Bipartisan bills aimed at China on coronavirus origins, letting victims' kin sue Beijing

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Bipartisan House bills aimed at China on coronavirus origins, letting victims' kin sue Beijing
U.S. House members plan to introduce two bipartisan bills Friday that address the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and would allow victims' families to sue China

The first bill, the "Made in America Emergency Preparedness Act," would establish a 9/11-style bipartisan commission to investigate how the pandemic started. It is being introduced by five Democrats and five Republicans. 

The second bill, dubbed the "Never Again International Outbreak Prevention Act," calls for allowing families of coronavirus victims to sue China by stripping sovereign immunity from it and any other countries "that have intentionally misled the international community on the outbreak." It will be introduced by U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Conor Lamb, D-Pa.

The commission proposed in the first bill would recommend to President Biden what personal protective equipment and other goods would be necessary to address a national emergency, requiring the items to be manufactured in the U.S. 

"We simply cannot outsource our public safety and national security to foreign nations," Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, said in a statement. "We must reconstitute our health care and public safety supply chain back to the United States." CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.

In other developments:
- CBS admits COVID lab-leak theory developments are 'vindication of sorts for Trump-era officials
- Hannity: ‘Corrupt’ left-wing institutions doing ‘complete 180’ on COVID-19 origins
- Senate advances bipartisan bill to counter China
- Greg Gutfeld: Media is explaining how their prejudice biased coverage of possible Wuhan lab leak
- China's Xi protecting info about Wuhan lab potentially ‘criminal behavior’: Keane

California's strict gun laws no deterrent for San Jose gunman
A disgruntled employee who gunned down nine co-workers at a Northern California railyard Wednesday morning appears to have circumvented some of the state’s strict gun laws.

The gunman, identified as maintenance worker Samuel Cassidy, legally obtained the three semi-automatic pistols he used in the San Jose shooting at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority facility.

But the magazines he used – 32 in all – held 12 to 15 rounds; magazines with more than 10 rounds are illegal in California, according to The Mercury News of San Jose.

The state banned the sale of those magazines in 2013 and possession of them in 2016, so it’s possible the gunman obtained them legally years ago. He also could have bought them legally for a short period of time last summer during a court challenge before the ban was restored. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- California therapists claim San Jose gunman was possibly stressed, isolated due to pandemic: report
- San Jose shooter was on feds' radar in 2016, questioned about hatred of his job
- Chilling surveillance footage shows alleged San Jose gunman moments before deadly shooting
- San Jose shooting suspect set 'device' to ignite fire at home to 'coincide' with workplace massacre: sheriff
- San Jose shooting victim helped others to safety, family says -- plus what we know about 8 others killed

Virginia police arrest suspects in shooting that left military couple dead
Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, have arrested two suspects in connection with the deaths of a married military couple on Wednesday morning.

Police identified the suspects as Ronnie Keandre Marshall, 20, and D'Angelo Strand, 19.

Eight felony charges have been filed, according to Fairfax County’s major crimes unit commander, Major Ed O’Carroll. The suspects each face two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of the use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

O'Carroll said police received a tip Thursday on the whereabouts of a vehicle connected to the case after a local resident called in. At that time, they said they took an unnamed person of interest into custody.

The victims, identified as Edward McDaniel Jr. and Brenda McDaniel, 55 and 63 years old, were shot to death outside their home in Springfield on Wednesday morning, police said.

"Two distinguished military veterans were gunned down in their front yard," Fairfax County police Chief Kevin Davis said at a news briefing Wednesday. "[They] served out community for many, many years. And they were shot and killed in cold blood in their own front yard." CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Florida police, relatives of slain 3-year-old Elijah LaFrance announce $67.5K reward for info on shooting case
- Minnesota girl Trinity Ottoson-Smith, 9, dead after struck by stray bullet while jumping on trampoline
- Florida teen stabbed Tristyn Bailey 114 times, told friends he ‘intended to kill someone,’ prosecutors say 
- 3 Tacoma officers charged in Black man's police-custody death

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TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors to step down amid questions about finances'
- Idaho deputy fired for viral TikTok mocking LeBron James: 'The latest target of cancel culture'
- Bill Cosby's petition for parole denied
- Boat overturns off Key West, Florida: 2 dead, 10 missing, Coast Guard says
- 1619 Project creator Nikole Hannah-Jones considers suit against UNC for ‘anti-democratic suppression’

THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
- Microsoft: SolarWinds hackers target 150 orgs with phishing
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- PCs are back as Dell, HP deliver strong sales for desktops and notebooks
- Tom Brady touts cryptocurrency investments, says he's a 'big believer'
- FDA, J&J near deal for COVID-19 vaccine production at Baltimore plant
- McConnell: Republicans 'open to spending more' on infrastructure

#TheFlashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on "This Day in History."

SOME PARTING WORDS

Morgan Kahmann, the Facebook whistleblower who was suspended by the tech giant after leaking internal documents exposing a "vaccine hesitancy" censorship campaign, spoke on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" about the fallout he has faced since coming forward to Project Veritas. 

"Anything that questions the vaccine or the narrative regarding the vaccine … is basically considered under ‘vaccine hesitancy’ by Facebook's algorithms," Kahmann told Fox News host Tucker Carlson. "They're afraid of what people might conclude if they see that other people are having negative side effects. They think that this is going to drive up vaccine hesitancy among the population and they see that as something that they have to combat."

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Fox News First was compiled by Fox News' Jack Durschlag. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! Remember our fallen service members on Memorial Day this Monday, enjoy the long, holiday weekend and we'll see you first thing Tuesday morning in your inbox.

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