House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is subpoenaing a doctor allegedly behind a sprawling birth tourism scheme based in Florida.

It comes as Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, is setting his sights on a new target after his crackdown on the Smithsonian Institution made headlines and thrust fresh scrutiny onto its teaching of American history.

Gill’s task force on investigating institutional abuses, which is part of the House Oversight Committee, is now gearing up for a hearing on the practice of birth tourism — something the White House sounded the alarm on just this month.

As part of the hearing, Comer sent a subpoena to Dr. Wladimir Lorentz of Have My Baby in Miami, a South Florida business that’s aimed at helping foreigners give birth in the United States. The hearing is expected to take place Sept. 1.

Comer accused Lorentz of refusing to voluntarily appear via his attorney, and in a letter sent with the subpoena on Tuesday, Comer said Lorentz’s attorney argued he could not speak with the committee due to a pending criminal probe being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

“As the Founder and Chief Medical Officer of a company doing business as ‘Have My Baby in Miami,’ your knowledge regarding the company’s marketing practices and direct observations relevant to the birth tourism industry is vital to the immediate investigation,” Comer’s subpoena letter read.

SEN ERIC SCHMITT SEEKS TO END BIRTH TOURISM, REVOKE CITIZENSHIP FOR BABIES OF FOREIGN DIPLOMATS

“Furthermore, given the national security concerns raised by birth tourism, delaying the hearing or deferring your testimony to some unknown date in the (potentially far) future would be an extraordinary action that would curtail the Committee’s ability to glean valuable information that will inform its oversight and further its legislative goals.”

Meanwhile, Gill echoed Comer’s concerns over national security.

BIRTH TOURISM FIGHT SHIFTS TO US ‘TROPICAL MATERNITY WARD’ WITH HISTORY OF CHINESE EXPLOITATION

“A growing industry is openly marketing American citizenship to foreign nationals who travel here for the express purpose of giving birth on U.S. soil. This abuse of our immigration system also raises serious national security concerns, particularly given the number of birth tourists traveling from adversarial nations like China and Russia,” the House GOP firebrand said.

His panel’s Sept. 1 hearing is also expected to feature testimony from Dr. Steve Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies. The medical director and owner of a company called International Maternity Services, Dr. Julio César Novoa, was also invited.

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Gill’s new task force, which was founded this year, has largely focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts across various sectors of American life.

He’s held hearings on whether the Smithsonian’s teaching of U.S. history involved overly ideological and political leanings, and whether DEI plays a role in running the American Bar Association (ABA).

Birth tourism is the colloquial term for the general practice of foreign nationals coming to the U.S. on temporary visas for the purpose of having a child who then automatically becomes an American citizen.

President Donald Trump targeted birth tourism in a recent executive order after the Supreme Court struck down his efforts to curb birthright citizenship writ large. He also signed an order banning specific categories, such as children born to foreign government workers, from automatically getting U.S. citizenship.

Have My Baby in Miami is just one company that appears to make it more accessible for foreigners to give birth in the U.S. Its website and social media pages appeared to be disabled as of Thursday.

But a YouTube page that appears to be associated with the business states, “Many people have questions about how to have a child in the United States, and we can help clarify how to deliver in Miami, how to live in the United States during your pregnancy, how to have a baby in the United States, how much it costs to deliver in the United States and how to go through pregnancy in the United States.”

“Children who are born in the United States, with rare exceptions, have US citizenship,” the summary states.

An October 2025 article by Local 10 in Florida appears to have obtained information from the now-deleted pages, including that the company reportedly touted that it helped deliver 2,000 babies.

It’s not yet clear if Lorentz will appear. But defying a congressional subpoena could risk criminal charges.

Fox News Digital reached out to his lawyer for comment.

The fuel most Americans rarely think about is becoming a new hurdle for President Donald Trump’s push to make housing more affordable, as the Iran war raises costs for construction sites.

With the midterm elections approaching, the diesel surge underscores the political tension facing Trump and congressional Republicans as they promise to bring down housing costs while war-driven energy prices add new pressure to home construction.

Builders are already wrestling with expensive financing, labor, materials and costs tied to regulations and permitting that Republicans have pledged to reduce. Because diesel powers the trucks and heavy equipment used throughout the construction process, higher prices can make it harder to deliver the lower-priced homes needed to ease America’s affordability crunch.

AMERICA’S HOUSING MARKET COULD RUN OUT OF SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOMES

Jim Tobin, president and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), told Fox News Digital that diesel is “critical to construction.”

“Diesel, which our workers use when they’re hauling materials on trucks and moving dirt on sites, has seen a spike, and that has really put a little bit of pressure on home building in the short term here.”

Unlike gasoline, which is felt most directly by motorists, diesel powers the trucks hauling lumber, concrete, appliances and other supplies to construction sites, as well as the heavy equipment that prepares lots and builds new homes.

The national average price of on-highway diesel climbed to $5.65 a gallon this week, up nearly $2.00 from a year ago, according to data compiled by the Energy Information Administration. Diesel’s year-over-year increase has been far sharper than gasoline’s, with the national average for regular gas at about $4.09 a gallon.

The added pressure comes as Trump has made housing affordability a key part of his second-term agenda. In March, he signed an executive order directing federal agencies to reduce regulatory barriers that raise construction and homeownership costs, with an emphasis on speeding permitting and expanding supply.

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But even as the administration targets regulatory costs, builders say other expenses can quickly offset those savings.

Tobin said the industry has so far seen only a modest impact from tariffs on construction inputs. But he has begun hearing from manufacturers announcing price increases, particularly those tied to steel and aluminum costs. Diesel adds another layer of pressure by raising the cost of both getting materials to a job site and completing the work once they arrive.

The issue is especially significant in fast-growing states across the South and Southwest, where an influx of residents, businesses and capital has fueled demand for new housing.

“States that find themselves ahead of the curve are planning those two critical components, infrastructure and housing, together,” Tobin said. “They’re going to be better prepared for growth in the future.”

Builders are also grappling with a persistent shortage of construction workers. Tobin said the industry is roughly 250,000 workers short, raising labor costs and contributing to project delays.

More homes are needed to ease price pressures, but each increase in the cost of labor, land, materials, financing or fuel makes that task harder. Diesel may not appear on a buyer’s closing documents, but its cost can still be felt long before they get the keys.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Conservatives piled on Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell after she argued Republicans are trying to make Michigan’s Senate race about socialist streamer Hasan Piker, with critics saying her frustration only highlighted a political vulnerability for Democrats.

“Debbie Dingell CRASHES OUT over terrorist-sympathizer Hasan Piker who has called to kill Republicans,’” wrote the Republican National Committee’s research account.

Critics took aim at Dingell for campaigning with Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed after she told reporters she was done answering questions about Piker, whose past inflammatory remarks have drawn renewed scrutiny and pressure on Democrats to respond.

DEMOCRATS CONDEMNING HASAN PIKER AS BACKLASH SPREADS THROUGH PARTY

“YIKES: Democrats are getting tired of defending Abdul El-Sayed for his antisemitic campaign surrogate Hasan Piker Rep. Debbie Dingell: ‘I am DONE. So don’t any reporter ask me again about Hasan Piker.’ El-Sayed has yet to disavow Piker,” wrote Senate Republicans on X.

“Hint: she can stop these Qs by disassociating herself with Piker & stopping campaigning with him,” wrote Crime Prevention Research Center president John R. Lott Jr.

“Debbie Dingell does not want anyone talking about Hasan Piker because it is bad for Democrats ahead of the midterms… Watch how fast they all forget that Hasan Piker exists. I want to hammer this. If Dems like Dingell continue to slam Piker… he will hit back,” said conservative commentator Shawn Farash.

Dingell took the stage at an Ann Arbor town hall with Rep. Jamie Raskin to campaign for El-Sayed on Wednesday, arguing Piker is not central to the race in Michigan.

“I am done, so don’t any reporter ask me again about Hasan Piker,” Dingell said. “It’s not what November is about. Republicans are trying to make it – they’re trying to divide us, and we got to stop letting them try to divide us,” said Dingell.

PIKER DEMANDS DEMOCRATS DEFEND HIM FROM ATTACKS, CLAIMS HE’S NO ‘TOXIC RADICAL FORCE’

“I don’t agree with Hasan Piker on a lot of stuff, and I really don’t agree with him on some of the woman things he said. And I’m still trying to figure out, is it the reason he exercises and looks buff is why he has so many followers,” she added.

Dingell’s office also told Fox News Digital that she would not answer further questions about Piker.

“Congresswoman Dingell made clear this afternoon she will not answer any more questions about him. She doesn’t agree with him on many things, but this election isn’t about him. It’s about healthcare, affordability, hunger and other issues that impact working men and women,” Dingell spokesperson Matt Krack told Fox News Digital Wednesday.

Conservatives and other social media commenters continued to seize on Dingell’s remarks, arguing that her frustration only underscored the political vulnerability surrounding Piker’s association with El-Sayed.

“No, your party can’t stand up and say anything because they are so in shambles that they need a radical,” wrote popular account Defiant L’s.

“Debbie just told everyone what the Dems weak point is. Be a shame if this got exploited,” wrote one user on X.

“Good example of the contrast in messaging between establishment Democrats who see their interest as winning the race and having a Senate majority, and the ones who see their interest as losing the race in order to advance their own factional agenda,” pointed out one user.

“Call me crazy, but I think everyone should bring up the Democrat surrogate who thinks America deserved 9/11…,” wrote Heritage Foundation media fellow Tim Young.

“’Republicans are trying to divide us by pointing out that we are campaigning with a person who said America Deserved 9/11! Republicans are monsters! Blarrrgggg!!!’ Newsflash, you don’t get to play victim when you and your party openly campaign with extremists who hate America,” said Michigan Forward Network director of Advocacy Mike Banerian.

EL-SAYED PALS AROUND WITH FAR-LEFT STREAMER HASAN PIKER THE DAY BEFORE CRUCIAL MICHIGAN SENATE ELECTION

Socialist streamer Hasan Piker’s continued association with El-Sayed has come under fire from Republicans and other critics, particularly as Piker faces renewed scrutiny over inflammatory remarks from his past.

Piker has faced widespread criticism for saying that “America deserved 9/11” and, in another resurfaced remark, calling to let the streets soak in “red capitalist blood.”

El-Sayed was pressed on Piker’s remark during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” earlier this month.

“It was a dumb statement,” El-Sayed said, while making clear that he did not believe America deserved the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but rejected the idea that Piker should be cast aside over it.

In a statement earlier this month, El-Sayed called antisemitism “a scourge,” condemned rhetoric that puts Jewish Americans at risk and said “nobody speaks for this campaign besides me and my campaign spokespeople.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Hasan Piker for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump took to social media ahead of the latest round of Republican primary elections to emphasize, “My Endorsements are stronger than ever….There has never been anything close!”

The numbers back up the president’s assertions that despite some setbacks, he remains the ultimate kingmaker in GOP nomination showdowns.

According to a Fox News Trump Primary Endorsement Tracker, the president is batting a thousand in Senate primaries so far this cycle, with all 24 of his endorsed candidates winning their contests.

In House races, Trump has a nearly perfect record, with 214 of the 218 candidates he endorsed winning their primaries.

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In gubernatorial showdowns, Trump-backed candidates have suffered a handful of high-profile defeats, but overall, 16 of the 21 contenders for governor the president has endorsed have captured the party’s nomination.

This week, Trump-backed candidates scored statewide victories in two very competitive contests.

Trump-endorsed Sen. Darline Graham of South Carolina, who was recently appointed to fill the remaining months of her late brother Sen. Lindsey Graham’s current term, edged conservative Rep. Ralph Norman in a runoff to win the GOP Senate nomination for November’s election. Graham will face the Democratic nominee in November in the race for the final months of her late brother’s Senate term.

WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE MIDTERM RACES SHOW

In Oklahoma, former state budget secretary and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei captured the GOP gubernatorial nomination by just 2,000 votes over rival Gentner Drummond, the state attorney general.

“I supported and ENDORSED two so-called ‘underdogs’ yesterday, one from South Carolina, and the other from Oklahoma, and they BOTH WON,” the president posted on social media Wednesday, following Tuesday’s primaries.

The president pulled out all the stops to help push Graham, whose stumble over international affairs during a debate last week grabbed national attention, over the finish line.

Trump headlined a rally for Graham on Friday in Myrtle Beach, where he pledged federal funding for a long proposed new interstate highway in South Carolina. He also held a tele-rally for her on the eve of the primary. And MAGA Inc, the top Trump-aligned super PAC, dished out nearly $900,000 to support Graham’s campaign.

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But the Trump endorsement hasn’t proven to be a sure bet this cycle in South Carolina.

Trump backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette for the GOP gubernatorial nomination — in the race to succeed the term-limited McMaster — ahead of the state’s early June primary.

Evette was the top vote-getter in the primary but lost the ensuing runoff election against South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in a landslide. And Trump, ever hungry for a victory, endorsed Wilson in addition to Evette days before the runoff.

It’s undeniable that Trump has dramatically reshaped the GOP since his first White House victory a decade ago, with the populist MAGA and America First wings gaining prominence over more traditional fiscal and social conservatives.

And the president’s grip over party politics remains extremely firm.

But he has had some setbacks, with five of his gubernatorial picks in Republican primaries this year going down to defeat. Besides South Carolina’s Evette, that list includes Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Rep. Randy Feenstra of Iowa, who lost nominating contests this spring. And two weeks ago, Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder and Minnesota businessman and “My Pillow” founder and former CEO Mike Lindell fell short.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLS IN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS

Meanwhile, two House incumbents endorsed by the president also lost their bids for renomination this month: Reps. Andy Ogles of Tennessee and Cory Mills of Florida, who was facing multiple controversies.

“The Republican Party is Trump’s party, and there’s no question that an endorsement from the president provides a tremendous boost in a Republican primary. But it doesn’t necessarily mean the candidate’s going to win,” veteran GOP strategist and communicator Ryan Williams told Fox News Digital.

Williams said that “the president still has a firm grip on the party, even in places where a candidate he backed loses a nomination.” But he noted that “if there are underlying issues with a candidacy, those can pose problems that even an endorsement can’t overcome.”

After raging against a key tool in President Donald Trump’s economic arsenal, Senate Democrats quietly green-lit the authority before they left Washington, D.C.

Democrats have bashed Trump’s use of tariffs since they were first floated during his campaign in 2024, and have taken every chance to challenge and push back against duties imposed on other countries throughout his second term.

But nearly the entire Senate Democratic caucus voted in favor of giving Trump limited tariff authority in exchange for bone-crushing sanctions against Russia. Only nine Democrats, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., ultimately voted against the package.

PUTIN, RUSSIA PUT ON NOTICE AS SENATE TAKES CRUCIAL STEP TO GRIND DOWN THE KREMLIN’S WAR MACHINE

Now, Trump has ignited a trade war with Canada, introducing 50% tariffs against the country on roughly $20 billion worth of goods, which has reignited the debate on the campaign trail and as Democrats seek to flip the Senate and corral his authority.

Some warned that giving congressional approval would allow the administration to abuse the power.

“It gives Donald Trump massive new tariff authority that he can use to threaten our trading partners and raise prices on the American people,” Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said on the Senate floor. “I believe senators will come to deeply regret voting to give Donald Trump this tariff authority.”

Though not directly connected to the authority granted in the sanctions package, which directly deals with countries buying oil from Russia, Trump’s move to enter into a fight with one of America’s top trade partners is what he warned of: giving the White House congressional leeway.

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The tariff authority baked into the sanctions package would allow Trump to issue levies of up to 500% on Russian imports and tariffs of up to 100% on the top five countries buying Russian energy, like China and India.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who, alongside the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, pushed the package for nearly two years, told Fox News Digital that if Trump strays outside the legal confines built into the package, the courts will block him as they did with his sweeping tariffs unveiled on “Liberation Day” last year.

“If Donald Trump wants to break this law, he will be restrained by the courts, just as when he broke the law on tariffs previously,” Blumenthal said. “We can’t do any more than be explicit in limiting his authority to the top five purchasers, and only those countries, by the terms, specific in the legislation.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who went on to vote against the package, told reporters last month that Trump “has shown what he will do with broad tariff authority.”

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“Heck, he’s shown what he’ll do even if he doesn’t have authority,” she said.

And Paul, who has been one of the lone Republicans to consistently oppose Trump’s use of tariffs, introduced an amendment alongside Wyden to strip them from the broader package, warning that the duties were nothing more than an additional tax on the American people.

“Do not let sympathy for Ukraine blind you to the reality of tariffs,” Paul said.

One Senate Democrat, Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., received guarantees from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that the tariffs baked into the sanctions package would just be limited to the top five energy trading partners with the Kremlin.

He told Fox News Digital that the concern was that Trump could broadly bend the rules in the package and impose duties as he pleased, which is why he sought guardrails and commitments from the administration.

“It was important to hold [Vladimir] Putin accountable. He is a war criminal,” Warnock said. “His aggression towards Ukraine has national security implications for us. But at the same time, it was important to put some guardrails on this president. And I think I made considerable progress in making sure that that happens.”

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