<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-unemployment-rate-remains-steady-at-2-5-compared-to-the-nations-3-9/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s unemployment rate has remained steady for the past eight months, again coming in at 2.5% in April, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dol.nebraska.gov/infolink">preliminary data</a>&nbsp;released Friday by the Nebraska Department of Labor.

That compares to 3.9% for the nation, which has seen its preliminary and seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rise from 3.8% a month earlier and 3.4% a year ago.

Nebraska’s unemployment rate is the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm">fourth lowest</a>&nbsp;in the nation, with North Dakota, South Dakota and Vermont recording lower rates in April.

(While Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate earlier was reported to have dipped lower than 2.5% in the later months of 2023, rates were revised upward a bit in the Labor Department’s annual benchmarking process, which explains the eight-month “unchanged” streak reported Friday.)

Also notable this month, said Labor Commissioner John Albin, is that the number of filled jobs in Nebraska’s nonfarm sector reached an all-time high last month of 1,063,738 — up about 0.7% from a month earlier and 1.8% up from a year earlier.

“This was driven by record highs in Omaha and Lincoln of 516,399 and 198,570, respectively,”&nbsp; he said of the nonseasonally adjusted data.

Private industries reporting the most growth since last year were private education and health services.

The number of employed and unemployed persons in the labor force is based on surveying by the Census Bureau on employment status. Individuals who are claiming unemployment benefits and those who are not claiming unemployment benefits both can be counted as unemployed, depending on their response to the survey.&nbsp;

Those who are not working and not seeking work are not considered part of the labor force and are not included in the unemployment rate calculation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716211247239.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-unemployment-rate-remains-steady-at-2-5-compared-to-the-nations-3-9/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska’s unemployment rate has remained steady for the past eight months, again coming in at 2.5% in April, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dol.nebraska.gov/infolink">preliminary data</a>&nbsp;released Friday by the Nebraska Department of Labor.That compares to 3.9% for the nation, which has seen its preliminary and seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rise from 3.8% a month earlier and 3.4% a year ago.Nebraska’s unemployment rate is the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm">fourth lowest</a>&nbsp;in the nation, with North Dakota, South Dakota and Vermont recording lower rates in April.(While Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate earlier was reported to have dipped lower than 2.5% in the later months of 2023, rates were revised upward a bit in the Labor Department’s annual benchmarking process, which explains the eight-month “unchanged” streak reported Friday.)Also notable this month, said Labor Commissioner John Albin, is that the number of filled jobs in Nebraska’s nonfarm sector reached an all-time high last month of 1,063,738 — up about 0.7% from a month earlier and 1.8% up from a year earlier.“This was driven by record highs in Omaha and Lincoln of 516,399 and 198,570, respectively,”&nbsp; he said of the nonseasonally adjusted data.Private industries reporting the most growth since last year were private education and health services.The number of employed and unemployed persons in the labor force is based on surveying by the Census Bureau on employment status. Individuals who are claiming unemployment benefits and those who are not claiming unemployment benefits both can be counted as unemployed, depending on their response to the survey.&nbsp;Those who are not working and not seeking work are not considered part of the labor force and are not included in the unemployment rate calculation.

Nebraska unemployment rate remains steady at 2.5%, compared to the nation’s 3.9%

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection days after shuttering dozens of restaurants.

The seafood chain has been struggling with rising lease and labor costs in recent years and also promotions like its iconic all-you-can-eat shrimp deal that backfired.

Demand for one such recent promotion overwhelmed restaurants,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2023/11/27/red-lobster-endless-shrimp-earnings-report/71723659007/">reportedly</a>&nbsp;contributing to millions in losses.

The seafood restaurant chain said in a court filing late Sunday that it has more than 100,000 creditors and estimated assets between $1 billion and $10 billion. The company's estimated liabilities are between $1 billion and $10 billion.

The bankruptcy petition is signed by CEO Jonathan Tibus, a corporate restructuring specialist who took the top post at Red Lobster in March.

Restaurant liquidator TAGeX Brands announced last week that it would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-lobster-closures-endless-shrimp-bankruptcy-c0cad9fde7d39e479674ea497ac9a36f">auctioning</a>&nbsp;off the equipment of over 50 Red Lobster locations that were recently closed. The store closures span across more than 20 states — reducing Red Lobster’s presence in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tagexbrands.com/red-lobster/">cities like</a>&nbsp;Denver, San Antonio, Indianapolis and Sacramento, California.

Maintaining stability at the Florida chain has been problematic due to multiple ownership changes over its 56-year history. Earlier this year, Red Lobster co-owner Thai Union Group, one of the world’s largest seafood suppliers, announced its intention to exit its minority investment in the dining chain.

Thai Union first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6e252dbd4ff84eb1b44ba97809ca49ee">invested in Red Lobster in 2016</a>&nbsp;and upped its stake in 2020. At the time of the January announcement on its plans to divest, CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said the COVID-19 pandemic, industry headwinds and rising operating costs had hit the dining chain hard and caused “prolonged negative financial contributions to Thai Union and its shareholders.”

For the first nine months of 2023, the Thailand company reported a $19 million share of loss from Red Lobster.

Red Lobster’s roots date back to 1968, when the first restaurant <a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-9b65b21164c445ac89e134f2165efecf">opened</a>&nbsp;in Lakeland, Florida. The chain expanded rapidly since then and runs more than 700 locations worldwide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715638363133.jpeg" alt="Sign on the entrance to the Red Lobster Restaurant in Salina, Kansas-photo by Nathan King" />
 <figcaption>Sign on the entrance to the Red Lobster Restaurant in Salina, Kansas-photo by Nathan King</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection days after shuttering dozens of restaurants.The seafood chain has been struggling with rising lease and labor costs in recent years and also promotions like its iconic all-you-can-eat shrimp deal that backfired.Demand for one such recent promotion overwhelmed restaurants,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2023/11/27/red-lobster-endless-shrimp-earnings-report/71723659007/">reportedly</a>&nbsp;contributing to millions in losses.The seafood restaurant chain said in a court filing late Sunday that it has more than 100,000 creditors and estimated assets between $1 billion and $10 billion. The company's estimated liabilities are between $1 billion and $10 billion.The bankruptcy petition is signed by CEO Jonathan Tibus, a corporate restructuring specialist who took the top post at Red Lobster in March.Restaurant liquidator TAGeX Brands announced last week that it would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-lobster-closures-endless-shrimp-bankruptcy-c0cad9fde7d39e479674ea497ac9a36f">auctioning</a>&nbsp;off the equipment of over 50 Red Lobster locations that were recently closed. The store closures span across more than 20 states — reducing Red Lobster’s presence in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tagexbrands.com/red-lobster/">cities like</a>&nbsp;Denver, San Antonio, Indianapolis and Sacramento, California.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715638338504.jpeg" alt="Red Lobster in Salina, Kansas -photo by Nathan King" />
 <figcaption>Red Lobster in Salina, Kansas -photo by Nathan King</figcaption>
 </figure>Maintaining stability at the Florida chain has been problematic due to multiple ownership changes over its 56-year history. Earlier this year, Red Lobster co-owner Thai Union Group, one of the world’s largest seafood suppliers, announced its intention to exit its minority investment in the dining chain.Thai Union first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6e252dbd4ff84eb1b44ba97809ca49ee">invested in Red Lobster in 2016</a>&nbsp;and upped its stake in 2020. At the time of the January announcement on its plans to divest, CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said the COVID-19 pandemic, industry headwinds and rising operating costs had hit the dining chain hard and caused “prolonged negative financial contributions to Thai Union and its shareholders.”For the first nine months of 2023, the Thailand company reported a $19 million share of loss from Red Lobster.Red Lobster’s roots date back to 1968, when the first restaurant <a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-9b65b21164c445ac89e134f2165efecf">opened</a>&nbsp;in Lakeland, Florida. The chain expanded rapidly since then and runs more than 700 locations worldwide.

Red Lobster files for bankruptcy days after unlimited shrimp deal

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Joe Biden's national security adviser met early Sunday with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss what the kingdom described as the “semi-final” version of a wide-ranging security agreement between the countries.

The announcement by the state-run Saudi Press Agency comes as the strategic deal had been upended after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel</a>&nbsp;that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage back to the Gaza Strip.

In the time since, a punishing Israeli airstrike campaign and ground offensive there has killed over 35,000 Palestinians, endangering the security deal that had included Saudi Arabia diplomatically recognizing Israel for the first time since its founding in 1948.

Saudi state media released no images of Jake Sullivan and Prince Mohammed meeting in Dhahran, a city in the kingdom's far east that's home to its state-run oil giant, the Saudi Arabian Oil Co. known as Saudi Aramco.

“The semi-final version of the draft strategic agreements between the kingdom and the United States of America, which are almost being finalized — and what is being worked on between the two sides in the Palestinian issue to find a credible path — were discussed,” the statement released after the talks said.

That included “a two-state solution that meets the aspirations and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people” and “the situation in Gaza and the need to stop the war there and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid,” the statement added.

Saudi Arabia has long called for an independent Palestinian state to be created along Israel's 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital. However, that likely may be untenable for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government hinges on support from hard-liners who oppose a two-state solution and support Israeli settlements on lands Palestinians want for that state.

The White House issued a statement early Monday after Sullivan traveled to Israel and met with Netanyahu, saying the Saudi talks “focused on a comprehensive vision for an integrated Middle East region.” The statement did not elaborate, other than to call the talks “constructive.”

Saudi Arabia has long relied — like other Gulf Arab nations — on the U.S. to be the security guarantor for the wider Middle East as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-tanker-seizures-us-uk-navy-revolutionary-guard-a8996a3dccccc82f8fa8d8bf263c9cfb">tensions over Iran’s nuclear program in recent years have spilled over into a series of attacks.</a>&nbsp;The proposal now being discussed likely would deepen that, and also reportedly includes access to advanced weapons and possibly trade deals as well.

Saudi Arabia has also pushed for nuclear cooperation in the deal that includes America allowing it to enrich uranium in the kingdom — something that worries nonproliferation experts, as spinning centrifuges opens the door to a possible weapons program. Prince Mohammed has said the kingdom would pursue a nuclear weapon if Iran had one.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iaea-nuclear-program-143e3e3c015dbf9c17316ad60ff989da">Iran in recent weeks has increasingly threatened it could do so</a>.

Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York meanwhile confirmed that Tehran held indirect talks with U.S. officials in Oman last week. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted the mission as describing the talks as “an ongoing process.”

“The negotiations have not been the first and will not be the last of their kind,” the mission said, according to IRNA.

Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has been the site of U.S.-Iran talks in the past, including under Biden despite the tensions between the two nations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716170126757.png" alt="File photo Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from a meeting with Sec. of State Blinken in 2023-photo U.S. Dept. of State" />
 <figcaption>File photo Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from a meeting with Sec. of State Blinken in 2023-photo U.S. Dept. of State</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Joe Biden's national security adviser met early Sunday with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss what the kingdom described as the “semi-final” version of a wide-ranging security agreement between the countries.The announcement by the state-run Saudi Press Agency comes as the strategic deal had been upended after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel</a>&nbsp;that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage back to the Gaza Strip.In the time since, a punishing Israeli airstrike campaign and ground offensive there has killed over 35,000 Palestinians, endangering the security deal that had included Saudi Arabia diplomatically recognizing Israel for the first time since its founding in 1948.Saudi state media released no images of Jake Sullivan and Prince Mohammed meeting in Dhahran, a city in the kingdom's far east that's home to its state-run oil giant, the Saudi Arabian Oil Co. known as Saudi Aramco.“The semi-final version of the draft strategic agreements between the kingdom and the United States of America, which are almost being finalized — and what is being worked on between the two sides in the Palestinian issue to find a credible path — were discussed,” the statement released after the talks said.That included “a two-state solution that meets the aspirations and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people” and “the situation in Gaza and the need to stop the war there and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid,” the statement added.Saudi Arabia has long called for an independent Palestinian state to be created along Israel's 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital. However, that likely may be untenable for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government hinges on support from hard-liners who oppose a two-state solution and support Israeli settlements on lands Palestinians want for that state.The White House issued a statement early Monday after Sullivan traveled to Israel and met with Netanyahu, saying the Saudi talks “focused on a comprehensive vision for an integrated Middle East region.” The statement did not elaborate, other than to call the talks “constructive.”Saudi Arabia has long relied — like other Gulf Arab nations — on the U.S. to be the security guarantor for the wider Middle East as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-tanker-seizures-us-uk-navy-revolutionary-guard-a8996a3dccccc82f8fa8d8bf263c9cfb">tensions over Iran’s nuclear program in recent years have spilled over into a series of attacks.</a>&nbsp;The proposal now being discussed likely would deepen that, and also reportedly includes access to advanced weapons and possibly trade deals as well.Saudi Arabia has also pushed for nuclear cooperation in the deal that includes America allowing it to enrich uranium in the kingdom — something that worries nonproliferation experts, as spinning centrifuges opens the door to a possible weapons program. Prince Mohammed has said the kingdom would pursue a nuclear weapon if Iran had one.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iaea-nuclear-program-143e3e3c015dbf9c17316ad60ff989da">Iran in recent weeks has increasingly threatened it could do so</a>.Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York meanwhile confirmed that Tehran held indirect talks with U.S. officials in Oman last week. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted the mission as describing the talks as “an ongoing process.”“The negotiations have not been the first and will not be the last of their kind,” the mission said, according to IRNA.Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has been the site of U.S.-Iran talks in the past, including under Biden despite the tensions between the two nations.

US meets with Saudi Crown Prince to discuss peace in Middle East 

Kansas Republican Jerry Moran among top 10 bipartisan senators

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp; State's Newsroom

WASHINGTON — Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick were the most bipartisan members of Congress last year, according to a newly released analysis from the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.

The least bipartisan House lawmaker was Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, while Alabama’s Katie Britt, a Republican freshman, placed last among senators.

The latest&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thelugarcenter.org/ourwork-Bipartisan-Index.html">ranking</a>&nbsp;of the most bipartisan lawmakers comes amid one of the least productive Congresses in the nation’s history and just months before nearly all House lawmakers and about one-third of the Senate face voters at the polls in November.

Maria Cancian, dean of the McCourt School of Public Policy, wrote in a statement announcing the new rankings that “while there is much room for improvement, I am encouraged to see some progress on cross-party collaboration.”

“In these deeply divided times, and with an increasing amount of misleading information online, we need tools like the Bipartisan Index more than ever — an evidence-based and nonpartisan approach for measuring how well policymakers work across the aisle to get things done,” Cancian wrote.

Lugar Center Policy Director Dan Diller wrote that it was “especially disheartening that all eight new Senators who took office in January 2023 ranked in the bottom 30 percent of Senate scores.”

“Bipartisan cooperation on legislation in 2023 was deficient by historical standards, though there were some marginal improvements in scores from the previous Congress,” Diller wrote.

The website with the rankings states that the “Bipartisan Index is intended to fill a hole in the information available to the public about the performance of Members of Congress.”

The Lugar Center, founded by the late U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, a Republican from Indiana, “is a platform for informed debate and analysis of global issues, including nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, global food security, foreign assistance effectiveness and global development, energy security, and enhancing bipartisan governance,” according to its website.

The rankings take into consideration “the frequency with which a member of Congress sponsors bills that are co-sponsored by at least one member of the opposing party” and “the frequency with which a member co-sponsors bills introduced by members of the opposite Party.”

The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University wrote on their website that their “aim in publishing this Index is not to promote a specific legislative agenda, as is the case for many indexes, but solely the promotion of a bipartisan approach to governance.”

“The credibility of the Index is derived from the objectivity of its methodology; Index scores are computed formulaically from publically available data,” it states. “The Index requires no subjective assessment of specific legislative items.”

The least bipartisan House lawmakers following Jordan were New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Missouri Democrat Cori Bush, New York Democrat Jamaal Bowman and Missouri Republican Eric Burlison.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, ranked 423, but will likely be excluded from future scores since he has now occupied one of the top two leadership posts for at least six months.

The least bipartisan senators following Britt were Missouri Republican Eric Schmitt, Washington state Democrat Patty Murray, Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson and Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton.

Sean Ross, spokesperson for Britt, wrote in a statement that the ranking is “absurd.”

“Senator Britt has cosponsored 68 pieces of legislation sponsored by Democrats, as well as dozens and dozens of bipartisan pieces of legislation led by Republican sponsors,” Ross wrote.

“The bipartisan efforts she is helping lead span a wide range of important topics to Alabamians, including maternal mortality research and maternal care; youth mental health and social media usage; the fentanyl crisis; affordable insulin access; affordable rural housing; telehealth services; agriculture; domestic manufacturing and supply chains; fair trade; work force development; wildlife conservation; supporting law enforcement; and consumer protections.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716140421905.png" alt="-Senator Moran questioning Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on May 15" />
 <figcaption>-Senator Moran questioning Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on May 15</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas Republican Jerry Moran among top 10 bipartisan senators</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp; State's NewsroomWASHINGTON — Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick were the most bipartisan members of Congress last year, according to a newly released analysis from the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.The least bipartisan House lawmaker was Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, while Alabama’s Katie Britt, a Republican freshman, placed last among senators.The latest&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thelugarcenter.org/ourwork-Bipartisan-Index.html">ranking</a>&nbsp;of the most bipartisan lawmakers comes amid one of the least productive Congresses in the nation’s history and just months before nearly all House lawmakers and about one-third of the Senate face voters at the polls in November.Maria Cancian, dean of the McCourt School of Public Policy, wrote in a statement announcing the new rankings that “while there is much room for improvement, I am encouraged to see some progress on cross-party collaboration.”“In these deeply divided times, and with an increasing amount of misleading information online, we need tools like the Bipartisan Index more than ever — an evidence-based and nonpartisan approach for measuring how well policymakers work across the aisle to get things done,” Cancian wrote.Lugar Center Policy Director Dan Diller wrote that it was “especially disheartening that all eight new Senators who took office in January 2023 ranked in the bottom 30 percent of Senate scores.”“Bipartisan cooperation on legislation in 2023 was deficient by historical standards, though there were some marginal improvements in scores from the previous Congress,” Diller wrote.The website with the rankings states that the “Bipartisan Index is intended to fill a hole in the information available to the public about the performance of Members of Congress.”The Lugar Center, founded by the late U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, a Republican from Indiana, “is a platform for informed debate and analysis of global issues, including nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, global food security, foreign assistance effectiveness and global development, energy security, and enhancing bipartisan governance,” according to its website.The rankings take into consideration “the frequency with which a member of Congress sponsors bills that are co-sponsored by at least one member of the opposing party” and “the frequency with which a member co-sponsors bills introduced by members of the opposite Party.”<h2>Who is the most bipartisan?</h2>The top 10 senators were:<ul>
 <li>Collins</li><li>Michigan Democrat Gary Peters</li><li>New Hampshire Democrat Maggie Hassan</li><li>West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin</li><li>Texas Republican John Cornyn</li><li>Nevada Democrat Jacky Rosen</li><li>Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski</li><li>Kansas Republican Jerry Moran</li><li>Indiana Republican Todd Young</li><li>Montana Democrat Jon Tester</li>
 </ul>The top 10 House lawmakers were:<ul>
 <li>Fitzpatrick</li><li>New York Republican Marcus Molinaro</li><li>New Hampshire Democrat Chris Pappas</li><li>New York Republican Mike Lawler</li><li>North Carolina Democrat Don Davis</li><li>Puerto Rico Republican Delegate Jenniffer González-Colón</li><li>Nevada Democrat Susie Lee</li><li>Nebraska Republican Don Bacon</li><li>New Jersey Democrat Josh Gottheimer</li><li>Iowa Republican Zach Nunn</li>
 </ul>The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University wrote on their website that their “aim in publishing this Index is not to promote a specific legislative agenda, as is the case for many indexes, but solely the promotion of a bipartisan approach to governance.”“The credibility of the Index is derived from the objectivity of its methodology; Index scores are computed formulaically from publically available data,” it states. “The Index requires no subjective assessment of specific legislative items.”The least bipartisan House lawmakers following Jordan were New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Missouri Democrat Cori Bush, New York Democrat Jamaal Bowman and Missouri Republican Eric Burlison.House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, ranked 423, but will likely be excluded from future scores since he has now occupied one of the top two leadership posts for at least six months.The least bipartisan senators following Britt were Missouri Republican Eric Schmitt, Washington state Democrat Patty Murray, Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson and Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton.Sean Ross, spokesperson for Britt, wrote in a statement that the ranking is “absurd.”“Senator Britt has cosponsored 68 pieces of legislation sponsored by Democrats, as well as dozens and dozens of bipartisan pieces of legislation led by Republican sponsors,” Ross wrote.“The bipartisan efforts she is helping lead span a wide range of important topics to Alabamians, including maternal mortality research and maternal care; youth mental health and social media usage; the fentanyl crisis; affordable insulin access; affordable rural housing; telehealth services; agriculture; domestic manufacturing and supply chains; fair trade; work force development; wildlife conservation; supporting law enforcement; and consumer protections.”

New list rates the most bipartisan members of Congress — and the least

A long-planned series of Catholic pilgrimages has begun across the United States this weekend, with pilgrims embarking on four routes before converging on Indianapolis in two months for a major gathering focusing on Eucharistic rites and devotions.

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is beginning with Masses and other events in California, Connecticut, Minnesota and Texas. A small group of pilgrims plan to walk entire routes, but most participants are expected to take part for smaller segments.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org/">Each route</a>&nbsp;goes along country roads and through city centers, with multiple stops at parishes, shrines and other sites.

Although it was forged amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-religion-maryland-baltimore-9543775a53024d45c818b32062814927">recent debate</a>&nbsp;among bishops over whether to refuse Communion to U.S. politicians who don’t oppose abortion, the pilgrimage is a revival of a historic Catholic tradition that faded by the mid-20th century.

Each procession is being led by a priest holding a monstrance — typically a sunburst-patterned vessel that displays the host, or bread wafer consecrated by a priest at Mass.

The Catholic Church teaches the “whole Christ is truly present — body, blood, soul, and divinity — under the appearances of bread and wine,” according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. As a result, the consecrated host becomes an object of devotion.

“The Eucharist is actually Jesus, so for us to walk with Jesus is actually a witness to our faith in a prayerful action for unity, for peace," said Tim Glemkowski, CEO of the National Eucharistic Congress, the umbrella organization for the events.

The four lengthy pilgrimages appear to be unprecedented, Glemkowski said.

“It’s hard in a 2,000-year-old church to do something for the first time, but a procession this long, with this many people in it, may be the first time this has been attempted in the history of the Catholic Church,” Glemkowski said.

Some pilgrims were embarking Sunday from the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Minnesota. Others planned to embark from a cathedral in Brownsville, Texas, or cross San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

In New Haven, Connecticut, commemorations began with a Saturday night Mass and a mini-procession around St. Mary's Church, which is the burial site of the 19th century founder of the Knights of Columbus fraternal organization, the Rev. Michael McGivney. After an all-night vigil of prayer and adoration, pilgrims were bringing the host to another New Haven church and later to a boat to carry it to the city of Bridgeport and the next leg of the pilgrimage.

The pilgrimage amounts to an effort to revive a type of mass devotion that was once more common in past generations of Catholicism in the U.S. and beyond.

The pilgrimages — and the concluding National Eucharistic Congress, expected to draw tens of thousands to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in July — is being funded by private donors, sponsors and ticket sales, Glemkowski said. The budget for the National Eucharistic Revival — which is actually a three-year process that has included parish activities as well as the pilgrimages and congress — is about $23 million, with $14 million of that for the congress, he said.

There have been nine previous U.S. gatherings under the name of the National Eucharistic Congress — but none since 1941.

“We just kind of lost track of this tradition,” Glemkowski said. “We’re bringing it back in a way that fits this time.”

Glemkowski said the pilgrimage is not a march and would avoid politics. “That message of unity and peace and just focus on Christ is paramount,” he said.

The idea for these pilgrimages sprang from deliberations among U.S. bishops.

Their 2021 document, “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church,” arose amid debate over whether bishops should withhold Communion from Catholic politicians who supported abortion rights. The document ultimately did not directly address that, though it called on Catholics to examine whether they align with church teachings and said bishops have a “special responsibility” to respond to "public actions at variance with the visible Communion of the church and the moral law.”

At the same time, the document reflected bishops’ worries that many Catholics don’t know or accept the church’s teachings about the significance of the sacrament, though surveys have given mixed results on that question.

Timothy Kelly, professor of history at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, said it's an open question how many participants the pilgrimage will draw. His 2009 book, “The Transformation of American Catholicism," documents the rise and decline of stadium-sized devotional activities such as Eucharistic adoration in 20th century Pittsburgh.

Many early 20th century Catholics were from immigrant communities, and they often gathered at times of flood, war or other crises. “A lot of times in the older demonstrations, the message seemed to be outward toward the broader community — the Catholics bearing witness to their presence and their faith, but also saying, ‘We’re here and we matter.’”

But participation began dropping sharply by the 1950s. “What happened was the laity stopped being interested in it,” Kelly said.

The Eucharistic pilgrimage, he said, appears to be attracting the most interest in Catholic media sympathetic with other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-church-shift-orthodoxy-tradition-7638fa2013a593f8cb07483ffc8ed487">efforts to revive older traditions</a>, such as the Latin Mass.

“Which makes me curious, how well does this resonate within the broader Catholic community?” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716140777349.png" alt="&nbsp;Map shows each of the four unique routes of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Map shows each of the four unique routes of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By PETER SMITH Associated PressA long-planned series of Catholic pilgrimages has begun across the United States this weekend, with pilgrims embarking on four routes before converging on Indianapolis in two months for a major gathering focusing on Eucharistic rites and devotions.The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is beginning with Masses and other events in California, Connecticut, Minnesota and Texas. A small group of pilgrims plan to walk entire routes, but most participants are expected to take part for smaller segments.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org/">Each route</a>&nbsp;goes along country roads and through city centers, with multiple stops at parishes, shrines and other sites.Although it was forged amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-religion-maryland-baltimore-9543775a53024d45c818b32062814927">recent debate</a>&nbsp;among bishops over whether to refuse Communion to U.S. politicians who don’t oppose abortion, the pilgrimage is a revival of a historic Catholic tradition that faded by the mid-20th century.Each procession is being led by a priest holding a monstrance — typically a sunburst-patterned vessel that displays the host, or bread wafer consecrated by a priest at Mass.The Catholic Church teaches the “whole Christ is truly present — body, blood, soul, and divinity — under the appearances of bread and wine,” according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. As a result, the consecrated host becomes an object of devotion.“The Eucharist is actually Jesus, so for us to walk with Jesus is actually a witness to our faith in a prayerful action for unity, for peace," said Tim Glemkowski, CEO of the National Eucharistic Congress, the umbrella organization for the events.The four lengthy pilgrimages appear to be unprecedented, Glemkowski said.“It’s hard in a 2,000-year-old church to do something for the first time, but a procession this long, with this many people in it, may be the first time this has been attempted in the history of the Catholic Church,” Glemkowski said.Some pilgrims were embarking Sunday from the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Minnesota. Others planned to embark from a cathedral in Brownsville, Texas, or cross San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.In New Haven, Connecticut, commemorations began with a Saturday night Mass and a mini-procession around St. Mary's Church, which is the burial site of the 19th century founder of the Knights of Columbus fraternal organization, the Rev. Michael McGivney. After an all-night vigil of prayer and adoration, pilgrims were bringing the host to another New Haven church and later to a boat to carry it to the city of Bridgeport and the next leg of the pilgrimage.The pilgrimage amounts to an effort to revive a type of mass devotion that was once more common in past generations of Catholicism in the U.S. and beyond.The pilgrimages — and the concluding National Eucharistic Congress, expected to draw tens of thousands to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in July — is being funded by private donors, sponsors and ticket sales, Glemkowski said. The budget for the National Eucharistic Revival — which is actually a three-year process that has included parish activities as well as the pilgrimages and congress — is about $23 million, with $14 million of that for the congress, he said.There have been nine previous U.S. gatherings under the name of the National Eucharistic Congress — but none since 1941.“We just kind of lost track of this tradition,” Glemkowski said. “We’re bringing it back in a way that fits this time.”Glemkowski said the pilgrimage is not a march and would avoid politics. “That message of unity and peace and just focus on Christ is paramount,” he said.The idea for these pilgrimages sprang from deliberations among U.S. bishops.Their 2021 document, “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church,” arose amid debate over whether bishops should withhold Communion from Catholic politicians who supported abortion rights. The document ultimately did not directly address that, though it called on Catholics to examine whether they align with church teachings and said bishops have a “special responsibility” to respond to "public actions at variance with the visible Communion of the church and the moral law.”At the same time, the document reflected bishops’ worries that many Catholics don’t know or accept the church’s teachings about the significance of the sacrament, though surveys have given mixed results on that question.Timothy Kelly, professor of history at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, said it's an open question how many participants the pilgrimage will draw. His 2009 book, “The Transformation of American Catholicism," documents the rise and decline of stadium-sized devotional activities such as Eucharistic adoration in 20th century Pittsburgh.Many early 20th century Catholics were from immigrant communities, and they often gathered at times of flood, war or other crises. “A lot of times in the older demonstrations, the message seemed to be outward toward the broader community — the Catholics bearing witness to their presence and their faith, but also saying, ‘We’re here and we matter.’”But participation began dropping sharply by the 1950s. “What happened was the laity stopped being interested in it,” Kelly said.The Eucharistic pilgrimage, he said, appears to be attracting the most interest in Catholic media sympathetic with other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-church-shift-orthodoxy-tradition-7638fa2013a593f8cb07483ffc8ed487">efforts to revive older traditions</a>, such as the Latin Mass.“Which makes me curious, how well does this resonate within the broader Catholic community?” he said.

Series of Catholic pilgrimages has begun across the United States

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;hit an oil tanker in the Red Sea with a ballistic missile early Saturday, damaging the Panama-flagged, Greek-owned vessel in their latest assault over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip</a>, officials said.

Though the Houthis did not immediately claim the assault, it comes as they claimed to have shot down another U.S. military’s MQ-9 Reaper drone over Yemen and have launched other attacks on shipping, disrupting trade on a key maritime route leading to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.

The attack around 1 a.m. struck the oil tanker Wind, which recently docked in Russia and was bound for China, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. Both China and Russia maintain ties over military equipment and oil to Iran, the Houthis’ main benefactor.

The missile strike “caused flooding which resulted in the of loss propulsion and steering,” Central Command said on the social platform X. “The crew of M/T Wind was able to restore propulsion and steering, and no casualties were reported. M/T Wind resumed its course under its own power.”

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center and the private security firm Ambrey similarly acknowledged the attack earlier Saturday. Ambrey said it caused a fire aboard the Wind.

It can take the Houthis hours — or even days — to claim their attacks.

The Houthis have launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, demanding Israel ends the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

The Houthis have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebel-attack-israel-hamas-war-bf077f026a9f177ec87f4131d695cafc">launched more than 50 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden still remains low because of the threat, however.

The Houthis claimed that they shot down the Reaper on Thursday with a surface-to-air missile. They described the drone as “carrying out hostile actions” in Yemen’s Marib province, which remains held by allies of Yemen’s exiled, internationally recognized government.

Since the Houthis seized the country’s north and its capital, Sanaa, in 2014, the U.S. military has previously lost at least five drones to the rebels.

Reapers, which cost around $30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;hit an oil tanker in the Red Sea with a ballistic missile early Saturday, damaging the Panama-flagged, Greek-owned vessel in their latest assault over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip</a>, officials said.Though the Houthis did not immediately claim the assault, it comes as they claimed to have shot down another U.S. military’s MQ-9 Reaper drone over Yemen and have launched other attacks on shipping, disrupting trade on a key maritime route leading to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.The attack around 1 a.m. struck the oil tanker Wind, which recently docked in Russia and was bound for China, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. Both China and Russia maintain ties over military equipment and oil to Iran, the Houthis’ main benefactor.The missile strike “caused flooding which resulted in the of loss propulsion and steering,” Central Command said on the social platform X. “The crew of M/T Wind was able to restore propulsion and steering, and no casualties were reported. M/T Wind resumed its course under its own power.”The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center and the private security firm Ambrey similarly acknowledged the attack earlier Saturday. Ambrey said it caused a fire aboard the Wind.It can take the Houthis hours — or even days — to claim their attacks.The Houthis have launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, demanding Israel ends the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.The Houthis have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebel-attack-israel-hamas-war-bf077f026a9f177ec87f4131d695cafc">launched more than 50 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden still remains low because of the threat, however.The Houthis claimed that they shot down the Reaper on Thursday with a surface-to-air missile. They described the drone as “carrying out hostile actions” in Yemen’s Marib province, which remains held by allies of Yemen’s exiled, internationally recognized government.Since the Houthis seized the country’s north and its capital, Sanaa, in 2014, the U.S. military has previously lost at least five drones to the rebels.Reapers, which cost around $30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land.

U.S. military: Terrorist missile strikes oil tanker in the Red Sea

NEW YORK (AP) — Your wallet may soon be getting thinner.

Visa on Wednesday announced major changes to how credit and debit cards will operate in the U.S. in the coming months and years.

The new features could mean Americans will be carrying fewer physical cards in their wallets, and will make the 16-digit credit or debit card number printed on every card increasingly irrelevant.

They will be some of the biggest changes to how payments operate in the U.S. since the U.S. rolled out chip-embedded cards several years ago. They also come as Americans have many more options to pay for purchases beyond “credit or debit,” including buy now, pay later companies, peer-to-peer payment options, paying directly with a bank, or digital payment systems like Apple Pay.

“I think (with these features) we’re getting past the point where consumers may never need to manually enter an account number ever again,” said Mark Nelsen, Visa’s global head of consumer payments, in an interview.

The biggest change coming for Americans will be the ability for banks to issue one physical payment card that will be connected to multiple bank accounts. That means no more carrying, for example, a Bank of America or Chase debit card as well as their respective credit cards in a physical wallet. Americans will be able to set criteria with their bank — such as having all purchases below $100 or with a certain merchant applied to the debit card, while other purchases go on the credit card.

The feature, already being used in Asia, will be available this summer. Buy now, pay later company Affirm is the first of Visa’s customers to roll out the feature in the U.S.

Some of Visa’s new features are in response to online-payments fraud, which continues to increase as more countries adopt digital payments. The San Francisco-based company estimates that payment fraud happens roughly seven times more often online than it does in person, and there are now billions of stolen credit and debit card numbers available to criminals.

Other new elements are also in response to features that non-payments companies have rolled out in recent years. The Apple Card, which uses Mastercard as its payment network, does not come with a printed 16-digit account number and Apple Card users can request a fresh credit card number at any time without having to dispose of the physical card.

Visa executives see a future where banks will issue cards where the 16-digit account number, if the new cards come with them, is largely symbolic.

Among the other updates unveiled by Visa are changes to tap-to-pay features. Americans will be able to tap their credit or debit cards to their smartphones to add the card to mobile wallets, instead of using a smartphone’s camera to scan in a card’s information, or tap the card to their smartphones to approve a transaction online. Visa will also start implementing biometrics to approve transactions, similar to how Apple devices use a fingerprint or face scan to approve transactions.

NEW YORK (AP) — Your wallet may soon be getting thinner.Visa on Wednesday announced major changes to how credit and debit cards will operate in the U.S. in the coming months and years.The new features could mean Americans will be carrying fewer physical cards in their wallets, and will make the 16-digit credit or debit card number printed on every card increasingly irrelevant.They will be some of the biggest changes to how payments operate in the U.S. since the U.S. rolled out chip-embedded cards several years ago. They also come as Americans have many more options to pay for purchases beyond “credit or debit,” including buy now, pay later companies, peer-to-peer payment options, paying directly with a bank, or digital payment systems like Apple Pay.“I think (with these features) we’re getting past the point where consumers may never need to manually enter an account number ever again,” said Mark Nelsen, Visa’s global head of consumer payments, in an interview.The biggest change coming for Americans will be the ability for banks to issue one physical payment card that will be connected to multiple bank accounts. That means no more carrying, for example, a Bank of America or Chase debit card as well as their respective credit cards in a physical wallet. Americans will be able to set criteria with their bank — such as having all purchases below $100 or with a certain merchant applied to the debit card, while other purchases go on the credit card.The feature, already being used in Asia, will be available this summer. Buy now, pay later company Affirm is the first of Visa’s customers to roll out the feature in the U.S.Some of Visa’s new features are in response to online-payments fraud, which continues to increase as more countries adopt digital payments. The San Francisco-based company estimates that payment fraud happens roughly seven times more often online than it does in person, and there are now billions of stolen credit and debit card numbers available to criminals.Other new elements are also in response to features that non-payments companies have rolled out in recent years. The Apple Card, which uses Mastercard as its payment network, does not come with a printed 16-digit account number and Apple Card users can request a fresh credit card number at any time without having to dispose of the physical card.Visa executives see a future where banks will issue cards where the 16-digit account number, if the new cards come with them, is largely symbolic.Among the other updates unveiled by Visa are changes to tap-to-pay features. Americans will be able to tap their credit or debit cards to their smartphones to add the card to mobile wallets, instead of using a smartphone’s camera to scan in a card’s information, or tap the card to their smartphones to approve a transaction online. Visa will also start implementing biometrics to approve transactions, similar to how Apple devices use a fingerprint or face scan to approve transactions.

Visa changes how credit and debit cards will operate in the U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department this week formally moved to reclassify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marijuana">marijuana</a>&nbsp;as a less dangerous drug, a historic shift in generations of U.S. drug policy.

A proposed rule sent to the federal register recognizes the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledges it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-reclassification-biden-garland-dea-3c9478472e124c7aaa9b934270b0d450">The plan</a>&nbsp;approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland would not legalize marijuana outright for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/recreational-marijuana">recreational use</a>.

The Drug Enforcement Administration will next take public comment on the proposal in a potentially lengthy process. If approved, the rule would move marijuana away from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. Pot would instead be a Schedule III substance, alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids.

The move comes after a recommendation from the federal Health and Human Services Department, which launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-reclassification-recreational-medical-states-83b1ad0e01bcd65142ca6cf4abdd110b">a review of the drug’s status</a>&nbsp;at the urging of President Joe Biden in 2022.

Biden also has moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-marijuana-pardons-clemency-02abde991a05ff7dfa29bfc3c74e9d64">pardon thousands of people</a>&nbsp;convicted federally of simple possession of marijuana and has called on governors and local leaders to take similar steps to erase convictions.

“This is monumental,” Biden said in a video statement, calling it an important move toward reversing longstanding inequities. “Far too many lives have been upended because of a failed approach to marijuana, and I’m committed to righting those wrongs. You have my word on it.”

The election year announcement could help Biden, a Democrat, boost flagging support, particularly among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-young-voters-marijuana-reclassification-dea-193e97fc2dd7b32b7d7ad50b4ea80aa0">younger voters</a>.

The notice kicks off a 60-day comment period followed by a possible review from an administrative judge, which could be a drawn-out process.

Biden and a growing number of lawmakers from both major political parties have been pushing for the DEA decision as marijuana has become increasingly decriminalized and accepted, particularly by younger people. Some argue that rescheduling doesn’t go far enough and marijuana should instead be treated the way alcohol is.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York applauded the change and called for additional steps toward legalization.

The U.S. Cannabis Council, a trade group, said the switch would “signal a tectonic shift away from the failed policies of the last 50 years.”

The Justice Department said that available data reviewed by HHS shows that while marijuana "is associated with a high prevalence of abuse,” that potential is more in line with other Schedule III substances, according to the proposed rule.

The HHS recommendations are binding until the draft rule is submitted, and Garland agreed with it for the purposes of starting the process.

Still, the DEA has not yet formed its own determination as to where marijuana should be scheduled, and it expects to learn more during the rulemaking process, the document states.

Some critics argue the DEA shouldn’t change course on marijuana, saying rescheduling isn’t necessary and could lead to harmful side effects.

Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former White House drug policy adviser now with the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, said there isn’t enough data to support moving pot to Schedule III. “As we’ve maintained throughout this process, it’s become undeniable that politics, not science, is driving this decision and has been since the very beginning,” Sabet said.

The immediate effect of rescheduling on the nation’s criminal justice system is expected to be muted. Federal prosecutions for simple possession have been fairly rare in recent years.

Schedule III drugs are still controlled substances and subject to rules and regulations, and people who traffic in them without permission could still face federal criminal prosecution.

Federal drug policy has lagged behind many states in recent years, with 38 states having already legalized medical marijuana and 24 legalizing its recreational use. That’s helped fuel fast growth in the marijuana industry, with an estimated worth of nearly $30 billion.

Easing federal regulations could reduce the tax burden that can be 70% or more for marijuana businesses, according to industry groups. It also could make it easier to research marijuana, since it’s very difficult to conduct authorized clinical studies on Schedule I substances.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department this week formally moved to reclassify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/marijuana">marijuana</a>&nbsp;as a less dangerous drug, a historic shift in generations of U.S. drug policy.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. So today, the <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a> is taking the next step to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug under federal law. Here&#39;s what that means: <a href="https://t.co/TMztSyyFYm">pic.twitter.com/TMztSyyFYm</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1791152464617431389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A proposed rule sent to the federal register recognizes the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledges it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-reclassification-biden-garland-dea-3c9478472e124c7aaa9b934270b0d450">The plan</a>&nbsp;approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland would not legalize marijuana outright for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/recreational-marijuana">recreational use</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BIG: The DOJ is finally recognizing that draconian cannabis laws need to change to catch up to science and the majority of Americans. But it’s past time to legalize it. That’s why <a href="https://twitter.com/SenBooker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenBooker</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/RonWyden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonWyden</a>, and I reintroduced our Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act.&mdash; Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1791156251323207769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Drug Enforcement Administration will next take public comment on the proposal in a potentially lengthy process. If approved, the rule would move marijuana away from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. Pot would instead be a Schedule III substance, alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids.The move comes after a recommendation from the federal Health and Human Services Department, which launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-reclassification-recreational-medical-states-83b1ad0e01bcd65142ca6cf4abdd110b">a review of the drug’s status</a>&nbsp;at the urging of President Joe Biden in 2022.Biden also has moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-marijuana-pardons-clemency-02abde991a05ff7dfa29bfc3c74e9d64">pardon thousands of people</a>&nbsp;convicted federally of simple possession of marijuana and has called on governors and local leaders to take similar steps to erase convictions.“This is monumental,” Biden said in a video statement, calling it an important move toward reversing longstanding inequities. “Far too many lives have been upended because of a failed approach to marijuana, and I’m committed to righting those wrongs. You have my word on it.”The election year announcement could help Biden, a Democrat, boost flagging support, particularly among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-young-voters-marijuana-reclassification-dea-193e97fc2dd7b32b7d7ad50b4ea80aa0">younger voters</a>.The notice kicks off a 60-day comment period followed by a possible review from an administrative judge, which could be a drawn-out process.Biden and a growing number of lawmakers from both major political parties have been pushing for the DEA decision as marijuana has become increasingly decriminalized and accepted, particularly by younger people. Some argue that rescheduling doesn’t go far enough and marijuana should instead be treated the way alcohol is.Democratic Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York applauded the change and called for additional steps toward legalization.The U.S. Cannabis Council, a trade group, said the switch would “signal a tectonic shift away from the failed policies of the last 50 years.”The Justice Department said that available data reviewed by HHS shows that while marijuana "is associated with a high prevalence of abuse,” that potential is more in line with other Schedule III substances, according to the proposed rule.The HHS recommendations are binding until the draft rule is submitted, and Garland agreed with it for the purposes of starting the process.Still, the DEA has not yet formed its own determination as to where marijuana should be scheduled, and it expects to learn more during the rulemaking process, the document states.Some critics argue the DEA shouldn’t change course on marijuana, saying rescheduling isn’t necessary and could lead to harmful side effects.Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former White House drug policy adviser now with the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, said there isn’t enough data to support moving pot to Schedule III. “As we’ve maintained throughout this process, it’s become undeniable that politics, not science, is driving this decision and has been since the very beginning,” Sabet said.The immediate effect of rescheduling on the nation’s criminal justice system is expected to be muted. Federal prosecutions for simple possession have been fairly rare in recent years.Schedule III drugs are still controlled substances and subject to rules and regulations, and people who traffic in them without permission could still face federal criminal prosecution.Federal drug policy has lagged behind many states in recent years, with 38 states having already legalized medical marijuana and 24 legalizing its recreational use. That’s helped fuel fast growth in the marijuana industry, with an estimated worth of nearly $30 billion.Easing federal regulations could reduce the tax burden that can be 70% or more for marijuana businesses, according to industry groups. It also could make it easier to research marijuana, since it’s very difficult to conduct authorized clinical studies on Schedule I substances.

Biden hails DOJ moves to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous drug

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said Friday its troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">in Gaza</a>&nbsp;found the bodies of three Israeli hostages killed by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack, including German-Israeli Shani Louk.

A photo of 22-year-old Louk's twisted body in the back of a pickup truck ricocheted around the world and brought to light the scale of the militants’ attack on communities in southern Israel. The military identified the other two bodies as those of a 28-year-old woman, Amit Buskila, and a 56-year-old man, Itzhak Gelerenter.

All three were killed by Hamas while fleeing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/israel-hamas-war-hamas-fairs-and-festivals-israel-gaza-strip-6d2c6a499a8b42899e89565666030809">Nova music festival</a>, an outdoor dance party near the Gaza border, where militants killed hundreds of people, military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said at a news conference.

Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;called the deaths “heartbreaking,” saying, “We will return all of our hostages, both the living and the dead.”

The military said the bodies were found overnight, without elaborating, and did not give immediate details on where they were located. Israel has been operating in the Gaza Strip's southern city of Rafah, where it says it has intelligence that hostages are being held.

Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and abducted around 250 others in the Oct. 7 attack. Around half of those hostages have since been freed, most in swaps for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel during a weeklong cease-fire in November.

Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more.&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapnews.com%2Fhub%2Fisrael-hamas-war&amp;data=05%7C02%7CRCASERT%40ap.org%7C44fd346bebe84f86be8208dc75bbf7c5%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638514697373873346%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=cYdWibw3JZqZLUBtsf7KQPQE8Q1oypbdul4YVSpZeSw%3D&amp;reserved=0">Israel's war in Gaza</a>&nbsp;since the attack has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.

Netanyahu has vowed to both eliminate Hamas and bring all the hostages back, but he’s made little progress.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/netanyahu-israel-gaza-hamas-war-political-campaign-f40539425a1d6b6928a99a9d2e6d977c">He faces</a>&nbsp;pressure to resign, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-netanyahu-3591fb5f82b22cf8e5d1060fccaef115">the U.S. has threatened</a>&nbsp;to scale back its support over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Israelis are divided into two main camps: those who want the government to put the war on hold and free the hostages, and others who think the hostages are an unfortunate price to pay for eradicating Hamas. On-and-off negotiations mediated by Qatar, the United States and Egypt have yielded little.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716028005315.png" alt=" Itzik Gelernter, Shani Louk and Amit Buskila were kidnapped from the NOVA festival in Re'im. -photo&nbsp;Hostages Families Forum Headquarters" />
 <figcaption> Itzik Gelernter, Shani Louk and Amit Buskila were kidnapped from the NOVA festival in Re'im. -photo&nbsp;Hostages Families Forum Headquarters</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said Friday its troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">in Gaza</a>&nbsp;found the bodies of three Israeli hostages killed by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack, including German-Israeli Shani Louk.A photo of 22-year-old Louk's twisted body in the back of a pickup truck ricocheted around the world and brought to light the scale of the militants’ attack on communities in southern Israel. The military identified the other two bodies as those of a 28-year-old woman, Amit Buskila, and a 56-year-old man, Itzhak Gelerenter.All three were killed by Hamas while fleeing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/israel-hamas-war-hamas-fairs-and-festivals-israel-gaza-strip-6d2c6a499a8b42899e89565666030809">Nova music festival</a>, an outdoor dance party near the Gaza border, where militants killed hundreds of people, military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said at a news conference.Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;called the deaths “heartbreaking,” saying, “We will return all of our hostages, both the living and the dead.”The military said the bodies were found overnight, without elaborating, and did not give immediate details on where they were located. Israel has been operating in the Gaza Strip's southern city of Rafah, where it says it has intelligence that hostages are being held.Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and abducted around 250 others in the Oct. 7 attack. Around half of those hostages have since been freed, most in swaps for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel during a weeklong cease-fire in November.Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more.&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapnews.com%2Fhub%2Fisrael-hamas-war&amp;data=05%7C02%7CRCASERT%40ap.org%7C44fd346bebe84f86be8208dc75bbf7c5%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638514697373873346%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=cYdWibw3JZqZLUBtsf7KQPQE8Q1oypbdul4YVSpZeSw%3D&amp;reserved=0">Israel's war in Gaza</a>&nbsp;since the attack has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.Netanyahu has vowed to both eliminate Hamas and bring all the hostages back, but he’s made little progress.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/netanyahu-israel-gaza-hamas-war-political-campaign-f40539425a1d6b6928a99a9d2e6d977c">He faces</a>&nbsp;pressure to resign, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-netanyahu-3591fb5f82b22cf8e5d1060fccaef115">the U.S. has threatened</a>&nbsp;to scale back its support over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.Israelis are divided into two main camps: those who want the government to put the war on hold and free the hostages, and others who think the hostages are an unfortunate price to pay for eradicating Hamas. On-and-off negotiations mediated by Qatar, the United States and Egypt have yielded little.

Israeli army finds bodies of 3 hostages in Gaza

NEW YORK (AP) — Dabney Coleman, the mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in “9 to 5” and the nasty TV director in “Tootsie,” has died. He was 92.

Coleman died Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, his daughter, Quincy Coleman, said in a statement to The Associated Press. She said he “took his last earthly breath peacefully and exquisitely.”

“The great Dabney Coleman literally created, or defined, really — in a uniquely singular way — an archetype as a character actor. He was so good at what he did it’s hard to imagine movies and television of the last 40 years without him,” Ben Stiller wrote on X.

For two decades Coleman labored in movies and TV shows as a talented but largely unnoticed performer. That changed abruptly in 1976 when he was cast as the incorrigibly corrupt mayor of the hamlet of Fernwood in “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” a satirical soap opera that was so over the top no network would touch it.

Producer Norman Lear finally managed to syndicate the show, which starred Louise Lasser in the title role. It quickly became a cult favorite. Coleman’s character, Mayor Merle Jeeter, was especially popular and his masterful, comic deadpan delivery did not go overlooked by film and network executives.

A six-footer with an ample black mustache, Coleman went on to make his mark in numerous popular films, including as a stressed out computer scientist in “War Games,” Tom Hanks’ father in “You’ve Got Mail” and a fire fighting official in “The Towering Inferno.”

He won a Golden Globe for “The Slap Maxwell Story” and an Emmy Award for best supporting actor in Peter Levin’s 1987 small screen legal drama “Sworn to Silence.” Some of his recent credits include “Ray Donovan” and a recurring role on “Boardwalk Empire,” for which he won two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

In the groundbreaking 1980 hit “9 to 5,” he was the “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” boss who tormented his unappreciated female underlings — Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton — until they turned the tables on him.

In 1981, he was Fonda’s caring, well-mannered boyfriend, who asks her father (played by her real-life father, Henry Fonda) if he can sleep with her during a visit to her parents’ vacation home in “On Golden Pond.”

Opposite Dustin Hoffman in “Tootsie,” he was the obnoxious director of a daytime soap opera that Hoffman’s character joins by pretending to be a woman. Among Coleman’s other films were “North Dallas Forty,” “Cloak and Dagger,” “Dragnet,” “Meet the Applegates,” “Inspector Gadget” and “Stuart Little.” He reunited with Hoffman as a land developer in Brad Silberling’s “Moonlight Mile” with Jake Gyllenhaal.

Coleman’s obnoxious characters didn’t translate quite as well on television, where he starred in a handful of network comedies. Although some became cult favorites, only one lasted longer than two seasons, and some critics questioned whether a series starring a lead character with absolutely no redeeming qualities could attract a mass audience.

“Buffalo Bill” (1983-84) was a good example. It starred Coleman as “Buffalo Bill” Bittinger, the smarmy, arrogant, dimwitted daytime talk show host who, unhappy at being relegated to the small-time market of Buffalo, New York, takes it out on everyone around him. Although smartly written and featuring a fine ensemble cast, it lasted only two seasons.

Another was 1987’s “The Slap Maxwell Story,” in which Coleman was a failed small-town sportswriter trying to save a faltering marriage while wooing a beautiful young reporter on the side.

Other failed attempts to find a mass TV audience included “Apple Pie,” “Drexell’s Class” (in which he played an inside trader) and “Madman of the People,” another newspaper show in which he clashed this time with his younger boss, who was also his daughter.

He fared better in a co-starring role in “The Guardian” (2001-2004), which had him playing the father of a crooked lawyer. And he enjoyed the voice role as Principal Prickly on the Disney animated series “Recess” from 1997-2003.

Underneath all that bravura was a reserved man. Coleman insisted he was really quite shy. “I’ve been shy all my life. Maybe it stems from being the last of four children, all of them very handsome, including a brother who was Tyrone Power-handsome. Maybe it’s because my father died when I was 4,” he told The Associated Press in 1984. “I was extremely small, just a little guy who was there, the kid who created no trouble. I was attracted to fantasy, and I created games for myself.”

As he aged, he also began to put his mark on pompous authority figures, notably in 1998’s “My Date With the President’s Daughter,” in which he was not only an egotistical, self-absorbed president of the United States, but also a clueless father to a teenager girl.

Dabney Coleman — his real name — was born in 1932 in Austin, Texas After two years at the Virginia Military Academy, two at the University of Texas and two in the Army, he was a 26-year-old law student when he met another Austin native, Zachry Scott, who starred in “Mildred Pierce” and other films.

“He was the most dynamic person I’ve ever met. He convinced me I should become an actor, and I literally left the next day to study in New York. He didn’t think that was too wise, but I made my decision,” Coleman told The AP in 1984.

Early credits included such TV shows as “Ben Casey,” “Dr Kildare,” “The Outer Limits,” “Bonanza,” “The Mod Squad” and the film “The Towering Inferno.” He appeared on Broadway in 1961 in “A Call on Kuprin.” He played Kevin Costner’s father on “Yellowstone.”

Twice divorced, Coleman is survived by four children, Meghan, Kelly, Randy and Quincy, and the grandchildren Hale and Gabe Torrance, Luie Freundl and Kai and Coleman Biancaniello.

“My father crafted his time here on earth with a curious mind, a generous heart, and a soul on fire with passion, desire and humor that tickled the funny bone of humanity,” Quincy Coleman wrote in his honor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715986028498.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Dabney Coleman, the mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in “9 to 5” and the nasty TV director in “Tootsie,” has died. He was 92.Coleman died Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, his daughter, Quincy Coleman, said in a statement to The Associated Press. She said he “took his last earthly breath peacefully and exquisitely.”“The great Dabney Coleman literally created, or defined, really — in a uniquely singular way — an archetype as a character actor. He was so good at what he did it’s hard to imagine movies and television of the last 40 years without him,” Ben Stiller wrote on X.For two decades Coleman labored in movies and TV shows as a talented but largely unnoticed performer. That changed abruptly in 1976 when he was cast as the incorrigibly corrupt mayor of the hamlet of Fernwood in “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” a satirical soap opera that was so over the top no network would touch it.Producer Norman Lear finally managed to syndicate the show, which starred Louise Lasser in the title role. It quickly became a cult favorite. Coleman’s character, Mayor Merle Jeeter, was especially popular and his masterful, comic deadpan delivery did not go overlooked by film and network executives.A six-footer with an ample black mustache, Coleman went on to make his mark in numerous popular films, including as a stressed out computer scientist in “War Games,” Tom Hanks’ father in “You’ve Got Mail” and a fire fighting official in “The Towering Inferno.”He won a Golden Globe for “The Slap Maxwell Story” and an Emmy Award for best supporting actor in Peter Levin’s 1987 small screen legal drama “Sworn to Silence.” Some of his recent credits include “Ray Donovan” and a recurring role on “Boardwalk Empire,” for which he won two Screen Actors Guild Awards.In the groundbreaking 1980 hit “9 to 5,” he was the “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” boss who tormented his unappreciated female underlings — Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton — until they turned the tables on him.In 1981, he was Fonda’s caring, well-mannered boyfriend, who asks her father (played by her real-life father, Henry Fonda) if he can sleep with her during a visit to her parents’ vacation home in “On Golden Pond.”Opposite Dustin Hoffman in “Tootsie,” he was the obnoxious director of a daytime soap opera that Hoffman’s character joins by pretending to be a woman. Among Coleman’s other films were “North Dallas Forty,” “Cloak and Dagger,” “Dragnet,” “Meet the Applegates,” “Inspector Gadget” and “Stuart Little.” He reunited with Hoffman as a land developer in Brad Silberling’s “Moonlight Mile” with Jake Gyllenhaal.Coleman’s obnoxious characters didn’t translate quite as well on television, where he starred in a handful of network comedies. Although some became cult favorites, only one lasted longer than two seasons, and some critics questioned whether a series starring a lead character with absolutely no redeeming qualities could attract a mass audience.“Buffalo Bill” (1983-84) was a good example. It starred Coleman as “Buffalo Bill” Bittinger, the smarmy, arrogant, dimwitted daytime talk show host who, unhappy at being relegated to the small-time market of Buffalo, New York, takes it out on everyone around him. Although smartly written and featuring a fine ensemble cast, it lasted only two seasons.Another was 1987’s “The Slap Maxwell Story,” in which Coleman was a failed small-town sportswriter trying to save a faltering marriage while wooing a beautiful young reporter on the side.Other failed attempts to find a mass TV audience included “Apple Pie,” “Drexell’s Class” (in which he played an inside trader) and “Madman of the People,” another newspaper show in which he clashed this time with his younger boss, who was also his daughter.He fared better in a co-starring role in “The Guardian” (2001-2004), which had him playing the father of a crooked lawyer. And he enjoyed the voice role as Principal Prickly on the Disney animated series “Recess” from 1997-2003.Underneath all that bravura was a reserved man. Coleman insisted he was really quite shy. “I’ve been shy all my life. Maybe it stems from being the last of four children, all of them very handsome, including a brother who was Tyrone Power-handsome. Maybe it’s because my father died when I was 4,” he told The Associated Press in 1984. “I was extremely small, just a little guy who was there, the kid who created no trouble. I was attracted to fantasy, and I created games for myself.”As he aged, he also began to put his mark on pompous authority figures, notably in 1998’s “My Date With the President’s Daughter,” in which he was not only an egotistical, self-absorbed president of the United States, but also a clueless father to a teenager girl.Dabney Coleman — his real name — was born in 1932 in Austin, Texas After two years at the Virginia Military Academy, two at the University of Texas and two in the Army, he was a 26-year-old law student when he met another Austin native, Zachry Scott, who starred in “Mildred Pierce” and other films.“He was the most dynamic person I’ve ever met. He convinced me I should become an actor, and I literally left the next day to study in New York. He didn’t think that was too wise, but I made my decision,” Coleman told The AP in 1984.Early credits included such TV shows as “Ben Casey,” “Dr Kildare,” “The Outer Limits,” “Bonanza,” “The Mod Squad” and the film “The Towering Inferno.” He appeared on Broadway in 1961 in “A Call on Kuprin.” He played Kevin Costner’s father on “Yellowstone.”Twice divorced, Coleman is survived by four children, Meghan, Kelly, Randy and Quincy, and the grandchildren Hale and Gabe Torrance, Luie Freundl and Kai and Coleman Biancaniello.“My father crafted his time here on earth with a curious mind, a generous heart, and a soul on fire with passion, desire and humor that tickled the funny bone of humanity,” Quincy Coleman wrote in his honor.

🍿 Comic actor, '9 to 5′ star Dabney Coleman dies at 92

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/opportunity-scholarships-act-repeal-is-pulled-from-ballot-after-lb-1402-adopted/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen on Thursday made official what the Legislature already made obvious: that there will be no need to vote this November on the repeal of the original Opportunity Scholarships Act.

A conservative majority in the officially nonpartisan Legislature redesigned and repealed the initial tax credit for donors to scholarships for private K-12 education, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan’s Legislative Bill 753 from 2023.

Unions representing public school teachers and Nebraskans who want public funds spent only on public schools had petitioned to give voters a chance to repeal that version of the law. Polling indicated they were likely to do so.

Lawmakers seeking to protect the point of the school choice law sidestepped the petition effort this year by repealing LB 753 as part of creating a more direct $10 million annual appropriation for private K-12 scholarships or vouchers in Legislative Bill 1402.

Linehan acknowledged as much during debate. However, she said she was also trying to address many of the most common public criticisms of the scholarship tax credit, including that it seemed to benefit donors with a dollar-for-dollar credit.

She and other voucher advocates have said students and families who aren’t succeeding in the public school system where they live need options that might work better for them.

Opponents of both measures, including Support Our Schools Nebraska and the Nebraska State Education Association, said they would not let senators avoid voters and have launched a second petition drive, this one against LB 1402.

They want voters to weigh in on whether the state should spend tax dollars on private K-12 education. Organizers argue that funding private education poses a long-term risk to state general funds for other services, including public schools.

Support Our Schools has until July 17 to gather signatures for the ballot initiative against LB 1402. They’ll have to gather valid signatures from 5% of Nebraska’s registered voters and gather 5% in at least 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties.

Evnen, in announcing his decision Thursday, said the adoption of LB 1402 will repeal LB 753 on July 19, rendering any vote on that measure moot. He said he consulted with the Attorney General’s Office before making the decision.

“Since the previous law will no longer be in effect by the time of the general election, I do not intend to place the original referendum on the ballot,” Evnen said.

The newest petition language would repeal the section of LB 1402 creating the new version of the scholarship or voucher program. The section of LB 1402 that repeals LB 753 would remain in state law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715963228081.jpeg" alt="Last fall, teachers and other backers of Support Our Schools wheel out boxes of voter-signed petitions seeking to repeal the Opportunity Scholarships Act on the 2024 ballot. The vote would be cancelled if a new Opportunity Scholarship Act is passed by the 2024 Legislature, a move some have called “underhanded.” (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Last fall, teachers and other backers of Support Our Schools wheel out boxes of voter-signed petitions seeking to repeal the Opportunity Scholarships Act on the 2024 ballot. The vote would be cancelled if a new Opportunity Scholarship Act is passed by the 2024 Legislature, a move some have called “underhanded.” (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/opportunity-scholarships-act-repeal-is-pulled-from-ballot-after-lb-1402-adopted/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen on Thursday made official what the Legislature already made obvious: that there will be no need to vote this November on the repeal of the original Opportunity Scholarships Act.A conservative majority in the officially nonpartisan Legislature redesigned and repealed the initial tax credit for donors to scholarships for private K-12 education, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan’s Legislative Bill 753 from 2023.Unions representing public school teachers and Nebraskans who want public funds spent only on public schools had petitioned to give voters a chance to repeal that version of the law. Polling indicated they were likely to do so.Lawmakers seeking to protect the point of the school choice law sidestepped the petition effort this year by repealing LB 753 as part of creating a more direct $10 million annual appropriation for private K-12 scholarships or vouchers in Legislative Bill 1402.<h2>Families need a choice, Linehan says</h2>Linehan acknowledged as much during debate. However, she said she was also trying to address many of the most common public criticisms of the scholarship tax credit, including that it seemed to benefit donors with a dollar-for-dollar credit.She and other voucher advocates have said students and families who aren’t succeeding in the public school system where they live need options that might work better for them.Opponents of both measures, including Support Our Schools Nebraska and the Nebraska State Education Association, said they would not let senators avoid voters and have launched a second petition drive, this one against LB 1402.They want voters to weigh in on whether the state should spend tax dollars on private K-12 education. Organizers argue that funding private education poses a long-term risk to state general funds for other services, including public schools.<h2>Consulted with attorney general</h2>Support Our Schools has until July 17 to gather signatures for the ballot initiative against LB 1402. They’ll have to gather valid signatures from 5% of Nebraska’s registered voters and gather 5% in at least 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties.Evnen, in announcing his decision Thursday, said the adoption of LB 1402 will repeal LB 753 on July 19, rendering any vote on that measure moot. He said he consulted with the Attorney General’s Office before making the decision.“Since the previous law will no longer be in effect by the time of the general election, I do not intend to place the original referendum on the ballot,” Evnen said.The newest petition language would repeal the section of LB 1402 creating the new version of the scholarship or voucher program. The section of LB 1402 that repeals LB 753 would remain in state law.

Opportunity Scholarships Act repeal is pulled from ballot after LB 1402 adopted

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Nebraska has become aware of an Impersonation Scam using Ms. Lehr’s name, image, and title to attempt to defraud victims via email.&nbsp; On May 15, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office received several calls from concerned citizens regarding emails they received purporting to be from United States Attorney Lehr. 

U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel quickly determined this was a scam and directed callers to report the scam to the FBI Tip Line&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ic3.gov/" target="_blank">www.ic3.gov</a>&nbsp;and FTC Fraud Line&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/" target="_blank">https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/</a>.&nbsp; None of the callers suffered a financial loss related to the scam.&nbsp;

If you receive an email demanding payment to the US Attorney’s Office, do not open any attachments, or respond providing any personal information. Please submit a report to the FBI at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ic3.gov/" target="_blank">www.ic3.gov</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/" target="_blank">https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/</a>.

According to Ms. Lehr, “the only time the U.S. Attorney’s Office is involved in the collection of money is for restitution purposes in a criminal case after a judicial finding.”&nbsp;

“Scammers are experts at manipulation; they carry out various phone or email scams with unsuspecting victims. In this case they posed as a United States government official. We are grateful to the citizens who brought this our attention and that no one suffered any loss in this scheme. I would encourage the public to continue to exercise their due diligence when solicited for funds by emails or phone to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.”

You can find additional information related to some common scams below.

How To Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam. Scammers pretend to be from government agencies like the FTC, Social Security Administration, and IRS — or say they’re calling about your Medicare benefits. They contact you and say that, if you don’t pay or give them your personal information, something bad will happen. Or maybe you’ll miss out on some government benefit. But it’s a scam. Learn the signs and avoid the scam.

Here are some other examples of government impersonation scams:

Scammers impersonate “the national consumer protection agency.” They might say they’re from the non-existent National Sweepstakes Bureau or another made-up agency. If you’re in doubt, check out the list of real federal agencies at&nbsp;<a href="http://usa.gov/" target="_blank">usa.gov</a>.

Scammers impersonate your local sheriff’s office or a court official. They might say there’s a warrant out for your arrest and that you’ll go to jail if you don’t pay immediately. Or that they’re from the local court and you need to pay a penalty for missing jury duty. This is most likely a scam. But if you’re worried, look up the real number for the government agency or office the caller mentioned. Then contact them directly to get the real story.

Scammers impersonate representatives of immigration authorities.&nbsp;They might say they’re calling from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) or another agency, there’s a problem with an immigration application or petition, and you have to pay them to solve that issue. This is a scam. If you’re concerned, contact USCIS directly. Also read Avoid Immigration Scams and Get Real Help.

Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonation-scam" target="_blank">https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonation-scam</a>

United States AttorneyUnited States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Nebraska has become aware of an Impersonation Scam using Ms. Lehr’s name, image, and title to attempt to defraud victims via email.&nbsp; On May 15, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office received several calls from concerned citizens regarding emails they received purporting to be from United States Attorney Lehr. U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel quickly determined this was a scam and directed callers to report the scam to the FBI Tip Line&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ic3.gov/" target="_blank">www.ic3.gov</a>&nbsp;and FTC Fraud Line&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/" target="_blank">https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/</a>.&nbsp; None of the callers suffered a financial loss related to the scam.&nbsp;If you receive an email demanding payment to the US Attorney’s Office, do not open any attachments, or respond providing any personal information. Please submit a report to the FBI at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ic3.gov/" target="_blank">www.ic3.gov</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/" target="_blank">https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/</a>.According to Ms. Lehr, “the only time the U.S. Attorney’s Office is involved in the collection of money is for restitution purposes in a criminal case after a judicial finding.”&nbsp;“Scammers are experts at manipulation; they carry out various phone or email scams with unsuspecting victims. In this case they posed as a United States government official. We are grateful to the citizens who brought this our attention and that no one suffered any loss in this scheme. I would encourage the public to continue to exercise their due diligence when solicited for funds by emails or phone to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.”You can find additional information related to some common scams below.How To Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam. Scammers pretend to be from government agencies like the FTC, Social Security Administration, and IRS — or say they’re calling about your Medicare benefits. They contact you and say that, if you don’t pay or give them your personal information, something bad will happen. Or maybe you’ll miss out on some government benefit. But it’s a scam. Learn the signs and avoid the scam.Here are some other examples of government impersonation scams:Scammers impersonate “the national consumer protection agency.” They might say they’re from the non-existent National Sweepstakes Bureau or another made-up agency. If you’re in doubt, check out the list of real federal agencies at&nbsp;<a href="http://usa.gov/" target="_blank">usa.gov</a>.Scammers impersonate your local sheriff’s office or a court official. They might say there’s a warrant out for your arrest and that you’ll go to jail if you don’t pay immediately. Or that they’re from the local court and you need to pay a penalty for missing jury duty. This is most likely a scam. But if you’re worried, look up the real number for the government agency or office the caller mentioned. Then contact them directly to get the real story.Scammers impersonate representatives of immigration authorities.&nbsp;They might say they’re calling from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) or another agency, there’s a problem with an immigration application or petition, and you have to pay them to solve that issue. This is a scam. If you’re concerned, contact USCIS directly. Also read Avoid Immigration Scams and Get Real Help.Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonation-scam" target="_blank">https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonation-scam</a>

Impersonation Scam Using US Attorney’s Office Information   

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The man convicted of attempting to kidnap then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison.

Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley handed down the sentence for David DePape, 44, whom jurors found guilty last November of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official. Prosecutors had asked for a 40-year prison term.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674845796426.png" alt="The body-camera footage shows suspect David DePape wrest the tool from 82-year-old Paul Pelosi and lunge toward him the hammer over his head -image SFPD" />
 <figcaption>The body-camera footage shows suspect David DePape wrest the tool from 82-year-old Paul Pelosi and lunge toward him the hammer over his head -image SFPD</figcaption>
 </figure>SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The man convicted of attempting to kidnap then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison.Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley handed down the sentence for David DePape, 44, whom jurors found guilty last November of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official. Prosecutors had asked for a 40-year prison term.DePape was given 20 years for one count and 30 years for another count. The sentences will run concurrently. He was also given credit for the 18 months that he's been in custody.DePape stood silently as Judge Corley handed the sentence and looked down at times. His public defense attorneys had asked the judge to sentence him to 14 years, pointing out that he was going through a difficult time in his life and had no prior criminal history.Corley said she took into account when giving DePape’s sentence the fact that he broke into the home of public official, an unprecedented act in the history of the country.“He actually went to the home, that is completely, completely unprecedented,” she said.Before sentencing, Christine Pelosis read victim statements on behalf of her father and mother, explaining how the violent attack changed their lives.“The Pelosi family couldn’t be prouder of their Pop and his tremendous courage in saving his own life on the night of the attack and in testifying in this case,” Aaron Bennett, a spokesperson for Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement. “Speaker Pelosi and her family are immensely grateful to all who have sent love and prayers over the last eighteen months, as Mr. Pelosi continues his recovery.”DePape&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-nancy-pelosi-depape-hammer-attacked-san-francisco-aeab3fb8f30fbc6a40f334033f5becf0">admitted during trial testimony</a>&nbsp;that he broke into the Pelosis’ San Francisco home Oct. 28, 2022, intending to hold the speaker hostage and “break her kneecaps” if she lied to him. He also admitted to bludgeoning Paul Pelosi with a hammer after police showed up, saying his plan to end what he viewed as government corruption was unraveling.The attack on Paul Pelosi, who was 82 at the time, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-attack-video-c35ecf3131109f69f0cb66b84e986ba2">captured on police body camera video</a>&nbsp;just days before the midterm elections and sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-san-francisco-nancy-pelosi-congress-government-and-politics-b8a3fb8b3e6f491fcfb16e155b877427">shockwaves through the political world</a>.Defense attorneys argued DePape was motivated by his political beliefs, not because he wanted to interfere with Nancy Pelosi’s official duties as a member of Congress, making the charges against him invalid.One of his attorneys,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pelosi-depape-hammer-attack-e27f2633be324e1d0823b30b66a20062">Angela Chuang, said during closing arguments</a>&nbsp;that DePape was caught up in conspiracy theories.At trial DePape, a Canadian who moved to the U.S. more than 20 years ago, testified that he believed news outlets repeatedly lied about former President Donald Trump. In rants posted on a blog and online forum that were taken down after his arrest, DePape echoed the baseless, right-wing QAnon conspiracy theory that claims a cabal of devil-worshipping pedophiles runs the U.S. government.DePape also told jurors he had planned to wear an inflatable unicorn costume and record his interrogation of the Democratic speaker, who was not at the home at the time of the attack, to upload it online.Prosecutors said he had rope and&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/">z</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-san-francisco-nancy-pelosi-government-and-politics-paul-ba57573b581adbc12d2741f801934fc8">ip ties</a>&nbsp;with him, and detectives found body cameras, a computer and a tablet.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-depape-paul-pelosi-attack-trial-fb32db568be375e4c4fc26f41d283d7a">Paul Pelosi also testified</a>&nbsp;at the trial, recalling how he was awakened by a large man bursting into the bedroom and asking, “Where’s Nancy?” He said that when he responded that his wife was in Washington, DePape said he would tie him up while they waited for her.“It was a tremendous sense of shock to recognize that somebody had broken into the house, and looking at him and looking at the hammer and the ties, I recognized that I was in serious danger, so I tried to stay as calm as possible,” Pelosi told jurors.DePape is also charged in state court with assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary and other felonies. Jury selection in that trial is expected to start Wednesday.Paul Pelosi suffered two head wounds in the attack, including a skull fracture that was mended with plates and screws he will have for the rest of his life. His right arm and hand were also injured.