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Modern day slavery is a crisis that continues to plague men, women, and children across the globe. Yet, recent law enforcement investigations remind us that human trafficking is not confined to foreign countries; it's happening right in our backyards. Over the past month, a series of undercover operations across the U.S. have resulted in hundreds of arrests linked to human trafficking. In Texas, 134 individuals were apprehended for commercial sex transactions in a five-day operation supported by multiple law enforcement agencies. Ohio’s "Operation Buyer’s Remorse" led to 160 individuals facing charges and over 100 survivors identified. In Florida, a week-long operation in Polk County led to over 200 arrests, even including Disney employees and a schoolteacher. The open-border policies under the Biden administration are practically welcoming these traffickers with open arms. The number of people arrested and charged with human smuggling over the past year has surged to over 5,046, compared to 2,762 in 2014. It is now more important than ever to prioritize border security and stop human traffickers from coming across our borders. The safety of our communities depends on it.

If you’re planning to attend CPAC and wondering where you should stay, look no further than the conference’s venue itself: the breathtaking Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center! The Gaylord National is conveniently located across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. in National Harbor, Maryland. The resort contains a variety of shopping and dining options for all interests with even more options a short walking distance away in the National Harbor. The resort’s various gathering spaces and dining options provide the perfect settings to expand your network and meet conservatives from across the country and even the world without ever leaving the center of the action. You never who you'll meet! Staying at the Gaylord National keeps you close to all the action of the conference and to fellow conservatives so you don’t miss a thing. Book your stay with CPAC here.

The highlights of CPAC conferences are the speeches from top political influencers and policymakers of the day, but our conferences also feature networking activities, vendors, and educational opportunities. Learn from the best conservative thinkers on how to advance the conservative movement in activism training sessions, panel discussions, and speeches. Support and discover strong, patriotic businesses and organizations, both big and small, at the CPAC vendor market. Most importantly, expand, or build, your personal community of patriots through our many gathering and social opportunities that include the Ronald Reagan Dinner, Shabbat Dinner, and Media Row. As the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world, even just walking the halls of a CPAC conference can bring you close to both new and old friends and leading conservative influencers. All in all, what happens at CPAC conferences is a strengthening of the conservative movement that empowers grassroots patriots to protect and restore freedom in America.

Simultaneously with the VIP Screening of Sound of Freedom, CPAC was able to announce its launch of the Center to Combat Human Trafficking. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and his team partnered with CPAC to secure a meeting room inside of the United States Capitol building to host the CPAC International Summit Against Human Trafficking with Kaleido. Lawmakers and Leaders from both Mexico and the United States were present to discuss necessary changes that needed to be made to end modern day slavery.

Attending CPAC as a young student is one of the best ways to get connected with other young, like-minded conservatives! Networking with other students and organizations is a great opportunity to find internships or a kickstart into a career. I attended my first CPAC in 2021 and it inspired me to get involved. I left the conference motivated to do something to help the conservative movement and in return helping our country be the best it can be!

Too often, the conversation around ending modern day slavery is limited to actions the Federal government can – and should – be taking. However, new leaders are emerging in State and local governments to bring an end to the widespread criminal abuse of human rights affecting communities across the country. We saw this first hand as CPAC’s Center for Combating Human Trafficking joined Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin as each held a Summit to bring law enforcement, advocates, and policy leaders together. Criminal traffickers have infiltrated local communities, both urban and rural, which puts the burden on these community’s leaders to identify victims as quickly as possible. Thankfully, red-state Attorney Generals know the importance of meeting this challenge and have taken the steps to collaborate with CPAC and our law enforcement partners to identify innovative ways to best serve victims while we hold their traffickers accountable. As progressive states like California struggle to classify trafficking a ‘serious felony,’ conservative Governors and Attorney Generals are leading the way in bringing an end to the scourge of trafficking in the United States.

This past week, the Supreme Court agreed to take up the second of two cases focusing on "Chevron Deference" - a concept in American regulatory policy with nearly a half-century on the books. The two cases, Loper and Relentless, deal with the government's authority to mandate that fishing boats carry human monitors on them to oversee their fishing operations, and do so at the cost of the fishing businesses themselves. But since Congress never explicitly passed a law that says, "fishermen, you need to carry these monitors on your boats and foot the bill for the wages yourselves", where does the executive branch get the power to mandate this? The answer is something called "Chevron Deference," which speaks to the balance of power between the judicial and executive branches of the U.S. government. What is Chevron Deference? In 1984, the Supreme Court decided a pivotal case: Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. This case concerned an interpretation of the Clean Air Act by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a federal administrative agency. The Supreme Court, in its ruling, outlined a two-step process for courts to use when reviewing agency interpretations of statutes: Step One: If the statute is clear, then both the court and the agency must follow the statute. Step Two: If the statute is ambiguous, then the court should defer to the agency's interpretation, as long as it is a reasonable one. In essence, Chevron deference gives agencies wide latitude to interpret ambiguous statutes they are entrusted to administer, even if the court might interpret the statute differently. It's how, for example, when Congress passes a law like the Clean Water Act which says you cannot "pollute a navigable water of the United States", but then doesn't define "pollute", "navigable" or "water of the United States", the EPA can turn a dry patch of desert in the high desert of Nevada into a "navigable water of the United States", subject to their regulatory jurisdiction. Why is Chevron Deference Controversial? Several concerns arise from the principle of Chevron deference, especially among those wary of an expanding executive branch: Concentration of Power: With Chevron deference, agencies can both create and interpret regulations. This means that the same entity that enforces the law is also empowered to interpret it, potentially concentrating too much power in the executive branch and thereby upsetting the balance of power among the three branches of government. Accountability: Federal agencies are not directly accountable to voters in the same way elected officials are. When courts defer to agency interpretations, it can be argued that unelected bureaucrats are making important decisions without the direct oversight of the electorate. Legal Stability: When administrations change, agency interpretations might change as well. This can lead to legal uncertainty, as businesses and individuals may struggle to keep up with shifting regulations. Judicial Abdication: Critics argue that Chevron deference amounts to courts abdicating their role as the primary interpreters of the law. The judiciary, they argue, should be the final arbiter of what a statute means, not administrative agencies. The Case for Overturning Chevron Given these concerns, many believe that overturning Chevron deference (or at least reining it in) would be beneficial for several reasons: Strengthening the Judiciary: It would reestablish the judiciary as the primary interpreter of laws, reinforcing the idea of checks and balances. Enhancing Accountability: Ensuring that only clear and unambiguous laws are enacted would place the onus back on Congress to draft clear legislation, thereby making elected officials more accountable for the laws they pass. Legal Predictability: By reducing the scope for varying interpretations by different administrations, businesses and individuals can have more predictability and stability in the legal landscape. In conclusion, while Chevron deference was established with the aim of allowing agencies to effectively administer complex statutes, its implications on the balance of power and legal predictability have been a cause for concern. As the debate continues, it’s crucial for citizens to understand the stakes and engage in a balanced discourse about the future of administrative law in the U.S.

The current situation in southern Israel has rightfully dominated international news headlines over the past 6 days. Many questions remain unanswered, and the contours of the crisis are changing literally hour to hour. What we know, for now, is the following: By the numbers: 1,300 Israelis, including numerous civilians of all ages (including babies and the elderly), have been killed, and many more have been wounded. This number also includes dozens of non-Jewish residents of southern Israel, including Arab-Israeli residents and soldiers, as well as foreign workers from East Asia. 150 Israelis - again, including many men, women, and children - have been taken captive and are being held in Gaza. To put this number into perspective, only one Israeli soldier has ever been taken alive into Hamas-controlled Gaza, and it took 5 years to negotiate his safe release in exchange for over 1,000 dangerous terrorists. All of these attacks took place in undisputed sovereign Israeli territory, and the victims are regular Israelis who were peacefully going about their lives. They also took place on the Jewish sabbath which coincided with a holiday, clearly aimed at taking advantage of that to catch Israel off guard. The images and videos of the sheer bloodthirsty brutality of the killings have shocked the world. This war is a new frontier in terms of how smartphones and technology allow unfiltered insight into the level of inhumanity that is on display. 300,000 reservists were successfully called up to bolster the standing IDF presence in the South (where the attacks occurred) as well as in the North, where there is fear that Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based Iran-linked Shiite militia may join the fighting and open up 2 fronts of unconventional warfare. Who is Hamas: Palestinians are split into two areas, which are not geographically contiguous. The first, Judea & Samaria (also known as the West Bank), is the mountain region to the north and south of Jerusalem, containing familiar biblical cities like Bethlehem, Nablus, and Hebron. This region has a mixed Jewish-Arab population, and the Arab population is governed by the Palestinian Authority which is dominated by a political group called Fatah. Fatah supports terrorism against Israel; however it at least tries to maintain a veneer of western respectability and is not a fundamentalist Islamic group. In contrast, Gaza - a coastal area in Southwest Israel - only has Palestinian Arab residents (Jewish residents were unilaterally removed from Gaza in 2005 by the Israeli government, in a very controversial move). Hamas - which fully controls Gaza - is an explicitly Islamic fundamentalist group. Their charter directly calls for full destruction of every inch of Israel. They have been listed as a terrorist organization by western countries for many decades. They frequently call for the destruction of America as well as Israel. How did it happen: Many people are baffled at how Israel’s vaunted military allowed the Gaza border to be breached for several hours leading to the free passage of terrorists and captives. While it is still too early to know exactly, it appears that an over-reliance on technology may have contributed to the breach. The wall is controlled by numerous hi-tech sensors which appear to have been disabled by a combination of cyber warfare and low-tech targeting of the equipment with explosives. This will affect how border security policy is formulated for generations to come. Why now? Hamas must have known that this kind of unprecedented attack could reasonably lead to its destruction. So why did they do this? One theory is that the Arab-Israeli normalization process begun by the Trump Administration, the Abraham Accords, was being successfully continued by the Biden administration and was on the verge of claiming its biggest prize: peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia. This would have completely re-shuffled the Middle East and undermined the stated goal for Hamas’ existence. Iran in particular was concerned about the development and as a patron of Hamas may have instigated this attack. Additionally, over the past year Israel has become fractured over the flashpoint Judicial Reform issue, which led many left-leaning reservists to publicly say they wouldn’t serve under Netanyahu. Israel’s enemies may have sniffed vulnerability and figured this was their best opportunity to wreak havoc. They were wrong, as all Israelis have enthusiastically lined up to serve in this war for its survival. What this means for humanity: The scope of the barbarism perpetrated by Hamas has shaken the free world and awakened a renewed awareness of the existence of evil. Radical militant Islam, whether in the form of ISIS, Al Qaeda, the Taliban, or Hamas, has reemerged as an existential threat to the entire civilized world. The stated goal of world dominance by these radicals has given every country in the world an opportunity to reformulate what it stands for. On the flip side, the several countries which have been equivocating and cannot call out evil right before their eyes will not be viewed as reliable and clear-eyed by the rest of the world. What this means for America: America’s most reliable ally on the planet is hurting badly. However, the morale in Israel is extremely high and Israel will undoubtedly emerge much stronger than ever before, with a clearer-eyed focus on subduing her enemies. Israel is an outpost of democracy in a dangerous neighborhood, and it is holding the line for the West. On a tactical level, Israel serves as the best research and development lab in the world for American weaponry. Israeli tech knowhow and real-time battle-tried experience with American weaponry is communicated to teams of engineers which are then able to make American military technology more reliable and lethal for any future threat to the homeland. Additionally, many of the victims and captives are American citizens. What this means for Israel: Prime Minister Netanyahu has created an emergency unity government which will remain in place until the war has been completed. The relatively insignificant political quibbles of recent months are meaningless for the time being, as all Israelis rally together and stand shoulder to shoulder. When the war is won, there will be a time of reckoning and the public will have to determine who they hold responsible for the crisis. Netanyahu is a battle-tried wartime leader. America has shown that it is a trustworthy ally that can and will assist in Israel’s time of need. The days ahead will be difficult ones, and can proceed in several different directions. The prayers and support of freedom loving people around the world will be needed for Israel to hold the line and make sure this conflict doesn’t devolve into something much larger and more dangerous. CPAC Israel Delegation participants, Ambassadors David Fox & John Rakolta, meeting with Ron Dermer, Israel's current Minister for Strategic Affairs.

Last week, CPAC’s Nolan Center for Justice was in Lansing, Michigan supporting efforts to implement a system of productivity credits into the prison system in the state. Used as a tool to incentivize those in prison to become the best versions of themselves, productivity credits offer opportunities to earn earlier release to parole by completing programs and classes that are proven to reduce their future risk of reoffending. Consideration for parole includes input from victims and prosecutors, and is focused on ensuring people released from prison are prepared to work and live in a law-abiding manner. CPAC supports holding individuals accountable for their actions, while providing pathways to reassimilate into their communities and support themselves and their families. We look forward to continuing our work to implement this system of credits that will make Michigan a safer place to live. Read the letter we sent to Michigan House Republican Leader, Matt Hall https://conservativejusticereform.org/cpac-letter-michigan-productivity-credits/

This week, the United States House of Representatives are expected to meet and decide on a new Speaker of the House to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy (CPAC Conservative 84%). In the week since McCarthy's ouster, two leading candidates have emerged, Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (CPAC Conservative 100%) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (CPAC Conservative 91%). Since 1971, CPAC Foundation's Ratings of Congress have been the 'Gold Standard' for determining how well a Member of Congress follows through on voting for the conservative position on legislation. Paul Bedard of the Washington Examiner analyzed the endorsements of Jordan and Scalise by members based on their CPAC rating and came away with the following: "CPAC conservative ‘ratings’ give edge to Jordan over Scalise." “Clearly these endorsements give the ideological edge to Jordan and this vote has huge overtones on how intently grassroots conservatives believe the House majority is listening to their desire to fight against funding the weaponized bureaucracy.” -CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp Below is a full list of the current endorsements and the average CPAC Lifetime Conservative Rating for each candidates' supporters: Jordan Endorser CPAC Rating Average: 88% Rep. Mary Miller 100% Rep. Michael Cloud 100% Rep. Lauren Boebert 99% Rep. Greg Steube 99% Rep. Dan Bishop 99% Rep. Ralph Norman 97% Rep. Byron Donalds 97% Rep. Jeff Duncan 97% Rep. Chip Roy 97% Rep. Warren Davidson 96% Rep. Ronny Jackson 96% Rep. Jim Banks 95% Rep. Andy Harris 95% Rep. Ben Cline 94% Rep. Paul Gosar 94% Rep. Barry Moore 93% Rep. Virginia Foxx 93% Rep. Mark Green 92% Rep. Randy Weber 92% Rep. Glenn Grothman 92% Rep. Alex Mooney 89% Rep. Bill Posey 89% Rep. Troy Nehls 88% Rep. Bob Latta 88% Rep. Darrell Issa 86% Rep. Scott Fitzgerald 86% Rep. Kelly Armstrong 82% Rep. Lloyd Smucker 81% Rep. Dan Meuser 77% Rep. Nancy Mace 74% Rep. Michael Waltz 73% Rep. Troy Balderson 72% Rep. Mike Turner 66% Rep. Mike Carey 62% Rep. Nicole Malliotakis 60% Rep. Jeff Van Drew 53% Rep. Harriet Hageman N/A Rep. Max Miller N/A Rep. Anna Paulina Luna N/A Rep. Cory Mills N/A Rep. George Santos N/A Rep. Josh Brecheen N/A Rep. Russell Fry N/A Rep. Keith Self N/A Scalise Endorser CPAC Rating Average: 79% Rep. Lance Gooden 97% Rep. Debbie Lesko 92% Rep. Pat Fallon 89% Rep. August Pfluger 89% Rep. Jake Elllzey 88% Rep. Drew Ferguson 87% Rep. Buddy Carter 87% Rep. Rob Wittman 85% Rep. Austin Scott 85% Rep. Chuck Fleischmann 83% Rep. Sam Graves 83% Rep. Ken Calvert 82% Rep. Lisa McClain 81% Rep. Tom Emmer 80% Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer 80% Rep. Andy Barr 79% Rep. Ann Wagner 79% Rep. Julia Letlow 79% Rep. Mike Rogers 78% Rep. Larry Bucshon 76% Rep. Ashley Hinson 75% Rep. Vern Buchanan 73% Rep. Burgess Owens 73% Rep. Mike Kelly 73% Rep. Steve Womack 73% Rep. Dan Newhouse 70% Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks 67% Rep. Tony Gonzalez 66% Rep. Young Kim 65% Rep. Mario Diaz Balart 62% Rep. John James N/A

This week, the Center for Regulatory Freedom filed comments with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the rulemaking regarding the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act that we have blogged about previously. In a statement to the Washington Examiner regarding that filing, I said the following: As this Administration has has moved with unprecedented speed to massively expand the power of the federal government through regulations, it has engaged in a "whole of government" approach to implement an extremist progressive agenda. It's not just the pushing of the abortion issue in a rulemaking which is supposed to be about protecting pregnant women, but it is also using the EEOC as an instrument in getting rid of the protections of religious freedom that Americans have enjoyed for centuries, just as this Administration has done in rulemakings at HHS and the Department of Education. This is why we felt it was essential for the CPAC Foundation and our Center for Regulatory Freedom to get involved. What is this "whole of government" approach we referenced, both in this statement in CRF's comments? It refers to the integrated and coordinated use of resources across different departments and agencies to address challenges or implement policy objectives. It contrasts with siloed or isolated actions that each agency might pursue on its own. The idea is to foster synergy and alignment across agencies, amplifying the impact of individual regulations. One recent example of this integrated approach can be seen in rulemakings at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The agency has been at the forefront of controversial decisions to narrow exemptions to federal requirements for medical practitioners regarding the provision or assistance with abortions. Specifically, the debate has focused on exemptions based on religious or conscience objections. In broadening the scope of who is required to provide or assist in abortions, HHS is signaling a shift in the way religious conscience objections are viewed within the realm of healthcare. Such a move can be seen as a deliberate act to prioritize access to abortion services over individual conscience protections, a topic that has long been a political hotbed. Similarly, the Department of Education has introduced rulemakings that narrow the types of speech protected on college campuses under the First Amendment’s protections of freedom of religion. By redefining what constitutes protected speech, especially in the context of religious expression, the Department is wading into deep waters of free speech and religious rights. This ongoing rulemaking by EEOC is yet another example - combining both the abortion issue and the religious freedom issue yet again. While on the surface, these rulemakings by HHS and the Department of Education may seem isolated, when viewed through the lens of a “whole of government” approach, they can be seen as part of a coordinated strategy to redefine the balance between individual rights (like freedom of religion and conscience) and broader societal goals (like access to abortion services or ensuring a certain campus environment). Expect that in the coming weeks and months, The CPAC Foundation's Center for Regulatory Freedom will be doing more on pushing back on this "whole of government" approach the Biden Administration is using to implement its extremist agenda.

Join us in Las Vegas, NV for CPAC's Investor Summit to Save America! This event will bring together the most important voices in the conservative movement who stand for American Values and Freedom. The summit will feature dozens of events led by top experts in their fields, including: Steve Bannon, Host of War Room; Ben Ferguson; Ambassador Ric Grenell, Former Director of National Intelligence; Kari Lake; Senator Mike Lee (UT); Dr. Robert Malone; Jim McLaughlin, Trump Pollster; Representative Burgess Owens; Kash Patel; Texas AG Ken Paxton and his wife Senator Angela Paxton; Chris Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax; Mercedes Schlapp; Matt Whitaker, former U.S. Attorney General and more. The CPAC Investor Summit to Save America will take place Wednesday, October 18th through Saturday, October 21st. Being surrounded by those who share common beliefs and values and who are passionate about the fight to Save America is beneficial to knowing that we are not in this battle alone.