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On February 3rd, a train carrying 20 cars with poisonous, flammable chemicals derailed in East Palestine, OH. In this episode, we're going to get some answers. Using testimony from four Congressional hearings, community meeting footage, National Transportation Safety Board preliminary reports, and lots of articles from local and mainstream press, you will learn what Congress is being told as they write the Rail Safety Act, which both parts of Congress are working on in response to the East Palestine train derailment. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd274-norfolk-southern-train-derailment-in-east-palestine Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD247: BIF: The Growth of US Railroads East Palestine Derailment Overview “It's been more than a month since a freight train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in Ohio. Here's what's happened since.” Alisha Ebrahimji and Holly Yan. Mar 23, 2023. CNN. “Residents can return home after crews burned chemicals in derailed tanker cars.” Associated Press. Feb 8, 2023. NPR. “WATCH: Smoke billows over East Palestine after controlled burn at train derailment site.” Feb 8, 2023. Cleveland 19 News. Vinyl Chloride and Dioxins “East Palestine Train Derailment: What is vinyl chloride and what happens when it burns?” Associated Press. Feb 8, 2023. CBS News Pittsburgh. “Dioxins and their effects on human health.” Oct 4, 2016. World Health Organization. “Medical Management Guidelines for Vinyl Chloride.” Last reviewed Oct 21, 2014. Centers for Disease Control Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. National Transportation Safety Board Findings “Norfolk Southern Railway Train Derailment with Subsequent Hazardous Material Release and Fires: Investigation Details.” Last updated Mar 21, 2023. National Transportation Safety Board. “What appears to be an overheated wheel bearing seen moments before East Palestine train derailment, NTSB says.” Ian Cross. Feb 14, 2023. ABC News 5 Cleveland. “Vent and Burn” Decision “Ex-EPA Administrator Doubts Agency's East Palestine Claims: 'Hard to Believe They Were Silent' Before Norfolk Southern Detonated Toxic Vinyl Chloride Cars.” Jordan Chariton. May 25, 2023. Status Coup News. “East Palestine emails reveal insight into decision to vent and burn toxic rail cars.” Tara Morgan. May 15, 2023. ABC News 5 Cleveland. “EXCLUSIVE: 'I truly feel defeated and useless.' Emails and texts reveal anguish of East Palestine fire chief over lack of adequate health advice after he was told to treat chemical disaster 'like a normal house fire.'” Daniel Bates. May 15, 2023. The Daily Mail. EPA failures “East Palestine Bombshell: EPA Official Admits It May Be Missing Toxic Chemicals in Air Testing, Admits Some of Its Decision Making Has Been to Prevent Lawsuits.” Louis DeAngelis. Mar 29, 2023. Status Coup News. East Palestine Resident Health Problems “No one has accepted real responsibility for the East Palestine disaster.” Zsuzsa Gyenes. May 16, 2023. The Guardian. “East Palestine survey reveals residents experienced headaches and anxiety after train derailment.” Nicki Brown, Artemis Moshtaghian and Travis Caldwell. Mar 4, 2023. CNN. “People in East Palestine showing breakdown product of vinyl chloride in urine tests.” Tara Morgan. Apr 28, 2023. ABC News 5 Cleveland. Norfolk Southern “Making it Right.” Norfolk Southern. “Norfolk Southern unveils compensation plans for homeowners near derailment site.” Andrea Cambron, Jason Carroll and Chris Isidore. May 11, 2023. CNN Business. “‘32 Nasty:' Rail Workers Say They Knew the Train That Derailed in East Palestine Was Dangerous.” Aaron Gordon. Feb 15, 2023. Vice. “Wall Street says Norfolk Southern profits won't suffer from derailment.” Rachel Premack. Feb 14, 2023. Freight Waves. “US rail industry defends safety record amid staffing cuts.” Josh Funk. May 16, 2021. AP News. Lobbying Against Regulations “Rail Companies Blocked Safety Rules Before Ohio Derailment.” David Sirota et al. Feb 8, 2023. The Lever. ECP Brake Deregulation “USDOT repeals ECP brake rule.” William C. Vantuono. Dec 5, 2017. Railway Age. Railway Safety Act “Railway Safety Act passes committee, moves to Senate floor for full vote.” Abigail Bottar. May 10, 2023. Ideastream Public Media. Staffing Cuts “Railroads are slashing workers, cheered on by Wall Street to stay profitable amid Trump's trade war.” Heather Long. Jan 3, 2020. The Washington Post. Long Trains “The True Dangers of Long Trains.” Dan Schwartz and Topher Sanders. Apr 3, 2023. Propublica. Bills S.576: Railway Safety Act of 2023 Audio Sources Senate Executive Session May 10, 2023 Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Clips 36:30 Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): This bill has changed a lot from what I introduced just a few short months ago. We've made a number of concessions to industry; a number of concessions to the rail industry, a number of concessions to various interest groups, which is why we have so much bipartisan support in this body but also why we have a lot of support from industry. East Palestine Community Meeting March 28, 2023 Status Coup News Government Response to East Palestine: Ensuring Safety and Transparency for the Community March 28, 2023 House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, & Critical Materials Watch on YouTube Witnesses: Debra Shore, Regional Administrator, U.S Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5 Wesley Vins, Health Commissioner, Columbiana County General Health District Anne M. Vogel, Director, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Clips 30:40 Debra Shore: Since the derailment, EPA has been leading robust, multi-layered air quality testing, using state of the art technology in and around East Palestine, and that extensive monitoring has continued daily at 23 stations throughout the community. Since the fire was extinguished on February 8, EPA monitors have not detected any volatile organic compounds above established levels of health concerns. EPA has also been assisting with indoor air screenings in homes through a voluntary program to keep residents informed. As of March 21, more than 600 homes have been screened, and no sustained or elevated detections of chemicals have been identified. 33:00 Debra Shore: Here's how EPA is holding Norfolk Southern accountable. On February 21, EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order to Norfolk Southern, including a number of directives to identify and clean up contaminated soil and water resources, to attend and participate in public meetings at EPA's request, and to post information online, and ordering the company to pay EPA's costs for work performed under the order. All Norfolk Southern work plans must be reviewed and approved by EPA. It must outline all steps necessary to address the environmental damage caused by the derailment. If the company fails to complete any of the EPAs ordered actions, the agency will immediately step in, conduct the necessary work, and then seek punitive damages at up to three times the cost. 46:30 Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH): In one case, trucks were actually turned around at the gate of a proper, certified disposal facility and sent back to East Palestine to sit practically in my constituents backyard. Why did the EPA believe that it needed to send those letters? Debra Shore: Chairman Johnson, the instance you cite occurred before EPA assumed responsibility under the Unilateral Administrative Order for the cleanup. We don't know who told those trucks to turn around, whether it was the disposal facility itself or someone else. 48:50 Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH): Why were they turned around? Debra Shore: This occurred during the transition period between Ohio EPA and US EPA assuming the lead for the emergency response. As such, under the Unilateral Administrative Order, all disposal facilities are required to be on the CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) approved off-site disposal list. So, we needed a few days to review what had occurred and ensure that those facilities that Norfolk Southern had contracts with were on that approved list. Once we determined which ones were on the approved list, it's up to Norfolk Southern to ship waste off the site. 1:03:30 Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO): Is the EPA intending to use the Unilateral Administrative Order to ensure that Norfolk Southern establishes a health and environmental screening program beyond this initial cleanup period? Debra Shore: Right now, the focus of the Unilateral Order and our work with Norfolk Southern is to make sure the site is cleaned up. I think the responsibility for that longer term health effort, I support what Dr. Vins recommended, and that may have to be negotiat[ed] with Norfolk Southern going forward. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO): Obviously, that hasn't started yet. Debra Shore: Not to my knowledge. 1:09:05 Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA): What will take place in the remediation phase, what happens then? Debra Shore: Then there'll be restoration of stream banks and the places where the soil was removed from along the railroad sites and I think a larger vision for the community that they're already beginning to work on, such as parks and streetscapes. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA): Right. Any idea of what kind of timeframe we're talking about here? I mean, are we talking like in my district, decades? Debra Shore: No. We believe the core of the removal of the contaminated site and the restoration of the tracks will be several months. 1:11:35 Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ): When did clean up responsibility shift from EPA to Norfolk Southern, and what protections were put in place to ensure the health and safety of the community during that shift? Debra Shore: Thank you, Congressman Pallone. The transition from the State agency, which has the delegated authority in every state, has an emergency response capability, and so Ohio was on the ground working with the local firemen and other agencies as EPA arrived shortly after the derailment. It is typical in these kinds of emergency responses for the state agency to take the lead in the early days and Norfolk Southern was complying with the directives from the state. They continued to comply, but we've found over time that it's important to have all the authority to hold the principal responsible party in this case Norfolk Southern accountable, which is why on February 21, several weeks after the derailment, EPA issued its Unilateral Administrative Order. 1:19:55 Debra Shore: In the subsequent soil sampling that's been conducted, we looked at the information about the direction of the plume from the vent and burn event and focused that primarily where there might have been aerial deposition of soot or particulate matter, and that those soil samples have been collected in Pennsylvania. Rep. John Joyce (R-PA): And today, what soil, air, and water tests are continuing to occur in Pennsylvania? Debra Shore: Additional soil samples will be collected in collaboration, principally, with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the local Farm Bureau, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. 1:28:36 Anne M. Vogel: The reason that we have been able to say that the municipal drinking water is safe is based on an Ohio EPA map that pre-exists the derailment. This is the source water protection map. So the municipal wellfield is right here, if folks can see that, that big well in the blue. So the derailment happened way over here, a mile and a half away from the wellfield. And we know how the water flows, down this way, down this way, down the creeks. So the derailment would not have affected the municipal water source and we knew that very quickly after the derailment. 1:49:05 Debra Shore: Norfolk Southern has encountered some difficulties in finding and establishing contracts with sites to accept both liquid and solid waste. And I think we could accelerate the cleanup if they were able to fulfill that obligation more expeditiously. 1:51:20 Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA): What are some of the long term health concerns that residents and your providers have? Wesley Vins: We've heard a whole wide range of concerns long term. Certainly, cancer is first and foremost, because of much of the information that the residents see online and here, as well as reproductive concerns, growth concerns, hormonal concerns Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA): Do you think there's a potential with the carcinogens or any of the toxins that it could lead to ailments for five years from now? Wesley Vins: Yeah, I understand your question. So the some of the constituents that we have related to this response, obviously are carcinogenic, however, we're seeing low levels, is really the initial response. So I think the long question is, we don't know. Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA): We don't know. 2:04:50 Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA): Administrator Shore, one concern my office has heard is that relocation costs are not being covered by Norfolk Southern for everyone in East Palestine. How is it determined whether a resident is eligible to have their relocation costs paid for? Debra Shore: I'm sorry to hear that. My understanding was that Norfolk Southern was covering temporary relocation costs for any resident who sought that, and I would direct you to Norfolk Southern to ask why they are being turned down. Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA): Can the EPA require that Norfolk Southern cover relocation costs for anyone in East Palestine? Debra Shore: I'll find out. 2:11:45 Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA): I guess my concern is, if the EPA is website says that the sampling data hasn't been quality assured, how did the EPA make the determination that the air is safe to breathe when it appears that the sampling data has not been quality assured? Debra Shore: Congresswoman, I'm going to ask our staff to get back to you with an answer for that. Executive Session and Improving Rail Safety in Response to the East Palestine Derailment March 22, 2023 Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation View on Senate website Introduction Panel: U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown U.S. Senator J.D. Vance Mike DeWine, Governor of Ohio Misti Allison, Resident of East Palestine Witnesses: Jennifer Homendy, Chair, National Transportation Safety Board David Comstock, Chief, Ohio Western Reserve Joint Fire District Clyde Whitaker, Legislative Director, Ohio State SMART-TD Alan Shaw, CEO, Norfolk Southern Ian Jefferies, CEO, Association of American Railroads Clips 1:35:00 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Is there any relief being offered now to say, if you make the decision to move your home and move your family somewhere else, there is an avenue for you to sell your home and get a fair market price for it? Misti Allison: The short answer is, as of today, no. There is not a clear cut explanation or parameters of how you would do that. We've heard time and time again from Norfolk Southern that they're going to make it right and that they're looking into some long term health care monitoring and assistance and home value protection, but details of that plan have not been disclosed to residents as of today. 1:42:05 Jennifer Homendy: This derailment, as all accidents we investigate, was 100% preventable. 1:43:20 Jennifer Homendy: First, the definition of high hazard flammable train should be expanded to a broader array of hazmats and the definition's threshold of 20 loaded tank cars in a continuous block or 35 tank cars dispersed throughout a train should be eliminated. Second, DOT 111 should be phased out of all hazmat service. They're not as protected as DOT 117 tank cars. Third, people deserve to know what chemicals are moving through their communities and how to stay safe in an emergency. That includes responders who risk their lives for each of us every single day. They deserve to be prepared. That means access to real time information, obtaining the right training and gear, and having the right communications and planning tools. Fourth, light cockpit voice recorders in the aviation, audio and video recorders in the locomotive cab are essential for helping investigators determine the cause of an accident and make more precise safety recommendations. Recorders also help operators proactively improve their safety policies and practices. In the East Palestine derailment, the locomotive was equipped with an inward facing camera. However, since the locomotive was put immediately back into service following the accident, the data was overwritten. That means the recorder only provided about 15 minutes of data before the derailment, and five minutes after. The FAST Act, following terrible tragedies in Chatsworth and in Philadelphia, required Amtrak and commuter railroads to maintain crash and fire hardened inward and outward facing image recorders in all controlling locomotives that have a minimum of a 12 hour continuous recording capability. This was extremely helpful in our DuPont Washington investigation. Now is the time to expand that requirement to audio, and include the Class One freight railroads in that mandate. In fact, now is the time to address all of the NTSB's open rail safety recommendations, many of which are on our most wanted list. Fifth and finally, as the committee works on enhancing rail safety, I trust that you'll consider the resources that we desperately need to carry out our critical safety mission. Investments in the NTSB are investments in safety across all modes of transportation. 1:52:05 Clyde Whitaker: This derailment did not have to happen. And it makes it so much more frustrating for us to know that it was very predictable. And yet our warnings and cries for help over the last seven years have fallen on deaf ears and the outcome was exactly as we feared. Now the result is a town that doesn't feel safe in their own homes, businesses failing to survive and a railroad that prioritized its own movement of trains, before the people in the community, as well as its workers. It truly is a shame that operational changes in place prior to that incident are still in place today and the possibility for a similar disaster is just as possible. My entire railroad career I've listened to the railroads portray a message and image of safety first, but I have never witnessed or experienced that truth, one single day on the property. For years I've handled complaint after complaint regarding unsafe practices and unsafe environments, and for almost every single one I've been fought every step of the way. The truth is, ask any railroad worker and they will tell you, that their carriers are masters of checking the boxes and saying the right things, without ever doing anything meaningful toward improving safety. They're only focus is on the operating ratios and bottom lines, which is evidenced by the fact that their bonus structures are set up to reward timely movements of freight rather than reaching destinations safely, as they once were. Actions do speak louder than words. And I assure you that what you have heard, and will hear, from the railroads today are nothing more than words. Their actions are what's experienced by men and women I represent as well as what the people of East Palestine have been through. This is the reality of what happens when railroads are primarily left to govern and regulate themselves. 1:54:05 Clyde Whitaker: On July 11, 2022, I filed a complaint with the FRA (Freight Railroad Administration) regarding an unsafe practice that was occurring on Norfolk Southern (NS), despite existing operating rules to the contrary. NS was giving instructions to crews to disregard wayside detector failures and to keep the trains moving. This meant the trains were not being inspected as intended, and that the crews were not able to ascertain the integrity of such trains. This practice remained in place even after East Palestine. 1:54:40 Clyde Whitaker: It is a virus that has plagued the industry for some time, with the exception of precision scheduled railroading. Across America, inspections and maintenance is being deferred to expedite the movement of trains. No longer is identifying defects and unsafe conditions the goal of inspections, but rather minimiz[ing] the time it takes to perform them, or the elimination of them all together. 2:17:40 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Why did Norfolk Southern not stop the train then and examine the bearing to make sure that it didn't melt the axle and that you didn't have a derailment? If you'd stop then it would have prevented the derailment. So my question is, why did the second hotbox reading not trigger action? Alan Shaw: Senator, my understanding is that that second reading was still below our alarm threshold, which is amongst the lowest in the industry. In response to this, the industry has agreed to work together to share best practices with respect to hotbox detectors, trending technology, and thresholds. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): So when you and I visited my office yesterday, you said your threshold is now 170 degrees above ambient temperature. As I understand it, at the time of the derailment, your threshold was 200 degrees above ambient temperature. 2:20:15 Clyde Whitaker: Make note that trending defect detector technology from being in the cab of a locomotive, when we pass a defect detector, it trends to an office like Norfolk Southern in Atlanta, Georgia. It doesn't convey to the railroad crews, which is a problem in this incident as well as many others that still continue to this day. What we need as a train crew -- which they say they listen, they haven't been listening for quite a while -- we need to be notified whenever these trending detectors are seeing this car trend hotter. That way we can keep a better eye on it. 2:22:35 Clyde Whitaker: It is feasible. The technology is there. Several days after East Palestine, we almost had a similar incident in the Cleveland area on Norfolk Southern. The defect detector said no defects to the crew. The train dispatcher came on and said, "Hey, we have a report of a trending defect detector on the train. We need you to stop and inspect it." Immediately after that the chief dispatcher, which is the person that controls the whole railroad, told them to keep going. If it were not for an eastbound train passing them and instructing them, "Hey, your train is on fire, stop your train." And we set that car out. They had to walking speed this car five miles. So the technology is there. They're just raising and lowering their thresholds to move freight. 2:25:15 Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): His testimony is loud and clear: it would have been worse if there was only one person as a crew on that train. Do you disagree with him? Alan Shaw: Senator, I believe that we have operations infrastructure on the ground to respond to derailments. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): I think you're not answering the question, okay? It's almost like the last hearing all over again. Because I think the evidence is very clear that these trains can be absolutely safer, but that technology is no replacement for human beings. For example, it can't provide the cognitive functions of a conductor and can't collect visual cues during an emergency. Two-person crews make our trains safer and I wish that you would commit to that today, because I think it's pretty obvious that is the correct answer. I just get sick of industry executives talking about supporting the principles of regulation, while they lobby against common sense regulations like this one behind the scenes. 2:38:50 Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT): I understand that the business plan of Norfolk Southern includes a $7.5 billion stock buyback that is ongoing. Do you believe it would be appropriate to suspend that buyback program until all of the assurances that you are making to this committee and also to the people of East Palestine, about "making this right," that that stock back buyback program should be suspended until you have accomplished what you've assured us and what you've assured that people of East Palestine that you would do? Alan Shaw: Senator, we think about safety every day. We spend a billion dollars a year in capital on safety. And we have ongoing expenses of about a billion dollars a year in safety and as a result over time, derailments are down, hazardous material releases are down and injuries are down. We can always get better. Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT): Right, so you won't answer my question about suspending the buyback program. Alan Shaw: Senator, stock buybacks never come at the expense of safety Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT): I take that is that you will continue with your plan on the buyback. 2:51:30 Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): I know that high hazardous flammable trains have more safety regulations. Why would this not have been characterized as a high hazard flammable train if it had th ese hazardous materials on it as part of the 149 car train? Alan Shaw: Senator, thank you for your question. I'm not familiar with the entire makeup of the train. I know that a highly hazardous train is defined by a certain number of highly hazardous cars in it or a certain number of cars in a block. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): Miss Homendy, maybe you can help me with that question. Jennifer Homendy: Yes, the definition of a high hazard flammable train involves class three flammable liquids only, 20 car loads in a continuous block, which would be a unit train, or 35 car loads of class three flammable liquids in a mixed freight train. That was not what was on this train. There were some that were class three defined flammable liquids, but this train was not a high hazard flammable train. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): Right. It wasn't a high hazard train, but it had high hazardous materials that are very flammable that just lit up the sky. So is that something that you would consider that should be looked at as a safety improvement? Jennifer Homendy: Yes, Senator. We think that the thresholds of the 20 and 35 should be eliminated and we think a broader array of hazmat should be in the definition of high hazard flammable train. Protecting Public Health and the Environment in the Wake of the Norfolk Southern Train Derailment and Chemical Release in East Palestine, Ohio March 9, 2023 Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works View on Senate website Witnesses: Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) Alan Shaw, President and CEO, Norfolk Southern Corporation Debra Shore, Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region V Anne Vogel, Director, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Richard Harrison, Executive Director and Chief Engineer, Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission Eric Brewer, Director and Chief of Hazardous Materials Response, Beaver County Department of Emergency Services Clips 26:50 Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH): The company followed the Wall Street business model: boost profits by cutting costs at all costs, the consequences for places like East Palestine be damned. In 10 years, Norfolk Southern eliminated 38% of its workforce. Think of that. In a decade they cut more than a third of their jobs. We see what the company did with their massive profits. Norfolk Southern spent $3.4 billion on stock buybacks last year and were planning to do even more this year. That's money that could have gone to hiring inspectors, to putting more hotbox detectors along its rail lines, to having more workers available to repair cars and repair tracks. Norfolk Southern's profits have gone up and up and up and look what happened. 33:35 Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): It is ridiculous that firefighters and local officials don't know that hazardous chemicals are in their community, coming through their community. In East Palestine you had a community of largely volunteer firefighters responding to a terrible crisis, toxic burning chemicals, without knowing what was on them. 34:50 Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): I've talked to a number of my Republican colleagues and nearly everybody has dealt in complete good faith, whether they like the bill or have some concerns about it, and these comments are not directed at them. Who they are directed at is a particular slice of people who seem to think that any public safety enhancements for the rail industry is somehow a violation of the free market. Well, if you look at this industry and what's happened in the last 30 years, that argument is a farce. This is an industry that enjoys special subsidies that almost no industry enjoys. This is an industry that is enjoys special legal carve outs that almost no industry enjoys. This is an industry that just three months ago had the federal government come in and save them from a labor dispute. It was effectively a bailout. And now they're claiming before the Senate and the House that our reasonable legislation is somehow a violation of the free market. Well, pot, meet the kettle, because that doesn't make an ounce of sense. You cannot claim special government privileges, you cannot ask the government to bail you out, and then resist basic public safety. 40:10 Alan Shaw: Air and water monitoring have been in place continuously since the accident and to date it consistently indicated that the air is safe to breathe and the water is safe to drink. 47:20 Debra Shore: Since the fire was extinguished on February 8, EPA monitors have not detected any volatile organic compounds above levels of health concerns. 47:45 Debra Shore: EPA has been assisting with indoor air screenings for homes through a voluntary program offered to residents to provide them with information and help restore their peace of mind. As of March 4, approximately 600 homes had been screened through this program and no detections of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride have been identified. 48:40 Debra Shore: On February 21, we issued a unilateral administrative order to Norfolk Southern which includes a number of directives to identify and clean up contaminated soil and water resources, to attend and participate in public meetings at EPA's request, and to post information online, to pay for EPA's costs for work performed under this order. EPA is overseeing Norfolk Southern's cleanup work to ensure it's done to EPA specifications. The work plans will outline all steps necessary to clean up the environmental damage caused by the derailment. And most importantly, if the company fails to complete any of the EPA ordered actions, the agency will immediately step in, conduct the necessary work, and then force Norfolk Southern to pay triple the cost. 1:04:30 Eric Brewer: Norfolk Southern hazmat personnel and contractors arrived on scene shortly after 11pm. At around midnight, after research of the contents, it was decided to shut down fire operations and move firefighters out of the immediate area and to let the tank cars burn. This is not an unusual decision. This decision was made primarily by Norfolk Southern's hazmat coordinator, as well as their contractor. 1:05:15 Eric Brewer: There was a possibility of explosion and we should consider a one mile evacuation. Ohio officials notified us that the one mile radius would now be from the leaked oil address. This would add additional residents from Beaver County in the one mile evacuation zone. Donington township officials went door to door, as well as using a mass notification system to advise the residents of the one mile recommended evacuation. It was stressed that this was a recommendation as we cannot force residents from their homes. Social media posts began to circulate stating that arrest would be made if people refused to leave during the evacuation. Let me be clear that was not the case in Pennsylvania, as this was not a mandatory evacuation. Monday morning, we assembled at the Emergency Operations Center in East Palestine. We learned Norfolk Southern wanted to do a controlled detonation of the tank car in question. We were assured this was the safest way to mitigate the problem. During one of those planning meetings, we learned from Norfolk Southern that they now wanted to do the controlled detonation on five of the tank cars rather than just the one. This changed the entire plan, as it would now impact a much larger area. 1:21:25 Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): Why did you wait a month before you started to order the dioxin testing when the community was asking for this? Was that a decision that you made early on that it wasn't critical? Or how was this decision made? Debra Shore: Senator Capito, our air monitoring was searching for primary indicators, such as phosgene and hydrogen chloride, immediately during and after the burn. We detected very low levels which very quickly went even down to non detectable. Without those primary indicators, it was a very low probability that dioxins would have been created. They are secondary byproducts of the burning of vinyl chloride. 1:25:40 Alan Shaw: As you saw just this week, a six point safety plan that included a number of issues which we're implementing immediately to improve safety, including installing more wayside detectors. The first one was installed yesterday outside of East Palestine. 1:30:20 Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK): Mr. Shaw, when the vent and burn process was being made, who who made those decisions? And what was other considerations other than just burning it and letting the material burn off? Alan Shaw: Thank you for that question. The only consideration, Senator, was the safety and health of the community. And that decision was made by Unified Command under the direction of the Incident Commander? Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK): Who's that? Alan Shaw: The Incident Commander was Fire Chief Drabick. Norfolk Southern was a part of Unified Command. 2:07:25 Alan Shaw: Senator, the NTSB report indicated that all of the hotbox detectors were working as designed. And earlier this week, we announced that we are adding approximately 200 hotbox detectors to our network. We already have amongst the lowest spacing between hotbox detectors in the industry. And we already have amongst the lowest thresholds. 2:15:35 Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): Will you commit to compensating affected homeowners for their diminished property values? Alan Shaw: Senator, I'm committing to do what's right. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): Well, what's right is a family that had a home worth $100,000 that is now worth $50,000 will probably never be able to sell that home for 100,000 again. Will you compensate that family for that loss? Alan Shaw: Senator, I'm committed to do what's right. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): That is the right thing to do. These are the people who are innocent victims, Mr. Shaw. These people were just there at home and all of a sudden their small businesses, their homes are forever going to have been diminished in value. Norfolk Southern owes these people. It's an accident that is basically under the responsibility of Norfolk Southern, not these families. When you say do the right thing, will you again, compensate these families for their diminished lost property value for homes and small businesses? Alan Shaw: Senator, we've already committed $21 million and that's a downpayment Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): That is a down payment. Will you commit to ensuring that these families, these innocent families, do not lose their life savings in their homes and small businesses? The right thing to do is to say, "Yes, we will." Alan Shaw: Senator, I'm committed to doing what's right for the community and we're going to be there as long -- Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): What's right for the community will then be balanced -- which is what we can see from your stock buybacks -- by what's right for Norfolk Southern. C-SPAN: Washington Post Live March 6, 2023 Speakers: Heather Long, Columnist and Editorial Writer, Washington Post Jennifer Homendy, Chair, National Transportation Safety Board Clips 5:14 Jennifer Homendy: Hazardous materials are transported on all modes of transportation. Our aviation system is the safest, but they're limited in what they can transport for dangerous materials. Pipelines can also be safe as well. They have a generally good safety record until one big rupture occurs. But then our railroads also have a good safety record. Train accidents in general, per million trains miles, are going up. So it's trending upwards, accidents. With that said, going on our nation's roads with these materials is not something we want to see. You know, we have 43,000 people that are dying on our nation's roads annually. We have a public health crisis on our roads. Millions of crashes are occurring, so transporting hazmat on our roads would be more dangerous than on our railways. 6:50 Jennifer Homendy: The numbers are trending upward on accidents overall and also for Norfolk Southern 8:20 Jennifer Homendy: That is a role that's very important for the NTSB and why we are independent of the Department of Transportation. We are not part of the Department of Transportation because we do conduct federal oversight to see if DoT's oversight of the freight railroads is adequate or inadequate and we may make recommendations on that. 10:20 Jennifer Homendy: Once it hit well over 250 degrees, it was time for the train crew to stop to inspect the axle, to inspect the wheel bearing and to possibly, in this case, set out the car. But it was too late because as they were slowing and stopping, the train derailed, the wheel bearing failed. And so there might need to be more conservative temperature thresholdss o that started earlier. Also, something the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has looked at is real time monitoring of temperatures and data trending from the control center so that they can see the temperatures increase over a period of time. In this derailment, or what we saw of this train and its operations, is the temperature of that wheel bearing was going up pretty significantly over the course of the three different wayside detectors, but you know, the crew doesn't see that. So that real time monitoring and data trending so that there's some communication with the crew to stop the train and take immediate action is definitely needed. We'll look at that as part of our investigation as well. 12:30 Jennifer Homendy: One thing I will mention is that these decisions about the placement of these hot bearing detectors and the thresholds really vary railroad by railroad and so there needs to be good decision making, some policies and practices put in place. 18:00 Jennifer Homendy: Electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes don't prevent a derailment. It could lessen damage. So let me explain that. So in this one, car 23 still would have derailed because a wheel bearing failed. So car 23 still would have derailed. Still would have been a derailment, still would have been a fire, and the responders, and Norfolk Southern, and the state and locals would have had to still make a decision on whether to vent and burn the five vinyl chloride tank cars. There could have been a possibility of less damage, meaning a few cars could have remained on the track later in the train. But as for most of the damage, that still would have occurred whether we had ECP brakes on this train or not. 19:50 Heather Long: There's a lot fewer people working on rail, especially freight rail. Does the number of people make any difference here? Jennifer Homendy: Well for this one, as you said, we had two crew members and a trainee. They all stay, as with every train, in the cab of the head locomotive. So I do not see where that would have made a difference in this particular train and this derailment. One thing we are going to look at is whether any changes in staffing lead to any differences in how these cars are maintained or how they're inspected. That is something we will look at. 21:05 Jennifer Homendy: Yeah, so the fire chief, upon arrival at the command center following the derailment, had electronic access to the train consist, which is the list of cars and the materials or liquids that the train is carrying, but none of the responders had the Ask Rail app. You could look up a UN number for a particular car and get the whole consist of the train. It's in an app that the railroads developed for helping emergency responders to get information following an accident. 25:05 Jennifer Homendy: And we have over 250 recommendations that we've issued on rail safety generally that have not been acted upon yet. Music Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Editing Pro Podcast Solutions Production Assistance Clare Kuntz Balcer

On a special edition of Meet the Press, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), chair of the Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on the Federal Courts, and former Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) discuss ethical concerns with the Supreme Court and how Congress contributed to a contentious confirmation process. Former clerks Jennifer Mascott and Andrew Crespo talk about the internal dynamics and transparency of the Court. Supreme Court reporters Laura Jarrett, Nina Totenberg, Joan Biskupic and Dahlia Lithwick join the roundtable.

Ralph welcomes Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, Gretchen Morgenson, co-author of “These Are the Plunderers: How Private Equity Runs – And Wrecks – America,” where they name names in this “heads we win, tails you lose” system of predatory capitalism.Gretchen Morgenson is the senior financial reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit. A former stockbroker, she won the Pulitzer Prize in 2002 for her “trenchant and incisive” reporting on Wall Street. Previously at the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal,” she and coauthor Joshua Rosner wrote the bestseller Reckless Endangerment: How Outsized Ambition, Greed, and Corruption Led to Economic Armageddon about the mortgage crisis. Their latest book is These Are the Plunderers: How Private Equity Runs—and Wrecks—America.The way corporate criminals get their way is by trying to make things too complex and too abstract for your daily lives. But when Gretchen [Morgenson] talks about these plunderers, and let's call them “predatory capitalists”, don't think that you're not being affected— whether your loved ones are patients in nursing homes, whether you're workers being laid off, whether you're consumers being gouged for drug or healthcare prices, whether your community's going to be hollowed out because the company that was doing okay was taken over by these vultures and closed down after they extracted the wealth.Ralph NaderIt's interesting now that David Rubenstein is retired [from the Carlyle Group], he's a philanthropist. This is what these wealthy people do once they've finished their careers and made so much money. They become philanthropists… We've all read about David Rubenstein and Steve Schwarzman and Leon Black and Henry Kravis. We read about them constantly. They are always lauded for their brilliance and their billionaire status. What we just don't hear about are the people on the other side of their transactions.Gretchen Morgenson, co-author of “These Are The Plunderers.”The disappointing thing about the Justice Department is that when they bring these cases against the companies that are doing Medicare fraud (like in the Manor Care situation), they don't move up the corporate ladder to the owner of the company. The Justice Department does the work on the particular company that is owned by private equity, but they don't go up the ladder. And that has a way of allowing the firms—like Carlyle in the Manor Care case— to escape scrutiny and to escape accountability. So that would be an ideal thing to change.Gretchen Morgenson co-author of “These Are The Plunderers.”In Case You Haven't Heard 1. Amid the debt limit fight, progressives are calling for President Biden to invoke the 14th amendment, which they believe would allow Biden to bypass the Republican House and raise the debt limit without concessions like adding further work requirements to public benefits. In a press conference by the Senate progressives, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania said "This is the whole reason why the 14th Amendment exists, & we need to be prepared to use it. And, if our unelected Supreme Court Justices try to block the use of the 14th amendment and blow up our economy, that's on them.” However, POLITICO reports that the administration is privately telling progressives to stand down. Instead, the White House seems more interested in negotiating with Speaker McCarthy, even if that means caving to outrageous Republican demands.2. As the Writers Guild strike grinds on – at a cost of $30 million per day according to Deadline – the  Screen Actors Guild is now on the verge of their own strike. Last week, SAG-AFTRA's National Board voted unanimously to ask members for strike authorization, and the Daily Beast reported that SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher urged members to “make three a charm with an emphatic ‘yes' for a strike authorization vote!” adding that to do so would be “an unprecedented show of solidarity.” An actor's strike against the studios has not happened since 1980.3. Last week, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Healthy Families Act of 2023, which would guarantee 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave. This bill features a companion in the House, led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, and carries the support of 122 members of the House and Senate. Sanders is quoted saying “It is time to end this absurdity...It is time Congress passed this legislation to ensure workers receive the basic dignity and benefits that they deserve.” The introduction of this legislation comes on the heels of the reintroduction of a Medicare for All bill in this Congress.4. A damning new report in the Wall Street Journal indicates that “Jeffrey Epstein discovered that Bill Gates had an affair with a Russian bridge player” and later used this knowledge to attempt to threaten the Microsoft co-founder. The report goes on to say that “at the time, Epstein was trying to set up a multibillion-dollar charitable fund with JPMorgan...[which] hinged on securing support from Gates.” When this money was not forthcoming, Epstein resorted to blackmail. This gives the public our clearest idea yet as to the nuts and bolts of the Epstein criminal enterprise.5. POLITICO is reporting on a rumor concerning Senator Dianne Feinstein, Representative Adam Schiff, and the Pelosi family. The former Speaker herself has endorsed Schiff in the upcoming California Senate primary and has long groomed him as a political protege. He currently holds a $15 million advantage over his nearest opponent. Yet, if Feinstein – who has appeared deeply addled in recent public appearances – were to resign, Governor Newsom would have the opportunity to appoint a Senator to the vacant seat, and has pledged to appoint a Black woman. Rep. Barbara Lee, a progressive Black congresswoman representing the Bay Area, is among the candidates to replace Feinstein, and would therefore have a strong chance of being appointed. Per the report, Nancy Corinne Prowda, Pelosi's eldest child, is a top aide to Senator Feinstien, and a “Pelosi family confidant” insinuated that she is angling to keep Feinstein in her seat, not for the benefit of Californians, but for the benefit of Adam Schiff.  6. The LA Times reports that “Nearly three dozen deputies have been ordered to come in for questioning, show their tattoos and give up the names of any other deputies similarly sporting ink connecting them to…the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's…deputy gangs.” This demand came in a letter from county Inspector General Max Huntsman to 35 deputies suspected of being members of either the Executioners or the Banditos, two of the most notorious among these police gangs. Huntsman is quoted saying “The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department conducted incomplete internal affairs investigations into the Banditos and Executioners, failing to identify all members…California's new gang law addresses discrimination based on race and gender and gives inspectors general enhanced authority to collect evidence. We're using that authority to complete the investigations by directing deputies to show their tattoos and tell us who else has them.”7. The Sierra Club is currently in the midst of a labor battle. The New Republic reports that, in an attempt to resolve their budget shortfall, the group has announced “massive layoffs,” the scale of which still remains unclear.  This announcement set off a “fractious battle” between the top leadership and the Progressive Workers Union, which has two bargaining units representing nearly 400 Sierra Club employees around the country. Thus far union has filed two unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board; the first “accuses the Club of failing to provide necessary information for bargaining,” and another alleging that “management is violating its collective bargaining agreement and is bargaining in bad faith.”8. Democracy Now! reports that conservative, US-backed Ecuadoran president Guillermo Lasso has “dissolved the opposition-led National Assembly in a move widely seen as an effort to block efforts to impeach him.” Lasso dissolved the assembly as it held its first hearing on corruption and embezzlement allegations against Lasso. Lasso invoked a never-before-used constitutional power allowing him to “rule by decree” until new elections are held.9. In an almost unbelievable story, Live Science is reporting that Orcas have “sunk 3 boats in Europe and appear to be teaching others to do the same.” The piece goes on to say that scientists believe the attacks are coordinated, and began following an orca experiencing a "critical moment of agony." Further, they believe “the behavior is spreading among the population through social learning.” This is a stark reminder that we as a species impact our environment and that, sometimes, there are consequences. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

If Congress doesn't reach a deal, the U.S. government could default on its debt in less than a week. Today, Rachel Snyderman of the Bipartisan Policy Center explains the debt ceiling, what's at stake for American families, potential solutions, and more. Learn more about our guests: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/shownotes Sign-up for our bonus weekly email: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/email Become an INSIDER for ad-free episodes: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider This episode was sponsored by: BetterHelp: https://www.BetterHelp.com/newsworthy ZocDoc: https://www.ZocDoc.com/newsworthy  To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to sales@advertisecast.com #DebtCeiling #DebtLimit #Default  

Tonight on The Last Word: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sets June 5 as the deadline for Congress to raise the debt limit. Also, Vladimir Putin claims victory in Bakhmut after staggering losses. Plus, Harris County plans to sue Texas over GOP election bills. And Richard Lui discusses his new documentary, “Unconditional.” Mark Zandi, Rep. Dan Kildee, former Amb. William Taylor and Texas State Rep. Jolanda Jones also join Ali Velshi.

Failure to reach a debt deal sets off alarms on Wall Street and intensity on the House floor. Can the sharply divided Congress compromise when the economy itself is at stake? Join guest moderator Lisa Desjardins, Farnoush Amiri of The Associated Press, Peter Baker of The New York Times, John Bresnahan of Punchbowl News and Francesca Chambers of USA Today to discuss this and more.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that if Congress doesn't address the debt ceiling by June 5, the U.S. Treasury Department won't have enough money to pay the nation's obligations in full and on time. President Biden and House Republicans continue to negotiate a deal so the U.S. doesn't default. Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton tells AC360 whether he thinks a deal can be reached in time. Plus, Boston Celtics co-owner and President and CEO of Granite Telecommunications Rob Hale surprised University of Massachusetts Boston graduates with $1,000 each. He joins AC360 to discuss why giving back is so important to him. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, May 26th, 2023. https://www.dailywire.com/news/college-enrollment-keeps-sliding-even-three-years-after-lockdowns College Enrollment Keeps Sliding Even Three Years After Lockdowns Enrollment for most forms of postsecondary education in the United States continued to decline three years after nationwide lockdowns forced many students to temporarily continue their degrees online, according to a new analysis from the National Student Clearinghouse. Public four-year institutions saw a 0.8% enrollment decline as of spring 2023, a somewhat less severe decrease than the 1.2% decline recorded in 2022 but more pronounced than the 0.3% decline in 2021 and the 0.2% decline in 2020. Private four-year nonprofit institutions meanwhile witnessed a 1.0% decrease in 2023, compared to the 1.2% decrease in 2022, the 0.4% decrease in 2021, and the 0.6% decrease in 2020. There are currently 7.1 million students enrolled in public four-year colleges and 3.9 million students enrolled in private four-year nonprofit colleges, marking drops from 7.3 million and 4.0 million enrolled students, respectively, from spring 2019, the last year which was not affected by the lockdowns. “Undergraduates at public and private nonprofit four-year institutions are still declining but at slower rates,” the analysis from the National Student Clearinghouse summarized. “Total postsecondary enrollment remains well below pre-pandemic levels.” Community college enrollment nevertheless increased 0.5% as of spring 2023, a phenomenon driven by “dual enrolled high school students and freshmen,” while the number of students pursuing graduate or professional degrees plummeted 2.2% from last year. The postsecondary education marketplace has been critically disrupted by the lockdowns and the advent of virtual instruction, realities which increasingly prompted students to question the time and funds they devote toward their college degrees. Elevated levels of student debt, which officials in the Biden administration are seeking to address through an executive order to cancel $10,000 in loans for every borrower earning less than $125,000, have also prompted many students to pause or discontinue their education. The debt forgiveness policy was recently examined by the Supreme Court, which is expected to release an opinion on the controversial move within the next month. Lockdowns also severely diminished learning outcomes at the primary and secondary levels. The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that average reading scores for nine-year-olds plummeted five points and average mathematics scores dropped seven points, marking the first score decline for reading in three decades and the first score decline for mathematics in the history of the initiative. Stanford University economist and Hoover Institution senior fellow Eric Hanushek revealed in a recent study that learning losses could cause affected students to lose between 2% and 9% of their lifetime earnings as they miss the opportunity to learn critical skills, reducing prospects for future nationwide economic growth. Parents concerned about the impact of lockdowns on education have removed their children from government schools at an unprecedented rate. The number of homeschooled students increased from 2.7 million in 2020 to 3.1 million in 2023, according to a study from the National Home Education Research Institute. New Saint Andrews: Today’s culture shifts like sand, but New Saint Andrews College is established on Christ, the immovable rock. The college is a premier institution that forges evangelical leaders who don’t fear or hate the world. Guided by God’s word, equipped with the genius of classical liberal arts and God-honoring wisdom, with a faculty dedicated to academic rigor and to God’s kingdom, New Saint Andrews College offers an education that frees people. Logic and language, hard work and joyful courage, old books and godly professors — New Saint Andrews Colleges provides time-tested resources that can equip your student for any vocation. To find out more, visit: nsa.edu https://www.theblaze.com/news/member-group-of-coalition-pushing-extreme-abortion-initiative-in-ohio-fighting-to-undercut-parental-rights Coalition pushing extreme abortion initiative in Ohio says it isn't trying to undermine parental rights. A member group's explicit agenda suggests otherwise. A leftist coalition is working to roll back Ohio's few remaining abortion restrictions by way of a proposed constitutional amendment. Some opposition groups have suggested that this craftily worded proposal will not only enable late-term abortions, but undermine parental rights on these and other matters of life and death, including the ability to protect children from sex-change mutilations. While proponents of member groups in the coalition have claimed the amendment will not undermine parental rights, recently highlighted remarks made by a key player behind the abortion initiative have done little to inspire confidence. Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights and Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom PAC are leading the charge to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution by way of an initiated constitutional amendment called the "Ohio Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative." The proposal to put this abortion initiative on the November 2023 ballot was certified in March by the state attorney general. The proposed amendment further states that the "state shall not, directly or indirectly, burden, penalize, prohibit, interfere with, or discriminate against either: 1. An individual's voluntary exercise of this right or 2. A person or entity that assists an individual exercising this right, unless the State demonstrates that it is using the least restrictive means to advance the individual's health in accordance with widely accepted and evidence-based standards of care." The only ostensible restriction on abortion admitted in the amendment leaves determinations as to whether a viable human being can be exterminated up to abortionists. Parental rights are implicated and eroded under the amendment, argued the pro-life activists, because "'reproductive decisions' is a very broad term, and is intentionally included to stop any effort to put reasonable restrictions or enforce parental rights on a wide array of other destructive decisions—potentially including sex change surgeries." Carrie Severino and Frank Scaturro of the Judicial Crisis Network concurred, noting in National Review that "'reproductive decisions' ... is a very broad term. By explicitly defining such decisions as 'not limited to' the enumerated categories, the proposal establishes its scope as sweeping. A natural reading would extend to any medical procedure that involves the human reproductive system, including sex-change surgery." Extra to potentially affecting parents' ability to protect their children from sex-change mutilations and devastating puberty blockers, Dannenfelser and Sekulow highlighted how "if Ohio adopts the amendment, the state's supreme court can be expected to go even farther than the U.S. Supreme Court ever did in undoing the state's parental consent laws," in part by "outlawing any legal requirement for a parent to be notified about or consent before an abortion—or any other procedure related to 'reproduction decisions'—is performed on their child." https://twitter.com/i/status/1636019433578672130 - Play Video https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/05/23/va-cant-account-187-million-emergency-covid-19-funding.html VA Can't Account for $187 Million in Emergency COVID-19 Funding The Department of Veterans Affairs can’t account for at least $187 million in supplementary COVID-19 funding spread across more than 10,000 transactions related to the pandemic, according to a House oversight committee. Congress and the VA are at odds over the department's handling of nearly $37 billion in additional funding it received to address the COVID-19 pandemic, with House Veterans Affairs Committee leaders on both sides of the aisle critical of its failure to account for every dime. Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., and ranking member Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., praised the department for its pandemic response overall but called the VA out for its inability to account for the money, during a hearing sidetracked by GOP rancor over the department's messaging on debt ceiling legislation. Between 2020 and 2021, the VA received roughly $37 billion to address COVID-19 response, including an initial $60 million, followed by $19.6 billion in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and another $17 billion in the American Rescue Plan. As part of the deal to receive the funding, the department was required to account for its spending, a mandate underscored by passage in November 2021 of the VA Transparency and Trust Act. Across a series of 40 reviews and reports, the VA Office of Inspector General found numerous accounting issues involving the COVID-19 funds, including a lack of visibility over payroll, some contracts and medical supplies. The IG said the problems are attributable to the department's decentralized management structure, as well as an outdated financial information technology software – that it doesn't expect to modernize for another decade. It determined that the department was challenged by inaccurate payroll accounting; used manual transfers and adjustments to its financial management systems that led to at least 53 reporting errors; had problems with supply acquisition, such as duplicate purchases; and failed to properly oversee its efforts to provide telehealth hardware to veterans, namely distributing tablet computers and cell phones so they could access health care but not recouping the equipment when the veteran failed to use it. Given the issues, both Bost and Takano said they have concerns for the $2.1 billion remaining in American Rescue Plan funds, with Bost and fellow Republicans saying the money should be returned, while Takano pressed the VA to be more transparent as it continues using the funding. VA officials told the committee Tuesday that the department will spend the remaining American Rescue Plan money by the end of the fiscal year for programs initiated during the pandemic such as housing and telehealth for homeless veterans; prosthetics and medical research, including studies of long COVID; and on preventing the spread of contagious diseases in hospital and administrative settings. https://www.outkick.com/matt-araiza-jets-workout-allegations-cleared-up/ NEW YORK JETS WORKING OUT MATT ARAIZA TWO WEEKS AFTER PUNTER’S NAME WAS CLEARED OF GANG RAPE ALLEGATIONS Matt Araiza has landed his first workout with an NFL team since being cut by the Buffalo Bills ahead of last season over gang rape allegations. The New York Jets are giving the free-agent punter a look, according to Adam Schefter. Matt Araiza was cut by the Bills in August 2022 shortly after an allegation was made public that he had taken part in the gang rape of a minor while attending San Diego State. Fast-forward nine months to May of this year, and it has been determined that he was not present at the time of the incident that allegedly took place in October 2021. The transcript of a meeting between the accuser and prosecutors was brought to light just over two weeks ago in which investigators explained that they do not believe Araiza was present at the time of the alleged assault. Prosecutors in the San Diego District Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges, but Araiza is still facing a civil suit that he has no plans of settling anytime soon. Despite that there wasn’t a single fact was known about the alleged incident, the Bills caved to the portion of the public who had already deemed the punter guilty and cut him shortly before the start of the 2022 NFL regular season.

On Thursday's Mark Levin Show, we cannot afford to cave into Joe Biden and the radical Marxists with their out of control spending and budget. We know the radical spending ordeals are all to increase the size of the Federal Bureaucracy that will then help the Democrat party and punish Republicans. The Democrat mob is threatening violence if they do not get their budget paid for, but Republicans in Congress have been good so far at standing firm and we need them now more than ever to hold the line. The left isn't upset about funding Social Security or Medicare – they're upset they aren't getting the funding for their radical $7 trillion budget. Also, IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley has a lot of guts and has put his career on the line to expose the preferential treatment of Hunter Biden. Senior leadership at the Department of Justice slow walked the investigation into Hunter's tax crimes because Democrats control the levers of prosecutorial power. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice is throwing the book at anyone involved in January 6th but giving reduced sentences for Democrat protesters using Molotov cocktails. Later, Mark speaks with ZOA President Mort Klein about the Biden administration's harmful strategy to counter anti-Semitism and hated of the state of Israel. Finally, Mark is joined by Brent Bozell of the Media Research Center about the Department of Homeland Security using federal funds to attack Christian organizations and comparing conservatives to Nazis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week's episode of The New Abnormal, we're joined by Jeb Lund and David Roth of the It's Christmas Town Podcast who talk all about Ron DeSantis entering the presidential race. Plus! Representative Jasmine Crockett talks about the clown show that Reps. Kevin McCarthy and Marjorie Taylor Green have turned the Congress into. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever since Congress created a federal debt limit, it has managed to raise it before U.S. borrowing reached the limit. For the first time, it looks as though that may not happen, and the government could conceivably default on its obligations. Today on Deconstructed, Jon Schwarz is joined by the economist Stephanie Kelton to talk about the history that brought us to this moment, why both political parties may take us over this ridiculous and dangerous brink together, and what it all means for now and the future.If you'd like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/give, where your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven't already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us additional feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Members of Congress go home for a holiday weekend, leaving just a few working days before America defaults on its debt. A judge sentences Oath Keeper leader Stewart Rhodes to 18 years in prison. And the Supreme Court limits the EPA's ability to oversee certain waterways, angering climate activists.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Top White House officials and Republican lawmakers are racing to reach an agreement as the date when the United States is projected to default on its debt approaches.Jim Tankersley, who covers the White House for The New York Times, looks at the state of the negotiations and explains what it will take to win over enough votes in Congress to avoid an economic disaster.Guest: Jim Tankersley, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The details have not been finalized, but the deal taking shape would allow Republicans to point to spending reductions and Democrats to say they had prevented large cuts.The longer it takes to reach an agreement, the more turmoil there could be for the United States and the global economy. Here's what to know.For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Dr. Larry P. Arnn, President of Hillsdale College, joins Hugh Hewitt on the Hillsdale Dialogues to discuss the debt ceiling debate in Congress, the powers of the President, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's campaign announcement. Release date: 26 May 2023See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The deadline for Congress to raise the debt ceiling is fast approaching, but if signals from top Congressional Republicans and the Biden administration are to be believed, a deal may be imminent. We look at the latest developments in the saga. Plus, schools are on the frontline of what the Surgeon General called social media’s harmful effects on young people. And finally, there’s a whole industry around mock-up mermaid tails that’s getting a boost from Disney’s The Little Mermaid film releasing today.

There is a new thing to fear! Shelter in place, trust the state! The blood-soaked hands of violent parents are about to grip a new tool of death: school vouchers. Don't worry, though, Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina has thrust his body between the murderers and the kids his Party's bosses in big school unions. So, why is Roy pimping panic over this? Cooper's ideological ally and racial better--she's a BIPOC--”Professor” Shellyne Rodriquez offers some clues with her apparent immunity to consequences, a curse presented as a privilege bestowed upon “BIPOCS” by many government schools. Shellyne faced no consequences for cursing and toppling the belongings of young people simply standing there handing out literature about abortion. Shellyne Rodriquez's next act was to put a machete against the kneck of a reporter--don't worry, he's white, so he deserved it--and threaten to chop him up. Roy Cooper's ideology demands we ask an important question about Shellyne: how can better accommodate her rage? We will explore all the many aspects of this and how it relates to Senator Tim Scott's views, like his belief that cops were wrong to shoot Jacob Blake . . . who was apparently trying to kidnap a child from a black woman whom he had reportedly raped, but Blake took time away from that to try to stab the cops who arrived because the black woman had called 911. Whoopi has thoughts on Scott and race . . . I wonder if you can guess that they are. What does God's Word say? Proverbs 22:6Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.Galatians 3:26-2926 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.Episode 853 Links:BREAKING: North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declares a STATE OF EMERGENCY to fight against school choice. This hypocrite sent his own kid to a private school. We're freeing families from the clutches of the teachers unions once and for all & there's nothing he can do about it.This pro-abortion radical professor, Shellyne Rodriquez, curses at pro-life students and then vandalizes a @StudentsforLife table. She should be fired immediatelyUPDATE: The unhinged pro-abortion professor who vandalized a Students for Life table, Shellyne Rodriguez, holds machete to NY Post reporter's neck and threatens to "chop" him up.Tim Scott is running for President. Let's talk about that.Whoopi, Hostin: Tim Scott Has ‘Clarence Thomas Syndrome' on Race in USSince our memory is short, recall Adam Schiff not only lied daily for years, he got phone records of Devin Nunes, his staff, and members of the press for his Schiff Report. Dan Goldman, now in Congress, was an impeachment attorney. Watch him squirm and lie.Second Hunter Biden IRS whistleblower emerges after dismissal despite five years on case“And in an instance like that when you see something that is clearly wrong you have to make it known.” Whistleblower Garret O'Boyle on the wrongdoing he saw inside the FBIBiOptimizershttps://magbreakthrough.com/toddUse promo code TODD for 10% off your order.Bonefroghttps://bonefrog.usEnter promo code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your subscription. Bulwark Capital http://KnowYourRiskRadio.comFind out how Bulwark Capital Actively Manages risk. Call 866-779-RISK or vist KnowYourRiskRadio.comHealthycellhttp://healthycell.com/toddProtect your heart with Healthycell! Use promo code TODD for 20% off your first order. My Pillowhttps://mypillow.comUse code TODD for BOGO on the new MyPillow 2.0Patriot Mobilehttps://patriotmobile.com/hermanGet free activation today with offer code HERMAN. Visit or call 878-PATRIOT.RuffGreenshttps://ruffgreens.com/toddGet your FREE Jumpstart Trial Bag of Ruff Greens, simply cover shipping. Visit or call 877-MYDOG-64. SOTA Weight Losshttps://sotaweightloss.comSOTA Weight Loss is, say it with me now, STATE OF THE ART!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5674544/advertisement

On Todays Episode The Chicks discuss The Primary war, Jerry Nadler, KJP and more!4Patriotshttps://4patriots.comHurricane is right around the season, be prepared with the 4Patriots Emergency Supply Kits and save 10% with codeCHICKSBirch GoldText CHICKS to 989898Text CHICKS to 989898 for your free gold info kit..Bonefroghttps://bonefrogcoffee.comCoffee at its best! Save 10% off your Bonefrog Coffee subscription today.Bulwark Capitalhttps://knowyourriskradio.comSign up for Zach's FREE Webinar THIS Thursday 3pm Pacific.Field of Greenshttps://fogchicks.comUse promo code CHICKS to save 15% off your order.Genucelgenucel.com/chicksWhy waste time and money to get “work” done on your face when you can get Genucel Skincare shipped right toyour door.Healthycellhttps://healthycell.com/chicks7 day trial packs for just $19.99 and shipping is FREE also use code CHICKS to save 20% on yourorder.My Pillowhttps://mypillow.com/chicksBuy One Get One Free on the My Pillow 2.0 with code Chicks in the Radio Listener's Square.Omaha Steakshttps://omhasteaks.comGet Dad what he really wants: STEAKS! Save $30 off qualifying purchases with promo code CHICKS.RuffGreenshttps://ruffchicks.comGet your FREE Jumpstart Trial Bag of Ruff Greens, simply cover shipping.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3623361/advertisement

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer JUST subpoenaed the FBI, demanding it turn over a document that allegedly implicates Biden in a criminal scheme -- or face contempt of Congress. Will the Deep State keep covering up this bribery scandal? The Sekulow team discusses this news and more on today's show.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's June 1 debt default deadline is right around the corner, so politicians in Washington have naturally decided to skip town and enjoy the long Memorial Day weekend. Stu Burguiere investigates the implications of their vacation from disaster and speculates on the impact of defaulting on our national debt. Then, Faithwire.com's Dan Andros joins to fight for the return of the Washington Commanders' original name. And a brand-new edition of Biden's Newest Low proves the barrel has no bottom. TODAY'S SPONSORS:   MAGIC SPOON CEREAL Get your next delicious bowl of high-protein cereal at http://www.MagicSpoon.com/STU and use the code STU to save five dollars off   REAL ESTATE AGENTS I TRUST For more information, please visit http://www.RealEstateAgentsITrust.com   JASE MEDICAL Go to http://www.JaseMedical.com and enter code “STU” at checkout for a discount on your order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Topics include: 1)The FBI knows what car was used in the J6 DNC pipe bomb investigation, but refuses to identify the suspect. 2)The Oath Keepers founder sentenced to 18 years in prison for role in J6 riot 3)J6 Protester who put his feet up on Nancy Pelosi's desk gets 4.5 years behind bars 4)Rep. James Comer threatens to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress if he doesn't provide the informant file linking then Vice President Biden to a $5M bribery scheme. WATCH AND SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL https://www.youtube.com/@carljacksonshowandblog More: www.TheCarljacksonshow.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecarljacksonshow Twitter: https://twitter.com/carljacksonshow Parler: https://parler.com/carljacksonshow  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sponsor: Bank On Yourself: We've been brainwashed into believing the only way to grow our money for retirement is to risk it in the stock market. Not true. You can reach your financial goals and dreams without taking any unnecessary risks. Do you really control your retirement money? If you've got a 401(k) or IRA or similar retirement plan, the government controls it. They decide how much you can borrow and when you must pay it back, and you'll owe taxes and penalties for taking money out too soon or waiting too long – even though it's YOUR money. And thanks to our skyrocketing national debt and a Congress that continues to spend like a drunken sailor, who knows how much you'll have to pay in taxes during a retirement that could last 30 years? Bank On Yourself is a better way to grow and protect your hard-earned money. This retirement plan alternative has never had a losing year in over 160 years! You can get a FREE report with all the details on how the Bank On Yourself strategy adds guarantees, predictability and control to your financial plan. Go to https://BankOnYourself.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bryan is joined by Politico's congressional bureau chief, Burgess Everett, to discuss what it's like to cover Congress in the midst of the debt ceiling negotiations and what's at the heart of the discussions (01:19). Then, they discuss Everett's experience working on the congressional beat, including his approach to getting politicians to talk, the kind of shoes he has to wear, and why the beat is so rewarding to him (14:28). Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Burgess Everett Producer: Eduardo Ocampo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's Daily Signal Top News, we break down: Two House Democrats vote with Republicans to pass a resolution aimed at overturning President Joe Biden's Student loan forgiveness plan. The Supreme Court issues a unanimous 9-0 decision. The ruling limits the power of the federal government to regulate bodies of water. Lawmakers pass a bill aimed at stopping the alarming number of fentanyl deaths happening across the country. Tennessee is sending 100 National Guard troops to the southern border. Relevant LinksListen to other podcasts from The Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/podcasts/Get daily conservative news you can trust from our Morning Bell newsletter: DailySignal.com/morningbellsubscription Listen to more Heritage podcasts: https://www.heritage.org/podcastsSign up for The Agenda newsletter — the lowdown on top issues conservatives need to know about each week: https://www.heritage.org/agenda Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Jim and Greg as they walk through the good, bad, and crazy aspects of the presidential campaign launch of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis - from the glitchy start on Twitter Spaces to his strong articulation of a conservative vision for the nation to the obvious grifting of Trump critics who are aiming their venom primarily at DeSantis. They're also pleasantly surprised by a new Fox News poll showing more Americans would blame President Biden than congressional Republicans for defaulting on our debt. Finally, they fume at the very shaky premise for the IRS going to the home of Twitter Files reporter Matt Taibbi on the day he testified to Congress about government efforts to silence free speech - and the very shady way the IRS initiated it's investigation.Please visit our great sponsors:4Patriothttps://4Patriots.comUse code MARTINI to get 10% off your purchase.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2977243/advertisement

At 9:02 a.m. on April 19, 1995, a bomb built by Timothy McVeigh exploded in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. One hundred sixty-eight people died and hundreds more were injured in what remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.Jeffrey Toobin has a new book about the bombing and trial called, “Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism.” Toobin joined Jack Goldsmith to discuss the new and revealing information his book draws on concerning McVeigh's motivations and trial strategy, Attorney General Merrick Garland's consequential role in the McVeigh trial, and the long-tail impact of the trial on right-wing domestic terrorism in the United States, including the Jan. 6 attacks on Congress.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An Intercept investigation, years in the making, reveals previously unpublished, unreported, and underappreciated evidence of hundreds of civilian casualties that were kept secret during the conflict in Cambodia and remain almost entirely unknown to the American people. This week on Intercepted, host Murtaza Hussain talks to Nick Turse, an investigative journalist and contributing writer for The Intercept, about his work to uncover the mass violence Kissinger ordered and oversaw in Cambodia while the U.S. carpet-bombed the country between 1969 and 1973. Turse's investigation, “Kissinger's Killing Fields,” is based on previously unpublished interviews with more than 75 Cambodian witnesses and survivors of U.S. military attacks in 13 Cambodian villages so remote they couldn't be found on maps. Their accounts reveal new details of the long-term trauma borne by survivors of the American war.“It was very hands on. Kissinger was picking where bombs would be dropped in Cambodia,” Turse says. “The authentic documents associated with these strikes were burned and phony target coordinates and other forged data were supplied to the Pentagon and eventually Congress.” Experts say Kissinger bears significant responsibility for attacks in Cambodia that killed as many as 150,000 civilians — six times more noncombatants than the United States has killed in airstrikes since 9/11.Check out the full "Kissinger's Killing Fields" project at TheIntercept.com.If you'd like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/join — your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven't already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis has officially thrown his hat in the ring for the presidency in 2024. This shouldn't be a surprise, considering Jesse Kelly has been predicting it for over a year now. So where do things stand in the GOP primary? Jesse goes through the pros and cons for both candidates. John Phillips also joins the show with his 30,000 foot analysis. Plus, the hottest woman in Congress, Lauren Boebert, is here to give an update on all things debt ceiling.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's Headlines: A 19-year-old Missouri resident was arrested for driving a U-Haul truck into security barriers near the White House, facing charges related to threats, assault, and trespassing.Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warned about the risks of social media to young people, including self-harm, eating disorders, and cyberbullying. He recommended delaying children's social media use and establishing boundaries. An Illinois attorney general's report revealed over 450 credible abusers in the Catholic Church, with many instances of sexual abuse involving priests and lay religious figures. False reports of a Pentagon explosion spread due to an AI-generated image shared on Twitter, causing a temporary stock market dip. Harlan Crow's lawyers argue against an ethics probe into his friendship with Justice Thomas, claiming Congress lacks authority.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: 19-year-old arrested on multiple charges after crashing into barriers near the White House  NY Times: Surgeon General Warns That Social Media May Harm Children and Adolescents  NY Times: Sex Abuse In Catholic Church: Over 1,900 Abused In Illinois, State Says  NPR: Fake viral images of an explosion at the Pentagon were probably created by AI  Bloomberg: Harlan Crow's Lawyers Say Congress Doesn't Have Authority to Investigate Supreme Court   Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Amanda Duberman and Bridget Schwartz Edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Gabe has no rhythm and wonders how do couples know when a song is "your song?" A listener writes in worried because she doesn't have female friends and isn't sure if that's a red flag. All The Wiser podcast host Kimi Culp joins the chat to talk about learning from the darkest moments of her and her guests' lives. And why it's important to have these conversations (responsibly). During Hypotheticals, Allison has some questions about how to handle a nervous flower girl. And, finally, why won't Diane Feinstein step down when her absence from Congress is making it impossible for the Dems to make judicial appointments? Does feminism mean we have to support all women no matter what?  This has been a Forever Dog production  Produced by Melisa D. Monts Post-Production by Coco Llorens Executive produced by Brett Boham, Joe Cilio, and Alex Ramsey. To listen to this podcast ad-free  Sign up for Forever Dog Plus at foreverdogpodcasts.com/plus And make sure to follow us on Twitter, instagram and Facebook at ForeverDogTeam to keep up with all of the latest Forever Dog News Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuesday on the NewsHour, Uvalde reflects on the first anniversary of the school shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead. The economic risks from a potential government default rise as Congress and the White House struggle to reach an agreement to raise the debt ceiling. Plus, a Philadelphia organization works to mentor Black teachers to counteract dropout rates among Black students. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 1862 Ethiopia #Oceania: Congress listens to what needs to be done. Cleo Paskal, FDD. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd9WptmNJfE&t=5781s

Loaded edition of I'm Right with Jesse Kelly. FBI whistleblower Garret O'Boyle joins the show fresh off his testimony on capitol hill. He shares his story with Jesse. So what is Congress doing about FBI corruption? Congressman Chip Roy shares his perspective as well as an update on what's going on with the debt ceiling. Plus, social media is really bad for corporations and the L.A. Dodgers just proved why. Sara Gonzales is here with reaction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wanda Sykes had a lot to dive into as guest-host: classified documents, Swifties taking on Ticketmaster in Congress, the over-ticketing of poor communities, mummies, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I start with Bruce at 12 mins and Michael at about 30 Bruce Bartlett is a longtime observer and commenter on economic and political affairs in Washington, D.C. He has written for virtually every major national publication in this area, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Politico, and many others. Read his column at and subscribe to The New Republic Bartlett's work is informed by many years in government, including service on the staffs of Congressmen Ron Paul and Jack Kemp and Senator Roger Jepsen, as executive director of the Joint Economic Committee of Congress, senior policy analyst in the Reagan White House, and deputy assistant secretary for economic policy at the Treasury Department during the George H.W. Bush administration. Bruce is the author of nine books including The New York Times best-seller, The Benefit and the Burden: Tax Reform—Why We Need It and What It Will Take (Simon & Schuster 2012). His earlier book, Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy (Doubleday 2006), was also a New York Times best-seller. Bartlett's latest book is The Truth Matters: A Citizen's Guide to Separating Facts from Lies and Stopping Fake News in Its Tracks (Ten Speed Press/Penguin Random House 2017). Bartlett often appears on television, where he is a regular on MSNBC, CNBC, CNN and other news networks. He has also appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, The McLaughlin Group, Moyers and Company Most importantly he is a regular on Stand Up and my proudest achievement was creating his twitter account and encouraging him to use it. Michael A. Cohen is a regular contributor for The Boston Globe on national politics and foreign affairs. He is also the author of “American Maelstrom: The 1968 Election and the Politics of Division.” Michael has written for dozens of news outlets, including as a columnist for the Guardian and Foreign Policy and he is the US Political Correspondent for the London Observer. He previously worked as a speechwriter at the US State Department and has been a lecturer at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Please check out and hopefully subscribe to Michael's Substack newsletter Truth and Consequences!  Stand Up subscribers get a discount on Michael's new newsletter!     Check out all things Jon Carroll Follow and Support Pete Coe Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page

Republicans in Congress are playing chicken once again with the nation's debt ceiling. Are Republicans really ready to test what happens if both sides can't come to an agreement, or is this just political theatre? Andy talks to New York Times Congressional Correspondent Catie Edmondson, and Michael Feroli, Chief U.S. Economist at J.P. Morgan.  Keep up with Andy on Post and Twitter @ASlavitt. Follow @CatieEdmondson on Twitter. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.    Support the show by checking out our sponsors! Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/    Check out these resources from today's episode:  Read Catie Edmondson's work at the New York Times Find vaccines, masks, testing, treatments, and other resources in your community: https://www.covid.gov/ Order Andy's book, “Preventable: The Inside Story of How Leadership Failures, Politics, and Selfishness Doomed the U.S. Coronavirus Response”: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250770165  Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.  For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com/show/inthebubble.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Wednesday, May 24th, 2023. https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/who-warns-unusual-surge-severe-myocarditis-babies WHO Warns Of 'Unusual' Surge in Severe Myocarditis in Babies On Tuesday, the WHO issued an alert that there had been a rise in “severe myocarditis” in newborns and infants between June 2022 and March 2023 in Wales and England. It said that this was associated with the enterovirus infection, which rarely affects the heart. A UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) spokesperson confirmed to The Epoch Times that 10 babies have been diagnosed in Wales and five have been diagnosed in England. The WHO said that “although enterovirus infections are common in neonates and young infants, the reported increase in myocarditis with severe outcomes in neonates and infants associated with enterovirus infection is unusual.” It said that in the same hospital (covering the South Wales region) over the previous six years, “only one other similar case has been identified.” WHO assessed the public health risk as low, but added that in certain situations, it “may be advisable to close child-care facilities and schools to reduce the intensity of transmission.” However, the WHO took down the alert on Wednesday. The Epoch Times understands that this could be because some of the numbers were not correct. The WHO did not respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment. Dr. Shamez Ladhani, Consultant Paediatrician at UKHSA, told The Epoch Times by email that “given a higher than average number of cases in Wales in the autumn/winter months in very young babies, UKHSA is investigating the situation in England to see if any similar cases have been observed here and whether there are any factors driving the increase in cases.” The UKHSA did not respond to questions about ruling out any links to the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. Public Health Wales at the start of May announced that it was investigating a cluster of severe enterovirus infections with myocarditis occurring in very young babies from the South Wales region. The cases occurred from June 2022 with a peak in November 2022 involving babies under 28 days old. Ten babies have developed myocarditis within this cluster. One baby remains in hospital, eight are being managed as outpatients, and one baby has died. Consultant pathologist and HART member Dr. Clare Craig told The Epoch Times that there’s “a massive question about whether or not these babies or the mums are vaccinated.” HART is an organisation that was set up to share concerns about policy and guidance recommendations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/community-family/nebraska-governor-signs-ban-abortion-and-child-transitions Nebraska governor signs ban on abortion and child transitions Nebraska became the latest state to enact bans on abortion and child gender transitions as Gov. Jim Pillen (R-NE) signed a dual measure Monday afternoon. Nebraska 's legislature passed the measure Friday, which will prohibit abortion at 12 weeks of pregnancy and ban genital and nongenital mutilation surgeries on children. The bill also gives the state's chief medical officer, Dr. Timothy Tesmer, the authority to determine restrictions on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. Pillen called child gender transitions "Lucifer at its finest" at the signing ceremony. "All children deserve a chance to grow and live happy, fruitful lives," Pillen said in a press release before the signing. "This includes pre-born boys and girls, and it includes children struggling with their gender identity. These kids deserve the opportunity to grow and explore who they are and want to be, and they can do so without making irreversible decisions that should be made when they are fully grown." While the abortion ban goes into effect immediately upon Pillen's signature, the ban on transgender procedures will go into effect on Oct. 1. The abortion ban includes exceptions for rape, incest, and instances in which the life of the mother is at risk. Eighty-six percent of abortions in Nebraska occur before 12 weeks, according to state statistics. Primary sponsor state Sen. Joni Albrecht, fighting through tears, said, "I look forward to the day when every child is protected from elective abortions in our state." Nebraska joins a growing list of states that have passed abortion restrictions since the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Twenty-seven states have attempted to pass such laws, but some states have been either held up by courts or hindered by a divided government. Last week, North Carolina and South Carolina took action to restrict abortion. From Nebraska to Texas we go… https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2023/05/23/texas-bans-diversity-offices-at-colleges-n2623589 Texas Moves a Step Closer to Banning Diversity Programs in Higher Education On Monday, Texas lawmakers passed a bill to end Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs at state colleges and universities. If the bill were to become law, it would be the second state in the nation with such legislation, following Florida. According to The Hill, the measure requires the governors of each state university to ensure that there is no DEI office at the school and that preferential treatment is not given for “diversity hires.” Rep. John Kuempel, a Republican, said that “DEI is present in some form in almost every Texas campus” and that schools “must recruit the best people in every field regardless of race and gender,” according to the Dallas Morning News. The Texas House voted 83-60 in support of S.B. 17. The legislation heads back to the Senate, where it will decide to accept or deny changes made by members of the House. Last month, when the Senate passed its version of the bill, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick described the legislation as the “strongest pushback on woke policies in higher education.” “For far too long, academia has been poisoned by woke policies and faculty seeking to indoctrinate our students. Professors did not believe we would push back on their advances, but they were wrong. Students should be taught how to think critically, not what to think," Patrick said in a statement. https://freebeacon.com/energy/majority-of-united-states-faces-elevated-risk-of-summer-power-blackouts-amid-green-energy-push/ Majority of United States Faces 'Elevated Risk' of Summer Power Blackouts Amid Green Energy Push America's increased reliance on green energy in favor of coal and gas has a majority of the United States facing an "elevated risk" of summer power blackouts, according to a leading grid reliability watchdog. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) last week published its 2023 summer reliability assessment, which found that two-thirds of North America could face power shortages this summer during periods of extreme heat. That vulnerability, the watchdog group said, stems from America's increase in green power generation and decrease in fossil fuel power plants. While coal and natural gas plants can be turned on and off at the flip of a switch, green alternatives such as wind and solar rely on favorable weather conditions to operate at full capacity. If those conditions aren't met, power demand can outpace supply. "The system is closer to the edge," NERC director of reliability assessment and performance analysis John Moura said last week. "More needs to be done." Moura is far from the only expert sounding the alarm on America's unreliable power grid. Both state and federal officials in recent weeks have warned that high summer temperatures, combined with low nightly winds, could bring power blackouts across the country. "I'm afraid to say it, but I think the United States is heading towards a catastrophic situation," Federal Energy Regulatory Commission member Mark Christie said during a May Senate hearing. Despite those warnings, President Joe Biden has moved forward with plans to accelerate U.S. coal plant retirements. With nearly half of America's coal power already set to disappear by 2030, Biden's Environmental Protection Agency earlier this month unveiled new standards that force coal and gas power plants to slash their carbon emissions by a whopping 90 percent between 2035 and 2040. In order to meet the near-impossible standards, those plants will have to spend big on infrastructure upgrades—costs that may prompt the plants to shut down rather than comply. "Coal is more than five times as dependable as wind and more than twice as dependable as solar when electricity demand is greatest," America's Power CEO Michelle Bloodworth said in a statement, "yet bad public policy and EPA regulations are forcing the closure of coal plants." In addition to his far-reaching fossil fuel regulations, Biden has spent hundreds of billions of dollars on tax breaks and subsidies aimed at increasing electric car use. And in April, Biden's Environmental Protection Agency announced a new rule that imposes strict tailpipe emission limits on vehicles sold—so strict that it effectively forces automakers to ensure that two-thirds of the cars they sell are electric by 2032. Those moves could also put strain on the nation's power grid. As more Americans plug in their cars instead of filling them up with gasoline, grids across the country will need to put out more power to keep up. The issue has already plagued some U.S. states—in September, for example, California urged electric car drivers to stop charging their vehicles due to power grid strain. Still, the ordeal did not stop state officials from moving full steam ahead with plans to outlaw gas-powered vehicles and eradicate fossil fuel power plants. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/mccarthy-warns-nowhere-near-deal-on-debt-ceiling McCarthy warns White House and GOP ‘nowhere near a deal’ on debt ceiling House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) warned Republican lawmakers that his team is “nowhere near a deal” with the White House on the debt ceiling, ramping up pressure on President Joe Biden just nine days before the default deadline. In a closed-door meeting with GOP lawmakers on Tuesday, McCarthy told members a compromise on the debt ceiling was still far off, reiterating his position that he would not increase spending or raise the debt ceiling without conditions. Republicans emerged from the meeting wary of negotiators’ progress, telling reporters the talks are not going well so far. As part of the negotiations, the White House proposed late last week to limit next year’s spending to 2023 levels — an idea that was rejected by Republicans, who wish to return to 2022 levels. McHenry and Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), the top negotiators for McCarthy, emphasized that stance on Tuesday by calling on the White House to agree to cut spending. Meanwhile, some Republicans remain skeptical of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s warnings that the country could default on its payments as soon as June 1, calling that date a manufactured deadline set by the Biden administration to accelerate a deal. Gaetz argued the United States is not at risk of missing its payments, noting the country has strong revenue that will continue coming in over the next few weeks. Instead, the Florida Republican said Yellen should appear before Congress to present “receipts and deposits” that prove the country is on track to default. McCarthy’s warning comes after the speaker met with Biden on Monday evening, marking the third meeting the two have held since restarting negotiations earlier this month. McCarthy called the meeting “productive” but noted the two are still far apart on finalizing a deal. Now for the rundown… https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-suspect-in-custody-after-allegedly-crashing-u-haul-truck-into-barriers-near-white-house?utm_campaign=64487 On Monday night, the driver of a U-Haul truck was taken into custody after allegedly slamming into security barriers near the White House. According to Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi, the truck crashed on the northern side of Lafayette Square at around 10 pm. Guglielmi said in a statement, "Shortly before 10:00 p.m. Monday, Secret Service Uniformed Division officers detained the driver of a box truck after the vehicle collided with security barriers on the north side of Lafayette Square at 16th Street." He added that there were no injuries to any Secret Service or White House personnel and that the crash is under investigation but that the preliminary investigation reveals the driver may have intentionally crashed into the barriers. https://thepostmillennial.com/uc-berkeley-holds-segregated-graduation-ceremony-for-black-students-only?utm_campaign=64487 The University of California Berkeley hosted a black-only graduation ceremony for its non-white students at Zellerbach Hall on Saturday. In March, UC Berkeley’s African American Studies Department announced they would be holding their annual “Black Graduation” ceremony for students in May. According to the announcement, “The Department of African American Studies plans on hosting our annual Black Graduation ceremony, which is open to all majors and degree programs across the campus." https://twitter.com/i/status/1660362211636969473 - Play Video https://redstate.com/mike_miller/2023/05/22/super-woke-target-partners-on-its-new-gay-pride-line-with-designer-who-insists-satan-loves-you-n749804 So let’s check them off. By “them,” I mean just the latest corporations to put their “woke” beliefs ahead of customer loyalty, profits, and shareholders: Disney, Nike, Bud Light, BlackRock, Ford, and Miller Lite. The complete list is long — and it just got longer with the addition of the super-woke Target Corporation. Target has partnered with UK-based Satanist designer Abprallen on its new “Pride” collection, which features a “Cure Transphobia” sweatshirt, which bears the message “Cure transphobia, not trans people,” and other related items. Did I mention that Abprallen insists “Satan loves you,” “Satan respects pronouns,” and other uplifting [sarc] trash for your shopping pleasure? As reported by Breitbart, Abprallen mixes its affinity for satanism with its pro-LGBT activism, boasting on its Instagram page: “Satan loves you and respects who you are; you’re important and valuable in this world and you deserve to treat yourself with love and respect.”