will see a movie about child trafficking.’ Five years…rejected,” said Verastegui. “They didn’t believe in the movie, but you know who believed in the movie? The people. And the people said, ‘Enough is enough. God’s children are not for sale.’” The movie was a crucial cooperation between American and Mexican filmmakers whose home countries are the largest consumer of trafficking and the largest supplier of trafficking, respectively. As Ballard explained, “The Sound of Freedom would have forced a conversation [the Left] didn’t want to have, especially on the border, where tens of thousands of kids have disappeared into the belly of the United States, which is the number one consumer of child rape videos in the world. So, this is not the place you want to be [as] a child unaccompanied in our country, and they’re given no respect, no regard.” The Sound of Freedom prompted Verastegui, seeing his country on the brink of disaster, to run for President of Mexico. He believes cooperation between the governments of United States and Mexico is necessary to end the tragedy of human trafficking and promises to take action and pursue a productive relationship with the United States if he assumes office. He stated, “Through bilateral efforts we can make again Mexico and the United States great together.” For more, visit CPAC.org or follow @CPAC on social media. You can also follow Matt Schlapp @MSchlapp or Mercedes Schlapp @MercedesSchlapp to keep up with current events.

Brazilian journalist Marco Antônio Costa speaks with Mercedes Schlapp on the Lula Da Silva regime’s persecution of political opponents on this special edition of America Uncanceled. The Brazil Supreme Court recently established a new Center to Combat Disinformation and Protect Democracy intended to target critics of the Supreme Court and Lula Da Silva regime. In other words, the judiciary has legitimized “crimes of opinion” and officially eradicated free speech. The court has already arrested and charged a photographer, homeless man, and popcorn vendor who were present at a conservative protest with no proof of criminal activity or violence, but these individuals have still been charged without ability to appeal. Costa himself is a victim to this political persecution that is also censoring journalists who dare report truthfully or express conservative opinions. “We are living under fire by the Supreme Court,” said Costa. This tyranny is holding the Brazilian people captive with fear. They are afraid to speak out and take action, but Costa advises, “Silence is never an option.” He warns that journalists who do not expose the tyranny in Brazil are accomplices to the tyranny, and he urges action. For more, visit CPAC.org or follow @CPAC on social media. You can also follow Matt Schlapp @MSchlapp or Mercedes Schlapp @MercedesSchlapp to keep up with current events.

Brazilian Congresswoman Bia Kicis shares the struggles her and other conservatives are facing in Brazil with Matt Schlapp on this special episode of America Uncanceled. Conservatives like Kicis no longer have free speech, despite the Brazilian constitution guaranteeing it. Conservatives in Brazil are being thrown in jail for as much as criticizing the Supreme Court or the Lula Da Silva regime. “They are afraid of the truth,” Kicis says of the Left’s hatred of free speech. “The people of Brazil are mostly conservative. They are Christian, and [the Left doesn’t] want the truth to come out because the truth…is not beautiful. The truth is they want to take away our freedom.” Fortunately, not all hope is lost. The people of Brazil have proven their ability to unite and gather in great numbers in support of freedom and conservative values. The victory of Javier Milei in Argentina gives the Brazilian people hope that a conservative revival is still possible. Kicis believes that if conservatives can just unite and organize, they can defeat the Left. “While there’s life, there is battle and there is hope,” she said. “We have to win the battle.” For more, visit CPAC.org or follow @CPAC on social media. You can also follow Matt Schlapp @MSchlapp or Mercedes Schlapp @MercedesSchlapp to keep up with current events. Share

Hallelujah! He is risen! We rejoice today at the glorious resurrection of our Lord whose Passion and Death secured our redemption. Just as His suffering brought His resurrection so does it promise to bring us new life. This reality offers us joy and comfort every day but especially today amidst the tensions, evils, and trials of earthly life. Let us take heart this Easter knowing that the trials each of us face, both big and small, unite us closer to the Lord who transforms our trials and “makes all things new” and who through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection gives us hope that we will be reunited with God in perfect happiness in heaven. From the CPAC family to yours, have a Happy and Blessed Easter!

Alexandria, VA – CPAC Foundation has released the 53rd Edition of its annual Ratings of Congress. This report, widely considered the “gold standard” on evaluating political ideology, includes an exhaustive compilation of 76 key roll call votes in the House and 41 key roll call votes in the Senate. This comprehensive report evaluates more than 35,000 individual votes cast by all 535 members of Congress across the full spectrum of policy issues. “CPAC is excited to present the 53rd edition of CPAC Foundation’s Ratings of Congress. We are proud to carry on the responsibility of holding our representatives in Washington D.C. accountable to the American public,” said CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp. “Freed from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, conservatives finally received the chance to promote and vote on a wide array of amendments. The incredible diversity of issues touched on by these amendments has helped differentiate establishment Republicanism from the true constitutional conservatives more than ever.” Lawmakers receiving the Award for Conservative Excellence for Conservative Ratings of 90% or above: Lawmakers receiving the Award for Conservative Achievement for Conservative Ratings of 80% to 89%: To produce this year’s scorecard, CPAC Foundation’s Center for Legislative Accountability analyzed every vote taken last session and selected a wide array of issues relating to fiscal matters, taxation, regulation, education, the environment, Second Amendment rights, election security, life, and government integrity. All lawmakers in America at the federal and state levels are scored on a 100-point scale. Among the lowest scoring Republican Members of the U.S. Senate were Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY-68%), Mitt Romney (R-UT-59%), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK-55%), and Susan Collins (R-ME-54%). Despite being touted by the media as ‘moderates,’ the highest scoring Democrats in the U.S. Senate received the following paltry scores: Joe Manchin (D-WV-30%), Jon Tester (D-MT-15%), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ-12%). Congress became even more polarized during President Biden’s third year in office. Democrats only voted with the conservative position an average of 2% of the time, demonstrating a level of cohesion not found among Republicans, the likes of whom average an 80%. In total, Congress votes with the conservative position just 41% of the time. CPAC Foundation is the first and only organization in America to annually publish individual ratings for all the nearly 8,000 federal and state lawmakers in America. CPAC Foundation’s Center for Legislative Accountability is also home to the nation’s most comprehensive conservative policy database, containing over 23,000 detailed bill analyses which span 50 years of Congress and all 50 state legislatures.

CPAC Foundation’s Nolan Center for Justice recently penned a letter to Chair of the Corrections and Criminal Law Committee Aaron Freeman urging the adoption of policies that would allow elderly and seriously ill inmates to request sentence modifications. Last year, the Indiana legislature considered House Bill 1648 that proposed early releases for elderly and terminally ill inmates reasoning that these individuals historically have low recidivism rates and are more costly to the state prison system. The bill was passed by the House and was referred to the Corrections and Criminal Law Committee upon arriving in the Senate. The Nolan Center for Justice’s letter cited data from the United States Sentencing Commission and the Indiana Department of Corrections on the low recidivism rates for these groups and from the National Institute of Corrections on the higher costs of these inmates. Director of the Nolan Center for Justice Patrick Plein urged Chairman Freeman “to support and advance fiscally prudent, conservative policies that would provide a narrow, but meaningful opportunity for geriatric and medical sentence to a population that poses no risk to public safety.” Read the full letter here.

The fight to end modern day slavery involves complex challenges that make it hard on law enforcement, advocates, and community leaders to identify survivors and hold criminals accountable.  We know that most of these crimes are prosecuted in local jurisdictions across this country and require committed resources from State and municipal governments to drive these traffickers out of the dark into the light. That’s why CPAC’s Center for Combating Human Trafficking took to the road, joining Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s Counter Human Trafficking Unit Task Force for a roundtable focused on best practices and policies to bring these bad actors to justice. During the forum held in Jefferson City, Missouri, CPAC and the AG’s Task Force discussed the evolving challenges facing law enforcement when it comes to collecting digital evidence of abuse, overcoming language barriers with victims, and ensuring cops, prosecutors, and victim service providers have the resources needed to serve their community. A recurring theme during the roundtable was the struggle of the public to find ways to support those serving survivors and prosecuting traffickers and one solution became clear – conservatives must push lawmakers to do more. Bridging the resource gap for those serving on the front lines of anti-trafficking is one of the most important problems facing communities across the country. Voters across the country can make solving this challenge a reality by calling for funding, staff, and housing that supports survivors while also giving the police the tools they need to root out the sophisticated criminal traffickers. As the country defines its most vital issues in an election year, the message from the State and local communities must remain consistent: law enforcement and victims’ advocates should be prioritized when policymakers set the agenda for 2024 and beyond.

In recent years, one’s party affiliation has become the key indicator as to whether a legislator is conservative or liberal. In the House of Representatives, Republicans scored an average of 81% while Democrats scored only 2%. The situation was hardly different in the Senate. Republicans averaged 79% and Democrats averaged only 2%.These results are peculiar because they point to, with the added context of CPAC’s decades of Congressional research, major shifts in both parties with the Democrats leaning especially to the Left. Consider the ratings of Maryland’s representatives from CPAC’s first edition of the congressional ratings in 1971. If you were to be told that one member of congress from Maryland posted a 75 rating while another achieved a “0," you would assume the Republican received a higher number. But the opposite was true. Montgomery County Republican Gil Gude is attached to the “0” rating while Democrat Goodloe Byron, representing conservative western Maryland for many years, achieved the 75. Similar results could be found around that time in the Senate. In 1972, two Republican Senate veterans, Jake Javits of New York and Clifford Case of New Jersey, each earned a “0” while Democrats John Sparkman of Alabama and John Stennis of Mississippi achieved perfect 100 scores. Nowadays, it’s rare to find a Democrat that breaks into the teens. Republicans, while less uniform in their conservatism, typically don’t fall below 30%. Clearly, the parties have polarized into opposite ends of the political spectrum. When did this change come about? While the reasons for this shift are manifold, one of the main catalysts for this phenomenon occurred when conservative Democrats started losing their party’s primaries in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Take Congressman Kent Hance of Texas, the man who had defeated George H.W. Bush to win his House seat, as a prime example of this. In 1984, he lost the primary for a Senate seat to Austin liberal Lloyd Doggett by 509 votes out of 1 million cast, a shock that convinced conservative Democrats in Texas they could no longer win their party’s primaries. After this upset, many threw in their hat and became a Republican. This trend of purging conservative Democrats has been replicated time and again in the decades since, with the most instance of this occurring in Arizona with the complete rejection by Democrats of Kyrsten Sinema. Whether this phenomenon is best, I will leave for the country to decide.

Internships are a crucial step in bridging the gap between college education and a professional career, offering a way to apply academic knowledge in real-world settings, enhance resumes, and build professional networks. My journey with CPAC shows this transition, having been a great experience that allowed me to grow from intern to Policy Fellow, and currently to a part-time role while I pursue my studies at The George Washington University. During my six-month internship at CPAC, I gained invaluable insights into analyzing congressional hearings, understanding proposed regulations, and engaging with government officials and members of Congress. This experience not only honed my professional skills but also deepened my appreciation for the impactful work CPAC is involved in. I was fortunate to attend CPAC 2024 in Washington, D.C., an opportunity that significantly expanded my professional network and allowed me to connect with peers and seasoned professionals alike. The welcoming atmosphere at CPAC's office leads to growth and learning. It is a place where dedication and effort are met with rewarding and engaging work, offering a unique opportunity to excel. I am immensely grateful for the doors CPAC has opened for me, fostering both my professional and personal development. To those considering an internship with CPAC, be prepared for a journey that will challenge, inspire, and ultimately, equip you with the skills and experiences necessary for a successful career. If you're up for the challenge, your application for a Summer 2024 CPAC internship today at CPAC.org/internship!

Had a blast at CPAC in DC 2024 and can’t wait for our next national conference? Start making your plans for CPAC in DC 2025 today! We’ll be returning to the beautiful Gaylord National Harbor February 19-22 for more great speeches and special events. Tickets are on sale now for CPAC 2025 and start at just $95. Our variety of ticket options including a youth ticket, general admission, and premium experiences as well as options to add-on experiences like the women’s breakfast and Ronald Reagan Dinner, give you the flexibility to create a CPAC experience best fit for you. So what are you waiting for? Start planning today at CPAC.org

Hawaii earned itself the distinguished and exclusive title of “Least Conservative State” in CPAC’s 2023 state ratings. This is the second year in a row the Aloha State has made such a name for itself. So what exactly did Hawaii legislators do to warrant such a designation? Hawaii lawmakers expanded radical gender ideology, abortion, and environmentalist provisions to extreme levels all with the lowest number of Republican legislators in the country. The overwhelmingly blue legislature passed at least three bills that solidify radical gender delusions as official state law. HB 485 now allows transgender individuals the ability to change gendered language on their marriage records to reflect their new identity. SB 109 replaces the words “father” and “mother” with “non-birthing parent” and “birthing parent” in public laws. SB 944 takes a step toward eradicating the nuclear family altogether by authorizing a task force to remove traditional family and gender roles from current parentage laws. Lawmakers in Hawaii coupled the destruction of the family with the destruction of life. SB 1 made Hawaii a sanctuary state for abortion and replaced the word “female” with “pregnant people” in abortion laws. SB 1167 proposed going further to declare abortion a right in state law, but the bill was not passed into law. Extreme environmentalist provisions really took the cake with at least six bills that advanced a radical climate agenda at the expense of consumer freedom, industry, quality of life, and taxpayers’ money. HB 192 regulates the products available for consumers to purchase by banning the sale of flourescent lamps. SB 54 levied a statewide ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. SB 691 gives the Chief Energy Officer the authority to set efficiency standards for items like ventilator fans and air purifiers. SB 1024 requires the state to establish a zero-emissions ground transportation system. HB 608 proposed to again interfere with consumer freedom and industry by subsidizing organic foods but the bill was not passed into law. Lastly, HB 1415 abuses taxpayers’ money by funneling it build EV charging stations. Hawaii launched assaults on other freedoms as well. Hb 426 allows lawsuits against firearm manufacturers for failure to implement “reasonable controls” in their products, and SB 1230 expands gun-free zones to universities, public parks, courthouses, and more. SB 19 is a blow to election integrity and allows the ballots of deceased individuals to be counted in Hawaii elections. See more of the crazed legislation from Hawaii in 2023 on CPAC's scorecard at CPAC.org.