Think Tanks
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Meet the 2026 BICEP award winners leading on corporate advocacy for an affordable, resilient clean economy
BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 23 [Category: ThinkTank] -- Ceres, a non-profit organization that is mobilizing companies and investors to take stronger action on climate change, water scarcity and global sustainability challenges, posted the following news release:
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Meet the 2026 BICEP award winners leading on corporate advocacy for an affordable, resilient clean economy
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Last week, business leaders took to Capitol Hill with a shared message for Congress: smart, bipartisan policy can lower energy costs, strengthen American manufacturing, and position the U.S. to lead in the industries shaping
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 23 [Category: ThinkTank] -- Ceres, a non-profit organization that is mobilizing companies and investors to take stronger action on climate change, water scarcity and global sustainability challenges, posted the following news release:
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Meet the 2026 BICEP award winners leading on corporate advocacy for an affordable, resilient clean economy
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Last week, business leaders took to Capitol Hill with a shared message for Congress: smart, bipartisan policy can lower energy costs, strengthen American manufacturing, and position the U.S. to lead in the industries shapingthe 21 st Century economy.
In dozens of meetings with Congressional offices on both sides of the aisle, representatives from some of America's largest and most recognizable corporations made the convincing economic case for pragmatic, market-oriented solutions that prioritize affordability and policy certainty. Their message was clear -when Congress provides the right policy framework, businesses are ready to invest, hire, and build in America to create a more competitive U.S. economy and a more resilient energy system.
But our time in D.C. wasn't just about the work ahead. At our annual BICEP Awards dinner on Wednesday night, we paused to reflect on the past year and celebrate our successes as we chart the path forward. It was in this spirit that we honored the company leaders and partners who demonstrated exceptional leadership with their advocacy. We're grateful to all of this year's award winners for their vital work in 2025 and excited about the progress still to come.
BICEP Crown: Jennifer Wieroniey, Michelin
Jennifer Wieroniey, head of U.S. federal government affairs at Michelin, earned the top award this year for her exceptional commitment to advocacy at both the state and federal levels. She consistently showed up on Capitol Hill throughout the year, helping build vital relationships on both sides of the aisle and connecting key policy issues such as permitting reform to long-term corporate goals needed to build a strong, clean economy. Jennifer brought the same leadership to the states and with the media, taking part in important events that facilitated critical dialogue between public- and private-sector leaders and mobilizing executives to speak publicly in support of our shared policy priorities.
Federal Policy Champion: DHL
Our premier federal policy award this year goes to DHL for the company's consistent advocacy on Capitol Hill. As a major a major shipping and logistics company, DHL's voice has been critical to strengthening bipartisan support for ambitious federal policies that grow a clean economy and expand U.S. manufacturing. This includes its vital, consistent support for zero-emissions vehicles, sustainable aviation fuel, and clean energy incentives.
State Policy Champions: CommonSpirit Health and Sealed
We are thrilled to celebrate two leading companies as state policy champions this year. CommonSpirit Health received this award in recognition of more than a decade of engagement across policy issues and states. The organization demonstrated leadership again this year with robust advocacy in California of the reauthorization and strengthening of the state's cap-and-invest program -helping keep energy affordable, improving public health, generating billions for clean investments, and reaffirming California's global climate leadership.
Sealed earned this award for its robust advocacy that was instrumental in helping secure the passage of the Illinois Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act. Through legislative testimony, in-person meetings, and media engagement, the company's executives made a compelling case for the nation-leading legislation-highlighting how it will ease costs for households and businesses while delivering a more affordable, reliable energy future.
Internal Policy Advocate of the Year: Zach Carstensen, Salesforce
The Internal Policy Advocate award, which recognizes individuals and teams that align their companies' policy advocacy with responsible business practices, is one of the Ceres BICEP Network's most important honors. In 2025, Zach Carstensen, working in state and local government affairs at Salesforce, exemplified this work as one of our top advocacy partners in Illinois. As Ceres expanded our advocacy in the state, Zach worked with Ceres to convene businesses leaders and policymakers at a crucial strategic event-helping strengthen the state's corporate advocacy network and advance forward-looking energy policies that drive both business growth and climate action.
Emerging Climate Policy Champion: Schneider Electric and Joshua Freeman, Panasonic North America
Two close partners of the Ceres BICEP Network earned recognition as emerging advocates this year. First, we were thrilled to see Schneider Electric ramp up its policy engagement with Ceres. As one of the most impactful corporate voices at LEAD on a Clean Economy 2026, the company demonstrated a keen understanding of how to leverage its advocacy for maximum impact in advancing smart, bipartisan policy solutions.
Second, Joshual Freeman, battery public policy manager at Panasonic North America, stepped forward as an enthusiastic and impactful advocate for our shared priorities in Congress, helping make the economic case for federal policies that invest in a cleaner, more affordable, and resilient energy system.
Transportation Policy Advocate of the Year: Lucid and Melissa Bauer, eBay
We are pleased to honor two Ceres BICEP Network members for their influential transportation advocacy in 2025. Lucid continued its unwavering commitment to championing the business case for clean vehicle policies that expand U.S. manufacturing and jobs in a critical advanced technology sector. Through meetings and events with state and federal policymakers, administrative officials, and key reporters, Lucid made the compelling case for the policies and investments America needs to build a competitive U.S. auto industry.
Melissa Bauer, sustainability strategy lead at eBay, played a key leadership role in building a corporate coalition of top U.S. e-commerce and logistics companies. Together, the group advances policy solutions to reduce emissions from product shipments and deliveries and accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles. Putting this leadership into action, eBay championed critical clean vehicle policies at the state level to help achieve these goals, including New York's Clean Deliveries Act.
Industrial Decarbonization Policy Advocate of the Year: Heirloom Carbon
We are pleased to celebrate Heirloom Carbon for its advocacy of expanding solutions that eliminate pollution from America's heavy industrial sector. Throughout 2025, the company engaged in policy discussions in Congress and statehouses nationwide to advance high-integrity carbon removal technologies, ensure facilities include strong labor protections, and incorporate community governance. This ongoing leadership in this area is critical to advancing sustainability, permeance and equity, while driving U.S. leadership forward in a critical 21 st Century industry.
U.S. State Lawmaker Climate Champion: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker
Kicking off the new year in a big way, Illinois Gov. Pritzker in January signed one of the most consequential state energy laws passed in 2025. The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act sets a new benchmark for state energy leadership. We are proud to celebrate Gov. Pritzker's commitment to long-term solutions that address current energy and affordability challenges and to keeping Illinois competitive in the modern economy.
Congressional Climate Champion: Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois
Rep. Casten has been a steadfast champion and educator among his colleagues in Congress, advocating for a strong, resilient U.S. economy powered by affordable, reliable, homegrown clean energy. He understands the value of engaging private-sector leaders, bringing their expertise to Capitol Hill to make the business case for strategic federal investments that create jobs, sustain U.S. competitiveness, and strengthen the nation's energy system. Through his smart, clear messaging, he highlights a crucial point: clean energy is the lowest cost energy, and policies that accelerate its deployment help lower utility bills while building a more competitive U.S. economy.
Ryan Martel Capitol Hill Climb Award: David Schutt from SEEC
Last but far from least, the Ryan Martel Capitol Hill Climb Award is among the most meaningful ones we present at Ceres, named in honor of our beloved late colleague and former federal policy director, Ryan Martel. David earned this award for his work with the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), bringing together advocacy organizations, Congressional offices across SEEC, and House leadership to defend and reestablish federal clean economy incentives in 2025. We know Ryan would be incredibly proud of this effort to highlight the importance of investing in clean energy to keep the U.S. competitive, protect jobs, and manage energy costs.
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Original text here: https://www.ceres.org/resources/news/meet-the-2026-bicep-award-winners-leading-on-corporate-advocacy-for-an-affordable-resilient-clean-economy
In Brief to SCOTUS, Buckeye Institute Argues Congress Cannot Abdicate Lawmaking Responsibilities
COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 23 [Category: Think Tank] -- The Buckeye Institute, an independent research and educational institution that says its mission is to advance free-market public policy, posted the following news release:
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In Brief to SCOTUS, The Buckeye Institute Argues Congress Cannot Abdicate Lawmaking Responsibilities
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Columbus, OH - On Monday, The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in Pheasant v. United States, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to revive the nondelegation doctrine and tell Congress it cannot abdicate its lawmaking responsibilities-particularly its role in
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COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 23 [Category: Think Tank] -- The Buckeye Institute, an independent research and educational institution that says its mission is to advance free-market public policy, posted the following news release:
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In Brief to SCOTUS, The Buckeye Institute Argues Congress Cannot Abdicate Lawmaking Responsibilities
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Columbus, OH - On Monday, The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in Pheasant v. United States, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to revive the nondelegation doctrine and tell Congress it cannot abdicate its lawmaking responsibilities-particularly its role increating criminal statutes-to the executive branch.
"When Congress allows executive agencies to create rules and regulations with the effect of laws, Congress has abdicated the responsibility of lawmaking," said David C. Tryon, director of litigation at The Buckeye Institute and counsel of record on this brief. "And while it may be easier to let administrative agencies make the rules, the fundamental task of lawmaking constitutionally remains with Congress."
In its brief, The Buckeye Institute argues that the nondelegation doctrine plays a vital role in protecting the separation of powers enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and in determining what powers Congress can delegate. As it pertains to criminal laws, The Buckeye Institute points out that the Constitution has special protections against delegating legislative authority to create crimes.
Citing a list of laws Congress has passed, The Buckeye Institute shows that Congress has legislated with great detail and precision when it has had the political will to do so. And if Congress cannot pass a criminal law, the Constitution's structure prevents the administrative state from doing so.
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Original text here: https://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/research/detail/in-brief-to-scotus-the-buckeye-institute-argues-congress-cannot-abdicate-lawmaking-responsibilities
New CPA-Responsible Battery Coalition Report Warns China's Dominance of Battery Processing is a Threat to U.S. National Security
WASHINGTON, March 23 [Category: ThinkTank] (TNSrpt) -- The Coalition for a Prosperous America posted the following news release:
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New CPA-Responsible Battery Coalition Report Warns China's Dominance of Battery Processing is a Threat to U.S. National Security
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) and the Responsible Battery Coalition (RBC) today released a new report, "Wartime Footing: How the United States Can Reverse China's Dominance of Battery Minerals Processing," warning that U.S. national security vulnerabilities in critical minerals stem not from resource
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WASHINGTON, March 23 [Category: ThinkTank] (TNSrpt) -- The Coalition for a Prosperous America posted the following news release:
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New CPA-Responsible Battery Coalition Report Warns China's Dominance of Battery Processing is a Threat to U.S. National Security
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) and the Responsible Battery Coalition (RBC) today released a new report, "Wartime Footing: How the United States Can Reverse China's Dominance of Battery Minerals Processing," warning that U.S. national security vulnerabilities in critical minerals stem not from resourcescarcity but from China's control of refining and chemical processing.
The report finds that China has consolidated global dominance in the midstream stages of battery supply chains-refining and chemical conversion-giving the Chinese Communist Party significant influence over pricing, supply availability, and industrial investment.
While critical minerals such as lead, antimony, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and manganese are mined across multiple regions, the report shows that refining capacity remains heavily concentrated in China, allowing the country to convert industrial advantages into geopolitical leverage through export restrictions, price manipulation, and supply shocks.
The report comes as policymakers in Washington intensify efforts to rebuild domestic critical mineral supply chains. Recent initiatives include Project Vault, a public-private effort supported by the Export-Import Bank to create a U.S. strategic critical minerals reserve and support domestic manufacturing investment.
"The United States is not resource-poor-it is processing-constrained," said Mihir Torsekar, CPA senior economist and author of the report. "Even when minerals are mined globally, they often flow to China for refining before being sold back to Western manufacturers as battery-grade materials. That concentration creates a structural vulnerability that allows supply chains to be disrupted or manipulated at moments of geopolitical tension."
A detailed case study in the report examines the U.S. lead-acid starter battery sector, which retains strong domestic manufacturing and recycling capabilities-including a 99 percent recycling rate for lead-yet remains exposed to a single critical chokepoint: antimony refining, where China controls the overwhelming majority of global processing capacity.
When China imposed export restrictions on antimony during 2024-2025, global supply fell sharply and prices surged almost 200%, demonstrating how a single processing dependency can disrupt transportation fleets, logistics systems, data centers, and defense-related infrastructure that rely on reliable battery systems for the United States and its allies.
The report concludes that midstream processing control-rather than mining alone-determines supply chain security, and that rebuilding domestic and allied refining capacity is essential to U.S. economic and national security.
"This report underscores a hard reality: the United States is not short on critical minerals, we are short on the ability to process them into the materials our economy and military depend on every day. If China chose to cross the Taiwan Strait, that distinction certainly matters," said Major General Bill Crane (Ret.) and Rear Admiral Peter Brown (Ret.), the chair and vice chair of the RBC's Critical Minerals Leadership Roundtable. "Nowhere is this more evident than in the starter batteries that underpin every tank, jeep, MRAP, howitzer and helicopter. The same batteries that support military operations also power the trucks that deliver food, the systems that keep hospitals running during outages, and the infrastructure that underpins daily life."
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REPORT: https://prosperousamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/CPAxRBC-Economics-Report-Wartime-Footing-How-the-United-States-Can-Reverse-Chinas-Dominance-of-Battery-Minerals-Processing.pdf
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Original text here: https://prosperousamerica.org/new-cpa-responsible-battery-coalition-report-warns-chinas-dominance-of-battery-processing-is-a-threat-to-u-s-national-security/
Manhattan Institute Issues Commentary to Bloomberg Opinion: Banksy's Anonymity Is What Gives - Gave? - His Art Its Power
NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Manhattan Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on March 20, 2026, by senior fellow Allison Schrager to Bloomberg Opinion:
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Banksy's Anonymity Is What Gives - Gave? - His Art Its Power
The revelation that the artist Banksy is a 50-something man from Bristol, England, named Robin Gunningham, according to a Reuters report, has shaken the art world. It may be the ultimate test of what actually determines value in contemporary art.
Art insiders are speculating that the news will increase the value of Banksy's work. That line of thinking tracks with
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NEW YORK, March 21 -- The Manhattan Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on March 20, 2026, by senior fellow Allison Schrager to Bloomberg Opinion:
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Banksy's Anonymity Is What Gives - Gave? - His Art Its Power
The revelation that the artist Banksy is a 50-something man from Bristol, England, named Robin Gunningham, according to a Reuters report, has shaken the art world. It may be the ultimate test of what actually determines value in contemporary art.
Art insiders are speculating that the news will increase the value of Banksy's work. That line of thinking tracks withthe fact that markets hate uncertainty, and now there is more clarity. But Banksy's art is not like a stock option or any other commodity; greater transparency and predictability won't increase its value. Odds are, the prices of his existing work will fall.
That said, it is easy to see how coming out of the shadows and embracing commercialization could create a new and more stable market for Banksy's work -- or at least more consistent revenue for art dealers who believe their role is to control price and supply. It is true that his work has fallen sharply in recent years, but so has the broader art market. The difference is in the magnitude: his prices tend to rise and fall more dramatically, often behaving like a high-beta asset.
Continue reading the entire piece here at Bloomberg Opinion (https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-03-20/banksy-s-anonymity-gives-his-art-its-power?srnd=undefined)
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Allison Schrager is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal.
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Original text here: https://manhattan.institute/article/banksys-anonymity-is-what-gives-gave-his-art-its-power
[Category: ThinkTank]
Jamestown Foundation Issues Commentary: Strategic Eurasianism - Xi and Putin Cement Bloc Alignment
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Jamestown Foundation issued the following commentary on March 20, 2026, by senior fellow Matthew Johnson in its China Brief:
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Strategic Eurasianism: Xi and Putin Cement Bloc Alignment
Executive Summary:
* Russia's relationship with the People's Republic of China (PRC) has evolved into a functional, operational Eurasian architecture anchored in financial integration, technological cooperation, energy interdependence, and coordinated geopolitical positioning, reducing Western coercive leverage and institutionalizing parallel systems of trade and finance.
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WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Jamestown Foundation issued the following commentary on March 20, 2026, by senior fellow Matthew Johnson in its China Brief:
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Strategic Eurasianism: Xi and Putin Cement Bloc Alignment
Executive Summary:
* Russia's relationship with the People's Republic of China (PRC) has evolved into a functional, operational Eurasian architecture anchored in financial integration, technological cooperation, energy interdependence, and coordinated geopolitical positioning, reducing Western coercive leverage and institutionalizing parallel systems of trade and finance.
* Bycommitting to mutual support on "core interests" and insulating cooperation from Western sanctions, the February 2022 "no limits" pact removed strategic ambiguity, tethered their war in Ukraine with the Taiwan theater conceptually, and transformed convergence into path-dependent coordination that deepened through wartime economic, military, and technological integration.
* From 2022-2025, this incipient bloc logic became operational and institutionalized. Through international platforms like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, cross-border industrial mechanisms, financial insulation frameworks, expanded energy corridors, and synchronized military activity, Beijing and Moscow accelerated bureaucratic interoperability and normalized sanctions circumvention.
* Bloc alignment, structured around durable asymmetry, is now the baseline. Russia increasingly functions as a junior escalatory actor--economically dependent on the PRC for trade, technology, and battlefield inputs--while Beijing serves as stabilizer and ballast against sanctions pressure.
* As long as confrontation with the West remains the organizing principle of both regimes, this senior-junior Eurasian axis is likely to harden rather than fragment, complicating efforts to isolate either country.
Official readouts from the People's Republic of China (PRC) frequently emphasize that 2026 is the 30th anniversary of the PRC-Russia partnership of strategic coordination and the 25th anniversary of the PRC-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. This framing underscores continuity, but developments since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine point to something more: a shift from tactical alignment toward the construction of a more functionally integrated bloc.
This shift is visible not only at the top, but in the rapid thickening of coordination across the relationship. Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have maintained their established pattern of direct engagement, including calls on New Year's Eve and in the opening months of the year. More telling, however, is the expansion of coordination below the leadership level. Since December 2025, the PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has recorded a flurry of lower-level "consultations" on strategic security, strategic stability, the safety of overseas citizens, Asia-Pacific affairs, bilateral relations, and various other geopolitical matters. These exchanges are also extending geographically, with recent meetings involving Russia's director for Latin American affairs (MFA, accessed March 17). Taken together, these meetings underscore a relationship of close strategic alignment through mechanisms that are increasingly routinized, institutionalized, and global in scope.
The emerging PRC-Russia functional bloc constitutes a profound structural and normative integration that has moved relations beyond a mere "marriage of convenience." This architecture reduces Western coercive leverage, institutionalizes parallel systems of trade and finance, and embeds Russia's war-making capacity within a broader Eurasian framework. The evolution of the relationship was solidified at a May 8, 2025 summit in Moscow, where the signing of over 20 agreements in high-impact sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure signaled a systematic effort to build a parallel "multipolar" order (Xinhua, May 8, 2025; China Brief, May 14, 2025). Financial system integration is a critical, if underappreciated dynamic of this integration. By early 2024, over 90 percent of bilateral trade was settled in rubles or renminbi, using a dedicated "China track" netting system specifically designed to bypass SWIFT and U.S. dollar-based oversight (Reuters, April 22, 2025). This deep coupling effectively docks the Eurasian Economic Union with the One Belt One Road initiative, creating a resilient, insulated geopolitical corridor.
The likely direction of this relationship is a partnership short of alliance that functions as a reversed version of the Cold War-era Mao-Stalin template. The PRC will increasingly act as the senior beneficiary and stabilizer, gaining strategic distraction for the West without committing its own forces, with Russia as the militarized "junior escalator" on the periphery. In this trajectory, Russia becomes increasingly dependent on Beijing for its economic survival. To an extent, this is already the case: the PRC accounts for 30-40 percent of Russian trade and provides 89 percent of its critical battlefield imports (ECFR, March 9). Despite internal Kremlin friction and hedging maneuvers, such as the February 2026 "Dmitriev Package" memo proposing a return to dollar settlements to counter growing dependence on Beijing, shared animosity toward the West and Japan appears to outweigh underlying differences in political systems and long-term interests (The Kyiv Independent, February 13). While asymmetry and mistrust persist, the relationship has hardened into a durable senior-junior structure that can be expected to remain structurally resilient through at least 2030, prioritized over lingering regional competition in Central Asia or the Arctic.
The 'No Limits' Pact: A Shared Escalatory Trajectory
Prior to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Xi-Putin era was defined by a series of high-level diplomatic upgrades that transformed a partnership of convenience into complex strategic enmeshment. This journey accelerated significantly in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea; facing Western sanctions, Russia pivoted toward the PRC, securing the massive Power of Siberia gas deal and launching a "trust-based" stage of military-technical cooperation (ICDS, April 2023). Over the following years, the leaders met nearly four times annually, building a personal rapport that led Xi to describe Putin as his "best and most intimate friend" (People's Daily Online, June 5, 2019). This period saw the repeated extension of cooperation treaties and the signing of joint statements on global strategic stability, all serving as the foundation for the pact unveiled in early 2022 that framed the relationship as "a friendship with no limits, cooperation with no forbidden areas" (Xinhua; President of Russia, February 4, 2022). The bedrock of this pre-2022 alliance was a shared revisionist worldview aimed at eroding U.S. global influence and coordinating against Western-backed "color revolutions." Both nations spent years building a parallel financial architecture, integrating critical technologies, and creating overlapping connectivity platforms to reduce reliance on maritime chokepoints and Western financial systems (China Brief, June 19, 2018).
The "no limits" pact, officially known as the "Joint Statement on New Era International Relations and Global Sustainable Development", was unveiled in February 2022 as a comprehensive strategic framework designed to erode U.S. global "hegemony" and transition the world toward a "multipolar" order (Xinhua, February 4, 2022; FDD, October 11, 2022). It committed Beijing and Moscow to providing firm mutual support for each country's "core interests"--a euphemism primarily referring to Russia's ambitions in Ukraine and the PRC's claims over Taiwan--while explicitly coordinating opposition to NATO expansion and U.S.-led security alliances. The pact also served as a blueprint for integration and insulation from the West in high-impact sectors such as energy, AI, and finance.
This partnership has acted as a strategic force multiplier, anchoring both regimes to a shared commitment to reshape the global distribution of power. Immediately following the pact's announcement, the partnership focused on providing Russia with a diplomatic and economic lifeline during the initial invasion of Ukraine. Beijing publicly maintained a "balanced" position, but top officials privately expressed "understanding" of Russia's actions, framing the invasion as a "counterattack" against NATO expansion (X/TGTM_Official, September 4, 2022). Bilateral trade jumped 30 percent in the first seven months of 2022, with the PRC overtaking Germany as the largest buyer of Russian oil (Radio Free Europe, June 26, 2022). And when Western firms exited, the PRC became the decisive enabler of Russia's military-industrial base: semiconductor exports to Russia grew by 209 percent between March and June 2022, and contracts established the mutual hosting of ground stations for Beidou and GLONASS satellite systems to improve the targeting and guidance of weapons (TASS, September 27, 2022).
Between 2022 and 2025, the partnership evolved into a fully operational bloc. Early steps toward coordination in sensitive domains emerged alongside the PRC's economic and strategic support. In 2022, the two countries jointly promoted strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) framework, including proposals on verification and biosafety governance, and in June 2023 held their first interagency consultations on biosecurity in Moscow, where both sides affirmed aligned positions and called for expanded coordination (Macao Times, August 2, 2022; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, June 20, 2023). By 2023, this broader alignment had become visible in wartime material terms: the majority of critical battlefield items Russia imported (as high as 89 percent) originated in the PRC, and 79 percent of all final shipments were dispatched from the PRC (including Hong Kong) (U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, November 14, 2025). The May 8, 2025 Putin-Xi summit in Moscow marked a further expansion of coordination in high-impact sectors already under U.S. scrutiny, including AI and digital infrastructure (China Brief, May 14, 2025). The two sides committed to "mutually beneficial cooperation on the Arctic route" and proposed a joint buildout of cross-border infrastructure to reduce dependence on maritime chokepoints. Through three separate joint statements, they positioned themselves as the legitimate "guardians" of the postwar order, explicitly challenging the deployment of U.S. missile defense systems and NATO expansion (MFA, May 9,[a],[b]).
Eurasian Architecture Becomes Operational
Steering the evolution of the PRC-Russia relationship, Putin and Xi have committed to coordinating through a connected mesh of multilateral institutions. They have attempted to position the SCO and the expanded BRICS members explicitly as rivals to U.S- and NATO-aligned systems. Fueled by their rewriting of World War II history in last year's anniversary commemorations, the two sides frame their partnership as a shared mission to "maintain a correct view" of that history, claiming that they--and not the United States and its allies--are the legitimate guardians of the postwar international order (Qiushi, June 6, 2025).
In the second half of the year, the PRC moved to institutionalize the broad Moscow pledges. At the SCO industrial ministers meeting in Yekaterinburg, the Chinese delegation offered "practical cooperation in the industrial field" to wire Chinese standards and capital deeper into Eurasian supply chains. Member states approved two new frameworks, a Permanent Working Group in the Industrial Field and a dedicated organization for joint industrial exhibitions (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, July 8, 2025). In September, the 28th meeting of the PRC-Russia Economic Sub-Committee produced operational workstreams for cooperation in e-commerce, digital services, and "safeguarding the multilateral trading system" (Ministry of Commerce [MOFCOM], September 29, 2025). November proved a busy month, offering a string of further opportunities to strengthen ties. At the fifth meeting of the Joint Committee on the Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement between the PRC and the Eurasian Economic Union, the two sides committed to deepening cooperation on trade remedies, standards, and government procurement; Premier Li Qiang met with his counterpart Mikhail Mishustin to advance energy and agriculture supply lines; and officials at the PRC-Russia Energy Business Forum linked Xi's "energy power" agenda to deeper cooperation on cross-border pipelines and promoting "implementation of the global governance initiative in the energy sector" , aligning with Russia's move to ramp up crude flows to China through 2033 (MOFCOM, November 13, 2025; People's Daily, November 18, 2025; Xinhua, November 25, 2025). Perhaps the most significant milestone in the journey to insulate their economies from financial sanctions came in December with the implementation of a new legal framework, the upgraded Bilateral Investment Treaty. This framework built on a 2006 treaty, and followed negotiations that began in 2022 (MOFCOM, December 1, 2025).
The relationship also reached new heights in security coordination, specifically targeting Japan. During the 20th Strategic Security Consultation in Moscow, foreign ministers Wang Yi and Sergei Shoigu reached a "new consensus" on Japan-related issues, agreeing to continue to coordinate and cooperate in order to "resolutely curb the provocative actions of Japan's far-right forces" and "counter attempts to revive Japanese militarism". They also agreed to maintain "strategic communication" concerning Ukraine (People's Daily, December 3, 2025, December 4, 2025). This agreement was followed by the PLA and Russian military conducting their 10th joint strategic air patrol, solidifying joint operations near Japan as a routine feature of regional security architecture.
Bloc Alignment as the New Baseline
During the first two months of 2026, the strategic relationship between the PRC and Russia has continued to evolve in the direction of parallel order-building via security and energy integration. For Beijing, alignment with Moscow is now a structural constant and primary source of ballast against sanctions and other geopolitical containment.
By early January, PRC messaging began defending Russia-linked energy trade more explicitly, signaling Beijing's willingness to accept secondary sanctions as a baseline risk (MFA, January 8). The two countries continue to coordinate statements that Japan's "remilitarization" represented a threat to postwar international order and regional peace (Xinhua, January 15; Sputnik, February 4; MOFCOM, February 26). On January 27, the defense ministers of both countries held a high-profile video call emphasizing "deepening joint exercises, personnel training, and ... promoting strategic coordination" to respond to external risks (Ministry of National Defense, January 27). In early February, the MFA stated that the two countries now maintain "highly consistent" positions on Japan-related issues, effectively folding the Japan theater into a unified Eurasian strategic front. They also maintained synchronization regarding nuclear arms control, with Beijing backing Russia's position on pressuring the United States to join talks following the expiry of the nuclear arms reduction treaty commonly known as New START (MFA, February 3).
The two leaders' symbolic video meeting on Lunar New Year--the first time their early-year call has been explicitly tied to the PRC's cultural calendar--announced a "new blueprint" for the relationship (Xinhua, February 4). According to the Chinese readout, the call focused on the three key rhetorical pillars of shared opposition to NATO and the U.S. alliance system in Asia: defending the World War II settlement, "global strategic stability", and the United Nations-centered order. Xi also highlighted "steady momentum" in trade and economic cooperation, while Putin named specific sectors: energy, technology, and agriculture. Around the same time, Politburo standing committee member Wang Huning met with leaders of the far-right Russian Liberal Democratic Party (nominally an opposition party but de facto under the Kremlin's control), signaling an intention to "deepen relations between Russian and PRC governments and legislative bodies" (People's Daily, February 3).
Energy flows have remained a core interest on both sides, with cargoes from the Russian liquefied natural gas project Arctic LNG 2 continuing to reach the PRC despite external sanctions. On January 29, the National Energy Administration (NEA) met with Russian counterparts, to discuss "deepening" energy cooperation in oil, gas, and new energy (NEA, January 29). By February 16, reports indicated that the PRC's Russian oil imports hit record levels, driven by significant discounts and sanctions-driven supply reshuffling (Reuters, February 16).
Conclusion
Beijing and Moscow have reactivated bloc logic in Eurasia. Historically characterized by hierarchical alignment, institutional coupling, and coordinated threat perception, bloc politics involves a dominant power providing economic ballast and strategic direction, while junior members supply forward pressure and absorb risk. During the Cold War, such systems were largely defined by routinized military coordination, integrated economic planning, and a narrowing of diplomatic optionality among subordinate states. The PRC-Russia relationship has now crossed that structural threshold, and exhibits the core features of bloc formation.
If this logic holds, Russia's trajectory will increasingly resemble that of a junior bloc member; less an equal pole than a forward-deployed escalatory actor whose economic survival and industrial throughput depend on the senior partner. Like East Germany or Poland within the Soviet system, Moscow retains formal sovereignty but operates within a tightening perimeter of strategic coordination, where major energy, financial, and security decisions are nested inside a broader architecture shaped in Beijing. This new equilibrium represents a kind of durable asymmetry: a Eurasian axis in which the PRC stabilizes and systematizes, while Russia acts as a disruptor and force multiplier at the margins. This structural condition is set to deepen as long as confrontation with the West remains the organizing principle of both regimes.
* * *
Dr. Matthew Johnson is a Senior Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation.
* * *
Original text here: https://jamestown.org/strategic-eurasianism-xi-and-putin-cement-bloc-alignment/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Capital Research Center Issues InfluenceWatch Wrapup on March 20, 2026
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Capital Research Center issued the following InfluenceWatch wrapup on March 20, 2026, by Jonathan Harsh:
* * *
InfluenceWatch, a project of Capital Research Center, is a comprehensive and ever-evolving compilation of our research into the numerous advocacy groups, foundations, and donors working to influence the public policy process. The website offers transparency into these influencers' funding, motives, and connections while providing insight often neglected by other watchdog groups.
The information compiled in InfluenceWatch gives news outlets and other interested
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Capital Research Center issued the following InfluenceWatch wrapup on March 20, 2026, by Jonathan Harsh:
* * *
InfluenceWatch, a project of Capital Research Center, is a comprehensive and ever-evolving compilation of our research into the numerous advocacy groups, foundations, and donors working to influence the public policy process. The website offers transparency into these influencers' funding, motives, and connections while providing insight often neglected by other watchdog groups.
The information compiled in InfluenceWatch gives news outlets and other interestedparties research to use in reporting on significant topics that are often overlooked by the American public.
CRC is pleased to present some of the most significant additions to InfluenceWatch in the past week:
* America Votes Education Fund is a left-of-center advocacy group that promotes voter registration and education. It is the charitable arm of America Votes, a left-of-center lobbying and advocacy coalition that claims to be the "coordination hub of the progressive community." American Votes Education Fund has received funding from organizations that include Future Forward USA Action, the New Venture Fund, the Marin Community Foundation, the Tides Foundation, and the Amalgamated Charitable Foundation.
* 10,000 Degrees is a nonprofit that promotes "educational equity" by supporting low-income students in higher education. In October 2025, it was reported that 10,000 Degrees received a $42 million donation from MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos, through her philanthropic vehicle Yield Giving. Listed partner foundations of 10,000 Degrees include the Bank of America Foundation, the Marin Community Foundation, and the Peter E. Haas Jr. Family Fund.
* Democracy and Power Innovation Fund (DPI Fund) is a fiscally sponsored project of the Rockefeller Family Fund that works to build a "progressive multiracial democracy" through "multiracial democratic practice" and "organized power." According to its website, DPI Fund's partner groups include the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, Voces de la Frontera, the New Georgia Project, Missouri Organizing and Voter Engagement (MOVE) Collaborative, and Color of Change. Listed funders include the NoVo Foundation, the K. Kellogg Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Heising-Simons Foundation, and the Libra Foundation.
* Trustees for Alaska is a public interest law firm that engages in environmental and climate-related litigation within the state. Its clients have included the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Greenpeace, the League of Conservation Voters, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. In 2024, its funders included the Campion Foundation, the Northlight Foundation, Patagonia, the Tortuga Foundation, and the WestWind Foundation.
* Forward Together Wisconsin is an advocacy group founded by former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes (D) to promote left-of-center energy policies at the state and national level. In 2024, it hosted a conference sponsored by Invest in Our Future, Citizen Action, the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, the Open Society Foundations, and a number of other groups to "celebrate the successes of the Inflation Reduction Act" passed during the Biden Administration. Forward Together Wisconsin has received funding from the Tides Foundation, the Amalgamated Charitable Foundation, the Windward Fund, and the Muriel Pollia Foundation.
* * *
Jonathan Harsh holds a master's degree in political science from James Madison University and a bachelor's degree in political science from Beloit College.
* * *
Original text here: https://capitalresearch.org/article/influencewatch-friday-3-20-2026/
[Category: ThinkTank]
American Action Forum Issues Commentary: Tracker - The Federal Reserve's Balance Sheet Assets
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The American Action Forum issued the following commentary on March 20, 2026, by Financial Services Policy Director Thomas Kingsley:
* * *
Tracker: The Federal Reserve's Balance Sheet Assets
Introduction
This tracker follows the Federal Reserve's (Fed) total consolidated assets, held on its balance sheet, as the best indicator of the Fed's direct intervention in the economy.
Context
The Fed's dual mandate requires it to ensure both stable prices and maximum employment. The traditional tool the Fed uses to accomplish these goals is the adjustment of the federal funds
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The American Action Forum issued the following commentary on March 20, 2026, by Financial Services Policy Director Thomas Kingsley:
* * *
Tracker: The Federal Reserve's Balance Sheet Assets
Introduction
This tracker follows the Federal Reserve's (Fed) total consolidated assets, held on its balance sheet, as the best indicator of the Fed's direct intervention in the economy.
Context
The Fed's dual mandate requires it to ensure both stable prices and maximum employment. The traditional tool the Fed uses to accomplish these goals is the adjustment of the federal fundsrate, the short-term interest rate that determines how much it costs for banks to lend to each other overnight. The 2007-2008 financial crisis, however, demonstrated that even lowering the interest rate to zero was considered insufficient to shore up economies in freefall, and the Fed turned to more unusual tactics. One of these measures was what the Fed refers to as "large-scale asset purchases," which is more commonly known as "quantitative easing." Under this process, the Fed enters the market to buy securities, typically mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and Treasuries, injecting both capital and liquidity into the market. This approach is not without risks - for the first time in its history, the Fed is regulator, supervisor, and now participant in the economy.
The development of quantitative easing as a go-to tool for the Fed in times of crisis has led to an unprecedented focus on one of its traditionally unremarkable aspects - the Fed total assets. Just as with any other firm, securities that the Fed purchases are considered assets and therefore are represented on the Fed's balance sheet. This therefore is the most reflective guide of the state of quantitative easing and, by extension, the degree to which the Fed has deemed it necessary to intervene in the economy.
Each week, the Federal Reserve publishes its balance sheet, typically on Wednesday afternoon around 4:30 p.m.
As of March 18, the Fed's assets stand at $6.7 trillion.
Sources:
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WALCL
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TREAST
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WSHOMCB
* * *
Thomas Kingsley is the Director of Financial Services Policy at the American Action Forum.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americanactionforum.org/insight/tracker-the-federal-reserves-balance-sheet/
[Category: Think Tank]
America First Policy Institute Issues Commentary to Fox News: There's a Nuclear Solution to Recharging American Industry
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on March 20, 2026, by Ted Ellis, campaign director of Power America and deputy director of energy and environment, to Fox News:
* * *
There's a Nuclear Solution to Recharging American Industry
In February, the United States airlifted a nuclear microreactor for the first time. It was more than a technical achievement - it was a symbol of transformation, akin to the launch of the first steam-powered sailing ships that reshaped global commerce. And just as we couldn't build the progress of the
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on March 20, 2026, by Ted Ellis, campaign director of Power America and deputy director of energy and environment, to Fox News:
* * *
There's a Nuclear Solution to Recharging American Industry
In February, the United States airlifted a nuclear microreactor for the first time. It was more than a technical achievement - it was a symbol of transformation, akin to the launch of the first steam-powered sailing ships that reshaped global commerce. And just as we couldn't build the progress of the20th century on the back of wind-powered ships, we can't power the 21st-century economy with unreliable, weather-dependent energy sources. America's future prosperity requires abundant, affordable and reliable power to complement America's vast reserves of fossil fuels. The solution is clear: a new generation of advanced nuclear reactors.
America is entering a new era of industrial revival, powered by a surge in domestic manufacturing and the rise of artificial intelligence. This surge is creating an unprecedented thirst for electricity. After a decade of flat demand, America's industries are roaring back to life. But grid operators are warning of a looming "reliability crisis" as reliable power plants are retired far faster than they are replaced.
Meanwhile, the demand from AI, electrification and resurgent manufacturing is projected to add as much as 166 gigawatts (15 times what New York City requires) of new peak load by the end of the decade - an unprecedented surge that will strain existing infrastructure.
To read the full article, click here (https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/newt-gingrich-jason-hayes-theres-nuclear-solution-recharging-american-industry).
* * *
Ted Ellis is the Campaign Director of Power America, and Deputy Director of Energy and Environment at AFPI, where he spearheads strategic initiatives to strengthen America's energy dominance.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/theres-a-nuclear-solution-to-recharging-american-industry
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI Debunks Claims That AI Data Centers Will Drain Water
WASHINGTON, March 21 (TNSrep) -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following news release on March 20, 2026:
* * *
AFPI Debunks Claims that AI Data Centers will Drain Water
This week, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released a new expert insight (https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/the-data-center-water-use-hoax), debunking claims that artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are draining America's water supply. The report shows that even under the highest estimates, all U.S. data centers together account for a small fraction of America's freshwater use while powering
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 (TNSrep) -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following news release on March 20, 2026:
* * *
AFPI Debunks Claims that AI Data Centers will Drain Water
This week, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released a new expert insight (https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/the-data-center-water-use-hoax), debunking claims that artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are draining America's water supply. The report shows that even under the highest estimates, all U.S. data centers together account for a small fraction of America's freshwater use while poweringeconomic growth and strengthening our national security.
"The AI 'water crisis' is a hoax," said Yusuf Mahmood, AFPI's Director of AI and Emerging Technology. "Data centers account for a rounding error of our total water use but deliver outsized gains for workers, communities, and American power."
AFPI will continue to champion policies that unleash American innovation dominance in the AI and emerging technology space. The United States must lead the world's AI revolution.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-debunks-claims-that-ai-data-centers-will-drain-water
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI Applauds Kansas Legislature for Passing Education Freedom Bill Expanding Scholarship Opportunities
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 20, 2026:
* * *
AFPI Applauds Kansas Legislature for Passing Education Freedom Bill Expanding Scholarship Opportunities
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) issued the following statement after the Kansas State Legislature passed House Bill 2468, which elects Kansas to participate in the federal education freedom tax credit and expands the state's existing tax credit scholarship program. The bill now heads to Governor Laura Kelly's desk.
"Kansas parents deserve to be in the driver's seat
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 20, 2026:
* * *
AFPI Applauds Kansas Legislature for Passing Education Freedom Bill Expanding Scholarship Opportunities
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) issued the following statement after the Kansas State Legislature passed House Bill 2468, which elects Kansas to participate in the federal education freedom tax credit and expands the state's existing tax credit scholarship program. The bill now heads to Governor Laura Kelly's desk.
"Kansas parents deserve to be in the driver's seatwhen it comes to their children's education. AFPI applauds the Kansas State Legislature for passing House Bill 2468," said Erika Donalds, Chair of Education Opportunity at the America First Policy Institute. "By opting in to the federal education tax credit, Kansas will empower families with greater education opportunities while ensuring charitable contributions stay in-state to support students and strengthen communities."
"House Bill 2468 also increases the maximum dollar amount of charitable donations to the state's tax credit program. We are grateful to Kansas lawmakers for advancing multiple policies that expand education freedom and put students first. This legislation represents a meaningful step forward to educational freedom for all Kansas families."
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear recently vetoed similar legislation that would have codified the state's participation in the federal tax credit. On March 17, the Kentucky General Assembly voted to override that veto. Kentucky will now join nearly 30 other states that have opted in to the program, whether by governor election or legislation.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-applauds-kansas-legislature-for-passing-education-freedom-bill-and-expanding-scholarship-opportunities
[Category: ThinkTank]
America First Policy Institute Issues Commentary to Arizona Daily Independent: Secure the Network, Secure the Homeland
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on March 20, 2026, by Bella Grabowski, Sovereign and Strong America campaign director, to Arizona Daily Independent:
* * *
Secure the Network, Secure the Homeland
As global competition intensifies, America's adversaries are increasingly targeting the infrastructure that connects us all together. Telecommunications networks and data centers are no longer just economic assets; they are national security targets.
The word "critical" in critical infrastructure is not symbolic; it's literal.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on March 20, 2026, by Bella Grabowski, Sovereign and Strong America campaign director, to Arizona Daily Independent:
* * *
Secure the Network, Secure the Homeland
As global competition intensifies, America's adversaries are increasingly targeting the infrastructure that connects us all together. Telecommunications networks and data centers are no longer just economic assets; they are national security targets.
The word "critical" in critical infrastructure is not symbolic; it's literal.In our very interconnected world, when these systems fail or are compromised, everything from emergency services to energy delivery, communications, and economic activity can grind to a halt.
And unlike traditional wars fought between armies, the modern competition with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) targets civilian systems first, meaning ordinary Americans, their homes, and their communities on the front line.
To keep reading, click here (https://www.yourvalley.net/stories/arizona-hb-2134-secure-the-network-secure-the-homeland,671935).
* * *
Bella Grabowski serves as the Sovereign and Strong America Campaign Director at the America First Policy Institute.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/secure-the-network-secure-the-homeland
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI: National Framework Will Help Ensure American AI Dominance
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 20, 2026:
* * *
AFPI: National Framework Will Help Ensure American AI Dominance
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement from Yusuf Mahmood, Director of AI and Emerging Technology, in response to President Trump's newly announced national AI legislative framework:
"We commend President Trump on publishing the National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence. It includes America First recommendations that will ensure American AI dominance and preserve key
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 20, 2026:
* * *
AFPI: National Framework Will Help Ensure American AI Dominance
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement from Yusuf Mahmood, Director of AI and Emerging Technology, in response to President Trump's newly announced national AI legislative framework:
"We commend President Trump on publishing the National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence. It includes America First recommendations that will ensure American AI dominance and preserve keyareas of state sovereignty.
Protecting children and families, deregulating AI infrastructure while safeguarding household energy bills, defending the American worker, preventing future government censorship, and empowering our national security agencies to collaborate on frontier technologies are all essential to any federal AI framework. Now it is time for Congress to further develop and codify these common-sense policies."
AFPI has long aligned with President Trump's call for a national AI framework and looks forward to helping advance this agenda. AFPI continues to develop specific legislative recommendations in many of these areas, including infrastructure deregulation, AI censorship and transparency, child safety, tracking AI's workforce impacts, and AI capacity in national security.
Click here (https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/policy-areas/ai-and-emerging-technology) to learn more about AFPI's AI and Emerging Technology work.
Yusuf Mahmood, Director of AI and Emerging Technology, is available for interview. Click here (https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/contact/comms-team) to schedule.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-national-framework-will-help-ensure-american-ai-dominance
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI Debunks Claims That AI Data Centers Will Drain Water
WASHINGTON, March 21 (TNSrep) -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following news release on March 20, 2026:
* * *
AFPI Debunks Claims that AI Data Centers will Drain Water
This week, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released a new expert insight (https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/the-data-center-water-use-hoax), debunking claims that artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are draining America's water supply. The report shows that even under the highest estimates, all U.S. data centers together account for a small fraction of America's freshwater use while powering
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 (TNSrep) -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following news release on March 20, 2026:
* * *
AFPI Debunks Claims that AI Data Centers will Drain Water
This week, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released a new expert insight (https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/the-data-center-water-use-hoax), debunking claims that artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are draining America's water supply. The report shows that even under the highest estimates, all U.S. data centers together account for a small fraction of America's freshwater use while poweringeconomic growth and strengthening our national security.
"The AI 'water crisis' is a hoax," said Yusuf Mahmood, AFPI's Director of AI and Emerging Technology. "Data centers account for a rounding error of our total water use but deliver outsized gains for workers, communities, and American power."
AFPI will continue to champion policies that unleash American innovation dominance in the AI and emerging technology space. The United States must lead the world's AI revolution.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-debunks-claims-that-ai-data-centers-will-drain-water
[Category: ThinkTank]
AFPI Applauds Kansas Legislature for Passing Education Freedom Bill Expanding Scholarship Opportunities
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 20, 2026:
* * *
AFPI Applauds Kansas Legislature for Passing Education Freedom Bill Expanding Scholarship Opportunities
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) issued the following statement after the Kansas State Legislature passed House Bill 2468, which elects Kansas to participate in the federal education freedom tax credit and expands the state's existing tax credit scholarship program. The bill now heads to Governor Laura Kelly's desk.
"Kansas parents deserve to be in the driver's seat
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 20, 2026:
* * *
AFPI Applauds Kansas Legislature for Passing Education Freedom Bill Expanding Scholarship Opportunities
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) issued the following statement after the Kansas State Legislature passed House Bill 2468, which elects Kansas to participate in the federal education freedom tax credit and expands the state's existing tax credit scholarship program. The bill now heads to Governor Laura Kelly's desk.
"Kansas parents deserve to be in the driver's seatwhen it comes to their children's education. AFPI applauds the Kansas State Legislature for passing House Bill 2468," said Erika Donalds, Chair of Education Opportunity at the America First Policy Institute. "By opting in to the federal education tax credit, Kansas will empower families with greater education opportunities while ensuring charitable contributions stay in-state to support students and strengthen communities."
"House Bill 2468 also increases the maximum dollar amount of charitable donations to the state's tax credit program. We are grateful to Kansas lawmakers for advancing multiple policies that expand education freedom and put students first. This legislation represents a meaningful step forward to educational freedom for all Kansas families."
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear recently vetoed similar legislation that would have codified the state's participation in the federal tax credit. On March 17, the Kentucky General Assembly voted to override that veto. Kentucky will now join nearly 30 other states that have opted in to the program, whether by governor election or legislation.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/afpi-applauds-kansas-legislature-for-passing-education-freedom-bill-and-expanding-scholarship-opportunities
[Category: ThinkTank]
America First Policy Institute Issues Commentary to Fox News: There's a Nuclear Solution to Recharging American Industry
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on March 20, 2026, by Ted Ellis, campaign director of Power America and deputy director of energy and environment, to Fox News:
* * *
There's a Nuclear Solution to Recharging American Industry
In February, the United States airlifted a nuclear microreactor for the first time. It was more than a technical achievement - it was a symbol of transformation, akin to the launch of the first steam-powered sailing ships that reshaped global commerce. And just as we couldn't build the progress of the
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on March 20, 2026, by Ted Ellis, campaign director of Power America and deputy director of energy and environment, to Fox News:
* * *
There's a Nuclear Solution to Recharging American Industry
In February, the United States airlifted a nuclear microreactor for the first time. It was more than a technical achievement - it was a symbol of transformation, akin to the launch of the first steam-powered sailing ships that reshaped global commerce. And just as we couldn't build the progress of the20th century on the back of wind-powered ships, we can't power the 21st-century economy with unreliable, weather-dependent energy sources. America's future prosperity requires abundant, affordable and reliable power to complement America's vast reserves of fossil fuels. The solution is clear: a new generation of advanced nuclear reactors.
America is entering a new era of industrial revival, powered by a surge in domestic manufacturing and the rise of artificial intelligence. This surge is creating an unprecedented thirst for electricity. After a decade of flat demand, America's industries are roaring back to life. But grid operators are warning of a looming "reliability crisis" as reliable power plants are retired far faster than they are replaced.
Meanwhile, the demand from AI, electrification and resurgent manufacturing is projected to add as much as 166 gigawatts (15 times what New York City requires) of new peak load by the end of the decade - an unprecedented surge that will strain existing infrastructure.
To read the full article, click here (https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/newt-gingrich-jason-hayes-theres-nuclear-solution-recharging-american-industry).
* * *
Ted Ellis is the Campaign Director of Power America, and Deputy Director of Energy and Environment at AFPI, where he spearheads strategic initiatives to strengthen America's energy dominance.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/theres-a-nuclear-solution-to-recharging-american-industry
[Category: ThinkTank]
