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A measure in President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ aimed at cracking down on federal payments for abortion providers could run into a buzzsaw of opposition from moderate House Republicans.

House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., held a conference call with GOP lawmakers on Sunday night unveiling his panel’s portion of the Republican reconciliation bill.

During the question and answer portion of the call, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., asked for clarity on several aspects, including a provision to make ‘large groups who provide abortion services’ ineligible for federal Medicaid dollars, Fox News Digital was told.

‘You are running into a hornet’s nest,’ Lawler warned his colleagues.

The New York Republican, one of only three GOP lawmakers representing districts that Trump lost in 2024, questioned how those groups were being defined and said the language needed to be ‘looked over,’ Fox News Digital was also told.

Guthrie assured him that certain considerations were being taken in the language.

Lawler also pointed out that the Hyde Amendment already prevents federal dollars from going towards abortion services, Fox News Digital was told.

His concerns were echoed by another person familiar with House GOP discussions on the matter, who was granted anonymity to speak freely.

That person told Fox News Digital that several moderate Republican lawmakers communicated to House GOP leaders that they could oppose the final bill if that provision was included.

‘We’re not fighting a new fight on abortion when that’s kind of calmed down,’ the person recalled of the moderates’ argument.

Fox News Digital first learned of discussions about the potential measure last week. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., alluded to Republicans’ plans in a speech at the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America’s gala last month.

Johnson said the Republicans’ bill would redirect funds from ‘big abortion’ to ‘federally qualified health centers.’

The legislation itself refers to nonprofit organizations that are ‘an essential community provider…that is primarily engaged in family planning services, reproductive health, and related medical care; and provides for abortions.’

The legislation makes exceptions for facilities that only provide abortions in the case of rape, incest, or threats to the life of the mother.

It’s one of several efforts to rein in spending to pay for Trump’s other priorities via the budget reconciliation process.

House Republicans currently have a razor-thin three-vote margin, meaning they can afford to have little dissent and still pass anything without Democratic support. They’re hoping to do just that, with virtually no Democrats currently on board with Trump’s massive Republican policy overhaul.

The budget-reconciliation process lowers the Senate’s passage threshold from 60 votes to 51, lining up the House’s own simple majority threshold.

Reconciliation allows the party in power to effectively skirt the minority and pass broad pieces of legislation – provided they address taxes, spending or the national debt.

Trump wants Republicans to use the maneuver to tackle his priorities on the border, immigration, taxes, defense, energy, and raising the debt ceiling.

To do that, several committees of jurisdiction are working on their specific portions of the bill, which will then be put together in a massive vehicle to pass the House and Senate.

The Energy & Commerce Committee – which has a broad jurisdiction including Medicare, Medicaid, telecommunications, and energy production – was tasked with finding at least $880 billion in spending cuts out of a total $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion.

Guthrie said the bill released late on Sunday evening includes ‘north of’ $900 billion in spending cuts.

In addition to the measure ending Medicaid funds for large abortion providers, the legislation also finds savings in instilling work requirements for certain able-bodied beneficiaries of Medicaid expansion. 

Some Medicaid dollars going toward states that provide taxpayer-funded healthcare to illegal immigrants are also targeted.

It would also repeal certain Biden administration green energy subsidies, including the former White House’s electric vehicle mandate.

Fox News Digital reached out to the committee and Lawler’s office for comment on the specific measure.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars began the unique challenge of preparing Travis Hunter to play both offense and defense as their rookie minicamp opened over the weekend.

Hunter began minicamp working at the wide receiver position. First-year Jaguars coach Liam Coen provided insight into when interested parties might see the rookie at cornerback during a Saturday media availability.

‘Yeah, he’ll be able to get integrated next week on the defensive side of the ball,’ Coen told reporters Saturday, per NFL Network.

Why did the Jaguars begin with Hunter working at receiver for multiple sessions? Jacksonville’s goal was to see Hunter make strides at the position before also testing him at cornerback.

‘We just kind of ended up making a decision that from yesterday to today we wanted to be able to clean up some of the things that we may have been able to miss yesterday, get extra reps on the offensive side of the ball, and next week he’ll start to roll on defense,’ Coen explained.

Many expect Hunter to play receiver primarily during his first NFL season, which may also have played a part in Jacksonville’s decision.

Hunter appears to be on board with the Jaguars’ plan. He said he was ‘getting used to’ learning two NFL playbooks but acknowledged learning Jacksonville’s offense was the more challenging task.

‘It’s just a lot of different types of calls, but other than that, the defense is pretty easy,’ Hunter said. ‘You’ve just got to get used to the offense.’

Coen seems confident Hunter won’t have any issues picking things up on both sides of the ball after winning the Heisman Trophy while doing so at Colorado.

‘He’s a football-smart guy,’ Coen said of Hunter. ‘The game makes sense to him. And so now it’s just about putting in that time, that extra time that he’s going to have to do in order to be successful to play even one side of the ball at this level. So he knows what’s cut out for him coming up.’

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Sepp Straka edged Shane Lowry by two strokes to win the 2025 edition of the Truist Championship. Straka earned $3.6 million in prize money with the tournament win.

The Truist Championship win represents Straka’s second PGA Tour title this season, having won The American Express in January. He is the second player to have multiple wins this season on the PGA Tour along with Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy, last year’s winner and reigning Masters champion, finished tied for seventh.

The tournament is being played this year in Philadelphia, while its traditional venue – Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina – prepares to host the PGA Championship, which begins later this week.

How to watch Truist Championshp

Live coverage of the final round of this year’s Truist Championship will be broadcast on the Golf Channel and CBS.

Sunday, May 11

TV: Golf Channel, CBS
Time: 1-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. ET (CBS)
Streaming: Paramount+, ESPN+, Fubo

Truist Championship prize money 2025: Winner payout, purse

This year’s total purse for the 2025 Truist Championship at The Philadelphia Cricket Club is $20 million. Here’s the prize money breakdown:

1. Sepp Straka (-16): $3,600,000
T2. Justin Thomas (-14): $1,760,000
T2. Shane Lowry (-14): $1,760,000
T4. Jacob Bridgeman (-12): $826,666
T4. Tommy Fleetwood (-12): $826,666
T4. Patrick Cantley (-12): $826,666
T7. Cameron Young (-10): $602,500
T7. Stephan Jaeger (-10): $602,500
T7. Keith Mitchell (-10): $602,500
T11. Daniel Berger (-9): $440,000
T11. Xander Schauffele (-9): $440,000
T11. Corey Conners (-9): $440,000
T11. Harris English (-9): $440,000
T15. Rickie Fowler (-8): $350,000
T15. Tony Finau (-8): $350,000
T17. Andrew Novak (-7): $270,500
T17. J.J. Spaun (-7): $270,500
T17. Collin Morikawa (-7): $270,500
T17. Si Woo Kim (-7): $270,500
T17. Nick Taylor (-7): $270,500
T17. Hideki Matsuyama (-7): $270,500
T23. Aaron Rai (-6): $167,142
T23. Davis Thompson (-6): $167,142
T23. Rasmus Hojgaard (-6): $167,142
T23. Matt Fitzpatrick (-6): $167,142
T23. Sam Stevens (-6): $167,142
T23. J.T. Poston (-6): $167,142
T23. Sungjae Im (-6): $167,142
T30. Thomas Detry (-5): $125,375
T30. Keegan Bradley (-5): $125,375
T30. Max Homa (-5): $125,375
T30. Sam Burns (-5): $125,375
T34. Robert MacIntyre (-4): $95,063
T34. Brian Campbell (-4): $95,063
T34. Adam Scott (-4): $95,063
T34. Erik van Rooyen (-4): $95,063
T34. Jordan Spieth (-4): $95,063
T34. Byeong Hun An (-4): $95,063
T34. Gary Woodland (-4): $95,063
T34. Eric Cole (-4): $95,063
T42. Chris Kirk (-3): $70,000
T42. Christiaan Bezuidenhout (-3): $70,000
T42. Ryan Gerard (-3): $70,000
T42. Patrick Rodgers (-3): $70,000
T46. Russell Henley (-2): $53,600
T46. Brian Harman (-2): $53,600
T46. Denny McCarthy (-2): $53,600
T46. Ben Griffin (-2): $53,600
T46. Akshay Bhatia (-2): $53,600
T51. Austin Eckroat (-1): $47,000
T51. Min Woo Lee (-1): $47,000
T51. Alex Noren (-1): $47,000
T54. Matthieu Pavon (E): $44,750
T54. Max Greyserman (E): $44,750
T54. Viktor Hovland (E): $44,750
T54. Michael Thorbjornsen (E): $44,750
T54. Will Zalatoris (E): $44,750
T54. Cam Davis (E): $44,750
T60. Adam Hadwin (1): $42,500
T60. Maverick McNealy (1): $42,500
T60. Ludvig Aberg (1): $42,500
T63. Wyndham Clark (2): $41,250
T63. Tom Hoge (2): $41,250
65. Taylor Pendrith (3): $40,500
T66. Lucas Glover (4): $39,750
T66. Joe Highsmith (4): $39,750
68. Garrick Higgo (6): $39,000
69. Nick Dunlap (8): $38,000

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves as the host Florida Panthers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, 2-0, to even their second-round playoff series on Sunday night in Sunrise.

The Eastern Conference best-of-seven series, tied at 2-2, will continue on Wednesday in Toronto.

Florida, the reigning Stanley Cup champion, eliminated the Leafs from second round of the 2023 playoffs, which was the last time these two teams met in the postseason. The Panthers also won this year’s season series, 3-1.

Joseph Woll made 35 saves for the Leafs, who could not get their high-powered offense untracked.

There were four penalties in the first period — all against Toronto. That led the Panthers to have a big edge on shot attempts (30-9) and shots on goal (15-4).

Panthers vs. Maple Leafs Game 4 highlights

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Texas A&M softball is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA softball tournament for the first time ever.

The Aggies finished third in the SEC standings during the regular season but reached the SEC Softball Tournament championship game against Oklahoma. However, with the game being washed out due to inclement weather, Texas A&M could not prove it could defeat the defending champions just yet.

Texas A&M finished the season ranked No. 1 in RPI and hoped that it would be enough to get them the No. 1 overall seed over the Sooners, who won the SEC regular season championship.

NCAA Softball Committee Chair Kurt McGuffin talked to ESPN’s Holly Rowe during the Selection Show to discuss why the Aggies earned the No. 1 seed.

‘I think what sets apart Texas A&M was 19 top 25 wins, which is No. 1 in the country,’ McGuffin said. ‘They also had two quality nonconference wins vs. Florida State and Texas Tech. I think those were the two pieces that set them for the No. 1 seed.’

Texas A&M will open the Bryan-College Station Regional by hosting Saint Francis (PA) at 3:30 p.m. ET on May 16. The Aggies will also host Marist and Liberty. If they advance, they are poised to play the winner of the Eugene Regional and No. 16 Oregon.

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Third-period goals 49 seconds apart by Alexander Petrovic and Mikko Rantanen sparked the host Dallas Stars to a 5-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Sunday’s Game 3 of their Stanley Cup playoff series.

Rantanen continued his torrid spree with a one-goal, two-assist outing while Roope Hintz and Thomas Harley each collected one goal and one assist. Wyatt Johnston added an insurance goal and goaltender Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for the Stars, who hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals series.

Game 4 will be Tuesday in Dallas.

Kyle Connor and Nino Niederreiter replied for the Jets, who forged a 2-2 tie through 40 minutes but remain without a road win in this year’s playoffs. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 21 shots in another disappointing road performance.

Teams that claim a 2-1 lead in a best-of-seven series have an all-time record of 391-177 (.688) in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Dallas will look to continue that trend after breaking open a tied clash in a wild turn of events.

Petrovic gave Dallas its third lead of the game at 3:51 of the third period with a controversial goal. Petrovic kicked the puck toward the net and it banked off Hellebuyck’s stick and into the net. After a lengthy review, it was ruled a goal.

Rantanen made it a 4-2 game 49 seconds later — burying a shot after going across the slot – to record his seventh goal in four games and ninth in six outings. He leads all players in goals with nine and points (18) during the playoffs.

Johnston rounded out the scoring 10 minutes later by cashing in a rebound chance.

Until that point, it was an even game in which the Stars twice staked leads only to watch them evaporate. Hintz opened the scoring with a power-play goal at the 2:27 mark when he redirected a shot while parked in the slot.

Connor tied the clash at 9:53 of the opening frame with a wraparound he was able to tuck home just inside the post.

Harley again put Dallas ahead at 15:12 of the first period with a perfectly placed shot coming with a golden chance from the slot.

However, Niederreiter made it a 2-2 game at 10:07 of the second period with a seeing-eye, sharp-angled offering from the bottom of the right circle.

Stars vs. Jets Game 3 highlights

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Kyle Larson withstood a flurry of caution periods over the final 72 laps to claim victory in NASCAR’s AdventHealth 400 race on May 11 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas.

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion passed leader Christopher Bell’s No. 20 following the fourth caution, overcame three more yellow flags and led the field for 49 green-flag laps to top the Toyota driver by 0.712 seconds for his 32nd career win, tying him with Dale Jarrett.

The Elk Grove, California, racer matched Bell for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series lead in wins with three with his third career Kansas win. He led 221 laps to score Hendrick Motorsports its 10th win at the track.

Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe and Alex Bowman rounded out the top-five finishers.

Chevrolet won for the third straight time at the speedway while Ford had its winless skid hit nine races in Kansas.

After A.J. Allmendinger’s Chevrolet expired on the race’s seventh lap, polesitter Larson and 19 others stayed out on the track — and Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet rocketed away from the pack with a slight challenge on a restart.

With Larson pulling away in the 80-lap first segment, the front 20 drivers who stayed out had to pit around Lap 40 while the previous group continued to turn green-flag circuits. That put Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 at the point as the field basically inverted.

Points leader William Byron had his right rear tire go flat on Lap 67 after a gamble on low air pressure, which ended with the No. 24 car completely losing grip and spinning on pit road.

Larson topped teammate Chase Elliott by just under two seconds to win the top bonus points in Stage 1. Bell, Blaney and Austin Cindric rounded out the top five.

In also winning Stage 2 by nipping Elliott, Larson reached 10,000 career laps led as he, Hamlin and Kyle Busch are the only active drivers to cross the milestone. Blaney, Josh Berry and Bell followed the Hendrick duo.

Chasing down Elliott after the No. 9 beat Larson on pit road, Brad Keselowski, without a top-10 finish during a miserable season, blew a tire on his No. 6 Ford while running second with 73 laps to go and crashed into the wall for his fifth Did Not Finish this season.

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Just as Tiger Woods did in 2001, winning in Northeast Florida at The Players Championship.

Just as Tiger did again in 2013, earning his second Players title at the same location.

In 2025, the dozen-year pattern has come around again, but it’s a different Woods lifting a championship trophy in Jacksonville.

Sam Woods, daughter of the golfing legend, completed her high school athletic career by helping The Benjamin School of Palm Beach Gardens win the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A girls track and field team championship on May 10.

Competing at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium, some 9 miles from The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass where her father captured two titles in the PGA Tour’s flagship event, Sam Woods helped Benjamin to a second-place and a fourth-place finish in relays, worth 13 points.

That was enough for Benjamin (61 points) to outdistance Tallahassee Maclay (45 points) for the overall championship in Class 1A — and she did it 12 years to the day after the second round of Tiger Woods’ 2013 Players victory.

Inside Sam Woods’ state track meet

Woods, a senior, participated in four events for Benjamin.

While her two individual events didn’t score points — she came in 18th in the 100-meter hurdles and 17th in the 400 hurdles — she provided bigger contributions in the relays.

In the opening 4×800 relay, she ran the third leg and helped Benjamin finish in 9:32.40, behind only Providence (9:28.01) from Jacksonville.

And in the closing 4×400 relay, Woods handled the third leg again as Benjamin took fourth place in 4:01.83, behind Pahokee, Maclay and Lakeland Victory Christian.

The state championship is the second of 2025 for Sam Woods, who also started in central defense for Benjamin’s Class 2A girls soccer triumph over Episcopal School of Jacksonville. She scored the winning goal in the team’s district soccer tournament.

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HISA ruled Junior Alvarado used his crop eight times – two over the limit – during his Kentucky Derby ride on Sovereignty
Alvarado’s fine and suspension was doubled because it was his second violation during the past 180 days

Jockey Junior Alvarado has been fined $62,000 and suspended two days as the result of excessive crop use during his winning ride on Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority issued its ruling Friday after Alvarado met Thursday with stewards from Churchill Downs.

Sean Collins of Bloodhorse.com reported hours after the Kentucky Derby that Alvarado had used his riding crop on Sovereignty at least seven times during the race. HISA ruled Alvarado used it eight times.

Under HISA rules, jockeys may use their crops no more than six times. The penalty is 10% of the jockey’s earnings from the race – which would be $31,000 for the Kentucky Derby – and a one-day suspension.

HISA’s ruling stated the fine and suspension was doubled because it was Alvarado’s second violation within 180 days. The suspension is to be served May 29-30.

Alvarado has 10 days to appeal the HISA ruling.

Alvarado addressed the possibility of a fine on this week’s C.L. Brown Show, hosted by columnist C.L. Brown of the Louisville Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.

‘I forgot it was a rule,”’ Alvarado said. ‘I was seeing my dream coming true right in front of me. The whip rule was the last thing I had in my mind. I have to pay the consequences, I guess.

‘I’ve been trained to think, ‘What could I have done different? If I had to do it again, how could I make sure I don’t go over?’ I don’t see how. You’re about to win the biggest race in the world. I can’t think about how many (times) I’m hitting the horse. I’m just riding.’

Alvarado said Sovereignty needed his encouragement down the stretch.

‘I have to push,’ Alvarado said. ‘I’m riding a horse who’s a heavy horse. He’ll give you what he’s got, but you have to get to the bottom. He’s not going to give you anything for free. You have to make him do it.’

Sovereignty will not run in the Preakness on May 17 and is expected to return for the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont on June 7 at Saratoga.

Alvarado, 38, is a native of Venezuela and got his first Kentucky Derby victory in six tries with Sovereignty’s triumph.

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com. Follow on X @KentuckyDerbyCJ.

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BARCELONA — Raphinha scored twice as Barcelona overcame a two-goal deficit to secure a crucial 4-3 home victory against rivals Real Madrid in a pulsating Clasico on Sunday, edging them to the brink of the LaLiga title.

The victory extends Barcelona’s lead at the top of the standings to seven points over second-placed Real Madrid and with three matches remaining, one more victory will clinch a 28th Spanish league title for the Catalans.

After Tuesday’s heartbreaking extra-time loss to Inter Milan saw them exit the Champions League at the semifinal stage, Barca bounced back in style.

‘It was obviously very important to win today. It’s great to have this game after the Champions League, I think it’s already forgotten,’ Yamal told Movistar Plus.

‘Suffering is what makes you strong and what teaches you to correct the mistakes you make. They didn’t create any clear-cut chances other than the goals.

‘It was very important to win today to get closer to the league title. We are delighted.’

Barca earned a fourth consecutive victory over Real in all competitions this season, and their second in less than a month, in a chaotic match in which both sides showed their usual defensive weaknesses.

However, Barca seemed a much stronger and well organized team overall, dominating possession and creating several chances that were denied by an inspired keeper Thibaut Courtois who prevented Real’s loss from being by a larger margin.

Barcelona can secure the LaLiga title as early as Wednesday, should Real Madrid fail to win at Mallorca. However, regardless of Real’s result, a Barcelona victory in their city derby against Espanyol on Thursday would guarantee the championship for the Catalans.

Blistering start

Real made a blistering start at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium, with a brace from Kylian Mbappe giving them a two-goal advantage.

He opened the scoring from the penalty spot after he was fouled inside the box by keeper Wojciech Szczesny in the fifth minute and extended their lead with a quick counter nine minutes later from an assist by Vinicius Jr.

However, Barcelona responded swiftly with Eric Garcia, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha all finding the net within 15 minutes to overturn the deficit.

Garcia headed home from a corner in the 19th minute, while Yamal scored the equaliser in the 32nd with another brilliant display of technique as he curled a superb shot from the right corner of the box just outside Courtois’ reach and inside the far post.

Two minutes later, a bad mistake by Mbappe in the midfield gifted Barca the ball, with Raphinha launching a quick counter and giving his side the lead with a tidy finish past a helpless Courtois.

Real thought it had earned a second penalty in the 43rd minute but it was overturned due to an offside in the build-up and, one minute later, a costly error by captain Lucas Vazquez gifted Raphinha the goal that extended Barca’s lead.

Barcelona came back strongly in the second half and had several chances denied by a string of stunning saves by Courtois.

They were shocked, however, when Mbappe reduced the deficit in the 70th minute after a quick counter attack by Vinicius, who ran up the right and put it on a plate for the France forward to complete his hat-trick.

Yet last year’s champions could not recover, leaving them on the brink of a season without silverware.

‘It was an evenly played match, competitive and fought until the last second,’ Ancelotti told reporters.

‘We could have scored the equaliser but it is what it is. It was a great game between two great teams, so I have nothing to reproach my team for in terms of attitude and commitment. It didn’t go well but we competed.’

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