Over the next two days, I will meet with key Chinese counterparts in Beijing.
This is another important step towards stabilising our economic relationship with China.
It will be the first visit by an Australian Treasurer to China in seven years.
These meetings are part of the Albanese Labor Government’s methodical and coordinated efforts to re‑establish dialogue with China, Australia’s largest trading partner.
The main purpose is to co‑chair the 2024 Australia‑China Strategic Economic Dialogue with Zheng Shanjie, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, on Thursday 26 September.
Our relationship with China is full of complexity and opportunity.
We recognise a more stable economic relationship between Australia and China is a good thing for Australian workers, businesses, investors and our country more broadly.
That’s why in the last week I have consulted directly with the chairs, CEOs and senior executives of major China‑facing Australian employers, including Rio Tinto, Wesfarmers, BHP, Woodside, Fortescue, Macquarie, BlueScope, HSBC, King & Wood Mallesons, the Port of Newcastle, Sydney Airport, Cochlear, the University of New South Wales, GrainCorp and the Business Council of Australia.
Dialogue and engagement gives us the best chance to properly manage and maximise these important links.
Our approach to China has been to cooperate where we can, disagree where we must, and engage in Australia’s national interest.
The Strategic Economic Dialogue has not been convened since 2017 but our Government has agreed with Chinese counterparts to restart it.
I’ll also be meeting with other counterparts from the Chinese Government during my two days of engagements.
My meetings in China build on Prime Minister Albanese’s engagements in November 2023 and Premier Li Qiang’s meetings in Australia in June 2024.
We recognise that there’s a lot at stake and a lot to gain from the relationship with China.
We’ve got an opportunity to make sure both countries benefit from the continued complementarity of our economies, while protecting Australia’s interests.
A new outdoor space at Federation University Australia’s Gippsland Campus will provide a safe and welcoming environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students, and community members to connect to country and celebrate culture.
‘Warulung’, meaning ‘Our place’ in the Gunaikurnai language, was officially launched this week as part of the Place of Being project by the Aboriginal Education Centre at Federation and the University’s Property and Infrastructure team, in partnership with an advisory committee made up of Traditional Owners and community leaders.
It will support spiritual and cultural practices, dances, smoking ceremonies, and events throughout the year, enabling students, staff, and the wider community to learn, reflect and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ connection to country.
The site features a semi-circle of five steel shields, signifying the five clans of the Gunaikurnai: Brataualung, Brayakaulung, Brabralung, Tatungalung and Krauatungalung.
Warulung’s spherical fire pit was designed by Gunaikurnai artist Ronald Ewards-Pepper and complements the site’s original stone fire pit designed by Gunaikurnai elder, Uncle Wayne Thorpe.
The shields and garden were installed by the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, with design input from Gunaikurnai and Indigenous artists.
‘Places of Being’ have also been established at Federation campuses in the Wimmera and Ballarat, with another to be launched in 2025 in Berwick.
Quotes attributable to Federation University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Duncan Bentley
“The Place of Being projects provide a safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students and the wider community to connect to country.”
“We hope this amazing space at the Gippsland campus can be a central place for community to come together to celebrate the rich culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
Quotes attributable to Federation University Aboriginal Education Centre Senior Manager, KatrinaBeer
“We have students and staff who come from many different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities who need a culturally safe place to connect spiritually.”
“We hope Warulung can create that sense of belonging, like a home away from home.”
Quotes attributable to Warulung advisory committee member, Aunty Christine Johnson
“Country is everything. It’s family, it is life, the connection of belonging, a space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, communities and families, whereby we listen to yarn, share stories, reflect and celebrate with the wider community.”
Source: The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc)
The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) congratulates Steph Matuku on winning the inaugural NZSA Shaw Writer’s Award 2024.
Steph Matuku, who has written several books for young people, will use the award to help complete the writing of The Blue Dawn, a novel set in early 19th century New Zealand, when the whaling industry was at its peak. Māori mythology and tradition collide with capitalism and brutal progress, as a grieving fugitive hunts the giant octopus that will lead her to her ancestors’ homeland.
The judging panel of Dr Paula Morris and Catherine Roberston said, “This is Steph Matuku’s first adult novel, and we thought the concept shows great promise. Steph is a hard-working writer and will make good use of this grant.”
Tina Shaw said, “I’ve just read and enjoyed Steph’s YA novel Migration, and was really impressed. She is obviously a very talented and dedicated writer. I’m pleased to see that Steph is now moving towards an adult readership with a novel that sounds exciting and imaginative and draws on a strong mythical element from te ao Māori.”
Of this year’s applicants, the judges said, “The number of applications shows how much need there is for an award like this. Authors often struggle at the mid-career point, and if they cannot find the right acknowledgment and support, may decide to give up. In creating the shortlist, we favoured applicants who were obviously committed to their writing career and really needed that boost to get over the midway hump. Our thanks to Tina for providing this opportunity for New Zealand writers, and congratulations to the first recipient.”
The $5,000 award was established by award-winning novelist Tina Shaw to encourage the development of new novels by mid-career fiction writers.
Tina Shaw is a novelist, short story writer and editor who has received many awards for her work, including the CNZ Berlin Writers Residency, the University of Waikato Writer-In-Residence and the Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship. She won the 2018 Storylines Tessa Duder Award with Ursa which was published in 2019 by Walker Books Australia and received a Storylines Notable Book Award. As editor, her 7th edition of the Bateman NZ Writer’s Handbook was published in 2023. Her novel manuscript A House Built on Sand won the 2023 Michael Gifkins Prize and was published in 2024 by Text Publishing.
Shaw works as a book reviewer, mentor, manuscript assessor, publisher, and is editor of the NZSA quarterly publication NZ Author.
The NZSA would like to thank the 2024 Judging Panel – Dr Paula Morris and Catherine Robertson and Tina Shaw for generously establishing this award.
Notes: The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa PEN NZ Inc is the principal organisation representing writers in Aotearoa. Founded in 1934, it advocates for the right to fair reward and creative rights, administers prizes and awards, works across the literary sector to make Aotearoa New Zealand writers and books more visible, and runs professional development programmes for writers. authors.org.nz
Source: United States Senator Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona)
Sinema worked directly with the White House to nominate Sharad Desai to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge
For a broadcast-quality HD clip, click HERE.
For an MP3 soundbite, click HERE.WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema introduced Sharad Desai, nominee to the U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Arizona to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sinema recommended Mr. Desai and worked directly with the White House on his nomination to the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. “Sharad Desai represents the best of the Arizona legal community. He possesses the experience, integrity, and intellect to serve honorably as a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona,” said Sinema. Earlier this year, Sinema applauded Sharad Desai’s nomination to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Arizona. Mr. Desai is a native Arizonan and, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he would be Arizona’s first South Asian federal district judge. Mr. Desai currently serves as Vice President and General Counsel for Honeywell’s Integrated Supply Chain and Information Technology groups, where he manages legal risk, ensures compliance with laws and regulations across the globe, resolves disputes prior to litigation, and more. At Honeywell, Mr. Desai has served in numerous roles, including as Litigation Counsel for Honeywell’s Aerospace division and Chief Litigation Counsel for the Safety and Productivity Solutions division. In these roles, Mr. Desai managed a docket of federal and state court matters and arbitrations – including commercial, qui tam, product liability, and toxic tort matters. Mr. Desai also selected outside counsel, developed the litigation strategy, and coordinated discovery efforts. He was also responsible for handling government subpoenas and civil investigatory demands, as well as subpoenas received in connection with civil and criminal matters. Mr. Desai also worked almost for a decade at the Arizona law firm Osborn Maledon, becoming a partner in the litigation group where he represented clients – including individuals, small business, and Fortune 100 companies – in commercial litigation and appellate matters. In this role, Mr. Desai regularly appeared in both federal and state courts, mental health court proceedings, and lawyer ethics matters. After graduating from New York University Law School in 2006, Mr. Desai clerked for Arizona Supreme Court then-Vice Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch. Mr. Desai earned a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Magna Cum Laude, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Arizona in 2003, where he was a Flinn Scholar. Sinema has a track record of earning broad bipartisan support for judicial nominees. Earlier this year, Sinema celebrated the Senate confirmation of Arizona’s Angela Martinez and Krissa Lanham as federal judges for the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona – which Sinema personally ensured both nominees earned a broad bipartisan vote.
Last month, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivered a one-hour address on the danger of illegal immigration to the United States. His stage was the US-Mexico border in Arizona and the set piece of his performance was the border wall.
The message was simple: with their border policy, Democrats have “unleashed a deadly plague of migrant crime”. Trump has ratcheted up the tensions on immigration further since then, repeating wild conspiracy theories about Haitian immigrants eating pets and, more recently, claiming migrants are “attacking villages and cities all throughout the Midwest”.
What the US needs, Trump has repeatedly stressed, is a closed border, a walled border.
A long history of wall-building advocacy
The US-Mexico border wall, which is currently around 700 miles in length in various stretches, has loomed large in American politics in recent decades, especially since the 2016 US presidential campaign. Yet, current stories about the wall mostly overlook its history.
Most importantly, the media ignore the long-standing appeal of the wall as a tool of spatial and cultural division in the making of the US-Mexico border.
In my forthcoming book, I trace the origin of the border wall to the early 1900s, when the US Immigration Service and other federal agencies called for the construction of barriers at the border.
Congress answered their appeal by adopting an act in 1935 that authorised the secretary of state to construct and maintain fences between the US and Mexico. For decades following its adoption, US officials stood before Congress almost yearly, asking for funding for the construction of border fences.
This trend culminated in the 1940s with two parallel projects: the Western Land Boundary Fence Project (576 miles or 926 kilometres of fencing from El Paso, Texas, to the west) and the Rio Grande Border Fence Project (415 miles or 668 kilometres of fencing along the Mexico-Texas border).
Neither one of these projects was ever fully realised. But if they had been built, they would have surpassed the length of the current border wall.
Immigration, disease and crime
What is telling when looking at the history is how similar the arguments supporting such fences in the early 1900s were to those deployed today. Immigration, disease and crime have been recurring justifications for the wall, both then and now.
Indeed, there is an uncanny likeness to Trump’s rhetoric surrounding the US-Mexico border — including during his August speech in Arizona — and the narratives justifying a border wall in the mid-20th century.
High on the list of justifications was the need to deter “juvenile delinquents”, “thieves”, “beggars”, undocumented workers, narcotic smugglers, “wetbacks” (a derogatory term for Mexicans), and Mexican nationals seeking medical care in the US at public expense.
These arguments appeared regularly in government reports and during congressional hearings from the 1930s to the late 1950s.
A 1934 report by the Immigration Services on the feasibility of a short border fence between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, for example, said it would stifle illegal immigration that took employment opportunities from American workers, while lowering wages in the borderland area.
Reminiscent of recent analogies between the borderland and a “war zone”, the report noted that sending agents to patrol the border without proper equipment was pointless. It was akin to:
put[ting] a body of troops in the field in an enemy’s theatre of operation without artillery, observation planes, trucks, ammunition and other weapons.
The fence was “the correct solution to the problem.”
At times, the fear of the undocumented merged with the fear of contagion. A foot and mouth disease outbreak in Mexico in 1946, for example, provided additional rhetorical support for the wall. As Texas Senator Tom Connally said when the Committee on Foreign Relations considered the issue:
It has been a dream of the Department of State for many years to have this fence, not because of the hoof and mouth disease, but for immigration and customs and smuggling and all of that sort of thing.
Senator Tom Connally in 1938. Harris & Ewing photographs, via Wikimedia Commons
Persistent racial faultlines
The 1935 act has long been forgotten. In fact, by the end of the 1950s, only a few hundred miles of fencing had actually been built.
These earlier walling plans failed for a range of reasons, including opposition by Texan landowners and industries relying on illegal Mexican labour. Perhaps most importantly, there were serious reservations back then about the efficiency of fences in curbing immigration.
Yet, these doubts have not weighed in to the same extent in contemporary debates about the border wall. This underscores the performative role of the wall in today’s politics.
In fact, close to 700 hundred miles (1,126 kilometres) of fencing has been built under the Secure Fence Act of 2006. This includes large portions of the wall built under the presidency of Barack Obama and, to a lesser extent, Trump’s.
What has filtered through, however, is the racialised narrative that paints Mexicans nationals in a disparaging way.
This rhetoric relied on generalisations and stereotypes on themes such as criminality, licentiousness and disease. It transformed Mexico into a threat to be curtailed and became a frame of reference that has permeated politics for decades – and is now a defining issue in the upcoming presidential election.
Marie-Eve Loiselle does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Langworthy (NY-23) honored the life of Chautauqua County Undersheriff Richard Telford during a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Undersheriff Telford, a respected public servant, passed away following a battle with cancer after more than 30 years of service in law enforcement.
Watch the full speech here.
Transcript:
“Mr. Speaker,
I rise today to honor the life and service of Chautauqua County Undersheriff Richard Telford, a dedicated public servant who spent over three decades protecting and serving the people of our county.
Rich’s passing is a profound loss for Chautauqua County. Those who had the honor of knowing him, say they knew they could always count on Rich. In remembering him Sheriff Quattrone said, “Rich was a man of integrity, he could always be counted on to do the right thing.”
Throughout his service, his sense of duty and commitment to the community he grew up in ran very deep.
After graduating from Jamestown High School and studying criminal justice at Jamestown Community College, Rich began his law enforcement career in 1991 with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office. He quickly rose through the ranks, serving as a deputy, a sergeant overseeing the county’s 911 center, a lieutenant, and later a supervisor for court security. His hard work and leadership were undeniable, and in 2021, he was appointed undersheriff of Chautauqua County—a role in which he continued to lead by example.
Rich’s dedication to the community wasn’t limited to his badge. He is remembered as a family man, a loving family man, devoted to his wife Amanda and their three children, Katelynn, Andrew, and Alex.
Throughout his career, Rich embodied the qualities we look for in our public servants—integrity, courage, and respect. His actions over 33 years spoke louder than any words. Whether it was investigating fires with the department’s fire investigation team or attending the prestigious FBI National Academy, Rich never stopped pushing himself to be better for his community.
Mr. Speaker, our hearts are heavy today, but we are filled with gratitude for the life and legacy of Rich Telford. His dedication and service to Chautauqua County will not be forgotten.
Your family is in our prayers, Rich. You will be missed, but your contributions will live on through the many lives you’ve touched.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brittany Pettersen (Colorado 7th District)
WASHINGTON – Today, at a press conference, Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) joined Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05), Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Jennifer McClellan (VA-03), and Jill Tokuda (HI-02) to reintroduce the Child Care Infrastructure Act and the Child Care Workforce Development Act. Pettersen also introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Creating Early Childhood Leaders Act with Congressman Marc Molinaro (NY-19).
These pieces of legislation would address critical aspects of the affordable child care crisis by increasing access to quality care. Additionally, these bills would strengthen the workforce by providing incentives to recruit and retain skilled educators, while ensuring high-quality, age-appropriate instruction for young children.
“As a working mom of a four-year-old son with another child on the way, I know firsthand how difficult it is to find affordable child care and the struggles families in my district are facing, especially in more rural communities,” said Pettersen. “That’s why I’m proud to help reintroduce these two pieces of legislation to bolster our child care workforce, help lower costs for parents, and ensure every family can access the care they need for their children to thrive.”
“I’m also grateful for Congressman Molinaro’s partnership on the Creating Childhood Leaders Act. Early childhood education lays the groundwork for lifelong learning, and this bill ensures school leaders focus on children from birth to age eight, building a strong foundation and fostering long-term success,” said Pettersen.
Background:
The Child Care Infrastructure Act would create a grant program through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide funding to states for building or renovating child care facilities and help ensure safe, high-quality learning environments for children. Additionally, the legislation calls for a nationwide assessment of the current condition of child care facilities. Bill text is available HERE.
The Child Care Workforce Development Act would create a student loan repayment program for early childhood educators and establish a grant program for individuals pursuing a childhood development credential. This would help attract and retain skilled educators, addressing workforce shortages in early education and ensuring that young children receive high-quality care and instruction during their most formative years. Bill text is available HERE.
The Creating Early Childhood Leaders Act would modify Title II of the Higher Education Act by mandating that school leadership programs receiving federal Teacher Quality Partnership grants incorporate training on early childhood development and effective instructional leadership for children from birth to age eight. Companion legislation was introduced by U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mitt Romney (R-UT). Bill text is available HERE.
This legislation is endorsed by The Education Trust, National Association of Elementary School Principals, First Five Years Fund, ZERO TO THREE, National Association for the Education of Young Children, and New America.
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People defending the right to abortion have revealed what it’s like to provide life-saving healthcare in the face of violence, repression and stigma, as part of Amnesty International’s second season of On the Side of Humanity podcast.
The three-part series – slated for release on International Safe Abortion Day on 28 September and available via all good podcast apps – features stories from healthcare workers and activists who are defending the right of women, girls and anyone who can get pregnant to take control over their own bodies and to get the best available healthcare when they most need it. Each episode is approximately 30 minutes.
“Everyone has the right to safe abortion. However, with anti-abortion narratives and legislation gaining ground around the world, people who need abortions, or who make them happen, face increasing, life-changing risks,” said Fernanda Doz Costa, Director of the Gender, Racial Justice, Migrants and Refugees Programme at Amnesty International.
“People defending the right to abortion, including those providing essential health services such as nurses, midwives, doctors, as well as activists distributing abortion-inducing pills, are being stigmatized, intimidated, attacked and subjected to unjust prosecutions, making their work increasingly difficult and dangerous to carry out. It’s time to shine a light on their stories through Amnesty’s new podcast and show them the support they deserve.”
Those featured in Amnesty’s new podcast are no different – having faced a tirade of abuse, simply for supporting those in need of an abortion. Some have even been imprisoned, such as Venezuelan teacher and human rights defender Vannesa Rosales, whohelped her 13-year-old student who had been raped to get access to a safe abortion.
“They raided my house and confiscated a grooming kit for my pets with scissors in it,” said Vannesa. “It was used as evidence that I was operating a clandestine abortion clinic. Immediately after, they arrested both of us, the girl’s mother and myself. She was facing up to five years in prison and I up to 15 years.”
Alongside Vannesa’s story, the podcast features abortion rights defenders including Verónica Cruz Sánchez, founder of Las Libres – a feminist Mexican organisation that coordinates a network of daring activists sending free abortion pills to women in the USA; midwife Sylvia Hamata from Namibia advocating for safe abortion access and battling against abortion stigma in her country; eminent Maltese gynaecologist and Professor of Medicine Isabel Stabile; gender rights activist and Amnesty’s campaign partner Stephanie Willman Bordat; world-renowned gynaecologist and former president of FIGO (The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics) Professor Sabaratnam Arulkumaran; as well as Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard.
Criminalization of abortion is the biggest contributing factor to the estimated 35 million unsafe abortions happening every year. It means healthcare staff are constantly caught in the conflict between the ethical and professional duty to provide the best available care and being criminally liable if they do not follow harmful laws.
“Research over several decades has shown that being able to control one’s reproduction and to exercise reproductive autonomy affects all spheres of life. It is central to the achievement of gender equality and social, racial, gender and economic justice. As part of our global campaign on the right to abortion, Amnesty International calls on states around the world to fulfil their obligations to protect the right to safe and legal abortion for all, and to respect and protect the right of all those who defend the right to abortion,” said Fernanda Doz Costa.
MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –
Source: Switzerland – Canton Government of Geneva in French
In Geneva, the management of student heterogeneity in secondary education I is reflected in the establishment of streams. At the end of primary education, students are directed into three distinct sections based on their performance.
The justification for this organizational choice is based on the idea of more effective targeting of teaching that should lead to better learning. However, the results of the national COFO survey and the cantonal fundamental expectations tests (TAF) repeatedly show particularly weak performance in the least demanding groupings, including with regard to the acquisition of basic skills. The literature has shown that due to differences in teaching, separate systems organized into streams are of little benefit to students in difficulty. Placement in a low-level group can also have harmful effects on other dimensions that interact with academic skills and influence success. Thus, certain motivational and metacognitive skills of students such as the feeling of competence or interest in learning can be degraded.
This SRED study, conducted during the orientation cycle, illustrates the mechanisms at work based on data collected from a large sample of 11th grade students, classes and teachers (2,700 students, 150 classes and 160 teachers). The separation into streams results in particular in lower learning opportunities and expectations in Mathematics and French for students in the least demanding streams. On the other hand, the teaching they receive differs little from the point of view of classroom practices. Multilevel analyses demonstrate that at a comparable initial level, learning opportunities and expectations have an effect on students’ final performance, as do certain practices such as the pace of lessons, the structuring of teaching and differentiation.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Support for semiconductor scale-ups announced as Lord Vallance kicks off a stakeholder forum ahead of the G7 Semiconductors Points of Contact group in Cambridge.
16 semiconductor scale up projects backed to advance innovative tech
Science Minister Lord Vallance unveils new support for UK semiconductor scale-ups to advance innovations, from phone screens to medical tech
Support to help businesses grow unveiled as Minister welcomes leading tech nations to a stakeholder forum preceding the G7 Semiconductors Points of Contact group in Cambridge
Comes as new report finds rapidly growing UK semiconductor industry valued at nearly £10 billion and expected to rise this decade
UK semiconductor firms producing vital technology from phone screens to surgical lasers are being backed in their efforts to scale up into large businesses and drive economic growth.
The science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance has announced the 16 projects that will win a share of a £11.5 million pot – provided by Innovate UK – that will help drive innovation, as he opened an industry conference of G7 nations today (Thursday 26 September).
Pioneering projects across the country will help take the UK’s thriving semiconductor industry to the next level as it further enhances everyday life – from more efficient medical devices to energy saving phone screens – and kickstart economic growth.
This comes shortly before the Government’s International Investment Summit which will showcase the UK as a place to do business. Today’s move is yet another reason for business to choose the UK as a place to invest – as it is backing the industries of the future.
A new report by Perspective Economics reveals the UK semiconductor sector, which includes over 200 companies in research, design, and manufacturing, is valued at almost £10 billion and could grow up to £17 billion by 2030.
Semiconductors are small chips at the core of everyday technology from smartphones to renewable energy systems and this support will help to scale up domestic manufacturing and strengthen supply chain resilience, so the UK is fit for the future in a global industry.
The funding comes as the G7 Semiconductors Point of Contact group kicks off with a stakeholder forum at major UK tech company Arm’s HQ in Cambridge, where member states, research organisations, and industry representatives are discussing key issues affecting the global semiconductor industry, like supporting early-stage innovation and sustainability.
Science Minister, Lord Vallance, said:
Semiconductors are an unseen but vital component in so many of the technologies we rely on in our lives and backing UK innovators offers a real opportunity to growth these firms into industry leaders, strengthening our £10 billion sector and ensuring it drives economic growth.
Our support in these projects will promote critical breakthroughs such as more efficient medical devices that could significantly lower costs and faster manufacturing processes to improve productivity.
Hosting the G7 semiconductors Points of Contact group is also a chance to showcase the UK’s competitive and growing sector and make clear our commitment to keeping the UK at the forefront of advancing technology.
Among the funded projects, receiving a share of £11.5 million, is Vector Photonics Limited in collaboration with the University of Glasgow, which aims to enhance the power and cost-effectiveness of blue light lasers in everyday technology by using gallium nitride, a high-performance material. Blue lasers are key in devices like medical equipment, quantum displays and car headlights.
Another project, led by Quantum Advanced Solutions Ltd with the University of Cambridge, is developing advanced shortwave infrared (SWIR) sensors which improve vision in critical sectors like defence, by supporting surveillance in challenging conditions in low-visibility environments, such as during adverse weather conditions or atmospheric disturbances. The project looks to simplify production using innovative quantum dot materials – tiny semiconductor particles that emit light at specific wavelengths – offering higher sensitivity and performance, cutting costs and making this advanced technology more accessible to multiple sectors including manufacturing and healthcare.
Andrew Tyrer, Deputy Director, Electronics, Sensors and Photonics, Innovate UK, said:
Innovate UK’s investment in this programme directly supports the National Semiconductor Strategy launched in 2023 and aims to ensure the UK’s place in the global landscape.
Iain Mauchline Innovation Lead – Electronics, Sensors, and Photonics at Innovate UK, added:
It has been recognised that semiconductors are key enablers for the UK ambitions across all critical technology areas. Funding these diverse projects highlights the strengths and depth of the UK’s semiconductor ecosystem.
The G7 Semiconductors Point of Contact Group, established under Italy’s G7 Presidency earlier this year, continues its mission to address issues impacting the semiconductor industry, including early-stage innovation, crisis coordination, sustainability, and the impact of government policies and practices.
Rene Haas, CEO, Arm said:
It is an honour to host the G7 Semiconductor working group at Arm’s global headquarters in Cambridge to advance collective efforts from industry, research organizations, and governments to increase supply chain resilience, security, and energy efficiency. We look forward to continued partnership with the G7 representatives and the UK government as we work to enable innovation and realize the full potential of AI.”
This meeting immediately follows the OECD Semiconductor Informal Exchange Network gathering, where countries and stakeholders shared strategies for strengthening global semiconductor supply chains and addressing shared challenges in the semiconductor industry.
The UK is playing a key role in the OECD’s efforts to unite government and industry in navigating the complexities of the global chip supply chain.
Charles Sturman, CEO of TechWorks said:
This report represents the first detailed economic study of the UK Semiconductor sector in many years. I am proud to have been part of this important work and pleased with the results. Key findings here show that the UK already sees significant revenue from the sector and, by building on strong innovation, we can see significant opportunity to increase this together with our ~2% share of global semiconductor revenues; ultimately creating much more than the 86,000 jobs currently in the wider economy. The industry is set to grow rapidly in the next decade and the right mix of scale-up support and industrial policy can secure future growth of the UK semiconductor sector.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that the Government is delivering real solutions to get kids back in the classroom, introducing the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) system.
“Any student who reaches a clearly defined threshold of days absent will trigger an appropriate and proportionate response from their school and the Ministry,” says Mr Seymour.
“New Zealand attendance rates are low by national and international standards. In 2023, 80.6% of students in England and 61.6% of students in Australia were attending using a measure similar to the Term 2 New Zealand regular attendance rate, which was only 47.1%.
“If this issue isn’t addressed there will be an 80-year long shadow of people who missed out on education when they were young, are less able to work, less able to participate in society, more likely to be on benefits. That’s how serious this is.
“The basic premise of the STAR is that no child is left behind. Every student, parent, teacher and school has a role to play. Each school will develop their own STAR system to suit their community and school.
Some examples of how interventions could work are:
5 days absent: The school to get in touch with parents/guardians to determine reasons for absence and set expectations.
10 days absent: School leadership meets with parents/guardian and the student to identify barriers to attendance and develop plans to address this.
15 days absent: Escalating the response to the Ministry and steps to initiate prosecution of parents could be considered as a valid intervention.
“Since becoming the Minister responsible for attendance, I’ve visited numerous schools to see how they’re addressing it. Some schools have an approach that is functioning well, but many do not.
“It will be mandatory for all schools to have an attendance management plan based on STAR from the beginning of the 2026 school year. The Ministry will work with schools, the Attendance Service, non-government agencies and other government agencies to streamline this. The Ministry will also provide best practice templates for attendance plans and toolkits for dealing with absent students, depending on the reasons for absence.
“Schools will have to play their part in setting a good example as well. This means not taking teacher-only days during term time. Under existing regulations, and terms in the union contracts, teacher-only days are only legally allowed to be held out of term time, unless authorised by the Minister of Education.
“I have asked the Ministry to collect data on when a school is open or closed for instruction for the full day, and for each year group, during term time. It is critical the entire system works cohesively to ensure education is respected and valued by students and lost instruction time is made up.
“I have also directed the Ministry to take a more active role in the prosecution process. I reserve the right to look at an infringement scheme in the future if this approach doesn’t work.
“With more reliable and timely data being made available, the next phase of improving student attendance will be further understanding why students don’t attend.
“I’ve directed the Ministry of Education, with the active co-operation of the Ministry for Social Development, Oranga Tamariki, Police, Kainga Ora, and Te Puni Kokiri to develop robust information sharing agreements so that staff can share appropriate information once a student has been identified as needing support.
“Almost every aspect of someone’s adult life will be defined by the education they receive as a child. If we want better social outcomes, we can’t keep ignoring the truancy crisis. This Government has set itself bold targets to address attendance, and it’s a bold approach that is needed for the future.”
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeff Bleich, Professorial fellow, Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies, Flinders University
In countries with compulsory voting, such as Australia and many in Latin America, the system usually ensures an overwhelming majority of voters cast their ballots election after election.
In the United States, it’s a very different story. Two-thirds of eligible voters turned out to vote in the 2020 presidential election – the highest rate since 1900. Turnout in presidential elections before 2020 tended to hover between 50% and 65%.
Often, it’s the voters choosing to stay home on the couch who effectively decide an election’s outcome.
Under the United States’ unusual Electoral College presidential voting system, the candidate who wins the most votes nationally does not necessarily win the election. Twice in the past 25 years, Democrats have won the popular vote in the presidential race and still lost the election. That includes Donald Trump’s win over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
As such, victory depends on getting more voters “off the couch” in key battleground states where the decisive Electoral College votes are up for grabs. In those states, it doesn’t matter what percentage of people show up to vote, or how much a candidate wins by, it is winner take all.
A voter who doesn’t vote, therefore, actually makes an active choice — they remove a vote from the candidate they would have likely chosen, and so give an important advantage to the person they would not have voted for.
The “couch” is effectively where Americans go to vote against their self-interest.
Who is more incentivised to vote?
As this year’s presidential election between Trump and Kamala Harris approaches, we ask a simple question: whose “couch” will decide one of the most consequential elections in living memory?
Recent research demonstrates that partisanship is an important driver of voter choice in presidential elections.
The fact that the US is deeply divided is not news to most, but current survey data show how evenly split along partisan lines it actually is. With about 30% of Americans identifying as a Republican and 30% identifying as a Democrat, there is virtually no difference in the total number of voters who support each major party.
The remaining 40% of Americans identify as “independent” – that is, not loyal to either major political party. Almost seven decades of research on the American voter shows, however, that independents heavily “lean” towards one party or the other, with about half leaning Republican and the other half leaning Democrat.
One possible insight into which group has greater incentive to vote is polling on people’s dissatisfaction with their party’s candidate.
According to the most recent Gallup Poll data, 9% of Republicans currently have an unfavourable opinion of Trump. In contrast, only 5% of Democrats have an unfavourable opinion of Harris.
Partisan voters who are dissatisfied with their party candidate have a massive incentive to “stay on the couch” and refrain from voting. They don’t really want to vote for “the other team”, but they can’t stand their own team anymore either.
For example, Republican women in the suburbs, veterans and traditional Republicans have started to abandon Trump over his stances on reproductive rights and national security, and his temperament. The Trump campaign clearly knows this. At a rally in New York a few days ago, he told attendees to “get your fat ass out of the couch” to go vote for him.
Should these disaffected Republican and Republican-leaning voters stay home on November 5, Harris may well have a decisive edge over Trump.
When the couch wins, America loses
In 2016, Trump defied the polls and traditional voter turn-out trends by convincing some disaffected, working-class Democrats to stay on the couch, vote for an unelectable third party candidate or, in some cases, vote for him.
Could this happen again? Or will Democrats be able to reverse this phenomenon by getting exhausted Republicans suffering Trump fatigue to stay home, while motivating everyone from Taylor Swift fans to “never Trumpers” to veterans of foreign wars to get out to vote.
Recent trends suggest overall turnout will be comparatively high, in line with the past three federal US elections.
Democrats have traditionally benefited from higher voter turn-out, but it is not as clear this is still the case in 2024. Recent research shows higher turnout rates seem to have favoured the Republican Party since 2016.
Yet both parties still have significant numbers of people who don’t vote. According to the Pew Research Center, 46% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents didn’t vote in the past three elections (2018, 2020 and 2022), compared to the 41% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents.
So again, who sits on the couch matters. Inevitably, many of those who stay home will get precisely what they don’t want. When the couch wins, America loses.
Jeff Bleich is a former US ambassador to Australia and a member of the National Security Leaders for America, a group of 700 former generals, admirals, service secretaries, ambassadors, and other national security professionals, that has endorsed Kamala Harris in the presidential election. He was also special counsel to President Barack Obama and served as chair of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board under President Donald Trump and as a member of President Joe Biden’s (non-partisan) National Security Education Board.
Rodrigo Praino receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Government Department of Defence, and SmartSat CRC.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
FTP for TV stations of her remarks is available here.
Cortez Masto highlighted the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada’s Resiliency and Justice Center that has helped survivors and their families access the resources they need
Washington, D.C. – Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) spoke on the Senate floor today ahead of the 7th anniversary of the Route 91 Harvest Festival mass shooting in Las Vegas on October 1, 2017, the deadliest in modern American history.
Cortez Masto honored the victims and their families, and she highlighted the work being done at the Resiliency and Justice Center in Las Vegas to connect survivors of violent crime with resources to help them heal.
Below are her remarks as prepared for delivery:
M. President, I rise today along with my colleague from Nevada, Senator Jacky Rosen, to commemorate seven years since the deadliest mass shooting in America’s recent memory.
Seven years ago, people from across the country gathered in Las Vegas for the Route 91 Harvest music festival – three days of live performances, dancing, and fun.
On October 1st, what was supposed to be a joyous conclusion to the festival turned into a nightmare.
In just 10 minutes, from the window of a nearby hotel, a gunman fired more than 1,000 shots into the festival crowd.
58 people were killed, and two more died later from their injuries. More than 800 were wounded. Thousands of families were forever changed.
I remember sitting with some of them at the Reunification Center, hoping and praying that their loved ones would return to them. Some prayers were never answered.
But as the city of Las Vegas mourned, we also came together. Neighbors reached out to one another and helped each other heal. Programs were created to help our city cope and move forward. We were resilient. We are Vegas Strong.
Out of tragedy and suffering, there was hope.
Let me tell you about something that gives me hope.
Three weeks after the events of 1 October, the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and Clark County set up the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center as a resource for survivors of the Route 91 Harvest Festival and their families.
After a tragedy like a mass shooting, the families of victims and survivors alike have to adjust to a new normal. Imagine living through the horrors of that October night, healing from injuries, or grieving the loss of a loved one whose life was taken so suddenly by a senseless act of violence.
And then imagine, after you’ve been left with all that trauma, that you’re now faced with the complexities of paying medical bills, or dealing with insurance companies. It’s overwhelming. Where do you even begin? How are you going to navigate it all?
The Vegas Strong Resiliency Center was designed to ensure families didn’t have to go through this process alone.
The Center brought community partners with different resources to the table to deliver anything survivors might need – from support groups to mental health services to financial advice.
I’ve seen some of their great work myself.
Their incredible Executive Director, Tennille [ten-KNEEL] Pereira [puh-RARE-uh], shared the story of a survivor of 1 October who, after recovering from being shot that night, could no longer make her way up the stairs to reach her apartment. In response, her landlord threatened to evict her!
So, she got in touch with the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center. The Center contacted her landlord, got them to back down, and then helped their client move to another apartment that was accessible to her.
This is what happens when the community comes together to help each other. The Resiliency Center connected survivors with the resources they needed – right when they needed them. It gave survivors hope, and it helped them find light in the darkness.
In the seven years since its establishment, the Center not only helped survivors of the Route 91 Harvest Festival, but through the lessons learned from that crisis, it actually improved services for victims of violent crime throughout Southern Nevada.
That includes human trafficking survivors, domestic abuse survivors, and even first responders who have post-traumatic stress.
And when Las Vegas was struck by another tragedy last year, after a gunman killed three people at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the staff at the Resiliency Center were able to immediately respond, providing resources and programs for students, families, faculty, and staff.
In January of this year, the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center was renamed the Resiliency and Justice Center, and its mission expanded to serve all survivors of violent crime in Southern Nevada. They are continuing to grow their staff and their resources, and they’re even getting ready to expand their offices.
I’m proud to support the work of the Resiliency and Justice Center. At a time when our city was shaken to its core, they were there to help us get back on our feet. To help us remember that life goes on after loss. To help us find the strength to rebuild as a community.
And now, as we mark seven years since that terrible evening at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, we also mark seven years of hope and resilience in the city of Las Vegas. We hold the victims and their families in our hearts forever, and we remain Vegas Strong.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (Virginia 4th District)
Washington, D.C. —Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04)joinedDemocratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05)and four other House Democrats to reintroduce the Child Care Infrastructure Act and the Child Care Workforce Development Act, two bills that address America’s child care crisis with robust investment in early learning facilities and educators. Alongside Congresswoman McClellan, these bills are also co-led by Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), and Jill Tokuda (HI-02).
“As one of the 6 percent of members of Congress who is a mother to young children, I know firsthand the challenges working families face when seeking quality, affordable child care,”said Congresswoman McClellan. “House Democrats are fighting every day to address the child care crisis and give hardworking American families some relief from exorbitant costs. I’m grateful for Democratic Whip Katherine Clark’s leadership on this pressing issue, as we introduce the Child Care Infrastructure Act and the Child Care Workforce Development Act. These bills will bolster federal investment in our nation’s child care industry and incentivize care workers and early childhood educators to continue their invaluable work.”
“Democrats are focused on one of the most urgent challenges facing everyday families: the outrageous cost of child care,”said Whip Clark. “This pair of bills will build out child care facilities across the country while recruiting talented Americans to pursue careers in early education. This investment would mark a critical step forward in House Democrats’ fight to lower costs for parents, create opportunities for our children, and build an economy that works for working families. While Republicans ignore the child care crisis, we are ready with solutions.”
“Child care is infrastructure and an important investment for children, families, and the economy,”said Congresswoman Bonamici.“The ongoing hurdles child care providers and families face are limiting economic growth, threatening employers and small businesses, and holding back working families. I’m grateful to partner with Whip Clark to introduce legislation that will provide funding to improve and build facilities to help meet the demand for affordable, accessible child care.”
“As a father and the founder of the Dads Caucus, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to find affordable child care, and I know that the working parents of this nation face the same concern. Many families today are living in child care deserts, where there aren’t enough quality, affordable daycares nearby—my colleagues and I are fighting to change that,”said Congressman Gomez. “I’m proud to join Whip Clark on these two bills that will make becoming an early childhood educator more attainable for students, expand our child care provider workforce and fund building new daycares as key infrastructure investments. Working families should rest assured that their children are being looked after in quality facilities with qualified educators who are supported.”
“As a working mom of a four-year-old son with another child on the way, I know firsthand how difficult it is to find affordable child care and the struggles families in my district are facing, especially in more rural communities,”said Congresswoman Pettersen. “That’s why I’m proud to help reintroduce these two pieces of legislation to bolster our child care workforce, help lower costs for parents, and ensure every family can access the care they need for their children to thrive. I’m incredibly grateful for the leadership of Whip Clark and my colleagues who joined today.”
“The rising cost of child care has made it difficult for millions of parents to balance earning a living with caring for their families. Nonetheless, my Republican colleagues refused to join us in supporting working parents and allowed vital federal child care stabilization funding to expire last year. Our working families deserve better. Without additional action by Congress, the unaffordability and unavailability of child care in the U.S. will only worsen,”said Congresswoman Tokuda. “As a mother of two boys that has to make tough choices, I’m proud to join our Democratic Whip, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, in introducing the Child Care Infrastructure Act and the Child Care Workforce Development Act. Together, these bills will provide for greater investment in the programs and the people we entrust to take care of our kids so they can continue serving children and families across the country.”
The Child Care Infrastructure Actwould:
Direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a national needs assessment of early child care and learning facilities to understand the impact of the child care crisis and evaluate the ongoing infrastructure needs of child care facilities across the U.S.
Establish a grant program to award grants to states for the purpose of constructing new or renovating existing child care facilities.
Set aside a minimum of 10% and a maximum of 15% of the authorized funds to award grants of up to $10 million to intermediary organizations, including development financial institutions or other organizations that have demonstrated experience in developing or financing early care and learning facilities.
Authorize $10 billion over five years to invest in our nation’s child care infrastructure.
The Child Care Workforce Development Actwould:
Authorize HHS to administer a student loan repayment program of up to $6,000 annually for five years for early childhood educators working for providers eligible to receive Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding.
Establish a program to provide up to $4,000 annually to eligible individuals pursuing an associate’s degree or a certificate in early childhood education.
Congresswoman McClellan has championed child care during her time in Congress. Last year, McClellan and Rep. Nancy Mace (SC-01)introduced H.R. 5581, the bipartisanChild Care Assistance for Maternal Health Act, to increase short-term child care access for mothers and their families during the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. McClellan and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)convened a roundtable discussionwith parents and child care providers to discuss the child care crisis in America following a tour of Kidz with Goals Unlimited, a child care and early education center in Hopewell. Earlier this year, McClellan and Whip Clarktoured Sprout School at Second Presbyterian in Richmondand convened a roundtable discussion at YWCA Richmond with child care providers, advocates, and community leaders to discuss federal funding for child care resources. Congresswoman McClellan is a member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, the Mamas Caucus, and the Bipartisan Congressional Pre-K and Child Care Caucus.
Photos of the press conference can be foundHERE. The full press conference can be viewedHERE.
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – The number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s is growing fast. One in three older Americans dies with dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. And Congress needs to wisely prioritize research dollars to effectively combat Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
The fight to find a cure and new treatments for Alzheimer’s got a significant boost this week as the U.S. House of Representatives approved a pair of bipartisan bills backed by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) that previously cleared the U.S. Senate.
Now that they have cleared both chambers, the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Reauthorization Act and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act (AAIA), are headed to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
The NAPA Reauthorization Act reauthorizes NAPA through 2035 as a much needed roadmap for coordinated federal efforts in responding to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Since NAPA was first passed in 2011, Alzheimer’s research funding has increased seven-fold. Today, funding for research into Alzheimer’s and other dementias totals over $3.8 billion.
The Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act would require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to submit an annual budget to Congress estimating the funding necessary to fully implement NAPA’s research goals. This will help ensure Congress can make a well-informed decision to determine necessary Alzheimer’s research funding levels.
“This is a positive step toward renewing the nation’s commitment to healthy aging, boosting funding for Alzheimer’s research, and improving dementia care in Rhode Island and nationwide,” said Senator Reed, a cosponsor of both bills. “Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that impacts millions of families. While real progress has been made over the last decade since we enacted NAPA, we’ve got to keep up the positive momentum. These bipartisan bills will help ensure federal research investments into Alzheimer’s and dementia are wisely allocated and can fund breakthroughs, a cure, and effective help for caregivers and families struggling with this disease.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 6.9 million older Americans – including 22,000 Rhode Islanders — are living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2024, a nationwide increase of about 200,000 cases over last year, and the population is projected to nearly double by 2060 to 14 million people.
Alzheimer’s costs the United States an astonishing $360 billion per year, including $231 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, up $15 billion over the previous year
As a member of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Senator Reed helped provide a $275 million increase for Alzheimer’s disease research in the fiscal year 2025 Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related Agencies Appropriations bill. In 2019, NIH awarded Brown University researchers, along with Boston-based Hebrew SeniorLife (HSL), over $53 million in federal research funds to lead a nationwide effort to improve health care and quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as their caregivers.
In 2011, U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) led passage of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (P.L. 111-375), which Senator Reed supported. NAPA convened a panel of experts, who created a coordinated strategic national plan to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. The law was set to expire soon and needed to be reauthorized to ensure that research investments remain coordinated, and their impact is maximized.
LITTLETON – Today, Governor Polis helped kick off two new facilities that will support Colorado’s climate goals and protect the state for future generations. First, Governor Polis attended the grand opening of the new agrivoltaics Solar Farm at Denver Botanic Gardens’s Chatfield Farms. This solar farm, funded through Denver’s Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency, will create clean energy to power the entire site while generating low-cost energy for 150 Denver Public School families. The Governor joined Denver Mayor Mike Johnston at the Chatfield ribbon cutting.
“Colorado is a national leader in clean energy and conservation solutions. Harnessing the power of agrivoltaics, Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms will continue to provide a habitat for hundreds of plant species and butterflies, while creating clean, low-cost energy for hardworking families and businesses. The Botanic Gardens is an example of how innovative solutions are lowering costs, creating a more sustainable future, and enhancing our Colorado way of life,” said Governor Polis.
Earlier this month the Department of Agriculture announced $500,000 in new awards for agrivoltaics efforts around the state. Governor Polis then attended and provided remarks at the Auraria Sustainable Campus Compost Program Launch. This first-in-Colorado student-led composting effort will reduce campus waste to create compost for trees, plants, and grass across campus. This initiative received a $129,150 Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity (RREO) Grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
“Thanks to these students and their passion for sustainability, Auraria Campus will reduce waste and ensure healthy green spaces for the community to enjoy. By utilizing a state grant this effort will boost sustainability on campus while helping the state identify how to reduce landfill waste,” said Governor Polis.
Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
September 25, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, introduced five pieces of legislation aimed at combatting the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in America’s agriculture and financial sectors.
“The CCP is the single greatest threat to America’s national security and financial independence,” said Senator Ricketts. “A CCP-led world would mean coercion instead of choice, tyranny instead of liberty, and dictatorship instead of democracy. The only way to combat this threat is with a strong, strategic, all-of-government approach. These bills move us closer to that.”
The Securing American Agriculture Act bolsters and protects our domestic food and agriculture supply chains and reduces America’s reliance on foreign adversaries.
The Protecting Endowments from our Adversaries Act disincentivizes endowments from investing in adversarial entities flagged by the U.S. Government as threatening to our national security.
The No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act eliminates tax breaks for investments made in companies based in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Belarus.
The PRC Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act prevents Wall Street firms from using Americans’ investment dollars to effectively underwrite the CCP’s human rights abuses and aggression.
The No China in Index Funds Act prevents index mutual funds from holding Chinese stocks.
The bills were first covered by Fox News here.
BACKGROUND:
Securing American Agriculture Act – The PRC’s strategic control over crucial sectors of our food and agricultural supply chain poses a serious national security threat. In recent years, the PRC gained significant market share in the production of essential agricultural inputs like vitamins, veterinary pharmaceuticals, and crop protection tools. China now controls over 90% of vitamin C and vitamin B6 production and up to 85% of amino acids used in animal feed.
Losing access to these key inputs could drastically reduce agricultural productivity, increase food prices, and undermine domestic food security. A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater study found that, if left unchecked, the PRC’s domination of the amino acids market would destroy 30,000 U.S. jobs and reduce economic activity by $15 billion per year. The Securing American Agriculture Act bolsters and protects our food production supply chain.
Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
Requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce, to conduct an annual threat assessment of critical food and agricultural supply chains.
Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide recommendations to mitigate potential threats from the PRC and for legislative and regulatory actions to reduce barriers to domestic critical input production.
U.S. Representatives Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House. The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mike Braun (R-IN), John Barrasso (R-WY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Eric Schmitt (R-MI).
A one-pager on the bill can be found here. Bill text is available here.
Protecting Endowments from Our Adversaries Act (PEOAA) – U.S. University endowment dollars have helped fund technology behind the CCP’s surveillance of Uyghur Muslims in China. Many endowment fund portfolios own Chinese stocks listed on American exchanges, either directly or indirectly. Tax-advantaged endowment dollars are supposed to be used to lower tuition costs and improve education, not to fund our adversaries.
Specifically, the bill:
Imposes a 50% excise tax on initial investments in adversarial entities on the Entity List, Military End User List, Unverified List, or FCC Covered List.
Imposes a 100% excise tax on the realized gains derived from listed investments one year after an entity is listed.
Applies to private college and university endowments over $1 billion.
U.S. Representative Greg Murphy (R-NC-3) has introduced companion legislation in the House. The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) And Deb Fischer (R-NE).
One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.
No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act – According to a comparative analysis of capital gains tax rates by the Law Library of Congress, many countries have investment incentives not applicable to some foreign investments. For example, China provides investment incentives through its tax code, but foreign investments are eligible only with the pre-approval of the Chinese government. The No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act stops subsidizing our adversaries’ investments in the United States.
Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
Eliminates the capital gains tax break for investments in companies based in China, Russia, Belarus, Iran, and North Korea.
Eliminates a related tax break, the “step-up in basis” at death, for investments in such companies.
Requires disclosure to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that no tax breaks are available for these stocks.
U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN-05) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House.
One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.
People’s Republic of China (PRC) Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act – A recent report identified 144 Chinese companies, or their affiliates, whose practices were so adverse to U.S. interests that it is illegal for Americans to buy their products. Most of these companies have been found to violate human rights. Others play an integral role in the CCP’s military-industrial complex. While buying the products of these companies is illegal, it is still legal to buy their stock. The PRC Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act fixes this problem.
Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
Prohibits Americans from purchasing, selling, or holding publicly-traded securities of companies that appear on sanctions lists or have an affiliate on the sanctions list.
Prohibits Americans from purchasing, selling, or holding publicly-traded securities that are derivatives of securities issued by a sanctioned company.
Prohibits Americans from purchasing, selling, or holding securities that provides investment exposure to a publicly-traded security issued by a sanctioned company or affiliate.
Requires divestment from the prohibited securities within 180 days.
U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN-05) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House.
One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.
No China in Index Funds Act – Index mutual funds minimize their expenses by simply investing in all the companies in a certain market sector, without looking closely at the individual companies. There are unique difficulties in evaluating the risks of investing in Chinese companies. Americans should not invest in these companies without carefully evaluating the risk. The No China in Index Funds Act will keep these hard-to-evaluate Chinese stocks out of index mutual funds.
Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
Prohibits index funds from investing in Chinese companies.
Requires index funds to divest from such investments within 180 days.
U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN-05) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House.
One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
M. President: Over 4 months ago, Steward Health Care and the more than 30 hospitals it owns in 8 states declared bankruptcy with some $9 billion in debt.
This bankruptcy has caused devastating harm to patients, health care workers and entire communities from Massachusetts to Arizona.
In July, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (the HELP Committee) that I chair voted to authorize a bi-partisan investigation into the financial mismanagement of Steward Health Care.
On that same day, the HELP Committee also voted to subpoena Ralph de la Torre, the CEO of Steward Health Care, to testify at a hearing on this very important issue on September 12th.
Sadly, Dr. de la Torre made the unfortunate and unacceptable decision not to show up at this hearing in defiance of a Congressional subpoena.
So, last week, the HELP Committee voted 20-0 on two resolutions to hold Dr. de la Torre accountable for his failure to appear at this hearing.
The first resolution instructs Senate Legal Counsel to bring a civil suit in the District Court for the District of Columbia to require Dr. de la Torre’s compliance with the subpoena and his testimony before the HELP Committee.
The second resolution would refer this matter to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia to criminally prosecute Dr. de la Torre for failing to comply with the subpoena.
In a few moments, I will be asking unanimous consent to pass the second resolution which seeks to hold Dr. de la Torre in criminal contempt for failing to comply with the Congressional subpoena.
But before I do that let me take a moment to briefly explain why the HELP Committee believed it was so important for Dr. de la Torre to testify before Congress.
First, we wanted Dr. de la Torre to explain to us how it could happen that at least 15 patients at hospitals owned by his company died as a result of a lack of medical equipment or staffing shortages and why at least 2,000 other patients were put in “immediate peril” according to federal regulators.
That is something that the American people deserve to know.
But, perhaps most importantly, we wanted to know how it could happen that while thousands of patients and health care workers suffered and communities around the country have been devastated as a result of Steward Health Care’s financial mismanagement, Dr. de la Torre and the companies he owned were able to receive at least $250 million in total compensation over the past 4 years.
For months, Senator Cassidy, the Ranking Member of the HELP Committee; Senator Markey, the Chair of our healthcare subcommittee; and I have asked Dr. de la Torre to testify before our committee to answer these questions.
And time after time he has arrogantly refused.
That is absolutely unacceptable.
So, today, I will ask the Senate to unanimously adopt this resolution seeking to hold Dr. de la Torre in contempt of Congress.
Let me take this opportunity to thank Ranking Member Cassidy and his staff for working with me and my staff on this important issue.
The passage of this resolution by the full Senate will make clear that:
Even though Dr. de la Torre may be worth hundreds of millions of dollars;
Even though he may be able to buy fancy yachts, private jets, and luxurious accommodations throughout the world;
Even though he may be able to afford some of the most expensive lawyers in America, no. Dr. de la Torre is not above the law.
If you defy a Congressional subpoena, you will be held accountable no matter who you are or how well-connected you may be.
The goal of the HELP Committee throughout this entire process has been to make sure not only that we have a complete understanding of the financial chicanery surrounding Steward Health Care, but to do everything we can to make sure that such a travesty never happens again.
M. President: I ask unanimous consent that two letters be printed in the congressional record—one from Dr. de la Torre’s attorneys to the Committee, and a response letter from Ranking Member Cassidy and me.
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – The number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s is growing fast. One in three older Americans dies with dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. And Congress needs to wisely prioritize research dollars to effectively combat Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
The fight to find a cure and new treatments for Alzheimer’s got a significant boost this week as the U.S. House of Representatives approved a pair of bipartisan bills backed by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) that previously cleared the U.S. Senate.
Now that they have cleared both chambers, the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Reauthorization Act and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act (AAIA), are headed to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
The NAPA Reauthorization Act reauthorizes NAPA through 2035 as a much needed roadmap for coordinated federal efforts in responding to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Since NAPA was first passed in 2011, Alzheimer’s research funding has increased seven-fold. Today, funding for research into Alzheimer’s and other dementias totals over $3.8 billion.
The Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act would require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to submit an annual budget to Congress estimating the funding necessary to fully implement NAPA’s research goals. This will help ensure Congress can make a well-informed decision to determine necessary Alzheimer’s research funding levels.
“This is a positive step toward renewing the nation’s commitment to healthy aging, boosting funding for Alzheimer’s research, and improving dementia care in Rhode Island and nationwide,” said Senator Reed, a cosponsor of both bills. “Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that impacts millions of families. While real progress has been made over the last decade since we enacted NAPA, we’ve got to keep up the positive momentum. These bipartisan bills will help ensure federal research investments into Alzheimer’s and dementia are wisely allocated and can fund breakthroughs, a cure, and effective help for caregivers and families struggling with this disease.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 6.9 million older Americans – including 22,000 Rhode Islanders — are living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2024, a nationwide increase of about 200,000 cases over last year, and the population is projected to nearly double by 2060 to 14 million people.
Alzheimer’s costs the United States an astonishing $360 billion per year, including $231 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, up $15 billion over the previous year
As a member of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Senator Reed helped provide a $275 million increase for Alzheimer’s disease research in the fiscal year 2025 Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related Agencies Appropriations bill. In 2019, NIH awarded Brown University researchers, along with Boston-based Hebrew SeniorLife (HSL), over $53 million in federal research funds to lead a nationwide effort to improve health care and quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as their caregivers.
In 2011, U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) led passage of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (P.L. 111-375), which Senator Reed supported. NAPA convened a panel of experts, who created a coordinated strategic national plan to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. The law was set to expire soon and needed to be reauthorized to ensure that research investments remain coordinated, and their impact is maximized.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Bill Text (PDF)
Washington (September 25, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, along with new co-sponsor Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), applauded the bipartisan momentum behind the Warehouse Worker Protection Act, legislation that would protect warehouse workers by prohibiting dangerous work speed quotas that lead to high rates of worker injuries. The legislation as re-introduced includes new enforcement authority for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as well as an exemption for small businesses. Senator Markey, along with Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.), first introduced the Warehouse Worker Protection Act in May.
“The Warehouse Worker Protection Act is about protecting the health and dignity of workers from the scourge of corporate greed at Amazon and other large companies,” said Senator Markey. “This movement is strong and growing, and we will not rest until warehouse workers know when they clock in that they will return home unharmed.”
“Corporations too often prioritize profit over their workers’ safety and well-being, treating them like cogs in a machine. It has to stop. This legislation combats the warehouse industry’s worst practices while ensuring corporations do right by their employees in treating them with the dignity they deserve,” said Senator Hawley.
“The momentum to protect workers is growing. These big companies hold a lot of power, they are literally controlling the lives of workers minute by minute with their productivity metrics and quotas,” said Senator Smith. “With this bill, we are saying, enough is enough. We’re putting accountability into this system and power back in the hands of workers subjected to systems that drive profits for billionaires while they wring workers dry.”
“I have long fought to ensure that workplaces protect the health and safety of their employees. When giant corporations use intrusive surveillance technology and AI to track productivity, they can force warehouse workers to skip breaks and jeopardize their health and the health of their colleagues—all to meet quotas set by algorithms,” said Senator Casey. “By cracking down on dangerous surveillance technology, this legislation will help workers stand up for their own health and safety.”
A copy of the reintroduced legislation can be found HERE.
It is cosponsored by Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.).
The Warehouse Worker Protection Act is endorsed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the United Food and Commercial Workers, the National Employment Law Project (NELP), the Athena Coalition, and Oxfam America.
A series of webinars from the Bank of Russia will help seniors navigate the world of financial products and services better. Listeners will learn how to manage their property, formalize an inheritance, protect themselves from fraudsters, and use modern financial technologies with more confidence.
The new course for the first time announces the topic “Expanding financial horizons: cash, non-cash, digital money.” In these classes, pensioners will be told in detail how the various forms of national currency differ, what advantages and opportunities they have.
Webinars for the older generation will end on December 13. Participants will be able to receive certificates of completion of the course. To do this, you need to answer a few short questions in the questionnaire at the beginning of each lesson and actively participate in the discussion.
The duration of the lesson is 45 minutes. Broadcasts are held on weekdays, from 01:30 to 16:10 Moscow time, so residents of all time zones will be able to choose a convenient time and date for the online lesson.
The schedule, information about experts, teachers and other materials are published onproject website.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United States Senator Mike Braun (Indiana)
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Braun questioned Novo Nordisk CEO, Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, at the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Tuesday about the high prices of the company’s weight loss drug, Ozempic, in the United States.
“This has everything to do with a system that’s broken with no transparency, no competition, barriers to entry, and by the way a consumer who doesn’t have the tools to really measure what the best value is.”—Sen. Mike Braun
Partial Transcript of Senator Braun’s questions:
Braun: “Are you making a profit on your Ozempic product when you’re selling it to Australia for $87 and you’re selling to the U.S. for $936? Are you making a profit at $87?
Jørgensen: “Yes, we are and the price you mentioned in the U.S. is not what we get. That’s the list price.
Braun: “So what are you getting in the U.S.? What price?”
Jørgensen: “So I mentioned that on average for our products we give 74% in rebates to PBMs.”
Braun: “And that was the chart that Senator Marshall held up that PBMs are making 74% and you’re getting 26%. So, you’ve got a screwed-up industry. Number one, when I’ve talked to other pharma folks, they regret that PBMs ever came into it. It would seem like since you make the product, that you could disassemble them or do something to go around it, if in fact this place won’t do something about it. Have you ever thought of that?”
Jørgensen: “It’s very difficult Senator because they control what insurance is put in front of patients so they have integrated themselves with insurance companies and we negotiate against the PBMs, but they’re owned by the insurance companies so no matter what we do, they decide what products—”
Braun: “Okay- and that’s kind of the conundrum, but you’re making a profit at $87 and of the $936, it would be the list price? Is that total being split between you and the PBM? I know you give big discounts to the PBM. Why do give them such large discounts for them to make that much money?”
Jørgensen: “On this we have a high list price and give them rebates, we are not making it onto the insurance formulary. So, they make a fee based on the list price, you mentioned distribution, they don’t get a flat fee for the distribution.”
Braun: “So, after you give the discounts, and you do everything, what is your revenue on Ozempic, roughly?”
Jørgensen: “I don’t have that number from the top of my head.”
Braun: “That is something that ought to be on the top of your head because most of us would want to see that so you could make the case against PBMs. That basic lack of transparency, that to me comes from the top, that cloaks the system, in general, is what is impacting the future of why in our own country it is 18% of our GDP and from Canada and Europe it is 12% of their GDP, Eastern Europe it is 6 to 7 %. And yes, rationing is maybe going to be one of the results, but it should never be to where something is going to cost that much more here versus there when you’re making a profit on it. Until you figure that out, everyone is going to think your industry is screwed up.”
Senator Braun is the leader in the Senate on reforming PBMs and lowering drug prices through transparency:
Senator Braun’s landmark transparency legislation – the Health Care PRICE Transparency Act – would reveal all negotiated rates and cash prices between plans and providers so Americans can know the true cost of health care services before they pan, bringing down prices.
Senator Braun’s Drug Price Transparency Act would end the broken PBM system by requiring insurers and PBMs to pass rebates directly to consumers enrolled in commercial health plans and Medicare Part D.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Education announced an award of $500,000 to the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) under the State Personnel Development Grants Program. This funding will support NDDPI’s Grad 701 initiative, which aims to close graduation gaps, improve support systems, and boost outcomes for all students.
Source: United States Senator Mike Braun (Indiana)
WASHINGTON – The National Fossil Act has now passed the Senate. This bill names the mastodon as the U.S. national fossil, and was introduced by Senator Mike Braun and Senator Gary Peters and cosponsored by Senator Eric Schmitt and Senator Maggie Hassan.
This is Senator Braun’s 5th standalone bill to pass the Senate just this year, and if signed into law will be his 10th in the 118th Congress (2023-2024) to become law, including provisions on veterans healthcare, opioids, and budget reform.
The National Fossil Act aims to celebrate the unique natural history of the United States, and encourage interest in paleontology.
If the National Fossil Act is passed by the House and signed into law, the mastodon would join the bald eagle, bison, rose, and oak tree as enduring national symbols of the United States.
The mastodon lived more than 13,000 years ago in the Pleistocene era, predominantly on land that would eventually become the United States of America. A fully grown mastodon was over 10 feet tall, weighed more than 11 tons, and was preceded by a pair of 16-foot-long tusks. Unlike its distant cousin, the mammoth, the mastodon was found exclusively in the United States, with its bones being unearthed in every state across the continental U.S.
Mastodon fossils are frequently found in Indiana and Michigan.
The mastodon was made the Indiana state fossil in 2022.
Mastodons have been found in nearly every Indiana county, including notable discoveries in Hebron, Fort Wayne, and Seymour.
“Mastodons embody the spirit of exploration, resilience, and strength that exemplifies our great nation. As a uniquely American symbol, mastodons inspire us to embrace our heritage and to protect our country’s natural treasures. I hope making Indiana’s state fossil our national fossil will inspire young Hoosiers to take an interest in our country’s rich natural history that may be in their own backyard.” – Senator Mike Braun
“Michigan made history when we uncovered one of the most complete skeletons of the Mastodon ever found, and we continue to find traces of this prehistoric giant all throughout our state,” said Senator Peters. “The Mastodon represents a unique piece of both Michigan’s and our nation’s history. By establishing the Mastodon as our national fossil, we can better preserve that history and inspire a new generation of scientists and researchers to continue their pursuit of discovery.”
The National Fossil Act:
Section 1 designates the bill as the National Fossil Act.
Section 2 establishes findings on the role of the Mastodon in American public life.
Section 3 designates the Mastodon as the national fossil under Title 36 U.S. Code, and makes necessary conforming amendments.
Senator Braun’s legislative wins this Congress:
As mentioned, this is Senator Braun’s 5th standalone bill to pass the Senate just this year, and if signed into law will be his 10th bill in the 118th Congress (2023-2024) to become law.
Some other Braun bills to become law or pass Senate in the 118th Congress (2023-2024) are:
(Became Law) The Federal Prison Oversight Act
A bill to provide independent oversight to improve conditions for staff and prisoners in federal prisons like Terre Haute.
(Became Law) COVID-19 Origins Act
A bill that required the intelligence community to declassify important information about the origins of COVID, specifically the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
(Became Law) The Wounded Warrior Access Act
A bill that streamlines the claims process for veterans with a new online tool, helping those who previously had to get their claims information through the mail or by driving to a regional VA location.
(Became Law) Department of Defense Overdose Data (DOD) Act
A bill to ensure naloxone and any other medication to reverse opioid overdose is available on all military installations and in each operational environment.
(Became Law) Reforming Benefits for Children of Vietnam Veterans with Spina Bifida
A bill to help the children of Vietnam Veterans suffering from spina bifida due to their father’s exposure to Agent Orange get access to medical benefits for the rest of their lives
(Became Law) Administrative Pay-As-You-Go Act
A bill which requires agencies to propose pay-fors to offset expensive government regulations.
(Passed Senate) VA Home Loan Awareness Act
A bill to inform veteran homebuyers of their eligibility for the VA Home Loan Program, which helps more veterans achieve the dream of homeownership.
(Passed Senate) Working Dog Health and Welfare Act of 2023
A bill to improve conditions for dogs used in the detection of explosives, narcotics and patrol duties by federal agencies, by instituting programs that detect abuse and neglect and ensure emergency medical care, food and water, and rest time.
(Passed Senate) Mark Our Place Act
A bill to provide special headstones upon family request for all veterans who have received the Medal of Honor.
If signed into law, the National Fossil Act will join the following Braun bills signed into law:
BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE 118TH CONGRESS (2023-2024).
Federal Prison Oversight Act
The COVID-19 Origins Act (Public Law 118-2)
The Administrative Pay-As-You-Go Act (included in Public Law 118-5)
Reforming Benefits for Children of Vietnam Veterans with Spina Bifida (Public Law 118-8)
The Wounded Warrior Access Act (Public Law 118-21)
The Korean American VALOR Act (Public Law 118-20)
The Department of Defense Overdose Data (DOD) Act (Public Law 118-31)
Supporting the Provision of Veteran Survivor Benefit Plans (Public Law 118-31)
Flexibility and Funding for the World Trade Center Health Program (Public Law 118-31)
BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE 117TH CONGRESS (2021 – 2022):
Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-67)
A bill to properly implement the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act (Public Law 117-3)
The Consider Teachers Act (Public Law No: 117-49)
The Growing Climate Solutions Act (Public Law 117-328)
The STREAM Act (Public Law 117-328)
Small Business Establishment Registration Waiver Act (Public Law 117-328)
The Make It in America Act (Public Law 117-58)
The DUMP Opioids Act (Public Law 117-29
Better ODDS to Reduce Diversion Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-328)
FREED of Opioids Act (Public Law 117-328)
The Access for Veterans to Records Act (Public Law 117-328)
Women Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act (Public Law 117-328)
Apply the Science Act (Public Law 117-328)
The Emergency Use Transparency Act (Public Law 117-328)
The Recovery Startup Assistance Act (Public Law 117-328)
Promoting Access to Critical Countermeasures by Ensuring Specimen Samples (ACCESS) to Diagnostics Act (Public Law 117-328)
Predetermined Change Control Plan Act (Public Law 117-328)
Protecting Patients from Counterfeit Medical Devices Act (Public Law 117-328)
The PLUM Act (Public Law 117-328)
BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE 116TH CONGRESS (2019 – 2020):
The Safeguarding Small Business Act
Healthcare Transparency
the Whistleblower Act of 2019
the VA Directly Returning Opioid Prescriptions Act
the Stop Student Debt Relief Scams Act of 2019
Restore Harmony Way Bridge Act
Richard Lugar Post Office Act
Payment Integrity Information Act
ALS Disability Insurance Access Act
OTC Reform
The Fair Care Act
Braun Provisions in the WRDA Reauthorization in the OMNI
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17)
The bill is supported by an unprecedented coalition of gun violence prevention organizations, Veterans Service Organizations, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Congressman and Navy veteran Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) Congressman, former FBI Special Agent and federal prosecutor Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01) introduced the new, bipartisan veteran suicide prevention bill the Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2024. This bill authorizes a program for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide free firearm lockboxes to veterans. Limiting the ease by which at-risk individuals can access firearms has been shown to prevent suicide deaths.
Firearms are the most common means used by veterans who die by suicide. Approximately 73% of male veteran suicide deaths and 52% of female veteran suicide deaths are with firearms, rates that greatly exceed those of nonveterans. Fifty-one percent of veterans report owning one or more personal firearms, and of those, over half report storing firearms loaded and/or unsecured. A third of veterans who store their firearms loaded and unlocked don’t own a lockbox or safe.
“It is unacceptable that we have such high rates of veteran suicide when we know there are things we can do to help save the lives of those who served,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17). “I am proud to introduce the Save Our Veterans Lives Act of 2024 alongside my colleagues to provide free firearm lockboxes to my fellow veterans. It is a simple bipartisan idea, supported by organizations from across the political spectrum—let’s get this done and fight back against the crisis of veteran suicides.”
“The alarming and tragic reality is that our veterans face a suicide rate 57% higher than that of civilians. The Saving Veterans Lives Act will create a program within the VA to provide secure firearm lockboxes to veterans, ensuring they have the tools to safeguard themselves during moments of crisis. This commonsense, bipartisan initiative is more than a solution—it’s a lifeline. By providing access to lifesaving resources, we can prevent devastating outcomes and stand with our veterans as they navigate their darkest hours. It’s simple: we must come together and deliver the support our veterans deserve and have rightfully earned,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1).
“Our veterans sacrificed so much for our country, and it’s our responsibility to support them in all ways,” said Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01). “Free gun storage boxes is a simple yet critical step in reducing the risks of firearm-related harm. We’re proud to support this initiative in helping to keep our veterans and their loved ones safe.”
The bill has been endorsed by the following organizations: National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), The American Legion, GIFFORDS, Everytown for Gun Safety, Brady, American Psychological Association (APA), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and Association of VA Psychologist Leaders (AVAPL).
“NSSF – The Firearm Industry Trade Association – supports the Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2024 introduced during National Suicide Prevention Month. NSSF has a longstanding partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs with the goal of trying to reduce suicide by firearm among our nation’s veterans. Gun owners have a responsibility to securely store their firearms when not in use to make sure they are inaccessible to those who should not possess them including someone experiencing a mental health crisis,” said NSSF’s Senior Vice President Lawrence G. Keane. “Responsible firearm storage can create time and space between a person in crisis and a gun. Rep. Deluzio’s bill helps provide veterans with the means to secure their firearms.”
“The American Legion and its 1.6 million members are dedicated to our “Be the One” mission to reduce the number of veterans lost to suicide,” said American Legion National Commander, James LaCoursiere. “ Did you know that in some cases only 10 minutes elapse between an individual having suicidal ideation and acting? The Saving Our Veterans Lives Act is an important part of preventing suicide as it will provide veterans with the information and means to securely store their firearms to prevent suicide, while still protecting their Second Amendment rights. The Legion commends Representative Deluzio and his team for bringing this bill forward and for their continued dedication to the welfare of our nation’s veterans.”
“Firearms are by far the most prevalent method of veteran suicides, used 72% of the time–a rate that is much higher than nonveteran suicide. Safe gun storage creates time and space which interrupts the impulse of suicidal thoughts and ideation–and gives people an opportunity to hesitate, reconsider and seek help. The Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2024 aims to provide eligible veterans with items for the secure storage of firearms, a public education campaign on the availability of these items and on how to use them as a suicide prevention strategy. DAV is proud to support this impactful bill, and we thank Representative Deluzio for his continued leadership on this critical issue,” DAV National Legislative Director, Joy Ilem.
“One in five adult firearm suicide victims is a veteran,” said Emma Brown, GIFFORDS Executive Director. We can and must do better for the Americans who put their lives on the line to serve our country. Rep. Deluzio’s bill takes a significant step in addressing the issue of veteran suicide, and provides real, tangible solutions that will help keep veterans safe, as well as promoting safe storage tools in the process. We look forward to seeing this legislation move forward in this Congress.”
“The devastating rise of firearm suicide among veterans is another reminder of the terrible consequences that can arise when someone in crisis has access to a firearm. Our leaders should be doing everything in their power to protect those who have protected our nation, and we applaud Congressman Deluzio for introducing this legislation to promote secure gun storage and save lives.” – John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety.
“Our nation’s Veterans are battling a firearm suicide crisis, but it doesn’t have to be this way,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy, Brady. “Safe storage is proven to decrease the risk of suicide and save lives. Brady applauds Congressman Deluzio for introducing legislation that will help ensure Veterans can safely store their firearms and strengthen the Department of Veteran Affairs’ efforts to protect those who have served our country.”
“Suicide is a public health crisis impacting far too many veterans and their families,” said American Psychological Association (APA) CEO Arthur C. Evans, Jr. PhD. “We commend Rep. Deluzio’s tireless efforts to bring gun owners and the health care community together with Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2024. Research shows that impulsivity is a key factor in many suicide attempts and that secure firearm storage can prevent these tragedies.”
“Suicide is the 13th leading cause of death for Veterans in the United States, and research indicates that one in four Veterans store firearms in an unsafe manner, which increases the risk of suicide,” said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “We thank Representative Deluzio for introducing the Saving Our Veterans Lives Act, which will make it easier for Veterans to access secure firearm storage devices, raise awareness about the importance of lethal means safety, and help to prevent firearm suicide among Veterans and their families.”
“The Saving Our Veterans Lives Act of 2024 provides the funding and incentive to accomplish exactly what it states – to save Veteran lives by offering Veterans free lockboxes to securely store their firearms,” said Jennifer Presnall-Shvorin, President, Association of VA Psychologist Leaders (AVAPL). “AVAPL proudly supports this bill as one of the best commitments our Nation can make to serving those who have served.”
Since 2012, VA’s Suicide Prevention Program has distributed free firearm cable locks to any veteran who requests one. However, many veterans overwhelmingly favor lockboxes and safes to secure their guns.
A pilot program is currently offering free lockboxes to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) enrolled veterans with elevated risk for suicide who requests that one be mailed to them. Here are four ways that the Save Our Veterans’ Lives Act of 2024, full text available here, would enhance the pilot:
Issue
Current Pilot
Saving Our Veterans Lives Act
Veteran eligibility for free lockbox
Only covers VHA-enrolled veterans assessed as moderate to high-risk for suicide
Applies to all veterans, with and without identified risk, with and without VHA enrollment
Allocations needed for program staffing
No dedicated funds
Would cover need for: a program manager, statistician, evaluator, and prosthetics staff
Allocations needed for lockboxes
No dedicated funds
Assures sufficient funding for many tens of thousands of lockboxes to be distributed to veterans
Educational campaign informing veterans of program
None
Promotes public education campaign, including through trusted allies
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Andrew J. Hoffman, Professor of Management & Organizations, Environment & Sustainability, and Sustainable Enterprise, University of Michigan
The U.S. has seen a large number of billion-dollar disasters in recent years.AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
Millions of Americans have been watching with growing alarm as their homeowners insurance premiums rise and their coverage shrinks. Nationwide, premiums rose 34% between 2017 and 2023, and they continued to rise in 2024 across much of the country.
There are a few reasons, but a common thread: Climate change is fueling more severe weather, and insurers are responding to rising damage claims. The losses are exacerbated by more frequent extreme weather disasters striking densely populated areas, rising construction costs and homeowners experiencing damage that was once more rare.
Hurricane Ian, supercharged by warm water in the Gulf of Mexico, hit Florida as a Category 4 hurricane in October 2022 and caused an estimated $112.9 billion in damage. Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images
Just a decade ago, few insurance companies had a comprehensive strategy for addressing climate risk as a core business issue. Today, insurance companies have no choice but to factor climate change into their policy models.
Rising damage costs, higher premiums
There’s a saying that to get someone to pay attention to climate change, put a price on it. Rising insurance costs are doing just that.
Increasing global temperatures lead to more extreme weather, and that means insurance companies have had to make higher payouts. In turn, they have been raising their prices and changing their coverage in order to remain solvent. That raises the costs for homeowners and for everyone else.
The importance of insurance to the economy cannot be understated. You generally cannot get a mortgage or even drive a car, build an office building or enter into contracts without insurance to protect against the inherent risks. Because insurance is so tightly woven into economies, state agencies review insurance companies’ proposals to increase premiums or reduce coverage.
The insurance companies are not making political statements with the increases. They are looking at the numbers, calculating risk and pricing it accordingly. And the numbers are concerning.
The arithmetic of climate risk
Insurance companies use data from past disasters and complex models to calculate expected future payouts. Then they price their policies to cover those expected costs. In doing so, they have to balance three concerns: keeping rates low enough to remain competitive, setting rates high enough to cover payouts and not running afoul of insurance regulators.
But climate change is disrupting those risk models. As global temperatures rise, driven by greenhouse gases from fossil fuel use and other human activities, past is no longer prologue: What happened over the past 10 to 20 years is less predictive of what will happen in the next 10 to 20 years.
The number of billion-dollar disasters in the U.S. each year offers a clear example. The average rose from 3.3 per year in the 1980s to 18.3 per year in the 10-year period ending in 2024, with all years adjusted for inflation.
With that more than fivefold increase in billion-dollar disasters came rising insurance costs in the Southeast because of hurricanes and extreme rainfall, in the West because of wildfires, and in the Midwest because of wind, hail and flood damage.
Hurricanes tend to be the most damaging single events. They caused more than US$692 billion in property damage in the U.S. between 2014 and 2023. But severe hail and windstorms, including tornadoes, are also costly; together, those on the billion-dollar disaster list did more than $246 billion in property damage over the same period.
As insurance companies adjust to the uncertainty, they may run a loss in one segment, such as homeowners insurance, but recoup their losses in other segments, such as auto or commercial insurance. But that cannot be sustained over the long term, and companies can be caught by unexpected events. California’s unprecedented wildfires in 2017 and 2018 wiped out nearly 25 years’ worth of profits for insurance companies in that state.
To balance their risk, insurance companies often turn to reinsurance companies; in effect, insurance companies that insure insurance companies. But reinsurers have also been raising their prices to cover their costs. Property reinsurance alone increased by 35% in 2023. Insurers are passing those costs to their policyholders.
What this means for your homeowners policy
Not only are homeowners insurance premiums going up, coverage is shrinking. In some cases, insurers are reducing or dropping coverage for items such as metal trim, doors and roof repair, increasing deductibles for risks such as hail and fire damage, or refusing to pay full replacement costs for things such as older roofs.
Some insurances companies are simply withdrawing from markets altogether, canceling existing policies or refusing to write new ones when risks become too uncertain or regulators do not approve their rate increases to cover costs. In recent years, State Farm and Allstate pulled back from California’s homeowner market, and Farmers, Progressive and AAA pulled back from the Florida market, which is seeing some of the highest insurance rates in the country.
In some cases, insurers are restricting coverage. Roof repairs, like these in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., after Hurricane Ian, can be expensive and widespread after windstorms. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
State-run “insurers of last resort,” which can provide coverage for people who can’t get coverage from private companies, are struggling too. Taxpayers in states such as California and Florida have been forced to bail out their state insurers. And the National Flood Insurance Program has raised its premiums, leading 10 states to sue to stop them.
According to NOAA data, 2023 was the hottest year on record “by far.” And 2024 could be even hotter. This general warming trend and the rise in extreme weather is expected to continue until greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere are abated.
In the face of such worrying analyses, U.S. homeowners insurance will continue to get more expensive and cover less. And yet, Jacques de Vaucleroy, chairman of the board of reinsurance giant Swiss Re, believes U.S. insurance is still priced too low to fully cover the risk from climate change.
Climate change is a major factor in the rising cost of insurance. Join us for a special free webinar with experts Andrew Hoffman of the University of Michigan and Melanie Gall of Arizona State University to discuss the arithmetic behind these rising rates, what climate change has to do with it, and what may be coming in your future insurance bills.
Andrew J. Hoffman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The coalition Government is supercharging schools to lift maths achievement by delivering new resources and more support for teachers and students for Term 1 next year.
“$30 million will fund resources including workbooks, teacher guidance and lesson plans for the 2025 school year. Resources will be available in English and te reo Māori, curriculum aligned and reflect best-practice around the OECD,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.
“Just 22% of Year 8 students are at the expected standard for maths, that needs to change. That is why the Government has worked at pace to implement a new curriculum beginning in Term 1 next year. We have fantastic teachers, and we need to make sure they are equipped and feel supported to hit the ground running.
“More than half a million Year 0-8 students and their teachers will benefit from high-quality, curriculum-aligned mathematics resources in their classrooms. This alongside a new knowledge-rich curriculum will support teachers, reduce workload, and lift student achievement.”
From October 21, primary schools will be able to choose the maths resources and supports from a range of approved suppliers that best suit them and their learners. Resources will be sent to schools for the start of Term 1 next year.
To deliver this, funding has been reprioritised fromTe Ahu o te Reo Māori, a programme available for teachers to learn te reo Māori.
“Since 2019, $100 million has funded this initiative which isn’t accredited and more than double the cost of similar courses available. An evaluation of the programme found no evidence it directly impacted progress and achievement for students. The review also couldn’t quantify what impact the programme had on te reo Māori use in the classroom.
“This Government is committed to the revitalisation of te reo Māori and recognises the importance of the language in our schools. We will work with the Wānanga, tertiary providers and private training establishments to continue to make similar courses available free of charge. Funding for te reo Māori courses in Māori medium schools and kura will also remain.
“Just 45 percent of high school students are passing foundational maths. I am not prepared to look parents in the eye and allow the 60,000 kids starting school next year to be on a similar trajectory. Maths achievement needs to be prioritised.
“This funding shift will support high-quality instructional mathematics resources for students and teachers in te reo Māori so there is equitable access across our education system.
“This is just another part of ourMake it Count Action Plan to transform maths education in New Zealand. This Government has clarity, determination and purpose to deliver an education system that sets up our children for success,” Ms Stanford says.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says data released today shows increased school attendance in Term 2 of 2024 with 53.2 per cent of students regularly attending, an increase of 6.1 percentage points compared to the same term last year.
Regular attendance across primary students increased by 7 percentage points, to 56.8 per cent, and by 4.5 percentage points for secondary students to 46.7 per cent. Rates also rose across all ethnicity groups, year levels, and school equity index groups.
“Attending school is the first step towards achieving positive education outcomes. Positive education outcomes can lead to better health, higher incomes, better job stability and greater participation within communities. These are opportunities that every student deserves,” says Mr Seymour.
“Every single education region showed increases in regular attendance, with South and South-West Auckland, and Tai Tokerau demonstrating the largest increases compared to Term 2 2023, with increases of 10.3 and 9.4 percentage points respectively.”
Students are regularly attending school when they are present for more than 90 per cent of the term. The Government target for student attendance is 80 per cent of students present for more than 90 per cent of the term by 2030.
“Missing a week or more of school in a term may not seem like a lot but actually equates to missing one year of schooling by the time the student is 16. Regular attendance is so important for giving students the best opportunities and setting them up for success,” says Mr Seymour.
“Winter illnesses played a significant role and attendance numbers are still behind the same period in 2019, when almost 58 per cent of students were regularly attending school. Although school attendance is on the rise, the government is working hard to raise it further.
“Today I am announcing new initiatives that form Phase 2 of the Attendance Action Plan to ensure that schools, the Ministry of Education, wider government, family, and caregivers are doing everything they can to get students back to school.
“If the truancy crisis isn’t addressed there will be an 80-year long shadow of people who missed out on education when they were young, are less able to work, less able to participate in society, more likely to be on benefits. That’s how serious this is.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)
Headline: Scott Receives Legislative Champion Award for Work on Adult Education
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, received the Legislative Champion Award from the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE). Congressman Scott was selected by COABE due to his work to strengthen adult education and support adult learners, specifically his work to update the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
“We know that we must give adults the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century economy, and that has the added benefit of also keeping America’s economy competitive on the global stage,”said Congressman Scott.“I was proud to seeAStronger Workforce for America Act pass the House earlier this year, and I will keep working to get it passed by Senate and signed into law. That bill will make critical improvements to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and will expand the skills development provided under the law, strengthen the relationship between employers and the workforce system, and put more Americans on the pathway to successful careers. I look forward to working with COABE to support the needs of America’s adult educators, learners and programs.”
COABE is the leading national organization representing the US system of adult education.
More information on A Stronger Workforce for America Act can be found byCLICKING HERE.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)
Today, Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY-17) introduced the Kidney Donation Anti-Discrimination Act, which will prevent life insurance companies from being able to discriminate in the offering, issuance, cancellation, price or conditions of a life insurance policy, or in the amount of coverage provided under a life insurance policy, based solely on the status of an individual as a living kidney donor. The legislation is co-sponsored by Representatives Don Davis (D-NC-01) and Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02). It is also endorsed by the National Kidney Registry (NKR).
“Someone who donates a kidney is giving someone the gift of life,” said Congressman Lawler. “No good deed should go punished, especially not one that saves a life. Studies show that donating a kidney does not impact life expectancy. It shouldn’t have an impact on someone’s life insurance, either, and my new bill will ensure that it doesn’t. I’m proud to introduce the Kidney Donation Anti-Discrimination Act and I look forward to working with my colleagues in both parties to get this important bill passed and signed into law.”
“Kidney donors are already doing one of the most selfless things an individual can do, and punishing them for their actions makes no sense,” said Congressman Van Drew. “It is a no-brainer that we protect these donors and ensure they face no unnecessary hardship, especially when it comes to life insurance, where they should be supported, not penalized, for their generosity.”
“We must never punish living organ donors who are making a selfless sacrifice for others,” said Congressman Don Davis. “Eastern North Carolinians are suffering from significant health disparities, and the last thing we should do is discourage good Samaritans.”
“With approximately 90,000 people on the kidney transplant waitlist, every barrier to donation costs lives,” said Garet Hil, National Kidney Registry (NKR) CEO and Founder. “The NKR is grateful for the leadership of our congressional champions on the Kidney Donation Anti-Discrimination Act and is excited to endorse this critical bill to ensure donors are not penalized for their selflessness and courage.”
Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the 118th Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.