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Donald Trump has repeatedly said that "tariff" is "one of the most beautiful words in the dictionary." In his administration's first 100 days, Trump has introduced sweeping tariffs with a goal to reduce America's trade deficit with foreign countries and to increase domestic manufacturing. This episode: senior White House correspondents Tamara Keith and Asma Khalid and business correspondent Alina Selyukh.The podcast is produced by Bria Suggs & Kelli Wessinger and edited by Casey Morell. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Last month, Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy for the second time. It is planning to close all of its stores in the coming months as it winds down its operations. This is not a eulogy for Forever 21, but it is a deep dive into how one retailer change changed our habits, along with the entire business of making and selling clothing.We'll be talking about the following topics:The history of Forever 21: where it started, how it grew, and where it went wrong,The many ways that Forever 21 changed our relationship with clothing, including how much we were willing to pay and how long we expected a garment to last,How cultural and social trends of the 00s (including "high/low style") helped Forever 21 grow,The ways in which Forever 21 paved the way for ultra fast fashion brands like SHEIN...only to fall behind in the end.And so much more! We'll also feel a little bit (just a tiny bit) nostalgic for Sparks (the caffeinated malt liquor) and summer nights spent biking around Portland, OR. Additional reading:"One Family Built Forever 21, and Fueled Its Collapse," Sapna Maheshwari, The New York Times."Faster Fashion, Cheaper Chic," Ruth La Ferla, The New York Times."Forever 21 Bankruptcy Unmasks Major Debt Load, Positions Suppliers for ‘Instability'," Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal."Shein and Forever 21 Team Up in Fast-Fashion Deal," Jordyn Holman, The New York Times."Forever 21's Linda Chang: Overexpansion brought company to bankruptcy," Madeline Speed, Vogue Business."Bankrupt and loving it: Welcome to the lucrative world of undead brands," Alina Selyukh, NPR."Boycott Forever 21," Liz Black, Huff Post.Urban CounterfeitersGet your Clotheshorse merch here: https://clotheshorsepodcast.com/shop/If you want to share your opinion/additional thoughts on the subjects we cover in each episode, feel free to email, whether it's a typed out message or an audio recording: amanda@clotheshorse.worldDid you enjoy this episode? Consider "buying me a coffee" via Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/clotheshorseClotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable small businesses:The Pewter Thimble Is there a little bit of Italy in your soul? Are you an enthusiast of pre-loved decor and accessories? Bring vintage Italian style — and history — into your space with The Pewter Thimble (@thepewterthimble). We source useful and beautiful things, and mend them where needed. We also find gorgeous illustrations, and make them print-worthy. Tarot cards, tea towels and handpicked treasures, available to you from the comfort of your own home. Responsibly sourced from across Rome, lovingly renewed by fairly paid artists and artisans, with something for every budget. Discover more at thepewterthimble.comSt. Evens is an NYC-based vintage shop that is dedicated to bringing you those special pieces you'll reach for again and again. More than just a store, St. Evens is dedicated to sharing the stories and history behind the garments. 10% of all sales are donated to a different charitable organization each month. New vintage is released every Thursday at wearStEvens.com, with previews of new pieces and more brought to you on Instagram at @wear_st.evens.Deco Denim is a startup based out of San Francisco, selling clothing and accessories that are sustainable, gender fluid, size inclusive and high quality--made to last for years to come. Deco Denim is trying to change the way you think about buying clothes. Founder Sarah Mattes wants to empower people to ask important questions like, “Where was this made? Was this garment made ethically? Is this fabric made of plastic? Can this garment be upcycled and if not, can it be recycled?” Signup at decodenim.com to receive $20 off your first purchase. They promise not to spam you and send out no more than 3 emails a month, with 2 of them surrounding education or a personal note from the Founder. Find them on Instagram as @deco.denim.Vagabond Vintage DTLV is a vintage clothing, accessories & decor reselling business based in Downtown Las Vegas. Not only do we sell in Las Vegas, but we are also located throughout resale markets in San Francisco as well as at a curated boutique called Lux and Ivy located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jessica, the founder & owner of Vagabond Vintage DTLV, recently opened the first IRL location located in the Arts District of Downtown Las Vegas on August 5th. The shop has a strong emphasis on 60s & 70s garments, single stitch tee shirts & dreamy loungewear. Follow them on instagram, @vagabondvintage.dtlv and keep an eye out for their website coming fall of 2022.Country Feedback is a mom & pop record shop in Tarboro, North Carolina. They specialize in used rock, country, and soul and offer affordable vintage clothing and housewares. Do you have used records you want to sell? Country Feedback wants to buy them! Find us on Instagram @countryfeedbackvintageandvinyl or head downeast and visit our brick and mortar. All are welcome at this inclusive and family-friendly record shop in the country!Located in Whistler, Canada, Velvet Underground is a "velvet jungle" full of vintage and second-hand clothes, plants, a vegan cafe and lots of rad products from other small sustainable businesses. Our mission is to create a brand and community dedicated to promoting self-expression, as well as educating and inspiring a more sustainable and conscious lifestyle both for the people and the planet.Find us on Instagram @shop_velvetunderground or online at www.shopvelvetunderground.comSelina Sanders, a social impact brand that specializes in up-cycled clothing, using only reclaimed, vintage or thrifted materials: from tea towels, linens, blankets and quilts. Sustainably crafted in Los Angeles, each piece is designed to last in one's closet for generations to come. Maximum Style; Minimal Carbon Footprint.Salt Hats: purveyors of truly sustainable hats. Hand blocked, sewn and embellished in Detroit, Mic...
This Cyber Monday, a meditation on holiday sales. A quick trip to pick up presents can turn into an hours-long shopping spree thanks to all the ways stores use research from fields like consumer neuroscience and neuromarketing to entice you. Retailers create urgency and scarcity to push you to give into the emotional part of your brain, motivated by the release of dopamine. But with the help of NPR business correspondent Alina Selyukh, we get into the psychology of sales and discounts: Why it's SO hard to resist the tricks stores use — and some tips to outsmart them. Read Alina's full story here. Questions about the science driving the world around you? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Antitrust has escaped the business section and become a major topic of conversation in households across America. If you plan to attend a summer concert, buy groceries, or even listen to this episode on your phone, antitrust could have a real impact on your day-to-day life. Recent high-profile cases and notable agency actions have garnered commentary from supporters and skeptics alike. Elizabeth Binczik speaks with Sandeep Vaheesan of Open Markets Institute about the competing views on the FTC's and DOJ's recent actions and what this period means for antitrust.Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today: ACSLaw.orgHost: Elizabeth Binczik, Director of Policy and Program for Economic JusticeGuest: Sandeep Vaheesan, Legal Director, Open Markets Institute Link: Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter Delivers Remarks at New York City Bar Association's Milton Handler Lecture, US Dept. of Justice Link: Federal Trade Commission Link: Dara Kerr & Alina Selyukh, DOJ, FTC double down on their antitrust strategy, NPRVisit the Podcast Website: Broken Law PodcastEmail the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.orgFollow ACS on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube-----------------Broken Law: About the law, who it serves, and who it doesn't.----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of American Constitution Society 2024.
The Federal Trade Commission – along with eight states, including Illinois, and the District of Columbia – are suing to block the biggest supermarket merger in history. The parent companies of Mariano's and Jewel-Osco are looking to join forces but the FTC argues that the merger could eliminate competition and even mean higher prices for millions of customers. Additionally, there are concerns that the merger would affect worker's ability to seek higher wages and better benefits. Reset hears from NPR business correspondent Alina Selyukh and Eater Chicago editor Ashok Selvam about how this lawsuit might affect the grocery shopping experience for Illinois shoppers. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
Two of the largest supermarket chains in the U.S. are planning to merge. Kroger and Albertsons first announced their proposed merger in 2022. The Federal Trade Commission has been reviewing the proposal for more than a year and is expected to make a decision soon. Meanwhile, lawmakers, consumer advocates and others have raised concerns about the proposal. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson recently sued to block it, arguing that it would reduce competition and raise prices at the grocery store. Alina Selyukh has been covering the story for NPR. She joins us with more details on what this merger could mean for shoppers.
Malls are designed to overwhelm our brains. Add the stress of holiday shopping, and a quick trip to pick up presents could turn into an hours-long shopping spree thanks to all the ways stores use research from fields like consumer neuroscience and neuromarketing to entice you. Retailers create urgency and scarcity to push you to give into the emotional part of your brain, motivated by the release of dopamine. But we've got your back! With the help of NPR business correspondent Alina Selyukh, we get into the psychology of sales and discounts: Why it's SO hard to resist the tricks stores use — and some tips to outsmart them. Read Alina's full story here. Questions about the science driving the world around you? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
Consumer spending is a huge part of the economy and sends a strong signal about how Americans feel about the financial health of the country. Host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR business correspondent Alina Selyukh about what Black Friday shopping says about where the economy has been and where it might be headed.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
Guests Dr. Lacie Barber and Dr. Jennifer Imazeki speak with Dr. D.J. Hopkins about the workplace practice known as “Quiet Quitting” and what Quiet Quitting looks like in a higher ed context. What prompts someone to choose Quiet Quitting? And what personal and institutional responses might help…? Guests Dr. Lacie Barber (she/her) is an associate professor* at San Diego State University in the psychology department. Her research focuses on worker stress and how leaders can build psychologically healthy workplaces where employees thrive. Her current projects focus on how to manage work-life balance problems arising from constant access to work emails and text messages. Follow her on Twitter: @dr_lbarber Dr. Jennifer Imazeki is a Senate Distinguished Professor and Professor of Economics at San Diego State University. Her research has focused on the economics of K-12 education, and teaching in economics. In her current role as the Associate Vice President for Faculty and Staff Diversity, she leads the Equity and Inclusion Councils, comprised of diversity liaisons from all campus units, and oversees unit-level diversity planning and campus initiatives to promote inclusive recruitment of faculty and staff. https://sites.google.com/a/mail.sdsu.edu/jenniferimazeki/ Host Dr. D.J. Hopkins (he/him) is a professor at San Diego State University. His publications focus on Shakespeare in performance and theatre in urban contexts. His current research includes immersive theatre and virtual reality. @_DJHopkins https://ttf.sdsu.edu/faculty/theatre_faculty_profiles/d.j-hopkins Further Reading Alyson Krueger. “Who Is Quiet Quitting For?” The New York Times. 23 August 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/23/style/quiet-quitting-tiktok.html Greg Rosalsky and Alina Selyukh. “The economics behind 'quiet quitting' — and what we should call it instead.” NPR. 13 September 2022. https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2022/09/13/1122059402/the-economics-behind-quiet-quitting-and-what-we-should-call-it-instead See also: “You've Burned Out. Now What?” By Rebecca Pope-Ruark. https://www.chronicle.com/article/youve-burned-out-now-what
The pandemic has led to a huge rise in online shopping. And record spending from last year means record returns. But what happens to the items we send back is often a mystery. NPR correspondent Alina Selyukh reports on the like hood of an unwanted holiday gift making it into another customers hands. And Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi of NPR's Planet Money podcast visits a bargain bin store in North Carolina where dogged resellers rifle through mounds of unwanted items to find something they can turn for a profit. Listen to the full Planet Money episode here. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
President Biden acknowledged Thursday that the centerpiece of his agenda, a nearly-two trillion dollar social programs package known as the Build Back Better Act, won't pass the Senate before Christmas as Democrats had hoped. West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin is a key holdout. But Congress was able to fund the government and raise the debt ceiling, despite doubts that they could reach consensus.And: is there a rising workers' and unionization movement in the United States? Many low-income workers have seen a sharp increase in their pay during the pandemic, though an increase in the cost of goods stemming from an overloaded supply chain has softened the impact of the pay jump. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and business correspondent Alina Selyukh.Connect:Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.orgJoin the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook Group.Subscribe to the NPR Politics Newsletter.Find and support your local public radio station.
The holiday shopping season is basically here. But a lot of things that Americans want to buy are not. Now the race is on to get goods off ships and into stores and warehouses — before it's too late. NPRs Scott Horsley reports some retailers are already feeling the pinch from less inventory and higher shipping costs. Even if goods do make it into the U.S., many are sitting in warehouses, which are bursting at the seams. NPR's Alina Selyukh explains why.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
The holiday shopping season is basically here. But a lot of things that Americans want to buy are not. Now the race is on to get goods off ships and into stores and warehouses — before it's too late. NPRs Scott Horsley reports some retailers are already feeling the pinch from less inventory and higher shipping costs. Even if goods do make it into the U.S., many are sitting in warehouses, which are bursting at the seams. NPR's Alina Selyukh explains why.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
Last week the White House announced a plan to help move the port of Los Angeles into 24/7 operating status. But that will only "open the gates" of the clogged global supply chain, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told NPR on the NPR Politics Podcast. Another crucial supply chain link is the trucking industry, which is short tens of thousands of drivers. Bruce Basada, President of the Diesel Driving Academy in Shreveport, Louisiana, explains why. The clogged supply chain is leading to delays and shortage on all kinds of products. NPR coverage in this episode includes excerpts from Scott Horsley's report on a shortage of glass bottles, Petra Mayer's story on the slowdown in book production, and Alina Selyukh's look at shipping delays for children's toys. Special thanks to Scott, Petra, and Alina for editing help on this episode. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
Last week the White House announced a plan to help move the port of Los Angeles into 24/7 operating status. But that will only "open the gates" of the clogged global supply chain, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told NPR on the NPR Politics Podcast. Another crucial supply chain link is the trucking industry, which is short tens of thousands of drivers. Bruce Basada, President of the Diesel Driving Academy in Shreveport, Louisiana, explains why. The clogged supply chain is leading to delays and shortage on all kinds of products. NPR coverage in this episode includes excerpts from Scott Horsley's report on a shortage of glass bottles, Petra Mayer's story on the slowdown in book production, and Alina Selyukh's look at shipping delays for children's toys. Special thanks to Scott, Petra, and Alina for editing help on this episode. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
We get a lesson in ice cream making from Here & Now resident chef Kathy Gunst at her home in Maine. Plus, back-to-school shopping is about to set a record, reaching $37 billion. Last year, it was all about desks and headphones. This year, it's time for clothes, shoes and more electronics. NPR's Alina Selyukh reports.
Food service workers in America have newfound bargaining power, and they're using it — quitting jobs for better ones at record rates. NPR's Alina Selyukh reports on why some are leaving the restaurant industry for good. Additional reporting this episode from NPR's Andrea Hsu, who examined the pros and cons of one-time hiring bonuses for workers. Follow more coverage from NPR's special series, Where Are The Workers? In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
Food service workers in America have newfound bargaining power, and they're using it — quitting jobs for better ones at record rates. NPR's Alina Selyukh reports on why some are leaving the restaurant industry for good. Additional reporting this episode from NPR's Andrea Hsu, who examined the pros and cons of one-time hiring bonuses for workers. Follow more coverage from NPR's special series, Where Are The Workers? In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment that will help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
A movement to unionize workers at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., was seen as a potential turning point for the American labor movement. But the effort failed resoundingly. Stephan Bisaha of member station WBHM in Birmingham examines why. Mohamed Younis, editor-in-chief of Gallup, tells NPR that public opinion of labor unions is generally lower in the South.Additional reporting this episode from NPR's Alina Selyukh.In participating regions, you'll also hear from local journalists about what's happening in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
A movement to unionize workers at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., was seen as a potential turning point for the American labor movement. But the effort failed resoundingly. Stephan Bisaha of member station WBHM in Birmingham examines why. Mohamed Younis, editor-in-chief of Gallup, tells NPR that public opinion of labor unions is generally lower in the South.Additional reporting this episode from NPR's Alina Selyukh.In participating regions, you'll also hear from local journalists about what's happening in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
◆ 歷經六年官司終於得到法院的支持 ◆ 兩個德國公司間的角力到底誰侵權 ◆ 疫苗分配規範是透明還是阻撓他國 #自己的權力自己爭取 #危機出現看見真正人心 ✨分享歡迎使用連結組合包✨ https://linktr.ee/oknews 00:48 感謝新朋友分享並分享自己在荷蘭的經驗 02:40 為抗議宵禁而群聚暴動本末倒置 04:26 Elon Musk太神啦 05:37 鄉民對抗機構法人的新聞 06:58 德國超市判賠員工20萬歐 08:37 ALDI超市名字由來 09:10 事件來龍去脈 13:22 IBM經理爭取自身權利官司打四年 15:20 Lidl自有品牌多功能料理機被告抄襲 17:32 西班牙法院同意Vorwerk美善品提出的告訴 19:25 通路商的自有品牌價值和定位 22:20 荷蘭自有品牌深植民心 23:35 各國超市自有品牌的市佔 25:37 歐洲疫苗的分配問題 28:12 區域整合和國家主義間的拉扯 29:00 對疫苗的態度 31:30 平均疫苗研發的時間 各平台收聽連結: Firstory:https://reurl.cc/KjWDqy Apple Podcast:https://reurl.cc/5qqab7 Google Podcast:https://reurl.cc/0OpRAl Spotify:https://reurl.cc/0OOnmo SoundOn:https://reurl.cc/gmmlrz Facebook專頁: 歐窺 News https://www.facebook.com/oknews.europe Instagram: ok_news.eu https://www.instagram.com/ok_news.eu/ 各式合作請洽: oknews.eu@gmail.com #歐窺News #你歐窺了嗎 #podcast #每週三晚上八點固定更新 #歡迎各種五星吹捧 圖片來源: Alina Selyukh from NPR Powered by Firstory Hosting
For months now, there's been a shortage of refrigerators and freezers across the U.S. Shoppers can't find appliances to buy and stores can't find enough appliances to sell. Alina Selyukh joins The Indicator to explain why.
Democrats want another coronavirus relief bill. A sticking point for Republicans is $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits — which means some workers have been able to collect more money on unemployment than they did in their previous jobs.Essential workers who have continued to work may have received temporary wage bumps. But NPR's Alina Selyukh reports many companies are ending that hazard pay. Challenges to statewide stay-at-home orders are mounting in rural communities that have few coronavirus cases. NPR's Kirk Siegler reports on the dispute in Baker County, Oregon. Plus, experts weigh in on the safety of different summer activities.Find and support your local public radio stationSign up for 'The New Normal' newsletterThis episode was recorded and published as part of this podcast's former 'Coronavirus Daily' format.
Democrats want another coronavirus relief bill. A sticking point for Republicans is $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits — which means some workers have been able to collect more money on unemployment than they did in their previous jobs.Essential workers who have continued to work may have received temporary wage bumps. But NPR's Alina Selyukh reports many companies are ending that hazard pay. Challenges to statewide stay-at-home orders are mounting in rural communities that have few coronavirus cases. NPR's Kirk Siegler reports on the dispute in Baker County, Oregon. Plus, experts weigh in on the safety of different summer activities.Find and support your local public radio stationSign up for 'The New Normal' newsletterThis episode was recorded and published as part of this podcast's former 'Coronavirus Daily' format.
Amazon is seeking to depose President Trump and Defense Secretary Mark Esper in the latest escalation of a suit attempting to prove “unmistakable bias” in the Pentagon’s decision to award a $10 billion contract to Microsoft over Amazon Web Services. Dan discusses the case with NPR business correspondent Alina Selyukh. PLUS: Mobile’s megamerger gets court approval and AOC gets a challenger.
Is the holiday season more fun or more stressful? In this episode of Poll Hub, we share the results of that very question from our latest national NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll. And, if it’s holiday shopping that has you stressed out, sit tight. Alina Selyukh, business correspondent at NPR, joins the discussion. Along with the Poll Hub crew, Selyukh breaks down our latest poll numbers about Americans’ holiday shopping habits. From the evolution of brick and mortar stores to digipay, we’ve got you covered. Plus, we share some of our Christmas traditions and memories on this edition of Poll Hub. About Poll Hub Poll Hub goes behind the science to explain how polling works, what polls really show, and what the numbers really mean. Poll Hub is produced by The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, home of America’s leading independent college public opinion poll, The Marist Poll. Lee Miringoff (Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion), Barbara Carvalho (Director of The Marist Poll), and Jay DeDapper (Director of Innovation at The Marist Poll) dig deep to give you a look at the inner workings of polls and what they tell us about our world, our country, and ourselves.
It's Friday: Sam is up on his feet with Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner), legal editor at Buzzfeed News, and Alina Selyukh (@alinaselyukh), business correspondent at NPR. They're talking about Supreme Court strategy, net neutrality, and Amazon's minimum wage. Plus, Sam talks to two high school girls who are changing the rules of homecoming royalty.
As a businessman, President Trump was known for his towering buildings. Today we tell the story of one of those skyscrapers and what it says about how and with whom Trump does business. Follow Kelly McEvers on Twitter @kellymcevers, Alina Selyukh @alinaselyukh, @JimZarroli, Chris Benderev @cbndrv, Tom Dreisbach @TomDreisbach, and the show @nprembedded. Email us at embedded@npr.org
What is a SLAPP Suit? Let's say you own a small business called "Policy Town Fajitas". You think your business is second-to-none. You've invested in it--time, sweat, money and otherwise ... But then, all of a sudden, one of your customers doesn't fancy your business as much as you do. So they post a negative review about your business on a site like Yelp. They say your "chicken fajitas taste like pigeon and that's how I know it's not authentic Mexican food." If you're like most businesses, you try to improve (such as by switching to chicken meat). But some businesses try to turn the tables by putting the reviewer on the defensive. Let's call the reviewer Mrs. Davis. So you file a lawsuit against Mrs. Davis that is simply designed to drive her absolutely nuts. Eventually, you hope, Mrs. Johnson will decide to delete her review. That lawsuit is called a "strategic lawsuit against public participation", but we just call them SLAPP suits. Now, we know you would NEVER serve up pigeon fajitas. But what are the policy implications of SLAPP suits, particularly as they relate to online freedom of speech? Here to discuss SLAPP suits is Laurent Crenshaw (@LCrenshaw), Yelp's head of Federal Public Policy in Washington DC. At Yelp Laurent has championed the company's federal efforts to protect consumer freedom of speech on the Internet, and worked to implement Yelp as a tool for the federal government. Prior to joining Yelp in 2013, Laurent worked in the House of Representatives for over 11 years. During his tenure he served as the Legislative Director for Representative Darrell Issa focusing on technology policy issues, particularly in the areas of intellectual property, telecommunications and Internet law; and also worked in the offices of the House Majority Whip and House Republican Conference. Laurent successfully worked on numerous legislative efforts including the passage of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act in 2011 and the fight to defeat SOPA and PIPA in Congress. Additionally, Laurent also serves on the board of directors for Public Knowledge and as a member of the American Library Association's Public Policy Advisory Council. Laurent obtained his undergraduate degree in International Relations from Stanford University in 2002 and his Juris Doctor degree from American University's Washington College of Law in 2010. Resources Yelp's Public Policy Blog SPEAK FREE Act (Congressional Anti-SLAPP Suits legislation) Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel News Roundup Amazon is acquiring Whole Foods for $13.7 billion. Experts see the move as a direct hit on big box retailers like Wal-Mart and Target, whose shares tumbled sharply on news of the announcement. Analysts see it as a significant step by Amazon to substantially expand its warehouse and local supply chain operations. Laura Stevens has more at the Wall Street Journal. One interesting thing to note is that on May 30th, Amazon filed a patent for technology that allows it to block customers from using their phones to "window shop", or check the prices of other stores, while they're on site at an Amazon property. Brian Fung reports on that in the Washington Post. President Trump has officially nominated former Democratic FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel to return to the agency. Rosenworcel has strong Democratic support. Her previous four-year term ended last year when the Senate failed to reconfirm her term before it expired. Still open at the FCC is the third Republican seat. Brendan Carr--a current advisor to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai -- is considered the front-runner for that seat although, as of Monday evening, the White House has not yet made the official nomination. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security released a joint announcement saying North Korea has been executing cyberattacks against institutions worldwide since 2009. North Korean government actors calling themselves "Hidden Cobra" are the culprits, according to the statement, and they have been attacking aerospace, financial and other institutions in the U.S. and around the world. Deb Reichmann reports for the Associated Press. Verizon has completed its $4.5 billion acquisition of Yahoo. Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer resigned with a $23 million package. Alina Selyukh has the story at NPR. The Federal Trade Commission will be opposing the proposed merger of DraftKing and FanDuel--the two largest fantasy sports sites. In a statement released Monday, the FTC wrote that the combined company would control more than 90% of the market. The families of prison inmates could see their phone charges for calling incarcerated loved ones shoot back up to as much as $14 per minute. The Obama-era FCC had placed caps on those calls that ranged to between 14 and 49 cents per minute. But the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that the FCC did not have the authority to regulate those rates. The Court ruled that the FCC lacked the authority to regulate those rates because they pertained to intrastate calls, and not interstate calls, and thus they fall outside the FCC's federal jurisdiction. Zoe Tillman covers this for BuzzFeed. The Indian woman who was raped by an Uber driver in India is suing the company in the U.S. for violating her privacy and for defamation of character. The plaintiff, a Texas resident, has filed as a Jane Doe. Apparently, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick had said publicly that the company would do everything it could to ensure the rapist would be brought to justice. However, behind the scenes, the victim alleges that Uber obtained her medical records in India and then worked to use the information to claim the rape was all a ruse that was orchestrated by Uber's main competitor in India. Julia Carrie Wong summarized this story in the Guardian. Uber has been embroiled in numerous controversies of late. These culminated last week in Kalanick being placed on an indefinite leave of absence and top ranking executives being let go. These latest developments were in response to a report spearheaded by former Attorney General Eric Holder that recommended these and other changes at Uber. Facebook has outlined a strategy for weeding out terrorist content on its platform. The company released a blog post last week saying that it has about 150 people on staff nationwide whose job it is to remove all content posted by or in support of terrorists. The company also uses artificial intelligence and other technology to take down content that promotes terrorism on Facebook and its other properties, according to the post. Finally, remember President Trump's Twitter typo a few weeks ago, when he tweeted the word "covfefe" instead of "coverage"? Well, The Hill's Harper Neidig noticed last week that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office had more than 30 trademark requests containing the word "covefefe" since the flub.
We have the first wave of the Trump laws! In this episode, highlights of the most impactful laws from the first three months of the 115th Congress, which include favors to the fossil fuel industry, gun industry, telecommunications industry, and defense contractors. In addition, learn about a law (that’s flown completely under the radar) that fundamentally changes how NASA operates. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute using credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD124: The Costs of For-Profit War CD135: Education is Big Business Bills Outline S. 84: A bill to provide for an exception to a limitation against appointment of persons as Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces. Exempts General James Mattis from the law that prohibits anyone from serving as Defense Secretary within seven years of leaving military service (Mattis had retired less than four years before his appointment). H.R. 72: GAO Access and Oversight Act of 2017 Gives the Government Accountability Office (GAO) more power to get federal agency records for audits and investigations Requires agency heads to report their plans - not just their actions - that the agency will take when given recommendations by the GAO and requires the reports to be given to more Congressional committees Makes it easier for the GAO to sue federal agencies that don't comply Gives the GAO access to the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) H.J.Res. 41: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of a rule submitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to “Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers”. Repeals an Obama administration rule requiring companies listed in the stock market to publicly report payments by the fossil fuel and mineral industries to the US or foreign governments if the payments are over $100,000 in a year. H.J.Res. 38: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior known as the Stream Protection Rule. Repeals a Department of Interior regulation known as the "Stream Protection Rule" which aimed to reduce pollution from coal mining by blocking mining within 100 feet of streams and requiring coal mining companies to restore the land their use to it's pre-mining condition. H.J.Res. 40: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. Repeals a Social Security Administration rule that never went into effect that would have prohibited approximately 75,000 people who receive disability checks for mental illness from buying guns. H.R. 321: Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act Orders the NASA administrator to create a plan to use current and former NASA employees to engage with K-12 female students to encourage them to pursue careers in aerospace. The plan must be submitted in 90 days. H.R. 255: Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act "Encourages" the National Science Foundation to recruit women to work in commercial science and engineering - S. 442: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act of 2017 Authorizes $19.5 billion for NASA operations for 2017 Declares that it will be US policy that we will support the International Space Station through at least 2024 Sense of Congress: "Commercially provided crew transportation systems" should be the primary means of transporting US astronauts to and from the International Space Station and reliance upon Russian transportation should be ended as soon as possible. Commercial providers of NASA services will have to provide "evidence-based support for their costs and schedules" only "in a manner that does not add costs or schedule delays" NASA will have to create a plan to "transition in a step-wise approach from the current regime that relies heavily on NASA sponsorship to a regime where NASA could be one of many customers of a low-Earth orbit non-governmental human space flight enterprise." The first report on progress will be due December 1, 2017 Contracts between NASA and private providers are allowed to give immunity to the private providers from lawsuits for "death, bodily injury, or loss of or damage to property resulting from launch services and reentry services carried out under the contract" for any amount over what their insurance covers. The maximum amount of insurance a provider will have to obtain is for $500 million The immunity may exclude claims resulting from willful misconduct by the private provider Establishes long term goals for NASA, which include "to enable a capability to extend human presence, including potential human habitation on another celestial body and a thriving space economy in the 21st Century." There will be a specific focus on enabling humans living on Mars Repeals provisions of law that required the government specifically to have the ability to restart the Space Shuttle program, if needed. Authorizes the NASA Administrator to conduct long-term medical monitoring and treatment of astronauts with no out-of-pocket costs for the astronauts for space flight related ailments only. H.J.Res. 44: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior relating to Bureau of Land Management regulations that establish the procedures used to prepare, revise, or amend land use plans pursuant to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. Repeals a Bureau of Land Management Rule that would give the public a larger and earlier role in management plans for public land. The public would have been able to submit data & other information. The public also would have been given information as the plans were developed, allowing the public to comment during the planning process instead of after. H.J.Res. 37: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration relating to the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Repeals a rule written by the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and NASA that would have made federal contractors prove their compliance with fourteen Federal labor laws, which would then be taken into consideration by agencies when awarding contracts. The contractors would also have to report their wages paid to employees to the agencies and would have limited forced arbitration of employee claims. H.J.Res. 57: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to accountability and State plans under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Repeals a Department of Education rule that would have pushed states to weigh student achievement via test scores of 95% of their students and graduation rates when determining which schools are "underperforming". The rule also would have required schools to provide parents and the public with more information on their annual report card. H.J.Res. 58: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to teacher preparation issues. Repeals a Department of Education rule that outlined indicators that states would have to use to judge teacher performance and tied results to some Federal aid funding. H.J.Res. 42: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to drug testing of unemployment compensation applicants. Repeals a Department of Labor rule that allowed but limited the drug testing of people receiving unemployment benefits. People could only be tested if they were dismissed for substance abuse related reasons and only if their jobs required carrying a firearm, aviation flight crews, air traffic controllers, commercial drivers, railroad crews, pipeline crews, and commercial maritime crews. S.J.Res. 34: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission relating to “Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services” Repeals a Federal Communications Commission rule that would have required Internet service providers to obtain our approval if they were going to share our information, and not condition service on an acceptance of data sharing, and to notify us if our data was compromised. Additional Reading Article: Congress Votes To Expand Drug Testing For Unemployment Recipients by Kelly Mcevers, NPR, March 27, 2017. Article: Why you should take a closer look at this week's NASA bill by Andrew Wagner and Nsikan Akpan, PBS, March 24, 2017. Article: Obama Education Rules Are Swept Aside by Congress by Dana Goldstein, The New York Times, March 9, 2017. Article: The Senate just voted to overturn another environmental rule - sending it to Trump's desk by Chelsea Harvey, The Washington Post, March 8, 2017. Article: Senate overturns Obama-era regulations on teacher preparation by Emma Brown, The Washington Post, March 8, 2017. Congressional Record: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act of 2017, House of Representatives, March 7, 2017. Article: Trump Signs Bill Revoking Obama-Era Gun Checks for People with Mental Illnesses by Ali Vitali, NBC News, February 28, 2017. Article: FCC Chairman Goes After His Predecessor's Internet Privacy Rules by Alina Selyukh, NPR, February 24, 2017. Article: Why Trump just killed a rule restricting coal companies from dumping waste in streams by Brad Plumer, Vox, February 16, 2017. Article: Trump signs Sasse's bill to let GAO access massive financial database by Joseph Morton, Omaha World Herald, February 3, 2017. Article: Goodbye, Stream Protection Rule by Paul Rauber, Sierra, February 1, 2017. Article: On the same day Rex Tillerson is confirmed, the House votes to kill a transparency rule for oil companies by Brad Plumer, Vox, February 1, 2017. Article: Republicans will try a little-used tactic to kill five Obama regulations this week by Brad Plumer, Vox, February 1, 2017. Press Release: Bill Johnson Leads House Effort to Protect Coal Jobs by Overturning Ill-Advised "Stream Protection Rule" by Representative Bill Johnson, January 30, 2017. Press Release: Chairman Huizenga, Senator Inhofe Move To Eliminate Resource Extraction Rule via CRA, Chairman Bill Huizenga, January 30, 2017. Op-Ed: The Congressional Review Act, rarely used and (almost always) unsuccessful by Stuart Shapiro, The Hill, April 17, 2015. References U.S. Dept of Labor: Unemployment Insurance Senator Al Franken: Arbitration Amendment OpenSecrets: Rep. Liz Cheney - Top Industries, 2015-2016 OpenSecrets: National Rifle Association - 2016 Contributions OpenSecrets: Rep. Bill Johnson - Top Industries OpenSecrets: Rep. Bill Johnson - Top Industries, 2015-2016 OpenSecrets: Rep. Bill Huizenga - 2014 Assets OpenSecrets: Rep. Bill Huizenga - Top Industries OpenSecrets: Senator Jeff Flake - Top Industries OpenSecrets: Rep. Marsha Blackburn - Career Profile OpenSecrets: Communications/Electronics - Money to Congress Sound Clip Sources Hearing: NASA: Past, Present, and Future, House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space and Technology, February 16, 2017. Video: NASA Authorization Bill Signing, Oval Office, March 21, 2017. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations