Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Secretary Duffy holds Press Conference in Austin, TX
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Veterans Wellness Path is a free and publicly available mobile app designed to support American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans. It was created by the National Center for PTSD, Department of Veterans Affairs, and supports the transition from military service to home, and encourages balance and connection with self, family, community, and environment. Through the app, Native Veterans can complete daily check-ins, browse tips for strengthening relationships, and try exercises to heal the body, mind, emotions, and spirit.
This app is not a replacement for treatment with a healthcare professional, but it can be used by people who are in treatment as well as those who are not.
Download Veterans Wellness Path – Mobile App (iOS/Android):
https://mobile.va.gov/app/veterans-wellness-path
#mhealth #mentalhealth #nativeveterans #nativeamerican #alaskanative
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
“Like many legacy institutions, the WHO has become mired in bureaucratic bloat, entrenched paradigms, conflicts of interest, and international power politics. While the United States has provided the lion’s share of the organization’s funding historically, other countries such as China have exerted undue influence over its operations in ways that serve their own interests and not particularly the interests of the global public.” – Sec. Kennedy
—
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) | http://www.hhs.gov
http://www.Twitter.com/HHSGov | http://www.Facebook.com/HHS http://www.Instagram.com/HHSGov
http://www.LinkedIn.com/company/us-department-of-health-and-human-services
HHS Privacy Policy: http://www.hhs.gov/Privacy.html
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Asia Society President Kang Kyung-wha in Beijing on Tuesday.
As Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, noted, progress has been made in high-level China-US economic and trade talks recently, which once again proves that equal dialogue, mutual respect and proper resolution of legitimate mutual concerns are in the common interests of China and the US.
At the same time, the head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry pointed out that the United States continues to restrain and suppress China’s legitimate right to development. The diplomat stressed that China is resolutely against such unilateral bullying.
According to Wang Yi, China and the United States should first achieve positive interaction in the Asia-Pacific region, which will help to form the right path for coexistence between the two countries and find effective channels for mutually beneficial cooperation.
For her part, Kang Kyung-wha said that the Asia Society has accumulated deep knowledge of China’s thousand-year-old cultural heritage and stands ready to continue sharing fact-based, objective perceptions of China and, together with forward-thinking members of the American society, create a platform for dialogue to clear up misconceptions and promote mutual understanding. –0–
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)
WASHINGTON – Today, a bipartisan and bicameral group of Members reintroduced the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act(POWADA), a proposal to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for older workers.
In the House, the bill is led by Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Representative Glenn Grothman (R-WI-06), Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Ranking Member Alma Adams (D-NC-12), and Representative Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02).
In the Senate, the bill is led by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
“Everyone—regardless of their age—should be able to go to work every day knowing that they are protected from discrimination. Unfortunately, age discrimination in the workplace is depriving older workers of opportunities and exposing them to long-term unemployment and severe financial hardship. More than a decade ago, the Supreme Court undermined protections for older workers by setting an unreasonable burden of proof for age discrimination claims. The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act is a bipartisan bill that would finally restore the legal rights of older workers by ensuring that the burdens of proof in age discrimination claims are treated in the same manner as other discrimination claims,”said Ranking Member Scott.
“Age discrimination is one of the most prevalent issues affecting an entire generation of older Americans,” said Representative Grothman. “The Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act is a crucial initiative that aims to restore legal safeguards for older Americans by ensuring that age discrimination claims receive just as much credibility as any other form of workplace discrimination. Age discrimination is often overlooked, but it is one of the most egregious forms of discrimination hurting Americans. Older workers deserve to work without facing unnecessary burdens.”
“Older workers have a wealth of experience to offer and should not have to overcome age discrimination, or any other form of discrimination, to find a job or fulfill their role in a workplace,”said ECESE Ranking Member Bonamici. “We must hold employers accountable for age discrimination and restore protections for older workers. I’m grateful to lead this legislation with a group of bipartisan colleagues.”
“Discrimination has no place in the American workforce, and no one should lose opportunity, dignity, or legal protection simply because of their age. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill restores a core standard of fairness, ensuring our older workers are valued for their contributions and protected from unjust treatment—just like every hardworking American,” said Representative Fitzpatrick.
“Older Americans have spent their careers bettering our country which is why I’m proud to reintroduce POWADA to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for our senior workers,”said HEWD Ranking Member Adams. “Far too often, older workers face age discrimination in the workplace, with two-thirds of workers over 50 seeing or experiencing age discrimination at work. POWADA will ensure that older workers are treated fairly in the job market, improve age discrimination protections, and make sure they can continue to work with the dignity they’re owed. There is no place for mistreatment in the workforce.”
“In a truly free and fair America, equal opportunity must be a fundamental right for all citizens, regardless of age,” said Representative Van Drew. “Unfortunately, age discrimination continues to deny older workers the opportunities they deserve, despite their years of dedication and contributions to our society. This is unacceptable. That is why I am proud to support the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2025 to restore legal protections, uphold the dignity of older Americans, and ensure fairness for all.”
“Every Wisconsin worker deserves to feel respected and protected in the workplace. We need to ensure this is true for older workers, so they have equal footing and are treated with the dignity they deserve,”said Senator Baldwin.
“Americans of all ages can offer valuable contributions to our society and economy, including older Americans. They deserve to be protected from workplace discrimination like other Americans. The Supreme Court’s decision involving Iowan Jack Gross impacted employment discrimination litigation across the nation, sending a wrong message to employers that age discrimination is okay. It’s long past time for us to clarify the intent of Congress so Americans don’t face job discrimination due to age,”said Senator Grassley.
In 2009, the Supreme Court’s decision in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc. weakened protections against age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Under Gross, plaintiffs seeking to prove age discrimination in employment are required to demonstrate that age was the decisive motivating factor for the employer’s adverse action.
POWADA returns the legal standard for age discrimination claims to the pre-2009 evidentiary threshold, aligning the burden of proof with the same standards for proving discrimination based on based on race and national origin.
POWADAamends four laws—the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. A similar version of the bill was passed in the House with bipartisan support during the 117th Congress.
Read the bill text for the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act here.
Read the fact sheet for the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act here.
Read the section-by-section summary of the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act here.
The following organizations support the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act: American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Aging Life Care Association, Alliance for Retired Americans, Elder Justice Coalition, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP), National Employment Law Project (NELP), National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), The National Council on Aging, and USAging.
###
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
“Republicans are stealing a good idea and twisting it.”
Baby Bonds Championed by Pressley & Booker Would Address Wealth Gap, End Cycles of Poverty, Help 18 Year-Olds Pay for College, Home, or Starting a Business
Video (YouTube)
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) delivered a floor speech in which she slammed the so-called “MAGA Accounts” proposal in Republicans’ reconciliation bill. Rather than support this regressive proposal, Congresswoman Pressley urged her colleagues to support Baby Bonds, her bicameral legislation with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to close the racial wealth gap, disrupt cycles of intergenerational poverty, and make economic opportunity a birthright for every child.
A transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks, as delivered, is available below, and the full video is available here.
Transcript: Pressley Calls for True Baby Bonds, Calls Out “MAGA Accounts”
House of Representatives
May 19, 2025
Mr. Speaker,
I rise in support of investing in every child’s future.
Six years ago, I joined Senator Booker to introduce Baby Bonds legislation to disrupt the cycle of intergenerational poverty, close the racial wealth gap, and ensure every 18-year-old has the financial opportunity to go to college, to buy a home, or to start a business.
Now, Republicans are stealing a good idea and twisting it.
The so-called ‘MAGA Accounts’ in their reconciliation bill are intentionally designed to help the rich get richer, while poor children are left further and further behind.
Their proposal would weaponize the tax code to exacerbate wealth inequality, ignore the expertise of economists, and penalize states and non-profits that try to help low-income families.
In America, a child born into poverty is likely to stay there through their adult lives.
That is a policy choice – and a violent one.
Our babies deserve better. Our babies deserve opportunity.
I urge my colleagues to reject this regressive proposal and support true Baby Bonds.
###
Source: NASA
NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit captured this stunning view as the Sun sank below the rim of Gusev crater on Mars 20 years ago. In this image, the bluish glow in the sky above the Sun would be visible to us if we were there, but an artifact of the panoramic camera’s infrared imaging capabilities is that with this filter combination, the redness of the sky farther from the sunset is exaggerated compared to the daytime colors of the Martian sky.
Read more about this photo.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Texas A&M/Cornell
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: DHS Makes $360 Million Available to Communities to Increase Number of Trained Firefighters and Keep Communities Safe
DHS Makes $360 Million Available to Communities to Increase Number of Trained Firefighters and Keep Communities Safe
Additional $36 Million to be Made Available for Research to Improve Firefighter Health and SafetyWASHINGTON – Under the leadership of President Trump, states and localities will be empowered to manage disasters and emergencies
These fire grant programs align with that vision by helping communities build the response capabilities they need to keep their citizens and communities safe
Today, FEMA announced that $360 million in funding are available to help keep communities and firefighters safe through the Fiscal Year 2024 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program
FEMA will award SAFER grants directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations across the country to help them increase or maintain the number of trained firefighters available in their communities
FEMA also announced that applications will be accepted for $36 million available through the FY 2024 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grant program
These funds help strengthen community fire prevention programs and support scientific research on innovations that improve firefighter safety, health and well-being
In 2024, there were approximately 4,200 home fire fatalities in the United States, including 61 firefighters
To help keep communities and firefighters safer, FEMA will award SAFER funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing, provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards and fulfill traditional missions of fire departments
The purpose of the FP&S grant program is to award grants directly to fire departments, national, regional, state, local, Tribal Nation and non-profit organizations such as academic (e
g
, universities), research foundations, public safety institutes, public health, occupational health and injury prevention institutions for fire prevention programs and to support firefighter health and safety research and development such as clinical studies that address behavioral, social science and cultural research
The application period for both the FY24 SAFER and FP&S programs will open at 9 a
m
ET on May 23, 2025, and close on July 3, 2025, at 5 p
m
ET
Over the years, SAFER funds have had a big impact in communities around the nation
The Medway (Massachusetts) Fire Department received $741,443 in SAFER funds to hire four new firefighters
Chief Jeff Lynch said the award had measurable impacts on the department’s staffing levels and response times
For example, because of the presence of a firefighter hired using SAFER funds, the department was able to respond with extra personnel to a house fire on March 20, 2019
The firefighters rescued the family’s pet dog and stopped the fire in time to save their house and belongings
The FP&S grant program has also made a difference for the fire service
The Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firefighters Association (CVVFA) advocates for all fire service in their region, which includes departments in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia
The group has received more than $3
5 million in FP&S funding since 2016, spread out over eight awards
CVVFA used that funding to build ResponderSafety
com and the Responder Safety Learning Network (RSLN
org), their resources and programming
The grant funds have also supported nationwide outreach and education
Products include 48 online training modules on roadway incident response safety for firefighters; multiple training videos in topics like safe backing up of apparatus and high visibility; and public service announcements featuring emergency services personnel who survived being struck on the roadway and family members of responders who were struck and killed in the line-of-duty
Since 2005, the SAFER program has awarded approximately $5
2 billion in grant funding and the FP&S grant program has awarded nearly $900 million since its inception in 2002
The FY 2024 SAFER and FP&S Notices of Funding opportunity and technical assistance documents for both programs are available at www
grants
gov and on the FEMA website here: SAFER and FP&S
Additional information about upcoming webinars to assist applicants is also available on the FEMA website
joy
li
Tue, 05/20/2025 – 16:45
Source: NASA
NASA and its international partners will soon receive scientific research samples and hardware after a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft departs the International Space Station on Thursday, May 22, for its return to Earth.
Live coverage of undocking and departure begins at 11:45 a.m. EDT on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
The Dragon spacecraft will undock from the zenith, or space-facing, port of the station’s Harmony module at 12:05 p.m. and fire its thrusters to move a safe distance away from the station under command by SpaceX’s Mission Control in Hawthorne, California.
After re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft will splash down on Friday, May 23, off the coast of California. NASA will post updates on the agency’s space station blog. There is no livestream video of the splashdown.
Filled with nearly 6,700 pounds of supplies, science investigations, equipment, and food, the spacecraft arrived at the space station on April 22 after launching April 21 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the agency’s SpaceX 32nd commercial resupply services mission.
Some of the scientific hardware and samples Dragon will return to Earth include MISSE-20 (Multipurpose International Space Station Experiment), which exposed various materials to space, including radiation shielding and detection materials, solar sails and reflective coatings, ceramic composites for reentry spacecraft studies, and resins for potential use in heat shields. Samples were retrieved on the exterior of the station and can improve knowledge of how these materials respond to ultraviolet radiation, atomic oxygen, charged particles, thermal cycling, and other factors.
Additionally, Astrobee-REACCH (Responsive Engaging Arms for Captive Care and Handling) is returning to Earth after successfully demonstrating grasping and relocating capabilities on the space station. The REACCH demonstration used Astrobee robots to capture space objects of different geometries or surface materials using tentacle-like arms and adhesive pads. Testing a way to safely capture and relocate debris and other objects in orbit could help address end-of-life satellite servicing, orbit change maneuvers, and orbital debris removal. These capabilities maximize satellite lifespan and protect satellites and spacecraft in low Earth orbit that provide services to people on Earth.
Books from the Story Time from Space project also will return. Crew members aboard the space station read five science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related children’s books in orbit and videotaped themselves completing science experiments. Video and data collected during the readings and demonstrations were downlinked to Earth and were posted in a video library with accompanying educational materials.
Hardware and data from a one-year technology demonstration called OPTICA (Onboard Programmable Technology for Image Compression and Analysis) also will return to Earth. The OPTICA technology was designed to advance transmission of real-time, ultra-high-resolution hyperspectral imagery from space to Earth, and it provided valuable insights for data compression and processing that could reduce the bandwidth required for communication, lowering the cost of acquiring data from space-based imaging systems without reducing the volume of data. This technology also could improve services, such as disaster response, that rely on Earth observations.
For more than 24 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge, and conducting critical research for the benefit of humanity and our home planet. Space station research supports the future of human spaceflight as NASA looks toward deep space missions to the Moon under the Artemis campaign and in preparation for future human missions to Mars, as well as expanding commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit and beyond.
Learn more about the International Space Station at:
https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station
-end-
Julian Coltre / Josh FinchHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600julian.n.coltre@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones / Joseph ZakrzewskiJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov
Source: NASA
Four NASA astronauts will participate in a welcome home ceremony at Space Center Houston after recently returning from missions aboard the International Space Station.
NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Don Pettit will share highlights from their missions at 6 p.m. CDT Thursday, May 22, during a free, public event at NASA Johnson Space Center’s visitor center. The astronauts also will recognize key mission contributors during an awards ceremony after their presentation.
Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on June 5, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 41 as part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. The duo arrived at the space station on June 6. In August, NASA announced the uncrewed return of Starliner to Earth and integrated Wilmore and Williams with the Expedition 71/72 crew and a return on Crew-9.
Hague launched Sept. 28, 2024, with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The next day, they docked to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module.
Hague, Gorbunov, Wilmore, and Williams returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, splashing down safely off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, in the Gulf of America.
Williams and Wilmore traveled 121,347,491 miles during their mission, spent 286 days in space, and completed 4,576 orbits around Earth. Hague and Gorbunov traveled 72,553,920 miles during their mission, spent 171 days in space, and completed 2,736 orbits around Earth. Hague has logged 374 days in space during two missions. It was the third spaceflight for both Williams and Wilmore. Williams has logged 608 total days in space, and Wilmore has logged 464 days.
Pettit launched aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft on Sept. 11, 2024, alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. The seven-month research mission as an Expedition 72 flight engineer was the fourth spaceflight of Pettit’s career, completing 3,520 orbits of the Earth and a journey of 93.3 million miles. He has logged a total of 590 days in orbit. Pettit and his crewmembers safely landed in Kazakhstan on April 19, 2025 (April 20, 2025, Kazakhstan time).
The Expedition 72 crew dedicated more than 1,000 combined hours to scientific research and technology demonstrations aboard the International Space Station. Their work included enhancing metal 3D printing capabilities in orbit, exploring the potential of stem cell technology for treating diseases, preparing the first wooden satellite for deployment, and collecting samples from the station’s exterior to examine whether microorganisms can survive in the harsh environment of space. They also conducted studies on plant growth and quality, investigated how fire behaves in microgravity, and advanced life support systems, all aimed at improving the health, safety, and sustainability of future space missions. Pettit also used his spare time and surroundings aboard station to conduct unique experiments and captivate the public with his photography. Expedition 72 captured a record one million photos during the mission, showcasing the unique research and views aboard the orbiting laboratory through astronauts’ eyes.
For more than 24 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge, and conducting critical research for the benefit of humanity and our home planet. Space station research supports the future of human spaceflight as NASA looks toward deep space missions to the Moon under the Artemis campaign and in preparation for future human missions to Mars, as well as expanding commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit and beyond.
Learn more about the International Space Station at:
https://www.nasa.gov/station
-end-
Jaden JenningsJohnson Space Center, Houston713-281-0984jaden.r.jennings@nasa.gov
Dana DavisJohnson Space Center, Houston281-244-0933dana.l.davis@nasa.gov
Source: NASA
NASA is demonstrating new microgravity fluids technologies to enable advanced “no-moving-parts” plant-watering methods aboard spacecraft.
Crop production in microgravity will be important to provide whole food nutrition, dietary variety, and psychological benefits to astronauts exploring deep space. Unfortunately, even the simplest terrestrial plant watering methods face significant challenges when applied aboard spacecraft due to rogue bubbles, ingested gases, ejected droplets, and myriad unstable liquid jets, rivulets, and interface configurations that arise in microgravity environments.
In the weightlessness of space, bubbles do not rise, and droplets do not fall, resulting in a plethora of unearthly fluid flow challenges. To tackle such complex dynamics, NASA initiated a series of Plant Water Management (PWM) experiments to test capillary hydroponics aboard the International Space Station in 2021. The series of experiments continue to this day, opening the door not only to supporting our astronauts in space with the possibility of fresh vegetables, but also to address a host of challenges in space, such as liquid fuel management, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC), and even urine collection.
The latest PWM hardware (PWM-5 and -6) involves three test units, each consisting of a variable-speed pump, tubing harness, assorted valves and syringes, and either one serial or two parallel hydroponic channels. This latest setup enables a wider range of parameters to be tested—e.g., gas and liquid flow rates, fill levels, inlet/outlet configurations, new bubble separation methods, serial and parallel flows, and new plant root types, numbers, and orders.
Most of the PWM equipment shipped to the space station consists of 3-D printed, flight-certified materials. The crew assembles the various system configurations on a workbench in the open cabin of the station and then executes the experiments, including routine communication with the PWM research team on the ground. All the quantitative data is collected via a single high-definition video camera.
The PWM hardware and procedures are designed to incrementally test the system’s capabilities for hydroponic and ebb and flow, and to repeatedly demonstrate priming, draining, serial/parallel channel operation, passive bubble management, limits of operation, stability during perturbations, start-up, shut-down, and myriad clean plant-insertion, saturation, stable flow, and plant-removal steps.
The recent results of the PWM-5 and -6 technology demonstrations aboard the space station have significantly advanced the technology used for passive plant watering in space. These quantitative demonstrations established hydroponic and ebb and flow watering processes as functions of serial and parallel channel fill levels, various types of engineered plant root models, and pump flow rates—including single-phase liquid flows and gas-liquid two-phase flows.
Critical PWM plumbing elements perform the role of passive gas-liquid separation (i.e., the elimination of bubbles from liquid and vice versa), which routinely occurs on Earth due to gravitational effects. The PWM-5 and -6 hardware in effect replaces the passive role of gravity with the passive roles of surface tension, wetting, and system geometry. In doing so, highly reliable “no-moving-parts” plumbing devices act to restore the illusive sense of up and down in space. For example,
hundreds of thousands of oxygenating bubbles generated by a passive aerator are 100% separated by the PWM bubble separator providing single-phase liquid flow to the hydroponic channel,
100% of the inadvertent liquid carry-over is captured in the passive water trap, and
all of the bubbles reaching the bubble diverter are directed to the upper inlet of the hydroponic channel where they are driven ever-upward by the channel geometry, confined by the first plant root, and coalesce leaving the liquid flow as a third, redundant, 100% passive phase-separating mechanism.
The demonstrated successes of PWM-5 and -6 offer a variety of ready plug-and-play solutions for effective plant watering in low- and variable-gravity environments, despite the challenging wetting properties of the water-based nutrient solutions used to water plants. Though a variety of root models are demonstrated by PWM-5 and -6, the remaining unknown is the role that real growing plants will play in such systems. Acquiring such knowledge may only be a matter of time.
Project Lead: Dr. Mark Weislogel, IRPI LLC
Sponsoring Organization: Biological and Physical Sciences Division
Source: NASA
This article is for students grades 5-8.
The International Space Station is a large spacecraft in orbit around Earth. It serves as a home where crews of astronauts and cosmonauts live. The space station is also a unique science laboratory. Several nations worked together to build and use the space station. The space station is made of parts that were assembled in space by astronauts. It orbits Earth at an average altitude of approximately 250 miles. It travels at 17,500 mph. This means it orbits Earth every 90 minutes. NASA is using the space station to learn more about living and working in space. These lessons will make it possible to send humans farther into space than ever before.
The first piece of the International Space Station was launched in November 1998. A Russian rocket launched the Russian Zarya (zar EE uh) control module. About two weeks later, the space shuttle Endeavour met Zarya in orbit. The space shuttle was carrying the U.S. Unity node. The crew attached the Unity node to Zarya.
More pieces were added over the next two years before the station was ready for people to live there. The first crew arrived on Nov. 2, 2000. People have lived on the space station ever since. More pieces have been added over time. NASA and its partners from around the world completed construction of the space station in 2011.
______________________________________________________________________
Words to Know
Airlock: an air-tight chamber that can be pressurized and depressurized to allow access between spaces with different air pressure.
Microgravity: a condition, especially in space orbit, where the force of gravity is so weak that weightlessness occurs.
Module: an individual, self-contained segment of a spacecraft that is designed to perform a particular task.
Truss: a structural frame based on the strong structural shape of the triangle; functions as a beam to support and connect various components.
______________________________________________________________________
The space station has the volume of a six-bedroom house with six sleeping quarters, two bathrooms, a gym, and a 360-degree view bay window. It is able to support a crew of seven people, plus visitors. On Earth, the space station would weigh almost one million pounds. Measured from the edges of its solar arrays, the station covers the area of a football field including the end zones. It includes laboratory modules from the United States, Russia, Japan, and Europe.
In addition to the laboratories where astronauts conduct science research, the space station has many other parts. The first Russian modules included basic systems needed for the space station to function. They also provided living areas for crew members. Modules called “nodes” connect parts of the station to each other.
Stretching out to the sides of the space station are the solar arrays. These arrays collect energy from the sun to provide electrical power. The arrays are connected to the station with a long truss. On the truss are radiators that control the space station’s temperature.
Robotic arms are mounted outside the space station. The robot arms were used to help build the space station. Those arms also can move astronauts around when they go on spacewalks outside. Other arms operate science experiments.
Astronauts can go on spacewalks through airlocks that open to the outside. Docking ports allow other spacecraft to connect to the space station. New crews and visitors arrive through the ports. Astronauts fly to the space station on SpaceX Dragon and Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Robotic spacecraft use the docking ports to deliver supplies
The space station has made it possible for people to have an ongoing presence in space. Human beings have been living in space every day since the first crew arrived. The space station’s laboratories allow crew members to do research that could not be done anywhere else. This scientific research benefits people on Earth. Space research is even used in everyday life. The results are products called “spinoffs.” Scientists also study what happens to the body when people live in microgravity for a long time. NASA and its partners have learned how to keep a spacecraft working well. All of these lessons will be important for future space exploration.
NASA currently is working on a plan to explore other worlds. The space station is one of the first steps. NASA will use lessons learned on the space station to prepare for human missions that reach farther into space than ever before.
Are you interested in a career that is related to living and working in space? Many different types of jobs make the space station a success. Here are a few examples:
Astronaut: These explorers come from a wide variety of backgrounds including military service, the medical field, science research, and engineering design. Astronauts must have skills in leadership, teamwork, and communications. They spend two years training before they are eligible to be assigned to spaceflight missions.
Microgravity Plant Scientist: These scientists study ways to grow plants in the microgravity environment of space. Growing plants on future space missions could provide food and oxygen. Plant scientists design experiments to be conducted by astronauts on the space station. These test new techniques for maximizing plant growth.
Fitness Trainer: Spending months on the space station takes a toll on astronauts’ bodies. Fitness trainers work with astronauts before, during, and after their space station missions to help keep them strong and healthy. This includes creating workout plans for while they’re living and working in space.
International Space Station Home Page
Spot the Station
Video: #AskNASA What Is the International Space Station?
Read What Is the International Space Station? (Grades K-4)
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Ohio County
Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Ohio County
FRANKFORT, Ky
– A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Ohio County to offer in-person support to Kentucky survivors who experienced loss as the result of the April severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides
The new Disaster Recovery Center in Ohio County is located at: Ohio County Community Center, 130 E
Washington St
, Hartford, KY 42347 Working hours are 9 a
m
to 7 p
m
Central Time, Monday through Saturday and 1 – 7 p
m
Central Time, Sunday
FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs
FEMA is encouraging Kentuckians affected by the April storms to apply for federal disaster assistance as soon as possible
The deadline to apply is June 25
You can visit any Disaster Recovery Center to get in-person assistance
No appointment is needed
To find all other center locations, including those in other states, go to fema
gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362
You don’t have to visit a center to apply for FEMA assistance
There are other ways to apply: online at DisasterAssistance
gov, use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call 800-621-3362
If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service
When you apply, you will need to provide:A current phone number where you can be contacted
Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
Your Social Security Number
A general list of damage and losses
Banking information if you choose direct deposit
If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name
For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www
fema
gov/disaster/4860 and www
fema
gov/disaster/4864
Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x
com/femaregion4
martyce
allenjr
Tue, 05/20/2025 – 13:25
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Webster County
Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Webster County
FRANKFORT, Ky
–A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Webster County to offer in-person support to Kentucky survivors who experienced loss as the result of the April severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides
The new Disaster Recovery Center in Webster County is located at: Onton United Methodist Church, 15 Wrightsburg Road, Sebree, KY 42455 Working hours are 9 a
m
to 7 p
m
Central Time, Monday through Saturday and 1 – 7 p
m
Central Time, Sunday
FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs
FEMA is encouraging Kentuckians affected by the April storms to apply for federal disaster assistance as soon as possible
The deadline to apply is June 25
You can visit any Disaster Recovery Center to get in-person assistance
No appointment is needed
To find all other center locations, including those in other states, go to fema
gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362
You don’t have to visit a center to apply for FEMA assistance
There are other ways to apply: online at DisasterAssistance
gov, use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call 800-621-3362
If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service
When you apply, you will need to provide:A current phone number where you can be contacted
Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
Your Social Security Number
A general list of damage and losses
Banking information if you choose direct deposit
If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name
For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www
fema
gov/disaster/4860 and www
fema
gov/disaster/4864
Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x
com/femaregion4
martyce
allenjr
Tue, 05/20/2025 – 13:26
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: Disaster Recovery Centers in 6 Kentucky Counties To Permanently Close, Help Is Still Available
Disaster Recovery Centers in 6 Kentucky Counties To Permanently Close, Help Is Still Available
FRANKFORT, Ky
–Disaster Recovery Centers in 6 Kentucky counties will close permanently this weekend
The center in Leslie County will close at 7 p
m
May 23
The center in Leslie County is located at:911 Dispatch Center, 24770 Highway 421, Hyden, KY 41749 Working hours are 9 a
m
to 7 p
m
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday May 23
The centers in Breathitt, Knott, Letcher, Martin and the Belfry Public Library location in Pike County will close at 7 p
m
May 24
The centers are located at: Breathitt County, Breathitt County Library, 1024 College Avenue, Jackson, KY 41339Knott County, Knott County Sports Complex, 450 Kennedy Loop #8765, Leburn, KY 41831Letcher County, Letcher County Recreation Center, 1505 Jenkins Road, Whitesburg, KY 41858Martin County, Martin County Public Library, 180 E
Main St
, Inez, KY 41224Pike County, Belfry Public Library, 24371 US-119 North, Belfry, KY 41514Working hours are 9 a
m
to 7 p
m
Eastern Time, Monday through Saturday May 24
The centers in Floyd and Perry counties and the Pikeville location in Pike County are scheduled to remain open
These centers are located at:Floyd County, Floyd County Board of Education, 442 KY-550, Eastern, KY 41622Perry County, Hazard Community College, 1 Old Community College Drive, Hazard, KY 41701Pike County, Pike County Public Library, 126 Lee Avenue, Pikeville, KY 41514Working hours are 9 a
m
to 7 p
m
Eastern Time, Monday through Saturday, and closed Sundays
You can visit any Disaster Recovery Center to get in-person assistance
No appointment is needed
To find all other center locations, including those in other states, go to fema
gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362
You don’t have to visit a center to apply for FEMA assistance
There are other ways to apply: online at DisasterAssistance
gov, use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call 800-621-3362
If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service
FEMA is urging Kentuckians affected by the February storms to apply for federal disaster assistance as soon as possible
The deadline to apply is May 25
Kentuckians affected by the April storms have until June 25 to apply for federal disaster assistance
For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www
fema
gov/disaster/4860 and www
fema
gov/disaster/4864
Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x
com/femaregion4
martyce
allenjr
Tue, 05/20/2025 – 13:28
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in LaRue County
Disaster Recovery Center Opens in LaRue County
FRANKFORT, Ky
– A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in LaRue County to offer in-person support to Kentucky survivors who experienced loss as the result of the April severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides
The new Disaster Recovery Center in LaRue County is located at: Emergency Medical Services Classroom, 924 South Lincoln Blvd
, Hodgenville, KY 42748 Working hours are 9 a
m
to 7 p
m
Eastern Time, Monday through Saturday and 1 – 7 p
m
Eastern Time, Sunday
FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs
FEMA is encouraging Kentuckians affected by the April storms to apply for federal disaster assistance as soon as possible
The deadline to apply is June 25
You can visit any Disaster Recovery Center to get in-person assistance
No appointment is needed
To find all other center locations, including those in other states, go to fema
gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362
You don’t have to visit a center to apply for FEMA assistance
There are other ways to apply: online at DisasterAssistance
gov, use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call 800-621-3362
If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service
When you apply, you will need to provide:A current phone number where you can be contacted
Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
Your Social Security Number
A general list of damage and losses
Banking information if you choose direct deposit
If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name
For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www
fema
gov/disaster/4860 and www
fema
gov/disaster/4864
Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x
com/femaregion4
martyce
allenjr
Tue, 05/20/2025 – 13:23
Source: NASA
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image offers us the chance to see a distant galaxy now some 19.5 billion light-years from Earth (but appearing as it did around 11 billion years ago, when the galaxy was 5.5 billion light-years away and began its trek to us through expanding space). Known as HerS 020941.1+001557, this remote galaxy appears as a red arc partially encircling a foreground elliptical galaxy located some 2.7 billion light-years away. Called SDSS J020941.27+001558.4, the elliptical galaxy appears as a bright dot at the center of the image with a broad haze of stars outward from its core. A third galaxy, called SDSS J020941.23+001600.7, seems to be intersecting part of the curving, red crescent of light created by the distant galaxy.
The alignment of this trio of galaxies creates a type of gravitational lens called an Einstein ring. Gravitational lenses occur when light from a very distant object bends (or is ‘lensed’) around a massive (or ‘lensing’) object located between us and the distant lensed galaxy. When the lensed object and the lensing object align, they create an Einstein ring. Einstein rings can appear as a full or partial circle of light around the foreground lensing object, depending on how precise the alignment is. The effects of this phenomenon are much too subtle to see on a local level but can become clearly observable when dealing with curvatures of light on enormous, astronomical scales.
Gravitational lenses not only bend and distort light from distant objects but magnify it as well. Here we see light from a distant galaxy following the curve of spacetime created by the elliptical galaxy’s mass. As the distant galaxy’s light passes through the gravitational lens, it is magnified and bent into a partial ring around the foreground galaxy, creating a distinctive Einstein ring shape.
The partial Einstein ring in this image is not only beautiful, but noteworthy. A citizen scientist identified this Einstein ring as part of the SPACE WARPS project that asked citizen scientists to search for gravitational lenses in images.
Text Credit: ESA/Hubble
Media Contact:
Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Source: NASA
When future astronauts set foot on Mars, they will stand on decades of scientific groundwork laid by people like Andrea Harrington.
As NASA’s sample return curation integration lead, Harrington is helping shape the future of planetary exploration and paving the way for interplanetary discovery.
Harrington works in NASA’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Sciences Division, or ARES, at Johnson Space Center in Houston, where she integrates curation, science, engineering, and planetary protection strategies into the design and operation of new laboratory facilities and sample handling systems. She also helps ensure that current and future sample collections—from lunar missions to asteroid returns—are handled with scientific precision and preserved for long-term study.
“I am charged with protecting the samples from Earth—and protecting Earth from the restricted samples,” Harrington said. This role requires collaboration across NASA centers, senior leadership, engineers, the scientific community, and international space exploration agencies.
With a multidisciplinary background in biology, planetary science, geochemistry, and toxicology, Harrington has become a key expert in developing the facility and contamination control requirements needed to safely preserve and study sensitive extraterrestrial samples. She works closely with current and future curators to improve operational practices and inform laboratory specifications—efforts that will directly support future lunar missions.
Her work has already made a lasting impact. She helped develop technologies such as a clean closure system to reduce contamination during sample handling and ultraclean, three-chamber inert isolation cabinets. These systems have become standard equipment and are used for preserving samples from missions like OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2. They have also supported the successful processing of sensitive Apollo samples through the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis Program.
In addition to technology development, Harrington co-led the assessment of high-containment and pristine facilities to inform future technology and infrastructural requirements for Restricted Earth Returns, critical for sample returns Mars, Europa, and Enceladus.
Harrington’s leadership, vision, and technical contribution have reached beyond ARES and have earned her two Director’s Commendations.
“The experiences I have acquired at NASA have rounded out my background even more and have provided me with a greater breadth of knowledge to draw upon and then piece together,” said Harrington. “I have learned to trust my instincts since they have allowed me to quickly assess and effectively troubleshoot problems on numerous occasions.”
Harrington also serves as the Advanced Curation Medical Geology lead. She and her team are pioneering new exposure techniques that require significantly less sample material to evaluate potential health risks of astromaterials.
Her team is studying a range of astromaterial samples and analogues to identify which components may trigger the strongest inflammatory responses, or whether multiple factors are at play. Identifying the sources of inflammation can help scientists assess the potential hazards of handling materials from different planetary bodies, guide decisions about protective equipment for sample processors and curators, and may eventually support astronaut safety on future missions.
Harrington also spearheaded a Space Act Agreement to build a science platform on the International Space Station that will enable planetary science and human health experiments in microgravity, advancing both human spaceflight and planetary protection goals.
Harrington credits her NASA career for deepening her appreciation of the power of communication. “The ability to truly listen and hear other people’s perspectives is just as important as the ability to deliver a message or convey an idea,” she said.
Her passion for space science is rooted in purpose. “What drew me to NASA is the premise that what I would be doing was not just for myself, but for the benefit of all,” she said. “Although I am personally passionate about the work I am doing, the fact that the ultimate goal is to enable the fulfillment of those passions for generations of space scientists and explorers to come is quite inspiring.”
Harrington loves to travel, whether she is mountain biking through Moab, scuba diving in the Galápagos, or immersing herself in the architecture and culture of cities around the world. She shares her passion for discovery with her family—her older sister, Nicole Reandeau; her twin sister, Jane Valenti; and especially her husband, Alexander Smirnov.
A lesson she hopes to pass along to the Artemis Generation is the spirit of adventure along with a reminder that exploration comes in many forms.
“Artemis missions and the return of pristine samples from another planetary bodies to Earth are steppingstones that will enable us to do even more,” Harrington said. “The experience and lessons learned could help us safely and effectively explore distant worlds, or simply inspire the next generation of explorers to do great things we can’t yet even imagine.”
Source: US State of Pennsylvania
May 21, 2025 – Scranton, PA
Governor Josh Shapiro will visit Isaac Tripp Elementary School in Scranton to meet with students, teachers, and legislators and highlight how the historic funding he secured for public K-12 education is leading to positive results in schools across the Commonwealth. In his first two budgets, Governor Shapiro secured historic investments in our public schools, students, and teachers, delivering the largest increase in K-12 education funding in Pennsylvania history.
Governor Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal builds on that foundation by proposing new funding for K-12 public education, with a focus on driving more dollars to the schools that need them most. It also continues our progress to build strong and safe school communities, hire and support our teachers, and expand mental health resources.
WHO:
Governor Josh Shapiro
Representative Bridget Kosierowski
Dr. Erin Keating, Scranton School District Superintendent
Ty Holmes, Scranton School Board President
WHEN:
Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 10:00AM
WHERE:
Isaac Tripp Elementary School
1000 N. Everett Avenue,
Scranton, PA 18504
LIVE STREAM:
pacast.com/live/gov
governor.pa.gov/live/
RSVP:
Press who are interested in attending must RSVP with the names and phone numbers for each member of their team to ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov.
Source: US State of California 2
What you need to know: State and local law enforcement partners seized $123.5 million in illegal cannabis in the Central Valley.
SACRAMENTO – In its largest operation to date, the state’s task force dedicated to eradicating illegal cannabis operations conducted a large-scale, multi-agency operation in the Central Valley, leading to the seizure of 105,700 illicit cannabis plants and 22,057 pounds of processed cannabis worth $123.5 million.
Through the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force (Task Force), during the week of May 5, 2025, more than 200 sworn officers and staff from 15 state, local, and federal law enforcement partners coordinated a multifaceted search warrant operation through Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties in an area of about 4,600 square miles.
Let this be a reminder to all who grow cannabis illegally: we won’t tolerate the undermining of our legal industry and impacts to our environment. I appreciate the multi-agency, cross-county efforts to take on the illicit market.
Governor Gavin Newsom
A total of 71 search warrants were served and nine firearms were confiscated. Throughout the course of the operation, numerous individuals were detained, and several arrests were made. Task Force partners are working with local District Attorney’s offices to file charges and pursue prosecutions.
“This operation represents the power of collaboration across agencies with a shared commitment to protecting our natural resources and preserving the integrity of California’s legal cannabis market,” said Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Charlton H. Bonham. “The scale of this historic effort—and its success—would not have been possible without the dedication and coordination of every agency involved.”
Officers found evidence of banned or restricted pesticides at eight of the locations. These chemicals and waste products pose a serious environmental threat to California’s native species, plants, and habitats and present health risks to those who ingest the illicit cannabis laced with these products.
“This operation sends a clear message: California will not tolerate illicit cannabis activity that threatens public safety, the environment, and the integrity of the legal market,” said Director at the Department of Cannabis Control Nicole Elliott. “The scale of this enforcement effort reflects the strength of our partnerships and our shared commitment to holding illicit operators accountable while protecting communities and ecosystems across the state.”
The actions announced today, which are expected to significantly disrupt the illicit cannabis market, are on top of the already staggering work done in recent months to take down nefarious cannabis growers, including the $534 million seized by the task force in 2024 alone.
In addition to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Cannabis Control, the co-leads of the task force, the following partners were instrumental in the success of this operation:
California’s regulated cannabis market is the largest in the world, fostering environmental stewardship, compliance-tested products, and fair labor practices, while driving economic growth and funding vital programs in education, public health, and environmental protection. The Department of Cannabis Control recently released a market outlook report that shows prices are stable, industry value is up, and the licensed market is growing.
Since its inception in 2022, the Task Force has served 500 search warrants against illicit cannabis operations, seizing and destroying over $650 million in unlicensed cannabis. Operations have resulted in the eradication of more than 800,000 plants and over 220 tons of processed cannabis, along with the seizure of 190 firearms, more than $1 million in cash, and over 50 arrests statewide.
The cannabis task force was established in 2022 by Governor Newsom to enhance collaboration and enforcement coordination between state, local, and federal partners. Partners on the task force include the Department of Cannabis Control, the Department of Pesticide Regulation, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife, among others.
To learn more about the legal California cannabis market, state licenses, and laws, visit cannabis.ca.gov.
Source: US State of California 2
Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today slammed the Congressional Republican and Trump Administration proposal that is advancing in the House of Representatives. According to new figures from the state, the Republican proposal could result in up to 3.4 million Californians losing their health coverage and put more than an estimated $30 billion in federal funding at risk — gutting the foundation of California’s health care safety net.
Governor Gavin Newsom
The sweeping changes proposed by House Republicans, combined with newly released federal rules from the Trump Administration, would:
These changes will lead to hospital and clinic closures, increase uncompensated care costs, and roll back the progress California has made in reducing its uninsured rate, threatening the state’s status as a national leader in expanding access to care.
Since taking office, Governor Newsom has made California a national leader in expanding access to health care. Under his leadership, the state became the first in the nation to offer full-scope Medi-Cal to all eligible low-income adults regardless of immigration status — expanding coverage for young adults in 2020, older adults in 2022, and all remaining adults in 2024. While the Governor’s proposed 2025-26 budget makes adjustments to this expansion to ensure fiscal stability and preserve the long-term viability of Medi-Cal for all Californians, California’s commitment to access remains.
The Newsom Administration has taken action to lower prescription drug costs, expand reproductive health access, and protect coverage for millions of Californians amid federal threats to the Affordable Care Act.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (Virginia 4th District)
RICHMOND, Va. — In case you missed it, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) on Thursday joined Protect Our Care Virginia to discuss the latest developments in the GOP assault on Medicaid.
On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on which Rep. McClellan serves, completed a 26-hour markup in which Republicans advanced the largest cuts to Medicaid in history in order to meet President Donald Trump’s demands to fund tax breaks for the wealthy. Republicans on the committee approved $715 billion in cuts to health care, mostly to Medicaid, and imposed new reporting requirements that are designed to throw people off the program.
Republicans on the House Budget Committee failed to advance the overall package on Friday, citing that they want to see even deeper cuts to Medicaid in Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Using data from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis (TCI) estimated that 206,000 people will lose Medicaid in Virginia. Additionally, TCI found that 147,000 Virginians who have Medicaid would be subject to up to $35 copays for certain services. Republican Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), who also sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has defended raising out-of-pocket health care costs on Virginians.
Due to cuts to Medicaid and a change in a rule to the Affordable Care Act, 8.6 million people will lose their health care under the plan the committee advanced. A total of 13.7 million people will become uninsured when factoring in those who will no longer be able to afford to buy insurance through the ACA marketplaces due to the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits. Republicans are refusing to extend the tax credits past 2025.
“Due to these changes, you lose your health insurance under Medicaid, you lose your subsidy to be able to purchase insurance through the Marketplace,” said Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan. “That’s how we get to 13.7 million people who will lose health insurance. Those costs will go to the rest of us. Providers will feel the stress of that. We will have rural hospitals threatening to close again, like we did before we expanded in Virginia. About 200,000 Virginians stand to lose access to their health care here. And why? Why are we doing this? To fund tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% by making the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent …This is taking away from the least of these to help those who don’t need the help. And that is a big part of the story that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle don’t want to talk about.”
“When all the proposals under the House Republican health care plan are fully implemented, approximately 206,000 Virginians will lose their health coverage,” said Ashley Kenneth, President of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis. “The people poised to lose their health care already struggle with the high cost of living in our state and cannot afford to pay more for their health care. They will choose to go without insurance because they will have no other choice.”
“Let me be clear, this is a direct threat to the health care access of tens of thousands of Virginians,” said Jamie Lockhart, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia. “Nearly 25,000 people in Virginia relied on Planned Parenthood health centers last year for cancer screenings, STI treatment, birth control, and more. Medicaid is one of the primary ways those patients pay for care. If this proposal moves forward, they’re not just losing a provider. They’re losing the provider they trust.”
“So I just want to tell Congress, don’t make it harder for people to get Medicaid, please don’t make it harder to stay on Medicaid, and please don’t question our work ethic, because that is insulting,” said Andrew Daughtry of Henrico County, who suffered multiple on-the-job injuries while working construction. “I couldn’t get health care through my job, but I need Medicaid to pay for the thousands of dollars of injuries that happened on the job. So please don’t pretend that people on Medicaid don’t want to work because I’ve given up my body and my health for the work.”
“It is not rocket science to see that when people lose their health care, they’re going to start showing up in emergency rooms where hospitals are obligated to treat them. And if no one is reimbursing hospitals for that care, they will go into the red, and they will close,” said Jessica Lazerov, MD, MBA, a pediatrician from Fairfax. “And then everyone in that geographic area, regardless of whether they’re on Medicaid, is going to lose access to their closest hospital. And if these Republicans don’t understand that, then they’re simply not fit to govern.”
“We love the work we do, and I want to be able to continue to do it for the rest of my life, but cuts in Medicaid may prevent us from doing so,” said SEIU Virginia 512 member Tony Hedgepeth of Richmond, a Medicaid-funded home care worker who cares for veterans.“Taking away Medicaid could sever 47,000 Virginia veterans from their health care or force them to pay more for it. These brave individuals have fought for our country, and we should fight to ensure that they can live and access the best possible quality of life, as they did for us.”
“Medicaid provides health care to one in every five people in Virginia,” said Katie Baker, state director for Protect Our Care Virginia. “If you aren’t on Medicaid yourself, you know someone who is. Polling shows that the majority of voters believe we should be increasing funding for health care, not cutting it. Republicans are not with the public when it comes to taking away people’s health care.”
Event Assets and News Coverage
###
Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)
Washington, D.C. , May 20, 2025
Washington, D.C. – 5/20/2025… Today, Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17), Nick LaLota (NY-01), Andrew Garbarino (NY-02), Tom Kean Jr. (NJ-07), and Young Kim (CA-40) released the following joint statement:
“We share President Trump’s call for unity within the House Republican Conference. A fair SALT deduction is a matter of fundamental fairness for the hardworking families we represent, including the many who proudly support President Trump and voted for him, in part, because he promised to restore SALT. We hope his remarks today motivate the Speaker to advance a SALT proposal that delivers meaningful relief for our middle-class constituents, as we have worked in good faith with House Leadership for more than a year. Our states are donor states, consistently subsidizing so-called fiscally responsible red states,” stated the lawmakers.
###
Source: US Department of Labor
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it has updated the inspection program that directs agency enforcement resources to establishments with the highest rates of injuries and illnesses based on injury and illness data submitted in accordance with OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements.
The Site-Specific Targeting program is OSHA’s primary planned inspection program for non-construction establishments with 20 or more employees. Using OSHA Form 300A data from calendar years 2021-2023, establishments may be selected for inspection based on:
The new directive replaces the previous SST program directive issued on February 7, 2023. OSHA also uses national and local emphasis programs to target high-risk industries and hazards. Learn more about these emphasis programs.
OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program provides free, confidential occupational safety and health services to help small- and medium-sized businesses identify workplace hazards, comply with OSHA standards, and establish and improve safety and health programs. On-Site Consultation services are separate from enforcement and do not result in penalties or citations.
Learn more about OSHA.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Note: The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
SEL5
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 305
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
235 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of
Northern Alabama
Northwest Georgia
Southeast Illinois
Southwest Indiana
Central Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
* Effective this Tuesday afternoon and evening from 235 PM until
1000 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include…
A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible
Scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events
to 2.5 inches in diameter possible
Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
SUMMARY…Thunderstorms will spread quickly eastward across the
watch area through the afternoon and early evening hours. Damaging
winds, large hail, and a few tornadoes are expected.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 85 statute miles
east and west of a line from 50 miles north of Bowling Green KY to
35 miles south of Huntsville AL. For a complete depiction of the
watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 302…WW 303…WW 304…
AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 2.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
storm motion vector 25030.
…Hart
SEL5
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 305
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
235 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of
Northern Alabama
Northwest Georgia
Southeast Illinois
Southwest Indiana
Central Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
* Effective this Tuesday afternoon and evening from 235 PM until
1000 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include…
A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible
Scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events
to 2.5 inches in diameter possible
Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
SUMMARY…Thunderstorms will spread quickly eastward across the
watch area through the afternoon and early evening hours. Damaging
winds, large hail, and a few tornadoes are expected.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 85 statute miles
east and west of a line from 50 miles north of Bowling Green KY to
35 miles south of Huntsville AL. For a complete depiction of the
watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 302…WW 303…WW 304…
AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 2.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
storm motion vector 25030.
…Hart
Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
SAW5
WW 305 TORNADO AL GA IL IN KY TN 201935Z – 210300Z
AXIS..85 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
50N BWG/BOWLING GREEN KY/ – 35S HSV/HUNTSVILLE AL/
..AVIATION COORDS.. 75NM E/W /46N BWG – 29NNE VUZ/
HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2.5 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 25030.
LAT…LON 37688487 34138529 34138827 37688797
THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
FOR WOU5.
Watch 305 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.
Note: Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes
Probability of 2 or more tornadoes
Mod (60%)
Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes
Mod (40%)
Wind
Probability of 10 or more severe wind events
High (70%)
Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots
Low (10%)
Hail
Probability of 10 or more severe hail events
Mod (60%)
Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches
Mod (30%)
Combined Severe Hail/Wind
Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events
High (>95%)
For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.
Source: US State of North Dakota
Two California men pleaded guilty yesterday to not paying over employment taxes to the IRS.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Lalo Valdez and Matthew Olson, both of Northern California, operated a San Jose-based health informatics and product development company that provided clinical care and technology services to clients in healthcare and academia. Valdez was the CEO and Olson the CFO. As such, both were responsible for the company’s operations, managed its internal books and records, signed checks on behalf of the company, and hired and fired employees. Both men also were responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the government each quarter. The timely payment of quarterly employment taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
For every calendar quarter from the first quarter of 2017 through the second quarter of 2021, Valdez and Olson withheld these taxes from employees’ wages but did not pay them over to the IRS or report them on quarterly tax forms. Instead of paying over the taxes, Valdez and Olson used the company’s money to pay for country club memberships and season tickets to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League.
During this same period, Olson also was one of the owners and operators of a day spa located in Saratoga, California. There, Olson was responsible for collecting and paying Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes to the IRS. From the second quarter of 2017 through the fourth quarter of 2020, however, Olson collected but did not pay them over to the IRS or report them on quarterly tax forms.
In total, Olson caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $2.1 million.
Valdez caused a total tax loss to the IRS of nearly $1.5 million.
Valdez and Olson are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 20. Both men face a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins for the Northern District of California made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Mahana Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Green for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case.
Source: US State of North Dakota
Defendant Did Not File Tax Returns and Falsified Documents to Obtain Mortgage Loan
A Washington, D.C., Certified Public Accountant (CPA) was sentenced yesterday to 20 months in prison for making a false statement on a mortgage loan application and not filing an income tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Timothy Trifilo worked in tax compliance for several large accounting and finance firms. In recent years, he was managing director at a tax firm where he specialized in transaction structuring and advisory service, tax compliance, and tax due diligence. Nevertheless, for a decade, Trifilo did not file federal income tax returns or pay all the taxes that he owed despite earning more than $7.7 million during that time. He caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $2 million.
In February 2023, Trifilo sought to obtain a $1.36 million bank-financed loan to purchase a home in D.C. and was working with a mortgage company to do so. After the mortgage company told Trifilo that the bank would not approve the loan without copies of Trifilo’s filed tax returns, Trifilo provided the mortgage company with fabricated documents to make it appear as if he had filed tax returns and provided copies of tax returns for 2020 and 2021 that he never filed with the IRS. On these returns and other documents that he submitted to the mortgage company, Trifilo listed a former colleague as the individual who prepared the returns and uploaded them for filing with the IRS. This individual did not prepare the returns, has never prepared tax returns for Trifilo, and did not authorize Trifilo to use his name on the returns and other documents that Trifilo submitted to the mortgage company. Based on Trifilo’s false representation, the bank approved the loan and Trifilo purchased the home.
In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan for the District of Columbia ordered Trifilo to serve two years of supervised release and pay $2,057,256.40 in restitution to the IRS.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Alexis Fleszar of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Source: US State of California
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov
Attorney General Bonta and Newsom Administration file amicus briefs siding with Newport Beach in lawsuits attacking City’s general plan
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Director Gustavo Velasquez today announced that the Orange County Superior Court has granted their application to file amicus briefs in support of the City of Newport Beach’s efforts to comply with state housing law. Last year, two local organizations sued the City for taking steps to update and implement its housing element, or housing plan, as required under the state’s Housing Element Law. Specifically, the City amended its land use element to allow residential development in more of the City, adopted new overlay zoning districts to create more residential development capacity in six focus areas, adopted a set of objective development standards, and amended the City’s Local Coastal Program to be consistent with the City’s housing element. The local organizations suing the City contend that these changes must be approved by voters before they are effective because of a provision in the City’s charter. In their amicus briefs, Attorney General Bonta and the Newsom Administration agree with the City’s position that the City’s charter provision cannot be used to obstruct the state’s Housing Element Law.
“Too often, my office finds itself needing to hold local governments accountable for failing to follow our state’s housing laws. Right now, Newport Beach is attempting to do the right – and legal – thing, and I want to commend them for it,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In partnership with the Newsom Administration, we sought, and have received, court permission to file amicus briefs supporting the City’s efforts to build its fair share of housing. California is continuing to deal with a housing crisis of epic proportions. Now is the time for leaders at every level of government to say yes to cooperation and yes to more homes.”
“Newport Beach has done the work needed to adopt a compliant housing element, which is foundational to ensuring we meet state housing need for all income levels,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “HCD is proud to stand with the City against efforts to stall implementation of its housing plan, and to help ensure the City remains compliant with Housing Element Law.”
The state’s Housing Element Law creates a comprehensive framework for statewide and regional coordination to ensure that each local government accommodates its fair share of new housing. Local governments must adopt general plans, and those general plans must include housing elements that substantially comply with the state’s Housing Element Law. Those housing elements must accommodate the housing “needs of all economic segments of the community.” At issue is Section 423, a provision in the City’s charter that subjects any major amendment to its general plan for voter approval before it can take effect. Critically, Section 423 also states that it “shall not apply if state or federal law precludes a vote of the voters on the amendment.”
In their amicus briefs, Attorney General Bonta and the Newsom Administration underscore that:
A copy of the amicus briefs can be found here and here. A merits hearing is scheduled for June 17, 2025.
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Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
President Trump posthumously awards the first-ever Medals of Sacrifice to three heroic law enforcement officers—
Corporal Luis Paez Jr.
Deputy Sheriff Ralph “Butch” Waller Jr.
Deputy Sheriff Ignacio “Dan” Diaz
THEIR BRAVERY & SACRIFICE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio testifies before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on the FY26 Department of State Budget Request on Capitol Hill, on May 20, 2025.
Transcript: https://www.state.gov/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-before-the-senate-committee-on-foreign-relations-on-the-fy26-department-of-state-budget-request/
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
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