Podcasts about natural resources committee

The Trump administration is considering creating a sovereign risk insurance program for energy projects, along with a sovereign wealth fund. POLITICO's Ben Lefebvre breaks down the administration's thinking on the topics, how it compares to other policies around the world, and the potential challenges ahead. Plus, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced the nominations of two nominees for the Energy Department, as well as bipartisan legislation that aims to speed the development of minerals resources. Ben Lefebvre is an energy reporter for POLITICO.  Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy.  Alex Keeney is a senior audio producer at POLITICO.  Gloria Gonzalez is the deputy energy editor for POLITICO.  Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week at the state capitol, Greg Whitehead, the Special Agent in charge of Tennessee's Ag Crime Unit, gave a presentation to the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on the response he and several of his officers provided to the ag community in Northeast Tennessee in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

During this week's edition of the Sportsmen's Voice Roundup, Fred is joined by Bob Matthews to discuss critical issues surrounding the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund in Wisconsin. Bob Matthews discusses the need for reauthorization of the fund, the implications of a Supreme Court ruling, and the efforts of various coalitions to ensure continued support for hunting and fishing access. Fred then covers the rest of the headlines affecting sportsmen and women across the country, including the advancement of House Bill 3872 in South Carolina, the implications of Colorado's SB3 on gun rights and hunting participation, the reintroduction of the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act, and the importance of sustainable forestry practices in South Carolina.    Takeaways South Carolina House Bill 3872: House Bill 3872 aims to limit the loss of hunting land in South Carolina. It was reported favorably by the Ag and Natural Resources Committee and was quickly followed by unanimous 110-0 House vote and is now headed to the Senate. Colorado Senate Bill 3: Colorado's SB3 semi-automatic firearms ban is moving in Colorado. The bill has now been amended to allow continued ownership of some semi-automatic firearms popular with hunting and shooting with new requirements - but still threatens to severely limit hunting rights and Pittman-Robertson funding. The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund: 90% of Wisconsin residents support the stewardship fund, which is vital for conservation in Wisconsin. Recent Supreme Court decisions have impacted legislative oversight of the fund, while coalitions are working to ensure the fund's reauthorization.   Get the FREE Sportsmen's Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter   Sign up for FREE legislative tracking through CSF's Tracking the Capitols tool: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/tracking-the-capitols/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Nebraska Legislature's Natural Resources Committee heard a proposal to merge two state agencies Thursday. Sen. Tom Brandt introduced a bill to merge the state's Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environment and Energy. Gov. Jim Pillen testified in favor of the bill, citing it as an important step to protect Nebraska's water.

The Nebraska Legislature's Natural Resources Committee heard a proposal to merge two state agencies Thursday. Sen. Tom Brandt introduced a bill to merge the state's Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environment and Energy. Gov. Jim Pillen testified in favor of the bill, citing it as an important step to protect Nebraska's water.

Send us a textDr. Erica Goldman, Ph.D. is Director of Policy Entrepreneurship ( https://fas.org/expert/erica-goldman/ ) and the Day One Program (https://fas.org/day-one-project/ ), at the Federation of American Scientists ( FAS - https://fas.org/ )FAS is an organization formed at the end of World War II, made up of scientists across diverse disciplines, who joined together to advance science policy and counter scientific misinformation, and which currently works to minimize the risks of significant global threats, arising from nuclear weapons, biological and chemical agents, and climate change. The organization also works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver dramatic progress, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table.Dr. Goldman has served in various roles spanning the boundaries between science and policy throughout her career. She has a diverse background that includes science writing, science policy, and academic research and her passions lie in making connections between these domains. Most recently, Dr. Goldman served as the Deputy Director of the Global Council for Science and the Environment, where she worked across a network of institutions and diverse groups of scientists to improve the scientific basis of environmental decision-making. Previously, she served as the Director of Policy Engagement for COMPASS, a nonprofit organization that helps environmental scientists effectively share their knowledge in the public discourse and decision-making. She also served a six-month term in the White House Council on Environmental Quality on the Land & Water Ecosystems Team during the Obama Administration. Dr. Goldman has worked as a science writer for the Maryland Sea Grant College Program; served as a Knauss marine policy fellow in the Natural Resources Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives; and worked as a news intern at Science Magazine. Dr. Goldman received her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Washington and her Bachelor's of Science degree from Yale University.#EricaGoldman #PolicyEntrepreneurship #DayOne #FederationOfAmericanScientists #Policymaking #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #Podcasting #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Science #Technology #ResearchSupport the show

President Donald Trump is once again ordering the United States to withdraw from the historic Paris climate agreement — testing the limits of international climate diplomacy and inviting questions from around the world. POLITICO's Zack Colman breaks down what Trump's exit from the climate deal really means. Plus, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will vote on the nominations of Chris Wright to be Energy secretary and Doug Burgum to be Interior secretary on Thursday. Zack Colman covers climate change for POLITICO.  Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.  Annie Rees is the managing producer for audio at POLITICO. Gloria Gonzalez is the deputy energy editor for POLITICO.  Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 3: 5:05pm- On Thursday, Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee where he described how the incoming Trump Administration will assure American energy dominance. Meanwhile, Lee Zeldin—nominated to serve as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator—told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that China is an adversary and isn't necessarily the best nation to partner with regarding “clean energy.” 5:15pm- During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent emphasized that the United States may be in an energy race with China—but it's completely false to suggest China prioritizes clean energy. During one notable exchange, Bessent used statistics to destroy Sen. Michael Bennet's claim that the 2017 Trump Administration tax cuts only benefited the wealthy. 5:30pm- While speaking with Politico, Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) said Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard has not done enough to win his vote. The Wall Street Journal reports that Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) is also skeptical of Gabbard. However, Democrat Jon Ossoff, of Georgia, is open to voting “yes.”

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (01/16/2025): 3:05pm- On Wednesday night, President Joe Biden delivered a farewell address from the Oval Office where he warned Americans of a developing “oligarchy” within big tech—claiming that Meta and X are allowing for the dissemination of disinformation by not actively censoring speech. Biden cited President Dwight Eisenhower's famous warning about the dangers of the military-industrial complex and explained that big tech presented a similar, modern-day challenge to Americans. 3:15- While appearing on Joe Rogan's podcast, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended his decision to end censorship on Facebook, citing previous editorial errors and a desire to restore free speech online. Zuckerberg revealed that the Biden Administration pressured his platforms to censor certain posts regarding COVID-19 vaccine side effects. While Rich is glad Zuckerberg and Meta are backing away from censorship, he refuses to believe the decision was made for anything other than political reasons. 3:20pm- Last week, the United States Supreme Court heard oral argument in TikTok, Inc. v. Garland—which will determine whether or not the federal government can ban an application owned by a foreign country designated as a foreign adversary. The potential ban could occur as soon as Sunday, January 19th. According to reports, Donald Trump—who will be sworn in on the 20th—is looking to save the app, potentially via an executive order or a partial sale of the company. Trump, according to The Washington Post, is also considering adopting “Project Texas” which would provide the U.S. government with a “kill switch” for TikTok should the app violate norms. 3:30pm- What president would you want to have a beer with? PLUS, have you ever heard audio of Lyndon Baines Johnson ordering a pair of slacks? 3:40pm- Speaking with The Washington Post, First Lady Jill Biden revealed that she was disappointed in Nancy Pelosi for her actions that led to Joe Biden being replaced as the Democrat Party's presidential nominee. She explained, “we were friends for 50-years.” 4:05pm- Jack Carr—#1 New York Times Best Selling Author of “The Terminal List”—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth's Senate confirmation hearing. PLUS, Carr talks about his soon-to-be-released book: “Cry Havok.” 4:30pm- Justin Goodman—Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy for the White Coat Waste Project—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss a new article his organization co-authored with Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, “Here's how Trump 2.0 can cut $20 billion in spending, wipe out Fauci's leftover bloat—and save animals.” Is the government using taxpayer dollars to fund experiments involving monkeys doing drugs and gambling??? You can read the article here: https://nypost.com/2025/01/16/us-news/how-donald-trump-can-cut-20-billion-in-spending-wipe-out-anthony-faucis-leftover-bloat-and-save-animals/ 5:05pm- On Thursday, Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee where he described how the incoming Trump Administration will assure American energy dominance. Meanwhile, Lee Zeldin—nominated to serve as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator—told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that China is an adversary and isn't necessarily the best nation to partner with regarding “clean energy.” 5:15pm- During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent emphasized that the United States may be in an energy race with China—but it's completely false to suggest China prioritizes clean energy. During one notable exchange, Bessent used statistics to destroy Sen. Michael Bennet's claim that the 2017 Trump Administration tax cuts only benefited the wealthy. 5:30pm- While speaking with Politico, Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) said Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard has ...

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found Click On Picture To See Larger PictureTrump responds to Biden gas stove green new scam move, Trump is going to reverse it all. Gold prices are on the move. When the [CB] brings down the economy Trump can use International Emergency Economic Powers Act to implement his policies. The [DS] is now prepping the narrative for the [FF]. Two events, and the murder of the CEO home grown extremism. Drones in the sky we are being attacked. Trump is playing 4D Chess with the [DS]. Trump is pushing the EU, the Royal families to react to hime wanting to purchase Canada and Greenland. A beautiful new world lies ahead.    (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Economy Trump Reportedly Mulls Executive Order Protecting Gas Stoves From Radical Left's Green Crusade Nearly two weeks after the Biden administration quietly finalized new climate rules targeting natural gas-powered water heaters—following years of far-left politicians and shady "green" nonprofits waging war against NatGas stoves under the guise of improving "indoor air quality"—President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly had enough of these games. He plans to issue an executive order to protect NatGas-powered appliances. Reuters Source: zerohedge.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1877044177172611542   Sue, Baby, Sue: Trump Plan To "Un-Ban" The Biden Drilling Order Could Prove Difficult After a presidential campaign where both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris pushed back on claims that they were trying to shut down much of the fossil fuel industry, Biden waited until the final days of his administration to ban oil and gas drilling over 670 million acres of America's coastline. President-elect Donald Trump responded that “It's ridiculous.I'll un-ban it immediately. I have the right to un-ban it immediately.” It will likely be more difficult than a simple “un-ban” order. Environmental groups will likely push a “sue, baby, sue” campaign to counter Trump's “drill, baby, drill.” In his statement, Biden justified the move to counter the “climate crisis.” So, there are grounds to assert this authority of reversal, but it will take years in court. The alternative and preferred route would be Congress. This is an issue that should ultimately rest with Congress. This ambiguous law is unfortunately common in poorly crafted provisions giving presidents sweeping authority. Sen. Mike Lee (R., Utah), chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has already pledged to “push back using every tool at our disposal.” Source: zerohedge.com https://twitter.com/pjcolbeck/status/1877054493025853510   other modern electronics with military application. PLUS: Its geography is strategically important from a military perspective. Does this help convey why President Trump is interested in adding Greenland to the United States? https://twitter.com/BehizyTweets/status/1877027031742874079 TAKE A LISTEN If Donald Trump were President and faced a scenario where the stock market declines by 10,000 points and the country is in a deep recession, he could theoretically use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to declare a national emergency. Here's how this would work:   Criteria for Using IEEPA:   The President must declare a national emergency based on an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States that has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States.

In Episode 478 of District of Conservation, Gabriella preview the 119th Congress's upcoming work on energy and conservation issues, the bald eagle becoming America's official bird, and bracing for Winter Storm Blair. Tune in to learn more! SHOW NOTES Biden Makes Bald Eagle America's National Bird Guthrie Elected as Chair of the House Energy & Commerce Committee Q&A: Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, incoming EPW chair Vice Chair LaMalfa Elected as Western Caucus Chairman Mike Lee to lead Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee next year Republicans gear up for lightning-speed reconciliation bill

Ralph welcomes retired diplomat Ambassador Chas Freeman to discuss the United States' disregard for international law, the incoming Trump administration's approach to foreign policy, and the decline of the American Empire (among other topics).Ambassador Chas Freeman is a retired career diplomat who has negotiated on behalf of the United States with over 100 foreign governments in East and South Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and both Western and Eastern Europe. Ambassador Freeman was previously a Senior Fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, and served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense, U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires in the American embassies at both Bangkok and Beijing. He was Director for Chinese Affairs at the U.S. Department of State from 1979-1981. He was the principal American interpreter during the late President Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972. In addition to Chinese, Ambassador Freeman speaks French and Spanish at the professional level and can converse in Arabic and several other languages.He concluded his thirty years in public service as Assistant Secretary of Defense, responsible for managing defense relations with all regions of the world except the countries of the former Soviet Union. Ambassador Freeman is the author of several well-received books on statecraft and diplomacy, including The Diplomat's Dictionary, America's Misadventures in the Middle East, and America's Continuing Misadventures in the Middle East.I think it's fair to say that our country led the drive for international law, a world order that was based on rules established by consensus and legitimized at the United Nations. But we have also led the drive away from the rule of law, both internationally and domestically. And I think the connection is contempt for procedural justice or due process.Chas FreemanThat whole area of international law—which was a stabilizing force in the world—has gone [when Trump removed us from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Agreement in Europe.] And the UN Charter is disrespected—not just the US Constitution is—in its fundamentals. We invade the sovereignty of other countries with no serious regard for the legal prohibitions against that. And in fact, those legal prohibitions—which once were something that smaller countries could rely upon when they confronted the great powers—are no longer effective. Therefore, we see at the local level, the regional level, a proliferation of weapons designed to counter and defend against attack by greater powers. So the whole world is in effect arming itself. This is very good for arms manufacturers, but it's very bad for the prospects for our species.Chas FreemanThere are no realistic threats against the United States—except those that we are provoking. Our view seems to be that the best way to deal with the hornet's nest—I'm speaking of West Asia, the Middle East here—is to go and poke the hornets in their nest.Chas FreemanThe real risk now…is Israel has so much power in the US that it could create incidents which would flip the United States into a blazing barrage of empire expansion— and suppression in the United States domestically. And they have an incoming president who is ripe for that kind of manipulation to begin with.Ralph NaderIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantisNews 12/11/241. On December 4th, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated in broad daylight in Midtown Manhattan. Clues indicated that the killing was political; most notably, the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were each written on one of the three bullets fired at the scene. As AP notes, “The messages mirror the phrase ‘delay, deny, defend,' which is commonly used by lawyers and critics about insurers that delay payments, deny claims and defend their actions.” Following nearly two full days of nescience, authorities turned up a suspect – Luigi Mangione, the Ivy League-educated scion of an established Baltimore family who had shown signs of increasingly erratic behavior in recent months, perhaps related to ever-worsening back pain. When Mangione was apprehended in an Altoona, Pennsylvania McDonald's, he was found with “a three-page handwritten document that indicated ‘motivation and mindset,'” the BBC reports, however authorities have not released this manifesto. Perhaps unsurprisingly, ABC 7 New York reports that Mangione's actions have unleashed a torrent of “‘volcanic' anger,” toward health insurance agencies, which many regard as capricious and cruel. It remains to be seen how this public sentiment will factor into what is sure to be a highly-publicized criminal trial.2. The reverberations of Mangione's actions are already being felt. Back in November, the American Society of Anesthesiologists issued a statement decrying Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield's unilateral declaration that it would refuse to “pay for anesthesia care if [a] surgery or procedure goes beyond an arbitrary time limit, regardless of how long the surgical procedure takes.” The ASA called on Anthem to reverse that proposal, but their pleas were ignored. That is until December 5th – just one day after the UnitedHealthcare shooting – when the company abruptly reversed themselves and even scrubbed the announcement of the policy from their website. Of course, Anthem insists that the outcry was based on “misinformation” and denies any correlation between the assassination and their decision, per NBC, but the timing frankly makes that difficult to believe.3. Another New York City killing also made the news last week: the trial of Daniel Penny, a former U.S. Marine on trial for strangling Jordan Neely to death in a New York subway car. Neely was an African-American street artist who had been experiencing homelessness. CNN reports Penny was found not guilty of criminally negligent homicide, already a lesser charge than the original second-degree manslaughter allegation, which Judge Maxwell Wiley dismissed Friday after jurors “twice told the court they could not come to a verdict on the count.” Neely's father, Andre Zachary, is quoted saying “I miss my son. My son didn't have to go through this. I didn't have to go through this either…What's going to happen to us now? I've had enough of this. The system is rigged.”4. Turning to the Middle East, the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria has fallen. Assad, with help from Russia, has clung to power since the country descended into civil war in 2011, beating back all manner of rival forces ranging from U.S.-backed rebels to left-wing Kurdish militias to ISIS. The faction that finally did wrest power from Assad is called Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham or HTS, which splintered from Al-Qaeda but is now engaging in a so-called “charm offensive” per France24, and promoting itself as a tolerant faction that will not subjugate women or oppress ethnic and religious minorities such as Syrian Christians, Druze, and Kurds. In a statement, the group told the Kurds of Aleppo “You have the right to live freely … Diversity is a strength of which we are proud…We denounce the actions of the Islamic State group against the Kurds, including the enslavement of women … We are with the Kurds to build the Syria of tomorrow.” ABC reports the U.S. will “recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women.” So far HTS seems to fit the bill. And if this all wasn't enough, the Syrian situation is further complicated by Israel using this moment to expand its foothold in the country. CNN reports Israel has “launched airstrikes at military targets across Syria and deployed ground troops both into and beyond a demilitarized buffer zone for the first time in 50 years,” setting the stage for a possible new front in Netanyahu's ongoing regional war.5. In Palestine, the Intercept reports five Palestinians in the West Bank, along with the councils of the three villages they hail from have filed “a formal regulatory complaint in Germany accusing the media giant Axel Springer of contributing to human rights abuses in Palestine.” Specifically, the complaint concerns Yad2, a classified ads platform and subsidiary of Axel Springer that has been compared to Craigslist, which the plaintiffs allege enables illegal settlements. According to the complaint filed by Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Centre, Yad2's facilitation of settler activity violates Germany's Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, which “requires German companies to identify and mitigate human rights risks within their global supply chains, including in subsidiaries which they control.”6. In more Israel/Palestine news, the student body at Yale has “overwhelmingly,” passed three pro-Palestine referenda, including two demanding that the university “disclose and divest from its holdings in military weapons manufacturers, ‘including those arming Israel,'” per Yale Daily News. These measures passed with around 80% of the vote. Han Pimental-Hayes, an organizer with the pro-Palestine Sumud Coalition, is quoted saying “University leaders have long tried to paint pro-Palestine and pro-divestment students as a fringe minority. The results of this referendum demonstrate that in reality, the movement for a free Palestine and a more ethical endowment is overwhelmingly popular.” Yale Friends of Israel however expressed that they are “certain” Yale will not change its investment policy regarding Israel's weapons of war.7. Looking to Africa, Semafor reports that the incoming Trump White House appears set to recognize the breakaway state of Somaliland, spurred on by right-wing elements who wish to use the unrecognized country as a base for anti-China intelligence operations. This piece highlights that this move would rattle the governments of East Africa and draw the ire of the African Union, but Trump's China hawks see it as a critical element of countering Chinese influence in the region and particularly in Djibouti where the People's Liberation Army has set up one of its handful of foreign military bases. Even if Trump does not recognize Somaliland however, and instead hews to the traditional American “One Somalia” policy, Republicans are calling for Trump to take an approach akin to Taiwan – treating it as independent without formal recognition.8. Turning to domestic politics, POLITICO reports Democrats are staging a “mutiny” against the old guard who have monopolized power in the House. This report focuses on Rep. Jerry Nadler, 77, who will vacate his position as the top Democrat on Judiciary to clear the way for Jamie Raskin, Rep. Raul Grijalva, 76, who announced he would step down as the top Dem on the Natural Resources Committee, and David Scott of Georgia, 79, who is looking down the barrel at multiple challenges for his spot on the Agriculture Committee. Since this piece was published, another major challenge has emerged – NBC reports AOC is gunning for the top Democratic spot on the Oversight Committee. The POLITICO piece emphasizes Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' approach of letting the challenges “speak for themselves,” as an indication that he will not fight this wave of challenges.9. Washington Post labor reporter Lauren Kaori Gurley reports the Teamsters are demanding Amazon agree to bargaining dates by December 15. In a statement, Teamsters President Sean O'Brien writes “The Teamsters are done asking nicely for Amazon to stop breaking the law. Amazon must commit to come to the table and bargain a Teamsters contract with its workers — or face the consequences of its inaction.” This gambit by the Teamsters comes just as the winter holiday gift deliveries are getting into full swing, maximizing the union's leverage. Moreover, the Teamster's Faustian bargain with the Trump administration may yield results for them, as the normally business friendly Republicans may be inclined to put the screws to Amazon on behalf of this particular union. Whatever the circumstances, the Amazon Teamsters deserve a contract and it is heartening that O'Brien is fighting for his members.10. In decidedly worse Trump news, the president-elect has announced former Missouri Republican Congressman Billy Long as his pick to lead the IRS. A story by the Lever sounds the alarm on how he might use the “non-profit killer” bill to pursue political vendettas against tax-exempt organizations he dislikes. This piece exposes Long's role in trying to pressure the IRS to launch a probe into, of all things, the Humane Society following their support of a Missouri ballot measure strengthening dog breeder regulations. Put another way, if Long was ready to use the long-arm of the IRS to crack down on an organization whose sole political goal is the protection of animals, what might he do to organizations devoted to civil rights or social justice?This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - It has been 85 years since the Truck Loggers Association was founded to give independent loggers a collective voice in society and the forest industry. Now they would like the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) to intervene on their behalf with BC's Minister of Forests, Minister of State for Workforce Development and Chief Forester. This was disclosed during the discussion of a motion from the SRD's Natural Resources Committee at the Wednesday December 11 Board Meeting. Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney said she is not a member of the Natural Resources Committee, but the issue is a concern to her. The Forestry Practises Board recently released a report that stated there was a deficit of old growth on Quadra Island and only about 1% of the trees were greater than 250 years old. Three companies were found to be out of compliance with some aspect of forest legislation. The reported added that “the bigger issue is that no one is responsible for monitoring or ensuring that Quadra Island's old forests are conserved, or that enough mature forests are protected from logging so that they can develop into old forest in the future.” Mawhinney had brought this matter to the SRD Board asking that “that the board write a letter to the Minister of Forests, the Minister of Water, Lands and Natural Resources, and BC's Chief Forester, highlighting concerns with old forest management on Quadra Island.” Instead the matter was referred to the SRD's Natural Resources Committee, who responded with a very different motion of their own. Perusing the associated materials, Mawhinney realized,“ This motion was coming from the Truck Loggers Association.” Chief Administrative Officer David Leitch confirmed, “ Sure, this motion was crafted by the delegation, but it was supported by the committee. So this is a motion of the committee.” The Natural Resources Committee is proposing that: “WHEREAS Forestry works for communities in every corner of the province, from jobs to exports, to providing revenues for hospitals, schools and roads and communities;” AND WHEREAS the future of forestry is at risk, with the closure of half of BC mills in the last two decades, and harvest levels falling to more than 40% below the annual allowable cut; “AND WHEREAS a sustainable forest sector must have access to a reliable annual allowable cut to support the services and infrastructure British Columbians rely on to provide families with livable wages, and bring stability to the supply chain;” “THEREFORE the Natural Resources Committee directs staff to send a letter to Minister Parmar, and Minister of State Mercier, and Chief Forester Shane Berg, requesting a meeting to discuss their meaningful commitment to delivering a stable, accessible and reliable annual cut.” There was no reference to the Quadra Island backstory, when the Natural Resources Committee motion was introduced. Instead CAO David Leitch said, “Mr. Chair, this is a motion from the Natural Resources Committee, so nothing more to add from staff.” Regional Director, Gerald Whalley of Area A responded, “Just a question for staff here. The meeting, is that to involve the board or just that specific committee?” CAO Leitch: “It's unclear, you're right.” Director Whalley: “I think it should involve the board, at least for those who are interested.”

NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel reports Syria on Travis Timmerman, an American man found in Syria after spending months in prison. NBC News National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki explains how the state of New Jersey could be an early test of the strength of President-elect Donald Trump's coalition. Mayor Sam Morris, who represents Mine Hill, New Jersey, discusses his concerns regarding mysterious drone sightings over his state. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) presents her candidacy for the top Democratic slot on the Natural Resources Committee.

Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury wants to run for ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee plus Elizabeth Keen of Santa's Senior Helpers on News Radio KKOBSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - With the rise of global emissions already at 1.4°C, we are currently on track to reach 2.8°C by the end of this century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) claims, “every additional 0.1°C of global warming causes clearly discernible increases in the intensity and frequency of temperature and precipitation extremes, as well as agricultural and ecological droughts in some regions.”  Denise Mullen, from the Business Council of BC, recently informed the SRD's Natural Resources Committee that the province faces a more urgent problem. British Columbia is in the midst of a productivity emergency. “BC is unique among the provinces in registering effectively no private sector growth in the last five years.” “Almost all of the job growth in British Columbia has been in the public sector. Mainly in education, health, and public administration and even more so in general government administration.” 85% of the job growth on Vancouver Island has been in this sector. “The point to take away from the two, public and private, is that you need a strong private sector to pay for public sector jobs.” Mullen pointed to CleanBC, the provincial government's plan to fight climate change, “the plan is to shrink the economy.” According to the Canada Energy Regulator, BC's “emissions have INCREASED 26% since 1990.” This is only half the amount of the global increase, but during this same time period the EU reduced its emissions 37% BELOW 1990 levels while dramatically growing its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The European Commission states this reduction was ‘driven by the growth in renewable energy generation and fall in coal and gas use.'   Denise Mullen: “We should be focusing on global emissions and not domestic emmissions. Our hard targets on emissions are damaging to the economy, especially given that the rest of the world is responsible for 99.81% of global emissions. There's not a lot we can do to create an inflection point in the direction of either energy use or GHG emissions, but we can hurt ourselves economically.”

The recent U.S. election has raised a lot of questions about future directions for grid-related policies and programs. We reached out to people with a good view on the new administration for their perspectives. In this first special episode, Bryce chats with Kellie Donnelly, Executive Vice President & General Counsel of Lot Sixteen and a long time lead staff person for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and other Hill positions. They cover how an incoming Trump administration might shift energy policy, impact key federal agencies, and change national energy priorities. Bryce and Kellie also discuss how the Republican Congress may bring back the reconciliation process in a package bill, implications of the Congressional Review Act, and how grid innovation may be impacted under the returning administration.

#207: How Awkward Was That? (11/15/24) Donate to AEA: https://secure.anedot.com/6d8d68c3-3f3c-4ffe-835c-0af14cce0895/c75bcffed88b6e14ca092 Links: Kamala's spending spree https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/presidential/3222249/how-kamala-harris-plowed-through-1-billion/ Bob Casey Not Calling it Quits https://www.thedp.com/article/2024/11/penn-bob-casey-dave-mccormick-senate-ballots-count Is California Getting More Republican? https://www.newsweek.com/california-getting-more-republican-analysis-election-1982909 Travis Fisher: Nuke the IRA https://www.cato.org/blog/inflation-reduction-act-reform-anything-short-full-repeal-failure Source: Cato It's time for an Energy and Natural Resources Committee… https://dailycaller.com/2024/11/13/opinion-congress-can-supercharge-trumps-energy-agenda-heres-how-thomas-pyle/ Source: Daily Caller/Pyle First person fired in the Biden Administration… https://news.yahoo.com/news/fema-employee-fired-skipping-homes-143000639.html Deseret News

This podcast hit paid subscribers' inboxes on Sept. 15. It dropped for free subscribers on Sept. 22. To receive future pods as soon as they're live, and to support independent ski journalism, please consider an upgrade to a paid subscription. You can also subscribe to the free tier below:WhoKelly Pawlak, President & CEO of the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA)Recorded onAugust 19, 2024About the NSAAFrom the association's website:The National Ski Areas Association is the trade association for ski area owners and operators. It represents over 300 alpine resorts that account for more than 90% of the skier/snowboarder visits nationwide. Additionally, it has several hundred supplier members that provide equipment, goods and services to the mountain resort industry.NSAA analyzes and distributes ski industry statistics; produces annual conferences and tradeshows; produces a bimonthly industry publication and is active in state and federal government affairs. The association also provides educational programs and employee training materials on industry issues including OSHA, ADA and NEPA regulations and compliance; environmental laws and regulations; state regulatory requirements; aerial tramway safety; and resort operations and guest service.NSAA was established in 1962 and was originally headquartered in New York, NY. In 1989 NSAA merged with SIA (Snowsports Industries America) and moved to McLean, Va. The merger was dissolved in 1992 and NSAA was relocated to Lakewood, Colo., because of its central geographic location. NSAA is located in the same office building as the Professional Ski Instructors of America and the National Ski Patrol in Lakewood, Colo., a suburb west of Denver.Why I interviewed herA pervasive sub-narrative in American skiing's ongoing consolidation is that it's tough to be alone. A bad winter at a place like Magic Mountain, Vermont or Caberfae Peaks, Michigan or Bluewood, Washington means less money, because a big winter at Partner Mountain X across the country isn't available to keep the bank accounts stable. Same thing if your hill gets chewed up by a tornado or a wildfire or a flood. Operators have to just hope insurance covers it.This story is not entirely incorrect. It's just incomplete. It is harder to be independent, whether you're Jackson Hole or Bolton Valley or Mount Ski Gull, Minnesota. But few, if any, ski areas are entirely and truly alone, fighting on the mountaintop for survival. Financially, yes (though many independent ski areas are owned by families or individuals who operate one or more additional businesses, which can and sometimes do subsidize ski areas in lean or rebuilding years). But in the realm of ideas, ski areas have a lot of help.That's because, layered over the vast network of 500-ish U.S. mountains is a web of state and national associations that help sort through regulations, provide ideas, and connect ski areas to one another. Not every state with ski areas has one. Nevada's handful of ski areas, for example, are part of Ski California. New Jersey's can join Ski Areas of New York, which often joins forces with Ski Pennsylvania. Ski Idaho counts Grand Targhee, Wyoming, as a member. Some of these associations (Ski Utah), enjoy generous budgets and large staffs. Others (Ski New Hampshire), accomplish a remarkable amount with just a handful of people. But layered over them all – in reach but not necessarily hierarchy – is the National Ski Areas Association. The NSAA helps ski areas where state associations may lack the scale, resources, or expertise. The NSAA organized the united, nationwide approach to Covid-era operations ahead of the 2020-21 ski season; developed and maintained the omnipresent Skier Responsibility Code; and help ski areas do everything from safely operate chairlifts and terrain parks to fend off climate change. Their regional and national shows are energetic, busy, and productive. Top representatives – the sorts of leaders who appear on this podcast - from every major national or regional ski area are typically present.This support layer, mostly invisible to consumers, is in some ways the concrete holding the nation's ski areas together. Most of even the most staunchly independent operators are members. If U.S. skiing were really made up of 500 ski areas trying to figure out snowmaking in 500 different ways, then we wouldn't have 500 ski areas. They need each other more than you might think. And the NSAA helps pull them all together.What we talked aboutLow natural snow, strong skier visits – the paradox of the 2023-24 ski season; ever-better snowmaking; explaining the ski industry's huge capital investments over recent years; European versus American lift fleets; lift investments across America; when it's time to move on from your dream job; 2017 sounds like yesterday but it may as well have been 1,000 years ago; the disappearing climate-change denier; can ski areas adapt to climate change?; the biggest challenges facing the NSAA's next leader, and what qualities that leader will need to deal with them; should ski areas be required to report injuries?; operators who are making progress on safety; are ski area liability waivers in danger?; the wild cost of liability insurance; how drones could help ski area safety; why is skiing still so white, even after all the DE&I?; why youth skier participation as a percentage of overall skier visits has been declining; and the enormous potential for indoor skiing to grow U.S. participation.Why I thought that now was a good time for this interviewFirst, Pawlak announced, in May, that she would step down from her NSAA role whenever the board could identify a capable replacement. She explains why on the podcast, but hers has been a by-all-accounts successful seven-year run amidst and through rapid and irreversible industry change – Covid, consolidation, multi-mountain passes, climate change, skyrocketing costs, the digitization of everything – and it was worth pausing to reflect on all that the NSAA had accomplished and all of the challenges waiting ahead.Second, our doomsday instincts keep running up against this stat: despite a fairly poor winter, snow-wise, the U.S. ski industry racked up the fifth-most skier visits of all time during its 2023-24 campaign. How is that possible, and what does it mean? I've explored this a little myself, but Pawlak has access to data that I don't, and she adds an extra dimension to our analysis.And this is true of so many of the topics that I regularly cover in this newsletter: capital investment, regulation, affordability, safety, diversity. This overlap is not surprising, given my stated focus on lift-served skiing in North America. Most of my podcasts bore deeply into the operations of a single mountain, then zoom out to center those ski areas within the broader ski universe. When I talk with the NSAA, I can do the opposite – analyze the larger forces driving the evolution of lift-served skiing, and see how the collective is approaching them. It's a point of view that very few possess, and even fewer are able to articulate. Questions I wish I'd askedWe recorded this conversation before POWDR announced that it had sold Killington and Pico, and would look to sell Bachelor, Eldora, and Silver Star in the coming months. I would have loved to have gotten Pawlak's take on what was a surprise twist in skiing's long-running consolidation.I didn't ask Pawlak about the Justice Department's investigation into Alterra's proposed acquisition of Arapahoe Basin. I wish I would have.What I got wrongI said that Hugh Reynolds was “Big Snow's head of marketing.” His actual role is Chief Marketing Officer for all of Snow Partners, which operates the indoor Big Snow ski area, the outdoor Mountain Creek ski area, and a bunch of other stuff.Podcast NotesOn specific figures from the Kotke Report:Pretty much all of the industry statistics that I cite in this interview come from the Kotke Demographic Report, an annual end-of-season survey that aggregates anonymized data from hundreds of U.S. ski areas. Any numbers that I reference in this conversation either refer to the 2022-23 study, or include historical data up to that year. I did not have access to the 2023-24 report until after our conversation.Capital expendituresPer the 2023-24 Kotke Report:Definitions of ski resort sizesAlso from Kotke:On European lift fleets versus AmericanComparing European skiing to American skiing is a bit like comparing futbol to American football – two different things entirely. Europe is home to at least five times as many ski areas as North America and about six times as many skiers. There are ski areas there that make Whistler look like Wilmot Mountain. The food is not only edible, but does not cost four times your annual salary. Lift tickets are a lot cheaper, in general. But it snows more, and more consistently, in North America; our liftlines are more organized; and you don't need a guide here to ski five feet off piste. Both are great and annoying in their own way. But our focus of difference-ness in this podcast was between the lift fleets on each continent. In brief, you're far more likely to stumble across a beefcaker on a random Austrian trail than you are here in U.S. America. Take a look at skiresort.info's (not entirely accurate but close enough), inventory of eight-place chairlifts around the world:On “Waterville with the MND lift”Pawlak was referring to Waterville Valley's Tecumseh Express, built in 2022 by France-based MND. It was the first and only lift that the manufacturer built in the United States prior to the dissolution of a joint venture with Bartholet. While MND may be sidelined, Pawlak's point remains valid: there is room in the North American market for manufacturers other than Leitner-Poma and Doppelmayr, especially as lift prices continue to escalate at amazing rates.On my crankiness with “the mainstream media” and climate changeI kind of hate the term “mainstream media,” particularly when it's used as a de facto four-letter word to describe some Power Hive of brainwashing elitists conspiring to cover up the government's injection of Anthrax into our Honey Combs. I regret using the term in our conversation, but sometimes in the on-the-mic flow of an interview I default to stupid. Anyway, once or twice per year I get particularly bent about some non-ski publication framing lift-served skiing as an already-doomed industry because the climate is changing. I'm not some denier kook who's stockpiling dogfood for the crocodile apocalypse, but I find this narrative stupid because it's reductive and false. The real story is this: as the climate changes, the ski industry is adapting in amazing and inventive ways; ski areas are, as I often say, Climate Change Super Adapters. You can read an example that I wrote here.On the NSAA's Covid responseThere's no reason to belabor the NSAA's Covid response – which was comprehensive and excellent, and is probably the reason the 2020-21 American ski season happened – here. I already broke the whole thing down with Pawlak back in April 2021. She also joined me – somewhat remarkably, given the then-small reach of the podcast – at the height of Covid confusion in April 2020 to talk through what in the world could possibly happen next.On The Colorado Sun's reporting on ski area safety and the NSAA's safety reportThe Colorado Sun consistently reports on ski area safety, and the ski industry's resistance to laws that would compel them to make injury reports public. I asked Pawlak about this, citing, specifically, this Sun article From April 8, 2024:[13-year-old] Silas [Luckett] is one of thousands of people injured on Colorado ski slopes every winter. With the state's ski hills posting record visitation in the past two seasons — reaching 14.8 million in 2022-23 — it would appear that the increasing frequency of injuries coincides with the rising number of visits. We say “appear” because, unlike just about every other industry in the country, the resort industry does not disclose injury data. …Ski resorts do not release injury reports. The ski resort industry keeps a tight grasp on even national injury data. Since 1980, the National Ski Areas Association provides select researchers with injury data for peer-reviewed reports issued every 10 years by the National Ski Areas Association. The most recent 10-year review of ski injuries was published in 2014, looking at 13,145 injury reports from the 2010-11 ski season at resorts that reported 4.6 million visits.The four 10-year reports showed a decline in skier injuries from 3.1 per 1,000 visitors in 1980-81 to 2.7 in 1990-91 to 2.6 in 2000-01 to 2.5 in 2010-11. Snowboarder injuries were 3.3 in 1990, 7.0 in 2000 and 6.1 in 2010.For 1990-91, the nation's ski areas reported 46.7 million skier visits, 2000-01 was 57.3 million and 2010-11 saw a then all–time high of 60.5 million visits. …The NSAA's once-a-decade review of injuries from 2020-21 was delayed during the pandemic and is expected to land later this year. But the association's reports are not available to the public [Pawlak disputes this, and provided a copy of the report to The Storm – you can view it here].When Colorado state Sen. Jessie Danielson crafted a bill in 2021 that would have required ski areas to publish annual injury statistics, the industry blasted the plan, arguing it would be an administrative burden and confuse the skiing public. It died in committee.“When we approached the ski areas to work on any of the details in the bill, they refused,” Danielson, a Wheat Ridge Democrat, told The Sun in 2021. “It makes me wonder what it is that they are hiding. It seems to me that an industry that claims to have safety as a top priority would be interested in sharing the information about injuries on their mountains.”The resort industry vehemently rebuffs the notion that ski areas do not take safety seriously.Patricia Campbell, the then-president of Vail Resorts' 37-resort mountain division and a 35-year veteran of the resort industry, told Colorado lawmakers considering the 2021 legislation that requiring ski resorts to publish safety reports was “not workable” and would create an “unnecessary burden, confusion and distraction.”Requiring resorts to publish public safety plans, she said, would “trigger a massive administrative effort” that could redirect resort work from other safety measures.“Publishing safety plans will not inform skiers about our work or create a safer ski area,” Campbell told the Colorado Senate's Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in April 2021.On ASTM International Pawlak refers to “ASTM International” in the podcast. That is an acronym for “American Society for Testing and Materials,” an organization that sets standards for various industries. Here's an overview video that most of you will find fairly boring (I do, however, find it fascinating that these essentially invisible boards operate in the background to introduce some consistency into our highly confusing industrialized world):On Mammoth and Deer Valley's “everyone gets 15 feet” campaignThere's a cool video of this on Deer Valley's Instapost that won't embed on this page for some reason. Since Alterra owns both resorts, I will assume Mammoth's campaign is similar.On Heavenly's collision prevention programMore on this program, from NSAA's Safety Awards website:Heavenly orchestrated a complex collision prevention strategy to address a very specific situation and need arising from instances of skier density in certain areas. The ski area's unique approach leveraged detailed incident data and distinct geographic features, guest dynamics and weather patterns to identify and mitigate high-risk areas effectively. Among its efforts to redirect people in a congested area, Heavenly reintroduced the Lakeview Terrain Park, added a rest area and groomed a section through the trees to attract guests to an underutilized run. Most impressively, these innovative interventions resulted in a 52% year-over-year reduction of person-on-person collisions. Judges also appreciated that the team successfully incorporated creative thinking from a specialist-level employee. For its effective solutions to reduce collision risk through thoughtful terrain management, NSAA awarded Heavenly Mountain Resort with the win for Best Collision Prevention Program.On the Crested Butte accidentPawlak and I discuss a 2022 accident at Crested Butte that could end up having lasting consequences on the ski industry. Per The Colorado Sun:It was toward the end of the first day of a ski vacation with their church in March 2022 when Mike Miller and his daughter Annie skied up to the Paradise Express lift at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. The chair spun around and Annie couldn't settle into the seat. Mike grabbed her. The chair kept climbing out of the lift terminal. He screamed for the lift operator to stop the chair. So did people in the line. The chair kept moving. Annie tried to hold on to the chair. Mike tried to hold his 16-year-old daughter. The fall from 30 feet onto hard-packed snow shattered her C7 vertebrae, bruised her heart, lacerated her liver and injured her lungs. She will not walk again. The Miller family claims the lift operators were not standing at the lift controls and “consciously and recklessly disregarded the safety of Annie” when they failed to stop the Paradise chair. In a lawsuit the family filed in December 2022 in Broomfield County District Court, they accused Crested Butte Mountain Resort and its owner, Broomfield-based Vail Resorts, of gross negligence and “willful and wanton conduct.”In May, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled on the incident, per SAM:In a 5-2 ruling, the Colorado Supreme Court found that liability waivers cannot be used to protect ski areas from negligence claims related to chairlift accidents. The decision will allow a negligence per se claim brought against Vail Resorts to proceed in the district courts.The decision, however, did not invalidate all waivers, as the NSAA clarified in the same SAM article:There was concern among outdoor activity operators in Colorado that the case might void liability waivers altogether, but the narrow scope of the decision has largely upheld the use of liability waivers to protect against claims pertaining to inherent risks.“While the Supreme Court carved out a narrow path where releases of liability cannot be enforced in certain, unique chairlift incidents, the media downplayed, if not ignored, a critical part of the ruling,” explained Dave Byrd, the National Ski Areas Association's (NSAA) director of risk and regulatory affairs. “Plaintiffs' counsel had asked the [Colorado] Supreme Court to overturn decades of court precedent enforcing the broader use of ALL releases in recreation incidents, and the court unanimously declined to make such a radical change with Colorado's long-standing law on releases and waivers—and that was the more important part of the court's decision from my perspective.”The Colorado Supreme Court's ruling “express[es] no view as to the ultimate merit of the claim,” rather it allows the Millers' claim to proceed to trial in the lower courts. It could be month or years before the lawsuit is concluded.On me knowing “all too well what it's like to be injured on a ski trip”Boy do I ever:Yeah that's my leg. Ouch.Don't worry. I've skied 102 days since that mangling.Here's the full story.On “Jerry of the Day”I have conflicted feelings on Jerry of the Day. Some of their posts are hilarious, capturing what are probably genuinely good and seasoned skiers whiffing in incredible fashion:Some are just mean-spirited and stupid:Funny I guess if you rip and wear it ironically. But it's harder to be funny than you may suppose. See The New Yorker's cloying and earnest (and never-funny), Shouts & Murmurs column.On state passport programsState passport programs are one of the best hacks to make skiing affordable for families. Run by various state ski associations, they provide between one and three lift tickets to every major ski area in the state for some grade range between third and fifth. A small administrative fee typically applies, but otherwise, the lift tickets are free. In most, if not all, cases, kids do not need to live in the state to be eligible. Check out the programs in New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Utah. Other states have them too – use the Google machine to find them.The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us.The Storm publishes year-round, and guarantees 100 articles per year. This is article 58/100 in 2024, and number 558 since launching on Oct. 13, 2019. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and to support independent ski journalism, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.WhoChauncy and Kelli Johnson, Founders of the Snow Angel FoundationRecorded onJune 17, 2024About the Snow Angel FoundationFrom their website:Our mission is to prevent ski and snowboard collisions so that everyone can Ride Another Day! We accomplish our mission through education and awareness to promote safe skiing and snowboarding behaviors. The Foundation was started as a result of a life changing collision and a desire to ensure that these types of collisions never happen again. Since 2016, we have been creating a social movement among skiers and snowboarders with the “Ride Another Day” campaign. Snow Angel Foundation, founded in 2023, is the vehicle that will expand this campaign and transform the culture of skiing and snowboarding into a safety-oriented community. Partner with us so we can all Ride Another Day!The “life changing collision” referred to above resulted in the death of this little girl, Elise Johnson, in 2010:Why I interviewed themThe first time I saw this, I felt like I got punched:I was skiing Snowbird, ground zero for aggressive, full-throttle skiing. The things you see there. The terrain invites it. The bottomless snow enables it. The cultish battle cries of packed-full tram cars demand it. Snowbird is a circus, an amphitheater, a place that scares the s**t out of anyone with a pulse. There aren't many beginners there. Or even intermediates. You're far more likely to smash your face into a rock than clip some meandering 8-year-old's tails when you drop into Silver Fox.But the contrast between that mountain and that message was powerful. For a subset of skiers, every ski day must be this sort of ski day, every run a showcase of their buckle-bending, torque-busting snow arcs. “Out of My Path, Mortals. You are all just traffic cones around which I dance. Admire me!” And it's like damn bro how are you single?That ski behaviors aren't transferable from High Baldy to Baby Thunder is a memo that too many skiers have yet to receive. Is anyone else tired of this? Of World Cup trials on blue groomers? Of the social media braggadocio and bravado about skiing six times the speed of light? Of knuckleheads conflating speed with skill? When I talk about The Brobots, this is a big part of what I mean: the sense of entitlement to do as they please with shared space, without regard for the impact their actions could have on others.I hope one or two of these people will listen to this podcast. And I hope they will stop threading the Buttercup Runout back to the Carebear Quad as though they were navigating an X-Wing through an asteroid belt. Speed is a big part of skiing's appeal. The power and adrenaline of it, the thrill. But there are places on the bump where it's appropriate to tuck and fly, and places where it just isn't. And I wish more of us knew the difference.What we talked aboutElise just “had a lot of light”; being a ski family; an awful Christmas Eve at Hogadon Basin; waking up six weeks later; recovering from grief; why the family kept skiing; transforming pain into activism; slow the F down Brah; who's doing a good job on safety; ski industry opposition to injury- and death-reporting regulations; and what we learned from the mass adoption of helmets.Podcast NotesOn couples on the podcastI mentioned I've hosted several husband-wife combinations on the podcast, mostly the owners of ski areas:* Plattekill, New York owners Laszlo and Danielle Vajtay* Paul Bunyan, Wisconsin owners TJ and Wendy Kerscher* West Mountain, New York owners Sara and Spencer MontgomeryOn Antelope ButteThe Johnsons' local is Antelope Butte, a little double-chair bump in northern Wyoming:On Snowy RangeThe Johnsons also spent time skiing Snowy Range, also in Wyoming:On Hogadon BasinThe incident in question went down on the Dreadnaught run at Hogadon Basin, a 600-vertical-foot bump 20 minutes south of Casper, Wyoming:On 50 First DatesBy her own account, Kelli's life for six weeks went about like this:On the Colorado Sun's research on industry opposition to safety-reporting requirementsFrom April 8, 2024:[13-year-old] Silas [Luckett] is one of thousands of people injured on Colorado ski slopes every winter. With the state's ski hills posting record visitation in the past two seasons — reaching 14.8 million in 2022-23 — it would appear that the increasing frequency of injuries coincides with the rising number of visits. We say “appear” because, unlike just about every other industry in the country, the resort industry does not disclose injury data. …Ski resorts do not release injury reports. The ski resort industry keeps a tight grasp on even national injury data. Since 1980, the National Ski Areas Association provides select researchers with injury data for peer-reviewed reports issued every 10 years by the National Ski Areas Association. The most recent 10-year review of ski injuries was published in 2014, looking at 13,145 injury reports from the 2010-11 ski season at resorts that reported 4.6 million visits.The four 10-year reports showed a decline in skier injuries from 3.1 per 1,000 visitors in 1980-81 to 2.7 in 1990-91 to 2.6 in 2000-01 to 2.5 in 2010-11. Snowboarder injuries were 3.3 in 1990, 7.0 in 2000 and 6.1 in 2010.For 1990-91, the nation's ski areas reported 46.7 million skier visits, 2000-01 was 57.3 million and 2010-11 saw a then all–time high of 60.5 million visits. …The NSAA's once-a-decade review of injuries from 2020-21 was delayed during the pandemic and is expected to land later this year. But the association's reports are not available to the public [the NSAA disputes this, and provided a copy of the report to The Storm; I'll address this in more detail in an upcoming, already-recorded podcast with NSAA president Kelly Pawlak].When Colorado state Sen. Jessie Danielson crafted a bill in 2021 that would have required ski areas to publish annual injury statistics, the industry blasted the plan, arguing it would be an administrative burden and confuse the skiing public. It died in committee.“When we approached the ski areas to work on any of the details in the bill, they refused,” Danielson, a Wheat Ridge Democrat, told The Sun in 2021. “It makes me wonder what it is that they are hiding. It seems to me that an industry that claims to have safety as a top priority would be interested in sharing the information about injuries on their mountains.”The resort industry vehemently rebuffs the notion that ski areas do not take safety seriously.Patricia Campbell, the then-president of Vail Resorts' 37-resort mountain division and a 35-year veteran of the resort industry, told Colorado lawmakers considering the 2021 legislation that requiring ski resorts to publish safety reports was “not workable” and would create an “unnecessary burden, confusion and distraction.”Requiring resorts to publish public safety plans, she said, would “trigger a massive administrative effort” that could redirect resort work from other safety measures.“Publishing safety plans will not inform skiers about our work or create a safer ski area,” Campbell told the Colorado Senate's Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in April 2021.The Sun also compiles an annual report of deaths at Colorado ski areas.On helmet cultureProblems often seem intractable, the world fossilized. But sometimes simple things change so completely, and in such a short period of time, that it's almost impossible to imagine the world before. I was 19, for example, the first time I used the internet, and 23 when I acquired its evil cousin, the cellphone (which would not be usefully linked to the web for about another decade).In our little ski world, the thing-that-is-now-ubiquitous-that-once-barely-existed is helmets. As recently as the 1990s, you likely weren't dropping a bucket on your skull unless you were running gates on a World Cup circuit. It's not that we didn't know about them – helmets have been around since, like, the Bronze Age. But nobody wore them. Nobody. Then, suddenly, everyone did. Or, well, it seemed sudden, though it's surprising to see that, as recently as the 2002-03 ski season, only around 25 percent of skiers bothered to strap on a helmet:I was a late adopter when I first wore a helmet in 2016. And when I finally got there, I realized, hey, this thing is warm. It also came in handy when I slammed the back of my head into a downed tree at Jay Peak last March.I don't have hard stats on helmet usage going back to the 1990s, but check out this circa 1990s casual ski day vid at an unidentified U.S. mountain:I counted one helmet. On a kid. To underscore the point, here's a circa 1990s promo for Steamboat Ski Patrol, which captures the big-mountain crew rocking knit caps and goggles:The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us.The Storm publishes year-round, and guarantees 100 articles per year. This is article 54/100 in 2024, and number 554 since launching on Oct. 13, 2019. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

Today we had the pleasure of hosting the team from Cornerstone Government Affairs for an engaging discussion on energy policy and the upcoming US Presidential Election with Jack Belcher, Principal, John Sandell, Principal, and Sarah Venuto, Principal and Counsel. Cornerstone is an independent bipartisan consulting firm specializing in federal and state government relations, public affairs, political and grant consulting, and business advisory services. Jack, John and Sarah are seasoned experts in navigating the complexities of Washington DC. Jack has over 30 years of experience in energy and energy policy and previously held roles as Manager of Regulatory Affairs and Policy at Shell and Staff Director for the US House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. John is an expert in tax policy and formerly served the members of the US House Committee on Ways and Means. Sarah previously served as Director of the Office of External Affairs at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Senior Advisor and Chief Counsel to Senator Joe Manchin, and Democratic Staff Director for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. We were thrilled to connect with the Cornerstone team to explore this timely and important topic. Our conversation centered on a report Cornerstone published entitled “A Guide to Forecasting Energy Policy In The Next White House: Trump V. Harris” (linked here). Jack first provides background on Cornerstone's history and growth into the largest independent government relations firm in DC. We touch on the implications of the Chevron Deference case on regulatory agencies, its significance for future energy policy and regulation, and how it will impact Congress and the need for additional technical expertise there. We cover the complexities of Presidential Administration changes and challenges of transitioning political appointments, the future of the Inflation Reduction Act under different administrations, and efforts to streamline permitting and infrastructure development. Jack, John and Sarah offer their insights on how a Trump or Harris administration might approach energy policy and rising energy prices for businesses and consumers. We discuss areas of bipartisan support including nuclear energy, tariffs, alternative fuels, and competition with China, how the next administration might balance state-level initiatives with national policy, the upcoming 2025 Tax Debate led by the Ways and Means Committee, and much more. It was an insightful discussion and we want to thank Jack, John and Sarah for sharing their perspectives and time with us on a busy day in DC. Mike Bradley opened the conversation by highlighting that broader equity markets were down Tuesday driven by JPMorgan Chase's cautious comments. In the bond market, the 10-year U.S. bond yield traded at ~3.65, down 20-30bps in recent weeks. The U.S. 2yr/10yr yield bond spread flipped back to positive after two years of inversion, this type of flip after a lengthy period of backwardation tends to precede recessions. He noted the importance of this week's economic reports with August CPI & PPI and Initial Jobless Claims reporting over the next couple of days. On crude oil, he also shared a chart of the WTI crude oil curve and noted that the curve structure had flattened out through 2035, primarily due to concerns over global/China oil demand after being in steep backwardation over the prior 3mo, 6mo & 12mo periods. He concluded by mentioning that crude oil prices were technically oversold, with traders remaining bearish but waiting for significant changes in global oil demand to unwind net short bets. Jeff Tillery built on Mike's comments and noted the demand concerns and OPEC's spare capacity reducing upside optionality for long-term investors. Brett Rampal highlighted a significant

Former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), who is now a senior policy advisor for the law firm Van Ness Feldman and co-chair of the Natural Allies Leadership Council, is keen on natural gas and believes it is part of the solution to reaching both domestic and global climate goals. “Natural gas in America is not the enemy,” Landrieu said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. “The majority of the emissions reductions of the United States in the last 10 years are directly attributed to more natural gas being used and less coal,” she said. Yet, that doesn't mean Landrieu is opposed to renewable energy. She believes in an “all-of-the-above” strategy. “As natural gas has replaced coal as the number one producer of electricity in this country, our emissions have been reduced substantially, that is, in addition and in collaboration with—in partnership with—the increase in wind [and] the increase in solar,” said Landrieu. There are many reasons to support natural gas, according to Landrieu. For one, America has a lot of it. “We have over a hundred-year supply,” she claimed. “Number two: we have an amazing pipeline infrastructure that can move gas from where we find it to the people that need it,” she added. “But also, what's so important is natural gas, because it's relatively inexpensive, we can keep the cost of electricity lower. So, it's available, it's plentiful, it's affordable, and when connected with wind and solar, we can really build a modern and low-emissions electric grid for the country.” Landrieu has a sound basis for her views, having served three terms in the U.S. Senate (1997–2015) where she chaired the prominent Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and she advocated for her home state of Louisiana, which is America's fourth-largest energy-producing state. Still, Landrieu pushes back when people suggest she only promotes natural gas because Louisiana produces it. “No, I promote natural gas because we produce it, but we also use a lot of it. So, my goal is to keep it plentiful [and] keep the price low and stable,” she said. Another form of energy that Landrieu supports is nuclear power. “Although our coalition doesn't promote nuclear, we recognize the power of nuclear power. We want to see more nuclear power in this country,” she said. “Nuclear provides about 18% of our electricity—it was about 20—if we could get that up to 25 or even 30%, it would really help. Natural gas can provide a lot, more wind, more solar, and as batteries come along, that's going to be, I think, the combination we're looking for.” The Natural Allies Leadership Council calls itself “a coalition of interested stakeholders that recognize the vital role natural gas and its infrastructure must play in the energy mix.” The group says natural gas partnered with renewable energy “can accelerate our path to a clean energy future—ensuring affordability and reliability while reducing carbon emissions domestically and internationally.” Landrieu co-chairs the group with Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.), who served southern Florida in Congress from 2002 to 2010; Michael Nutter, who served as Philadelphia's 98th Mayor from 2008 to 2016; and Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), who served 10 terms in Congress from 2003 to 2023. “We're talking to Democrats—we're happy always to talk with Republicans as well—but we're talking to Democratic leaders and saying, ‘If you want prices low, if you want your people employed, if you want jobs in your community, natural gas is for you.' And we're happy to partner with renewables, nuclear, batteries, and let's build a future together,” said Landrieu.

Today we had the honor of hosting former Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. Senator Landrieu served for three terms from 1997 to 2015 and chaired the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and the Homeland Security Appropriations Committee. She also served on the Armed Forces Committee. During her time in Washington, Senator Landrieu gained a reputation for working across the aisle on important energy and other national priorities. Currently, Senator Landrieu is Co-Chair of Natural Allies, a coalition of stakeholders that recognize the vital role natural gas plays in the energy mix to meet carbon reduction goals. We were thrilled to visit with Senator Landrieu. In our conversation we discuss how Louisiana's industrial base relies heavily on energy production and consumption, the historical bipartisanship in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, how geography influences people's understanding and views on energy issues, the role of natural gas in reducing emissions, and why nuclear energy has bipartisan support. Senator Landrieu shares background on her role at Natural Allies and the group's focus on supporting US natural gas, the need to educate the public on the economic benefit of open markets particularly for US exports, finding ways to help countries like China and India reduce their reliance on coal, why the Senator disagreed with the Biden Administration's LNG permitting pause, and broadly the need for pragmatic, bipartisan energy and climate solutions. We explore SPR usage and levels, the status of permitting reform with significant delays expected until after the Presidential Election, finding practical solutions to reduce emissions and grow the economy through building infrastructure faster, and much more. It was a fantastic conversation and we are very grateful to Senator Landrieu for sharing her time and valuable insights with us all. She calls it like she sees it and is a very refreshing centrist voice. Mike Bradley kicked us off by highlighting that 10-year bond yields continued their recent plunge after last week's cooler than expected CPI report and currently trade at ~4.15%. WTI price is trading at ~$81/bbl and has been stuck in a tight trading range ($80-$83/bbl) for the last several weeks. Crude oil traders are focused on global demand and are growing concerned with slowing global economic growth, especially China. U.S. natural gas continued its recent plunge and trades at ~$2.15/Mcf, despite Hurricane Beryl temporarily curtailing 1.7-1.8bcfd from Freeport LNG. He noted that U.S. natural gas production has rebounded back above 101bcfd and remains problematic given natural gas storage levels that are ~18% above normal. He discussed that the main word to describe broader equity market trading action this last week is “rotation.” Big 6 (AI & Tech equities) and broader equity indices like the S&P 500 & Nasdaq are significantly underperforming smaller-cap indices like the Russell 2000, which are perceived to be bigger beneficiaries of lower future inflation/interest rates. He ended by noting that Q2 Energy sector reporting begins this week with both pipelines (KMI) and oil services (LBRT, HAL & SLB) reporting. Arjun Murti shared his thoughts on the need for a diverse energy portfolio to meet global demands, the roles of the US and Canada as key players in both traditional and new energy markets, the unnecessary partisan divide over energy sources, and the importance of leveraging the US's leadership in technology and capital markets to lead in energy innovation. We hope you enjoy the discussion with Senator Landrieu as much as we did. Thanks to you all for your friendship and support!

A native of Hot Springs, Congressman Bruce Westerman is a dedicated outdoorsman and currently chairs the House Committee on Natural Resources. He joins the show to discuss several issues on Capitol Hill impacting duck hunting in the Natural State and beyond.  Westerman provides updates on the harmful BIDEH legislation, wokeism in the USFWS, how waterfowlers should tackle the anti-hunter movement, and more.Thanks to our sponsors: Sitka Gear, Tom Beckbe, Ducks Unlimited, Lite Boots, and Lile Real Estate. All Rights Reserved. Please subscribe, rate and share The Standard Sportsman podcast.

Rich Glick initiated the proceedings that led to Order 1920 as Chair of FERC, he returns to Public Power Underground with experts Prof. Jacob Mays and Pamela Quinlan to reflect on its adoption--------------------Paul Dockery and Crystal Ball bring their curiosity to an in-depth discussion of transmission planning, transmission investment, and transmission policy with Rich Glick, Pamela Quinlan, and Prof. Jacob Mays.You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are energy enthusiasts, like us!08:48 - Rich, What were you hoping for?FERC 2022 - 2026 Strategic PlanJoint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission32:33 - Pamela, Does this do what you wanted?Building for the Future Through Electric Regional Transmission Planning and Cost AllocationHigh-Level Summary of FERC Order No. 1920 on Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation published by Troutman Pepper (h/t Adrienne Thompson)“Plan for the future with the best available information, select the best plan for consumers and allocate costs according to benefits" - Rob Gramlich on Volts1:05:15 - Jacob, What is missing?Shu, H. and Mays, J., 2024. Transmission Benefits and Cost Allocation under Ambiguity. arXiv preprint arXiv:2403.14803.1:15:48 - Rich Glick's Energy System Analogy: The energy transition is like the 1973 Mets.1:17:55 - Jacob Mays's Energy System Analogy: The 2005 Royals, never say it can't get worse.1:19:09 - Pamela Quinlan's Energy System Analogy: The energy transition is like Game of Thrones.BONUS: Ke Xin (Sherry) Zuo, a PhD candidate at Cornell University in the Mays Group, provided her reflections onTaylor Swift's newest album, The Tortured Poets Department, and its application to the Power System. My (Paul's) favorite: the brilliant insight that “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” is actually about how the power grid has to be resilient during forced outages and extreme weather events. About the guests:Rich Glick is a Principal with GQ New Energy Strategies – a consulting firm he co-founded with Pamela Quinlan. Rich is a former Chair of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). As Chair, Rich initiated several reforms to more efficiently and cost effectively accommodate the evolution of the electric grid. Before being appointed to FERC, Rich was General Counsel for the Democrats on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He has worked for Iberdrola, PPM Energy and PacifiCorp and is also known in the West for his current work with the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation (CREPC) Western States Transmission Initiative (WSTI) and CREPC Transmission Collaborative (TC). Rich's prior appearance on Public Power Underground can be found below.Pamela Quinlan co-founded GQ New Energy Strategies with Rich. She is an expert in energy market regulation and policy. She started at FERC as a Senior Energy Industry Analyst in the Office of Energy Market Regulation. In 2017 Quinlan went to work in then-commissioner Glick's office as a Technical Advisor and was appointed Chief of Staff in January 2021. As Chief of Staff, she was responsible for developing and implementing the strategy behind the Commission's policy initiatives. Before leaving FERC in 2023, Quinlan advised Chair Willie Phillips on Energy Markets and Resource Adequacy. She has also worked for Consolidated Edison (ConEd) and Standard and Poor's.Prof. Jacob Mays is an Assistant Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University where his research focuses on the design and analysis of electricity markets. Jacob holds an AB in chemistry and physics from Harvard University, a MEng in energy systems from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a PhD in industrial engineering and management sciences from Northwestern University. His seminal work (Paul is editorializing by describing it as seminal) on the sequential pricing of electricity was the subject of a stand-alone episode on Season 5 of Public Power Underground, and his collaborations with Jesse Jenkins, Farhad Billimoria, and Rahmat Poudineh have informed our listeners perspectives on electric markets under deep decarbonization. Jacob's prior appearances on Public Power Underground can be found below.Public Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it's work to watch!

Tune in to Breaking Battlegrounds this week where we are first joined by Congressman John Curtis, representing Utah's 3rd Congressional District and a candidate for U.S. Senate. He discusses critical national security issues concerning China and the border, along with President Biden's high-speed internet plan and Utah's upcoming primary election. In the second half of the show, Jon Levine from the Sunday New York Post joins us, covering the dropped charges against Columbia protestors, 2024 presidential election polling, Trump's VP predictions, and the latest on Hunter Biden. Before we wrap up, Kiley returns with Kiley's Corner to update us on the Karen Read trial and discuss the case of James Arthur McDonald, the former CNBC pundit turned fugitive. We end on a positive note with the Sunshine Moment, where Jenna shares an inspiring story of a 5th grader's heroic act saving a 3rd grader's life.Connect with us:www.breakingbattlegrounds.voteTwitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_BattleFacebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegroundsInstagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegroundsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds-Show sponsors:Invest YrefyYrefy offers a secure, collateralized portfolio with a strong, fixed rate of return - up to a 10.25%. There is no attack on your principal if you ever need your money back. You can let your investment compound daily, or take your income whenever you choose. Make sure you tell them Sam and Chuck sent you!Learn more at investyrefy.com4Freedom MobileExperience true freedom with 4Freedom Mobile, the exclusive provider offering nationwide coverage on all three major US networks (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) with just one SIM card. Our service not only connects you but also shields you from data collection by network operators, social media platforms, government agencies, and more.Use code ‘Battleground' to get your first month for $9 and save $10 a month every month after.Learn more at: 4FreedomMobile.comDot VoteWith a .VOTE website, you ensure your political campaign stands out among the competition while simplifying how you reach voters.Learn more at: dotvote.vote-About our guests:John R. Curtis proudly represents Utah's 3rd Congressional District where he is known for his reputation as someone who gets things done. Since being elected to Congress in 2017, John has passed 15 pieces of legislation into law, ranging in diverse topics such as better managing public lands, combatting human trafficking, reducing burdensome regulations on small businesses, and more. He has been ranked by the nonpartisan Center for Effective Lawmaking as the 9th most effective Republican member of Congress. John serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee including as Vice-Chair of the Energy, Climate and Grid Security Subcommittee and a member of the Communications & Technology Subcommittee. On the Natural Resources Committee, he serves as Vice Chair of the Federal Lands Subcommittee and member of the Energy & Mineral Resources Subcommittee.Jon Levine is a political reporter for the Sunday New York Post. His work covers city, state and national politics. He has worked on significant continuing stories and investigations, including Hunter Biden and the 2020 presidential election. A native New Yorker, he previously worked as a media reporter for TheWrap and Mediaite. His work has been featured on CNN.com, The Atlantic, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. When he's not working, he's thinking about work. Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

All three of President Joe Biden's nominees for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are officially advancing to the full Senate after the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved their nominations. POLITICO's Catherine Morehouse breaks down the nominees' confirmation path moving forward and why some industry observers remain at the edge of their seats. Plus, the Senate confirmed Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Christopher Hanson to a second term.    For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro:  https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy   Catherine Morehouse is an energy reporter for POLITICO.  Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO.  Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.  Annie Rees is a senior audio producer-host at POLITICO.  Gloria Gonzalez is the deputy energy editor for POLITICO.  Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO.

In this episode of SacTown Talks, we sit down with Assembly Member Isaac Bryan, discussing his unique background growing up in a foster care family, his journey through multiple states, and his eventual relocation to California. Bryan reflects on the influence of key life events, from getting cut from his high school basketball team to his academic and professional development, leading to his passion for public policy. The conversation delves into his legislative efforts, challenges in the foster care system, the realities of housing affordability in Los Angeles, and his role as the chair of the Natural Resources Committee. Bryan shares insights on his policy work, particularly on social justice, criminal justice reform, and environmental sustainability, while navigating the complexities of California's political landscape.This Episode was record on 5/29/2400:00 Introduction and Welcome00:28 Isaac Bryan's Early Life and Foster Care Experience02:56 Challenges and Resilience in Education05:19 College Journey and Career Beginnings07:45 Entering Public Policy and Early Achievements15:29 Advocacy and Legislative Work18:57 Running for Office and Political Aspirations22:40 Reflecting on the Early Days in Office23:24 Intersectional Approach to Policymaking24:34 Challenges of Housing and Rent in LA27:02 Addressing Housing Affordability and Homelessness30:17 Chairing the Natural Resources Committee31:47 Balancing Oil Production and Environmental Health34:55 Innovations in Clean Energy38:31 Budget Deficit and Social Safety Nets42:51 Legislative Achievements and Future Goals45:20 Closing Remarks and Future PlansThis Episode was record on 5/29/2400:00 Introduction and Welcome00:28 Isaac Bryan's Early Life and Foster Care Experience02:56 Challenges and Resilience in Education05:19 College Journey and Career Beginnings07:45 Entering Public Policy and Early Achievements15:29 Advocacy and Legislative Work18:57 Running for Office and Political Aspirations22:40 Reflecting on the Early Days in Office23:24 Intersectional Approach to Policymaking24:34 Challenges of Housing and Rent in LA27:02 Addressing Housing Affordability and Homelessness30:17 Chairing the Natural Resources Committee31:47 Balancing Oil Production and Environmental Health34:55 Innovations in Clean Energy38:31 Budget Deficit and Social Safety Nets42:51 Legislative Achievements and Future Goals45:20 Closing Remarks and Future Plans

On this Memorial Day, we are excited to share a Special Edition with Representative John Curtis (R-UT). Rep. Curtis has been serving in Congress for four terms, beginning in 2017, and is currently running for the U.S. Senate. He serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee including as Vice-Chair of the Energy, Climate and Grid Security Subcommittee. Additionally, he serves as Vice Chair of the Federal Lands Subcommittee and member of the Energy & Mineral Resources Subcommittee on the Natural Resources Committee. He also founded and leads the Conservative Climate Caucus. Prior to his tenure in Congress, Rep. Curtis served as the Mayor of Provo. Leslie Beyer, Veriten Senior Advisor, was kind enough to connect us with Rep. Curtis and Mike, Todd and I were honored to host him in our offices in Houston. Rep. Curtis first shares the inspiration for creating the Conservative Climate Caucus and its role to support solutions that reduce emissions without drastic economic costs. We discuss the importance of distinguishing between climate and climate extremism, Rep. Curtis's approach to addressing climate issues within the context of energy independence and economic stability, and the importance of avoiding divisive rhetoric and focusing on practical, bipartisan solutions. Rep. Curtis shares his perspective on learning from European energy policies to avoid energy dependence on adversaries, the potential of geothermal energy advancements driven by fracking technology, and the role of the US as a leader in energy technology and the global impact of its energy policies. We discuss distinguishing between reducing emissions versus eliminating fossil fuels, rising power costs and their impact on businesses and families, the need for better education on the realities of different energy sources, addressing climate and environmental concerns within the context of other critical national priorities, areas of bipartisan agreement, and his perspective on restoring the Republican brand and principles. We also highlight Utah's blend of entrepreneurial spirit, fiscal responsibility, and environmental stewardship, the complex relationship between the US and China, and more. We ended by asking Rep. Curtis for his vision and hopes for the political landscape in ten years. We greatly appreciate Rep. Curtis's optimistic outlook for the future political leadership of the US as well as the hard work he is doing in Washington on behalf of the energy community and all Americans who want sensible, balanced approaches.   We hope you have a safe and happy Memorial Day as we all remember and honor the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy. COBT returns next week with a regularly scheduled episode on June 5th and a surprise Special Edition on June 6th. We are very excited about both! Thanks to you all for your friendship and support! 

On this episode of the podcast, Host Amanda Head dives into the intricate landscape of America's electricity demands and the critical need for additional power plant infrastructure to meet the ever-increasing growth. Amanda's distinguished guest on this episode is Mark P. Mills, one of our nation's premiere energy experts. Mr. Mills currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Center for Energy Analytics and as a Senior Fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and discusses the testimony he gave before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on May 21, 2024.Right now, there is a soaring demand for electricity to fuel data centers, artificial intelligence (AI), manufacturing, electric vehicles (EV) and much more, but powering these growth areas to sustain economic prosperity is going to take a bipartisan effort in Congress and tons of consultation with outside industry leaders and energy experts. Nevertheless, constant political gridlock pose a major challenge to effectively balance electricity growth as well as current and future energy needs. However, throughout the conversation Mills inferred there seemed to be a renewed level of optimism by elected Republicans and Democrats, especially on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to work on the future of energy innovation and navigate our nation's energy output issues together. Additionally, Head questioned Mills as to why automakers are struggling with electric vehicle profitability despite the Biden Administration's constant push, which now includes subsidies. Mills delves into the complexities of EV sales, market share, and the accelerating growth rate juxtaposed against overall vehicle sales. Furthermore, the discussion shifts to the environmental impacts of renewable energy sources, with differing perspectives on the definition of ‘clean' energy and the geopolitical dependencies of solar panels and electric vehicles. Head and Mills dive into a greater conversation about the future of energy technology, including nuclear power and the role of government regulation that often delay major progress in all industries, especially energy.You can follow Amanda Head on social media by searching for her handle, @AmandaHead. This podcast is also exclusively on X (formerly Twitter) which you can find by searching, @FurthermorePod.If you liked what you heard from Mark Mills you can follow him on X by searching, @MarkPMills. Finally, if you are new to this podcast and want to dive into all the latest conversations you can do so by clicking here: www.justthenews.com/podcasts/furthermore-amanda-head.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join host Sam Stone and guest host Sean Noble on this week's episode of Breaking Battlegrounds as they welcome Congressman John Curtis of Utah's 3rd District to dissect the pressing issues gripping Washington. Delving into his staunch support for Donald Trump and addressing his voting record, the discussion offers insights into politics, from the Biden administration's aggressive rule-making on public land management to the intricacies of foreign aid and military procurement. Later, Conn Carroll of The Washington Examiner joins the fray to unravel media bias, scrutinizing NPR's new CEO and delving into Ukraine funding while exploring the potential movement to vacate the speaker's position. Stay tuned for Kiley's Corner, where she provides updates on the Bryan Kohberger Idaho 4 case, recent arrests in the murders of the missing Kansas mothers, and a mysterious Florida case involving the murder of Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, which began with a carjacking caught on tape. And, the Sunshine Moment is back, leaving you on a positive note, reminding us that amidst the chaos, there's still good in the world. Don't miss this in-depth coverage of the nation's latest developments.Connect with us:www.breakingbattlegrounds.voteTwitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_BattleFacebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegroundsInstagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegroundsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds-About out guestsCongressman John R. Curtis proudly represents Utah's 3rd Congressional District where he is known for his reputation as someone who gets things done. Since being elected to Congress in 2017, John has passed 15 pieces of legislation into law, ranging in diverse topics such as better managing public lands, combatting human trafficking, reducing burdensome regulations on small businesses, and more. He has been ranked by the nonpartisan Center for Effective Lawmaking as the 9th most effective Republican member of Congress. John serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee including as Vice-Chair of the Energy, Climate and Grid Security Subcommittee and a member of the Communications & Technology Subcommittee. On the Natural Resources Committee, he serves as Vice Chair of the Federal Lands Subcommittee and member of the Energy & Mineral Resources Subcommittee. -Conn Carroll is the commentary editor for the Washington Examiner. He served as a communications director in the U.S. Senate for seven years before returning to journalism. He is a graduate of the Antonin Scalia Law School and lives in northern Virginia with his wife and three children. You can follow him on X @conncarroll. Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Congressman Bruce Westerman stopped by the AgCast studio to share some updates on his work in D.C. On this Deep Dive episode, we talk about his work as chair of the House Natural Resources Committee and how that's beneficial to the Natural State. In addition, we recap the impact his America's Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act will have on local communities and their ability to manage wildlife habitat. We'll also cover the recent Energy Week legislation passed by the Natural Resources Committee and much more.

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: We Did It! - Victory for Octopus in Washington State, published by Tessa @ ALI on March 15, 2024 on The Effective Altruism Forum. In 2022, Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) led the charge in Banding Together to Ban Octopus Farming. In 2024, we are ecstatic to see these efforts come to fruition in Washington State. This landmark achievement underscores our collective commitment to rejecting the introduction of additional animals into the seafood system and positions Washington State as a true pioneer in aquatic animal welfare legislation. In light of this success, ALI is joining forces with various organizations to advocate for similar bans across the United States and utilizing these monumental examples as leverage in continuous European endeavors. 2022 Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) and members of the Aquatic Animal Alliance (AAA) comment on the Environmental Impact of Nueva Pescanova before the Government of the Canary Islands: General Directorate of Fisheries and the General Directorate for the Fight against Climate Change and the Environment. Allowing this industrial octopus farm to operate could result in serious bio security and biophysical risks with regard to effluents being produced from this facility and discharged to surrounding waterways. There were many issues associated with the information provided by Nueva Pescanova as it relates to the environmental impacts of the proposed project, which we addressed in detail. Through the launch of Aquatic Life Institute's Octopus Farming Ban Campaign, we exposed the dangers of Nueva Pescanova's commercial octopus farm in Gran Canaria, as well as an octopus farm in Yucatan, Mexico, masquerading as a research facility (Hiding in Plain Sight). 2023 If permitted to operate, just one farm could potentially produce 1 million octopuses each year. In an attempt to dissuade future development of this unsustainable and cruel farming endeavor, ALI pushed initiatives via our seafood certification campaign and focused on the certified marketability of this potential seafood "product" through the Aquaculture Certification Schemes Animal Welfare Benchmark. ALI expanded on our prior concerns related to impacts on animal welfare, the environment, and public health being priority points of intervention during conversations with seafood certification schemes as a premise for prohibition. As a result, RSPCA published a statement denouncing plans for the world's first octopus farm and Friend of the Sea provided us with a direct quotation explicitly stating they will not certify this species. If global seafood certifications refuse to create a "price premium" market for this product, perhaps this could serve as an indication to producers and investors that such products will not be welcomed or worth it. These demonstrations of opposition are a testament to our attempts at rejecting a dangerous development before it is an industrial disaster and translates to the prevention of unnecessary suffering for millions of animals. Through collaborative efforts with members of the Aquatic Animal Alliance (AAA) and the Aquatic Animal Policy focus group (AAP), spearheaded by the Aquatic Life Institute, we actively advocated for HB 1153 in Washington State. Several ALI team members were present during the public hearing for the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee to vote on HB 1153 - Prohibiting Octopus Farming and submitted subsequent written testimony in support. Our extensive communications with decision makers contributed to a series of successful milestones, ultimately resulting in its enactment into law. 2024 February proved to be a fast and furious month as we witnessed history being made: February 6, 2024: HB 1153 is pulled and passes the House Floor. February 14, 2024: ALI wrote to all Washington's Senate Senators of the Agriculture,...

Have you ever considered the role of angel investors in fostering and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit in America? In this episode of "The Angel Next Door Podcast," host Marcia Dawood sits down with Congressman Magaziner to explore the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, and public policy. Congressman Magaziner has served as Rhode Island's general treasurer and now represents Rhode Island in Congress, where he focuses on expanding economic opportunity, defending democracy, and promoting innovation. The episode dives into his journey, the importance of a strong social safety net for fostering innovation, and the need for pro-innovation policies to maintain American leadership in a global context. To get the latest from Congressman Magaziner, you can follow him below!LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethmagaziner/https://sethmagaziner.com/https://magaziner.house.gov/  Sign up for Marcia's newsletter to receive tips and the latest on Angel Investing!Website: www.marciadawood.com And don't forget to follow us wherever you are!Apple Podcasts: https://pod.link/1586445642.appleSpotify: https://pod.link/1586445642.spotifyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/angel-next-door-podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelnextdoorpodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marciadawood

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Jordan Martincich, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever's VP of Development, and Ariel Wiegard, PF & QF's VP of Government Affairs, for a discussion about a new effort to create sustainable conservation funding in Kansas. Jordan, a lifelong Kansas resident, provides the background on the initiative's origin story, proposed funding structure, and anticipated deliverables. In fact, the Kansans for Conservation coalition includes a wide array of partners covering agriculture, energy, and conservation sectors. Episode Highlights: • Wiegard explains 35 of our country's 50 states already have some form of sustainable funding in place for conservation investments, but Kansas does not. In fact, the absence of a dedicated conservation revenue stream is resulting in Kansas leaving considerable federal dollars on the table that could be coming back to Kansas. Wiegard also describes the mechanics of this proposal and how it would NOT result in the creation of a new tax. The proposal is a re-allocation of existing funding sources toward natural resources. • Martincich reports Kansas House Bill #2541 was introduced in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee at the request of Representative Doug Blex on January 18th, which is the first step. A hearing was conducted related to HB #2541 on January 22nd. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever members who live in Kansas are encouraged to contact their Kansas House Representative and voice their support for House Bill #2541. Learn more at www.KansansForConservation.org

In this episode, Brett sits down with his good friend and Anfield alumnus, Pepper Uchino. Pepper is now the President of the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association, but he has a wealth of experience from his days as the staff attorney, and then Staff Director, of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Pepper is unique in that he's the direct descendant of Japanese Samurai as well as Mayflower passengers who landed at Plymouth Rock. They discuss his early life in New England as the son of an environmental activist; the health struggles that nearly derailed his future early on; the successful and growing Resiliency Conference he hosts; and they commiserate on the life of legislative committee staff and how laws are made from the perspective of someone on the “inside”. Did we mention his childhood home was haunted? More about that as well. To find out more about FSBA's 37th Annual Conference on Beach Preservation Technology National Conference coming up in February, head here: https://www.fsbpa.com/tech-conference.html And save the date for the 3rd Annual Florida Resilience Conference coming in September. To learn more and get registered, go here: https://floridaresilienceconference.org To keep up with Pepper's old Senate Committee and their deliberations, visit the Senate's website here: https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/EN/ Pepper talked about his work with the Trust for Public Land before he joined the Senate. To find out more about what they do, go here: https://www.tpl.org/state/florida When you're in Connecticut, why not visit some of New Haven's most haunted sites? Perhaps Pepper's childhood home is on the list somewhere. To learn more about that, go here: https://blog.gardencommunitiesct.com/blog/most-haunted-places-new-haven-county-ct/ This episode of Water for Fighting is brought to you by my friends at Sea and Shoreline. Sea and Shoreline is the Southeast's leading innovator in protecting coastal communities from devastating storms and restoring ecosystems that once faced ecological collapse. Visit their website at www.Seaandshoreline.com. This Episode is also thanks to my friends at Resource Environmental Solutions. RES is the nation's leader in ecological restoration, helping to restore Florida's natural resources with water quality and stormwater solutions that offer communities guaranteed performance and outcomes. Check them out at www.res.us Please be sure to check out the Florida Specifier Podcast hosted by Ryan Matthews and myself as part of a new venture where we're striving to become Florida's first source for environmental news, educational tools, and unique perspectives on our state's natural environment and the events that shape it. To learn more about its flagship print publication and more, visit The Florida Specifier. You can follow the show on LinkedIn and Instagram @flwaterpod, and you can reach me directly at FLwaterpod@gmail.com with your comments and suggestions for who and/or what you'd like to know more about. Production of this podcast is by Lonely Fox Studios. Thanks to Karl Sorne for making the best of what he had to work with. And to David Barfield for the amazing graphics and technical assistance. And finally, a very special thank you goes out to Bo Spring from the Bo Spring Band for giving permission to use his music for this podcast. The song is called Doing Work for Free, and you should check out the band live, or wherever great music is sold.

"Inside the Issues: The Podcast" host Alex Cohen wraps up the year by interviewing California Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, who Politico recently described as an "ambitious politician." Bryan comments on that label and explains why he opposed a bill to make the sex trafficking of a minor a serious crime in California. Plus, he outlines his priorities as the new chair of the Natural Resources Committee.

#WENPodcast AlertJoin us for a conversation with @Mary Landrieu (D-LA), who served three terms in the U.S. Senate (1997-2015), where she chaired the prominent Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Senator Landrieu has continued to serve the energy industry throughout her career, which was built on bipartisanship and solving problems. This episode explores Senator Landrieu's call to action as we journey through her career and get her unique perspective on the collaboration required to overcome the climate crisis, the energy transition, and other universal challenges of today. #CallToAction #Podcast #EarCandy #ConnectedLocally #NetworkedGlobally #OneWenForAll #DiversityEquityInclusion #WENCommunity #WomenInEnergy #WENWomen #WENMen #WomenLeaders #OilAndGas #RenewableEnergy #PowerAndUtilities #NuclearEnergyThe views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely our own and do not express or imply the views or opinions of our employers or any of its officers, directors, or employees. Connect with:Mary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-landrieu-14895ab2/Kara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krbyrne/Maggie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggie-teliska-36538b14/Beth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethcreller/Quick links:Learn more about Natural Allies: https://naturalalliesforcleanenergy.org/about-us/Learn more about Women's Energy Network: https://www.womensenergynetwork.org/*Make sure to SUBSCRIBE, RATE, AND REVIEW*New boost

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon chats with Missouri State Representative Tim Taylor. Taylor represents parts of Chariton, Cooper, Howard, and Randolph counties (District 48) in the Missouri House of Representatives. Taylor also serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Conservation and Natural Resources Committee for the House of Representatives. Brandon and Tim meet up in Delaware, at the National Assembly of Sportsman Caucus Sportsman-Legislator Summit. This is the premier legislative event of the year that brings together sportsmen's caucus members, NGOs, natural resource managers, the outdoor industry, and policy experts for three days of educational programming, networking, and planning for the next decade of success in the conservation arena.While attending the Summit, Brandon and Tim talk the current state of Agriculture in Missouri, Horizon II efforts, and the importance of sustainable and ecologically friendly practices for conservation. More information about Representative Tim Taylor can be found at: Representative Tim Taylor (mo.gov)

West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin will not seek reelection to the Senate in 2024, leaving behind an enormous energy legacy and an empty seat as the top Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. POLITICO's Kelsey Tamborrino discusses Manchin's energy legacy, which Democrat might take his committee assignment, and what Manchin might accomplish in his time left in the Senate. Plus, Ukraine's energy minister told POLITICO Kyiv is open to attacking Russian energy infrastructure.    For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro:  https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy   Catherine Morehouse is an energy reporter for POLITICO and the host of the POLITICO Energy podcast. Kelsey Tamborrino is a reporter covering clean energy for POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.  Kara Tabor is an audio producer for POLITICO. Gloria Gonzalez is the deputy energy editor for POLITICO.  Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO.

On this episode of Prairie Prophets Podcast, Brandon chats with Missouri State Representative Bruce Sassmann and his wife, Jan. Sassmann serves as the Chair of the Conservation and Natural Resources Committee for the House of Representatives. Jan is a retired teacher and former board member for the Missouri Prairie Foundation. The Sassmanns are active members of numerous conservation organizations, including the Conservation Federation of Missouri, Quail Forever, Missouri Prairie Foundation, and the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation. Together, they pour their conservation efforts into their property which they affectionately call "Prairie Star Restoration Farm".The three discuss Bruce's role as the Chair of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Sassmann's "Holy Trinity of Conservation" events which highlight professional reenactors portraying Thoreau, Muir, and Leopold. They also discuss Jan's time with Rudi Roeslein on the Missouri Prairie Foundation Board. More information about the Sassmanns can be found here: Representative Bruce Sassmann (mo.gov) The Holy Trinity of Conservation Story: Meet the Holy Trinity of Conservation on a Missouri Farm • Missouri Life Magazine 

In this week's episode of Breaking Battlegrounds, we are honored to welcome a lineup of exceptional guests, each bringing their unique perspectives on pressing issues that matter most to our nation.Our first guest needs no introduction, as he is a dear friend of the show and a prominent figure in the political landscape. Matt Lewis, the acclaimed columnist at The Daily Beast and the author of "Too Dumb to Fail: How the GOP Betrayed the Reagan Revolution to Win Elections (and How It Can Reclaim Its Conservative Roots)," graces our platform once again. Today, Matt joins us to share insights from his newly-released book, "Filthy Rich Politicians: The Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals, and Ruling-Class Elites Cashing in on America." Next on our show is Congressman James Moylan, representing Guam. As Guam Liberation Day approaches on July 21, Congressman Moylan joins us to shed light on this historic event and its profound significance to the people of Guam. We explore the remarkable journey of resilience and freedom, honoring the spirit of those who have shaped Guam's vibrant history.Our final guest, California State Senator Shannon Grove, enters the conversation with an urgent and compelling topic. She discusses her crucial bill that aims to designate human trafficking as a serious and violent felony. Despite the importance of this legislation, California democrats voted it down. Tune in to learn more about this critical issue and the efforts to combat human trafficking in the Golden State.Subscribe now and stay informed on the latest developments, only on Breaking Battlegrounds!-Connect with us:www.breakingbattlegrounds.voteTwitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_BattleFacebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegroundsInstagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegroundsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegroundsCalled a “first-rate talent” in The Washington Post and “super-smart” by John Heilemann, Matt K. Lewis is a center-right critic of American politics and pop culture.As a journalist, Lewis has earned a reputation as an “independently minded” (Columbia Journalism Review) and “intellectually honest” commentator (Ben Adler, Newsweek). He is a senior columnist for The Daily Beast, and his work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, GQ, The Washington Post, The Week, Roll Call, Politico, The Telegraph, The Independent, and The Guardian. He previously served as senior contributor for The Daily Caller, and before that, as a columnist for AOL's Politics Daily.Lewis dissects the day's issues in conversation with other thinkers, authors, and newsmakers on his podcast Matt Lewis and the News, and co-hosts The DMZ Show with liberal pundit Bill Scher. He has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, PBS NewsHour, ABC's “Nightline,” HBO's “Real Time with Bill Maher,” and CBS News' “Face The Nation,” and has contributed to radio outlets including NPR and the BBC.Kirsten Powers described Lewis's 2016 book, Too Dumb to Fail: How the GOP Went From the Party of Reagan to the Party of Trump, as “a lively and fascinating read for any person confounded by the state of today's Republican Party.” In 2011, Lewis released The Quotable Rogue: The Ideals of Sarah Palin in Her Own Words, an edited compilation of the Alaska governor's much-discussed public utterances.-Congressman James Moylan proudly serves as Guam's congressional delegate to the 118th United States Congress. As the first Republican to win the seat on Guam in nearly 30 years, Moylan's victory was historic. He is a strong and trustworthy leader who's focused on issues that affect Guamanians most. Moylan believes island residents have a right to know what's happening in their governing offices. Therefore, he has created an open door policy allowing constituents to have their concerns addressed. Moylan's history of service includes his time as a senator in the 35th and 36th Guam Legislature, a Veteran of the United States army and a parole officer at the Department of Corrections. Additionally, Moylan has more than two decades of experience working in the private sector, including healthcare, financial services, and insurance.In his current position, Moylan serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee.  Both Committees address issues that are vital to Guam.Additionally, Moylan is a native of Guam and is from the village of Tumon. He graduated from John F Kennedy High School and continued to the University of Guam where he obtained a  bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice.  Most of all, Moylan is a proud father to Abby and Krissy Moylan.-Senator Shannon Grove was born and raised in Kern County.After graduating from high school, Senator Grove served in the United States Army. While stationed in Frankfurt, Germany she witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.Following her service to our nation, she established a staffing company with her sister-in-law called Continental Labor and Staffing Resources. Senator Grove currently serves as the CEO.Prior to her election to the State Senate, Senator Grove was the first woman veteran elected to the California Legislature as she served the 34th Assembly District from 2010 to 2016.Senator Grove was elected to represent the 16th Senate District in November 2018, which includes portions of Kern, Tulare, and San Bernardino counties. In January 2019, she was elected Leader of the Senate Republican Caucus where she served in that capacity for two years. As the Republican Leader-Emeritus, Grove remains a committed representative working with legislators to advance policies that benefit the constituents, businesses, and communities within Senate District 16.Senator Grove is an advocate for small business, school choice, the developmentally disabled, farmers, and families. She currently lives in Kern County with her husband, Rick. They are the proud parents of five children and eight grandchildren.Transcription:Sam Stone: Welcome to another episode of Breaking Battlegrounds with your host, Sam Stone and Chuck Warren on the line with us right now. Fantastic new book out came out on the 18th. Matt Lewis. He is a friend of the program, columnist for The Daily Beast, author of Too Dumb to Fail How the GOP Betrayed the Reagan Revolution to Win Elections. Yeah, we are not too dumb to fail. That's been proven many, many times. And today he's joining us to discuss his new book, Filthy Rich Politicians The Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals and Ruling Class Elites Cashing In on America. Matt, thank you for joining us and welcome to the show.Matt Lewis: Well, thanks for having me back.Chuck Warren: So what gave you the idea to write a book about this issue about filthy rich politicians?Matt Lewis: Well, to be honest, it was because I'm a capitalist. And I was I was actually approached by a book agent, believe it or not, who had this idea to rank the 100 richest politicians in America.Chuck Warren: Interesting.Matt Lewis: That was the original idea of the book. It was 100 chapters. Each chapter was just going to be on. Wow. The 100 richest politicians in just how they made their money. And that's how it started. And it evolved, I think, into a much deeper, more important topic, which includes, you know, the original idea, but but goes so much deeper into like, what it all means. And so it was one of those just the stars aligned and I think we ended up writing a great book.Sam Stone: We got the book a few days ago. I've gone through most of it, I admit, to skimming a few portions. Who is the richest politician in America?Matt Lewis: The richest politician in America is JB Pritzker, who's the governor of Illinois. He is an heir to the Hyatt fortune. There are 11 billionaires in his family and interestingly, when he was running for governor in Illinois, there were three billionaires running for the seat last year in 2022.Sam Stone: Well, amazing. You know what I love about Pritzker? I don't know if you've ever read the book Super Mob, but that family got its start with mob financing.Matt Lewis: Well, you know, it's like the Kennedys, you know, I mean, you go back far enough.Chuck Warren: I think we just call those hard money loans today.Matt Lewis: But in in Congress, it would be Rick Scott. Most people and by the way, it's impossible to know the actual net wealth of most politicians because the range have ways of hiding it. And it's reported in broad ranges. But it used to be Darrell Issa. Right now we believe it is Rick Scott, senator from Florida, who's the richest in Congress.Chuck Warren: Well, so why should this matter to the average voter? I mean, so, for example, you know, as a 2020, I believe about half the members of Congress had a median net worth of $1 million. Okay. And there's almost 22 million people in the United States that have that net worth now. Now, most of that's probably in their home, right. Something they've lived in 20, 30 years. And a couple other things.Sam Stone: I mean, half of California has, but it's.Chuck Warren: Still a lot of money. I mean, you know, a population of 350 million, 21, 21, 22 million people are worth $1 million. And, you know, and that seems like a lot of money. But we also realize that's a lot. And it's not in a lot of ways, right? I mean, you can't retire on that per se and just live on it. But why is this important for Americans and why should they demand some reforms on this?Matt Lewis: Well, so the book is about two things. It's about how the rich get elected and how the elected get rich. And I think both things are important. So right now, the average member of Congress is about 12 times richer than the median American household. And so I think you know, look, I don't begrudge rich people from, you know, for running for office. And in fact, there's some ways that I even admire that. But I do think it's it seems likely to me that when and by the way, I should say that this this phenomenon where the average member of Congress is 12 times richer than the rest of us is kind of new. It's been going on for about three decades now. The gap has dramatically widened. And it just stands to reason, to me that when our elected officials are that much richer than the rest of us, there would be some sort of a disconnect or just a worldview difference in terms of connecting with working class Americans. But that doesn't bother me near as much as the second half of the story, which is the fact that once people get elected, they tend to get richer. And I think that is much more corrosive and damaging than just having rich politicians.Chuck Warren: Well, it's true, though. If you have a certain amount of wealth, you have different concerns than somebody who's making 15, $20 an hour. I mean, that's fair, right? And so how can you really relate if you're all full of people who are highly successful financially?Matt Lewis: Totally. I mean, you know, because of, you know, I'm from a very kind of middle class, working class background. My dad was a prison guard in Hagerstown, Maryland, for 30 years. And that's kind of how I grew up. And I live in West Virginia. I went to a little a little college in West Virginia, but I've been blessed to get to, you know, also know some, you know, folks in journalism who come from maybe more privileged backgrounds than me. And there are some of the nicest, kindest, best people. But I'm telling you, they see they see the world differently than I do. And who could blame them? I mean, they've come from wealth, right? They grew up. And I just think we're all formed by our experience. And and it's impossible not to be at some level.Chuck Warren: Absolutely. We're with Matt Lewis. He is a columnist for The Daily Beast. He has come out with a new book that was released this Tuesday. You can get it at at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble wherever you find your books. Filthy rich politicians, the Swamp Creatures, latte liberals and ruling class elites cashed in on America came out this Tuesday, July 18th. All right. So I want to ask a couple of questions, because your book covers many topics, but who are some of the politicians that we have that are married into money or inherited great wealth?Matt Lewis: So you're the first person to ask me this question. I have a whole chapter or a whole section on this. So thank you. Because this is so I ranked well Business Insider ranked the they have a ranking of the 100 richest politicians in America. And so when the appendix of my book I took the richest 25 and then I personally did kind of a deep dive into them how they made their money. And of the richest 25 members of Congress, more than half, 13 of them made their money through inheritance or marriage the.Sam Stone: Really old fashioned way.Matt Lewis: Yes. And I'll give you a few examples. Richard Blumenthal, his father in law, and by the way, it's usually fathers in law for what that's worth. Interesting.Chuck Warren: Interesting.Matt Lewis: Yeah. Richard Blumenthal's father in law is Peter Malkin, who basically owned the Empire State Building. In fact, he was involved in a in a fight with Donald Trump at some point over control of that.Sam Stone: There was a long time when he was the developer in New York, the real estate guy. Yeah.Matt Lewis: Indeed. There's a Texas congressman named Michael McCaul. His father in law runs Clear Channel Communications.Chuck Warren: Oh, wow.Matt Lewis: Rokana, who's a congressman out of California who's starting to really make a name for himself. His father in law owns a trans max or started trans max and also runs Mara Holdings. Wow. And Mitch McConnell, a lot of people were like, how did Mitch McConnell all of a sudden get all this money? And there are like conspiracy theories about.Chuck Warren: That cocaine.Matt Lewis: Mitch And and and by the way, who knows, right? I mean, maybe there's some secret, But but basically what happened is that, you know, Mitch McConnell is married to Elaine Chao and her mom. When her mom died, you know, she inherited a ton of money. And how much how.Chuck Warren: Much she did inherit, how much did she inherit?Matt Lewis: Oh, we're talking you definitely were talking tens of millions of dollars. Yeah. I mean, he became incredibly wealthy overnight and it looks super suspicious, but it's a matter of public record directly correlates to when her you know, it's money from her her father but but she inherited it when when the mother died.Sam Stone: Andy Biggs is a $10 Billion publisher clearinghouse sweepstakes win is starting to look more and more legitimate.Chuck Warren: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. You know.Matt Lewis: You know, what's you know, what's interesting is, is Kevin McCarthy, the current speaker of the House, won the lottery.Chuck Warren: Oh, really? I thought he did the sandwich shops. Did he really?Matt Lewis: Well, what happened is when he was very young, he won $5,000 in the lottery and he used that money to buy like a deli. And that is what led him to Congress. So.Chuck Warren: Oh, that's fascinating. Yeah, but see, that's that's a little more of a that's more of an all-American story. I got $5,000.Sam Stone: Yeah, that's a great story. Yeah.Chuck Warren: Yeah, it is a great story. It's sort of like, um. Oh, what's it what's that movie? Will Ferrell, where he gets sent to prison for insider trading and he's talking to us. He's talking to his father in law and said, I started this business all of myself with this computer and a $9 million loan from my father. And, you know, there's a lot of people like that. Um, so next to insider trading and I want to get into that probably the next segment. How do certain members benefit their family members, either via their connections or congressional campaigns? That happens a lot more than people think. And it always seems like a surprise to people that some kids on the payroll and we've got two minutes here, but can you give a couple of examples how that's happening?Matt Lewis: Totally. I'll give you it's a by the way, it's a bipartisan book. Um, both pretty much everyone's equally guilty of this. And so we'll start with Ilhan Omar, you know, a member of the squad on the left. She has directed millions of dollars, millions of campaign dollars to her husband's consulting firm. Likewise, Bernie Sanders, who, by the way, he became a millionaire from a book deal, but his wife, Jane, he has paid a lot of money to her over the years, including hiring her to be his media ad buyer when she had zero experience doing that. So she's basically getting a cut or a percentage of the money his campaign spends buying TV advertisements.Chuck Warren: Does she do that during the presidential, too?Matt Lewis: That is a good question. I think most of this happened in the his congressional races, like in Vermont senatorial races. But, you know, we're talking about a lot of money. And this one.Sam Stone: There's a lot of money when there's no risk, because he was never in doubt for any of those re-elections. Right. I mean, that's really kind of a.Matt Lewis: And Bernie. Bernie didn't just pay Jane. I mean, he paid her like her children, too. Which brings me to Ron Paul, a Republican who has employed six. In 2012, when he was running for president, he employed six family members, but he was a piker. He paid them a grand total of $300,000. So, you know.Chuck Warren: That's that's that's literally not surprising, though, right?Sam Stone: That that's chintzy, cheap. He's hosing his family.Chuck Warren: Do you think that do you think Congress should crack down on this and just not allow you in campaigns to hire family members?Sam Stone: We got 30s. We're going to. Okay. Going to head to break here in just a moment.Chuck Warren: We're with Matt Lewis. He is the author of a great new book came out this week, Filthy Rich Politicians The Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals and Ruling Class Elites Cashing In on America. You can find this at Amazon, Barnes and Noble. Wherever you get your book, go buy it. This is a very important. We're going to come back and talk to Matt a little bit about what reforms he thinks need to be done so we can clean this up. This is Chuck and Sam breaking battlegrounds. You can find us at breaking battlegrounds vote. We'll be right back.Advertisement: At Overstock. We know home is a pretty important place and that's why we believe everyone deserves a home that makes them happy. Whether you're furnishing a new house or apartment or simply looking to update and refresh a few rooms, Overstock has every day free shipping and amazing deals on the beautiful, high quality furniture and decor. You need to transform any home into the home of your dreams. Overstock Making dream Homes Come True.Sam Stone: Welcome back to Breaking battlegrounds with your host, Chuck Warrem. I'm Sam Stone. We're continuing on here in just a moment with Matt Lewis, columnist of The Daily Beast, author of Too Dumb to Fail, and his newest book, Filthy Rich Politicians. We're talking about that one today. But folks, if you're looking to get filthy rich, maybe you should give our call. Our friends at Invest Y refy a call, go to their website, invest y refy.com that's invest the letter Y, then refy.com and learn how you can earn up to a 10.25% fixed rate of return on your money. That's right. 10.25% Phenomenal rate of return not correlated to the stock market. The stock market goes up. The stock market goes down, your investment continues, racking up the great interest and great returns for you. So give them give our friends there a call. You can do that at 888 y refy 24 and tell them Chuck and Sam sent you Matt.Chuck Warren: All right. So, so much to cover in your book, but tell us what are reforms of your king for the day? And they said, Matt, you make these changes and we start building a little trust back up in Congress again. What would you do?Matt Lewis: Okay. So the first couple we've talked about, I would the most important is to ban individual stock trading for members of Congress and their family. That is by far the most important thing we can do, because.Chuck Warren: Certainly I want to make one appearance.Matt Lewis: Of insider.Chuck Warren: Trading. Right. I don't want to hurt you, but you made a good point. I listened to on a fellow podcast, which you made this point. It's not even so much about them increasing their wealth. Sometimes it's that they prevent the loss of wealth. So let's use, for example, Senator Barr in North Carolina as an example, if you can share that with our audience.Matt Lewis: Yeah, this is really corrosive. So Senator Senator Richard Burr, he just retired, but he was chairman of the Intel Committee. So like in that capacity, you know, he had access to all sorts of of kind of classified briefings, classified information. And you might remember back in early 2020, like before most Americans realized how damaging Covid 19 was going to be like in terms of shutting down businesses and the economy. Um, Richard Burr dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars of stock in things like Wyndham Hotels, the kinds of things that would be damaged in a global pandemic shutdown. But making matters even worse. Then he picks up the phone and calls his brother in law and within one minute of hanging up with Richard Burr, his brother in law calls his broker and dumps his stock. And so that is the thing. It's it's not just that politicians are able to make money by virtue of what certainly looks like insider trading, but it's it avoids the downfall. And certainly during times of change and crisis, that's when they can really use information to dump stock and avoid like a major catastrophic loss.Sam Stone: Well, and that has the the so as someone who does trade stock issues, the other side of that is if you dump at the start of something like that on an industry like hotels, like airlines, all of that, you're going to get that going two ways. You're going to avoid the loss and then you're going to be able to buy back in at a low point and you're going to know when that low point is hit.Matt Lewis: Absolutely. And and again, think of it. I mean, the average American at this point doesn't know how bad Covid 19 is going to be. We're being told it'll disappear. It'll be, you know, like a miracle. It'll disappear or, you know, two weeks to slow the spread or whatever.Sam Stone: This is when you had De Blasio telling folks, go out in the streets and celebrate the Chinese New Year. Right. I mean, it's literally coinciding with that moment.Matt Lewis: And so that's a classic example, right? Our politicians are telling the public, don't worry, everything's fine. And yet what are they doing? What are they doing with their money? And so I think that is super corrosive. And that's by far, I would say, the most important reform in the book.Chuck Warren: Let me ask you this. I'm a follow up two questions real quick. How many members have siblings or family members that are in the brokerage business or selling and trading stocks? Do you know that you were you able to find that out?Matt Lewis: I it's in the book. I don't recall offhand. Okay. I do know it is in the book. And I will I will say this. I mean, in 20 so in 2012, up until 2012, it wasn't even illegal to engage in insider trading in Congress. It's only been the last decade when that was illegal. Now the problem is policing. And I can tell you that the law it's called the Stock Act that made it illegal has has done very little to alleviate. The problem.Chuck Warren: There's always a loophole, right? There's always some loophole they'll find. All right, what else would you do? What else would you reform?Matt Lewis: Well, we've talked about family. I would I would ban the practice of hiring family for campaigns or official congressional offices. If you want to volunteer on a campaign, by all means. I just. We just wouldn't pay you. I would have a ten year moratorium on lobbying so that after serving in Congress, you can't go out and just start lobbying your former colleagues immediately. You would have a ten year basically ban on that. Some people like Ted Cruz and AOC want a lifetime ban. I don't even know if that would be constitutional right now. It's, I think, two years in the Senate, one year in the House. But like you said, Chuck, I mean, there are ways around it. There's this thing called the Daschle loophole where politicians immediately start lobbying. They just don't register as lobbyists.Chuck Warren: They're consultants. They're consultants.Matt Lewis: Yes. They're yeah, exactly.Chuck Warren: You know, and you know what? You see this a lot, too. I mean, take Congress out of the equation. You see this a lot in legislatures. Legislatures. You know, you see people who couldn't rub two nickels together for their elected to the legislature, which doesn't take as much money. And now they're lobbying and making six high, six digits a year.Sam Stone: Watch every governor's staff, if they've just won their second term, they get into year five. Right. And that whole staff disappears into the lobbying land and they're all rich by year eight.Chuck Warren: Is that something that you think we should push also on the state level? And hopefully, you know, I find out a lot of times if states start pushing something, various states, then it goes to the national level is that's something that people should be pushing their state legislatures to pass?Matt Lewis: I would say definitely I would I would strongly encourage that. And, you know, sometimes states can be the laboratories of democracy. And if these reforms can begin there, that would be very healthy.Chuck Warren: What else? Okay. Lobbying, banning stock, hiring kids and family on campaigns. Those are three great things. What else could be done?Matt Lewis: One of them this is one that is not sexy, but it's book deals, believe it or not. You know, Bernie Sanders, who's a socialist, was asked, how did you become a millionaire? And he said, and I'm paraphrasing, but this is pretty close to the real quote. He said, I wrote a best selling book. If you write a best selling book, you could be a millionaire, too. But but the book deals are really I mean, people are using their their perch, their position to become millionaires. But the worst part of it is the bulk orders, right? So you write a book, but instead of real people buying the book, it's like the National Republican Senatorial Committee buys like 50,000 copies of it. And some of that money very well could trickle back into your pocket. Well, for example.Chuck Warren: For example, Bernie Sanders, I just looked it up, made $170,000 in book royalties in 2022, which almost matches his $174,000 congressional salary.Matt Lewis: There you go. There you go. And I don't think you wrote a book in 2022. No, he's still making royalties.Sam Stone: Well, and you know, the quality of most of these books, you know, they're ghost written or co-written, and most of them are just garbage. And you see these huge payouts, you know, it's not for their incredible insight in that in that no tome.Matt Lewis: Totally. Yeah. These are not this is not Hemingway you know.Chuck Warren: Well with Matt Lewis good friend of the show, daily columnist at The Daily Beast. He has come out with a new book. You can buy It now, Filthy Rich Politicians, the Swamp Creatures, Latte, Liberals and Ruling Class Elites. When we come back, we're going to talk about the latte liberals and what Matt dug in about that. I'm going to.Sam Stone: Bring up Joe Biden also. You can do.Chuck Warren: That as well. That's right. This is breaking battlegrounds. Find us are breaking battlegrounds vote. We'll be right back.Sam Stone: Welcome back to Breaking battlegrounds with your host, Chuck Warren. I'm Sam Stone, continuing on right now with Matt Lewis, friend of the program, columnist for The Daily Beast and author of the new book Filthy Rich Politicians, Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals and Ruling Class Elites Cashing In on America, available right now at Amazon or your favorite bookseller? Matt As I read it, I did get to the section on the Bidens. And two things I think stand out is, one, they're cashing in less than most of of a lot of these other political families are. But two quite frankly, Matt, the stupidity of their schemes with Hunter Biden and all this stuff when there are so many ways that they could I don't want to say legitimately, but at least entirely legally make huge amounts of money. Did nobody in that family take notes from the Clinton Global Initiative?Matt Lewis: Well, I think if you've seen the pictures of Hunter Biden recently, you know that at least some members of his family are not operating based on reason and logic. Um, Joe Biden kind of has, it seems like I mean, who knows? I mean, I don't know if he's, quote, the big guy who's getting a cut from the Burisma money or whatever, from Hunter. But Joe, according to his actual, you know, disclosure reports, really wasn't all that wealthy compared to most of these politicians until he left the vice presidency. And then he had about three years where he really cashed in. He made about $15 million off of, you know, the usual boring stuff, speeches, book deals, being a adjunct professor, that kind of thing. But the one thing that is clear is that Biden has a long history of his family cashing in on on his name. And it's not just Hunter, it's James and Frank, I think it is, who've been doing this. And, you know, I found that way back in 1988, the first time Biden ran for president. He raised about $11 million. There's a lot of money. In 1988, he raised $11 million, and 20% of that money went to the Biden family or companies that employed the Biden family. So this thing of him spreading the money around to his family has been going on for 25 or 30, I guess 35 years something.Chuck Warren: Yeah. So in 1988, if you go and say, what's the dollar value, then that's worth about 5.1 million today. Yeah, I mean, it's real money. Sam, what are your what's your family doing for you?Sam Stone: I I've got to run for something more significant than city council is what you're saying. Chuck Yeah.Chuck Warren: Matt Let me ask you a question and Sam Biden Biden stuff, but I want to ask you a question. I, I heard you on an interview and I thought this was really interesting. And folks, Matt has just a wonderful wife. And the thing I love about Erin is she is so dang blunt. And you were talking to her about maybe on a walk running for Congress. Would you tell I want to understand really how hard this is to do, first of all, and why there is a certain wealth factor involved with it. I don't think they quite understand. You know, I have a congressional candidate friend who's running right now. He's put 300 grand on his race and just he just said it doesn't seem like it's enough. And that's what I have. That's what it is. Right. Would you explain your conversation and why this is so hard and why we are getting a certain amount of people in office?Matt Lewis: Totally. And this was eye opening for me as someone who's been, you know, in politics for decades, even for me, I had to kind of grapple with this realization. So but so my wife, as you know, Chuck, my wife is a Republican political fundraiser. And while I was writing this book, you know, we went out for a walk and we were talking and I was you know, I live in West Virginia and my congressman is running for Senate against Joe Manchin. And so we were walking. I said, you know, if things were a little different, maybe I someday I could run for Congress. And she's like, oh, you don't have enough money. And I said like, well, what are you talking about? Like, number one, I've been in you know, I know a lot of people. I've been in journalism for a couple of decades and I've got a good network and I'm like, number two, I'm married to a professional Republican fundraiser. Surely I could run for Congress in West Virginia. And she was like, Well, let me put it to you this way. If I didn't know you and you approached me and you wanted to hire me, I would say, come back to me. When you've either donated $300,000 or raise $300,000 from your personal Christmas card list, and then and only then would I introduce you to political action committees and high dollar donors. And that's when it hit me that even I who wrote on the Straight Talk Express with John McCain could not win a congressional seat in West Virginia because I'm not rich enough.Chuck Warren: Well, you need better friends. Yeah.Sam Stone: Yeah. Chuck and I are not going to be able to help you that much there. Matt Lewis, we want to thank you again for joining us. We have just about 30s before we end the segment here, we really appreciate having you on. How do folks stay in touch with all of your work?Matt Lewis: Oh, awesome. Well, first, get filthy rich politicians. Follow me on Twitter at Matt K Lewis and check me out at The Daily Beast.Sam Stone: Perfect. Thank you so much. Once again, Matt, we always love having you on the program. Looking forward to the next round breaking battlegrounds. Back in just a moment.Advertisement: At Overstock. We know home is a pretty important place and that's why we believe everyone deserves a home that makes them happy. Whether you're furnishing a new house or apartment or simply looking to update and refresh a few rooms. Overstock has every day free shipping and amazing deals on the beautiful high quality furniture and decor. You need to transform any home into the home of your dreams. Overstock Making Dream homes Come True.Sam Stone: Welcome back to Breaking Battlegrounds with your host, Sam Stone in studio with me today. Kiley Kipper dragged reluctantly onto the mic once again back.Kiley Kipper: By popular demand. I'm just.Sam Stone: Kidding. People love you, Kiley. They are always happy to talk to you. And you know what else makes people happy? Earning a really high rate of return on their investments. That makes almost everybody I know happy. And folks, if you haven't checked out our friends at Invest Refy.com, you need to do that right now. Go to invest the letter Y then refy.com you can earn up to a 10.25% fixed rate of return. The market goes up, the market goes down, your rate of return stays the same. It is a tremendous opportunity and we highly encourage you to check it out. So again, go on their website, invest y refy.com or give them a call at 888 y refy 24 and tell them Chuck and Sam sent you. Now, our next segment up, we have a returning guest, someone we really enjoyed having on the program last time, Congressman James Moylan of Guam. And we have something actually this is coming out on Saturday, the 22nd. We record on the 21st. And folks, the 21st is a very special day. July 21st is a special day in Guam. Congressman, tell us what's going on.Congressman James Moylan: Sure. I'll be happy to. Hi there, Sam. And hi, Kiley. And we as we greet folks from Guam, we say half a day. So half a day to you both.Sam Stone: And half a day to you as well, sir.Congressman James Moylan: Thank you. So we I was just on the floor today and gave a five minute speech for Congressional Record announcing the celebration of Guam's 79th Liberation Day 79 years ago. Guam was liberated and from during World War two. We also had a ceremony at the war. Let me see. World War II Memorial on July. July 13th here, where we had a wreath laying presentation on the monument at the War Memorial with Guam on it. This is a tradition that has been long ongoing for for quite some time. And we've joined in with our Guam Society of America, the oldest tomorrow group in the nation. We have so many different tomorrow groups throughout the nation, but this is the first and the oldest. We also had other members of Congress that were present. We had the undersecretary of the United States Air Force, Christine Christine Jones, and we also had the commandant of the United States Marine Corps, General Eric Smith, also do a presentation. So what's really happening is to remember this day for celebration. 79 years ago, on July 21st, 19, 1944, Guam, after two years of occupation by the Japanese Imperial Army military, the United States service members landed on our south west part of Guam, to liberate over 20,000 tomorrows and Americans from the occupation of Guam.Congressman James Moylan: The actual the war in World War II were not. Many people know that Guam was actually occupied by the Japanese soldiers, and that day came as an invasion on December 8th of 1941. This is a special day for Guam because we were celebrating the feast of Santa Maria Kamalen, and that's Guam's patron saint. And after people were coming out of church, the sounds of bombs were just dropping and planes flying overhead. And and it drowned out what was a peaceful neighborhood and a great celebration of of of our services there. And that's what started the occupation on Guam. So we're very thankful 79 years later for the liberation Day of Guam, when the Marines came on back on July 21st, 1944. So that's our celebration. And we we're very patriotic and we're we're rededicating ourselves to chorus. And Guam is even even just as important then as it is even more so now with the Indopacom situation and the Communist Chinese party threat for national security and our sister nations out there who are supporting us as well, with the U.S taking the.Sam Stone: Lead that has I mean, that is something that I think is so almost incomprehensible, Congressman, to any American right to you're stepping out of out of a services or a celebration in your country is being bombed around you. And there have to be people there who who lived through that experience, who still have that direct memory. Yes. And that has.Congressman James Moylan: In fact.Sam Stone: Never leave you.Congressman James Moylan: Right. And many of war survivors still tell the stories. And we did have a war survivor here for a celebration here in Washington, DC at the Pacific Memorial. So but my mother was also one. So my mother had told me this story and she was 12 years old at the time. She was coming out of the cathedral with her grandfather. And she she explained the story in this way, that as they were exiting and they see the Japanese zeros flying over and the bombs were coming on down and she's yelling at her grandfather, too, Grandpa, we got to go. We got to go. Let's run, run, run. As an older man, he said, No, just leave me here. And she started she had to pull him so they can run, run for protection and run and hide and get back home to their family. So them with my mother's explanation. And and by the way, my father was in Pearl Harbor at the time of the bombing in Pearl Harbor, too. So every everybody's generations and generations, families have been affected. And the war stories continue to the brutality that was taken against forced labor, forced marches, beheadings, stabbings, grenades and and caves where where locals were were killed and massacred. And it was it was tremendous loss of innocent lives. But that's why we celebrate the. With the Liberation Day coming out, with the Marines, coming out back with US soldiers, with the United States Navy there to re reclaim Guam and give us our freedom back.Congressman James Moylan: And my mother was part of that as well. There was what they called the Bennington Force march, where the Japanese troops used the local residents as a shield, As the Americans were coming onto the shore and coming inland, the Japanese were marching that direction, but using the local folks as a barrier. But of course, you know, the US is not going to kill innocent citizens. And my mom would explain to me as she's climbing up the hills in Menningen when they see the star on on the army, I believe it was an army tank or an army jeep. Then the soldiers would call them over and tell them to keep quiet, keep quiet, just come this way, come this way. And they felt so, so relieved to see the US, see Americans, see the military there. And it was a joyful celebration. And that's why this this has continued in celebrating and remembering in memory of this throughout the nation. We have Guam societies that we have calendars of events for just about every state where there's Guam residents. And they establish their organization and they celebrate to to remember those that have died, that have sacrificed. And if there are survivors to celebrate their lives as well for what we consider the greatest generation.Sam Stone: Congressman, one of the things I think people know from, you know, books and movies like Unbroken a little bit, some of the experience that, for instance, American POWs went through. But I don't think they know enough about what the people of the occupied islands of the Pacific, including Guam, went through. You were just, you know, referencing some of it right there. But that occupation was just absolutely brutal in every regard and with with really little consideration for the humanity of the people of Guam or any of the other islands of the Pacific.Congressman James Moylan: Very true. And and not all were able to talk about it some more. Chose to to forget my my mother's father was imprisoned in Japanese in Japan as well. And then when he came back to the to Guam after the war was over, he died shortly thereafter just from lack of lack of nutrition. So it was very it was it was brutal. And and the rules of war and Geneva Convention, there was there's nothing like that. The forced labor that was placed upon the people, the beheading of of local folks and the fights that went on and and what they had to endure. And you had to bow also to the imperial Japanese Army. And if you didn't, you're whipped and beaten. It was it was a sad day for those almost two and a half years of occupation. And that's why when the Americans came back, it was a great celebration. And since that time, of course, we've grown and we had we're considered per capita, the highest enlistment in the nation, where people joining the military, because of our commitment and the happiness and the joy that the United States came back to claim that U.S territory, which was the U.S territory at the time.Sam Stone: So there are few, few populations on the planet that love America and the ideals of America like the people of Guam.Congressman James Moylan: Yes. And I'm happy to represent as the delegate here. And there's a couple of committees that we were able to get ourselves on. And one is the House Armed Services Committee, which I play a great role in the readiness and also the personnel part. And I focus on on Guam and the Northern Marianas and and the Indopacom region. So we've had also we're able to have within the first quarter, a congressional delegation come through Guam. Second quarter, we just had another one, the House committee, House Armed Services Committee, to include the chairman and several other members of the House to come on up over an experience of what Guam is and what the role was and what it is now for the Indopacom region to defend against communist Chinese threat. And then we're going to have another one through the Natural Resources Committee, Department of Interior Affairs, which I'm a part of also, and the subcommittee specifically regarding our nation's Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands as well. All these nations joining in so we can protect freedom and democracy. Right. And we are against the Communist Chinese party. So I'm very fortunate to represent Guam in these two committees that have a great impact in the Indopacom region. And we're I believe the United States will be here for a long, long time to ensure that the Chinese threat is is deterred by our show of strength with all our other countries that are involved with our democracy.Sam Stone: And people folks out there may not realize that as a territory. Guam, obviously, we're talking to their congressman member right now. Congressman, you don't have a vote on the House floor, but you do have a vote on committee. And I think most people don't recognize that what happens on the House floor is often kind of a dog and pony show, that the actual sausage gets made in those committees that dictates what's actually going to be voted on and how those bills, you know, interact with with the intent of the authors.Congressman James Moylan: Exactly. And we just were discussing the National Defense Authorization Act, the NDAA, which is the one of the biggest budget for the defense of the nation, and so much billions of dollars going into the Indo-Pacific region. Our influence there, we were able to double what we received last last fiscal year for for the island defense. So that's a great influence there. So in committee, yes, we do this and pardon me.Sam Stone: Sorry, we had a little technical glitch right there. Apologize for that. Let's just keep going here. I want to switch up topics just a little bit. We have only two minutes left. Are there any traditional celebrations, the traditional foods like here, obviously July 4th, Independence Day, it's hot dogs, hamburgers, fireworks. Are there celebratory traditions around Guam's Independence Day, their liberation day?Congressman James Moylan: Yes. Unfortunately, this year we didn't have it because we were hit with Super Typhoon Marwar. So we're still recovering from that. However, we'll we get back to our traditions. We usually have a parade with all the branches of the military, all our department agencies and a lot of villages are also represented with floats. It's it's it's a beautiful parade that goes down what's known as Marine Corps Drive. That's our main road on Guam. In addition, people overnight on the sides of the roads and they picnic because it's right next to the beach and they barbecue. We love our fiesta. We call it Fiesta food. We have what's called red rice barbecue chicken, barbecue ribs. And our marinade is delicious. We have a sauce called Vinodhini, which is our hot sauce. And we have something special called Chicken Kelaguen that everybody loves. So.Sam Stone: Congressman, I think we I think we need to check the weather and make some plans for next year to come. There.Congressman James Moylan: There you go. You're more than welcome and you're invited. Please come on down. It's going to be the 80th. And that's where you should have your show coming out of. That'd be great.Sam Stone: I think that sounds like an absolutely fantastic plan. Congressman James Moylan of Guam, thank you so much for joining us once again. We really appreciate having you on the program, folks. Stay tuned for our podcast only segment. You're not going to want to miss this one. Breaking battlegrounds. Back in just a moment.Speaker1: The 2022 political field was intense, so don't get left behind in 2024. If you're running for political office, the first thing on your to do list needs to be securing your name on the web with a your name Web domain from GoDaddy.com. Get yours now.Sam Stone: Welcome to the podcast. Only segment of breaking battlegrounds. In studio with me today the irrepressible haven't broken that out in a while the irrepressible Kiley Kipper. She remains irrepressible folks. She is our producer. She does a fantastic job. We've got Jeremy in the booth, as always, doing a beautiful job on all our audio and on the line. Now, I saw this come out a little while ago and it kind of blew me away. We have Senator Shannon Grove from California's 12th Senate District. Senator Grove has served in the US Army and had the amazing. It had to be amazing. Senator, the experience in Frankfurt, Germany, of watching the fall of the Berlin Wall. She's an advocate for small business school choice, the developmentally disabled farmers and families, and we're having her on today to discuss her proposed amendment to Assembly Bill 2167. Senator, thank you so much for joining us today. We really appreciate having you on the program. Tell us what this amendment was. First, I think this is news that was so much going on in the country, escaped a lot of people, but it really blew me away when I heard about your bill. I'm shocked California didn't have something like this already on the books and then shocked and disheartened at the Democrats response to it.Senator Shannon Grove: No.Senator Shannon Grove: And I appreciate you guys covering this subject matter. I really do. And thank you for having me on. Sb 14 was a simple solution that would just allow us individuals who sell children for sex, sex trafficking, minor children, 0 to 17in age group. It would make it a serious felony in the state of California right now, there's two subsections that deal with this subject matter. And selling a child for sex does not automatically make it a serious felony unless there's coercion, torture, violence, you know, all these different things that go along with it, then it can be considered serious. But I want the actual act of selling the child to be a serious felony.Sam Stone: And it shocks I mean, honestly, it we're sitting here in Arizona, obviously, we've had Republican leadership for a long time. So it's a very different environment. Obviously, every state is different. But this should be a no brainer, right? I mean, so much of the problem and we've dealt with the issue of sex trafficking and child sex trafficking here quite a bit. Obviously, with the border. Arizona is also another hub of that activity, just like California is, unfortunately. But a lot of times it's very difficult to prove those if you can prove any element of it at all. It's really difficult to prove those other elements. This has got to be just hamstringing prosecutors, this current law.Senator Shannon Grove: It really is hamstringing prosecutors. And that's why we work together with our district attorneys, including all the statewide district attorneys, with the exception of 3 or 4. But specifically Nancy O'Malley, the former district attorney of Alameda County, who established the heat unit, the human trafficking exploitation unit. And what happened is, is that that was the first unit set up like that in the nation that was victim centered. She's prosecuted over 850 cases of human trafficking. And one of the big issues that she has is that you can't convict these individuals because this particular bill, SB 14, the language is not on the books. When we first introduced the language, we wanted to make sure everybody was encompassed, that everybody in sex trafficking, labor trafficking were all included. But to get it out of the Senate, we had to narrow it to minors only. So we moved the football a little bit. We got a unanimous vote in the Senate. 40 senators in the state of California, all 40 voted I no abstentions and no no's. Fast forward to the Assembly Public Safety Committee, where the bill dies.Sam Stone: Oh.Sam Stone: I it stuns me. What was to hear that? I mean, it's sort of it's just gross. I mean, quite frankly, it's just gross. They clearly killed it when they they figured it wouldn't draw much attention by killing it in committee. But, my goodness, how how did what did they what did they say? How did these Democrats look at themselves in the mirror?Kiley Kipper: That's what I want to know, is what is their response when you're trying to have these conversations with the people that you work with?Senator Shannon Grove: So, yeah, no. So I did I was, you know, they requested me leadership, requested me to meet with the chair of the committee after it was killed and he wanted me to take an amendment. So let me explain the bill just a little bit more so people get a full grasp of it. If you sex trafficking a minor child in the state of California and you get caught and you get prosecuted, you get sentenced to either four, 8 or 12 years, let's just take the maximum 12 years with California's criminal justice reform laws. You go to school, you go to classes, you're a good behavior in prison. You can get out in less than four years. So let's just take that scenario, which happens quite often. You get out in four years and then you go back to sex trafficking a minor. That's when my bill kicks in and creates a strike offense that when you get busted on your second offense for selling a child for sex, then you have to serve your full 12 years and you have a strike against you, which could, if you continue your bad behavior, you could end up with life in prison. The chair wants me to take an amendment to allow the second offense of sex trafficking, not the first one. When you get convicted, you go to prison. You get out in four years, but then you get out again and you sex trafficker minor do or do another bad felony, something that's listed as a serious or violent felony. He wants me to take an amendment to allow the perpetrator to plea bargain down. I said no. So that's why the bill died.Sam Stone: That that is that is Kiley. That is stunning to me.Kiley Kipper: Just sitting here shaking our heads.Sam Stone: Yeah, My mouth is my mouth is on the bottom of this table right now because can you even.Senator Shannon Grove: Believe we're having this conversation?Sam Stone: No, no, no. Senator, we're talking to Senator Shannon Grove of California's 12th Senate District. She proposed this bill that would have made it a serious and violent felony to traffic minor children for the purposes of sex. That's a really narrow thing. I mean, trafficking any person should be a serious and violent felony. I like your original intent, but I understand cutting it back. You have to make a deal. I cannot comprehend the inhumanity that it takes to not move this out of committee.Senator Shannon Grove: Well, I think it just, you know, with the the media engaging the way they did and Californians raising up their voices and, you know, with the the the exposure that the bill got from dying caused the Public Safety Committee to reverse their decision, you know, 24 hours later. So it still is moving through the building. They are still pushing for amendments. You know, the public safety chair voted for the bill. We got it out of public safety. And now he's on, you know, TV. Every time he turns around going the bill is still flawed. I have to fix this bill. There's nothing wrong with my bill. It says that if you it just simply says you can't. It's a serious felony to to sex traffickers sell a child for sex. It's just ridiculous that you wouldn't be able to get this passed with flying colors. And what's interesting is, is that, like I said, every senator voted for it, including Scott Wiener out of San Francisco, The San Francisco Chronicle, and I'm talking about San Francisco, not normal California, but San Francisco. The San Francisco Chronicle even did an article, you know, against the chair's arguments like like you mean sex trafficking. The minor isn't enough like that. They have to brutalize them. You know, there's a whole list of things that they have to do in order to make it a strike or a default to life in prison. But I mean, branding them with a branding iron instead of tattooing all these different things in the details that will allow you to make it a fallback for the strike able offense. I just want to make it a strike able offense for sex trafficking. A minor like you shouldn't need all these other things. I think sex trafficking, a minor like my witness said it and it's kind of gross, but you have to get this vision in your head. Grown men all over a ten year old child, that in itself should be a serious felony.Sam Stone: Okay. I'm glad to be here. We are, folks, we are recording this just before lunchtime and I started the intermittent fasting thing. And I'm right now really glad that I don't start eating anything till noon because I think I would have thrown up right there. I mean, that's just.Senator Shannon Grove: This is disgusting. It's the hardest bill I've ever. I met parents that whose daughter was trafficked. And I said, How did you find out? You know, you know, tell me your story. She got a text message, a video. She clicked on the video and it was five guys gang raping her daughter. I met a and it's it's disproportionately does affect black women and people of color. If you look at Figueroa Street, the National Coalition of Human Trafficking down there says that 70% of the women that are in their shelters are are black or brown. And then also 55% of them on the streets are black or brown. So for them to say that this disproportionately affects black people, I agree with them in that portion only. They are concerned about the black people that could possibly go to prison for perpetrating these crimes against black women. And I to me, I don't care what color your skin is, I, I don't care what I was in the military. Everybody's green, but I don't care what color your skin is. If you're sex trafficking minors, I do want you to go to prison for a long time. Yeah.Sam Stone: I mean, this this hesitation on their part, it's protecting the evil people and not protecting the innocent ones. And who gives a darn about skin color? That just makes no sense at all.Senator Shannon Grove: But when they can't make an argument on the substance, they always throw in race. And they always do that. They always throw in race. And then you've got these people out there doing the q-anon thing. If they can't make an argument on the substance, they try to distract from the substance. And I keep saying the bill is very simple. If you sex trafficking a minor 0 to 17, you should go to prison.Sam Stone: Well, and part of the backstory behind some of their opposition, I imagine, is what they've been trying to do to essentially legalize or decriminalize however you want to put it, prostitution. But they present it as as a choice for the people that are engaging in that activity. This is not a choice. I mean, this is not somebody. Yeah. Who's who's making a decision about their own life. This is somebody who's being abused in the worst way possible.Senator Shannon Grove: You're exactly right. But when you get into the details, I guess you'd say the the the serious felony doesn't kick in when you traffic a minor because, you know, you just you have to imagine somebody's going, come on, you know, like a family member or do this for dad, do this for mom. You know, whatever a neighbor come on, just do this one time. Well, they're not they're not beating her into submission. They're not. So it doesn't count, right? It just doesn't count. So there are there are it is very, very hard to prosecute a serious felony in the state of California for this because the girls are scared. They're young. They they they're afraid to turn someone in. And so basically, they have to have all these additional things that happen once you sex traffic the minor. And that's why I was trying to make it simple that that selling the child or sex trafficking the child should be enough alone by itself as a serious felony.Sam Stone: I, I.Sam Stone: Would agree, Kylie, in part because when you talk to experts about this, about sex trafficking, particularly a minor, children, you know, even regardless of the physical abuse, what they're using is mental abuse and mental torture to to keep these these young people in a position where they can continue to be exploited. They're tearing their mind apart. Yeah.Kiley Kipper: And it'll never be recovered. Obviously, their life will never be the same.Senator Shannon Grove: I mean, Kiley, you're absolutely right when you think about it. You know, even my survivors that have gone on to have families and you know that I have Odessa Perkins, if you haven't watched her testimony, she really nailed them with her responses. But she was she was trafficked as a minor and went through the anger stage, the criminal stage, the whole bit where she was, you know, didn't function right in society because of the trauma in her. And then you become a survivor versus a victim. Right. And now she's an interventionist. She's a speaker and author. She has a nonprofit where she rescues at risk kids and deters at risk kids and rescues people out of human trafficking. So there is a is a road to recovery. But that doesn't mean that she doesn't deal with this trauma that affected her as a child all of her life, every single day. And the same with Jenna McKay, who does the Jenna McKay Foundation. And you know what's interesting about these two individuals, Odessa is a black a black woman trafficked as a child in a in a poor socioeconomic disadvantaged neighborhood. But Jenna McKay came from a Christian home, no divorce, got a full ride scholarship to Vanguard University and was lured out of that by someone who said they loved her. She fell in love. She thought she they'd been dating for a few months. He asked her to go to Vegas, knock on the door. When they get to Vegas, they exchanged money and men came in and raped her.Kiley Kipper: Wow.Senator Shannon Grove: So there's different stories in this human trafficking realm.Sam Stone: And it takes an enormous amount of courage to be able to come out and tell those stories. But it takes as much courage in the moment to be able to go and tell that story to police. And it just sounds like this, you know, anything you do that adds barriers, that makes it more difficult for them to have the the the resolution in part, I guess, of having their assailant be actually placed in bars and behind bars and face real penalties. That has to be part of the healing process for a lot of them. Right. Is is seeing justice actually happen. And this is this this hesitation by some California Democrats is really denying that.Senator Shannon Grove: It really is. And that's a perfect way to explain it, too. So we're trying to remove barriers. There's barriers now to testimony which you just said. So this bill would remove barriers. It just the act of selling the child for sex would be a serious felony. So there wouldn't be any barriers where you have to meet a certain level or did they beat you? Did they sodomise you? Did they I mean, all these crazy things, right? So just the act. So we're trying to remove the barriers for these these kids to testify. So that's a very good way to put it. Thank you for phrasing it that way.Sam Stone: Fantastic. Senator, anything else that we should be focusing, you know, people should be paying attention to around this upcoming hearings or anything like that. And then secondly, how can they support you in the work you're doing? Because I got to say, especially in California, you're you're swimming upstream in a big way. But they need more voices like yours who provide some balance.Senator Shannon Grove: I appreciate that. So the bill did get out of public safety. It quieted the media down a little bit. So now everybody's off on their what they call summer break. We come back on August 14th and the bill will go before the Appropriations Committee in order to get through one more committee, the opposition, the Democrats that killed the bill originally in public safety and then re voted for the bill two days later or a day and a half later. They are still saying that I they are going to fix this bill and they're going to make me take amendments. There is nothing to fix in this bill, so please stay engaged in the process. You can follow me at Shannon Grove, CA on Instagram, Shannon Grove, CA on Twitter, Shannon Grove, CA on Facebook, or Senator Shannon Grove on Facebook. But and we'll post the, you know, the day that the hearing is going to take place. We'll keep everybody updated on social media. So please stay engaged and to pray for this process because it really is just just a mess the way that the California state legislature operates. And then also, you know, participate in the hearing process. They still allow call ins. You can call in, you can write in, you can you can just participate to support the bill. So thank you, folks.Sam Stone: We have a lot of listeners out there right now who are listening to this who are in California. Make your voice heard. You know, make stand up, exercise your right as a citizen. I think that's incredibly important in this case. They need to hear from voices outside the political process and where people really stand, because I don't see. Senator, thank you so much for joining us. Senator Shannon Grove. I don't see anything at all that needs to be amended in this bill. This needs to pass.Senator Shannon Grove: I agree. Thank you so much for taking the time to interview me and get the message out there. I really appreciate it.Sam Stone: All right. Fantastic. Folks, remember to tune in every week to Breaking Battlegrounds. We're on all your favorite Salem network stations. And you can also download us wherever you find your podcasts, Substack, Spotify. Apple Podcasts. I think we still even post to YouTube, although I've never I've never actually been on our YouTube site. Kiley To find out what's up. It's up. Okay, folks, make sure you're tuning in. That's how we keep the lights on here in this studio. That's how we pay the bills and that's how we continue to bring you stories about what's going on around the country that maybe aren't getting enough coverage like this one. Again, thank you to all of our guests today and particular thanks to our final guest, Senator Shannon Grove of California. It is, as always, been an enlightening and and not always easy journey here with breaking battlegrou

Federal wild land firefighters who combat dangerous wildfires, like the ones responsible for currently hazardous air conditions on the east coast, are facing yet another crisis. Time is running out for a temporary pay raise for federal firefighters, officials at the Department of Interior and the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service warned senators on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The temporary pay raise, in an attempt to improve recruitment and retention, offered federal firefighters a boost of either $20,000 or 50% of their annual base salary, whichever number is lower. But the funding, part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), will run out by the end of September. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal wild land firefighters who combat dangerous wildfires, like the ones responsible for currently hazardous air conditions on the east coast, are facing yet another crisis.Time is running out for a temporary pay raise for federal firefighters, officials at the Department of Interior and the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service warned senators on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.The temporary pay raise, in an attempt to improve recruitment and retention, offered federal firefighters a boost of either $20,000 or 50% of their annual base salary, whichever number is lower. But the funding, part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), will run out by the end of September. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#97: Kenny Stein Testifies Before the House Natural Resources Committee (5/11/23) Full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEOBqCZhldo&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fnaturalresources.house.gov%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&feature=emb_title

Andy Bochman is the Senior Grid Strategist-Defender for Idaho National Laboratory's National and Homeland Security directorate. In this role, Andy provides strategic guidance on topics at the intersection of grid security and climate resilience to INL leadership as well as senior U.S. and international government and industry leaders. Andy is a frequent speaker, writer, and trainer who has testified before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on energy infrastructure cybersecurity issues and before FERC on the maturity of smart grid cybersecurity standards. He has had recurring conversations on grid security matters with the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the National Security Council. In this OODAcast we discuss Andy's most recent book, Countering Cyber Sabotage: Introducing Consequence-based Cyber-Informed Engineering. This book introduces INL's new approach for defending against top-tier cyber adversaries. Watch as we learn how a hockey player transformed into a cybersecurity champion and author of one of the most important books for engineering for critical infrastructure defense.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: According to a report from channel 8 WISH-TV in Indiana, Councilmember Ryan Webb has announced that he will now be identifying as a “lesbian woman of color.” Webb appeared on Fox News with Jesse Kelly to explain his decision to be his “true self” publicly for the first time. In response to the collapse of First Republic Bank, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre stated the Biden Administration is very confident there will be no more banking failures. Rachel Louise Ensign and Ben Eisen of The Wall Street Journal write, “[r]egulators seized First Republic Bank and struck a deal to sell the bulk of its operations to JPMorgan Chase Co., heading off a chaotic collapse that threatened to reignite the recent banking crisis. JPMorgan said it will assume all of First Republic's $92 billion in deposits—insured and uninsured. It is also buying most of the bank's assets, including about $173 billion in loans and $30 billion in securities.” You can read Ensign and Eisen's full report here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/first-republic-bank-is-seized-sold-to-jpmorgan-in-second-largest-u-s-bank-failure-5cec723 On Tuesday, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland testified at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing where she seemingly claimed there were too many jobs in America for “blue collar workers.” Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) questioned Sec. Haaland about the Biden Administration's “clean energy” agenda and its habit of promoting reliance upon foreign nations for the mining of precious metals and minerals necessary for the development of batteries used in electric cars.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 1: 3:05pm- According to The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, the Biden Administration is seeking to implement a new rule which “will raise mortgage fees for borrowers with good credit to subsidize higher-risk borrowers. Under the rule, which goes into effect May 1, home buyers with a good credit score over 680 will pay about $40 more each month on a $400,000 loan, and upward depending on the size of the loan. Those who make down payments of 20% on their homes will pay the highest fees. Those payments will then be used to subsidize higher-risk borrowers through lower fees.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/upside-down-mortgage-policy-212fd736 3:15pm- In response to the expiration of Title 42, President Joe Biden announced that he will dispatch 1,500 active-duty military personnel to the U.S. Southern Border to help prevent illegal border crossings from surging. 3:30pm- Flashback: During an interview with Ezra Klein in 2015, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) said he vehemently opposed “open-borders” and claimed it was a right-wing proposal being supported by the Koch brothers—alleging that Republicans wanted relaxed border security in order to drive down the cost of labor and, subsequently, enhance the profits of large corporations. How has the Democrat party changed its stance on border security so drastically in just 8 years? 3:50pm- Flashback: In 2018, in response to the Trump Administration's decision to send troops to the U.S. Southern Border, then-Senator Kamala Harris claimed the act was “inappropriate” and “political”—so, then why is the Biden Administration doing the very same thing now? Was Harris simply attempting to politicize the issue in 2018? 4:05pm- During the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on Supreme Court Ethics Reform, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) stated that the hearing's primary intention was to destroy the reputation of ideologically conservative Justices—specifically Justice Clarence Thomas. Sen. Cruz also condemned Senate Democrats for attempting to reduce funding for Justice security even after the attempted assassination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh following the release of a leaked draft of the court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which ultimately upended Roe v. Wade. 4:15pm- The Wall Street Journal's Editorial Board writes, “Senate Democrats are holding another hearing on ‘Supreme Court Ethics Reform'…and it's important to understand that this isn't about ethics at all. This is another front in the political campaign to delegitimize the Supreme Court, with a goal of tarnishing its rulings and subjecting it to more political control.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-ethics-reform-hearing-senate-democrats-john-roberts-clarence-thomas-ketanji-brown-jackson-sonia-sotomayor-d0304d65?mod=opinion_lead_pos1 4:30pm- Nicholas Tomaino—Assistant Editorial Features Editor at The Wall Street Journal—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his latest editorial, “Politico Aims at Gorsuch and Misses.” Politico's Heidi Przybyla alleges that the sale of a property linked to Neil Gorsuch amounts to an ethics problem for the Supreme Court Justice. But as Tomaino points out, Justice Gorsuch disclosed the transaction and “didn't own the property directly. Rather, he held a 20% share in Walden Group LLC, a company he and two partners formed when they bought the house in 2005, before Mr. Gorsuch was a judge. The company listed the property for sale in 2015, asking $2.495 million, and sold it to Mr. Duffy two years later for $1.825 million.” So where is the ethics problem? You can read Tomaino's full editorial here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/politico-aims-at-gorsuch-and-misses-disclosure-colorado-ethics-reform-durbin-87a4fc50?mod=opinion_lead_pos7 4:55pm- During a recent episode of his podcast, Joe Rogan suggested that former Fox News host Tucker Carlson should appear on the online video platform Rumble. 5:05pm- The Drive at 5: President of Thomas Jefferson University Dr. Mark Tykocinski was reprimanded via email by the institution's Chief Executive Officer Joseph Cacchione for “liked” Tweets that questioned the efficacy of gender affirming surgeries for children. Should Dr. Tykocinski have been forced to apologize? Zeoli notes that it appears academia now only accepts dangerous versions of “group think.” 5:20pm- The Mystery Movie Clip: Rich forgets to ask caller twelve for the name of the film… 5:40pm- According to a new poll from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, young Democrats are abnormally depressed.   6:05pm- According to a report from channel 8 WISH-TV in Indiana, Councilmember Ryan Webb has announced that he will now be identifying as a “lesbian woman of color.” Webb appeared on Fox News with Jesse Kelly to explain his decision to be his “true self” publicly for the first time. 6:30pm- In response to the collapse of First Republic Bank, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre stated the Biden Administration is very confident there will be no more banking failures. Rachel Louise Ensign and Ben Eisen of The Wall Street Journal write, “[r]egulators seized First Republic Bank and struck a deal to sell the bulk of its operations to JPMorgan Chase Co., heading off a chaotic collapse that threatened to reignite the recent banking crisis. JPMorgan said it will assume all of First Republic's $92 billion in deposits—insured and uninsured. It is also buying most of the bank's assets, including about $173 billion in loans and $30 billion in securities.” You can read Ensign and Eisen's full report here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/first-republic-bank-is-seized-sold-to-jpmorgan-in-second-largest-u-s-bank-failure-5cec723 6:45pm- On Tuesday, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland testified at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing where she seemingly claimed there were too many jobs in America for “blue collar workers.” Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) questioned Sec. Haaland about the Biden Administration's “clean energy” agenda and its habit of promoting reliance upon foreign nations for the mining of precious metals and minerals necessary for the development of batteries used in electric cars.

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Hiding in Plain Sight: Mexico's Octopus Farm/Research Facade, published by Tessa @ ALI on April 19, 2023 on The Effective Altruism Forum. Recap: In November 2022, Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) implemented a global campaign that aims to increase public and legislative pressure on countries/regions where octopus farms are being considered to achieve a regulatory ban, and reduce future chances of these farms being created elsewhere. We started Banding Together to Ban Octopus Farming, and have witnessed both promising and pessimistic developments. Good News First: 2023 has, thus far, demonstrated just how universal the looming issue of octopus farming is. Concerns originated from the establishment of a potential farm in Spain, however, grievances quickly traveled. From the United States; Hawaii's Division of Aquatic Resources issued a cease and desist letter to Kanaloa Octopus Farm for operating without the required permits. And house bill 1153: "Prohibiting Octopus Farming" was proposed in Washington state. HB 1153 passed the first committee vote with overwhelming support from policymakers and members of the public across the globe. The bill received 9 "yes" votes and 2 "nays" from committee members. Despite overwhelming, bipartisan support, the bill now sits in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee until 2024. However, this truly represents a historic moment for the movement to #BanOctopusFarming. During the voting session, policymakers spoke about octopus sentience and intelligence, and how this is a great opportunity to protect an incredible species from somber futures in factory farms. ALI will ensure that this bill is a priority topic again during the next legislative session. Across the pond, RSPCA calls for halt to plans for world's first octopus farm. This announcement is the first public objection raising "concerns over the commercial farming of octopuses and the negative welfare impact it could have on this complex animal" from a seafood certification body. Aquatic Life Institute works closely with RSPCA Assured (RSPCA's farm animal welfare assurance scheme), to ensure that all seafood production prioritizes high-welfare practices. They are a valuable stakeholder in ALI's Certifier Campaign, and we commend them for taking the lead on such a timely issue. The Not So Good News: The small town of Sisal, Yucatan is now the location of Mexico's first octopus farm, appearing extensively in national and international media outlets as a groundbreaking industry for the region. The Sisal unit of the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), the country's largest and most prestigious university, initiated the research project to study the physiology of the most common regional species: Octopus Maya. UNAM's research center created an agreement with local families to establish Moluscos del Mayab, the commercial branch of the facility. UNAM research facility obtains pregnant females from the surrounding ecosystem. Still relying on wild populations for replenishing their broodstock, they are currently conducting research related to the development of a self-sustaining reproductive unit. Once females lay eggs to be kept in a patented incubator, they are then slaughtered and commercialized. The eggs are artificially incubated for 50 days, producing around 20,000 eggs per month. The Sisal unit has around 6-8 recirculating tanks for adults and 12-15 tanks for juveniles. Pre-growth tanks hold around 25 larvae per square meter. In total, this tank can fit approximately 707 larvae at any given time. The second growth tank can hold around 288 juveniles, reducing the density at this stage due to aggressive juvenile cannibalism. Up to 191 octopus are held in each grow-out tank. With a 52% mortality rate, averaging around 5% per week, researchers note around 30% is directly relat...

In Episode 317 of District of Conservation, Gabriella previews what House of Representatives leadership under Republicans will look like in the 118th Congress next year. She focuses on the Natural Resources, Western Caucus, Energy & Commerce, and Agriculture committees. Tune in to learn more. SHOW NOTES House Natural Resources Committee - Rep. Bruce Westerman Western Caucus - Rep. Dan Newhouse Energy & Commerce - Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers Agriculture - Rep. Glenn Thompson --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/district-of-conservation/support