The Fox News Rundown

A group of moderate Senate Republicans unveiled their $928-billion infrastructure counter offer bill on Thursday. Their proposal comes less than a week after President Biden lowered the size of his proposal to $1.7 trillion from an initial $2.25 trillion. It's still unclear if both parties can come together on ideological differences of what "infrastructure" is and how to pay for it and Democrats could go it alone and pass their bill through budget reconciliation. Co-founder and President of RealClearPolitics Tom Bevan weighs in on if he thinks a bipartisan deal can be passed.

Since 1989, on the eve of Memorial Day, PBS puts on the National Memorial Day Concert to honor the military service and sacrifice of all who have served the United States. This year while the concert may look different due to COVID restrictions. The show will still have a star-studded lineup and be televised and streamed across the country. Co-Host of the event, actor Gary Sinise, joins to discuss how the event intends to feature stories of brave heroes who served their country, how his foundation has helped veterans and first responders and why he is glad they have found a way to put on the concert, even amid COVID restrictions this year.

Don't miss the good news with Tonya J. Powers.

Plus, commentary by syndicated columnist and author of "America's Expiration Date," Cal Thomas.

The United Nations Human Rights Council voted today to create a commission to investigate the possibility of war crimes taking place during the eleven days of fighting between Israel and militants in the Gaza Strip. The vote of 24-9, with 14 abstentions, is being praised by the Palestinian Authority and denounced by Israeli officials. FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Danny Danon, Former Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, about this decision.

Republican senators plan to announce a new counteroffer bill on infrastructure which is expected to cost around $1 trillion. This after President Biden trimmed down the spending proposal from $2.25 trillion to $1.7 trillion. This isn't the first time Washington has tried to pass an infrastructure bill, the initiative had fell short during the Trump administration as well despite it being a priority. Former Acting Chief of Staff under President Trump, Mick Mulvaney explains why it is so hard for Congress to pass an infrastructure proposal in any administration and the obstacles it faces. He also weighs in on America's current labor shortage, if enhanced unemployment benefits are really to blame and if it will impact the minimum wage debate.

On Wednesday April 26th, President Biden requested that intelligence agencies investigate and report on the origins of COVID-19, following the rising credibility of a theory from the Trump administration that the virus may have leaked from a virology lab in Wuhan, China. Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) joins to discuss why the United States should distrust the Chinese government until they are transparent with these investigations, the bipartisan nature of Congress seeking answers on coronavirus origins and the possibility of a boycott of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games. Later, Rep. Griffith explains the GOP progress on negotiating an infrastructure bill and the threat inflation poses to the American people in the next few years.

Plus, commentary by author and the vice president of communications for Focus on the Family Paul Batura.

The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken used his first trip to the Middle East to visit with various leaders to try and make sure the latest ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians lasts. The Secretary thanked leaders of Egypt and Jordan for their roles in the ceasefire and also promised the United States stands firmly behind Israel and will also lend financial assistance in rebuilding Gaza. FOX's Simon Owen speaks to Trey Yingst, about Secretary Blinken's trip and the fragile peace that now exists.

U.S. foreign policy is under more scrutiny than ever, following the emergence of new information suggesting the coronavirus originated in a virology lab in China, violent instability in the Middle East and tensions with Russia. Former Secretary of State during the Trump administration Mike Pompeo joins to discuss how the Chinese Communist Party has made concerted efforts to cover up the origins of COVID-19 and weighs in on the new evidence supporting his long-standing belief the virus originated from a lab in Wuhan, China. Former Secretary Pompeo explains why he believes the Biden administration should continue to preserve stability in the Middle East via allyship with Israel, the importance of avoiding deals and imposing costs on Iran and taking hard stances against Russia.

Moderna announced on Tuesday its Covid-19 vaccine was 100% effective during a clinical trial of adolescents ages 12 to 17. The company says it plans to submit its results to the Food and Drug Administration and request emergency authorization for teens in early June. Moderna now joins Pfizer, who announced in March that its COVID-19 vaccine was safe and 100% effective in kids aged 12-15 and received FDA emergency approval earlier this month. If the Moderna vaccine is approved, it will expand the number of shots available for middle and high school students, as many schools prepare to return to in-person learning this September. Senior Director, of New York City's System-wide Special Pathogens Program, Dr. Syra Madad weighs in on the news of a Moderna vaccine for kids 12 an older and if we're eventually going to need a booster shot for the vaccine. She also discusses the recent report of rare and mild heart problems the CDC is investigating that could be linked to the Pfizer vaccine and if we should be worried.

Plus, commentary by former Rep. Jason Chaffetz, host of the Jason in the House podcast.

Last weekend a flight originally destined for Lithuania was forced to land in the Belarus capital of Minsk so that a passenger onboard could be arrested. That passenger was Roman Protasevich who has been described as an opposition journalist and a dissident of the authoritarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko. FOX's Simon Owen speaks to Alexander Lukashuk, who leads the Belarus Service of 'Radio Free Europe' and is a colleague of the detained Protasevich, about the incident and what it means for journalistic freedoms in Belarus.

One year ago today George Floyd's death sparked outrage that will likely change policing in the U.S. forever. The unarmed black man was killed by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin while under arrest. A viral video showed Chauvin pressing his knee on Floyd's neck for several minutes until he died. After the video was shown, violent protests erupted across the U.S. over police brutality and racism. This past March, Derek Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. The other three former officers who aided Chauvin are set to go to trial in August. Calls for police reform have also been at the forefront following Floyd's death. Both Republicans and Democrats have promised to pass legislation but have fallen short on getting a bill passed. Civil rights attorney and FOX News contributor Leo Terrell and founder and CEO of TruthNotLies and FOX News contributor Jehmu Greene look back at the past year, the impact of George Floyd's death and where America is today on police reform.

U.S intelligence agencies are set to deliver a public report to Congress in the next month, detailing what they have discovered about mysterious flying objects, referred to as UFOs or UAPs. Fox News Nation Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin joins to discuss how the study of UFOs gained prominence and shifted from a joke to a legitimate nation security concern at the Pentagon. She explains how these "unidentified aerial phenomena" have baffled pilots and radar alike and breaks down what possible explanations there could be for these mysterious occurrences.

Plus, commentary by Dan Gainor, vice president for TechWatch, business and culture at the Media Research Center.

Iran is promising a substantial increase in monthly funding to Hamas in exchange for information on Israeli military capabilities. This as Iran has vowed that they will continue to enrich uranium at sixty percent, defying the 2015 deal that limited them to under four percent enrichment. FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Ellie Cohanim, US Deputy Special Envoy to Combat Anti-Semitism at the State Department under President Trump and is now a visiting fellow at the Independent Women's Forum, about Iran's support of Hamas and why she feels the United States should continue a 'maximum pressure' campaign on Tehran.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an abortion case in Mississippi that has some pro-choice advocates worried. Mississippi’s law that was enacted in 2018 bans abortions after 15-weeks of pregnancy. FOX News Chief Legal Correspondent and host of FOX News @Night, Shannon Bream explains the Mississippi case, what “viability” is and how this case will be looked at now that the Supreme Court has a more conservative majority with Justice Amy Coney Barrett replacing the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

 

From television series to podcasts, we have seen a true crime fascination in audiences across the country and the demand for the content continues to rise. Former LAPD Detective Mark Fuhrman joins to discuss his new show, ‘The Fuhrman Diaries’ streaming on Fox Nation, what he believes has changed about crime in America in the past few decades and why he believes the topic of serial killers has generated more interest now than in the 1970’s.

 

Plus, commentary by Charlie Kirk, Founder of Turning Point USA and host of 'The Charlie Kirk Show' podcast.

The CDC's latest mask announcement had an almost immediate impact as many states and cities relaxed their strict COVID precautions.  However, even with the go ahead from federal health officials, some areas of the country, institutions and businesses are still taking a cautious approach toward masks. 

Throughout the pandemic, government power and how far they can go has been the center of legal challenges this past year. Now as we head into a new normal, new legal questions are coming up for individuals and businesses including vaccination requirements, masking rules and capacity limitations.  

Earlier this week on the Rundown, host Jessica Rosenthal spoke to Jonathan Turley, professor of public interest law at George Washington University and a FOX News contributor, to weigh in on some of the past legal challenges from the pandemic and some of the future legal challenges we can expect.

Turley explained what rights you have as an individual, but also discussed the rights of businesses and what laws states and cities can legally enforce.

The conversation was too long and we could not include all of it our original segment. On The FOX NEWS Rundown Extra, you will hear our entire interview with constitutional expert Jonathan Turley and get even more answers to the questions many of us have living during a pandemic.