Senate Finally Passes Major Bill with 52 - 46 Vote Schumer as Dems FLIP Chuck
Washington, D.C. - May 31, 2026
Senate Passes Landmark “Stop Stealing Our Chips Act” 52-46 in Bipartisan Vote, Bolstering U.S. Semiconductor Security Against China
Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Senate delivered a significant victory for national security Thursday, passing the Stop Stealing our Chips Act by a 52-46 vote in a rare show of bipartisanship on technology protection and export controls.
Sponsored by Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and co-sponsored by Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the legislation targets the illegal smuggling of American-made semiconductors to China. It now advances to the House of Representatives for further action.
“I look forward to working with our colleagues in the House to get this important legislation through Congress and to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law,” said Sen. Rounds, who first introduced the measure in April 2025.
The bill amends the Export Control Reform Act to create a whistleblower reward program at the Bureau of Industry and Security within the U.S. Commerce Department. Officials say the program will encourage credible reports of illegal exports, helping to stem the flow of advanced chips that fuel artificial intelligence and other strategic technologies.
Sen. Rounds emphasized the urgency:
“China continues to smuggle these chips into their country.”
He described the situation as “a grave national security concern” amid accelerating AI development.
Under the proposed law, whistleblowers providing original information that leads to fines would receive between 10 and 30 percent of penalties collected, with exceptions for known terrorists, criminals, or federal employees acting within their duties. The program would operate through a secure public platform, offer status updates every 30 days, initiate formal inquiries within 60 days of credible reports, and guarantee confidentiality plus anti-retaliation protections.
A dedicated fund financed by export violation fines would cover rewards, with any remaining proceeds directed to the U.S. Treasury.
The Senate action follows President Donald J. Trump’s recent high-stakes summit in Beijing. During the meetings, Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to purchase 200 Boeing jets — a major boost for American aerospace manufacturing and jobs.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, President Trump called the discussions “very good” and noted that the Chinese commitment exceeded Boeing’s expectations. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, part of the U.S. delegation, described the trip as a “meaningful opportunity” for the company.
The timing underscores growing congressional resolve to safeguard U.S. technological edges while supporting President Trump’s firm approach to trade and intellectual property protection. Republicans and Democrats alike have expressed concern over China’s persistent efforts to acquire restricted semiconductors through illicit channels.
Supporters argue the whistleblower incentives will strengthen enforcement without new spending, relying instead on penalties from violators. Critics from both parties have long warned that unchecked smuggling undermines American innovation and military advantages.
As the bill moves forward, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are watching closely. Passage would mark a concrete step toward closing loopholes that have allowed sensitive technology to reach adversarial hands.
Trump Unveils $700 Million Investment in Coal Industry
The president said the initiative will support more than 14,000 jobs and save Americans more than $50 billion.
President Donald Trump shows a photo to members of his Cabinet during a "Beautiful, Clean Coal" event in the Oval Office of the White House on June 4, 2026. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Travis Gillmore
6/4/2026|Updated: 6/4/2026
President Donald Trump announced $700 million in federal investments meant to support U.S. coal plants and exports during an Oval Office ceremony on June 4.
“Today, we’re taking historic action to bring down the price of energy and the cost of living for all Americans with the power of clean, beautiful coal,” Trump said during the event.
“In terms of power, there’s really nothing like it.”
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Investments will support 42 coal mines and more than 14,000 jobs while saving Americans more than $50 billion in electricity costs, according to the president.
The federal government will provide $485 million to protect more than a dozen existing coal plants across 10 states: Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
“This action will allow these facilities to invest in upgrades that will extend their operational lives for decades into the future [and] reinforce the reliability of our electric grid,” Trump said.
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Efforts to build new facilities and reopen others include $185 million to match private funds for the first new coal plants in the United States since 2013 in Alaska and West Virginia. A long-planned coal export terminal project at the Port of Oakland in California will receive $75 million to expedite opening.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum noted the importance of the new export facility.
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“We can be selling clean, renewable energy to our allies, the Pacific ones,” Burgum said.
The move follows Trump’s executive order in April elevating coal supplies and power generation to a national security matter by invoking the Defense Production Act of 1950.
Administration officials prioritized the coal industry immediately after taking the White House in January 2025 when the president declared a “national energy emergency” shortly after his inauguration.
Since then, Cabinet leaders and agency heads have coordinated efforts to expand the coal industry, whose market share declined steeply from a peak of about 50 percent of domestic energy production in 2008 to approximately 15 percent in 2026, according to data from the Energy Information Agency.
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“Without clean, beautiful coal, there is no modern world,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said during the event, emphasizing what he described as a correlation between the adoption of wind and solar energy and higher electricity costs.
“Americans are upset about high electricity prices. Blame closing existing, reliable, secure plants and replacing them with subsidized, unreliable plants, a guaranteed way to drive electricity prices up.”
Industry representatives celebrated the announcement.
“Coal generation shields consumers from the impacts of volatile energy prices and supply challenges; it’s a vital piece of a sound energy strategy designed to meet the challenge of today’s [artificial intelligence-driven] demand growth in the context of the conflict in the Middle East,” Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, said in a statement.
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“The administration is supporting that strategy with decisive action at home to ensure that upgrades to existing energy assets are made, and at our ports to ensure that U.S. coal can answer the world’s needs.”
Critics of the investment package, including environmental groups, vowed to file challenges.
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“It is disgusting and reprehensible that the President of the United States is giving away our taxpayer dollars to deadly and expensive coal plants that will make Americans sicker and drive up electricity prices even more,” Patrick Drupp, climate policy director for the Sierra Club, said in a statement.
“The Sierra Club will do everything we can to fight back against this reckless handout and defend our communities from more soaring costs and toxic pollution.”
