Priority question for written answer P-001878/2024 to the Commission Rule 144 Jan-Christoph Oetjen (Renew)
Article 15(2) of Regulation (EU) 2023/2405 (ReFuelEU Aviation)[1] requires the Commission to assess, by 1 July 2024, possible additional measures to the weighted average approach that aviation fuel suppliers may invoke when supplying sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to EU airports. This includes the possibility of setting up or recognising a system of tradability of SAF – a ‘book and claim’ mechanism for aircraft operators or fuel suppliers, or for both – which would facilitate the supply and uptake of SAF. The assessment and report are still pending.
As a prime example of how to boost the competitiveness of EU industries in the twin transition of reducing emissions through the deployment of digital solutions, book and claim is technically feasible without the risk of double-counting SAF. This can be carried out via existing blockchain solutions, by installing an effective EU database or through the recognition of industry solutions.
1.With the EU’s SAF blending mandate kicking in on 1 January 2025, can the Commission confirm that it will present its report in due time, so as to enable stakeholders to prepare for it?
2.Could the Commission please provide an update on the preparatory actions related to a book and claim mechanism in aviation fuel?
Submitted: 30.9.2024
[1] Regulation (EU) 2023/2405 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 October 2023 on ensuring a level playing field for sustainable air transport (ReFuelEU Aviation), OJ L, 2023/2405, 31.10.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2405/oj.
European Commission Infringement decisions Brussels, 03 Oct 2024 In its regular package of infringement decisions, the Commission pursues legal action against Member States for failing to comply with their obligations under EU law. These decisions aim to ensure the proper application of EU law for the benefit of citizens and businesses.
European Commission Press release Brussels, 03 Oct 2024 Today, the European Commission decided to refer Italy to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to end the abusive use of fixed-term contracts and discriminatory employment conditions (Council Directive 1999/70/EC).
European Commission Press release Brussels, 03 Oct 2024 Today, the European Commission decided to refer Portugal (INFR(2022)2085) to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to bring its national legislation fully in line with the Industrial Emissions Directive (Directive 2010/75/EU)
RED OAK, Iowa – On Friday, October 11, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) will host a town hall meeting in Dickinson County. Senator Ernst looks forward to hearing from constituents in the area about the issues most important to them. This town hall meeting is open to the public.
Friday, October 11, 2024
Dickinson County Town Hall Meeting
11:30am CT
Milford American Legion
1709 Okoboji Avenue
Milford, IA 51351-1252
NOTE: If you are a credentialed member of the media and plan to attend the event, please RSVP toPress@Ernst.Senate.Gov.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) are pressing Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on its refusal to use the budget-neutral Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD), despite the program’s proven efficacy for participating rural hospitals and qualifying facilities’ interest in joining.
“CMS last solicited program applications in 2017 and has communicated to us that the agency is not planning any further solicitations. Current law allows up to 30 hospitals to participate in the RCHD, but for the past several years CMS has underutilized the program, leaving as many as eight spots vacant,” the senators wrote CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure.
“A 2022 evaluation report found that new hospitals participating in the RCHD program saw their finances stabilize. The evaluation noted that hospitals joining the program saw a ‘large, positive, and statistically significant increases in their Medicare inpatient and combined margins.’ Rural stakeholders have called the RCHD a ‘lifeline’ and that has enabled struggling hospitals to expand health care services to seniors,” they continued. “The RCHD program is supporting rural hospitals and it should be fully utilized. If CMS has the tools to help one rural hospital, then you should be doing something about it.”
Read Grassley and Hyde-Smith’s full letter HERE.
Background:
The RCHD program improves financial viability for hospitals that are too large to be Critical Access Hospitals and too small to succeed under Medicare’s hospital inpatient prospective payment system. Congress established the RCHD in 2003 and has reauthorized it three times since.
Grassley’s RCHD Efforts:
Grassley is a lifelong resident of rural Iowa who, through his membership and leadership on the Senate Finance Committee, consistently works to improve patients’ access to care and ensure their hospitals stay open, regardless of where they’re located.
Last year, Grassley secured a commitment from Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra that his agency would “do more” to support rural hospitals in need. Grassley followed up shortly after, urging CMS to open RCHD spots. At Grassley’s request, CMS spoke with Iowa facilities looking to participate in the RCHD program. However, after months sans action, Grassley at a March hearing questioned Secretary Becerra about his failure to fill program openings, asserting the agency should be wielding every tool in the toolbox to help rural hospitals.
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Source: The White House
American workers and the unions who fight for them represent the best of our country. They help power our economy and strengthen our middle class. On National Manufacturing Day, we celebrate the ingenuity, grit, drive, and determination of the American worker. We thank them for their contributions, and we recommit to investing in their productivity and success.
There have always been competing visions for the future of America. Some envision a future in which the failed trickle-down policies that hurt working families for more than 40 years are continued. When I think about our future, I see an America where we grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up — not the top down. I see an America where working people finally have a fair shot. Above all, I see a future that is made right here in America.
That is why my Administration has invested in American manufacturing to restore the backbone of our Nation: the middle class. Together, we are doing what has always worked best in this country — investing in all of America and in all Americans. My Investing in America agenda — including my Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act — is revitalizing American manufacturing. So far, we have attracted over $910 billion in private sector investment in manufacturing and clean energy nationwide and seen spending on factory construction soar to new records, roughly triple the pre-pandemic average. These investments are helping create hundreds of thousands of jobs — including over 700,000 manufacturing jobs — building new semiconductor fabs, electric vehicle and battery factories, and so much more, here in America. And we are working with employers, unions, community colleges, high schools, and other partners to ensure American workers are trained for the good manufacturing jobs we are generating.
We have also made sure that Federal funds support American manufacturing. “Buy American” has been the law of the land since the 1930s. Past administrations said a lot but did not do a lot. On my watch, Federal projects have been made with American products and built by American workers. I fought for the passage of the “Build America, Buy America Act,” which established domestic content preferences in Federal infrastructure spending, as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I signed the “Federal Research and Development in Support of Domestic Manufacturing and United States Jobs” Executive Order, directing Federal agencies to prioritize domestic manufacturing when it comes to research, development, innovation, and bringing inventions to market. My Administration also made the strongest changes to Buy American rules in nearly seven decades by increasing the domestic content threshold for Federal procurement from 55 percent to 65 percent in 2024. I also announced new requirements for lumber, glass, fiber optic cables, and other construction materials used in Federal infrastructure projects to be made in America. And we will keep working to ensure that American taxpayer dollars are invested in American workers.
Growing up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, I learned a basic value set — money does not determine your worth, and all anyone wants is a fair shot. When I look at the economy, I see it through the eyes of Scranton. That is why I came into office determined to write a new chapter in our American comeback story — one where we can take pride in knowing that we can still get big things done in this great Nation.
During National Manufacturing Day, may we rededicate ourselves to writing that story by making the phrase “Made in America” not just a slogan but a reality.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 4, 2024, as National Manufacturing Day. I thank our manufacturing workers for all that they do to strengthen our Nation, encourage all Americans to look for ways to get involved in their communities, and call on everyone to join me in participating in National Manufacturing Day and, most importantly, buying American.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
Senators press Administration to provide more information to older adults about out-of-pocket prescription drug cost cap that goes into effect January 2025
The $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drugs for Medicare recipients to save seniors $1.5 billion in copays and other expenses
Casey and Warnock fought to pass law giving Medicare the power to negotiate and lower prescription drugs
Senators: “The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand these new options and benefits.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) pressed the Biden Administration to take action to inform seniors of the steps they may need to take to benefit from the impending cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug prices. Starting in January 2025, as a result of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries will go into effect and reduce drug costs for nearly 19 million Americans. The Senators are urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase outreach efforts to ensure that seniors understand how to guarantee their prescription drugs count towards the out-of-pocket cap so they don’t end up paying more than expected.
“The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand these new options and benefits. A lack of information and communication could leave older adults paying more and missing out on benefits to which they are entitled,” wrote the Senators.
Chairman Casey and Senator Reverend Warnock have long led efforts in the Senate to lower prescription drug costs. In 2022, they fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which put in place the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. The law also capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for Medicare recipients and gave Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time. Negotiations began last year on the first set of ten drugs: Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and NovoLog/Fiasp. In August, the Biden Administration announced the new, lower negotiated prices for each of these first ten drugs. Early next year, the Administration will announce the next set of 15 drugs that will be subject to price negotiations.
Earlier this year, Casey and Warnock introduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act, which would expand the savings of the Inflation Reduction Act by capping out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families on private insurance.
Read the full letter HERE or below:
Dear Secretary Becerra:
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to lowering the cost of health care across the Nation. In just a few months, as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs will go into effect. The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand their new options and benefits. A lack of information and communication could leave older adults paying more and missing out on benefits to which they are entitled. As this and other prescription drug pricing provisions from the IRA take effect, we urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase outreach efforts to older adults to ensure they are aware of how to benefit from the law.
When Congress passed the IRA, we fought to ensure the legislation included significant steps to improve prescription drug affordability by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, capping out of pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries, lowering insulin costs, and decreasing prescription drug costs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Last year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower the price of prescription drugs and in August, CMS announced the negotiated maximum fair prices for the first 10 drugs under the IRA’s negotiation program. Medicare enrollees taking these 10 drugs paid a total of $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2022. Had the IRA been in effect in 2023, Medicare would have saved $6 billion, and beneficiaries would have saved $1.5 billion in copays and other expenses. Additional drugs will be negotiated each year under this program, largely expanding the affordability of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.
Starting in 2023, cost-sharing was eliminated for vaccines covered by Medicare Part D. According to HHS, 10.3 million Medicare Part D enrollees received a recommended vaccine free of charge, which saved beneficiaries more than $400 million in out-of-pocket costs. This includes 3.9 million older adults who received a shingles vaccine, which is an increase of about 42 percent from 2021.
In January 2024, the IRA also capped out of pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Part B and Part D. Had the IRA been in effect in 2020, 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries would have benefited, saving about $734 million in Part D and $27 million in Part B, or about $500 in average annual savings per beneficiary. Thanks to pressure from the IRA, three of the largest U.S. insulin manufacturers have capped out-of-pocket insulin costs for even more patients.
In January 2025, Medicare Part D enrollees will benefit from a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug costs. This redesign will reduce beneficiary out-of-pocket spending by about $7.4 billion each year among more than 18.7 million enrollees in 2025. This will save nearly $400 per person in out of pocket costs each year.
CMS has provided some information about the upcoming implementation of the out-of-pocket cap, with detailed guidance regarding the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to Part D plan sponsors and a fact sheet for consumers and Medicare beneficiaries. But CMS must do more to inform older adults about the details of the $2,000 out of pocket cap to ensure they are able to realize its maximum benefits. For example, Medicare beneficiaries need information about how to guarantee their prescription drugs count towards the out-of-pocket cap and how to choose the best Part D plan for their individual needs. Without this critical information, beneficiaries may end up paying more than expected.
The IRA directly lowers prescription drug costs for millions of Americans, and we must do everything we can provide older adults with the resources to understand these benefits. This is especially important with Open Enrollment beginning on October 15, a key opportunity for beneficiaries to ensure their health plans meet their needs. The Biden-Harris Administration has worked tirelessly to pass and implement the IRA, and we look forward to continuing those efforts as provisions of the law take effect, making prescription drugs costs more affordable.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued its fiscal analysis of the Biden-Harris administration’s Medicare Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration Program. Among other findings, CBO estimates the program – which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched to artificially lower seniors’ premiums that have surged due to Democrat policymaking – could cost taxpayers more than $21 billion over three years if implemented as planned.
CBO conducted its analysis at the request of Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), along with Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.).
“When Democrats unilaterally enacted major changes to Medicare two years ago, they set seniors up for new expenses and fewer options. This nonpartisan CBO analysis confirms CMS’s cost-shifting plan is a dishonest election year gimmick to cover up those consequences,” Grassley said. “Rather than coming to the table and legitimately addressing its partisan mistakes, the Biden-Harris administration threw taxpayer dollars at the problems it created, putting Americans on the hook for tens of billions more dollars.”
“As predicted, the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act not only quelled investment for new cures, but caused Medicare prescription drug plan premiums to skyrocket, and Democrats are scrambling to cover it up before the election. In July, the Biden-Harris CMS scrambled to create a new federal program that will send billions of tax dollars to large health insurance companies to cover up a massive flaw in their so-called Inflation Reduction Act,” Arrington said. “Today, CBO confirmed that the administration’s election year Hail Mary will cost taxpayers an astounding $7 billion next year alone, and $21 billion over the planned three-year demo, adding to the more than $2 trillion in Biden-Harris executive spending.”
CBO findings of note:
Relative to prior projections, CBO expects an increase in federal Medicare Part D spending by $10-$20 billion in 2025 as a result of Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act. The demonstration’s temporary subsidies will drive up federal spending by another $5 billion and increase net spending on interest by $2 billion.
The demonstration program increased plans’ expected benefit payments, which contributed to a significant 2024-2025 rise in the amount plans bid. Those higher bids hike the premiums that beneficiaries pay, as well as the federal subsidies to Part D plans.
Background:
Congressional Democrats in the Inflation Reduction Act significantly redesigned the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit at an estimated cost of nearly $30 billion over 10 years. PDP sponsors then moved to increase their plan bids and base beneficiary premiums, while reducing plan offerings for 2025.
As a reaction, CMS announced its Premium Stabilization Demonstration. This cost-shifting program artificially lowered the cost of seniors’ Part D premiums by sending federal funds to large health insurance companies. It applies a uniform reduction of $15 to the base beneficiary premium, establishing a year-over-year limit of $35 on how much a plan’s total Part D premium can increase. The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board called the demonstration a “Medicare election bribe for seniors.”
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Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced a resolution to mark Latina Equal Pay Day and recognize its larger impact on women, families, and the economy. The resolution was also introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.-03) and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.-44).
“Overall, working Latinas are still being paid far less than their male counterparts—and it’s time we close the pay gap,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to introduce this bicameral resolution to recognize Latina Equal Pay Day and underscore the power Latinas bring to our economy. I’ll continue working to make sure that every woman in Nevada—regardless of her background—receives equal pay for equal work.”
More than 60 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, all Latinas with reported earnings in 2023 were paid just 51 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.
Read the full resolution text here.
A third generation Nevadan, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto is the first and only Latina in the U.S. Senate and the highest ranking Hispanic Senator in the Democratic Caucus. She passed a bipartisan resolution recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month in the Senate this year. She helped create a new series of commemorative circulating coins highlighting remarkable American women trailblazers in the U.S.—including Latinas like Celia Cruz, Nina Otero-Warren, and Jovita Idar. She’s leading the charge in the Senate to build the National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall, and she’s working to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to close the gender wage gap.
Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
13 Colorado projects in rural and tribal communities selected, investments will create thousands of jobs
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet celebrated the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) award of over $170 million to 13 Colorado projects in rural and Tribal communities to expand access to safe drinking water and reliable energy. The funding is part of a $1.3 billion nationwide investment from USDA to make our water infrastructure and our electrical grid more resilient to extreme weather and create thousands of good-paying jobs in the process.
“Where you live shouldn’t determine if you have clean water to drink or reliable electricity to keep the lights on,” said Hickenlooper. “From Rocky Ford to Silverton, these investments will create thousands of good-paying jobs while expanding access to safe drinking water and reliable energy. ”
“Everyone deserves access to clean and safe water, no matter where they live. However, far too many rural communities in Colorado face the challenges of aging or unsafe water infrastructure. I’m glad towns from Holly to Del Norte will receive this federal support to help them continue delivering reliable, clean water to Coloradans across the state,” said Bennet.
The federal investments come from the USDA’s Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants Program and the Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program. The funding is divided between over $127 million in grant funding and over $42 million in federal loans to the 13 Colorado projects.
A full list of selected projects is below:
Recipient
Grant Awarded
Loan Awarded
Description
Location
San Miguel Power Association
N/A
$29,784,000
Build and improve power lines, invest in smart grid technologies
San Miguel County
Hunter Solar
N/A
$38,285,000
Provide long term financing of a 75 MW solar farm
Arapahoe County
Meadow Mountain Water Supply Company
$1,974,000
$441,000
Repair failing water distribution system
Allenspark, CO
Town of Silverton
$2,764,000
$2,165,000
Improve wastewater treatment facilities
Town of Silverton
Sedalia Water and Sanitation District
$5,045,000
$561,000
Help replace an aging water distribution system and connect the system to Castle Rock’s water system
Douglas County
Town of Holly
$6,189,000
$4,740,000
Construct a new well and treatment plant and improve system efficiency
Town of Holly
Town of Walsh
$4,404,000
$1,550,000
Upgrade the water treatment system
Town of Walsh
Montezuma Water Company
N/A
$15,300,000
Modernize the water system to increase capacity, install new water pumps
Montezuma County
Town of Del Norte
$11,018,000
$12,010,000
Replace undersized and failing water piping and add fire hydrants to extend firefighting coverage
Town of Del Norte
Town of Bethune
$2,662,000
$1,523,000
Decommission existing treatment plant and construct a new 3-pond evaporation system
Town of Bethune
Marble Water Company
$455,000
$1,158,000
Install new distribution lines, fire hydrants, and water pumps
Town of Marble
City of Rocky Ford
$7,935,000
$20,351,000
Replace problematic sections of the existing water system
City of Rocky Ford
Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced they secured significant federal funding for Mahnomen County Airport for infrastructure improvements. The grant provides $203,400 to start Phase 1 of the Runway 17/35 improvement project. Improvements include updating the existing lighting and rehabilitating 3,400 feet of paved runway.
“Mahnomen County Airport is an essential link for area residents and businesses,” said Klobuchar. “This federal grant will make needed infrastructure updates to ensure the airport can continue serving travelers for years to come.”
“I’m glad to see the Biden-Harris administration once again delivering for travelers in Minnesota and around the country,” said Smith. “Small and regional airports like the Mahnomen County Airport are vital parts of their communities and this funding will go directly towards rehabilitating the runway to ensure it is safe for passengers and crew.”
This funding is from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides federal grants for airport infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, signage, lighting, and markings.
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
October 03, 2024
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that
$997,622 is coming to Lane County to build resiliency in the face of climate chaos-fueled wildfires and smoke. This funding under the historic Inflation Reduction Act—the largest investment in climate action in history—will help improve air quality and mitigate the harms of wildfire smoke for Lane County residents, protecting public health and frontline communities disproportionately at risk of these fires.
“When hazardous wildfire smoke blankets our communities, it threatens our health, lives, and livelihoods,” Merkley said. “A record amount of acreage in Oregon has burned by wildfires this year, and we must make sure Oregonians have access to the necessary resources to help respond to the dangerous smoke these fires produced. This money will help protect our communities, and I’ll keep fighting for smart investments like this to tackle wildfires and smoke throughout our state.”
“Wildfires increasingly threaten lives and communities in our beautiful state each year as the climate crisis continues to worsen,” Wyden said. “This federal funding is a perfect example of what I fought for in the Inflation Reduction Act. I applaud this federal investment to Lane County, and will continue to push for more resources to help reduce the risk of wildfires throughout Oregon.”
This grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will go toward the following specific strategies and activities:
Home hardening and smoke-proofing homes with wildfire and smoke vulnerabilities;
Implementing a community-developed Smoke Community Response Plan;
Hiring a wood waste program coordinator to extend the life of a firewood program that delivers seasoned firewood to underserved community members;
Identifying economically viable uses for local forest stock that can help with reducing forest fuel load;
Conducting a research assessment on wildfire smoke in rural Eastern Lane County focused on health and morbidity in relation to the limitation of prescribed fire in the Willamette National Forest; and
Publishing a lessons learned/best practices toolkit that encourages the implementation of similar programs in other regions.
“We’re grateful for the EPA’s Environmental Justice grant award. This funding will support community-led efforts to protect vulnerable residents from smoke and wildfire hazards in Lane County and LRAPA developing a model for wildfire preparedness strategies to be utilized across the Pacific Northwest. We thank Senators Merkley and Wyden for their continued support and advocacy for environmental justice in our region,” said Travis Knudsen, Executive Director of the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA).
Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
Garland’s DOJ did not respond to initial letter demanding answers on prosecutions, as evidence of thousands of cases of illegal aliens registering to vote have emerged
NASHVILLE, TN—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Rules Committee, and Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) today led their colleagues in calling out U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) failure to prevent illegal aliens from registering to vote in American elections or prosecute those who evidently have done so.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of non-citizens registering to vote and voting in federal elections,” the Members of Congress wrote. “As of today, there has been no response from you or your Department regarding the inquiry on July 12, 2024, seeking information on efforts undertaken by your Department to enforce laws prohibiting non-citizen voting. Given that the 2024 Presidential Election is in less than 34 days, your Department’s inaction and refusal to provide any information regarding its efforts to promote public trust and confidence in our elections is especially alarming.”
State officials across the country have recently taken steps to prevent, deter, and investigate cases of illegal voter registration by non-citizens, including in South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, and Tennessee. Since the Members of Congress sent their initial letter, cases have emerged in the states of Virginia and Texas.
“Clearly, there is a non-negligible amount of voter participation by non-citizens in federal elections, which is not only a serious threat to the integrity of our elections and the democratic process they represent, but also has the potential to reduce Americans’ trust and confidence in election results,” the Members of Congress continued.
The members of Congress, once again, requested the following information by October 16, 2024:
1. Please provide the number of aliens who have been charged, tried, or convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 611 since January 20, 2021, including the status of each case.
2. Please provide the number of aliens who been charged, tried, or convicted under 52 U.S.C. § 20511 since January 20, 2021, including the status of each case.
3. Please provide the number of aliens who have been prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 911 since 2021, including the status of each case.
4. Please provide the number of referrals received from other government officials or the public in reference to the statutes cited in questions 1 through 3.
5. How does the Department of Justice investigate allegations received of non-citizen voting or voter registration?
6. What affirmative steps have the Department of Justice taken to detect, prevent, and deter illegal aliens and other non-citizens from registering and voting in federal elections?
7. What affirmative steps have the Department taken to obtain relevant information from the Department of Homeland Security on aliens who have registered or voted in elections?
8. What steps have been taken by U.S. Attorneys and the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division, which is responsible forprosecuting election crimes and assisting U.S. Attorneys in prosecuting election crimes, to obtain jury-related information that indicates aliens have unlawfully registered to vote?
9. As the 2024 election nears, what steps will the Department take to detect, investigate, and prosecute non-citizens who violate 18 U.S.C.§ 911, 52 U.S.C. § 20511, or 18 U.S.C. § 611 by voting or registering to vote in the 2024 election?
10. What steps have the Department taken to contact Virginia and Texas election officials to obtain information and the voter registration and voter history files on each of the aliens removed from the voter rolls who were unlawfully registered and voting in those states?
Co-signers of the letter include Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), Jim Risch (R-ID), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Steve Daines (R-MT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Tim Scott (R-SC), Marco Rubio (R-FL), John Thune (R-SD), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), John Barrasso (R-WY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Katie Britt (R-AL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Hoeven (R-ND), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Kennedy (R-LA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), along with Representatives Andy Harris (R-MD-01), Clay Higgins (R-LA-03), Gary Palmer (R-AL-06), Matt Rosendale (R-MT-02), Ralph Norman (R-SC-05), Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), Aaron Bean (R-FL-04), Josh Brecheen (R-OK-02), Nancy Mace (R-SC-01), Bob Good (R-VA-05), Eric Burlison (R-MO-07), Mike Ezell (R-MS-04), Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03), Tom Tiffany (R-WI-07), Lauren Boebert (R-CO-03), Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), Michael Guest (R-MS-03), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01), Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Chip Roy (R-TX-21), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11), Mary Miller (R-IL-15), Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09), Lance Gooden (R-TX-05), Jeff Duncan (R-SC-03), Harriet Hageman (R-WY-01), Barry Moore (R-AL-02), Mike Collins (R-GA-10), Tim Burchett (R-TN-02), Greg Lopez (R-CO-04), Keith Self (R-TX-03), Brian Babin (R-TX-36), August Pfluger (R-TX-11), Alex Mooney (R-WV-02), Dusty Johnson (R-SD-01), Randy Weber (R-TX-14), Rich McCormick (R-GA-06), and Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01).
A copy of the letter can be found here and below.
Dear Attorney General Garland:
We are deeply concerned by reports of non-citizens registering to vote and voting in federal elections. As of today, there has been no response from you or your Department regarding the inquiry on July 12, 2024, seeking information on efforts undertaken by your Department to enforce laws prohibiting non-citizen voting. Given that the 2024 Presidential Election is in less than 34 days, your Department’s inaction and refusal to provide any information regarding its efforts to promote public trust and confidence in our elections is especially alarming.
Since the initial letter, several more concerning reports have been released by state officials indicating that a large number of non-citizens appear on their voter rolls. For example, the Virginia Attorney General recently announced that 6,303 non-citizens were identified on and removed from Virginia’s voter rolls in 2022 and 2023. In another troubling report released in August, over 6,500 non-citizens registered to vote in Texas were identified and removed from voter rolls. Of the 6,500 non-citizens identified, 1,930 had a voter history.
Clearly, there is a non-negligible amount of voter participation by non-citizens in federal elections, which is not only a serious threat to the integrity of our elections and the democratic process they represent, but also has the potential to reduce Americans’ trust and confidence in election results.
Accordingly, we respectfully reiterate the July 12 request for information on your Department’s enforcement efforts. The initial deadline for providing this information was July 26, 2024, so the response is now 9 weeks overdue.
Please provide responses to the following no later than October 16, 2024:
1. Please provide the number of aliens who have been charged, tried, or convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 611 since January 20, 2021, including the status of each case.
2. Please provide the number of aliens who been charged, tried, or convicted under 52 U.S.C. § 20511 since January 20, 2021, including the status of each case.
3. Please provide the number of aliens who have been prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 911 since 2021, including the status of each case.
4. Please provide the number of referrals received from other government officials or the public in reference to the statutes cited in questions 1 through 3.
5. How does the Department of Justice investigate allegations received of non-citizen voting or voter registration?
6. What affirmative steps have the Department of Justice taken to detect, prevent, and deter illegal aliens and other non-citizens from registering and voting in federal elections?
7. What affirmative steps have the Department taken to obtain relevant information from the Department of Homeland Security on aliens who have registered or voted in elections?
8. What steps have been taken by U.S. Attorneys and the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division, which is responsible forprosecuting election crimes and assisting U.S. Attorneys in prosecuting election crimes, to obtain jury-related information that indicates aliens have unlawfully registered to vote?
9. As the 2024 election nears, what steps will the Department take to detect, investigate, and prosecute non-citizens who violate 18 U.S.C.§ 911, 52 U.S.C. § 20511, or 18 U.S.C. § 611 by voting or registering to vote in the 2024 election?
10. What steps have the Department taken to contact Virginia and Texas election officials to obtain information and the voter registration and voter history files on each of the aliens removed from the voter rolls who were unlawfully registered and voting in those states?
Thank you for your attention to this matter and we look forward to your prompt reply.
Sincerely,
Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced they secured significant federal funding for Crookston Municipal Airport for infrastructure improvements. The grant provides $455,192 for a new 418 foot taxiway to provide airfield access to the site of a future hangar to bring the airport into conformity with current standards. This grant funds the final phase, which consists of construction.
“Crookston Municipal Airport is an essential link for residents and businesses in Polk County and beyond,” said Klobuchar. “This federal grant will make needed infrastructure updates to ensure the airport can continue serving travelers for years to come.”
“I’m glad to see the Biden-Harris administration once again delivering for travelers in Minnesota and around the country,” said Smith. “Small and regional airports like the Crookston Municipal Airport are vital parts of their communities and this funding will go directly towards making much needed infrastructure updates to the runway and surrounding areas.”
This funding is from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides federal grants for airport infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, signage, lighting, and markings.
Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the co-founder and co-chair of the Electrification Caucus, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) welcomed the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) announcement that its Grid Deployment Office (GDO) is investing $1.5 billion for five electric transmission projects— including the Southline Transmission Project in southern New Mexico.
The funding will come from the Grid Deployment Office’s (GDO) Transmission Facilitation Program (TFP), a revolving fund program established by the Infrastructure Law that Heinrich, Luján, and Democrats in the New Mexico Congressional Delegation championed into law. The TFP helps overcome the financial hurdles facing transmission development through a number of innovative financing mechanisms.
“The investments that we unlocked through our Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act are solidifying New Mexico’s leadership in building a cleaner, healthier, and more affordable energy future,” said Heinrich. “High-voltage transmission projects like Southline will be the backbone of our clean energy transition, delivering carbon-free power generated in New Mexico to market. They will also create high-quality careers that New Mexicans can build their families around, in their home communities. To get more transmission projects like Southline and SunZia built faster so we can connect more large-scale clean energy and storage projects onto the grid, it’s critical that Congress pass transmission permitting reform. I will continue pressing leaders from both parties to pass legislation to get that done.”
“Investing in transmission projects is critical to deliver reliable, affordable, clean energy to communities across New Mexico,” said Luján. “This investment in the second phase of the transformative Southline project will help boost our power grid, bring good-paying clean energy jobs to our state, and lower energy costs for New Mexicans and residents in the Southwest. I’m proud to have helped secure this federal investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and I will continue to unlock federal resources to advance clean energy projects across our state.”
“From my first day in office, I have worked to support generational projects like Southline that realize New Mexico’s potential to help power our clean energy future. This investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will connect high voltage transmission from Las Cruces through Hidalgo County, opening up incredible potential for renewable energy development in our district,” said Vasquez. “I will always work to bring transformational investments to our district that help provide good, high paying jobs for our rural communities.”
With this funding, Southline will construct the second phase of its project: a new 108-mile, 345 kV high-voltage alternating current line that will deliver 1,000 MW of new, bidirectional capacity between Hidalgo County, New Mexico and Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Heinrich previously welcomed DOE funding for the first phase of the Southline Project, which included a 175-mile, 748 MW transmission line from Hidalgo County, New Mexico, to Pima County, Arizona, that will help unlock renewable energy development in southern New Mexico and deliver diverse sources of clean energy to growing markets in Arizona. Southline Phase 2 will add much-needed transmission capacity across the American Southwest, which is grappling with extensive power demands driven by residential, commercial, and industrial activity.
In August, Heinrich, Luján, and Vasquez also welcomed $1.8 million from DOE for the City of Lordsburg. As a community hosting the Southline Transmission Project, the City will launch the Lordsburg Revitalization Project, a comprehensive investment to renovate downtown Lordsburg and bolster economic development; create opportunities for small businesses; and catalyze job growth. This grant was made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed by Democrats in the N.M. Delegation, and is funded through DOE’s Transmission Siting and Economic Development Grant Program, a new initiative designed to overcome state and local challenges to expanding transmission capacity while also supporting communities along major new and upgraded lines.
Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — To celebrate Latina Equal Pay Day today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced a Senate resolution recognizing October 3, 2024, as Latina Equal Pay Day.
More than 50 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Latinas make up the second largest group of women workers in the U.S—yet they are paid 57 cents for every dollar paid to white men, losing over $1,200,000 in potential earnings over a 40 year career. This resolution recognizes the disparity in wages paid to Latina women and reaffirms support to ensure equal pay for equal work and close the gender pay gap.
“From driving small business growth to leading labor movements, Latinas have grown and transformed our economy and workplaces for the better. On Latina Equal Pay Day, we honor their remarkable accomplishments and contributions, while recognizing the ongoing work needed to achieve equal pay for equal work,” said Heinrich. “This day and every day, I remain committed to fighting for a fair economy for all New Mexicans, raising the minimum wage, and expanding opportunities for a brighter future.”
“Throughout history, Latinas have helped propel our economy and have long contributed to the fabric of America,” said Luján. “Despite their contributions to building our country, their pay has not been reflective of their work. Today, on Latina Equal Pay Day, I’m proud to partner with Senator Heinrich to introduce this resolution to recognize the contributions of Latinas and highlight the ongoing fight for equal pay for equal work. I will continue to fight for workers across New Mexico and the country to secure equal pay for equal work and close the gender pay gap once and for all.”
The resolution is led by U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)., Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Illi.), Amy Klobuchar (D-M.N.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), George Helmy (D-N.J.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). The companion resolution is led in the House by U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM)
WASHINGTON –Today, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) announced the introduction of the Latina Equal Pay Day Resolution to recognize the disparity in wages paid to Latinas, the significance of equal pay, and its larger impact on women, families, and the economy.
“Mis hermanas y yo decidimos que ya basta! We introduced the bicameral Latina Equal Pay Day Resolution to recognize the unequal and unfair treatment of women in the workforce, especially Latinas, who are undervalued and underpaid—earning only 51 cents to an average male worker,” said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. “Latinas play a huge role in our economy, especially our care economy. But our contributions are not valued, and our value is not paid. Today, we recommit to closing the gender and racial wage gap. Latinas deserve equal pay NOW.”
“Overall, working Latinas are still being paid far less than their male counterparts—and it’s time we close the pay gap,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to introduce this bicameral resolution to recognize Latina Equal Pay Day and underscore the power Latinas bring to our economy. I’ll continue working to make sure that every woman in Nevada—regardless of her background—receives equal pay for equal work.”
“Pay disparities experienced by women, and especially Latinas and women of color, show that the contributions we make to society are consistently undervalued,” said Congresswoman Barragán. “In many Latina families, the women of the family are the sole economic providers. It takes several additional months for a Latina woman to make the equivalent of a white man – which puts them behind in their pursuit of their American Dream. I am proud to lead on this resolution that reaffirms Congress’ commitment to closing the pay gap. Ha llegado el momento de que las latinas reciban igualdad de salarios!”
More than 60 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, all Latinas with reported earnings in 2023 were paid just 51 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. That is one cent less than last year. Latinas who work full-time, year-round are paid only 58 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. On Latina Equal Pay Day, we recognize the pay gap between Latinas and White non-Hispanic men in the previous calendar year.
The resolution is led in the Senate by Senator Cortez Masto (D-NV) and co-led in the House by Nanette Diaz Barragán and co-sponsored by Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29), Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-08), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37), Linda Sanchez (D-CA-38), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Katie Porter (D-CA-47), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO-05), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Raul Ruiz (D-CA-36), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), André Carson (D-IN-07), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29), J. Luis Correa (D-CA-46), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Greg Casar (D-TX-35).
The resolution is endorsed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and supported by 26 organizations, including Equal Rights Advocates & Equal Pay Today, Michigan Pay Equity Network, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Justice for Migrant Women, Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley, MomsRising/MamásConPoder, AnitaB.org, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center, Women Employed, MANA, A National Latina Organization, UnidosUS, Women’s Law Project, National Hispanic Council on Aging, SER National Inc., National Council of Jewish Women, Family Values @ Work, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), Esperanza United, Hispanic National Bar Association, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Methodist Federation for Social Action, National Education Association, PowHer New York, Latinas in Healthcare, National Alliance to End Sexual Violence.
“Thank you to Senator Cortez Masto and Representatives Leger Fernández and Barragán for their leadership in Congress working to close the pay gap. This Latina Equal Pay Day, we are honoring Latina leaders in the labor movement and across sectors to amplify the incredible ways that Latinas make change in our communities. We also continue to advocate for the passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act and BE HEARD in the Workplace Act to create more economically secure and safer workplaces,” said Mónica Ramírez, President and Founder, Justice for Migrant Women.
“As a Latina, mother, grandmother, and lifelong advocate for workers, I’ve witnessed Latinas take on incredible sacrifices to progress in this country, but it is our role as advocates to ensure that Latina’s wages do not continue to be sacrificed. Today, in 2024, Latinas face a staggering wage gap that continues to undermine our contributions and hold our community back. While unions have been instrumental in securing higher wages and vital protections for unionized Latinas, a wage gap still persists even among unionized Latinas. Our work won’t end until every Latina—and every woman—is valued equally for her labor. We must demand action now. Support the Paycheck Fairness Act and the BE HEARD Act—two essential pieces of legislation to combat pay discrimination and workplace violence. Our fight is about more than wages; it’s about dignity, respect, and the fundamental principle of equality that our country is founded upon,” said Evelyn DeJesus, National President, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and Executive Vice President, American Federation of Teachers.
“Equal Pay Today, a nationwide pay equity coalition of over 45 state and national organizations, applauds Congresswomen Leger Fernández and Barragán and Senator Cortez Masto for introducing this Latina Equal Pay Day Resolution. While Latinas are the backbone of our economy, leaders, entrepreneurs, and the second-largest group of women workers in the United States, they suffer from egregious pay gaps, ongoing workplace harassment, and continued segregation into low paid work and workplaces that lack paid leave and benefits. This resolution recognizes that true pay equity requires an intersectional approach to address gender and race-based discrimination and galvanizes our collective support to address the injustices which impact Latinas, their families, and our economy,” said Deborah J. Vagins, Director of Equal Pay Today with Equal Rights Advocates.
“We are grateful to Congresswomen Leger Fernández and Barragán and Senator Cortez Masto for calling attention to the ongoing and egregious wage gaps experienced by Latinas. The median annual pay for all Latinas is less than an appalling $27,000 a year, plunging a working mother of two in poverty. Over her lifetime, a Latina is robbed of over a million dollars in wages. This travesty must end. We are proud to join the Members of Congress and partner organizations who support this resolution and who are working together on common sense workplace protections and benefits to end this economic injustice for Latinas,”said Noreen Farrell, Executive Director of Equal Rights Advocates & Chair of Equal Pay Today.
Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
“Local Stakeholders Sidelined in Misguided Management“
Washington, D.C. – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) responded to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) finalization of the proposed management plan for the Bears Ears National Monument (BENM), a 1.36 million-acre monument in Southern Utah. Senator Lee criticized the plan, highlighting a lack of local input and its harmful impact on Utahns who depend on the land for their livelihoods.
“Once again, the Biden administration has imposed a one-size-fits-all management plan that disregards the voices of those who know the land best—Utahns,” Senator Lee stated. “While the administration has bent over backward to ensure input from special interests, it has failed to afford the same consideration to the people of Utah. These are public lands, yet the public most affected by these decisions—the ranchers, recreationists, and workers—has been sidelined.”
Senator Lee noted that despite years of negotiation, the state of Utah and the federal government could not finalize the long-awaited land exchange with the State Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), a failure that he attributes to the administration’s unwillingness to collaborate in good faith.
“This plan is the latest in a long line of top-down, federal overreach that prioritizes political agendas over real solutions. Utahns deserve better than to be treated as second-class citizens when it comes to managing their own lands.”
Lee called on the administration to revisit the plan and give Utahns a true seat at the table.
Through the Broadband Fund, the CRTC has committed more than $8 million to Westman Communications Group to build approximately 310 kilometres of fibre transport infrastructure. The projects will improve access to reliable, high-quality Internet services.
October 3, 2024 — Ottawa-Gatineau – Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
The CRTC is taking steps to provide 16 rural Manitoba communities with access to high-speed fibre optic Internet.
In 2019, the CRTC implemented the Broadband Fund to help connect rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada. To date, the Fund has helped improve high-speed Internet and cell phone services in 270 communities, connecting essential facilities such as schools, health centres and community centres.
Through the Broadband Fund, the CRTC has committed more than $8 million to Westman Communications Group to build approximately 310 kilometres of fibre transport infrastructure. The projects will improve access to reliable, high-quality Internet services.
These projects received support from affected communities. Letters of support highlighted the positive impacts the projects had on daily life in these areas, such as improving public safety and promoting commercial and industrial development.
The CRTC continues to assess applications received under the Broadband Fund and will make further funding announcements in the coming months.
Quote
“We are taking action to ensure that all Canadians have access to high-speed Internet services. The projects announced today will bring fibre optic Internet services to 16 rural communities in Manitoba. They will improve access to health care and other government services, support small businesses and create new economic opportunities.”
– Vicky Eatrides, CRTC Chair and CEO
Quick Facts
The CRTC is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates Canada’s communications sector in the public interest. It holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record. To date, the CRTC Broadband Fund has supported projects that will connect more than 47,000 households, improve cellphone service along more than 630 kilometres of major highways, and build more than 4,900 kilometres of fibre optics in communities. In March 2023, the CRTC launched a public consultation to enhance the Broadband Fund. It will initiate a process to create an Indigenous component of the Fund.
Related links
Media RelationsEmail Address: media@crtc.gc.caPhone: 819-997-9403
General InquiriesTelephone: 819-997-0313Toll-free: 1-877-249-CRTC (2782)Teletypewriter: 819-994-0423
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Central Bank of Russia –
The Bank of Russia has decided to approve Basic standard protection of the rights and interests of recipients of financial services provided by members of self-regulatory organizations uniting insurance organizations and foreign insurance organizations.
The document was developed by the All-Russian Union of Insurers, a self-regulatory organization in the financial market, and on September 19, 2024, it was approved by the Committee on Standards for the Activities of Insurance Organizations and Foreign Insurance Organizations under the Bank of Russia.
At the same time, the Bank of Russia decided to refuse to approve the Basic Standard, which was agreed upon on August 21, 2024 by the Committee on Standards for the Activities of Insurance Organizations and Foreign Insurance Organizations. The decision was made due to the non-compliance of certain provisions of the standard with the requirements established by Article 6.2 of the Law of the Russian Federation dated November 27, 1992 No. 4015-I “On the Organization of Insurance Business in the Russian Federation”.
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.
Over the nearly five years since COVID first emerged, you’d be forgiven if you’ve lost track of the number of new variants we’ve seen. Some have had a bigger impact than others, but virologists have documented thousands.
The latest variant to make headlines is called XEC. This omicron subvariant has been reported predominantly in the northern hemisphere, but it has now been detected in Australia too.
So what do we know about XEC?
Is COVID still a thing?
People are now testing for COVID less and reporting it less. Enthusiasm to track the virus is generally waning.
Nonetheless, Australia is still collecting and reporting COVID data. Although the number of cases is likely to be much higher than the number documented (around 275,000 so far this year), we can still get some idea of when we’re seeing significant waves, compared to periods of lower activity.
Australia saw its last COVID peak in June 2024. Since then cases have been on the decline.
But SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, is definitely still around.
Which variants are circulating now?
The main COVID variants circulating currently around the world include BA.2.86, JN.1, KP.2, KP.3 and XEC. These are all descendants of omicron.
The XEC variant was first detected in Italy in May 2024. The World Health Organization (WHO) designated it as a variant “under monitoring” in September.
Since its detection, XEC has spread to more than 27 countries across Europe, North America and Asia. As of mid-September, the highest numbers of cases have been identified in countries including the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Denmark.
Although XEC remains a minority variant globally, it appears to have a growth advantage over other circulating variants. We don’t know why yet, but reports suggest it may be able to spread more easily than other variants.
For this reason, it’s predicted XEC could become the dominant variant worldwide in the coming months.
In Australia, 329 SARS-CoV-2 sequences collected from August 26 to September 22 have been uploaded to AusTrakka, Australia’s national genomics surveillance platform for COVID.
The majority of sequences (301 out of 329, or 91.5%) were sub-lineages of JN.1, including KP.2 (17 out of 301) and KP.3 (236 out of 301). The remaining 8.5% (28 out of 329) were recombinants consisting of one or more omicron sub-lineages, including XEC.
Estimates based on data from GISAID, an international repository of viral sequences, suggests XEC is making up around 5% of cases in Australia, or 16 of 314 samples sequenced.
Queensland reported the highest rates in the past 30 days (8%, or eight of 96 sequences), followed by South Australia (5%, or five out of 93), Victoria (5%, or one of 20) and New South Wales (3%, or two of 71). WA recorded zero sequences out of 34. No data were available for other states and territories.
What do we know about XEC? What is a recombinant?
The XEC variant is believed to be a recombinant descendant of two previously identified omicron subvariants, KS.1.1 and KP.3.3. Recombinant variants form when two different variants infect a host at the same time, which allows the viruses to switch genetic information. This leads to the emergence of a new variant with characteristics from both “parent” lineages.
KS.1.1 is one of the group commonly known as “FLiRT” variants, while, KP.3.3 is one of the “FLuQE” variants. Both of these variant groups have contributed to recent surges in COVID infections around the world.
The WHO’s naming conventions for new COVID variants often use a combination of letters to denote new variants, particularly those that arise from recombination events among existing lineages. The “X” typically indicates a recombinant variant (as with XBB, for example), while the letters following it identify specific lineages.
We know very little so far about XEC’s characteristics specifically, and how it differs from other variants. But there’s no evidence to suggest symptoms will be more severe than with earlier versions of the virus.
What we do know is what mutations this variant has. In the S gene that encodes for the spike protein we can find a T22N mutation (inherited from KS.1.1) as well as Q493E (from KP.3.3) and other mutations
known to the omicron lineage.
Will vaccines still work well against XEC?
The most recent surveillance data doesn’t show any significant increase in COVID hospitalisations. This suggests the current vaccines still provide effective protection against severe outcomes from circulating variants.
As the virus continues to mutate, vaccine companies will continue to update their vaccines. Both Pfizer and Moderna have updated vaccines to target the JN.1 variant, which is a parent strain of the FLiRT variants and therefore should protect against XEC.
However, Australia is still waiting to hear which vaccines may become available to the public and when.
In the meantime, omicron-based vaccines such as the the current XBB.1.5 spikevax (Moderna) or COMIRNATY (Pfizer) are still likely to provide good protection from XEC.
It’s hard to predict how XEC will behave in Australia as we head into summer. We’ll need more research to understand more about this variant as it spreads. But given XEC was first detected in Europe during the northern hemisphere’s summer months, this suggests XEC might be well suited to spreading in warmer weather.
Betting markets have them pretty much equal favourites. However, history shows grand finals don’t always go to plan.
But what are the biggest upsets in NRL grand final history?
Using a combination of formlines during the season and in finals, betting odds, media coverage and past performances, here are some of the most outlandish upsets in rugby league’s history.
1944: Balmain 12, Newtown 8
In 1944, Newtown was the minor premier while Balmain was second.
Newtown entered the finals series as hot favourite and looked even hotter after destroying third-placed St George 55–7 in the first semi-final.
However, in the final, Balmain won 19–6. That wasn’t the end of the story, though.
Under the rules of the day, Newtown, as minor premier, could seek a rematch in a grand final “challenge”.
Newton fielded a much stronger side and most expected it to reverse the final result. However, Balmain won again, 12–8.
1952: Western Suburbs 22, South Sydney 12
In 1952, Wests were minor premiers, while Souths finished third.
Souths won the first semi-final 18–10 but Wests, as minor premiers, went straight to the grand final challenge three weeks later anyway. Meanwhile, Souths beat North Sydney to advance.
According to the Sydney Truth, Wests were “regarded in some quarters as rank outsiders”.
Then, rumours spread that Wests had “thrown” the first game and the referee assigned to the decider, George Bishop, had placed £400 on them, causing their price to shorten.
Bishop sent off a player from each team ten minutes into the second half. Souths scored a try with 20 minutes to go to take the lead before Wests scored four tries in the last ten minutes to win.
Bishop retired after the grand final.
1963: St George 8, Western Suburbs 3
In 1963, St George was minor premiers, while Wests were second. However, Wests, which had lost the previous two grand finals to St George, had beaten them twice in the regular rounds and again in the major semi-final, and went into the game favourite.
On grand final day, the field deteriorated into a quagmire and led to the famous post-match “gladiators” photograph of captains Arthur Summons and Norm Provan shaking hands while coated in mud.
The foul conditions contributed to a low-scoring game, which St George won 8–3.
Once more it was suspected the referee, this time Darcy Lawler, had a financial interest in the outcome. He, too, retired immediately.
Today we view St George’s victory in the context of a huge winning streak of premierships from 1955 to 1966.
1989: Canberra 19, Balmain 14
South Sydney had been minor premiers while Balmain finished third, one point clear of Canberra.
Balmain were generally considered to have been more impressive than Canberra and were favourites for the grand final.
One media expert, Harry Craven, was so confident Balmain would win he had his “weatherboard” (house) on the Tigers.
In the grand final, Balmain led 14-8 with 15 minutes to play before Canberra levelled at 14–14 with 90 seconds remaining.
After 20 minutes of extra time, Canberra won 19–14 and became the first team to win from further back than third in the regular season.
1995: Canterbury 17, Manly 4
Possibly the hottest grand final favourites of the past half-century, Manly lost just two games in the regular season and shared the minor premiership with Canberra.
Canterbury (officially, the “Sydney Bulldogs” in 1995) were sixth and needed to win four straight games to be premier.
The two sides met once in the regular season, with Manly winning 26-0.
In the grand final, the Bulldogs led 6–4 at half-time and disaster loomed when Terry Lamb was sin-binned early in the second term.
Somehow, the Dogs held Manly out until his return, then gained the ascendancy and won comfortably.
1997: Newcastle 22, Manly 16
In 1997 we had the first season of the News Limited-funded “Super League”.
The glamourous Manly side was once more expected to be easy winners over Newcastle, which was contesting its first grand final.
Only two teams in 70 years had won at their first attempt, while Manly had won its past 11 matches against the Knights.
The grand final followed its anticipated plot until Newcastle’s Robbie O’Davis evened the score at 16–16. Newcastle missed with two field goal attempts, but after the second, Darren Albert regathered the ball and pierced the Manly defence to score under the posts with six seconds remaining.
In 1997, the Newcastle Knights secured a maiden title against the Manly Sea Eagles.
1999: Melbourne 20, St George Illawarra 18
Odds for the 1999 grand final are unknown but the press anointed St George “hot favourites” while Canterbury champion Ricky Stuart rated them “unbeatable”.
Melbourne was in just its second year of NRL competition and had never beaten St George.
Melbourne had pulled off “escapes” against Canterbury and Parramatta to make the decider but the Saints were winning with ease and even crushed Melbourne 34–10 in the qualifying final.
In the decider, St George led 14–0 and was looking good. Then, in the 51st minute, Anthony Mundine kicked the ball to a vacant try line but fumbled it touching down.
The Melbourne Storm shocked the NRL world when they won the 1999 grand final.
Nevertheless, St George maintained an 18–6 advantage midway through the second half, before a Storm fightback.
With minutes remaining, Melbourne received a penalty try which it converted to win the game.
The biggest upset: 1969, Balmain 11, South Sydney 2
Bookies had Souths as heavy favourites – they had won the previous two grand finals, while Balmain was a young team lacking grand final experience.
However, the form lines of the two teams were not dissimilar.
At the end of the regular season, South Sydney was the minor premier with Balmain just one win behind them.
Souths defeated Balmain by one point in the semi-final, and a week later, Balmain beat Manly by a point to scrape into the grand final.
Despite South’s heavy favouritism, Balmain were not friendless. Of six “experts” whose opinion was sought by one newspaper on the morning of the game, two picked Balmain outright and another conceded them an even-money chance.
It was perhaps the circumstances of the game, as much as the result, that has lent the 1969 grand final its legend status.
Souths, noted for their attacking potency, were unable to score a try. Balmain scored a single try early in the second half but then several Balmain players set about disrupting the Souths attack by, allegedly, feigning injuries to give their teammates a breather.
Wayne Peake 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: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Horsfall, PhD Candidate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne
A city street may seem an unusual place to save species found in critically endangered grasslands. My new research, though, shows we can use plants from these ecosystems to create beautiful and biodiverse urban wildflower meadows. This means cities, too, can support nature repair.
Species-rich grassy ecosystems are some of the most threatened plant communities on the planet. Occupying easily developed flat land, grassy ecosystems are routinely sacrificed as our cities expand.
In south-east Australia, the volcanic plains that support Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs were once grasslands strewn with wildflowers, “resembling a nobleman’s park on a gigantic scale”, according to early explorer Thomas Mitchell. But these exceptionally diverse, critically endangered ecosystems have been reduced to less than 1% of their original area. The few remnants continue to be lost to urban development and weed invasion.
A mix of the seeds used to create the meadow. Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC
Unfortunately, efforts to restore the grasslands around Melbourne have had mixed results. In 2020 the City of Melbourne took matters into its own hands. Recognising it is possible to enrich the diversity of birds, bats and insects by providing low-growing native plants, the council set a goal to increase understorey plants by 20% on the land it manages.
Creating a large native grassland in inner-city Royal Park would help achieve this goal. Adopting a technique used by wildflower meadow designers, we sowed a million seeds of more than two dozen species from endangered grasslands around Melbourne. All but one of these species established in the resulting native wildflower meadow.
The recreated native wildflower meadow is close to an inner-city road. Matthew Stanton, CC BY-NC
What were the challenges at this site?
Existing restoration techniques remove nutrient-enriched topsoils full of weed seeds before sowing native seeds. The target plant community can then establish with less competition from nutrient-hungry weeds.
However, this approach could not be used at the Royal Park site. Topsoil removal cannot be used on many urban sites where soils are contaminated or there are underground services. Alternative approaches are needed to reduce weed competition while minimising soil disturbance.
I saw a possible answer in the horticultural approaches used to create designed wildflower meadows.
Preparing the selected site in Royal Park by raking away mulch. Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC
While still rare in Australia, designed wildflower meadows can increase the amenity and biodiversity of urban environments. They also reduce the costs of managing and mowing turf grass. These meadows are designed to be infrequently mown or burnt.
Wildflower meadow designers typically use an international suite of species that can be established from seed and persist without fertiliser or regular irrigation. An abundance of flowers makes people more accepting of “messy” vegetation. Recognising this, designers select a mix of species that will flower for as much of the year as possible.
Seed being spread by hand across the prepared area in April 2020. Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC
To reduce competition from weeds, these meadows are often created on a layer of sand that covers the original site soils. The low-nutrient sand buries weed seeds and creates a sowing surface that resists weed invasion from the surrounding landscape.
However, the grasslands around Melbourne grow on clay soils, not sand. Would these techniques work for plants from these ecosystems?
A deep sand layer controls weeds and slugs
To find out we sowed more than a million seeds on sites with two depths of sand (10mm and 80mm) and one without a sand layer in Royal Park. Within one year, 26 of the 27 species sown had established to form a dense, flowering meadow across all sand depths. These plants included three threatened species.
Crucially, the deepest sand layer reduced weed numbers and therefore time spent weeding.
Interestingly, slugs played a role in determining the diversity of the native meadow. South-east Australia’s grasslands have largely evolved without slugs. As a result, seedlings lack chemical or physical defences against grazing by slugs, which can greatly reduce species diversity in native meadows.
Again, sand provided a real benefit. Fewer slugs occurred on the deepest sand layer compared to bare soil. The suggestion that sand can deter slugs is consistent with meadow research in Europe.
By September 2020, seedlings are growing on the prepared plots. The roof tile in the foreground is for monitoring slug numbers. Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC
Working in urban contexts also unlocks other advantages. There’s ready access to irrigation while the meadow gets established and to communities keen to care for natural landscapes. Creating native wildflower meadows in cities also helps native animals survive, including threatened species that call our cities home.
The meadow’s plant community was established by November 2020, six months after sowing. David Hannah, CC BY-NC
My colleagues and I trialled these approaches with the support of the City of Melbourne. We are continuing our research to improve the scale and sustainability of native wildflower meadows in other municipalities.
Once seed supply is more certain, we will be able to bring back native biodiversity and beauty to streets, parks and reserves across the country.
I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the project took place, the Wurundjeri and Bunurong people of the Kulin Nations, and we pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. I also acknowledge my colleagues listed as co-authors on the research paper that formed the basis of this article: urban ecologists Nicholas S.G. Williams and Stephen Livesley, and seed ecologists Megan Hirst and John Delpratt.
Katherine Horsfall received funding from the City of Melbourne to undertake this research and receives funding from the Australian Research Training Program.
When the Moulin Rouge first opened on October 6 1889, it drew audiences from across classes and countries.
The Moulin offered an array of fin-de-siècle (end-of-the-century) entertainments to Paris locals and visitors. Located in Montmartre, its name, the “red windmill”, alluded to Montmartre’s history as a rural idyll. The neighbourhood was also associated with artistic bohemia, crime, and revolutionary spirit. This setting added a certain thrill for bourgeois audiences.
From irreverent newcomer to a French institution, the Moulin Rouge has survived scandal, an inferno and found new ways to connect with audiences.
In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was not the only red landmark to open in Paris. The Eiffel Tower, built as part of the Universal Exhibition and originally painted red, had opened earlier that same year. What set them apart, however, was their popularity.
The Moulin Rouge was an instant hit, capitalising on the global popularity of a dance called the cancan. Dancers like Moulin Rouge headliner La Goulue(“The Glutton”, real name Louise Weber) were seen as more appropriate emblems for the city than the Tower, which many considered an eyesore.
In an illustration from Le Courrier Français newspaper, a dancer modelled on a photograph of La Goulue holds her leg aloft, flashing her underwear with the caption “Greetings to the provinces and abroad!”.
Every aspect of the Moulin spoke to the zeitgeist, from its design to the performances, the use of electric lights that adorned its façade, and its advertising.
Its managers, the impresario team of Joseph Oller and Charles Harold Zidler, had a string of successful venues and businesses to their names. They recognised the importance of modern marketing, using print media, publicity photographs, and posters to spark public interest.
Among the most iconic images of the Moulin is Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1891 poster. At its centre is La Goulue, kicking her legs amid swirling petticoats.
Henri Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1891 poster. Shutterstock
She certainly can cancan
Found primarily in working-class dance halls from as early as the 1820s, the cancan became a staple of popular entertainment the world over.
Part of the dance’s thrill lay in the dancers’ freedom of movement and titillation of spectators, as well as its anti-establishment energy. Women used the cancan to thumb their nose at authority via steps like the coup de cul (“arse flash”) or coup du chapeau (removing men’s hats with a high kick).
The cancan was not the only attraction at the Moulin. There were themed spaces, sideshows, and variety performances ranging from belly dancers and conjoined twins to Le Pétomane (“The Fartomaniac”) who was a flatulist and the highest-paid performer. People watching was equally popular.
Over the years, the Moulin has been no stranger to controversy.
In its early years, it cultivated an air of misbehaviour and featured in pleasure guides for visiting sex tourists.
In 1893 it hosted the Bal des Quat’z’Arts (Four-Arts Ball) held by students from local studios. Accusations of public indecency were made against the models and dancers in attendance, and violent protests followed after the women were arrested.
In 1907 the writer Colette appeared onstage at the Moulin in an Egyptian-inspired pantomime with her then-lover, Missy, the Marquise de Belbeuf. When the act culminated in a passionate kiss, a riot broke out.
Historical footage shows the Moulin Rouge as it was.
Kicking on and on
Over time, the Moulin Rouge shows changed their format to keep pace with public taste, though the cancan remained. The venue hosted revues and operettas, and various stars including Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli.
Famous guests have included British royalty: from Edward VII (while Prince of Wales) to his great-granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, and her son, Prince Edward.
Since its opening, the Moulin’s fortunes have waxed and waned.
In 1915 the Moulin Rouge burned down but was rebuilt in 1921. Its famous windmill sails fell off overnight earlier this year but were swiftly repaired.
By the early 1960s, Jacki Clerico was managing the Moulin’s show after his father had revamped the venue as a dinner theatre destination. The younger Clérico oversaw additions like a giant aquarium where dancers swam with snakes, and its now-famous “nude line” – a chorus of topless dancers – in its shows.
In 1963, the Moulin Rouge struck upon a winning formula: revues, all named by Clérico with titles beginning with the letter “F” – from Frou Frou to Fantastique and Formidable. Since 1999, the revue Féerie (“Fairy”, also a French genre of stage extravaganza) has been performed almost without interruption.
Since COVID, the Moulin Rouge management have diversified. The windmill’s interior has been rented out via AirBnB and the Moulin’s dance troupe has performed on France’s televised New Year’s Eve celebrations. This year, the Moulin Rouge and its dancers were part of the Paris Olympics celebrations, dancing in heavy rain.
Though people have come to appreciate the Eiffel Tower too, the Moulin Rouge can still argue its status as the pinnacle of live entertainment in the French capital: immediately recognisable, internationally visible, and quintessentially Parisian.
Will Visconti is the author of Beyond the Moulin Rouge: The Life & Legacy of La Goulue (2022), published by the University of Virginia Press.
Since ChatGPT was released at the end of 2022, there has been a lot of speculation about the actual and potential impact of generative AI on universities.
But there has been no large-scale research on how university staff in Australia are using AI in their work.
Our new study surveyed more than 3,000 academic and professional staff at Australian universities about how they are using generative AI.
Our study
Our survey was made up of 3,421 university staff, mostly from 17 universities around Australia.
It included academics, sessional academics (who are employed on a session-by-session basis) and professional staff. It also included adjunct staff (honorary academic positions) and senior staff in executive roles.
Academic staff represented a wide range of disciplines including health, education, natural and physical sciences, and society and culture. Professional staff worked in roles such as research support, student services and marketing.
The average age of respondents was 44.8 years and more than half the sample was female (60.5%).
The survey was open online for around eight weeks in 2024.
We surveyed academic and professional staff at universities around Australia. Panitan/Shutterstock
Most university staff are using AI
Overall, 71% of respondents said they had used generative AI for their university work.
Academic staff were more likely to use AI (75%) than professional staff (69%) or sessional staff (62%). Senior staff were the most likely to use AI (81%).
Among academic staff, those from information technology, engineering, and management and commerce were most likely to use AI. Those from agriculture and environmental studies, and natural and physical sciences, were least likely to use it.
Professional staff in business development, and learning and teaching support, were the most likely to report using AI. Those working in finance and procurement, and legal and compliance areas, were least likely to use AI.
Given how much publicity and debate there has been about AI in the past two years, the fact that nearly 30% of university staff had not used AI suggests adoption is still at an early stage.
What tools are staff using?
Survey respondents were asked which AI tools they had used in the previous year. They reported using 216 different AI tools, which was many more than we anticipated.
Around one-third of those using AI had only used one tool, and a further quarter had used two. A small number of staff (around 4%) had used ten tools or more.
General AI tools were by far the most frequently reported. For example, ChatGPT was used by 88% of AI users and Microsoft Copilot by 37%.
University staff are also commonly using AI tools with specific purposes such as image creation, coding and software development, and literature searching.
We also asked respondents how frequently they used AI for a range of university tasks. Literature searching, writing and summarising information were the most common, followed by course development, teaching methods and assessment.
We asked staff who had not yet used AI for work to explain their thinking. The most common reason they gave was AI was not useful or relevant to their work. For example, one professional staff member stated:
While I have explored a couple of chat tools (Chat GPT and CoPilot) with work-related questions, I’ve not needed to really apply these tools to my work yet […].
Others said they weren’t familiar with the technology, were uncertain about its use or didn’t have time to engage. As one academic told us plainly, “I don’t feel confident enough yet”.
Ethical objections to AI
Others raised ethical objections or viewed the technology as untrustworthy and unreliable. As one academic told us:
I consider generative AI to be a tool of plagiarism. The uses to date, especially in the creative industries […] have involved machine learning that uses the creative works of others without permission.
They also also raised about AI undermining human activities such as writing, critical thinking and creativity – which they saw as central to their professional identities. As one sessional academic said:
I want to think things through myself rather than trying to have a computer think for me […].
Another academic echoed:
I believe that writing and thinking is fundamental to the work we do. If we’re not doing that, then […] why do we need to exist as academics?
How should universities respond?
Universities are at a crucial juncture with generative AI. They face an uneven uptake of the technology by staff in different roles and divided opinions on how universities should respond.
These different views suggest universities need to have a balanced response to AI that addresses both the benefits and concerns around this technology.
Despite differing opinions in our survey, there was still agreement among respondents that universities need to develop clear, consistent policies and guidelines to help staff use AI. Staff also said it was crucial for universities to prioritise staff training and invest in secure AI tools.
Alicia Feldman receives an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and Fee Offset.
Paula McDonald receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Abby Cathcart and Stephen Hay do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program Provides Federal Funding To Rid Homes And Communities Of Lead Hazards
Schumer Has Long Fought To Get The Lead Out Of NYS – Securing Millions In Fed $$ To Remove Lead Hazards From Homes – And Latest Investment Will Boost Efforts Even Further To Rid Homes Of Toxic Lead Paint
Schumer: Federal Funding To Remove Lead Hazards Is A Shot In The Arm To Protect Rockland’s Children And Public Health
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced $7,400,000 in federal funding for Rockland County from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program. Schumer explained that the funding will be used to address lead-based paint hazards, improving the health of children and families across New York State.
“No amount of toxic lead exposure is safe for children in Rockland County. I am proud to secure $7.4 million to help Rockland County & the Village of Pomona remove lead paint from homes to protect our children and public health,” said Senator Schumer. “Lead poisoning is an irreversible, preventable tragedy that robs many families and children of their future. This major federal funding is the shot in the arm the Hudson Valley needs accelerate lead paint removal and prevention and protect the health and safety of families in Rockland County.”
This funding builds on years of efforts by Schumer to help address toxic lead exposure across Upstate NY. Schumer has long been a driving force in securing federal funding to reduce lead exposure in New York. In addition to fighting lead exposure in paint, Schumer has also led the charge to increase federal funding to eliminate lead service pipes for drinking water in New York. The senator secured one of the largest federal investments ever into eliminating lead service pipes in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law, which includes a $15 billion carve-out within the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) over 5 years ($3 billion every year) for lead service pipe replacement.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), lead is much more harmful to children than adults because it can affect children’s developing nerves and brains. Lead-based paint, still encasing the walls of many homes, often erodes and settles on children’s toys on the floor, eventually falling into the hands and mouths of children. For children under the age of 6, lead exposure can result in developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues, which may lead to lifelong health and financial consequences. Schumer has long advocated for protecting New York’s children and families in the past by securing millions of dollars in federal funding to eradicate these toxic elements from homes in order to reduce lead poisoning cases. Lead poisoning can cause developmental difficulties, physical pain, and neurological damage.
The purpose of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program is to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately-owned housing for rental or owner-occupants. These grants are used to assist municipalities in carrying out lead hazard control activities.
Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
Fed Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program Will Boost Albany, Schenectady, Onondaga, and Chautauqua County To Help Rid Homes And Communities Of Lead Hazards
Schumer Has Long Fought To Get The Lead Out Of Upstate NY – Securing Millions In Fed $$ To Remove Lead Hazards From Homes – And Latest Investment Will Boost Efforts Even Further To Rid Homes Across Upstate NY Of Toxic Lead Paint
Schumer: Fed $$$ Is A Shot In The Arm To Protect Upstate NY’s Children And Public Health
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced $22,467,061 in federal funding for four cities from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program. Schumer explained that the funding will be used to address lead-based paint hazards, improving the health of children and families across Upstate NY in Onondaga, Albany, Schenectady, and Chautauqua Counties.
“No amount of toxic lead exposure is safe for children in Upstate NY. Today I am proud to deliver $22+ million for communities from the Capital Region to Central NY to Western NY to remove lead paint from homes to protect our children and public health,” said Senator Schumer. “Lead poisoning is an irreversible, preventable tragedy that robs many families and children of their future. This major federal funding is the shot in the arm that these regions need to boost lead paint removal and prevention and protect the health and safety of families across Upstate NY.”
A full list of awards can be found below:
Organization Name
Community
County
Federal Funding
Albany Community Development Agency
Albany
Albany
$5,000,000.00
City of Schenectady
Schenectady
Schenectady
$3,967,061.00
Onondaga County Community Development
Syracuse
Onondaga
$7,750,000.00
Chautauqua County
Mayville
Chautauqua
$5,750,000.00
This funding builds on years of efforts by Schumer to help address toxic lead exposure across Upstate NY. Most recently in 2023, Schumer helped secure $6.3 million in federal funding for Broome County, nearly $4 million for Utica, and $3.3 million for Niagara County through the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program to bolster ongoing efforts.
Schumer has long been a driving force in securing federal funding to reduce lead exposure in New York. In addition to fighting lead exposure in paint, Schumer has also led the charge to increase federal funding to eliminate lead service pipes for drinking water in New York. The senator secured one of the largest federal investments ever into eliminating lead service pipes in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law, which includes a $15 billion carve-out within the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) over 5 years ($3 billion every year) for lead service pipe replacement.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), lead is much more harmful to children than adults because it can affect children’s developing nerves and brains. Lead-based paint, still encasing the walls of many homes, often erodes and settles on children’s toys on the floor, eventually falling into the hands and mouths of children. For children under the age of 6, lead exposure can result in developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues, which may lead to lifelong health and financial consequences. Schumer has long advocated for protecting New York’s children and families in the past by securing millions of dollars in federal funding to eradicate these toxic elements from homes in order to reduce lead poisoning cases. Lead poisoning can cause developmental difficulties, physical pain, and neurological damage.
The purpose of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program is to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately-owned housing for rental or owner-occupants. These grants are used to assist municipalities in carrying out lead hazard control activities.
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353 October 3, 2024
Cotton to Werfel: Partisan Voter Registration Drives Violate Federal Law
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today wrote a letter to the Internal Revenue Service Commissioner, Danny Werfel urging an investigation into the Voter Participation Center’s alleged partisan activities. This charity is targeting likely Democrat voters while excluding likely Republican voters through its voter-registration ads on social media. The IRS prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from conducting partisan voter-education or voter-registration activities.
In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
“According to the Washington Free Beacon, the Voter Participation Center is targeting likely Democrat voters and excluding likely Republican voters through its voter-registration ads on social media. The Voter Participation Center has instructed Facebook to exclude users from seeing ads if they expressed interest in ‘John Wayne,’ ‘Redneck Mud Club,’ ‘Daytona 500,’ ‘Duck Dynasty,’ and other topics associated with conservatives. On the other hand, the group instructed Facebook to target users interested in ‘hot yoga,’ ‘Charli XCX’ (who is closely associated with Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign), ‘Pitchfork Media,’ and other topics that tend to interest progressives.”
Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
October 3, 2024
The Honorable Danny Werfel
Commissioner
Internal Revenue Service
1111 Constitution Avenue, Northwest
Washington, DC 20224
Dear Commissioner Werfel,
I write regarding a tax-exempt charity that may be violating federal law. The Voter Participation Center is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that reportedly engages in partisan voter-registration drives.
The IRS prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from conducting partisan voter-education or voter -registration activities. The IRS states that a 501(c)(3) organization may only conduct voter-registration drives “if they are conducted in a neutral, non-partisan manner.” It further warns that a private foundation is subject to a tax if it uses funds for partisan voter-registration drives.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, the Voter Participation Center is targeting likely Democrat voters and excluding likely Republican voters through its voter-registration ads on social media. The Voter Participation Center has instructed Facebook to exclude users from seeing ads if they expressed interest in “John Wayne,” “Redneck Mud Club,” “Daytona 500,” “Duck Dynasty,” and other topics associated with conservatives. On the other hand, the group instructed Facebook to target users interested in “hot yoga,” “Charli XCX” (who is closely associated with Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign), “Pitchfork Media,” and other topics that tend to interest progressives.
The Voter Participation Center has spent over a million dollars on this ad drive. It has also paid over $50 million to Democrat micro-targeting firms. According to 26 U.S. Code § 4945(d)(2), these partisan expenditures must be taxed.
The IRS should immediately open an investigation into this organization.
Sincerely,
Tom Cotton
U.S. Senator
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Today, the Department is announcing charges against 10 individuals affiliated with pharmaceutical distributors alleged to have funneled nearly 70 million opioid pills and 30 million doses of other commonly abused prescription drugs to “pill-mill” pharmacies, mostly in the Houston, Texas area. These drugs had an estimated street value of over $1.3 billion.
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