By BEN FINLEY and STEPHEN GROVES, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is expected to vote this week on a bill authorizing $900 billion for military programs, including boosting pay for service members, cutting Pentagon diversity efforts and requiring footage to be released of forces blowing up alleged drug boats.

The National Defense Authorization Act is traditionally a strong bipartisan bill that lays out the nation’s defense policies. But it’s coming up for a vote as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces mounting scrutiny over the boat strikes off Venezuela’s coast.

Lawmakers’ concerns are apparent in the compromise bill released Sunday by the House Armed Services Committee. While it incorporates many of President Donald Trump’s executive orders, the defense bill demands more accountability over the administration’s campaign against Latin American drug cartels. It also reasserts a U.S. commitment to Europe following intense criticism of allies in Trump’s recently released national security strategy.

The House could vote as early as Wednesday on this year’s NDAA. Here are key things to know about the bill:

Demand for boat strike videos

Lawmakers are demanding the Pentagon hand over unedited video of strikes against drug cartels, threatening to withhold a quarter of Hegseth’s travel budget if it doesn’t.

The congressional committees overseeing the military have been pressing the Pentagon for more answers on a Sept. 2 strike following reports that U.S. forces fired on two survivors clinging to wreckage after their alleged drug-smuggling boat was attacked.

The legislation also requires the Pentagon to provide the orders behind each attack. Legal experts and some Democrats say the Sept. 2 follow-up strike violated the laws of war, despite the Trump administration’s assertions that the U.S. is in an armed conflict with drug cartels.

Aid for Ukraine

The legislation authorizes $400 million for each of the next two years to manufacture weapons to be sent to Ukraine.

The money represents only a small part of Kyiv’s overall needs for its fight against Russia, but it is still a show of support from Congress at a time when Trump’s backing for Ukraine has been in doubt.

The bill also requires the Pentagon to provide intelligence support for Ukraine, which the Trump administration had paused for several weeks earlier this year.

Keeping US troops in Europe, Korea

Congress is trying to reaffirm its commitment to European allies and NATO — a notable stance given the posture of the Trump administration.

One provision in the defense authorization bill requires the Pentagon to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment stationed in Europe unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests.

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Around 80,000 to 100,000 U.S. troops are usually present on European soil. NATO allies have expressed concern that the Trump administration might drastically cut their numbers and leave a security vacuum as European countries confront an increasingly aggressive Russia.

The Army said in late October that the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division will return to its base in Kentucky as previously planned but that no other U.S. troops would rotate into Europe to replace it.

The Trump administration says it’s been reviewing its military posture in Europe and elsewhere. In a speech Saturday, Hegseth criticized previous U.S. policies that “turned American allies into dependents.”

The defense bill also contains a provision to keep U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, setting the minimum requirement at 28,500.

Lack of IVF coverage

The bill is notable for lacking a provision to expand coverage of in vitro fertilization for active duty personnel. An earlier version covered the medical procedure, known as IVF, which helps people facing infertility to build their families.

Rep. Sara Jacobs, a California Democrat, said Sunday that Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson removed her provision in the bill for military health insurance to cover IVF for American troops.

“It’s an unbelievably selfish and callous move against people who’ve served and sacrificed so much for us, especially when he and his own staff have access to health care plans that provide IVF coverage,” Jacobs said in a news release.

Johnson’s office did not respond to an email seeking comment. He praised the NDAA in a statement for delivering on “Trump’s promise of peace through strength,” while noting that it provides a nearly 4% raise for service members.

Iraq war resolution repeal

The legislation also would put an official end to the war in Iraq by repealing the authorization for the 2003 invasion.

Supporters in both the House and Senate say the repeal is crucial to prevent future abuses and to reinforce that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the U.S. Both chambers voted earlier this year to include an amendment in the 2026 defense bill revoking the 2002 war resolution.

The 2002 resolution has been rarely used in recent years. But the first Trump administration cited it as part of its legal justification for a 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani.

Lifting final Syria sanctions

Congress would permanently remove the harshest U.S. sanctions left on Syria after the Trump administration has lifted many penalties.

Congress had imposed economically crippling sanctions on the country in 2019 to punish former leader Bashar Assad for human rights abuses during the nearly 14-year civil war. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is seeking to rebuild his nation’s economy after he led a successful insurgency that deposed Assad a year ago.

While the Trump administration had issued temporary waivers on the sanctions known as the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, they can only be permanently repealed by a vote in Congress.

Advocates of a permanent repeal have said international companies are unlikely to invest in projects needed for the country’s reconstruction as long as there is a threat of sanctions returning.

Cuts to climate and diversity initiatives

The bill makes $1.6 billion in cuts to climate change-related spending, the House Armed Services Committee said. The panel does not outline what would be eliminated, but the military has previously invested in hybrid electric ships and plans for adapting to a changing climate.

U.S. military assessments have long found that climate change is a threat to national security, with bases being pummeled by hurricanes or routinely flooded.

The bill also would save $40 million by repealing diversity, equity and inclusion offices, programs and trainings, the committee said. For example, the position of chief diversity officer would be cut.

The Trump administration has ordered climate and DEI programs cut across the federal government.

Luke Dehnicke has lost count.

Coming out of Andover High School in the 2024 recruiting class, the then-6-foot-3, 205-pound receiver/cornerback knew the number, and it was “only four,” meaning his total offer list to play college football: Minnesota Duluth, Sioux Falls, Colorado School of Mines and St. Thomas.

Dehnicke picked UMD, grew to 6-5 and built himself up to 240 pounds. He switched to tight end and as a redshirt freshman last fall became a dangerous downfield threat for the Division II Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) champions.

Wanting to fulfill a dream of playing Division I football, he announced he was entering the NCAA transfer portal last week. That’s when a gaggle of interested schools quickly added up.

“I’m not totally sure the exact number I have,” Dehnicke told the Pioneer Press on Monday. “I’ve been talking to the Gophers a great amount, Vanderbilt, Houston a lot, the Badgers. Duke just offered, and Kansas. Those are some cool schools. It’s just been a big jumble.”

That group also includes Northwestern, Arizona and Wake Forest.

“It’s been a crazy past week, just a lot of time on the phone,” said Dehnicke, who is juggling finals week with recruiting calls. “I didn’t really expect all this, but it’s been really cool so far.”

After zero catches in three games as a true freshman in 2024, Dehnicke had 61 receptions for 1,119 yards (18.3 yards per grab) and 14 touchdowns in 12 games last fall.

“Absolutely blew up,” UMD coach Curt Wiese told the Pioneer Press.

The Bulldogs have had two tight ends (and two offensive linemen) achieve undrafted free agent stints in the NFL over the last few years: Sam Pitz of Appleton, Wis., with the Ravens earlier this year, and Zach Ojile with the Vikings in 2023.

“(Dehnicke is) super talented after the catch, maybe the best catch radius of any guy we’ve had here,” Wiese said. “And I’ve been here 18 seasons. He just has a natural ability to get himself open and go get the football. Then he has the athleticism and strength after the catch to gain lot of yards.”

Dehnicke, a projected DII All-American, is more natural as an off-ball tight end (in the slot, split out or on the wing) and must improve his run blocking to make a successful transition to the DI level.

UMD’s recruitment of Dehnicke had fallen off during his senior season at Andover two years ago because Wiese thought Dehnicke was going to be a Gopher.

Dehnicke’s father, Drew, played linebacker at Coon Rapids High School and was part of Gophers head coach Glen Mason’s first recruiting class in 1997. Drew moved to defensive line at Minnesota and didn’t play much, but he enjoyed his four-year experience, which included two bowl trips.

The Gophers showed some recruiting interest in Luke coming out of high school, inviting the family to the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe home game against Wisconsin to close out the 2023 season.

“There was possible talk of (him becoming) a preferred walk-on,” Drew Dehnicke said. “Luke would have definitely gone as a preferred walk-on, but it just didn’t pan out. So, he ended up choosing Duluth.”

Luke grew up a Gophers fan, so “obviously you’re just a little disappointed,” he said. “But at the end of the day, there’s always a place that you’re going to fit in at.”

Luke now calls himself a “late bloomer” who benefitted from the UMD strength-and-conditioning program, the coaching of Wiese and offensive coordinator Chase Vogler and becoming standout quarterback Kyle Walljasper’s top target.

“We wish him the best of luck,” Wiese said. “He handled everything the right way. There’s a couple different ways to go on the transfer portal. As a kid, Luke didn’t want to leave UMD. He knew it was probably in his best interest to do so at this point in his career. And we wish him the best of luck, and so do his teammates.”

Drew said Luke’s timeline to play DI progressed sooner at UMD than originally anticipated. During his breakout season last fall, people would ask about whether Luke was going in the portal “all the time,” Drew said.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Luke decided to take the plunge into the portal, but didn’t know what level of interest there would be. The response from programs in the Power Four conferences was “reassuring for him,” Drew said.

Few small-school players in Minnesota make the jump from DIII or DII up to DI. Two of the best recent examples are Bethel safety Matt Jung of Neenah, Wis., going to Wisconsin last year and Sioux Falls defensive end Zach Durfee of Dawson, Minn., transferring to Washington in 2023.

“We haven’t had a lot of guys try to transfer up, and part of that is the market for the transfer portal is absolutely flooded,” Wiese said. “Unless you’re a guy like Luke, (who) garners a lot of attention before getting into the portal, odds are when you get in, you’re not going anywhere. Time and time again. There’s a lot of cases to prove that.”

Drew Dehnicke, who runs a financial management company in St. Paul, believes this is an ideal example of how the transfer portal should work.

“A kid that’s such a late, late bloomer — he just physically wasn’t ready or wasn’t good enough for that level,’ Drew said. “But this does give players an opportunity, if you continue to grow and mature … In the past, he wouldn’t have had that opportunity without having to sit out a year or two. I think this is where the portal works and not, ‘I’m going to the highest bidder’ — (which is what) it sounds like or seems like what’s going on with it.”

The transfer portal officially opens Jan. 2 and closes Jan. 16, and the Dehnickes plan to visit a few schools in that window before making a commitment. Luke will enroll at his next school by the end of January and have three years of eligibility remaining.

A high school honors student and chemical engineering major at UMD, Dehnicke is looking for a few attributes in his next school.

“Mostly just a close-knit group, a brotherhood within the team and the position group,” Luke said. “Also, a good academic school. Then lastly, just a team that utilizes tight ends and I’ll be able to get on the field and play.”

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“To create real opportunities, we need two parties entering negotiations with the same goal in mind—the sale of the building to a non-profit or a direct sale to tenants.”

Apartments in East Harlem. (Adi Talwar/City Limits)

Throughout my career, I have been a huge supporter of empowering tenants to become homeowners, which is why it may seem odd that I do not support Intro. 902, or the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA). New York City absolutely needs to advance tenant and non-profit ownership, but I do not believe COPA is the way to achieve this laudable goal.  

To create real opportunities, we need two parties entering negotiations with the same goal in mind—the sale of the building to a non-profit or a direct sale to tenants. This happens when parties begin negotiating voluntarily, usually with a confidentiality agreement in place to establish good faith.

COPA, on the other hand, tries to force parties into a negotiation and does so without any protections for the owner, such as confidential treatment of information they must share—step number one in any private sale negotiation. Also, in the tenant purchases I have worked on, the parties negotiated a memorandum of understanding–something that took months to complete but nonetheless was a critical foundation for the tenants or the non-profit to feel comfortable negotiating with the owner. COPA does not afford this foundational step which is key for successful negotiations.

RELATED READING: Social Housing Bill Poised for Breakthrough in City Council

COPA also assumes that without a forced sale, there is not a single owner in New York City who would consider the sale of a building to a non-profit. Unbelievably, these owners exist, and I have worked with them in the past. Over the last few years, I have represented tenants, non-profits, and landlords on voluntary COPA deals. In all cases, the negotiations were long, complex, and, in some cases, they did not work out—not because the landlord did not want to sell the building, but due to lack of resources or lack of government support.

As drafted, COPA does not bring the necessary resources to the table for non-profits to cover their necessary capacity building and upfront costs, let alone funding for acquisition and repairs. Without money, these negotiations will not lead to building sales, so it begs the question why there is such a push for COPA.

And for the deals that did result in a sale to a non-profit, that is only half the battle. Transfer of a property to a non-profit does not address capital needs, so without subsidy, nothing will change for the tenants. Plus, most tenants do not want to simply trade one landlord for another. They want to become homeowners.

The American Dream is still alive, even in New York City. I know this is true because tenants call me wanting to know how to convert their building to a cooperative or condominium. When I go through the regulatory steps that make conversion extremely challenging, coupled with the lack of government resources to support cooperative and condominium conversions, they are disappointed. Homeownership is clearly a missing piece of the COPA dialogue.

At this time, the City Council should take a pause on trying to pass COPA. Instead, the incoming Mamdani administration should form a working group to discuss ways to pilot a voluntary COPA program—one that has ready, willing, and able participants and the financial resources needed to support non-profit capacity, as well as money for acquisition and renovations.

This pilot also needs to support homeownership, thereby creating options for cooperative and condominium conversions that make sense for the existing tenants. That means the New York Attorney General’s office should participate. The AG’s office also has the power to resurrect outdated tools such as CPS-3 to give tenants the ability to organize and explore potential conversions with relative ease, as well as ensure that the Real Estate Finance Bureau prioritizes these conversions so that they happen quickly and with as much tenant involvement as possible.  

Until we do this, the COPA carrot will do nothing to advance affordable housing, but it will keep litigators remarkably busy for sure. 

Erica F. Buckley is a partner at Nixon Peabody LLP.

The post Opinion: NYC’s COPA Bill Isn’t Ready for Primetime Yet appeared first on City Limits.

By KELVIN CHAN

LONDON (AP) — Google faces fresh antitrust scrutiny from European Union regulators, who opened an investigation Tuesday into the company’s use of online content for its artificial intelligence models and services.

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The latest regulatory flexing by Brussels risks antagonizing President Donald Trump’s administration, though EU officials denied they were singling out American Big Tech companies.

The European Commission, which is the 27-nation bloc’s top antitrust enforcer, said it’s examining whether Google has breached competition rules through its use of content from web publishers and material uploaded to YouTube for AI purposes.

Regulators are concerned that Google has given itself an unfair advantage by using content for two search services, AI Overviews and AI Mode, without paying publishers and content creators or letting them opt out. AI Overviews are automatically generated summaries that appear at the top of its traditional search results, while AI Mode provides chatbot-style answers to search queries.

They’re also examining whether Google uses videos uploaded to YouTube under similar conditions to train its generative AI models, while shutting out rival AI model developers.

Officials said they’re seeking to determine whether Google gained an edge over AI rivals by imposing unfair terms and conditions, or giving itself privileged access to content.

“This complaint risks stifling innovation in a market that is more competitive than ever,” Google said in statement. “Europeans deserve to benefit from the latest technologies and we will continue to work closely with the news and creative industries as they transition to the AI era.”

The Commission, which is the bloc’s executive arm, is carrying out the investigation under the EU’s longstanding competition regulations, rather than its newer Digital Markets Act that was drawn up to prevent Big Tech companies from monopolizing online markets.

“AI is bringing remarkable innovation and many benefits for people and businesses across Europe, but this progress cannot come at the expense of the principles at the heart of our societies,” Teresa Ribera, the commission’s vice president overseeing competition affairs, said in a statement.

Last week the Commission opened an antitrust investigation into WhatsApp’s AI policy. It also fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X 120 million euros ($140 million) for breaching digital regulations, which drew complaints from Trump officials that American companies were being targeted.

The Commission is “agnostic” about the nationality of companies it is investigating, spokeswoman Arianna Podesta said.

“Of course, the sole focus of our antitrust investigations is a possible illegal behavior and the harm that this could bring to competition and consumers within the European Union,” she told reporters at a regular briefing in Brussels.

Google will have the chance to reply to the concerns and the Commission has also informed U.S. authorities about the investigation, she said.

Brussels has no deadline to wrap up the case, which could result in sanctions including a fine worth up to 10% of the company’s annual global revenue.

Associated Press writer Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed to this report.