U.S.
A Lone Texas Representative Is Stalling a Major Coronavirus Bill From Moving to the Senate
Published
2 years agoon
By
Cory Ray
- The Senate is waiting for the House of Representatives to finish up details on an economic relief bill that would provide support to millions of Americans affected by the coronavirus.
- The House passed that bill early Saturday morning, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are reportedly working to make “technical corrections.”
- While there has been plans for the House to unanimously pass the bill before the corrections were finished, a lone representative has objected, keeping that bill in the House until it is done.
- There were also conflicting reports about Democrats and Republicans trying to sneak abortion legislation into the bill, though it is unknown how much truth is behind those reports.
When Will the Senate Vote on a Coronavirus Bill?
Texas Representative Louie Gohmert is insisting on reading a series of “technical corrections” made to a bill poised to provide economic relief to Americans affected by the coronavirus. In short, that could keep the bill out of the Senate even longer.
At around 1 a.m. Saturday morning, the House of Representatives passed that bill 360-40 in a bipartisan effort.
Further details of the bill, which was designed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, are still being hashed out by Pelosi and Mnuchin. This is because there are reportedly “major differences” between the White House and Democrats over what gets adopted and what needs to be changed.
Still, the Senate, which announced last week that it would be canceling its scheduled recess, is expected to vote on the bill soon.
“Senators on both sides are carefully reviewing the details and are eager to act swiftly to help American workers, families, and small businesses navigate this challenging time,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said.
However, that process is now snagged with Gohmert’s hold up.
“We still do not have a final draft of the negotiated changes being called ‘technical corrections’ and some of us believe that the newly worded laws should be finished before we pass them,” Gohmert said on Twitter.
We still do not have a final draft of the negotiated changes being called ’technical corrections’ and some of us believe that the newly worded laws should be finished before we pass them. #CoronaVirus
— Louie Gohmert (@replouiegohmert) March 16, 2020
Essentially, the House would have voted to pass the corrections before they were finalized, but it would have needed unanimous consent. With Gohmert’s objection, that means a vote will have to wait until he’s read the changes.
Once in the Senate, one of the big questions regarding the bill is if senators will pass it in one go. While lawmakers will no doubt try to expedite the legislation as swiftly as possible, there is a fair chance that the Senate will amend some of the bill’s provisions and send it back to the House.
“Most of the measures in this bill are something that the senators will support, I believe,” Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) said on Fox & Friends. “But we worry that the bill setting up a new and complicated system relying on businesses giving paid sick leave and then getting a refundable tax credit that won’t move quickly enough and could put pressure on those businesses to lay workers off.”
The House bill sets up a complicated relief system that relies on paid sick leave & refundable tax credits.
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) March 16, 2020
That won’t move quickly enough & puts undue pressure on businesses to lay off workers.
We don’t want to see layoffs—we need cash in the hands of affected families. pic.twitter.com/64hNtYhfJO
What’s in the Bill?
The bill, which was supported by President Donald Trump, provides a series of measures including sick leave, free testing, boosted unemployment insurance, and food programs for children, the elderly, and U.S. territories like Puerto Rico.
Notably, it does not include Trump’s original plan of payroll tax cuts; however, that’s not necessarily off the table. Both Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy have indicated that there will likely be more relief measures. It’s possible payroll tax cuts could end up being put in those.
“This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests, and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers,” Trump said in a series of Tweets supporting the bill nonetheless. “I encourage all Republicans and Democrats to come together and VOTE YES! I will always put the health and well-being of American families FIRST. Look forward to signing the final Bill, ASAP!”
….the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations that will provide flexibility so that in no way will Small Businesses be hurt. I encourage all Republicans and Democrats to come together and VOTE YES! I will always put….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2020
….the health and well-being of American families FIRST. Look forward to signing the final Bill, ASAP!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2020
The bill has received some criticism for its policies around sick leave.
As it stands, it would ensure that employers provide 14 days of paid sick leave at 100% of a person’s pay, as well as up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave at no less than 67% of a person’s normal pay.
The caveat, however, is that it does not include all workers and pertains mainly to businesses with less than 500 employees.
The bill makes no mention of large companies with more than 500 employees, largely because both Pelosi and Mnuchin said they didn’t want to give those companies taxpayer subsidies.
“U.S. taxpayer money subsidizing corporations to provide benefits to workers that they should already be providing,” Pelosi said on Twitter.
I don’t support U.S. taxpayer money subsidizing corporations to provide benefits to workers that they should already be providing. House Democrats will continue to prioritize strong emergency leave policies as we fight to put #FamiliesFirst. https://t.co/GIoCJAKE1M
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 15, 2020
On Sunday, Mnuchin echoed her thoughts by saying “big companies can afford these things.”
That means employees of those businesses have to rely on company policy, and different companies do things differently. Just because they can pay for it doesn’t mean they will, and that has been a major argument driving the criticism around this measure.
For example, Uber is offering two weeks of paid sick leave, but it is unclear how that will be calculated. Olive Garden is also offering sick leave to its hourly employees, but it’s only giving them 40 hours, which is notably less than what other companies will need to grant under this House bill.
Was Abortion Legislation Wrapped Up in the House Bill?
The House bill also reportedly hit another snag as Pelosi and Mnuchin were trying to reach a deal before its introduction.
Oddly enough, the debate was seemingly over abortion.
On Thursday, conservative news outlet the Daily Caller reported that “Pelosi sought to include a potential way to guarantee federal funding for abortion into the coronavirus economic stimulus plan, according to multiple senior White House officials.”
However, Democrats such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez painted a much different story.
“Right now, we are hearing that some of the fights and some of the gridlock is because people are trying to put pro-life provisions into this,” she told Brett Baier on Fox News.
Obviously, those are two very different testimonies, and as Snopes puts it, since the specifics of those negotiations are unknown, it’s hard to “untangle these competing narratives.”
However, “The hold-up appeared to have concerned the inclusion — or lack of inclusion — of what is known as Hyde Amendment language.”
The Hyde Amendment prohibits the federal government from funding abortions except in rare cases.
See what others are saying: (Washington Post) (CNN) (Snopes)
U.S.
Lincoln College to Close for Good After COVID and Ransomware Attack Ruin Finances
Published
6 days agoon
May 10, 2022By
Chris Tolve
Last year, 1,043 schools in the U.S. were the victim of ransomware attacks, including 26 colleges or universities, according to an analysis by Emsisoft.
One of the Only Historically Black Colleges in the Midwest Goes Down
After 157 years of educating mostly Black students in Illinois, Lincoln College will close its doors for good on Friday.
The college made the announcement last month, citing financial troubles caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a ransomware attack in December.
Enrollment dropped during the pandemic and the administration had to make costly investments in technology and campus safety measures, according to a statement from the school.
A shrinking endowment put additional pressure on the college’s budget.
The ransomware attack, which the college has said originated from Iran, thwarted admissions activities and hindered access to all institutional data. Systems for recruitment, retention, and fundraising were completely inoperable at a time when the administration needed them most.
In March, the college paid the ransom, which it has said amounted to less than $100,000. But according to Lincoln’s statement, subsequent projections showed enrollment shortfalls so significant the college would need a transformational donation or partnership to make it beyond the present semester.
The college put out a request for $50 million in a last-ditch effort to save itself, but no one came forward to provide it.
A GoFundMe aiming to raise $20 million for the college only collected $2,452 as of Tuesday.
Students and Employees Give a Bittersweet Goodbye
“The loss of history, careers, and a community of students and alumni is immense,” David Gerlach, the college’s president, said in a statement.
Lincoln counts nearly 1,000 enrolled students, and those who did not graduate this spring will leave the institution without degrees.
Gerlach has said that 22 colleges have worked with Lincoln to accept the remaining students, including their credits, tuition prices, and residency requirements.
“I was shocked and saddened by that news because of me being a freshman, so now I have to find someplace for me to go,” one student told WMBD News after the closure was announced.
When a group of students confronted Gerlach at his office about the closure, he responded with an emotional speech.
“I have been fighting hard to save this place,” he said. “But resources are resources. We’ve done everything we possibly could.”
On April 30, alumni were invited back to the campus to revisit the highlights of their college years before the institution closed.
On Saturday, the college held its final graduation ceremony, where over 200 students accepted their diplomas and Quentin Brackenridge performed the Lincoln Alma Mater.
Last year, 1,043 schools in the U.S. were the victim of ransomware attacks, including 26 colleges or universities, according to an analysis by Emsisoft.
See what others are saying: (The New York Times) (Herald Review) (CNN)
U.S.
U.S. Tops One Million Coronavirus Deaths, WHO Estimates 15 Million Worldwide
Published
2 weeks agoon
May 5, 2022By
Chris Tolve
India’s real COVID death toll stands at about 4.7 million, ten times higher than official data, the WHO estimated.
One Million Dead
The United States officially surpassed one million coronavirus deaths Wednesday, 26 months after the first death was reported in late February of 2020.
Experts believe that figure is likely an undercount, since there are around 200,000 excess deaths, though some of those may not be COVID-related.
The figure is the equivalent of the population of San Jose, the tenth-largest city in the U.S., vanishing in just over two years. To put the magnitude in visual perspective, NECN published a graphic illustrating what one million deaths looks like.
At the beginning of the pandemic, the White House predicted between 100,000 and 240,000 Americans would die from the coronavirus in a best-case scenario.
By February 2021, over half a million Americans had died of COVID.
The coronavirus has become the third leading cause of death in the U.S. behind heart disease and cancer.
The pandemic’s effects go beyond its death toll. Around a quarter of a million children have lost a caregiver to the virus, including about 200,000 who lost one or both parents. Every COVID-related death leaves an estimated nine people grieving.
The virus has hit certain industries harder than others, with food and agriculture, warehouse operations and manufacturing, and transportation and construction seeing especially high death rates.
People’s mental health has also been affected, with a study in January of five Western countries including the U.S. finding that 13% of people reported symptoms of PTSD attributable to actual or potential contact with the virus.
Fifteen Million Dead
On Thursday, the World Health Organization estimated that nearly 15 million people have died from the pandemic worldwide, a dramatic revision from the 5.4 million previously reported in official statistics.
Between January 2020 and the end of last year, the WHO estimated that between 13.3 million and 16.6 million people died either due to the coronavirus directly or because of factors somehow attributed to the pandemic’s impact on health systems, such as cancer patients who were unable to seek treatment when hospitals were full of COVID patients.
Based on that range, scientists arrived at an approximate total of 14.9 million.
The new estimate shows a 13% increase in deaths than is usually expected for a two-year period.
“This may seem like just a bean-counting exercise, but having these WHO numbers is so critical to understanding how we should combat future pandemics and continue to respond to this one,” Dr. Albert Ko, an infectious diseases specialist at the Yale School of Public Health who was not linked to the WHO research, told the Associated Press.
Most of the deaths occurred in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
According to the WHO, India counts the most deaths by far with 4.7 million, ten times its official number.
See what others are saying: (NBC) (U.S. News and World Report) (Scientific American)
U.S.
Official Says Missing Alabama Convict and Corrections Officer Had a “Special Relationship”
Published
2 weeks agoon
May 4, 2022By
Lili Stenn
Authorities have also said they now believe the officer willfully helped the inmate escape.
New Information on Missing Inmate & Officer
Authorities in Alabama revealed Tuesday that Assistant Director of Corrections for Lauderdale County Vicky White, who is accused of helping a murder suspect Casey Cole White escape from jail, had a “special relationship” with the inmate.
“Investigators received information from inmates at the Lauderdale County Detention Center over the weekend that there was a special relationship between Director White and inmate Casey White,” Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said in a statement. “That relationship has now been confirmed through our investigation by independent sources and means.”
Officials have previously said that the two are not related, despite their shared surname.
Singleton elaborated on the nature of the relationship while speaking to CNN later on Tuesday. He said it took place “outside of her normal work hours” and added that although it did not include “physical contact,” he still characterized it as “a relationship of a different nature.”
“We were told Casey White got special privileges and was treated differently while in the facility than the other inmates,” Singleton said.
Also on Tuesday, the Marshals Service issued a statement confirming that authorities believe Officer White had helped Mr. White escape. The authorities described her as a “wanted fugitive” and offered a $5,000 reward for any information on her whereabouts. Earlier this week, the Marshals Service also offered a $10,000 reward for any information that could lead to Mr. White’s capture.
Singleton echoed the belief that Officer White’s actions were intentional while speaking to Good Morning America Wednesday.
“I think all of our employees and myself included were really hoping that she did not participate in this willingly. But all indications are that she absolutely did,” he said. “We’re very disappointed in that because we had the utmost trust in her as an employee and as an assistant director of corrections.”
Mysterious Escape
Vicky White and Casey White were last seen leaving the Lauderdale County jail just after 9:30 a.m. Friday. The officer told other employees that she was taking the inmate to a mental health evaluation at a courthouse just down the road, and that she would be going to a medical appointment after because she was not feeling well.
Officials later said her actions violated an official policy that required two sworn deputies to transport people with murder charges. In 2020, Mr. White was charged with two counts of capital murder in connection to a fatal stabbing he confessed to and was awaiting his trial in Lauderdale County.
Mr. White was also serving time for what officials said was a “crime spree” in 2015 which included home invasion, carjacking, and a police chase. He had also previously tried to escape from jail, police said.
It wasn’t until 3:30 p.m. on Friday that a jail employee reported to higher-ups that he was not able to reach Officer White on her phone and that Mr. White had never been returned to his cell.
During a press conference that same night, Singleton told reporters that there had never even been a scheduled mental health evaluation. At another briefing Monday, he announced that an arrest warrant had been issued for Vicky on a charge of “permitting or facilitating an escape in the first degree.”
At the time, Singleton said it was unclear “whether she did that willingly or was coerced or threatened” but added, “we know for sure she did participate.”
See what others are saying: (CNN) (ABC News) (NPR)

“Saturday Night Live” Faces Backlash for Sketch Mocking the Johnny Depp Amber Heard Trial

Convoy of Up to 1,000 Vehicles Evacuates Refugees From Mariupol as Russian War Effort Stalls

Israel Moves to Build Over 4,000 West Bank Settlements as Palestinian Homes Demolished

Canada Accused of Killing Poor People with Assisted Death Law

Actors Equity Association Slams Nude Video Leak of “Take Me Out”

Lincoln College to Close for Good After COVID and Ransomware Attack Ruin Finances

Fans Defend Britney Spears’ Nude Instagram Photos As a Form of Empowerment

Nationalist Sinn Fein Party Wins Northern Ireland Election for First Time in History

THE VIDEO LEAKED! Joe Rogan v Mia Khalifa Exposes A Lot, TikTok v Youtube, Cawthorn, & More

U.S. Tops One Million Coronavirus Deaths, WHO Estimates 15 Million Worldwide

Netflix Faces Shareholder Lawsuit Over Subscriber Loss

Mia Khalifa Shuts Down Death Rumors, Sparks Conversations About Plastic Surgery and Adult Film Industry

Ace Family’s Austin McBroom and Team Accused of Rape

YouTuber MrBeast Responds to Criticism of Massive Tree Planting Project

Netflix Apologizes and Changes Marketing Materials for “Cuties” After Backlash

Joe Rogan Denies Spotify Censorship Rumors, According to Alex Jones

Trisha Paytas Accused of Exploiting Transgender Community

Conservatives Slam Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion Over “WAP” Lyrics

Dixie D’Amelio Responds to Rumors That She Faked Seizures to Get Out of Class

The Onision Controversy Explained

Influencer Coconut Kitty Accused of Editing Nude and Suggestive Photos To Make Herself Look Underage

Ariana Grande Look-Alike Responds After Singer Suggests Her TikTok Impersonations Are “Degrading”

THE VIDEO LEAKED! Joe Rogan v Mia Khalifa Exposes A Lot, TikTok v Youtube, Cawthorn, & More

WOW! Dave Chappelle Attacked Onstage! What Really Happened, Hero Uber Driver, & More

UNPRECEDENTED LEAK EXPOSES A LOT, IMPACTS EVERYONE, & IT’S GOING TO GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER

“HE CHEATED!” Why People Are FURIOUS About MrBEAST, Ludwig, & Alexandra Botez’s MILLION DOLLAR GAME

I’m Sorry

THEY HATE US! Pokimane, Hasan Piker, & More Denounce Twitch As Youtube Struggles

Belle Delphine Bhad Bhabie Exposed A Lot & This is Just the Beginning…

ELON MUSK BOUGHT TWITTER, NOW WHAT? I got COVID, Joe Rogan, France, Supreme Court, & More

The Truth About Mike Tyson’s “Airplane Beatdown”, Why CNN+ Failed, Casey Neistat, & Today’s News

IT GOT WORSE?! Ethan Klein H3 Podcast Scandal, Melissa Lucio, Why Netflix Really Collapsed, & More

The Libs of Tiktok Washington Post Scandal Went Bad Fast… Taylor Lorenz, Hasan Piker, Joe Rogan

We Want to Hear From You! Tell Us About Your Personal Pandemic Experience

CinemaCon Reviewing Security After Olivia Wilde Was Handed Envelope With Custody Documents While On Stage

Fans Defend Britney Spears’ Nude Instagram Photos As a Form of Empowerment

Three Million Sign Petition Calling For Amber Heard to Be Removed From “Aquaman” Sequel

After Being Freed From 32 Years in Prison, Crosley Green May Have to Go Back Behind Bars

Netflix Reports First Subscriber Loss in Over a Decade, Suggests Looming Crackdown on Password Sharing

Canada Accused of Killing Poor People with Assisted Death Law

McCarthy Warned Far-Right Lawmakers Could Incite Violence After Jan. 6 in New Audio of Leaked Call

Actors Equity Association Slams Nude Video Leak of “Take Me Out”

U.S. Tops One Million Coronavirus Deaths, WHO Estimates 15 Million Worldwide

Lawmakers, Brands Push for Marijuana Legalization on 4/20, But Federal Action Appears Uncertain Despite Public Support

“Saturday Night Live” Faces Backlash for Sketch Mocking the Johnny Depp Amber Heard Trial

Convoy of Up to 1,000 Vehicles Evacuates Refugees From Mariupol as Russian War Effort Stalls

Israel Moves to Build Over 4,000 West Bank Settlements as Palestinian Homes Demolished

Canada Accused of Killing Poor People with Assisted Death Law

Actors Equity Association Slams Nude Video Leak of “Take Me Out”

Lincoln College to Close for Good After COVID and Ransomware Attack Ruin Finances

Fans Defend Britney Spears’ Nude Instagram Photos As a Form of Empowerment

Nationalist Sinn Fein Party Wins Northern Ireland Election for First Time in History

THE VIDEO LEAKED! Joe Rogan v Mia Khalifa Exposes A Lot, TikTok v Youtube, Cawthorn, & More

U.S. Tops One Million Coronavirus Deaths, WHO Estimates 15 Million Worldwide

Netflix Faces Shareholder Lawsuit Over Subscriber Loss

THE VIDEO LEAKED! Joe Rogan v Mia Khalifa Exposes A Lot, TikTok v Youtube, Cawthorn, & More

WOW! Dave Chappelle Attacked Onstage! What Really Happened, Hero Uber Driver, & More

UNPRECEDENTED LEAK EXPOSES A LOT, IMPACTS EVERYONE, & IT’S GOING TO GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER

“HE CHEATED!” Why People Are FURIOUS About MrBEAST, Ludwig, & Alexandra Botez’s MILLION DOLLAR GAME

I’m Sorry

THEY HATE US! Pokimane, Hasan Piker, & More Denounce Twitch As Youtube Struggles

Belle Delphine Bhad Bhabie Exposed A Lot & This is Just the Beginning…

ELON MUSK BOUGHT TWITTER, NOW WHAT? I got COVID, Joe Rogan, France, Supreme Court, & More

The Truth About Mike Tyson’s “Airplane Beatdown”, Why CNN+ Failed, Casey Neistat, & Today’s News

IT GOT WORSE?! Ethan Klein H3 Podcast Scandal, Melissa Lucio, Why Netflix Really Collapsed, & More
