Rubio Passport Power Grab Blocked: Democrats Deliver Crushing Blow to GOP Proposal

BREAKING NEWS Democrats Slam Proposal to Give Marco Rubio Power to Revoke Passports In a shocking move, the House Foreign Affairs Committee has formally killed a GOP proposal that would have given Secretary of State Marco Rubio unilateral power over passports. The proposal, introduced by Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), aimed to allow Rubio to refuse or revoke passports from individuals deemed to have provided material support to terrorists. Key Details Date: Thursday Time: [Not specified] Location: Washington D.C. Proposal: Introduced by Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) as an amendment to a State Department reorganization bill Timeline Last week: Mast introduced the original proposal, sparking outrage from civil liberties groups Sunday: Mast dropped the passport-revocation provision in an amended version of his bill Thursday: The House Foreign Affairs Committee formally approved the revised bill, killing the proposal Immediate Impact and Response Democrats slammed the proposal as a threat to civil liberties. "This is a power grab by Secretary Rubio that would have allowed him to unilaterally revoke passports without due process," said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). Republicans defended the move, arguing it was necessary to combat terrorism. Background Context The proposal has been widely criticized for its potential impact on civil liberties and the due process rights of American citizens. Civil liberties groups have expressed concerns that such a provision could be used to target individuals based on their political views or associations rather than actual terrorist ties. What Happens Next The revised bill, without the passport-revocation provision, is now headed to the House floor for a vote. If passed, it will move to the Senate for consideration. The outcome of this proposal has significant implications for Secretary Rubio's power and the balance between national security and civil liberties in the United States. *This story is developing. Information compiled from Theintercept reporting.*