Politics and views in the United States.

U.S.-Venezuela tensions escalate with the seizure of an oil tanker. The Senate prepares to vote on a GOP healthcare plan and the House approves a new National Defense Authorization Act.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks where we're following our democracy in historic times.

We've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized actually.

After the US seized an oil tanker off Venezuela, President Donald Trump said America will keep the oil on board, citing sanctions on the vessel for Iranian oil trading under a previous name.

The move is increasing already high tensions with a carrier group deployed there in special forces striking alleged drug boats.

The administration says they want to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Officials close to Maduro report he's considering leaving in 2027, though observers say that's likely not soon enough for Trump.

The New York Times reports the Pentagon is drawing up plans to kill or capture him.

The Senate is preparing to vote on the GOP's health care plan.

It would increase funds for health savings accounts Americans could use with the lowest tiers of insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

It also gives people options to buy those low-premium plans with less coverage and higher out-of-pocket costs.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says unlike the ACA, this plan will make health care affordable again.

The proposal we'll put out there will bring insurance premiums down, it will be fiscally responsible and it will get us away from the practice of giving the money all to the insurance companies and put it back in the hands of the patients.

But experts say the Republican plan doesn't provide enough assistance to make plans affordable.

Without pandemic era subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, average premiums on an ACA plan will more than double.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says the GOP bill is "junk insurance."

The bill not only fails to extend the tax credits, it increases costs, adds tons of new abortion restrictions for women, expands junk fees, and permanently funds cost-sharing reductions.

The House has passed the $900 billion National Defense Authorization Act.

Despite bipartisan support, this year's huge defense budget faces opposition over specific items added or left out, some even coming from other federal agencies.

Jennifer Homendy with the National Transportation Safety Board opposes a provision reversing safety standards put in place after a midair collision earlier this year in Washington, D.C.'s airspace.

"We should be working together in partnership to prevent the next accident, not inviting history to repeat itself by recreating the same conditions that were in place on January 29th."

Texas college students and professors told a House Democratic caucus meeting that Republican-backed anti-DEI bills at the state legislature are a threat to free speech and academic freedom.

UT Austin professor Karma Chavez says a lot of students tell her they plan to leave the state right after graduation because they don't feel safe.

Hostility to academic freedom translates to hostility to creatives, truth lovers, innovators, and pioneers.

And we will be left paying the bill of an investment into potential that we have abandoned because we have also abandoned academic freedom and free speech.

Chavez says after one student mocked the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Governor Greg Abbott called for their expulsion and others called for the "ninja" to face a firing squad. or use "strange fruit tactics" to make blacks afraid again.

I'm Edwin J. Viera for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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