Podcasts about development act

One of the first tasks facing the new Minister for Housing, is enacting the provisions of The Planning and Development Act. Our reporter Kate Egan has been looking at these changes...

Kate Egan has been looking at this mammorth act and some of its provisions.

In this episode, join scientific consultants Ryan Parente and Brandon Walters from Intertek's Safety & Regulatory team as they delve into the proposed Feed Enhancement and Economic Development Act, or Innovative FEED Act of 2023. They will explore what it is, where it stands in the U.S. Congress, and what it could mean for future regulatory activities within the U.S. Speakers:Ryan Parente, Scientific Consultant 2 – Safety & Regulatory Affairs, Food & Nutrition Group, Intertek Assuris Brandon Walters, Scientific Consultant 2, Safety & Regulatory Affairs, Food & Nutrition Group, Intertek AssurisFollow us on- Intertek's Assurance In Action || Twitter || LinkedIn.

This special edition podcast features Stephen Barry, Partner, and head of Planning and Environmental, in conversation with Darragh Blake, Partner, Banking & Finance, to discuss what's new in the Planning & Development Act 2024. This discussion will interest all participants involved in the planning process, offering a summary of the new Act and exploring its potential future impacts on planning decisions and associated litigation in Ireland.

The Union government recently introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the 1995 Waqf Act. The provisions of the 1995 law govern the administration of waqfs—properties endowed for charitable or religious purpose under Islamic law. But opposition parties have accused the government of trying to undermine the religious rights of Muslims through this amendment, which is titled, ‘Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act, 2024. The government, on its part, has claimed that this legislation is aimed at enhancing “the efficiency of the administration and management of the waqf properties.” But following a public outcry, the draft Bill has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for closer scrutiny. When the JPC sought written suggestions from the public, it received a staggering 1.2 crore suggestions. Earlier this week, when the JPC gathered for a meeting, the Opposition members of the Committee walked out, alleging that the panel was not functioning as per the rules and regulations. What exactly does the proposed Bill seek to do? What are the objections to it? Did the government involve Muslim stakeholders before or while coming up with the draft Bill? And what's the way forward? Guest: Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi, advocate-on-record with the Supreme Court of India. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

OPINION: Cayetano pushes for Gas Industry Development Act| July 5, 2024Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribeVisit our website at https://www.manilatimes.netFollow us:Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebookInstagram - https://tmt.ph/instagramTwitter - https://tmt.ph/twitterDailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotionSubscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digitalCheck out our Podcasts:Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotifyApple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcastsAmazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusicDeezer: https://tmt.ph/deezerStitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: https://tmt.ph/tuneinSoundcloud: https://tmt.ph/soundcloud#TheManilaTimes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week legislation was released that authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers to study and carry out a host of water infrastructure and environmental restoration projects across the country.

In the latest episode, we take a solo dive into a week filled with significant news and developments in the food industry, promising the return of guest interviews in the upcoming episode. The episode, presented by Caddle, encapsulates a variety of topics highlighting the dynamic nature of the food sector.We begin with an insightful discussion on a survey about farmers' trust, revealing a concerning gap in confidence across generations. Sylvain expresses his trepidation upon reviewing the survey results, emphasizing the importance of understanding these generational differences. The conversation then shifts to legislative changes, specifically C-282, which aims to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development Act to provide immunity to supply management during trade deals. This legislative development is currently on its second reading in the Senate, indicating significant implications for the food industry.The hosts also discuss U.S. food inflation, which decreased to 2.6% in January, and ponder its implications for Canada.Highlighting business success, Sylvain and Michael discuss Restaurant Brands International's remarkable improvement in Tim Horton's profitability, attributing part of this success to operational efficiencies like reducing drive-through times. Moreover, the episode covers MTY Food Group Inc.'s impressive financial performance despite a slight decline in same-store sales, reflecting consumer discretion in spending.The episode also sheds light on the agricultural sector, particularly Ukraine's resilience in maintaining cargo volumes from its deep-water ports at two-thirds of their pre-invasion levels. This resilience is a testament to the country's agricultural robustness and strategic significance.Lastly, the podcast pays tribute to Bob Moore of Bob's Red Mill, who recently passed away at 94. Moore's legacy of giving the business to his employees through an employee stock ownership plan is celebrated, highlighting his innovative and employee-focused approach to business.About UsDr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph's Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre's Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

Makar Sankranti Kite Flying Festival Held in Dubbo.  Contact Details for Enquiries in Relation to the Uungula Wind Farm.  December 2023 Tourism Market Report.  Regional Development Act 2004.  Lease for Macquarie Conservatorium of Music.  Funding Applications Update.  Biennial Community Needs Survey.  University of the Third Age Open Day.  Australia Day Celebration Details.  Tamworth Country Music Festival.  Limerick of the Week. 

Planning was back in focus this week as the RTE investigates programme exposed the fact that some so-called environmental objectors simply wanted money to drop their objections to housing developments. And in the background, the new Planning & Development Act has been published. But will it make life easier for planners and will it speed up the notoriously slow planning process in this country? Joe spoke to Gavin Lawlor from the Irish Planning Institute.

Farmers along the California-Oregon border have reported millions of dollars in losses from a torrent of grasshoppers and Mormon crickets, and Congress introduces legislation to give organic producers tools to increase capacity, reach new markets, and grow businesses.

The USDA has extended the deadline for the Specialty Crop Multi-State Program Request for Application, and Congress introduces legislation to give organic producers tools to increase capacity, reach new markets, and grow businesses.

Kenya passed a number of gender reforms after a new constitution passed in 2010. It's one thing to get the laws passed. But it's another to get them implemented, especially in male-dominated sectors like fishing.  On today's episode of the Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women, we're looking at how Kenya's legal reforms have created new opportunities for women in the fishing industry, such as the Fisheries Management and Development Act of 2016. However, women still face significant barriers in the fishing sector, including many reports of gender-based violence.  Reporter Thurea Mwadzaya visits a fishing community to see how policy developments are starting to take hold there, including talking to female leaders and male allies from Coastal Women in Fisheries. Then host Reena Ninan speaks with Margaret Gatonye, former CEO of the Aquaculture Association of Kenya. She helped advise the Kenyan government about the Fisheries Management and Development Act. Gatonye is currently pursuing a PhD in Global Governance at the University of Massachusetts, focusing in part on women in fishing in Kenya.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act was introduced in 2016 to protect consumers who had invested in residential real estate projects from malpractices by real estate developers. After the law was passed, most states established real estate regulatory authorities to register and oversee the conduct of real estate developers. What changes did this act try to bring in, and how has this regulatory change benefited consumers? Is the increased information about property litigation that the Maharashtra RERA provides affecting housing prices? Does RERA reduce information asymmetry in the housing market?In this episode of Interpreting India, Vaidehi Tandel and Sahil Gandhi join Anirudh Burman to give us insights into these issues and more. They discuss their recent working paper, co-authored with Anupam Nanda and Nandini Agnihotri. Their study analyses how housing prices change in response to mandatory disclosures under the RERA. The paper is titled, “Do Mandatory Disclosures Squeeze the Lemons? The Case of Housing Markets in India.”Episode ContributorsVaidehi Tandel is an economist working in the areas of urban economics, political economy, and public finance, with a focus on India. Currently, Dr. Tandel is a lecturer in real estate and urban economics at the University of Manchester, UK. Her research has been featured in The Financial Times, The New York Times, The Straits Times, Livemint, and others. Her papers have been published in the Journal of Development Economics, the Journal of Urban Economics, the Journal of Regional Science, Environment and Urbanization, Cities, and BMJ Open, among others. Her current work looks at the politician-builder nexus in Mumbai, agglomeration economies in India, and climate change and adaptation across cities in developing countries.Sahil Gandhi is an urban and real estate economist. Dr. Gandhi is a lecturer at The University of Manchester's School of Environment, Education and Development. His research is in the fields of urban economics, real estate, and land economics. His recent papers are on vacant housing in India, migration and tenure choice, housing supply in Mumbai, and so on. His research has been published in the Journal of Urban Economics, the Journal of Development Economics, the Journal of Regional Science, Environment and Urbanization, and Cities, among others. He has also led a report on affordable housing in India. Dr. Gandhi has bylines in international and Indian media outlets such as The Washington Post, The Hindu, Hindustan Times, The Economic Times, and Livemint, among others. His research has also been cited in The Financial Times, The BBC, The Straits Times, Livemint, and more.---Key Moments(0:00); Introduction(2:39); Chapter 1: The Context Behind RERA(9:56); Chapter 2: Key Regulatory Changes(15:21); Chapter 3: The Case of Maharashtra's RERA(17:27); Chapter 4: Mumbai's High Proportion of Litigated Projects(23:04); Chapter 5: The Aim and Findings of the Study(27:35); Chapter 6: Variations Across Housing Submarkets (32:35); Chapter 7: Luxury Housing and Mandatory Disclosures(35:02); Chapter 8: Non-Luxury Housing and Litigation Costs(36:10); Chapter 9: RERA's Impact on Low- and Middle-Income Consumers(40:36); Chapter 10: Types of Litigation Faced by Projects(43:44); Chapter 11: Future Research in Urban Economics(48:22); Outro---Additional ReadingsDo Mandatory Disclosures Squeeze the Lemons? The Case of Housing Markets in India by Vaidehi Tandel, Sahil Gandhi, Anupam Nanda, and Nandini AgnihotriToo Slow for the Urban March: Litigations and the Real Estate Market in Mumbai, India by Sahil Gandhi, Vaidehi Tandel, Alexander Tabarrok, and Shamika RaviView: Time to Make RERA Roar by Nandini Agnihotri and Sahil GandhiIndia Has to Attack Causes of Land Litigation. Modi's Ease of Doing Business Depends on It by Anirudh Burman Making Land Titles in India Marketable: Using Title Insurance as a Viable Alternative to Conclusive Titling by Anirudh Burman--Carnegie India Socials:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carnegieindia/ (@CarnegieIndia)Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarnegieIndiaWebsite: https://carnegieindia.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarnegieIndia/

Welcome to your weekly General Aviation News update, we have three stories for you this week, the Aviation Workforce Development Act, Tecnam lands two training fleet orders, and Cub Crafters unveiled a new carbon cub at Sun 'n Fun.

Since 2014, Congress and the Administration have passed a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) every two years. WRDA authorizes the Secretary of the Army, through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA(CW)), to conduct studies, construct projects, and research various activities and development that can lead to improvements of rivers and harbors of the United States. Listen in on this episode to learn about WRDA with Mr. Gib Owen, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works; Mr. David Wethington, Chief, Future Directions Branch at USACE Headquarters; and Ms. Amy Frantz, Senior Policy Advisor at USACE Headquarters. Additional information about the Water Resources Development Act can be found on our website at https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Water-Resources-Development-Act/.

Two children were pulled from a partially frozen lake in Kennesaw after falling into the water, MDJ news partner Fox 5 reported. Authorities say one of two children has died, and the other is expected to survice. Cobb County fire said the children were playing on the lake when they fell into the water. A large police presence responded to the lake, located off Ellison Lakes Drive near Cobb Parkway, Fox 5 reported. Shortly before 5 p.m., residents reported seeing about a half-dozen children playing near the south side of the lake just off a trail that runs beside it. Alex Pollard says he was bringing groceries in when he noticed the children. Moments later, neighbors would report hearing screams. The two children had fallen through the ice. Pollard yelled for his roommate to call 911. The named and ages of the children were not released. Three members of Cobb Fire were also treated at the scene for cold exposure that they suffered when they entered the freezing water to try and rescue the second victim. Fire Department spokesperson Nick Danz urged people not to go out on frozen bodies of water, as it may be hard to know the thickness and sturdiness of the ice. A Marietta man was arrested Monday for allegedly molesting two children. Tyquan Kent, 38, is charged with 11 counts of child molestation, two counts of rape and one count of furnishing obscene materials to minors, all felonies. He is accused of molesting and raping an 8-year-old and 10-year-old sometime between August and December. A warrant for Kent's arrest said the alleged crimes took place at a Motel 6 on South Cobb Drive and a Red Roof Inn on Corporate Plaza Parkway in Smyrna. According to the warrant, a 7-year-old child was present when Kent allegedly molested the two children at the Red Roof Inn, resulting in an additional child molestation charge. Kent is being held at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond, according to jail records. In 2010, when Foxes and Fossils played their first gig, there were about 50 people in the audience. Most of crowd was there for pizza. A cohort of family members, church colleagues and friends helped swell the cheering section. And yet, said videographer Terry Heinlein, this group of supporters, filling up the seats at Bella's pizza parlor in Smyrna, was probably the largest bunch of fans that ever came to a Foxes and Fossils show just to see the band. Heinlein added that at all the other Foxes and Fossils gigs, at Twisted Taco and the Crafty Hog and Keswik Park, there were people there to see the band, but plenty of other people were there just for the barbecue. Vocalist Maggie Adams, one of the “Foxes,” was 16 years old at the time of the Bella's gig. She agreed: “We were mostly background music for pizza and tacos.” The “Foxes” were the young female members of the band, including Adams, Sammie Purcell and Chase Truron. They all grew up and went to college. The “Fossils,” including Sammie's father Tim Purcell, the founder of the band, recognized that without the Foxes, they weren't going to draw a crowd. The band essentially broke up. They existed only on YouTube, where Tim posted videos of their old performances. Quietly, those videos began to gain an audience. More than a year after they stopped performing, Foxes and Fossils started tasting fame and began earning revenue from their internet views and merchandise. Twelve years and 83 million YouTube views later, Foxes and Fossils is staging its first ticketed concert as a headliner. The most famous unknown cover band from Smyrna is charging $100 a seat for two shows, the first was last night and the second is tonight. That's what Billy Strings is charging at State Farm Arena. The venue is the Legendary Ford Hall, a 500-capacity facility in Hapeville that began as a car dealership and has served as a church. Both shows are almost sold out. Tickets can be purchased at Rebelity dot com. Pope got its second win over Kennesaw Mountain in a little over a week, defeating its county rival 55-47 in the first round of the Hounds Holiday Hoop Classic at Pope High School on Wednesday. The Greyhounds defeated the Mustangs 66-58 in the championship game of the Alpharetta-Pope Holiday Classic on Dec. 20. After a close first half, Pope pulled away from Kennesaw Mountain) in the third quarter to take control of the game and advance to the semifinals. Ryan Luttrell scored 20 points, including six 3-pointers, while Devin Royal added 10 points and Zach Bleshoy – who scored 36 points in the first game against Kennesaw Mountain – contributed nine points, despite playing with an injured back, to lead Pope. Elijah Ford led the Mustangs with 19 points, while Hayden Hall added 10. Kennesaw Mountain held the early advantage with a 14-12 lead at the end of the first quarter and increased its advantage to 17-12 at the beginning of the second on a 3-pointer by Hall with 7:08 remaining. However, Pope caught fire as it proceeded to go on a 13-3 run – fueled by four 3-pointers, including back-to-back 3s by Colby West – to take a 25-20 lead and the Greyhounds ended the first half ahead 27-25. Pope continued to stretch its advantage in the third quarter as it made three more 3-pointers – two of them by Luttrell – to finish the period with a 41-31 lead. The Greyhounds led by as much as 12 points – 47-35 with 4:43 remaining in the game. President Joe Biden has signed legislation aimed at protecting the Chattahoochee River. The first-of-its-kind measure authorizes $90 million in federal funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to work with local partners on water projects throughout the Chattahoochee River system. Biden signed the bill last week as part of congressional reauthorization of the Water Resources and Development Act. According to the Georgia River Network, the Chattahoochee supplies 70% of metro Atlanta's drinking water. The river is also a key source of water for farmers and an important source of power generation through hydroelectric dams. However, more than 1,000 miles of waterway within the Chattahoochee watershed do not meet water quality standards, creating potential health risks to humans and wildlife. In 2019, the National Park Service reported visitors to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area added more than $200 million to the metro region's economy, supporting more than 2,000 local jobs.        See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Read or listen to news headlines for Friday, July 29, 2022.

June 1, 2022 — As another dry summer heats up, the Board of Supervisors is considering asking voters to approve a sales tax for local fire districts and county-wide water projects. The tax for Measure B is due to decrease this year, and the Board hopes voters will agree to replace that reduction with the new tax, which is expected to generate about $7 million per year. At a meeting in mid-May, firefighters and Russian River water users expressed their support for the tax, though details about how to allocate the funds and the exact size of the need were not part of the initial discussion. The Inland Water and Power Commission is eyeing some of the potential money as it works to take over water rights associated with the Potter Valley Project. The rights are currently held by PG&E, the project's owner. Commission Chair Janet Pauli is preparing for an expensive and convoluted process The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has directed PG&E to begin the license surrender process. “That is going to be lengthy,” Pauli predicted. “We don't know exactly how it's going to unfold. We do know there are certain sections of that process that are going to require a lot of our participation, so that we can have a voice in what is going to occur with this project. That is going to require some funding.” Pauli added that there has not been consideration of a CDFW-funded study that examined several possible ways to continue diverting water without the current infrastructure. “If the diversion structure comes out, if that's the final disposition of the license surrender, then we have a very, very, very serious problem,” she said, citing the conclusion that, without water from the diversion, Lake Mendocino would not fill in eight out of ten years. The Commission was part of a consortium that tried to take over the license for the Potter Valley Project, though it fell far short of its funding goals. In addition, it was supposed to form a regional entity that would manage the project, a task that is also imperative for acquiring the water rights. The water rights coalition, Pauli said, “would ultimately own and manage and fund the diversion. That entity needs to be formed so that they can negotiate with PG&E regarding acquiring the actual physical infrastructure and securing the water right for the diversion, as well.” The long-term license for the hydropower project has expired, and PG&E is operating it on an annual license. “Now that PG&E is required to surrender the license, the project will no longer produce power,” Pauli reasoned. “Our job is to protect the diversion, to assure that that water can continue to be diverted into the Russian.” Another long-time goal, a feasibility study for raising Coyote Valley Dam, just got a step closer to the fundraising stage. A press release from Congressman Jared Huffman's office declared that expediting the study is one of his priorities as the Water Resources and Development Act winds its way towards completion. The Act was approved by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure last month. The Inland Water and Power Commission is the non-federal local sponsor for funding that study, so “When the federal budget allows funding, we need to match it,” Pauli said. “Those costs combined will be about $3 million, over about a three-year period,” starting sometime in 2023. The IWPC is budgeting for its half of that cost, which would be $1.5 million. But without Eel River water, Lake Mendocino would rarely fill to its current capacity in a rainy year, let alone a millennial drought. Last month, PG&E asked federal regulators to expedite permission to slash the diversion of Eel River water from Lake Pillsbury into the East Branch of the Russian River, which flows into Lake Mendocino, from 75 cubic feet per second to five. The request is being vigorously contested by the Potter Valley Irrigation District and Sonoma County Water Agency. “The idea of people who benefit from this water supply helping to fund what's needed to get us that water supply is critically important,” Pauli declared. She expects that it will cost between $1.6 and $1.8 million a year, over the next five or six years, to secure the water supply through the diversion and raise Coyote Valley dam. “That's what our budget outline is showing right now,” she concluded. The Board of Supervisors plans to review an initial draft of the proposed tax ordinance at its meeting next Wednesday, on June 8th.

Clement is joined by the Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Parks Tau to explain how the bill is going to work and how its going to benefit the township economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we discussion Section 234 of the 1996 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to learn how USACE is using its technical and managerial expertise to address domestic and international water resource challenges, infrastructure development and environmental protection. Listen in as Jennifer Rainey, National Program Manager from the Interagency and International Services Branch, talks about Section 234 and how USACE works with other Federal agencies, non-governmental and international organization, and foreign governments to address problems of national significance to the United States.

Bulelani Balabala -Founder ,Township Entrepreneurs Alliance

In this episode, Ginnie Graham and Bob Doucette talk about the non-partisan support of the “Large-scale Economic Activity and Development Act of 2022,” which Gov. Kevin Stitt is expected to sign Monday. Oklahoma is reportedly trying to lure a Panasonic electric battery plant to the MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor, but did the $698 million incentive package get rushed and was the process too secretive? Also discussed: Rep. Wendi Stearman, R-Collinsville said "I don't want Oklahoma to change," but change is inevitable. Oklahoma must evolve to prosper. The runaway contract between Swadley’s BBQ and the Oklahoma State Department of Tourism and Gov Stitt's vow to reclaim any money the state is owed What is the mission of the Oklahoma state park system and does Foggy Bottom Kitchens fit that mission? There is not just a teacher shortage in public education anymore, but also a superintendent shortage. Bob talking about testing positive for COVID-19 and what the next surge will look like Who is to blame for high gas prices? Quite a bit of reader feedback after this week's editorial. Related stories Editorial: Nearly $700 tax package worth gamble, but not secrecy that goes with it State Senate OK's $698M economic Incentive bill to lure large manufacturing plant to state House OKs up to $698M economic incentive package MidAmerica Industrial Park reportedly in the running for huge electric vehicle battery plant Editorial: Getting to the bottom of Swadley's BBQ debacle DA requests forensic audit in Swadley's deal with Tourism as part of criminal probe Ginnie Graham: Superintendent exodus from public schools on the horizon Bob Doucette: We may be done with the pandemic, but the pandemic isn't done with us Experts watch for potential summer COVID-19 surge as ER visits level off in Oklahoma Editorial: It's easy to blame high gas prices on presidents, but it's not that simple Contact the writers Editorial Editor Ginnie Graham: Email | Twitter | Follow her stories Editorial Writer Bob Doucette: Email | Twitter | Follow his stories Click here to submit a letter to the editorSupport the show: https://tulsaworld.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Hydrogen Podcast!In episode 085, New Mexico to boost clean energy economy with a hydrogen hub Development Act, GM announces its broadening its scope on fuel cells, and Linde, announcing that it started up the world's first plant for extracting hydrogen from natural gas pipelines using membrane technology. All of this on today's hydrogen podcast. Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy the podcast. Please feel free to email me at info@thehydrogenpodcast.com with any questions. Also, if you wouldn't mind subscribing to my podcast using your preferred platform... I would greatly appreciate it. Respectfully,Paul RoddenVISIT THE HYDROGEN PODCAST WEBSITEhttps://thehydrogenpodcast.comCHECK OUT OUR BLOGhttps://thehydrogenpodcast.com/blog/WANT TO SPONSOR THE PODCAST? Send us an email to: info@thehydrogenpodcast.comNEW TO HYDROGEN AND NEED A QUICK INTRODUCTION?Start Here: The 6 Main Colors of Hydrogen

(Illinois News Connection) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to use federal funds for a project to help keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. It is proposing using nearly $226 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project in Joliet. Don Jodrey, director of federal relations for the Alliance for the Great Lakes, said carp crowd out native aquatic species, and have been moving up the Mississippi River system and into the Illinois River. The project would modify the existing dam and locks to make it easier to detect invasive species. "The Great Lakes have suffered over the years from invasive aquatic species, like zebra and quagga mussels and things like this," Jodrey explained. "The concern is, if the carp move into the Great Lakes system, that they're going to be detrimental to the fishing and recreational industries that are up there." He added the Army Corps is testing relatively new technology, which could help other states tackle the problem of invasive species. Fighting invasive species is not cheap. Jodrey pointed out the money is expected to cover the planning, engineering and design phases of the project, about $28 million, plus roughly $200 million for construction, which he noted could cost another $850 million. "They're basically saying, as a matter of policy, that the administration supports the project," Jodrey stated. "It's a really important step, and it really tells us the project is going to get built." For the remaining funding, the eight governors of the Great Lakes states have requested the project be included in the 2022 Water Resources Reform and Development Act. --- Ways you can help support the show Chase Bank - where you can get a $200 bonus by opening an account and doing a direct deposit. Open an account today at https://accounts.chase.com/consumer/raf/online/rafoffers?key=1934238931&src=N. Ashley Furniture - Save money on your furniture with this coupon. https://www.ashleyfurniture.com/?extole_share_channel=SHARE_LINK&extole_shareable_code=viewfromthepugh5&extole_zone_name=friend_landing_experience Donate to the show - Through CashApp at $ChrisPugh3. Sign up for CashApp - Using the code ZFZWZGF. We will both get $5. https://cash.app/app/ZFZWZGF Get your next project done for $5 through Fiverr - https://fiverraffiliates.com/affiliatev2/#:~:text=https%3A//fvrr.co/3K9Ugiq Share us with your friends --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theohioan/message

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Today, I will talk about the case of Newtech Promoters and Developers Pvt. Ltd. v. State of UP & Others, 2021 SCC OnLine SC 1044, wherein the Hon'ble Supreme Court discussed about the constitutional validity of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (in short, “RERA”).To know more about it, please visit https://www.desikanoon.co.in/2021/11/rera-is-retroactive-and-not.htmlTelegram: https://t.me/Legal_Talks_by_DesiKanoonYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMmVCFV7-Kfo_6S42kPhz2wApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legal-talks-by-desikanoon/id1510617120Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KdnziPc4I73VfEcFJa59X?si=vYgrOEraQD-NjcoXA2a7Lg&dl_branch=1&nd=1Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS84ZTZTcGREcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiuz4ifzpLxAhVklGMGHb4HAdwQ9sEGegQIARADAmazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4b89fb71-1836-414e-86f6-1116324dd7bc/Legal-Talks-by-Desikanoon Please subscribe and follow us on YouTube, Instagram, iTunes, Twitter, LinkedIn, Discord, Telegram and Facebook. Credits: Music by Wataboi from Pixabay Thank you for listening!

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Orla Hegarty, Architect and Assistant Professor at UCD on the findings of a new report which, focuses on Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and examines its effectiveness in delivering social homes.

Kalamazoo public meetings brought to you by Michigan Radio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Bord Pleanála has given Shannon LNG permission to apply for planning as a strategic infrastructure project. Under the section 37 A of the Planning and Development Act, designation as a strategic infrastructure project means the applicant bypasses Kerry County Council and applies directly to the planning authority. Fine Gael Cllr Jim Finucane and Tony Lowes of Friends of the Irish Environment give their reaction to Treasa Murphy:

The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Coronabus both enacted laws aiming to stop China from advancing their Belt and Road economic system that may soon be able to compete with the "rules based international order", which the United States has been leading the implementation of since the end of WWII. In this episode, learn about the NDAA's most significant changes, including a new U.S. military build up in China's neighborhood: The Pacific Deterrence Initiative. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Click here to contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Click here to 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! Recommended Episodes CD218: Minerals are the New Oil CD187: Combating China Bills National Defense Authorization Act for 2021 Bill Text Sec. 158: Expansion of Economic Order Quantity Contracting Authority for F-35 Aircraft Program Doubles the amount of money allowed to be spent on longer term contracts from $574 million to over $1 billion TITLE VII - ACQUISITION POLICY, ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT, AND RELATED MATTERS Subtitle D - Industrial Base Matters Sec. 841: Additional Requirements Pertaining to Printed Circuit Boards Beginning January 1, 2023, the Defense Department will be prohibited from buying printed circuit boards that are either fully or partially manufactured in North Korea, China, Russia, or Iran. The Defense Secretary has the ability to waive these restrictions TITLE X - GENERAL PROVISIONS Subtitle E - Miscellaneous Authorities and Limitations Sec. 1052: Expenditure of Funds for Department of Defense Clandestine Activities that Support Operational Preparation of the Environment Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to spend up to $15 million from the Operations and Maintenance account "in any fiscal year for clandestine activities for any purpose the Secretary determines to be proper for preparation of the environment for operations of a confidential nature." Intelligence activities are excluded. This authority can be delegated for expenses up to $250,000. The Defense Secretary has to tell Congress about these expenditures in a report due once per year at the end of the year. Sec. 1053: Sale or Donation of Excess Department of Defense Personal Property for Law Enforcement Activities Prohibits the military from transferring free bayonets, grenades (but they can still transfer stun and flash bang grenades), weaponized tanks, and weaponized drones to domestic law enforcement. Sec. 1062: Limitation on Provision of Funds to Institutions of Higher Education Hosting Confucius Institutes Beginning in 2023, Defense Department funding - except for funding given directly to students - can be given to an college or university that hosts a Confucius Institute. "Confucius Institute" is defined as "a cultural institute directly or indirectly funded" by the Chinese government. The Defense Secretary has the ability to waive this prohibition. This was based on a bill co-authored by Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio and Rep. Donna Shalala of Fl Sec. 1064: Requirements for Use of Federal Law Enforcement Personnel, Active Duty Members of the Armed Forces, and National Guard Personnel in Support of Federal Authorities to Respond to Civil Disturbances Whenever a member of the armed forces, including the National Guard, respond to a civil disturbance, each individual has to display their name and the name of the Federal entity they are representing. This won't apply to individuals who don't wear uniforms when performing their regular duties or who are performing undercover operations. TITLE XII - MATTERS RELATING TO FOREIGN NATIONS Subtitle B - Matters Relating to Afghanistan and Pakistan Sec. 1215: Limitation on Use of Funds to Reduce Deployment to Afghanistan Prohibits troop levels in Afghanistan from being reduced below 2,000 until the Defense Secretary submits a report Subtitle C - Matters Relating to Syria, Iraq, and Iran Sec. 1221: Extension and Modification of Authority to Provide Assistance to Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria Reauthorizes the Department of Defense military assistance for training, equipment, supplies, and support for the Government of Iraq and "other local security forces" for combatting ISIL and security the territory of Iraq until December 31, 2021 but cuts the funding to $322.5 million, down from $645 million. The original funding amount t was over $1.6 billion in 2016. Sec. 1222: Extension and Modification of Authority to Provide Assistance to Vetted Syrian Groups and Individuals Reauthorizes the Department of Defense assistance for training, equipment, supplies, support, stipends, and facilities for "vetted elements of the Syrian opposition and other appropriately vetted Syrian groups and individuals" until December 31, 2021 Subtitle E - Matters Relating to Europe and NATO Sec. 1241: Determination and Imposition of Sanctions with Respect to Turkey's Acquisition of the S-400 Air Defense System In response to Turkey's decision to buy an air defense system from Russia on July 12, 2019, the President "shall" impose five or more sanctions on each person who participated in buying that system. The sanctions were required to be implemented by the end of January 2021. The sanctions are allowed to be removed after one year if the S-400 air defense system has been removed from Turkey Sec. 1246: Report on United States Military Force Posture in Southeastern Europe By the end of 2021, the Secretary of Defense has to submit a classified report with an unclassified summary describing the military postures of Russia and China in southeastern Europe and assess the cost, feasibility, and infrastructure requirements of increasing US Armed Forces in Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and other locations. Subtitle F - Matters Relating to the Indo-Pacific Region Sec. 1251: Pacific Deterrence initiative Requires the Secretary of Defense to create a Pacific Deterrence Initiative to improve the force posture in the Indo-Pacific region, primarily west of the International Date Line The purpose is to... Strengthen the presence of the US Armed Forces in the region Pre-position equipment, weapons, and fuel. Perform exercises, training, and experiments Build the militaries of allies and partners and enhance cooperation with them Authorizes over $2.2 billion Sec. 1252: Extension and Modification of Prohibition on Commercial Export of Certain Covered Munitions Items to the Hong Kong Police Force Extends the prohibition on export licenses being issued to send weapons to the Hong Kong police force that was enacted on November 27, 2019 until December 31, 2021 and expands the prohibition on exports to include "crime control items". Sec. 1260: Statement of Policy and Sense of Congress on the Taiwan Relations Act 'The Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances provided by the United States to Taiwan in July 1982 are the foundation for United States-Taiwan relations" "Any effort to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means, including boycotts and embargoes, is a threat to the peace and security of the Western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United States." We will "resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system of the people of Taiwan" It is US policy to continue selling weapons to Taiwan, including weapons for air defense, undersea warfare, intelligence, surveillance, anti-armor, anti-ship, and coastal defense systems. US policy is to perform joint military exercises with Taiwan. Sec. 1260E: Sense of Congress on the Aggression of the Government of China Along the Border with India and its Growing Territorial Claims Congress says that... "continued military aggression by the Government of China along the border with India is a significant concern" "attempts by the Government of China to advance baseless territorial claims, including those in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and with respect to Bhutan, are destabilizing and inconsistent with international law." Subtitle G: Sudan Democratic Transition, Accountability, and Fiscal Transparency Act of 2020 Sec. 1263: Statement of Policy It is United States policy to... "support a civilian-led political transition in Sudan that results in a democratic government..." "support the implementation of Sudan's constitutional charter for the transitional period" (which began on August 17, 2019 and is effective for 39 months, which would be November 17, 2022) Part of our strategy is "promoting economic reform, private sector engagement, and inclusive economic development..." and "supporting improved development outcomes, domestic resource mobilization, and catalyzing market-based solutions to improve access to health, education, water and sanitations, and livelihoods..." Sec. 1264: Support for Democratic Governance, Rule of Law, Human Rights, and Fundamental Freedoms Authorizes the President to "provide assistance" authorized by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, which allows him to use money from the State Department's Economic Support Fund, and development assistance in agriculture, health, education, housing, counter-drug operations, disaster relief, energy, technology, natural resources, and technical assistance for the government and/or central bank. Authorizes $20 million per year in 2021 and 2022 Sec. 1265: Support for Development Programs Authorizes the President to "provide assistance" using the same authorities from Section 1264 and the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act of 2018 (BUILD Act) ,which created the United States International Development Finance Corporation, to "promote economic growth, increase private sector productivity and advance market-based solutions to address development challenges" Authorizes $80 million per year for 2021 and 2022 Sec. 1266: Support for Conflict Mitigation Authorizes the President to "provide assistance" using the same authorities from Section 1264 and money for international military education and training and money for peacekeeping operations to "support civil society and other organizations", for "professional training of security force personnel", and to support provisions of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 and Abyei protocol. Authorizes $20 million per year for 2021 and 2022 Sec. 1267: Support for Accountability for War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, and Genocide in Sudan Authorizes the President to "provide assistance" using the same authorities from Section 1264 to assist investigators to document violations of human rights committed by the former President Omar al-Bashir and the Transitional Military Council since June 30, 1989. Authorizes $10 million per year for 2021 and 2022. Sec. 1270E: Repeal of Sudan Peace Act and the Comprehensive Peace in Sudan Act Effective January 1, 2020 (backdated), repeals the Sudan Peace Act and the Comprehensive Peace in Sudan Act Subtitle H - United States Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2020 Sec. 1273: Security Assistance for Israel The United States will give Israel at least $3.3 billion per year from the Foreign Military Financing Program from 2021 through 2028 (at least $26.4 billion). The amount used to be capped; this law changed it so that is a minimum payment. Sec. 1275: Rules Governing the Transfer of Precision-Guided Munitions to Israel Above the Annual Restriction Authorizes the President to transfer precision-guided missiles from our reserves to Israel The authority to transfer our missiles to Israel will expire at the beginning of 2024 TITLE LVXXXIV - MISCELLANEOUS Subtitle C - Arctic Sec. 8421: Coast Guard Arctic Prioritization Congress is concerned that "Russia and China have conducted military exercises together in the Arctic, have agreed to connect the Northern Sea Route, claimed by Russia, with China's Maritime Silk Road, and are working together in developing natural gas resources in the Arctic." TITLE XCIV - SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY MATTERS Subtitle B - Other Matters Sec. 9414: Study on Chinese Policies and Influence in the Development of International Standards for Emerging Technologies The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology will conduct a study that can include... How China's role in international standards setting organizations has grown over the last 10 years China's standardization strategy outlined in "Chinese Standard 2035" An examination of whether international standards for technology are being designed to promote Chinese interests outlined in the "Made in China 2025" plan Recommendations on how the United States can "mitigate" China's influence in setting standards and increase the United States public and private sector participation in the standards setting institutions TITLE XCVII - FINANCIAL SERVICES MATTERS Subtitle C - Other Matters Sec. 9723: Accountability for World Bank Loans to China Makes it the policy of the United States to disqualify China from receiving World Bank loans designed for low and middle income countries. This was a bill written by Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio TITLE XCIX - CREATING HELPFUL INCENTIVES TO PRODUCE SEMICONDUCTORS FOR AMERICA Sec. 9902: Semiconductor Incentives The Secretary of Commerce has to create a program that provides tax money to "a private entity, a consortium of private entities,, or a consortium of public and private entities..." to incentivize them to invest in creating, assembling, testing, packaging, or researching semiconductors in the United States. The money can not be given to "a foreign entity of concern" Tax money for any individual project is capped at $3 billion, but that limit can be waived with the recommendation of the Defense Secretary, the Director of National Intelligence, and the President. Sec. 9905: Funding for Development and Adoption of Measurably Secure Semiconductors and Measurably Secure Semiconductors Supply Chains Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to create a "Multilateral Semiconductors Security Fund" The fund would be used to create "measurably secure semiconductor supply chains" The Secretary of State can use money in the fund to give to foreign governments on the condition that those countries enact restrictions on exports to China. The Secretary of State is encouraged, but not required, to establish transparency requirements for subsidies or other financial benefits given to semiconductors inside or outside the participating countries and "promote harmonized treatment and verification processes for items being exported to a country considered a national security risk by a country participating". Coronabus Outline Bill Text DIVISION B - COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021 TITLE V - GENERAL PROVISIONS Sec. 526: Prohibits NASA, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), or the National Space Council (NSC) from working with, contracting from, or coordinating "in any way with China or any Chinese-owned company" unless the activities are "specifically authorized" by a law enacted after the Coronabus. This can be waived if NASA, the OSTP, or NSC consults with the FBI and finds that the cooperation would "pose no risk of resulting in the transfer of technology, data, or other information with national security or economic security implications to China or a Chinese-owned company." DIVISION K - DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT TITLE VII: GENERAL PROVISIONS Insecure Communications Networks Sec. 7030: State Department funds must be used to advance the adoption of 5G in countries receiving our tax money and prevent the creation of communications networks, including 5G, promoted by China "and other state-backed enterprises that are subject to undue or extrajudicial control by their country of origin." East Asia and the Pacific $1.482 billion must be spent implementing the Indo-Pacific Strategy and the Asia Reassurance Initiative of 2018. Requires at least $300 million in additional money to be spent on a new Countering Chinese Influence Fund Sec. 7043: Funding for China's neighbors... Almost $135 million was appropriated for the government of Burma before the military coup. At least $85 million is appropriated for the government of Cambodia, conditioned on Cambodia "verifiably maintaining the neutrality of Ream Naval Base, other military installations in Cambodia, and dual use facilities such as the Dara Sakor development project. There is no certification required for "democracy, health, education, and environment programs, programs to strengthen the sovereignty of Cambodia, and programs to educate and inform the people of Cambodia of the influence activities of the People's Republic of China in Cambodia." At least $80 million will be given to Laos At least $3 million from the "Democracy Fund" will be given to Hong Kong for "democracy and internet freedom programs for Hong Kong, including legal and other support for democracy activists" as long as none of this money goes to the Chinese government. Prohibits counter-drug money for the Philippines, "except for drug demand reduction, maritime law enforcement, or transnational interdiction." At least $170 million will be given to Vietnam Europe and Eurasia Requires at least $290 million to be spent on the Countering Russian Influence Fund Latin America and the Caribbean Sec. 7045: Requires over $500 million to be available for "assistance" for Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, which can be spent on the Central America Regional Security Initiative. Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras can only get 50% of their allotted funding unless the Secretary of State certifies that the governments are taking actions against corruption, enacting reforms, informing their citizens that it’s dangerous to come to the United States, enhancing border security, and “resolving disputes involving the confiscation of real property of United States entities.” Those three countries are also ineligible for foreign military financing. The Caribbean Requires at least $74.8 million to be spent on the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Venezuela Requires at least $33 million to be spent on "democracy programs" in Venezuela Bilateral Economic Assistance Adds an additional $700 million to the Economic Support Fund, available until September 30, 2022 for Sudan. DIVISION Z - ENERGY ACT OF 2020 Sec. 7003: Monitoring Mineral Investments Under Belt and Road Initiative of People's Republic of China The Director of National Intelligence, starting in the beginning of 2022 and every year after, will have to conduct a detailed report on China's investments in minerals and if their investments have increased their control over the global supply of those minerals. DIVISION FF - OTHER MATTER TITLE III - FOREIGN RELATIONS AND DEPARTMENT OF STATE PROVISIONS Subtitle B - Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020 Sec. 314: Taiwan's Inclusion in International Organizations Congress finds that... "China's attempts to dictate the terms of Taiwan's participation in international organizations has, in many cases, resulted in Taiwan's exclusion from such organizations even when statehood is not a requirement..." Makes it US policy to advocate for Taiwans inclusion in international organizations that do not require statehood, including the United Nations, World Health Assembly, and others. Subtitle F - The United States Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act Sec. 352: By the beginning of July, the Secretary of State has to submit a five year strategy to Congress for changing the governing, economic, and security structures of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Economically, the priorities must include: "Supporting market-based solutions to eliminate constraints to inclusive economic growth" "Identifying... a role for relevant United States agencies and United States private sector in supporting efforts to increase private sector investment..." Security priorities must include: "Implementing the Central America Regional Security Initiative" The strategy can be created in partnership with "civil society and the private sector in the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras." The strategy will have to be posed on the State Department's website, but it is allowed to be partially classified. Sec. 353: By the beginning of July, President Biden has to submit a list of people who will be sanctioned for their actions in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Sanctions will prohibit the targets from traveling to the United States. The authority to impose these sanctions will expire at the beginning of 2024. https://www.congress.gov/116/cprt/HPRT42770/CPRT-116HPRT42770.pdf#page= National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 Bill Text Sec. 1251: Authorized the “Indo-Asia-Pacific Stability Initiative” to “increase the presence and capabilities” of the United States Armed Forces in the region by building new infrastructure, “enhance the storage and pre-positioning in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region of equipment of the United States Forces”, and with military training and exercises with allies. John S. McCain National Defense Authorization for Fiscal Year 2019 Bill Text Sec. 1252: Amends the NDAA for 2016, which authorized the South China Sea Initiative providing military equipment and training to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, to change the name of the program to the “Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative” and expands the authorization to include the Indian Ocean in addition to the South China Sea and the countries of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Adds India to the list of countries allowed to be paid for expenses, along with Brunei, Singapore, and Taiwan. Extends the expiration date from September 30, 2020 to December 31, 2025. Sec. 1253: Changes the name of the military build-up authorized in NDAA 2018 from the “Indo-Asia-Pacific Stability Initiative” to the “Indo-Pacific Stability Initiative”. Changes the activities authorized to include an increase in “rotational and forward presence” of the US Armed Forces and adds the prepositioning of “munitions” in addition to equipment. Expands the options for funding by removing the requirement that funding come “only” from a section 1001 transfer authority. Section 1001 transfer authority allows the shifting of up to $4.5 billion. Requires a 5 year plan be submitted to Congress by the Secretary of Defense by March 1, 2019. Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 Outline [Bill Text](https://www.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ409/PLAW-115publ409.pdf Sec. 2: Findings The "United States-backed international system" is being challenged by: China constructing islands in the South China Sea and challenging US economic interests North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities ISIS "Without strong leadership from the United States, the international system, fundamentally rooted in the rule of law, may wither, to the detriment of the United States, regional, and global interests." TITLE I: UNITED STATES POLICY AND DIPLOMATIC STRATEGY IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION Sec. 101: Policy The United States policy for the region... "Promotes American prosperity and economic interests by advancing economic growth and development of a rules-based Indo-Pacific economic community" Sec. 102: Diplomatic Strategy We will support... The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation East Asia Summit We want... Freedom of navigation under international law Expansions of security and defense cooperation with allies and partners Denuclearization of North Korea "To develop and grow the economy through private sector partnerships between the United States and Indo-Pacific partners" To pursue trade agreements and "build a network of partners in the Indo-Pacific committed to free markets" TITLE II - PROMOTING UNITED STATES SECURITY INTERESTS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION Sec 201: Authorization of Appropriations $1.5 billion per year from 2019 through 2023 ($7.5 billion total) The money can be used for... Foreign military financing Foreign military education and training Counterterrorism partnership programs "To encourage responsible natural resource management in partner countries, which is closely associated with economic growth" Military and Coast Guard training exercises Expanding cooperation with Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka "Multilateral engagements" with Japan, Australia, and India Intelligence The goal is to counter "China's influence to undermine the international system" Sec. 205: United States-ASEAN Strategic Partnership The goal of our commitment to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is to "build a strong, stable politically cohesive, economically integrated, and socially responsible community of nations that has common rules, norms, procedures, and standards which are consistent with international law and the principles of a rules-based Indo-Pacific community." Sec. 209: Commitment to Taiwan To enforce all existing commitments to Taiwan made by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 and the 3 joint communiques and the Six Assurances agreed to by President Reagan in July 1982 The United States "should" regularly transfer weapons to Taiwan "that are tailored to meet the existing and likely future threats from the People's Republic of China." TITLE III: PROMOTING UNITED STATES ECONOMIC INTERESTS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION Sec. 301: Findings By 2030, 66% of the global middle class will be living in Asia and 59% of middle class consumption will take place in Asia The United States has free trade agreements in effect with Australia, Singapore, and Korea The member states of ASEAN represent the fifth largest economy in the world Sec. 302: Indo-Pacific Trade Negotiations, Multilateral Agreements, and Regional Economic Summits Congress supports "full implementation of the World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement by Indo-Pacific countries" Sec. 304: Trade Capacity Building and Trade Facilitation Authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" for the President to produce a trade facilitation strategy that levels the playing field for American companies competing in the Indo-Pacific region. TITLE IV - PROMOTING UNITED STATES VALUES IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION Sec. 409: Authorization of Appropriations Authorizes $210 million per year from 2019 through 2025 (over $1 billion total) to "promote democracy, strengthen civil society... etc" in the Indo-Pacific region. This money can be used to promote democracy and the "rule of law" inside of China. Articles/Documents Article: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor—Hard Reality Greets BRI’s Signature Initiative, By David Sacks, Council on Foreign Relations, March 30, 2021 Article: An Alliance of Autocracies? China Wants to Lead a New World Order., By Steven Lee Myers, The New York Times, March 29, 2021 Article: China and Russia Agree to Explore the Moon Together, By Steven Lee Myers, The New York Times, March 10, 2021 Article: Russia, Belarus ink five-year strategic military partnership plan for first time, By Tass, March 2, 2021 Article: The U.S. Air Force Just Admitted The F-35 Stealth Fighter Has Failed, By David Axe, Forbes, February 23, 2021 Article: Chip Crisis Flummoxes Congress in a World Where U.S. Output Lags, By Laura Davison and Jarrell Dillard, MSN, Bloomberg, February 21, 2021 Article: Cambodia-China Golden Dragon Military Exercise postponed, By Chea Vanyuth, Khmer Times, February 2, 2021 Document: China’s “One Belt, One Road” Initiative: Economic Issues, By Karen M. Sutter, Andres B. Schwarzenberg, and Michael D. Sutherland, The Congressional Research Service, January 21, 2021 Article: Defense Bill Includes Two Landmark Transparency Provisions, By Tim Stretton, POGO, January 21, 2021 Article: NicaNotes: Unelectable coup mongers, By Fabrizio Casari, Alliance for Global Justice, January 14, 2021 Document: Taiwan: Political and Security Issues, By Susan V. Lawrence, The Congressional Research Service, January 4, 2021 News Release: Cambodia: Hun Sen and His Abusive Generals, Human Rights Watch, October 22, 2020 Article: Cambodian PM Says Ream Naval Base Not Just for China, By The Defense Spot, October 7, 2020 Article: The Real F-35 Problem We Need to Solve, By Scott Cooper, Defense One, September 29, 2020 Article: Russia, China launch massive 'Caucasus 2020' military exercises, By Jan van der Made, Rfi, September 21, 2020 Article: China says it will join Russian military exercises this month along with Iran, Belarus and others, By CBS News, September 10, 2020 Document: China’s National Security Law for Hong Kong: Issues for Congress, By Susan V. Lawrence and Michael F. Martin, The Congressional Research Service, August 3, 2020 Article: India-China border standoff turns deadly for first time in decades, By Arshad R. Zargar, CBS News, June 16, 2020 Article: Chinese troops challenge India at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh, standoff continues, By Snehesh Alex Philip, The Print, May 24, 2020 Article: When It Comes to Supersonic Flight, the F-35’s Wings Are Clipped, By Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, April 29, 2020 Article: Cambodia, China kick off Golden Dragon exercise despite coronavirus, Vietnam News, March 15, 2020 Article: Joint Cambodia-China ‘Golden Dragon’ Military Drills to Proceed, Despite Threat of Coronavirus, Reported by RFA’s Khmer Service, Translated by Sovannarith Keo, Written in English by Joshua Lipes, Radio Free Asia, March, 2020 Press Release: Gonzalez introduces new bill to curb World Bank funding to China, Anthony Gonzalez, November 13, 2019 Article: Deal for Naval Outpost in Cambodia Furthers China’s Quest for Military Network, By Jeremy Page, Gordon Lubold and Rob Taylor, The Wall Street Journal, July 22, 2019 Document: Cambodia: Background and U.S. Relations, By Thomas Lum, The Congressional Research Service, January 28, 2019 Document: Taiwan: Issues for Congress, By Susan V. Lawrence and Wayne M. Morrison, The Congressional Research Service, October 30, 2017 Additional Resources Hun Sen, Britannica Aegis Ashore Lockheed Martin Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Secretary Blinken: The Biden Administration’s Priorities for U.S. Foreign Policy, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, March 10, 2021 Watch on YouTube Watch on C-SPAN Transcript: 40:53 Antony Blinken: So on Nord Stream II, a couple of things at the outset, just to be very, very clear, President Biden thinks it's a bad idea. He said so repeatedly, I share his his view. It violates the European Union's own energy security principles. It jeopardizes the economic and strategic situation for Ukraine, for Poland as well. And so he opposes it. We oppose it will continue to do so. I've been on the job, I think, five weeks. The pipeline is 95% complete. It started construction started in 2018. So I wish we didn't find ourselves in a situation with a pipeline that's virtually complete. 1:06:17 Antony Blinken: We have to deal with the drivers of migration, to your point. And I think there is real opportunity there to do that. When President Biden was Vice President, as you may remember, he led an effort, very successful effort, a bipartisan effort with Congress to secure significantly more resources to help Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador deal with some of these drivers, whether it came to security, whether it came to corruption, whether it came to economic opportunity, and we did this in a way that was simply not simply throwing money at the problem, but demanding concrete reforms from these countries, that actually materially improved the situation for people there and took away some of the incentives for them to come to the United States. We now have a proposal with additional resources over four years to do that, and to do that in a, I think, potentially effective way. 1:10:35 Antony Blinken: First we have in President Biden, as you know, someone who believes strongly in NATO, in the Alliance, the most successful alliance in history and something as he see that he sees as the glue that joins us to to Europe and so this is something as you know, he spent a lot of time on himself in the past and he's doing so now as well. 1:12:37 Antony Blinken: When we see democracy being challenged by China or by Russia, one of the things that they're trying to do constantly, is not just to divide us from other democracies, but of course, to divide us from ourselves, and in particular, to try to make the case that the system that we all believe in and are dedicating our lives to professionally doesn't work and that their systems are better. 1:13:09 Antony Blinken: Demonstrate together, that democracy actually delivers for our people and for other democracies. That is the single best answer and response to this effort by autocratic countries around the world to try to make the case that democracy doesn't deliver an autocracy does. So I hope we can work on that together because that's the path to success. 1:13:43 Rep. Joe Wilson (SC): The International Criminal Court has taken actions leading to the unjustified prosecution of American Israeli nationals despite neither country being a member of the court. Most recently, the ICC issued a ruling that had jurisdiction to try Israelis for alleged war crimes in Palestine. I appreciate your statement opposing the recent moves by the ICC. What are the steps the State Department are taking to counter these recent actions? And how will you work to prevent ICC prosecutions of Americans or Israelis?Antony Blinken: Thank you for the question. I appreciate it. We of course share the goal, the broad goal of accountability for international atrocity crimes. That's not the issue. In the case that you raise, as well as the attempt to assert jurisdiction over American troops in Afghanistan, we have strongly opposed those assertions of jurisdiction. It's been our view, it remains our view that jurisdiction is reserved when a state consents to it or if there's a referral by the United Nations Security Council. Neither is true in the case of of Israel and the Palestinian matter that you just mentioned, or is it true in the case of Afghanistan, we have the capacity ourselves to provide accountability when those issues arise. And so we will continue to make clear our opposition, I think the question for us, and it's an appropriate one is how can we most effectively do that and that's something that we're looking at right now. 1:15:37 Rep. Joe Wilson (SC): My youngest son served in Afghanistan. So identify as a family member of the threats of ICC what they could mean to the American people. 1:16:30 Antony Blinken: We applaud the steps that have been taken toward normalization with Israel by a number of countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco. These are very important and we want to build on them. 1:16:50 Rep. Joe Wilson (SC): But unfortunately then we go to Nordstrom, too. And that is a Do you agree that Nord Stream II pipeline is a Russian malign influence project, if completed, that would threaten European and US security? Antony Blinken: Yes, I think as we've we were discussing a little bit earlier, we we oppose the president opposes Nordstrom, who has been clear about this for some time. So have I, and unfortunately, the pipeline is, you know, is 95% complete. But we are making clear that we, we stand against its completion. We issued an initial report and sanctioned the the leading pipeline, ship, and we continue to review other possibilities for sanctions going forward.Rep. Joe Wilson (SC): And I appreciate you actually referenced the threat to Poland. What about threat is already on with the aggression in Ukraine.Antony Blinken: There are two and this is something that I worked on a lot when I was last in, in the Obama administration. We strongly stand against Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea, we stand strongly against its aggression in the Donbass in eastern Ukraine, and we are strongly in support of Ukraine, we intend to strengthen that support, whether its security, economic, or its efforts to strengthen its own democracy, which are vitally important because one of the challenges as you know, for Ukraine is it has to face aggression from the outside from from Russia, but it also has to deal on the inside with its own challenges, including the problem of corruption. We're determined to work on all of that.Rep. Joe Wilson (SC): Another alternative would be as Azerbaijan to Bulgaria, the Black Sea with pipelines that I urge you to make every effort on that. I yield back. 2:54:30 Antony Blinken: First when it comes to the the Houthis, just to be very clear, we we see them as a bad actor that has tried to overrun Yemen, interrupted a peace, effort and led by the United Nations, committed acts of aggression against Saudi Arabia, as well as atrocities of one kind or another, in Yemen itself, and of course, have helped create an environment where we have the worst humanitarian crisis in the world right now. And that's precisely why we took the action we did in terms of lifting the designation on the entity itself. We continue to have designations against individual who the leaders, including some that we've imposed recently, but we wanted to make sure that nothing that the United States was doing, made the provision of humanitarian assistance to Yemen even more difficult than it already is. And it was our judgment, that was those designations, that designation of the group was having that effect, but we stand strongly for the proposition that we have to deal with the Houthis and also try to advance current efforts to end the war. Hearing: The State of Democracy Around the World, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, March 10, 2021 Watch on YouTube Speakers: Madeleine K. Albright, former Secretary of State Paula J. Dobriansky, former Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Peter Biar Ajak, National Endowment for Democracy, all of Washington, D.C.; Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, Burma Campaign UK, Geneva, Switzerland Nathan Law, former Hong Kong Legislative Council Member, London, United Kingdom. Transcript: 35:54 Ambassador Paula J Dobriansky: Venezuela is a flashpoint for Chinese and Russian investment and malign influence. both nations have invested billions into Venezuela taking advantage of its economic and political weakness, its vast petroleum resources and their close relationships with a corrupt Maduro regime. Russian arms manufacturers sold $4 billion worth of weapons to Venezuela over the last 10 years, and China has invested some 67 billion in Venezuela since 2007. These instruments have propped up an illegitimate government and have undermined prospects for democracy. 37:07 Ambassador Paula J Dobriansky: Russia and China have expanded investments in Africa as well. In 2003, annual Chinese direct investment in Africa was just 75 million, but by 2009, it reached 2.7 billion. Through its One Belt One Road Initiative. China is offering fragile democracies in Africa, new rail lines, highways and other infrastructure projects. African nations are finding that these projects have left them with massive debt and a lack of control. Russia is also increasing its investments in Africa to especially its military presence. It's striving to create a Red Sea naval logistics facility in Sudan. 40:49 Madeleine Albright: And I do think that there's no question that China is our biggest problem, and that they are out there, hustling in every single way. And I have made very clear that with the Belt and Road policies that they are undertaking, the Chinese must be getting very fat because the belt keeps getting larger and larger. And some of it does have to do with the fact that we have been absent and they are filling a vacuum and so we need to make clear that we need to be back and really do need to make clear in so many ways that we are a leader in restoring and building democracy in other countries. 1:13:46 Sen. Chris Coons (DE): Senator Cornyn and I have a bipartisan bill about strengthening civics education within the United States. In recent surveys, there's as many young Americans who support and believe in socialism as believe in capitalism. There's profound doubts about democracy, particularly after the events of January 6th, and the disinformation, about the value and legitimacy of free and open societies that we've lived through. It's my hope that on a bipartisan basis, we can move a renewed investment in civics education to strengthen our own democracies, you've both spoken to. 1:48:30 Peter Biar Ajak: The United States need to send a clear message to here, there is repression of our people will no longer be tolerated, nor any further delay of elections. We should sanction perpetrators of gross human rights violations like which, while urging the African Union to urgently set up the hybrid court on South Sudan to end impunity. If Kiran doesn't hold the election on time, he's already illegitimate regime will have expired since he was never elected by our people. This will necessitate a new political paradigm to ensure a successful transition to democracy. Despite severe depression, our people made it clear in the recently concluded national dialogue that Kiran Machar must exit the political scene. I hope the United States, this committee will stand with our people. Hearing: National Security Challenges and U.S. Military Activities in the Indo-Pacific, House Committee on Armed Services, March 10, 2021 Watch on YouTube Speakers: David F. Helvey, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs, Department of Defense Admiral Philip S. Davidson, U.S. Navy, Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command General Robert B. Abrams, U.S. Army, Commander, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea Transcript: 31:54 Admiral Philip S. Davidson: The threat as it's developed in the western Pacific has moved in a way in which we need to have better integrated air and missile defense capability on Guam in order to defend it. What you have in place right now is fad radar, which only has 120 degree wide look at threats in the region and in fact, it's oriented on North Korea. And it's meant to defend against rogue shot of intermediate range from North Korea. We supplement that with an Aegis destroyer. As we look at the expanse of Chinese weapon systems, and their employment of air and maritime forces in the region. We need a 360 degree defense now of Guam, and must be able to meet the ballistic missile threat that can come from PRC land as well as PRC ships. But it also should meet the 360 degree threat around Guam that comes from circumnavigations of Guam by PRC naval assets, including submarines that could shoot land attack cruise missiles, for example. As well as bomber approaches, and its ability to shoot land attack cruise missiles as well. We have to be able to defend against all those threats. Aegis Ashore is a proven technology that you have today at sea and you have it ashore in Romania and Poland to help in the defense of Europe. That system would enable all the capabilities that you have today and begin to meet the threats in the future. As China develops hypersonic weapons during the course of this decade., clearly there's going to be a need to have space sensing associated with that. You're still gonna have to have an interceptor to meet the threat. In my view, that's going to rectify that by bridging Aegis Ashore with our space capability that is to come. 49:14 David F. Helvey: And the reality is that we're not asking nations to choose between the United States or China. In fact, we welcome and encourage all nations across the Indo Pacific to maintain peaceful, productive relations with all of their neighbors, China included. Framing the strategic competition that we find ourselves in with China, as a choice between us or China, or as a choice between nations is really a false choice. The choice that our allies and our partners and everyone in the region faces is between supporting the existing international order, the existing system that's free and open. It's the system that we helped to create that we've supported, and that we believe has benefited everybody in the region, including in particular, including China. And the alternative now that China is presenting, which is a closed system in a more authoritarian governance model. So it's a competition between systems, that's a choice between systems. Do you want to choose a free and open system? Or do you want to choose a closed and authoritarian one? And so we're only asking countries to do their part to uphold the international laws, rules and norms, which support their interests, which they've benefited from, and helped to provide for security and prosperity for all of us. And so that's that's the ask that we've got our allies and our partners. 57:27 Rep. Joe Courtney (CT): Admiral Davidson on page 35 of your testimony you set forth China's sort of brazen, repeated violations of the Law of the Sea treaty. And mentioned the fact that at South China Sea geographic features were renamed with, I guess, Chinese names. Can you flesh that out a little bit what that means in terms of, you know, maritime territorial claims, and the impact in terms of freedom of navigation? Admiral Philip S. Davidson: Well, the Chinese are trying to basically impose Chinese national law on the international regime that provides for the freedom of navigation and freedom of the seas. We've spoken quite a bit about the Chinese use of lawfare. This is, one of the methodologies in which they do it. It's not just the naming, or renaming of features that have had long standing names in the region. It's the redefinition of what they might be. Because, rocks, is slits, islands all have very specific navigational rights associated with them, as well as their continued militarization of the features that they built out early in the last decade. Their continued militarization is to frankly, deter not only the United States, but truly cow, all of our allies and partners in the region, and certainly the South China Sea claimants from their absolute rights to operate and those rights that they enjoy for economic resource extraction of freedom of the seas, freedom of the airways, etc.Rep. Joe Courtney (CT): Well, thank you for that answer. Because, again, as you point out, this isn't just about sort of names. It's also about sort of territorial claims and what that means to the rules based system that has been so successful over the last 75 years. 1:29:46 Rep. Scott DesJarlais (IA): Admiral Davidson What do you consider the most likely potential target of Chinese aggression or military action in the next five to 10 years? Admiral Philip S. Davidson: Given what they've said both publicly and over time, and certainly during the tenure of Chairman Xi Jinping. I would say Taiwan is the first. Hearing: United States Indo-Pacific Command, Senate Committee on Armed Services, March 9, 2021 Transcript: 4:23 Sen. Jack Reed (RI): At his confirmation hearing Secretary Austin accurately described china as the pacing threat for the department of defense under president Xi Jinping china has moved away from greater integration with the liberal world order and instead created a style of authoritarian capitalism that it now seeks to explore throughout the region and the world additionally China seeks to co op international institutions or create parallel organization to support its strategic interest. 8:23 Sen. Roger Wicker (MS): China invested in military capabilities many americans naively assumed that China's entry into the WTO and the global integration of its economy would somehow make the Chinese communist party more friendly and open to the west. The result now is america's military advantage and the credibility of our deterrent is eroding that is why the 2021 NDAA was the toughest bill on china ever with several national security committees involved and that is specifically why this committee put the Pacific Deterrence Initiative or PDI into last year's NDAA to stop aggression from the Chinese Communist Party. 18:50 Admiral Philip S. Davidson: I think the Pacific deterrence initiative funded in FY21 for about $2.2 billion was a good first start. I recognize that the committee has put a cap of $5.5 billion on the fund going forward. 22:45 Admiral Philip S. Davidson: i'm quite encouraged by the potential power of an organization like the quad my brain in my view India Japan Australia in the United States that's a diamond of democracies that could bring so much more not only to the region but to the globe not not in terms of security alone, but in terms of how we might approach you know the global economy, critical technologies like telecommunications and 5G, collaboration on the international order, just much to be done diplomatically and economically and I have great hope that our ministerial level meetings with the clot as it's known and returned we'll build into something much bigger for the sake of the globe. 24:24 Sen. Roger Wicker (MS): With regard to the projected 2025. It shows that at that point, China will have three aircraft carriers to our one in the region. Is that correct? Admiral Philip S. Davidson: Yes, sir. Sen. Roger Wicker (MS): And then with regard to amphibious assault ships, it's projected in 2025, that we'll have six to our two. Admiral Philip S. Davidson:* Yes, sir. **Sen. Roger Wicker (MS): And then with regard to modern multi warfare, combatant ships 50 for two hours, six, is that correct? Admiral Philip S. Davidson:* Yes, sir. **Sen. Roger Wicker (MS): And what is the significance of that last figure Admiral? Admiral Philip S. Davidson: Really, the three charts work together, Senator, one to show the change in capability and capacity that the Chinese have undertaken during the course of the 21st century. And the relatively static nature of our own forward positioned forces. As I described, our effort to do a deterrence to sustain a deterrence posture and the reason it's so important on our ability to respond in time and without question, you know, is this an old novel in the 70s is to say, the importance of us presence forward is incredibly important, perfect speed is being there. And it's to show that if we don't make changes in our posture forward, that that it will demonstrate that the Chinese have much greater capacity than we have. 26:42 Admiral Philip S. Davidson: But the important factor here is time. It takes almost three weeks to respond from the west coast of the United States and 17 days to respond from Alaska to get all the way to the first island chain and to conduct operations within the second islands. 28:26 Admiral Philip S. Davidson: Certainly advocating for Aegis Ashore and Guam the mission partner environment as well as the Pentek. That the Pacific Range Improvements that I seek for our structure in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and so forth. 35:43 Sen. Deb Fisher (NE): Last year, the strategic forces subcommittee authorized and additional $77 million to begin fielding a persistent air and missile defense system on Guam. Unfortunately, this funding was removed in conference and replaced with language requiring the department to study the issue. Can you walk us through the need for this system? 38:24 Admiral Philip S. Davidson: In partnership with the Missile Defense Agency we believe that the aegis assures system as is being put to sea right now and has been constructed previously in Romania and Poland delivers the kind of capabilities that would meet the threat that's excellent here by mid decade and we'll help us pace the threat into the future. 1:03:35 Admiral Philip S. Davidson: I worry that they're accelerating their ambitions to supplant the United States and our leadership role in the rules based international order which they've long said that they want to do that by 2050, I'm worried about them moving that target closer. Taiwan is clearly one of their ambitions before then and i think the threat is manifest during this decade in fact in the next six years. 1:05:58 Sen. Maizie Hirono (HI): I noticed that you significantly increased the requested amount from last year's PDI report to this year's report to strengthen our allies and partners over the next five years in the region from over $300 million to about $2.8 billion, can you discuss your rationale for the significant increase and what that additional funding is intended to do or where will it go?Admiral Philip S. Davidson: Well you hope you highlighted the key aspects ma'am it's to enhance and make improvements in our joint exercise program and that's principally because not only the united states but our key allies and partners Japan, Korea, Australia is just three examples are buying important capabilities that match ours integrated air missile defense for example fifth generation fighters like the F35 they're being actually delivered in the theater we've got to advance our exercise capabilities or excuse me our exercise program in a way that allows us to exercise those capabilities deliberately. 1:34:07 Sen. Tim Scott (SC): My first question is about Taiwan. I think you agree that it we've got to prevent Communist China from Controlling taiwan is a strategic necessity for the united states and the loss would devastate our ability and and the ability of japan to counter china's aggression does you agree with that and rightAdmiral Philip S. Davidson: As a combatant commander out there in the Indo-Pacific I have an obligation to you know support the Taiwan Relations Act and and in a geostrategic sense i think it's critically important to the united states global status, yes. 1:44:04 Admiral Philip S. Davidson: The Aegis Ashore is a system that's in fact already been developed we we have built and are employing one actually already in Romania and there's one building and imminently operational in Poland as well and it's to help nato with the defense of Europe it is essentially a radar the command and control the information technology communications conductivity and the interceptors missiles that are capable of defeating ballistic missile cruise missile threats in and around today you know an aegis ashore system on Guam fixed site on Guam would enable 360 degree defense of Guam from any military attacks from china whether they come by sea by air or by ballistic missile in the future it is technology that is available today we've built it ashore we've built it at sea and it's our you know it's our number one priority for funding in Guam. 2:13:13 Sen. Mark Kelly (NJ): You know a couple of questions here about command and control, communications. And we rely heavily on satellites to do that. And in in January of 2007, China conducted an anti anti satellite test against one of their own non operational weather satellites, with a kinetic Kill vehicle. And it's been reported that in the year since China has an operational capability that can attack satellites in low Earth orbit and that they're developing the capability that goes all the way out to geosynchronous orbit. So how does this affect the strategic balance of power in the region from your perspective?Admiral Philip S. Davidson: Thanks for that, Senator. Yes, both China and Russia have demonstrated capability to disrupt satellites, testing capabilities on their own assets in the past, as you've articulated, it clearly, I think demonstrates that space which we've long considered a domain and which would be unthreatened for the United States. The potential is there actually, for it to be threatened. We have to build resiliency into our space apparatus that happens with other space assets. It happens with creating airborne and other terrestrial alternatives to fulfill that. And it changes the calculus in space as well. We have to recognize that again, this goes back to some earlier comments I made about to turn theory we were not going to be able to play defense alone, in this particular regard. If we can't demonstrate to others, that their capabilities and space might be at risk, then, you know, we run the risk of a deterrence failure. That's that the space layer is critically important to how we sense in the strategic nuclear deterrent, how we communicate across the Joint Force, and even how we sense and distribute information to the conventional forces as well. Its resiliency is incredibly important to us. Hearing: Global Security Challenges and Strategy, Senate Committee on Armed Services, March 2, 2021 Speakers: Thomas Wright, The Brookings Institution Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, USA (Ret.), former United States National Security Advisor, Stanford University Hoover Institution, both of Washington, D.C. Transcript: Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster: The most significant flashpoint now that that could lead to a large scale war is Taiwan. And I think that has to do with really Xi Jinping's belief that he has a fleeting window of opportunity that's closing. And he wants to his view, make China whole again, you see this with the extension of the party's repressive arm into Hong Kong. And this horrible genocidal campaign in Shinjang, Taiwan is the next big prize. And so I think what we have to be able to do is have four position capable forces. Because what Xi Jinping wants to do with what would be the largest land grabs, so to speak in history, if he succeeds in the South China Sea, is to weaponize the South China Sea and just make it too difficult for us to be able to employ forces inside of that inner island chain. So you know, if you have four position forces there, that automatically transforms denied space with China with the PLA, The People's Liberation Army when it comes to deny space. Twitter Update: Ned Price rattle off a regime change rant revamping Trump's policy on Venezuela, Anya Parampil February 3, 2021 Hearing: Secretary of State Confirmation Hearing, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, January 19, 2021 Watch on C-SPAN Transcript: 24:50 Sen. Jim Risch (OH): After our conversations earlier today and after hearing our opening statements, Senator Menendez's input net regard, as you can see here and a whole lot of daylight between us on most of these issues, certainly, almost none whatsoever when it comes to objectives, strategy and how to get there. 34:06 Antony Blinken: Both the President Elect and I believe that we have to restore Congress's traditional role as a partner in our foreign policy making, in recent years, across administration's of both parties, Congress's voice and foreign policy has been diluted and diminished. That doesn't make the executive branch stronger. It makes our country weaker. President Elect Biden believes and I share his conviction that no foreign policy can be sustained without the informed consent of the American people. You are the representatives of the American people. You provide that advice and consent. 39:20 Antony Blinken: First President Elect Biden is committed to the proposition that Iran will not acquire a nuclear weapon. And we share I know that goal across this committee. An Iran with a nuclear weapon, or on the threshold of having one with the capacity to build one on short order would be in Iran that is even more dangerous than it already is, when it comes to all of the other malicious activities that's engaged in, whether it is support for terrorism, whether it is fueling and feeding it's proxies, whether it is destabilizing the region. An Iran with a nuclear weapon, or with a threshold capacity to build one is in Iran that would act potentially with even greater impunity than it already is. So I think we have an urgent responsibility to do whatever we can to prevent Iran from acquiring or getting a weapon or getting close to the capacity to having the fissile material to break out on short notice. In my judgment, the JCPOA, for whatever its limitations, was succeeding on its own terms in blocking Iran's pathways to producing fissile material for a nuclear weapon on short order. It also featured and a feature that continues the most intrusive inspections and monitoring regime in the history of arms control. The challenge we face now is that we pulled out of the agreement, Iran is now taking steps to undo the various constraints that were imposed on it by the agreement. And so it has increased his stockpile of low enriched uranium, it is now enriching at a higher level. It is deploying centrifuges in ways that were prohibited under the agreement. The result is based on public reporting. The breakout time, the time it would take Iran to produce enough fissile material for one weapon has gone from beyond a year as it was under the JCPOA to about three or four months based at least on public reporting. And that potentially brings us right back to the crisis point that we were reaching before the deal was negotiated. And so the President Elect believes that if Iran comes back into compliance, we would too. But we would use that as a platform with our allies and partners who would once again be on the same side with us to seek a longer and stronger agreement. And also, as you and the chairman have rightly pointed out, to capture these other issues, particularly with regard to missiles and Iran's destabilizing activities. That would be the objective. 53:46 Sen. Ron Johnson (WI): Okay, one of the things that Congress did unanimously is we approved $300 million of lethal defensive weaponry for Ukraine. The Obama administration never implemented, the Trump administration did. Do you still disagree with providing that lethal defensive weaponry or do you think and, over time now, that's been proven to be the correct decision by Congress and the Trump administration? Antony Blinken: Senator, I support providing that lethal defensive assistance to Ukraine. In fact, I had the opportunity to write exactly that in the New York Times about three years ago. 1:14:09 Antony Blinken: There's been a strong and long bipartisan commitment to Taiwan. Taiwan Relations Act, also that communicates with China, and part of that commitment is making sure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself against aggression. And that is a commitment that will absolutely endure. In a Biden administration, we will make sure that Taiwan has the ability to do that. I would also like to see Taiwan playing a greater role around the world, including in international organizations. When those organizations don't require the status of a country to be a member, they should become members. When it does, there are other ways that they can participate. 1:35:15 Sen. Marco Rubio (FL): Is it your view that our stance towards Venezuela should change in essence, that we should no longer recognize Juan Guido and an intern in negotiations with Maduro? Antony Blinken: No, it does not. I very much agree with you, Senator, first of all, with regard to a number of the steps that were taken toward Venezuela in recent years, including recognizing Mr. Guido, recognizing the National Assembly as the only democratically elected institution in Venezuela, seeking to increase pressure on the regime, led by a brutal dictator in Maduro. 1:46:21 Antony Blinken: First senator, we need to be clear eyed about the Houthis. They overthrew a government in Yemen. They engaged in a path of aggression through the country. They directed aggression toward Saudi Arabia, they've committed atrocities and human rights abuses. And that is a fact. What's also a fact though is that the the Saudi led campaign in Yemen, pushback against the Houthi aggression, has contributed to what is by most accounts, the worst humanitarian situation that we face, anywhere in the world. And one aspect of that situation is that about 80% of the Yemeni population right now is in areas controlled by the Houthis. And whether we like it or not, we have to find ways to get assistance to them, if we're going to do anything about addressing this situation. And so my concern, deep concern about the the designation that was made is that, at least on its surface, it seems to achieve nothing particularly practical in advancing the efforts against the Houthis. And to bring them back to the negotiating table, while making it even more difficult than it already is to provide humanitarian assistance to people who desperately need it. So I think we would propose to review that immediately, to make sure that what we are doing is not impeding the provision of humanitarian assistance, even under these difficult circumstances, I recognize that some have talked about carve outs for American providers of humanitarian assistance. The problem there is that if the ca

House and Senate Bills this Week . H.R. 8900 – Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021, and Other Extensions Act (Rep. Lowey – Appropriations) This bill provides a one-week extension of government funding and expiring health care programs to allow for additional negotiations on fiscal year 2021 appropriations and emergency coronavirus relief. Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 295 – 125 (Roll no. 152). Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S6723-6974) Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 6395 – William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Rep. Smith (WA) – Armed Services) Conference report agreed to in House: On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 335 – 78, 1 Present (Roll no. 238). Conference Report to accompany H.R. 6395 (National Defense Authorization Act), post-cloture. Yeas and Nays ordered. Passed with a vote of 84–13. This bill authorizes $732 billion in discretionary spending for our national defense, including approximately $69 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), to maintain military readiness, bolster national security and technological advancements, support our service members, respond to our current health crisis, make key investments in military infrastructure, and promote accountability and transparency. PASSED 335-78,1 H.R. 3797 – Medical Marijuana Research Act, as amended (Rep. Blumenauer – Energy and Commerce) This bill would facilitate research with marijuana for medical purposes by streamlining the registration process under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) for researchers and directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure a supply of marijuana for research purposes.  Agreed to by voice vote. H.Res. 549 – Reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity (Rep. Demings – Energy and Commerce)  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 7898 – To amend title XXX of the Public Health Services Act to provide for a technical correction to provide the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Service certain authorities with respect to investigations of information blocking, and for other purposes, as amended (Rep. Burgess – Energy and Commerce) Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 3361 – RIVER Act (Rep. McKinley – Energy and Commerce) This bill extends through FY2036 authorization and eligibility for the program of hydroelectric production incentives and incentive payments to the owners or operators of hydroelectric facilities at existing dams to make capital improvements directly related to improving efficiency. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 5541 – Tribal Power Act, as amended (Rep. O’Halleran – Energy and Commerce)  To amend the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to reauthorize programs to assist consenting Indian Tribes in meeting energy education, planning, and management needs, Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 1426 – Timely Review of Infrastructure Act (Rep. Olson – Energy and Commerce)  This bill authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to address insufficient compensation of its personnel without regard to civil service laws  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 5758 – Ceiling Fan Improvement Act of 2020 (Rep. Guthrie – Energy and Commerce) his bill revises the energy conservation standard for ceiling fans.  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 1570 – Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2020, as amended (Rep. Payne – Energy and Commerce)  This bill waives Medicare coinsurance requirements with respect to colorectal cancer screening tests, regardless of the code billed for a resulting diagnosis or procedure. Agreed to by voice vote. S. 906 – Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act (Sen. Feinstein – Natural Resources)  Currently, the use of large-scale drift gillnets with a total length of 2.5 kilometers or more is prohibited in the United States. The bill expands the definition of large-scale driftnet fishing to prohibit the use of gillnets with a mesh size of 14 inches or greater. This expanded prohibition does not apply within the U.S. exclusive economic zone for five years. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 970 – Robert E. Lee Statue Removal Act, as amended (Rep. Brown – Natural Resources) This bill directs the National Park Service to remove and appropriately dispose of the monument to General Robert E. Lee at the Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 1240 – Young Fishermen’s Development Act, as amended (Rep. Young – Natural Resources)  This bill directs the National Sea Grant Office in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a Young Fishermen’s Development Grant Program to provide training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives for young fishermen. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 5040 – AIR Safety Act of 2020, as amended (Rep. Curtis – Natural Resources) This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management to study the effects of drone incursions on the suppression of wildfires concerning lands managed by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture.  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 5458 – Rocky Mountain National Park Boundary Modification Act (Rep. Neguse – Natural Resources)  This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to acquire, by donation, approximately 40 acres of specified nonfederal land for inclusion in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Upon acquisition, Interior shall (1) modify the boundary of the park to include the acquisition, and (2) administer the acquired land as part of the park. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 5459 – Rocky Mountain National Park Ownership Correction Act (Rep. Neguse – Natural Resources)  This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to acquire, by donation, approximately 40 acres of specified nonfederal land for inclusion in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Upon acquisition, Interior shall (1) modify the boundary of the park to include the acquisition, and (2) administer the acquired land as part of the park. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 7098 – Saguaro National Park Boundary Expansion and Study Act of 2020, as amended (Rep. Grijalva – Natural Resources) his bill modifies the boundary of Saguaro National Park in Arizona by adding approximately 1,232 acres to the park, Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 7489 – Long Bridge Act of 2020, as amended (Rep. Wittman – Natural Resources)  This bill authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to convey to Virginia or the District of Columbia any federal land or interest in federal land under the jurisdiction of the NPS that is identified by Virginia or the District as necessary for the Long Bridge Project, a project to expand commuter and regional passenger rail service and provide bicycle and pedestrian access crossings over the Potomac River. Agreed to by voice vote. Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on motion to discharge S.J.Res.78: providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the United Arab Emirates of certain defense articles and services (F-35).  Not agreed to: 47-49. Support the show: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Q2PZ6NSMG7X7N&source=url See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Porshae' Brown talks Airbnb Strategy, the Community Development Act and More

The House agreed to H.R. 3 –Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019.  On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 230 - 192 (Roll no. 682).  H.R. 5038 – Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 (Rep. Lofgren – Judiciary) (Subject to a Rule)  This bill contains provisions related to alien farmworkers, including provisions establishing a certified agricultural worker (CAW) status and changing the H-2A temporary worker program. On passage Passed by recorded vote: 260 - 165, 1 Present (Roll no. 674). H.R. 5035 – Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019 (Rep. Doyle – Energy and Commerce) to extend expiring provisions relating to the retransmission of signals of television broadcast stations Agreed to by voice vote.  H.R. 4372 – MSI STEM Achievement Act (Rep. Bernice Johnson – Science, Space, and Technology)  This bill supports efforts to increase science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at minority-serving institutions of higher education   Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 4373 – Engineering Biology Research and Development Act of 2019, as amended (Rep. Bernice Johnson – Science, Space, and Technology)  To provide for a coordinated Federal research initiative to ensure continued United States leadership in engineering biology. Agreed to by voice vote.  H.R. 2051 – Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2019, as amended (Rep. Lipinski – Science, Space, and Technology)  To provide for Federal coordination of activities supporting sustainable chemistry  Agreed to by voice vote H.R. 5213 – NASA Enhanced Use Leasing Extension Act of 2019, as amended (Rep. Horn – Science, Space, and Technology)  extends the authority of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to enter into leases of non-excess property of the Administration. Agreed to by voice vote S. 737 – Building Blocks of STEM Act (Sen. Rosen – Science, Space, and Technology) directs the National Science Foundation to support STEM education research focused on early childhood. Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote. Passed/agreed to in House: Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 4355 – IOGAN Act (Rep. Gonzalez (OH) – Science, Space, and Technology)  To direct the Director of the National Science Foundation to support research on the outputs that may be generated by generative adversarial networks, otherwise known as deepfakes, Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 4566 – Virginia Beach Strong Act (Rep. Luria – Ways and Means) To accelerate the income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of the families of victims of the mass shooting in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on May 31, 2019. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 3669 – Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2019 (Rep. Slotkin – Homeland Security)  To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a collective response to a terrorism exercise that includes the management of cascading effects on critical infrastructure during times of extreme cold weather  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 4761 – DHS Opioid Detection Resilience Act of 2019 (Rep. Higgins (LA) – Homeland Security)  To ensure U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, agents, and other personnel have adequate synthetic opioid detection equipment, that the Department of Homeland Security has a process to update synthetic opioid detection capability  Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 393 – 1 (Roll no. 655). H.R. 4739 – Synthetic Opioid Exposure Prevention and Training Act (Rep. Clarke – Homeland Security)  to protect U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, agents, other personnel, and canines against potential synthetic opioid exposure, Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 393 – 0 (Roll no. 656). H.R. 4727 – Department of Homeland Security Mentor-Protégé Program Act of 2019 (Rep. McEachin – Homeland Security)  To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a mentor-protégé program, Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 3318 – Emerging Transportation Security Threats Act of 2019 (Rep. Joyce (PA) – Homeland Security)  o establish a task force to conduct an analysis of emerging and potential future threats to transportation security  including threats posed by the release of chemical or biological agents in aviation or surface transportation systems. Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 4713 – Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Authorization Act (Rep. Green (TX) – Homeland Security)  to make certain improvements in the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department of Homeland Security Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 4402 – Inland Waters Security Review Act (Rep. Lesko – Homeland Security) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct an inland waters threat analysis, Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 3469 – Covert Testing and Risk Mitigation Improvement Act of 2019 (Rep. Cummings – Homeland Security)  This bill establishes standards for the covert testing process that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) uses to evaluate its aviation security operations. Agreed to by voice vote. S. 256 – Esther Martinez Native Languages Programs Reauthorization Act (Sen. Udall – Education and Labor)  This bill revises a grant program administered by the Administration for Native Americans at the Department of Health and Human Services to preserve Native American languages.  Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.// Passed/agreed to in House:  Agreed to by voice vote. H.R. 729 – Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement Act (Rep. Kilmer – Natural Resources) (Subject to a Rule)  To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to authorize grants to Indian Tribes to further achievement of Tribal coastal zone objectives On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 262 – 151 (Roll no. 667). Support the show.

Speaker: Mr Manoj Basniwal Mr Manoj Basniwal is a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner who has experience working in real estate company and who also appeared before the Real Estate Regulatory Authority. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 ("RERA"), was enacted to establish the Real Estate Regulatory Authority for regulation and promotion of the real estate sector of India with special focus on protection of the interest of consumers in the real estate sector. Through this season on RERA we will deliberate on various issues addressed by RERA and the intricacies of the same. This episode deals with the overview of RERA. Keep listening to VListen!

In a cabinet meeting, on Wednesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman approved setting up of a Rs 25,000-crore alternative investment fund (AIF)  to revive around 1,600 stalled housing projects across top cities in the country. The AIF will be a special window to provide priority debt financing for completion of projects in the affordable and middle-income categories, she added. Except the projects that have already received orders from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for liquidation, the government has decided to include all projects declared as a non-performing assets and those which are facing insolvency proceedings at the NCLT.   However, the funding will be possible only if they are registered under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act or RERA.  At present, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and the National Capital Region are two of the worst-hit property markets in the country, with 95,000 and 195,000 stuck projects, respectively. In addition, about 55,000 units more are stuck in Tier-II cities. In view of the recent step taken by the union cabinet, the founder at PropEquity, Samir Jasuja said, “Almost 80 per cent projects in the NCR and the MMR will come to life.” Ajay Bodke, chief executive officer and chief portfolio manager at Prabhudas Lilladher, said the fund has the potential to act as a force multiplier to impart necessary push to revive economic activity in the nerve centres of the economy. While the government will act as a sponsor with its Rs 10,000-crore initial contribution to the category-II AIF, SBI and LIC will provide an additional Rs 15,000 crore for the fund, which will be initially managed by SBI Caps through escrow account. It will also be registered with market regulator SEBI and will support all RERA certified projects. Category-II AIFs typically invest in unlisted companies by raising funds from high net worth individuals (HNIs) and foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) through private equity, debt funds... To know more, listen to this podcast...

Erin Burns, Director of Policy at Carbon180, testified in front of the House Science Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy regarding the Fossil Energy Research and Development Act. Erin explains what it is and how it might play out. We also get a brief update on the USE IT Act, which Erin told us about last time she was on Carbon Removal Newsroom.   https://science.house.gov/hearings/fossil-energy-research-enabling-our-clean-energy-future

On episode 25 we welcome Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts 6th District.  Since taking office in 2015, Rep. Moulton has been introducing innovative policy and ideas to benefit those he represents, and the region he’s from.  Probably best known on a national level for his voice of resource in addressing gun violence and just ownership laws, to many of his constituents North of Boston – he’s well known as a jobs creator and champion of a modern fishery. I first connected with Moulton’s team a few years back when they hosted Monica Jain and the Fish2.0 Northeast Hub near their offices in Salem, MA. Since then, Seth Moulton has taken his commitment to responsible fisheries and regenerative ocean farming back to DC with the introduction of the 2017 “The Young Fisherman’s Development Act”.  This bi-partisan bill co-authored with Republican Don Young of Alaska looks to empower those working on waterfronts and oceans of tomorrow. You see, too often folks look at US fisheries, especially in the Northeast, as an oppressed and declining industry.  Congressman Moulton and his team have a different perspective. One that views a modern responsible fishery and the entire seafood industry as an innovation economy with potential for persistent jobs creation for the region he represents.  Moulton seeks to find common-ground (water)  amongst necessary regulation/quota restriction, and an industry with linage older than our independence.  On a shrinking planet with increasingly depleted and contaminated Oceans the approach we’ve instituted in the Northeast United States, one now being bolstered by representative Moulton, has unique potential to cast a long shadow as intellectual property which can be scaled to teach more of 3 billion reliant of sea protein how to properly manage the bounty of the sea for generations to come. In our 30 minute conversation we evaluate the capacity of including fisherman and ocean farmers in future US Farm bills.  For clarity, 80% of the resources of the proposed 2018 Farm bill will be allocated to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) aka. food stamps. This national program of a 1/2 of trillion dollars which arises every five years is in fact our shared domestic food plan, and it drastically under represents our population densities in coastal cities. The inclusion of fisheries & seafood not only adds a voice to the food plan for our largest populations, and guarantees more high-quality food for more in need of SNAP, but it gives our fisherman the same war chest to deal with impending environmental change as we currently employ with many terrestrial food producers. Effectively,  we discuss how this pragmatic approach to introduce multiple returns to diverse stakeholders seems realistic under new and future leadership. The Clean Cold Waters of the protected North Atlantic provides some of the best and healthiest food in the world. Our well regarded fisherman and ocean farmers who manage these waters deserve to be celebrated for their craft and unique stewardship of these natural resources. With these natural gifts bestowed upon us, and our approach in managing our Marine Ecosystem over the last 50 years – we provide diverse offerings, and the knowledge of how to interject an innovation economy into a longstanding but stagnant industry to meet a changing environmental and consumer landscape. If you’d like to know who’s on deck for leading us in 2024, or maybe even as early as 2020 – have a listen to what this highly decorated champion of the Northeast has to offer.   www.SourcingMatters.show

U.S. Rep. Brian Mast talks with us about algae concerns in Martin County and the Water Resources and Development Act, which has passed through the U.S. House.

This week, Reena and I ease the concerns of lot owners around the compulsory sale process - both under Part 10 of the Development Act and pursuant to state government acquisition for projects like WestConnex. Reena also revises some important tips for managers when it comes to contractor licence checks. Links Mentioned: Get the transcript here! The post 110. Why strata owners shouldn’t fear a compulsory sale appeared first on Your Strata Property.

This week, Reena and I ease the concerns of lot owners around the compulsory sale process - both under Part 10 of the Development Act and pursuant to state government acquisition for projects like WestConnex. Reena also revises some important tips for managers when it comes to contractor licence checks. Links Mentioned: Get the transcript here! The post 110. Why strata owners shouldn’t fear a compulsory sale appeared first on Your Strata Property.

This episode highlights the bills that passed the House of Representatives in March, including a bill that allows toxic mountaintop removal waste to be dumped in streams, a bill that skips environmental reviews for new nuclear power plants, a bill that wasn't meant to become law but could screw over every government employee if it did, a bill that prevents the government from managing water rights, multiple bills to chip away at ObamaCare, and more. Bills Presented in This Episode Every one of these bills passed the House of Representatives in March, 2014 and is now awaiting action in the Senate. HR 311: “Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act” FUELS Act Sponsored by Rep. Eric “Rick” Crawford of Arkansas Relaxes the EPA rule that requires farms install spill prevention equipment if they store oil on their properties. This bill became law as part of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, although with different numbers. The previous law said that a farm would need to install spill prevention equipment if they stored more than 1,320 gallons of oil on their property and would have to have that equipment inspected and certified by an engineer if they stored more than 10,000 gallons of oil. The new law says that the farm must get oil spill prevention equipment if they store more than 6,000 gallons of oil on their property and must have that equipment inspected and certified by an engineer if they have over 20,000 gallons of oil. H.R. 311 would have allowed farms to store up to 42,000 gallons of oil before they would have to have oil spill prevention equipment installed and certified by and engineer. The author of H.R. 311 was Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas; he has taken over $278,000 from the crop production and basic processing industry. H.R. 938: United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 Sponsored by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida Would add Israel to a list of countries that gets approved faster for weapons shipments from the United States. Title II: Takes a $2 million a year grant program for renewable energy research and development and shifts its money towards natural gas. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's top contributor is the "Pro-Israel" lobby, which has given her over $893,000. The bill passed 410-1. Additional Information: Analysis: Israeli natural gas fields hold big promise for Noble Energy, Reuters, February 10, 2014. HR 1459: Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act Sponsored by Rob Bishop of Utah Changes the rules for creating a National Monument. Requires environmental reviews of proposed National Monuments. The President can only create one National Monument per state per term; any additional National Monument declarations must be created by Congress. Rep. Rob Bishop’s campaign’s top contributing industry for the upcoming election is the oil and gas industry, which has given him $22,000. In total, the oil and gas industry has given Rep. Rob Bishop over $150,000. Another industry that benefits from this bill is real estate, Rep. Rob Bishop's fourth most generous contributing industry, which has given him over $100,000. This bill had the closest vote of the month, passing 222-201. HR 1814: Equitable Access to Health and Care Act (EACH Act) Sponsored by Aaron Schock of Illinois On Monday, June 30, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations can pick and choose what is included in their employee’s health coverage, so long as they say that that coverage is against the owners' religion. This ruling means that H.R. 1814 would have far wider implications than originally intended if it were to become law. HR 1814 let’s people get out of buying health insurance entirely if they say their “sincerely held religious beliefs” say they can’t get medical care. If someone went to the doctor that year voluntarily, the exemption would be nullified. There’s no penalty for lying. After the Supreme Court decision, if H.R. 1814 were to become law, corporations might be able to get out of providing for their employees by claiming that doing so is against their religion. The bill passed overwhelmingly in March, without a recorded vote, but it's future now looks bleak in the Senate. H.R. 2641: Responsibly and Professionally Invigorating Development Act (RAPID Act) Sponsored by Rep. Tom Marino of Pennsylvania Prohibits more than one environmental impact statement and one environmental assessment per project. Allows the company applying for a permit to conduct that environmental review. Lets the Federal government, at the company’s request, accept an environmental analysis that was prepared under State laws; the State laws have to be “substantially equivalent to NEPA” - not entirely, meaning that the Federal government can accept environmental studies that are not as stringent as NEPA. The Federal government can use the environmental analysis of a completely different but similar project in “geographical proximity” that was prepared within the last five years. “Geographical proximity” is not defined. All project reviews must be done at the same time. If other agencies are supposed to be involved in the environmental study process. they will have 30 days to respond to the lead agency or forever hold their peace. The other agencies won’t be allowed to participate or even submit comments if they didn’t respond in those first 30 days. Once a project schedule has been created, the lead agency is not allowed to respond to or include any NEPA document, comment, or new information that was submitted outside the time allotted for environmental analysis in the schedule. Sets time limits for environmental impact statements and public comment periods. If the lead agency doesn’t meet these deadlines, the permit is deemed approved. The permit can not be reversed by any agency or the courts. Bars judicial review of Federal permits, with a few narrow exceptions Representatives Quoted in This Segment (in order of appearance): Rep. Tom Marino of Pennsylvania Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas HR 2824: Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America Sponsored by Bill Johnson of Ohio Forces the States to comply with a rule that allows the waste from mountaintop removal for coal mining operations to be dumped into rivers and streams. The rule was implemented in the last days of the Bush Administration and was recently thrown out by the courts because it didn't comply with the Endangered Species Act. Bill Johnson, the author of this gift to the coal industry, has taken over $200,000 from the mining industry. The bill passed 229-192. Representatives Quoted in This Segment (in order of appearance): Rep. Rush Holt of New Jersey Rep. Jim Moran of Virginia Rep. Bill Johnson of Ohio Rep. Alan Lowenthal of California HR 3189: Water Rights Protection Act Sponsored by Rep. Scott Tipton of Colorado This bill prohibits the Federal government from requiring companies operating on public land to turn over their water rights as a part of their lease renewals. The bill was written to settle a dispute over a Forest Service directive that would have required ski resorts operating on public land to turn over their water rights to the government in order to keep operating on public land. The Forest Service had already retracted that directive at the time this bill passed. The bill however, would prohibit the entire Department of Agriculture and the entire Department of the Interior from requiring the relinquishment of water rights as part of a permit to operate on public land, meaning the bill would effect far more than just ski resorts. The bill passed 238-174. No Republicans voted against it. Witnesses quoted from the House Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Water and Power's hearing from October 10, 2013 (in order of appearance): Tony Willardson, Executive Director of the Western States Water Council David Corbin, Vice President of the Aspen Skiing Company Glenn Porzak, Attorney for the National Ski Areas Association Representatives Quoted in This Segment (in order of appearance): Rep. Grace Napolitano of California HR 3826: Electricity Security and Affordability Act Sponsored by Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky The EPA will be not be allowed to enact any standard on fossil fuel powered electric utilities that regulates emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and a few other gases unless at least 6 utilities have already been meeting the standard for over a year; no results of demonstration projects can be included. Prohibits some specific proposed EPA rules from ever going into effect. Rules enacted by the EPA to set emission standards on fossil fuel utilities can’t go into effect until Congress passes a Federal law to set the enactment date. Ed Whitfield’s second highest contributor over the course of his career has been electric utilities; he’s taken over $614,000 from them. Electric utilities are his top contributor for the upcoming 2014 election; he’s taken over $157,000 and counting for this election alone. Ed Whitfield has also taken almost half a million over the course of his career from the oil and gas industry, over $100,000 of that for this upcoming election. The bill passed 229-183. HR 4015: SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014 Sponsored by Michael Burgess of Texas This bill repeals the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) method of paying doctors who treat Medicare patients. The SGR rate ties the doctors' payments to the growth of the economy, which has short changed the doctors as medical costs have risen and the economy has remained flat. In it’s place, HR 4015 establishes what they call a “merit-based incentive payment system” that would come into effect on January 1, 2018. It creates a complicated system of scoring doctors based on their performance. Section 10, however, waives the tax penalty for not buying health insurance until 2019. This provision will kill the bill in the Senate. The bill passed 238-181. No Republicans voted against it. HR 4118: SIMPLE Fairness Act Sponsored by Rep. Lynn Jenkins of Kansas Delays the tax penalty assessed if you fail to buy health insurance for one year. The Congressional Budget Office determined that the result will be that one million fewer Americans sign up for health insurance over the next few years, with half of those being poor people eligible for Federal subsidies. The government would save a few billion over the next ten years, therefore, by not giving health insurance to poor people. Rep. Lynn Jenkins top five contributing industries include both health professionals and insurance. She’s taken over $300,000 from both. Representatives Quoted in This Segment (in order of appearance): Rep. Lynn Jenkins of Kansas Rep. Jim McDermott of Washington HR 4138: ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014 Sponsored by Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina Allows the House of Representatives, the Senate, or the Congress as a whole to to “bring civil action” against another part of the government if Congress doesn’t think that part of the government is “faithfully executing the law” Allows either part of Congress to sue over the actions of the Executive branch, any department or agency or “any other officer or employee” of the United States for formal or informal policies, practices or procedures. Before Congress can file these civil suits, Congress needs to pass a resolution. After the lawsuit is filed in a district court, the rules are that the lawsuit will be heard by a three-judge court and their decision can only be appealed directly to the Supreme Court. This bill was presented as a solution to the "problem" of an Executive Branch that refuses to enforce the law. This bill, however, is so broadly and carelessly written that it appears to allow Congress to sue any part of the government, individual employees included, if Congress determines they have not "faithfully executed the law." [caption id="attachment_1453" align="aligncenter" width="625"] Stars of the "President Obama Sucks" montage[/caption] The only clear winners if this bill became law are the lawyers who would get to argue these civil cases. The author of the bill, Rep. Trey Gowdy, is a lawyer. Trey Gowdy’s most generous contributing industry are lawyers and law firms, which have given him over $188,000 during his two terms in Congress. The bill passed 233-181, with the support of every, single Republican. It stands no chance in the Senate. Representatives Quoted in This Segment (in order of appearance): Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia Rep. Martha Roby of Alabama Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina Rep. Richard Nugent of Florida Rep. Ted Poe of Texas Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts Ignored Subpoena Rep. Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania informed the House of Representatives that he is not going to comply with a subpoena. It's not clear exactly what the subpoena was for but he has been under Federal investigation for various improprieties since 2007. Additional Information: Pennsylvania Rep. Chaka Fattah vows to fight federal subpoena, Washington Times, March 13, 2014. Music Presented in This Episode March of the Pigs by A Thousand Suns (found on Music Alley by mevio) Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)  

Ashley McDonald, NCBA environmental counsel, discusses the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, which contains a provision that would ease the burden of the EPA’s spill prevention control and countermeasure rule.

Now that the government is back up and running and the American public has looked away, the House of Representatives got back to work privatizing our government. H.R. 3080 takes the first steps towards privatization of water projects typically done by the Army Corps of Engineers, using entirely fixable budget issues as the justification. Links to Information in This Episode Intro and Exit Music: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Music: Furlough Friday by Tiamo "T-money" DeVettori and Josh "JG" Galea'i (VIDEO) Music: Old People by Odd Austin (found on Music Alley by mevio) H.R. 3080: Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013, passed the House 417-3 H.R. 3302: Renames a veteran's medical center after the late Rep. Bill Young of Florida Quote from Josh Lyman, character played by Bradley Whitford on the West Wing Natural Gas "fracking" companies have used so much water in Texas that wells are going dry Army Corps of Engineers Learning to Do Less With Less, newsletter, October 18, 2012. Army Corps Fiscal Challenges: Frequently Asked Questions, Congressional Research Service, August 18, 2011. Use the Harbor Maintenance Fund to Maintain Harbors by Rep. Janice Hahn, The Hill, September 17, 2013. Goldman Sachs bought the privatized ports in Britain in 2006 for about 2.8 billion pounds Army Corps. of Engineers Olmstead Lock & Dam project summary, also known as the "Kentucky Kickback" CD049: Congressional Dish episode with details of the bill that ended the shutdown and contained the "Kentucky Kickback" Rep. Bill Young of Florida passed away October 18, 2013 at age 82. List of current Representatives by age