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CPAC is proud to announce that Steve Bannon is a confirmed speaker for CPAC USA 2026 in Grapevine, Texas, March 25-28. Steve Bannon is a prominent political strategist, media executive, and podcaster who served as chief executive of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and later as a chief strategist in the Trump White House in 2017. He previously served as executive chairman of Breitbart News and built a career producing various conservative documentaries and media. Bannon hosts the popular podcast War Room on Real America's Voice , which attracts millions of listeners and has become a key platform for promoting conservative voices. Steve Bannon's past remarks at CPAC often commented on how conservatives can fight government corruption and censorship. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Steve Bannon at CPAC USA 2026! Reserve your tickets today here .

CPAC is proud to announce that Dr. Robert Malone is a confirmed speaker for CPAC USA 2026 in Grapevine, Texas, March 25-28. Dr. Robert Malone is a member of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a position he was appointed to in June 2025 by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve a term through 2029. In this capacity, he advises the federal government on vaccine policy and regulatory reforms, frequently testifying before the Senate on matters of public health and scientific integrity. His extensive government experience includes serving as a consultant for the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), where he assisted in developing medical countermeasures for the Zika virus, and participating as a member of the NIH ACTIV committee to manage clinical research for COVID-19 treatments. Additionally, Malone has served as an Associate Professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and has chaired numerous study sections for both the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Department of Defense (DoD). Dr. Malone has appeared at CPAC before advocating for commonsense CDC and FDA reforms that protect Americans from harmful and counterintuitive medicines and the encroachment of globalism, particularly from the World Health Organization.  Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Dr. Robert Malone at CPAC USA 2026!  Reserve your tickets today here .

CPAC is proud to announce that independent journalist and conservative influencer Nick Shirley is a confirmed speaker for CPAC USA 2026 in Grapevine, Texas, March 25-28. Nick Shirley is best known for his content and journalism created around the Minnesota Child Care Center Fraud. Outside of these investigative pieces, Shirley has participated in round table discussions on world events and uses his platform to conduct interviews and bring attention to current events.  A critic of the mainstream media, Shirley aspires to bring together stories that are often overlooked or forgotten by left-wing reporters. His social media has mobilized conservatives and brought about greater government accountability. This is an address you will not want to miss! Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Nick Shirley at CPAC USA 2026!

CPAC is proud to announce that U.S. Senator Rick Scott is a confirmed speaker for CPAC USA 2026 in Grapevine, Texas, March 25-28. U.S. Senator Rick Scott is currently serving as the senior U.S. Senator from Florida, with an impressive 100% CPAC rating. Sen. Scott serves as the Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging and Chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and as a member of the Committees on Foreign Relations, Budget, and Homeland Security. Sen. Scott served two terms as the 45th Governor of Florida from 2011 to 2019, where he focused on a platform of tax cuts and job creation, and he previously chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). His career in public service began in the U.S. Navy, where he served as a radarman aboard the USS Glover. Prior to entering elective office, Scott was a partner at the law firm Johnson & Swanson and became a prominent figure in the healthcare industry as the co-founder and CEO of Columbia Hospital Corporation, which grew into one of the world’s largest healthcare providers. Sen. Scott has appeared at CPAC before advocating for tax and national security reforms that put Americans first. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear U.S. Senator Rick Scott at CPAC USA 2026!  Reserve your tickets today here .

CPAC is proud to announce that U.S. Representative James Comer from Kentucky is a confirmed speaker for CPAC USA 2026 in Grapevine, Texas, March 25-28. James Comer has served Kentucky's 1st Congressional District since 2016. Before his time in the U.S. House of Representatives, he served Kentuckians in the Kentucky House of Representatives in six terms, starting in 2000. In 2011, he applied his background in business and agriculture as Kentucky's Commissioner of Agriculture. His work a representative of the state of Kentucky has largely focused on government transparency and accountability, reducing regulations, cutting down on waste, fraud, and abuse. He has previously spoken at CPAC about addressing lawfare and the weaponization of government. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Rep. James Comer at CPAC USA 2026!  Reserve your tickets today here .

Idaho's Republican-controlled legislature converted campaign rhetoric into commonsense legislation during the 2025 session, passing major reforms that reshape education policy, strengthen families, and protect campus free speech. The Inaugural 2025 CPAC scorecard reveals strong performance across both chambers: Idaho Republicans earned an average score of 92% in the House and 91% in the Senate, representing significant improvement from 84% in both chambers the previous year. Democrats saw notable gains as well, rising to 42% in the House and 41% in the Senate, up from just 11% and 16% respectively in 2024. SB 1171: Empowering Families on Abortion Enforcement Idaho took an aggressive stance on abortion enforcement by creating a private right of action against abortion providers who violate the state's fetal heartbeat law. Under SB 1171, affected parties can now sue those who perform or attempt illegal abortions, shifting enforcement from government agencies to families themselves. The Senate passed the measure on March 24 with overwhelming support, 32-1, signaling broad consensus on the legislation. SB 1058: Strengthening Protections for Abandoned Infants Complementing its broader abortion reforms, Idaho modernized its Safe Haven law through SB 1058 to ensure abandoned newborns are placed quickly and safely into care. The measure reflects a life-affirming approach that focuses on practical solutions for vulnerable infants, positioning Idaho as a leader in comprehensive protections throughout the lifecycle. HB 352: Reasserting Parental Authority in Schools Perhaps the most significant education reform of the session, HB 352, strengthens parental authority by reaffirming parents as the primary decision-makers in their children's schooling and access to classroom content. The Senate passed the bill on March 25 with a 29-6 vote, and Governor Brad Little signed it into law. The measure represents a fundamental shift away from centralized educational bureaucracy and toward family-led governance, a trend that defined the 2025 session. HB 331: Expanding School Choice Infrastructure Working in tandem with HB 352, lawmakers enacted HB 331 to improve facilities support for public charter schools and strengthen school choice infrastructure. The dual approach reflects Idaho's strategic effort to build alternatives to traditional public schooling while empowering families to direct their children's education. SB 1198: Protecting Free Speech on College Campuses In a targeted response to the expanding censorship regime inside universities, SB 1198 adds statutory protections for freedom of inquiry on college campuses. The bill restricts speech codes, bias response structures, and ideological enforcement mechanisms, requiring institutions to safeguard open debate and diverse viewpoints. The Senate passed the measure on March 31 with a 27-8 vote, positioning Idaho's universities as bastions of intellectual freedom rather than instruments of ideological conformity. HB 240: Constitutional Speech Protections on Campus Working alongside SB 1198, HB 240 creates additional statutory protections for constitutionally protected speech on college campuses. Together, the two bills form a comprehensive framework for defending academic freedom and preventing campus bureaucracies from weaponizing speech codes against viewpoint diversity. HB 96: Reasserting Government Neutrality In a straightforward measure to prevent government institutions from becoming platforms for political activism, HB 96 restricts public entities to flying only approved governmental flags. The bill prevents agencies and schools from displaying ideological banners on taxpayer property, reinforcing the principle that government should remain neutral rather than serve as a vehicle for cultural messaging. HB 83: Strengthening Immigration Enforcement Idaho enacted stronger immigration enforcement cooperation through HB 83, directing state and local authorities to work more fully with federal agencies and discouraging sanctuary-style policies. The measure represents an assertion of lawful order and state responsibility in response to perceived federal failures at the border. Looking Forward: A Legislature With Momentum Idaho's 2025 Legislative session revealed a legislature increasingly willing to move towards common-sense reform. Major measures advanced through both chambers with high success rates, demonstrating stronger alignment on core conservative objectives. The session underscored Idaho's strategic pivot toward parental authority, free speech protection, and life-affirming policy. Idaho's 2025 session revealed a unified conservative majority translating core America First priorities into law. By reasserting parental authority, strengthening pro-life protections, and defending institutional neutrality against ideology, the legislature demonstrated that conservative principles can produce tangible structural reform. The consistent passage of major reforms across education, abortion access issues, and free speech protection shows a legislature operating with clear purpose and strategic alignment. Idaho's success offers a model for other states seeking to move beyond messaging toward enduring conservative reform.

CPAC is proud to announce that Liz Truss is a confirmed speaker for CPAC USA 2026 in Grapevine, Texas, March 25-28. Liz Truss served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and held cabinet positions, including Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for International Trade, under Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Throughout her political career, Truss has championed conservative economic policies, including tax cuts, deregulation, and free-market reforms. She has advocated for lower government spending and pro-growth policies while promoting British interests in international trade negotiations. Truss has spoken at CPAC before, speaking out against the censorship seen in the UK and the imperative of fighting for free speech. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Liz Truss at CPAC USA 2026!  Reserve your tickets today here .

Gordon G. Chang Rick Scott, chair of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, has urged the Commerce Department to consider “the immediate application of Section 232 tariffs on foreign generic medicines,” including their ingredients. In the alternative, the Florida Republican has urged Commerce to make “at a minimum, a public commitment to a phased-in tariff regime that places generics on the same tariff footing as other imported pharmaceuticals within 12 months.”1 Section 232 tariffs are blunt instruments. Are they necessary at this moment? Healthcare, as evident in country after country, is best left to the market, but as China weaponizes trade—and continually threatens war—it’s clear that Washington has to temporarily implement non-market solutions to ensure that Americans have access to the medicines they need. In short, America has to quickly onshore production. Tariffs, as Senator Scott suggests, should be part of the mix, but the challenge for the Trump administration will be, in this rapidly deteriorating global environment, finding the correct combination of coercive state action, public subsidies, and free-market incentives. China at the moment has monopolies and near monopolies on many pharmaceuticals. There are, for instance, about 100 drugs that require ingredients only made in one Chinese factory.2 India, “the other heavyweight generic drug producer,” gets about 80% of its APIs—active pharmaceutical ingredients, the building blocks for pharmaceuticals—from Chinese factories. Approximately 45% of key starting materials or KSMs, the building blocks for APIs, are made only in China.3 For brand-name pharmaceuticals, the U.S. makes 15% of its APIs. For generics, the figure is far less. Overall, the U.S. produces just 12% of its own APIs.4 Generics are especially important: They account for about 91% of all prescriptions filled in the U.S. More than 40% of generic drugs prescribed in America have just one manufacturer. Some 83% of the top 100 generic drugs consumed by Americans have no U.S.-manufactured APIs.5 An October 2025 report issued by United States Pharmacopeia, an industry standards body, reveals that China is the only supplier of at least one KSM for 679 APIs.6 The Defense Department in 2023 learned that up to 27% of all drugs the U.S. military purchased were “100% dependent” on Chinese APIs.7 Antibiotics are a particular U.S. vulnerability. Amoxicillin, one of the most widely used of them in America, is made from four separate KSMs that are produced almost entirely in China.8 America gets about 45% of its imported penicillin from Chinese factories.9 Around 90% of the APIs for antibiotics used worldwide come from that country.10 FDA officials have admitted that the agency has allowed into the United States drugs from non-compliant facilities in foreign countries because the enforcement of standards would result in shortages of needed pharmaceuticals.11 “Why are we so reliant on Communist China for our prescription drugs?” asked Maria Bartiromo on her Fox Business morning show. “The fact that we only make what, 8% of antibiotics in this country, I mean, that’s criminal.”12 Criminal and dangerous. “If you’re the Chinese and you want to really just destroy us, just stop sending us antibiotics,” said Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council in the first Trump administration.13 “There’s a dereliction of duty,” Bartiromo said on air in October. She urged President Trump to “start putting a fire under corporate America’s butt” and “to say ‘get your supply chains to America, this is a national security issue.’”14 As Ben Noon, an American national security analyst, recently wrote, China has a “pharma death grip” on America.15 Some argue that China believes it cannot, as a practical matter, shut down the pharmaceutical supply to America. Yanzhong Huang of the Council on Foreign Relations, although admitting there is a “real possibility” of China employing this weapon, nonetheless points out that Beijing is deterred by the prospect of retaliation, for instance, America denying the Chinese advanced cancer treatments. Moreover, Beijing, he notes, would be cutting off an important revenue stream.16 Yet there are reasons why China just might employ the “nuclear option,” as Melanie Hart, a Biden State Department official now at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub, told Bloomberg.17 For one thing, China has already tried something similar. “We’ve also seen China place export restrictions on rare earth elements over trade negotiations before, and there’s no reason they can’t do the same for pharmaceuticals,” Senator Scott wrote to Commerce last October.18 In September 2010, for instance, China’s regime imposed a rare earth export ban on Japan following an incident in the East China Sea, where Beijing and Tokyo have competing territorial claims. In October 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced substantially tightened rare-earth restrictions on the U.S. in the middle of a “tariff war,” imposing “the strictest rare earth and permanent magnet export controls to date.”19 Moreover, Beijing has started employing export restrictions that affect the medical field, Bloomberg reported. China, for example, in April of last year put in place curbs on seven metals needed for magnets for MRI scanners and then in October hit thulium, erbium, and three other elements used in medical lasers.20 And China has already shown the world that it is perfectly capable of cutting off health-care supplies. In March 2020, Beijing threatened to throw America into a “mighty sea of coronavirus.”21 “China put export restrictions on those masks and then nationalized an American factory that produces them there,” Peter Navarro, Trump’s director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, reported in February 2020, referring to the then-coveted N95 masks.22 “I was on the phone with leaders from several hospitals in New York, and they told me that they had contracts with Chinese companies where they were waiting on things like plastic gloves, masks, all of this stuff where they were on the ships on their way to the U.S. and the Chinese government said ‘no, no, no, no, turn around, we need this stuff,’” Maria Bartiromo said on air in February of that year. “They’re not keeping up with any of the contracts that they had in place because there are massive shortages in China. They want all of these things, even if they have these contracts with players in the United States. How is anybody going to trust China in terms of keeping up their end of the bargain again in business?”23 The risk of China stopping the flow of prescription medicines to Americans, therefore, is not theoretical, and the consequences could be grave. “If China shut the door on exports of medicines and their key ingredients and raw material, U.S. hospitals and military hospitals and clinics would cease to function within months, if not days,” said Rosemary Gibson, co-author of China Rx: Exposing the Risks of America’s Dependence on China for Medicine, to NBC News.24 A deliberate cut-off is not the only risk. “They can sell us medicines without any medicine in them,” Gibson pointed out, referring to the Chinese. “They can sell medicines that have lethal contaminants in it.”25 Perhaps as many as 150 Americans died from contaminated blood thinner Heparin, made in China, at the end of the first decade of this century. In 2019, the FDA warned that Zantac and other over-the counter heartburn medications as well as prescribed drugs contained N-nitrosodimethylamine, a carcinogen, in quantities above those deemed safe by federal officials. The chemical, commonly known as NDMA, was manufactured in China.26 So what does the United States do to reshore the production of pharmaceuticals? There are a number of technical fixes. The U.S., for example, should establish a “federal buyer’s market” and prioritize American-made products for, among others, the Pentagon, the Veterans Administration, and Medicare. If American-made medicines are not available, the government should try to buy those produced in friendly countries. Congress should require sellers to disclose country of origin, and it’s necessary to close loopholes that now allow foreign-made products to be labeled “Made in America.” It’s time to eliminate the FDA’s red tape, which unnecessarily delays approvals and increases costs. Congress must also ban the importation of medicines that are either uninspected or inadequately inspected. Moreover, it is way past time for presidents to enforce Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which prohibits the importation of goods made with forced labor. Both of these actions will help eliminate China’s unfair cost advantages. Ultimately, cost is the name of the game. “Beijing suffocates foreign competitors with low prices by flooding markets with an artificially high supply,” reports Noon.27 As Gibson told the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, “Chinese companies formed a cartel, colluded to sell product on the global market at below market price, and drove all U.S., European, and Indian producers out of business.” Then, as she reported, Chinese producers raised prices.28 That Chinese policy was extraordinarily successful, but Washington can retaliate by restarting domestic production with incentives, such as low-cost loans—the first Trump administration experimented with this approach with a proposed $765 million loan to Eastman Kodak in 2020 to make APIs29—and, more important, an enhanced investment tax credit. These incentives will work best behind a temporary tariff wall. Even after the historic decision in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, which invalidated the President’s tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, Trump still has ample authority to impose tariffs to protect domestic pharma manufacturers, especially Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The U.S. Department of Commerce on April 1, 2025 announced the initiation of an investigation, pursuant to Section 232, to determine whether imports of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients threatened national security. Trump announced 100% tariffs in September on branded and patented drugs,30 but no tariffs have yet been imposed. There are reports that the White House is using the threat of these measures to get producers to, among other things, onshore production.31 Tariffs in general carry disadvantages. “Tariffs create supply chain disruptions, increase costs, and adversely impact patient access,” wrote four academics and researchers in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy last May. “Uncertainty in the capital markets would negatively affect future investments in new treatments. Patients may experience increased costs through higher prices, insurance premiums, and taxes.” “Collaborative international policies, rather than punitive tariffs, may better serve US interests and lead to a more secure and consistent domestic supply of medicines,” these authors write.32 Yet obtaining that collaboration will be hard. The pharma industry is still outsourcing to China, evident from the January announcement that AstraZeneca has committed $15 billion to that country “to expand medicines manufacturing and R&D.”33 U.S. manufacturers would feel confident of moving production to American soil if they felt sure that Washington was fully committed to protecting them from vicious Chinese price tactics. Rosemary Gibson believes that Washington, to reshore the pharma industry, must be as determined as China has been throughout the decades to make medicines on its own soil.34 Unfortunately, this means the Trump administration will have to rely, at least in the short term, on coercive measures, especially tariffs. The trick will be removing tariffs and other government-distorting elements quickly, so that the pharma industry does not become a permanent ward of the state. Reshoring will inevitably increase costs, which may be bearable given the situation but which is an ill-effect that must be remedied longer term. In the long run, there is no doubt that market incentives are the best solutions. In any event, the best way to protect the free trade architecture—in other words, the best way to keep popular support for the general concept—is to ensure that predatory traders, such as China, are not allowed to permanently game the system. Unfortunately, unilateral coercive measures are the only thing that Beijing understands at this moment, especially when the World Trade Organization’s dispute-resolution system has proven, over the course of decades, to be incapable of enforcing the organization’s rules. Coercive measures impose the costs that defend that now-fragile system. In the meantime, Americans are at risk. “It is UNACCEPTABLE that the most advanced country in the world can’t ensure a steady, safe supply of basic medicines for its own citizens,” Senator Scott said last November.35 It is unacceptable in peacetime, and it’s especially unacceptable as the world now heads toward more troubled times. Gordon G. Chang is the author of Plan Red: China’s Project to Destroy America and The Coming Collapse of China. Follow him on X @GordonGChang. Sources 1 “IN CASE YOU MISSED IT . . . Chairman Rick Scott Urges Commerce Sec., U.S. Trade Rep. to Take Section 232 Action on U.S. Foreign Drug Imports, Warns Dangerous Exposure to Supply Chain,” U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, October 7, 2025, https://www.aging.senate.gov/press-releases/in-case-y . 2 Ben Noon, “Breaking China’s Pharma Death Grip,” American Compass, November 26, 2024, https://americancompass.org/breaking-chinas-pharma-death-grip/ . 3 Noon, “Breaking China’s Pharma Death Grip.” 4 Rambod Behboodi and Les Honywill, “Pharma, National Security and Tariffs: Where Do We Go From Here?” Borden Ladner Gervais, June 25, 2025, https://www.blg.com/en/insights/2025/ri/pharma-national-security-and-tariffs . 5 Foster Stubbs, “US Is Overly Reliant on Foreign-Made Generic Drugs, Warranting Oversight, Domestic Investment, Senators Argue,” McKnights Long-Term Care News, October 22, 2025, https://www.mcknights.com/news/us-is-overly-reliant-on-foreign-made-generic-drugs-warranting-oversight-domestic-investment-senators-argue/ . 6 Gabriela Grasa Mannino, Shreyash Suryavanshi, Erkan Duman, et al., “Concentrated Origins, Widespread Risk: New USP Insights on Key Starting Materials,” US Pharmacopeia, October 14, 2025, https://qualitymatters.usp.org/concentrated-origins-widespread-risk-new-usp-insights-key-starting-materials . 7 Noon, “Breaking China’s Pharma Death Grip.” 8 Colum Murphy, Amber Tong, Martin Ritchie, et al., “China’s Pharma Leverage Is ‘Nuclear Option’ in US Trade Talks,” Bloomberg News, October 24, 2025, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-24/china-s-pharma-leverage-is-nuclear-option-in-us-trade-talks . 9 “WHAT THEY ARE SAYING . . . Chairman Rick Scott Garners Nationwide Attention on Investigative Report Exposing America’s Overreliance on Foreign-Manufactured Generic Drugs and Fixing the Broken Supply Chain,” U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, October 29, 2025, https://www.aging.senate.gov/press-releases/what-they-are-sayingchairman-rick-scott-garners-nationwide-attention-on-investigative-report-exposing-americas-overreliance-on-foreign-manufactured-generic-drugs-and-fixing-the-broken-supply-chain . 10 Stubbs, “US Is Overly Reliant on Foreign-Made Generic Drugs, Warranting Oversight, Domestic Investment, Senators Argue.” 11 “Chairman Rick Scott Leads Aging Hearing on Navigating Path to Restoring U.S. Leadership in Essential Drug Manufacturing,” U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, November 19, 2025, https://www.aging.senate.gov/press-releases/chairman-rick-scott-leads-aging-hearing-on-navigating-path-to-restoring-us-leadership-in-essential-drug-manufacturing . 12 Mornings With Maria, Fox Business Network, October 24, 2025, https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6383729753112 . 13 Noon, “Breaking China’s Pharma Death Grip.” 14 Mornings With Maria, Fox Business Network, October 24, 2025. 15 Noon, “Breaking China’s Pharma Death Grip.” 16 Murphy, Tong, Ritchie, et al., “China’s Pharma Leverage Is ‘Nuclear Option’ in US Trade Talks.” 17 Murphy, Tong, Ritchie, et al., “China’s Pharma Leverage Is ‘Nuclear Option’ in US Trade Talks.” 18 “IN CASE YOU MISSED IT . . . Chairman Rick Scott Urges Commerce Sec., U.S. Trade Rep. to Take Section 232 Action on U.S. Foreign Drug Imports, Warns Dangerous Exposure to Supply Chain.” 19 Gracelin Baskaran, “China’s New Rare Earth and Magnet Restrictions Threaten U.S. Defense Supply Chains,” Center for Strategic & International Studies,” October 9, 2025, https://www.csis.org/analysis/chinas-new-rare-earth-and-magnet-restrictions-threaten-us-defense-supply-chains . 20 Murphy, Tong, Ritchie, et al., “China’s Pharma Leverage Is ‘Nuclear Option’ in US Trade Talks.” 21 Barnini Chakraborty, “China Hints at Denying Americans Life-Saving Coronavirus Drugs,” Fox News, March 13, 2020, https://www.foxnews.com/world/chinese-deny-americans-coronavirus-drugs . 22 Sunday Morning Futures, Fox News Channel, February 23, 2020, https://www.foxnews.com/video/6135159896001?playlist_id=3386055101001#sp=show-clips . 23 Mornings With Maria, Fox Business Network, February 19, 2020, https://video.foxbusiness.com/v/6133772857001/?playlist_id=3166411554001#sp=show-clips . 24 “U.S. Officials Worried About Chinese Control of American Drug Supply,” CNBC, September 12, 2019, https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/12/us-officials-worried-about-chinese-control-of-american-drug-supply.html . 25 “U.S. Officials Worried About Chinese Control of American Drug Supply.” 26 Derrick Shaw, “Zantac Has Low Levels of Cancer-Causing Chemical, FDA Warns,” WINK News, September 15, 2019, https://www.winknews.com/news/national/zantac-has-low-levels-of-cancer-causing-chemical-fda-warns/article_f14e2767-9c7f-51f6-93c7-658ca2ae4520.html . 27 Noon, “Breaking China’s Pharma Death Grip.” 28 Testimony of Rosemary Gibson, Senior Advisor, The Hastings Center and Author, ‘China Rx: Exposing the Risks of America’s Dependence on China for Medicine,’ Before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, ‘Exploring the Growing U.S. Reliance on China’s Biotech and Pharmaceutical Products,’” July 31, 2019, https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/RosemaryGibsonTestimonyUSCCJuly152019.pdf . 29 Roberta Rampton, “Trump Gives Medical Stockpile a ‘Kodak Moment’ With New Loan to Make Drugs,” NPR, July 28, 2020, https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/28/896209016/trump-gives-medical-stockpile-a-kodak-moment-with-new-loan-to-make-drugs . 30 @realDonaldTrump, TruthSocial.com , September 25, 2025 at 7:24 PM, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115267512131958759 . 31 Olga Torres, Camille Edwards, and Gowri Nair, “The Current Landscape of Section 232 Tariff Actions,” Torres Trade Law, December 1, 2025, https://www.torrestradelaw.com/posts/The-Current-Landscape-of-Section-232-Tariff-Actions/424 . 32 Sean D. Sullivan, Jens Grueger, Aidan P. Sullivan, et al., “The Consequences of Pharmaceutical Tariffs in the United States,” Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, May 6, 2025, https://www.jmcp.org/doi/10.18553/jmcp.2025.25090 . 33 Press release, “AstraZeneca Plans to Invest $15 Billion in China Through 2030 to Pioneer the Next-Generation of Innovative Medicines,” January 29, 2026, https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2026/astrazeneca-invests-15bn-in-china-through-2030.html . 34 Rosemary Gibson, telephone interview by author, February 19, 2026. 35 “Chairman Rick Scott Leads Aging Hearing on Navigating Path to Restoring U.S. Leadership in Essential Drug Manufacturing.”

The Center for Regulatory Freedom (CRF) continues its mission to advance deregulation and market-driven solutions across key federal agencies. This past week, CRF filed substantive comments on five critical regulatory proceedings, each addressing unnecessary barriers to consumer choice, healthcare innovation, safety, and economic competitiveness. From healthcare to transportation, CRF's advocacy emphasizes a consistent theme that effective regulation should protect the public without imposing unreasonable burdens on businesses, families, or innovation. CRF supported the Department of the Treasury's Internal Revenue Service 's effort to expand Health Savings Accounts and urged the agency to implement the new law in a way that preserves broad access and avoids new regulatory barriers. CRF filed these comments to ensure this guidance strengthens consumer-directed healthcare, supports telehealth access, and keeps HSAs simple and easy for families and employers to use. HSAs help Americans save for healthcare, control costs, and rely less on bureaucratic third-party payment systems. CRF supported the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 's proposal to require stronger documentation retention for non-domiciled commercial driver licenses so that federal safety standards can actually be verified and enforced. CRF filed comments emphasizing that recordkeeping is a minimal but essential safeguard for maintaining the integrity of the national commercial driver licensing system. Consistent documentation helps protect highway safety and ensures that every state follows the same rules when issuing commercial truck licenses. CRF supported the U.S. Department of Education's effort to clarify the definition of "professional degree" in federal student loan programs so that lending rules align with the law and reduce confusion. CRF filed comments explaining that clearer loan classifications can help restore discipline to the federal student lending system and reduce incentives that drive tuition inflation. A better-structured student lending policy can help protect students from excessive debt while keeping higher education more affordable. CRF urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reassess its vehicle emissions reporting requirements to ensure they reflect the current regulatory framework and eliminate unnecessary paperwork. CRF filed these comments because recent policy changes have altered the legal landscape, meaning some legacy reporting requirements may no longer be necessary. Excessive regulatory paperwork increases compliance costs that are ultimately passed on to American car buyers. CRF warned that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ' proposed documentation and certification requirements for drug pricing reporting could impose large compliance burdens and require manufacturers to obtain certifications from outside parties they do not control. CRF filed these comments urging CMS to recalibrate these reporting requirements so transparency goals are met without creating unrealistic compliance obligations or distorting market pricing signals. Overly complex reporting mandates can increase healthcare costs and weaken the competitive dynamics that help keep medicines affordable. This past week's comments demonstrate CRF's commitment to principled deregulation that eliminates barriers while preserving legitimate safeguards. Whether addressing healthcare innovation, transportation safety, education costs, environmental compliance, or drug pricing transparency, the goal remains consistent: regulations should serve the public interest without imposing unnecessary burdens on the businesses, families, and innovation that drive American prosperity. As CRF continues to engage with federal agencies across the regulatory landscape, we remain focused on identifying outdated rules, unnecessary compliance costs, and regulatory barriers that can be reformed to unlock greater consumer choice, market competition, and economic opportunity.

CPAC is proud to announce that U.S. Representative Tim Burchett is a confirmed speaker for CPAC USA 2026 in Grapevine, Texas, March 25-28. Rep. Tim Burchett represents Tennessee's 2nd District and has an impressive 93% CPAC rating. Rep. Burchett served as Mayor of Knox County for eight years. With a total of 16 years of public service in the Tennessee state government as both a Representative and Senator, Rep. Burchett brings to the stage a wealth of experience from serving in public office. Currently serving on the House Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Foreign Affairs, and Transportation and Infrastructure, Rep. Burchett is working to ensure cost effectiveness, increase government accountability and transparency, and ensure the safety of Americans at home and abroad. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Rep. Tim Burchett at CPAC USA 2026!  Reserve your tickets today here .

We are so excited to have you join us for  CPAC USA 2026 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center! Below are the final details to help you prepare for the event. Please review carefully and let us know if you need any assistance. 🏨 CPAC USA 2026 Host Hotel Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center 1501 Gaylord Trail Grapevine, TX 76051 Hotel Information 🚗 PARKING/VALET INSTRUCTIONS There will be parking available for CPAC USA 2026 attendees at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. Current parking costs are $29+ tax for self-parking / $49+ tax for valet. CPAC will share details on a discounted parking rate closer to the event. 🪪 BADGE PICKUP You are required to have your badge at all events during CPAC USA 2026. At all events, you will need your badge for entry to the space. Badge pickup will be available in CPAC Central at the times noted in the Schedule at a Glance. A government issued ID will be required to pick up your badge. Attendees are only able to pick up their own badge. Photos of IDs will not be accepted and the ID must comply with DHS.gov/real-id 👔 ATTIRE OVERVIEW Main Stage/ CPAC Central/ Evening Receptions & Dinner:  Most guests wear business casual or their favorite USA apparel. Ronald Reagan Dinner:  Black tie optional 📅 SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE (CT) Central Time/ Local Dallas Time 🗓️ Wednesday, March 25 — Arrival & Summits 🪪 Badge is required for events this day - badge pickup will be available in CPAC Central 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) International Faith Summit & International Summit OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES Starting CPAC USA 2026 programming with a focus on judeo-christian values and faith. A review of the FREEDOM FIRST MOVEMENT around the world with a focus on the success of the America First agenda. 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) CPAC Central OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES Where the movement unites featuring the CPAC Live Stage, Media Row, Radio Row, Podcast Row, Studio Row, America’s Main Street, and partners from the FREEDOM FIRST MOVEMENT. 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) Badge Pickup All attendees must have a badge at all times. 🪪 Badge Pickup: You are required to have your badge at all events during CPAC USA 2026. At all events, you will need your badge for entry to the space. Badge pickup will be available in CPAC Central at the times noted in the Schedule at a Glance. A government issued ID will be required to pick up your badge. Attendees are only able to pick up their own badge. Photos of IDs will not be accepted and the ID must comply with DHS.gov/real-id 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) Creator's Cocktail Reception VIP+, SILVER, GOLD, PLATINUM, PLATINUM PLUS, & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND Connect with the people who share what’s happening within the movement, and network with activists that push the needle along with exclusive after hours access to CPAC Central. 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM CT | Yellow Rose Pavilion International Reception PLATINUM, PLATINUM PLUS, & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND Highlighting our FREEDOM FIRST agenda around the world to ensure that America is stronger than ever. 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM CT | Yellow Rose Ballroom International Dinner PLATINUM PLUS & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND A highlight on what CPAC is accomplishing around the world with keynote guests to paint a picture on geopolitics and the state of the FREEDOM FIRST movement around the world. 🗓️ Thursday, March 26 — Main Stage & CPAC Central 🪪 Badge is required for events this day - badge pickup will be available in CPAC Central 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM CT | VIP & Premium Lounges Lounges Open VIP, VIP+, SILVER, GOLD, PLATINUM, PLATINUM PLUS & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND Lounge access varies based on your ticket level. 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) Badge Pickup All attendees must have a badge at all times. 🪪 Badge Pickup:  You are required to have your badge at all events during CPAC USA 2026. At all events, you will need your badge for entry to the space. Badge pickup will be available in CPAC Central at the times noted in the Schedule at a Glance. A government issued ID will be required to pick up your badge. Attendees are only able to pick up their own badge. Photos of IDs will not be accepted and the ID must comply with DHS.gov/real-id 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) CPAC Central OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES Where the CPAC movement unites featuring the CPAC Live Stage, Media Row, Radio Row, Podcast Row, Studio Row, America’s Main Street, and partners from the FREEDOM FIRST MOVEMENT. 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) Mass OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM CT | Texas Ballroom Main Stage OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES Conversations with international leaders and activists from the FREEDOM FIRST MOVEMENT. 🗓️ Friday, March 27 — Main Stage & CPAC Central 🪪 Badge is required for events this day - badge pickup will be available in CPAC Central 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM CT | VIP & Premium Lounges Lounges Open VIP, VIP+, SILVER, GOLD, PLATINUM, PLATINUM PLUS & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND Lounge access varies based on your ticket level. 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) Badge Pickup All attendees must have a badge at all times. 🪪 Badge Pickup:  You are required to have your badge at all events during CPAC USA 2026. At all events, you will need your badge for entry to the space. Badge pickup will be available in CPAC Central at the times noted in the Schedule at a Glance. A government issued ID will be required to pick up your badge. Attendees are only able to pick up their own badge. Photos of IDs will not be accepted and the ID must comply with DHS.gov/real-id 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) CPAC Central OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES Where the CPAC movement unites featuring the CPAC Live Stage, Media Row, Radio Row, Podcast Row, Studio Row, America’s Main Street, and partners from the FREEDOM FIRST MOVEMENT. 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) Mass OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM CT | Texas Ballroom Main Stage OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES Conversations with international leaders and activists from the FREEDOM FIRST MOVEMENT. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) Protestant Service OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM CT | Star Lounge (Austin 4-6) Founder's Reception PLATINUM, PLATINUM PLUS, & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND Join us ahead of the Ronald Reagan Dinner to network and connect with fellow freedom fighters. 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM CT | Main Stage (Texas Ballroom) Ronald Reagan Dinner SILVER, GOLD, PLATINUM, PLATINUM PLUS, & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND GENERAL, YOUTH, VIP & VIP+ ATTENDEES - ADD-ON PURCHASE REQUIRED *Guests without badges must check-in with CPAC Team members when entering the ballroom. Featuring a keynote speaker and CPAC’s Live Auction along with stories from people around the movement. Named for our first Presidential Guest, President Ronald Reagan. 🗓️ Saturday, March 28 — Main Stage & CPAC Central 🪪 Badge is required for events this day - badge pickup will be available in CPAC Central 7:30 AM - 9:00 AM CT | Old Hickory Steakhouse Women's Breakfast SILVER, GOLD, PLATINUM, PLATINUM PLUS, & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND VIP & VIP+ ATTENDEES - ADD-ON PURCHASE REQUIRED *Guests without badges must check-in with CPAC Team members when entering the steakhouse. Hosted by Mercedes Schlapp and features special guests for impactful conversations. This is a great networking opportunity to connect with likeminded individuals in a collaborative setting. 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM CT | VIP & Premium Lounges Lounges Open VIP, VIP+, SILVER, GOLD, PLATINUM, PLATINUM PLUS & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND Lounge access varies based on your ticket level. 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) Badge Pickup All attendees must have a badge at all times. 🪪 Badge Pickup:  You are required to have your badge at all events during CPAC USA 2026. At all events, you will need your badge for entry to the space. Badge pickup will be available in CPAC Central at the times noted in the Schedule at a Glance. A government issued ID will be required to pick up your badge. Attendees are only able to pick up their own badge. Photos of IDs will not be accepted and the ID must comply with DHS.gov/real-id 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM CT | CPAC Central (Longhorn Exhibit Hall E&F) CPAC Central OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES Where the CPAC movement unites featuring the CPAC Live Stage, Media Row, Radio Row, Podcast Row, Studio Row, America’s Main Street, and partners from the FREEDOM FIRST MOVEMENT. 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM CT | Texas Ballroom Main Stage OPEN TO ALL CPAC USA 2026 ATTENDEES Conversations with international leaders and activists from the FREEDOM FIRST MOVEMENT. 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM CT | Yellow Rose Ballroom Circle Member Cocktail Reception GOLD, PLATINUM, PLATINUM PLUS, & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND A premium reception to connect and learn more about what CPAC does year-round to ensure the movement continues with the next generation. 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM CT | Old Hickory Steakhouse Chairman's Circle Dinner PLATINUM, PLATINUM PLUS, & BACKSTAGE ATTENDEES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND An opportunity to hear directly from our Chairman Matt Schlapp and keynote guests to drive a conversation on what is next for our movement. 💬 Contacts & Support For event questions, schedule changes, or assistance during CPAC USA 2026, contact: General Inquiries | Please visit the resolution desk in CPAC Central Press Inquiries | Please visit CPAC.org/pressop *All information, events, times, and details are subject to change

CPAC is proud to announce that Mike Davis is a confirmed speaker for CPAC USA 2026 in Grapevine, Texas, March 25-28. Mike Davis is the founder and president of the Article III Project (A3P), a conservative legal advocacy organization that defends persecuted judges and the rule of law, and also leads the Internet Accountability Project, fighting to rein in Big Tech. As former Chief Counsel for Nominations to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, Davis served as staff lead for the confirmations of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and a record number of circuit judges during President Trump's first two years in office, overseeing floor votes for 278 nominees. He is a frequent media commentator appearing on major news networks to defend conservative judicial philosophy and provide legal analysis on constitutional matters. Davis has appeared at CPAC advocating for greater judicial accountability and protection of free speech. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Mike Davis at CPAC USA 2026!  Reserve your tickets today here .