Nigel Farage once called Australia the wokest nation on earth but founder and director of CPAC Australia Andrew Cooper has a more positive update on the country down under at CPAC in DC 2024. Though the country had some of the strictest and most draconian rules of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has since then demonstrated a change of heart and shift towards a more conservative viewpoint in politics. During the pandemic, the left-wing party introduced a proposal to add a third house to the Australian federal governing body that would be exclusively for indigenous people. Members of this proposed chamber could only be indigenous and would hold veto power over the other two houses. The proposal gained traction at first out of concern for remote, poor indigenous communities but also out of fear of being called racist for opposing it. The CPAC Australia team campaigned across the country against the proposal, bringing to light the divisive and racist nature of it. Ultimately, the Left lost on this proposal, and CPAC Australia succeeded in changing Australians’ minds. Polling in favor of the new chamber shrunk from 70% to just 40%. The conservative victory on this issue gives Cooper and other conservative Australians hope that a conservative revival is in the future for Australia. “I think there is a renaissance, a pendulum swinging back in Australia,” said Cooper. “I’m really hopeful that it’s well and truly underway here in the U.S.” Watch Cooper’s full remarks on Rumble @CPAC. Make plans to see more great speeches live at CPAC in DC 2025 at CPAC.org.

Idaho Congressman Russ Fulcher, Pennsylvania Congressman Scott Perry, and Newsmax anchor Ed Henry weigh in on the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. The Republican majority in the House of Representatives is still a minority among the Democrat-run Senate and Executive Branch, but they are doing what they can to frustrate the Democrats’ plans and advance productive conservative legislation. At the forefront of House Republicans’ agenda is cutting the budget by cutting frivolous programs and spending. The Freedom Caucus in particular is looking to trim wasteful military spending, limit monetary aid to Ukraine, cut funds for DEI and ESG initiatives, and block funding for open border policies and illegal immigrant welfare. Conservative representatives’ goal in seeking to cut these is to block the Left’s attempts to fundamentally change the social fabric of our nation with these spending programs and policies. “People need to understand that there is about half the members that we serve with fundamentally [that] want to change the social and economic fabric of this nation, and that’s why you see this open border,” said Fulcher. “That’s what’s part of the plan to have this energy policy that is this utopian windmills and solar cells and electronic vehicles”. After Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s betrayal, conservative representatives realized the need for other strong and loyal conservatives in Congress to really be an obstacle to Democrats’ relentless attempts to push through their agenda. “There are certain things that are perennial and that is that the government is too big, it’s involved in our business, it’s bankrupting our country, it’s failing us on an international scale, and if you can’t be for fixing those things, then run in the other party,” said Perry. Watch the full discussion on Rumble @CPAC. Make plans to see more great speeches live at CPAC in DC 2025 at CPAC.org.

The Schlapps react to footage of President Biden freezing on stage and requiring the help of President Obama to find his way off stage at a fundraiser in L.A. and much more on the second episode of Schlapp Down. “Look, we just have to know with the campaign team and the White House team this is nothing new, just a little bit worse. This’ll get worse every week, every month. It's a progressive problem,” commented Matt Schlapp on Biden’s obvious decline. He added sarcastically, “Look, I’m for Joe Biden running. I think it’s great that he’s showing that a senile man can win the presidency...We got to leave him alone, and then we ought to beat him.” Biden’s decline was also on full display at the G7 Summit and at the president’s visit with Pope Francis in the Vatican. Later in the show, the Schlapps reacted to videos of antisemites threatening Zionists on a subway, Jillian Michaels ranting against woke victim culture, and Nancy Pelosi calling for the psycho-evaluation of President Trump and intervention from his family. Watch the Schlapps’ full take on current events on the Schlapp Down on social media @CPAC.

At the time this blog post is being drafted, we're anticipating a new "guidance" document from the National Institute of Standards and Technology on when the federal government may invoke "March In" powers when it comes to seizing patents under the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980. CPAC, the Coalition Against Socialized Medcine we lead, and the Center for Regulatory Freedom we launched last year, have all raised concerns regarding this proposed new guidance, and we felt it important to remind folks of those concerns in advance of this new guidance being released. First, it's important to remember that federal agencies are increasingly using guidance documents and regulatory interpretation letters to enunciate federal policy, as opposed to going through a more rigorous, formalized, and thorough regulatory process under the auspices of the Administrative Procedure Act. Our colleague at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Wayne Crews, has coined such proceedings (and the resulting policies) as "regulatory dark matter" (which is where our Swamp Secrets podcast gets part of its name), since it exists and has an impact, but it's difficult to quantify or determine where that power comes from. To be clear, though there has been a process by which NIST has solicited comments on their guidance proposal, what kind of weight they need to give to those comments or whether they can completely upend America's intellectual property rights regime through such guidance, is very much a matter of deep concern. But procedural processes aside, serious concerns have been raised against this proposal - and not just from traditional conservatives and free-market organizations. Former officials in Democratic administrations have fundamental problems with what the Biden administration is doing. The Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 has been a cornerstone of America’s groundbreaking advancements in medicine, treatments, and cures. The law incentivizes private sector investment in products developed using government-funded research, empowering universities and small businesses to advance key innovations. This has been especially crucial in drug development. Lita Nelsen, former director of the MIT Technology Licensing Office, remarked, “The Bayh-Dole Act has indisputably helped the U.S. life sciences sector become the envy of the world.” From 2018 to 2022, over half of new drugs were launched first in the U.S., with an average delay of about a year before becoming available in other major markets. This achievement is a testament to America’s robust medical innovation ecosystem, which has consistently delivered new cures both domestically and globally. The Biden administration’s proposed “march-in” framework poses a significant threat to this success. The new framework proposed by the Biden administration aims to apply the law’s “march-in” provisions to drug prices, potentially jeopardizing this thriving innovation ecosystem. Instead of promoting public-private sector collaboration and enabling universities, nonprofits, and small businesses to license and develop these inventions, the framework could impose price controls on medications that have received even minimal federal funding. This move would grant the federal government the power to seize drug patents if the prices are deemed excessive. Historically, every administration has interpreted Bayh-Dole as excluding price control provisions. The law's authors, former Senators Birch Bayh (D-IN) and Bob Dole (R-KS), clarified this in a 2002 Washington Post letter, stating, “Bayh-Dole did not intend that government set prices on resulting products.” They emphasized that this omission was deliberate to encourage public-private sector collaboration. The Biden administration’s proposed framework distorts the original intent of Bayh-Dole, which was to incentivize research and development. By threatening to seize drug patents from developments made through public-private sector collaboration, the framework could dissuade future partnerships. Innovators, aware that federal agencies might strip their intellectual property rights if their pricing does not meet government standards, may avoid government collaboration altogether. Intellectual property rights are fundamental to our nation’s success. This new framework, if unchanged from the proposal, represents a significant federal overreach, which could undermine the research that has positioned America as a leader in global drug development. This unprecedented move by the Biden administration could harm patients and disrupt the U.S. innovation ecosystem. It is crucial for the Department of Commerce and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to resist this overreach and halt the implementation of this detrimental program before it’s too late.

Our children are being attacked by transgender ideology and maimed by doctors performing experimental transgender procedures. Dr. Eithan Haim, Terry Schilling, and Meg Brock discuss at CPAC in DC 2024. Sex change procedures on minors are now increasingly being considered medically necessary procedures, and parents are being punished, silenced, and even investigated if they oppose them for their children. “The blue states and the federal government, fueled and supported by the federal government, are right now passing laws that incriminate parents for doing their job, for protecting their children from this industry that will quite literally chew them up and spit them out with destroyed bodies,” commented Schilling. “I think it’s important for people to understand that what is happening to these kids is not medicine. In no way is this medicine. The reason is because you can’t treat a psychological problem with a solution of the body,” stated Haim. The same faulty logic was used in lobotomy procedures, which are now widely accepted as dangerous, cruel, and horrific. Haim urges doctors and parents today to not make the same mistake with sex changes. Get the panelists’ full take on Rumble @CPAC.

CPAC took to the road this week to honor representatives in the Michigan state legislature who received high ratings in the CPAC legislative scorecard. The CPAC ratings award ceremony in Lansing recognized state legislators who worked hardest to defend liberty in the 2023 legislative cycle. In a state where a Democrat super majority voted with the conservative position a record 0% of the time in both chambers, the few true conservatives in Michigan really stood out. Only three legislators earned a perfect 100% conservative rating: Senators Jon Bumstead, Michele Hoitenga, and Jim Runestad. The CPAC ratings ceremony honored these representatives and more who received the Award for Conservative Excellence for scoring 90% or higher and the Award for Conservative Achievement for voting with the conservative position at least 80% of the time.  Forty-one of the best conservative legislators in the state gathered at the ceremony with CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp. As a battleground state, Michigan is a key state to winning America back, and CPAC supports and applauds the critical work of conservative elected officials there to defend freedom. See how the Michigan legislature scored on the CPAC legislative scorecard at CPAC.org.

Conservatives are being persecuted from every facet of American society and even the federal government. Former HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson addressed the corruption of the federal government in his speech at CPAC in DC 2024. America is currently experiencing what Carson describes as “a crisis of legitimacy”. Conservatives are failing to find a place in their own country as their country turns its back on them and the federal government perverts its responsibilities to the people. Instead, the Left has weaponized the administrative state and justice system against the people who the government is supposed to answer to. “Our government and our legacy institutions are losing credibility in the public eye at breakneck speed even though their systematic takeover of America has been going on for years. The federal bureaucracy, the mainstream media, academia, Hollywood, big tech, and every other nexus of power in America today has turned its fire against conservatives, against Christians, against anyone who stands in their way,” said Carson. The open border, identity politics, the perversion of the education system, the Green New Deal, inflation, the persecution of President Donald Trump by the justice system, and more are further causing Americans to lose faith in their government, and they beginning to struggle beyond disguise under the increasing chaos and neglect of citizens at the hands of the federal government. “There is nothing radical about what we the people are demanding from our elected representatives. We want safety and security. We want freedom of speech and to practice our religion as is our God-given right. We want secure borders. We want a government that puts our interests first. These are things that used to be the norm in the country, and none of these demands are extreme or outrageous. They should be the simple baseline of legitimate political leadership,” Carson stated. Watch Carson’s full remarks on Rumble @CPAC.

President Donald Trump is a chosen one in Owens’ newest song, “The Chosen One”. She breaks down what the song means on America Uncanceled with Mercedes Schlapp. Some in the Christian community have reacted negatively to the song, thinking it glorifies and deifies President Trump. On the contrary, Owens put a great deal of consideration of Scripture into the song and consulted pastors before releasing it. “We have to make sure if we do, we write it in such a way that we show how an imperfect man can be used by a perfect God, and we see examples throughout the Bible and throughout time,” explained Owens. “I want to make it clear I’m not calling him the Messiah at all. I’m just saying that throughout time people are chosen.” The concept is based on the numerous stories in Scripture of God using humans to realize His will. Owens’ song simply presents Trump as an instrument for God’s will. She also calls it “a source of hope” through all the persecution the Left has thrown at Trump. Watch the full conversation on CPAC+.

CPAC is returning this year to Mar-a-Lago for the annual CPAC Investor Summit. The CPAC Summit is a yearly event that connects and empowers patriots in a weekend of fellowship and speeches from top conservative leaders. The CPAC Summit gives our grassroots patriots the opportunity to shape the future of CPAC and ensure that our mission to defend freedom lasts for generations to come. Last year’s Summit to Save America in Las Vegas, Nevada featured remarks from a star-studded lineup including Steve Bannon, Kari Lake, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, former Ambassador Ric Grenell, Kash Patel, Representative Roger Williams, and the list goes on. This year, patriots will hear from CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp, CPAC Senior Fellow Mercedes Schlapp, former Acting Attorney General under President Donald Trump Matt Whitaker, and more to be announced soon. The Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida will be the breathtaking backdrop for a weekend of conservative community. Join us in growing the conservative movement November 14-16, 2024, and reserve your spot at the 2024 CPAC Investor Summit on CPAC.org/MarALago.

When CPAC founded its new Center in 2023, our goal was not only to influence policy change in the Nation’s Capital but provide leaders in communities across the country with the resources to root out trafficking. Earlier this month, our team had the opportunity to do exactly that – meeting with local leaders outside of Wilmington, Delaware to share more about the growing problem of labor and sex trafficking while discussing solutions to give us the upper hand in this fight against criminal cartels. Human trafficking is often viewed through the lens of our country’s border crisis – and for good reason. The United States Department of State estimates that between 14,500 and 17,500 victims are trafficked within the United States each year, and an estimated 72% of these victims are immigrants. Looking at the darker side, more than 370,000 unaccompanied children have come through the southern border under the Biden administration. This may lead some observers in communities like Wilmington to believe the problem only impacts border states such as Texas and Arizona, yet the statistics tell a different story. Delaware finds itself in the top half of States based on reports of labor or sex trafficking and yet has some of the lowest prosecution rates in the country. That’s why CPAC is prioritizing meeting with leaders in communities across the country. Strategizing plans to keep local law enforcement officials informed of suspicious activity, creating new networks to push for legislative change that protects victims, and leading efforts to shine a light on criminals operating in these cities are vital in our push to end modern day slavery at home and abroad. Our Center is ready and willing to assist any communities looking to step up their effort in pushing traffickers out of the United States and looks forward to fostering a nationwide network of activists focused on our shared goal of supporting survivors.

Hunter Biden was found guilty in his gun trial, but the Biden administration and family tried everything to defend him. Tony Shaffer and Mercedes Schlapp discuss the trial and what could happen to Hunter Biden in the aftermath of the trial. The Bidens played what Shaffer called “the poor Huner defense”. “He’s an artist. He’s a troubled artist. He’s had drug problems. He’s a victim!” Shaffer imitated their defense. That the defense did not work to convince the jury though, and Shaffer expects that President Biden will simply pardon Hunter so that his son will escape any repercussions. On the other hand, Biden’s political opponent, President Donald Trump, is facing actual time in jail for a fabricated crime from a rigged trial. The sentencing will take place on July 11, and Shaffer fully expects Judge Merchan to put the former president in jail but to the benefit of Trump’s presidential campaign. “I think they’ll do it. I think if Merchan can find a path to do it, he’s going to do it, and if you think the fundraising was significant for [Trump] during the conviction, I think he’s going to get double that, maybe even more,” said Shaffer. “Any rational human being sees what a setup this. That’s why you have first time people showing up to donate to the Trump campaign.” Watch the full conversation on Rumble @CPAC. For more, follow @CPAC on social media. You can also follow Matt Schlapp @MSchlapp or Mercedes Schlapp @MercedesSchlapp to keep up with current events.

Host of WarRoom Steve Bannon addressed the international crowd of conservatives at CPAC Hungary 2024 via recorded message with high praise for Hungary’s strong conservative culture and leadership in the international sovereignty movement. He described Hungary as “a nation that is a leader and an individual that is not just a leader in Viktor Orbán but inspiring young leaders throughout the world to step up, and that’s why we can’t thank you enough for what you’re doing in this fight.” With America falling from glory as the Left imprisons and bankrupts President Donald Trump and his political allies, including Bannon himself, the free world needs a new leader, and Hungary has risen to the occasion. Hungary under the guidance of Viktor Orbán has demonstrated that conservative principles in action work and that it’s possible to stand up to globalism of the Left. Bannon had these encouraging words for the conservative movement, “If we don’t quit, we win. If we don’t quit, we win, and they will do everything to make sure you quit.” Watch Bannon’s full remarks here.