The science and engineering,&nbsp;happening&nbsp;behind the scenes at landfills across the country to protect groundwater, surface water and air, will be the focus of&nbsp;the&nbsp;next&nbsp;Science Café presentation,&nbsp;to be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12 at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th&nbsp;St.&nbsp;

“We&nbsp;will talk about the history of landfills pre- and post-federal regulation, and everything that makes a modern landfill today,” said Katie Kinley, a civil and environmental engineer.&nbsp;

Kinley has more than&nbsp;nine&nbsp;years&nbsp;of&nbsp;experience&nbsp;in landfill design, permits&nbsp;and construction. She&nbsp;is a licensed professional engineer in Iowa, Nebraska,&nbsp;Michigan&nbsp;and Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kinley’s experience&nbsp;includes landfill gas management,&nbsp;the design of landfill&nbsp;liners&nbsp;and the management of water&nbsp;that&nbsp;has leached out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

She has worked with sites across the country supporting designs, expansions and plans&nbsp;to meet&nbsp;long-term needs with environmentally protective facilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Science&nbsp;Cafés&nbsp;involve&nbsp;a conversation with an expert about current science topics.&nbsp;They are open to everyone.&nbsp;Each meeting is organized around an interesting topic of conversation. Experts give a brief presentation followed by a Q&amp;A period.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As&nbsp;Nebraska’s&nbsp;only public academic health science center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center&nbsp;enrolls more than 4,400 students across six colleges, two institutes and a graduate studies program.&nbsp;Its mission is to&nbsp;create a healthier future for Nebraskans&nbsp;through premier education,&nbsp;research&nbsp;and clinical care,&nbsp;but its&nbsp;impact&nbsp;--&nbsp;rooted in a culture of collaboration,&nbsp;big ideas&nbsp;and public-private partnerships – goes far beyond,&nbsp;in areas&nbsp;that include&nbsp;infectious diseases, rural health, cancer research and treatments, global health security, and&nbsp;simulation and experiential learning technologies.&nbsp;

<a href="https://twitter.com/unmc" target="_blank">Twitter</a>  |  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/unmcedu" target="_blank">Facebook</a>  |  <a href="https://instagram.com/iamunmc" target="_blank">Instagram</a>  |  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/UNMCEDU" target="_blank">YouTube</a>  |  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/unmc/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>&nbsp;

UNMCThe science and engineering,&nbsp;happening&nbsp;behind the scenes at landfills across the country to protect groundwater, surface water and air, will be the focus of&nbsp;the&nbsp;next&nbsp;Science Café presentation,&nbsp;to be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12 at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th&nbsp;St.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693924673683.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Katie Kinley/Photo courtesy of UNMC" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Katie Kinley/Photo courtesy of UNMC</figcaption>
 </figure>“We&nbsp;will talk about the history of landfills pre- and post-federal regulation, and everything that makes a modern landfill today,” said Katie Kinley, a civil and environmental engineer.&nbsp;Kinley has more than&nbsp;nine&nbsp;years&nbsp;of&nbsp;experience&nbsp;in landfill design, permits&nbsp;and construction. She&nbsp;is a licensed professional engineer in Iowa, Nebraska,&nbsp;Michigan&nbsp;and Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kinley’s experience&nbsp;includes landfill gas management,&nbsp;the design of landfill&nbsp;liners&nbsp;and the management of water&nbsp;that&nbsp;has leached out.&nbsp;&nbsp;She has worked with sites across the country supporting designs, expansions and plans&nbsp;to meet&nbsp;long-term needs with environmentally protective facilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;Science&nbsp;Cafés&nbsp;involve&nbsp;a conversation with an expert about current science topics.&nbsp;They are open to everyone.&nbsp;Each meeting is organized around an interesting topic of conversation. Experts give a brief presentation followed by a Q&amp;A period.&nbsp;&nbsp;About UNMC&nbsp;As&nbsp;Nebraska’s&nbsp;only public academic health science center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center&nbsp;enrolls more than 4,400 students across six colleges, two institutes and a graduate studies program.&nbsp;Its mission is to&nbsp;create a healthier future for Nebraskans&nbsp;through premier education,&nbsp;research&nbsp;and clinical care,&nbsp;but its&nbsp;impact&nbsp;--&nbsp;rooted in a culture of collaboration,&nbsp;big ideas&nbsp;and public-private partnerships – goes far beyond,&nbsp;in areas&nbsp;that include&nbsp;infectious diseases, rural health, cancer research and treatments, global health security, and&nbsp;simulation and experiential learning technologies.&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/unmc" target="_blank">Twitter</a>  |  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/unmcedu" target="_blank">Facebook</a>  |  <a href="https://instagram.com/iamunmc" target="_blank">Instagram</a>  |  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/UNMCEDU" target="_blank">YouTube</a>  |  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/unmc/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>&nbsp;

The Science of landfills is topic of Sept. 12 Science Café 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/saudi-arabia">Saudi Arabia</a>&nbsp;and Russia agreed Tuesday to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices.

The dual announcements from Riyadh and Moscow pushed benchmark Brent crude above $90 a barrel in trading Tuesday afternoon, a price unseen in the market since November.

The countries' moves could increase inflation and the cost for motorists at gasoline pumps. It also puts new pressure on Saudi Arabia's relationship with the United States, as President Joe Biden last year warned the kingdom there would be unspecified “consequences” for partnering with Russia on cuts as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Moscow wages war on Ukraine</a>.

Saudi Arabia's announcement, carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, said the country still would monitor the market and could take further action if necessary.

“This additional voluntary cut comes to reinforce the precautionary efforts made by OPEC+ countries with the aim of supporting the stability and balance of oil markets,” the Saudi Press Agency report said, citing an unnamed Energy Ministry official.

State-run Russian news agency Tass quoted Alexander Novak, Russia's deputy prime minister and former energy minister, as saying Moscow would continue its 300,000 barrel a day cut.

The decision “is aimed at strengthening the precautionary measures taken by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/opec">OPEC+ countries</a>&nbsp;in order to maintain stability and balance of oil markets,” Novak said.

Benchmark Brent crude traded Tuesday above $90 a barrel after the announcement. Brent had largely hovered between $75 and $85 a barrel since last October. A barrel of West Texas Intermediate, a benchmark for America, traded over $87 a barrel.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, though Biden and U.S. lawmakers have criticized Saudi Arabia and Russia over their past production decisions.

Bob McNally, the founder and president of the Washington-based Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House energy adviser, said Saudi Arabia and Russia had “demonstrated their unity and resolve to proactively manage" the risk of oil prices potentially dropping in tougher economic conditions with their announcement Tuesday.

“Barring a sharp economic downturn, these supply cuts will drive deep deficits into global oil balances and should propel crude oil prices well above $90 per barrel,” McNally said.

The average gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the U.S. stands at $3.81, according to AAA, just under the all-time high for Labor Day of $3.83 in 2012. However, gasoline demand typically drops for U.S. motorists after the holiday so it remains unclear what immediate effect this could have on the American market, AAA spokesman Andrew Gross said.

“I’m more concerned about what the rest of hurricane season may hold,” Gross told The Associated Press. “A big storm along the Gulf coast could move prices dramatically here.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-hurricane-idalia-2136985ceea53f5deb600c43aeea1138">Hurricane Idalia</a>&nbsp;just plowed through Florida and U.S. forecasters said Tuesday that a new tropical depression in the Atlantic Ocean could become a “major hurricane.”

Meanwhile, higher gasoline prices can increase transportation costs and ultimately push the prices of goods even higher at a time when the U.S. and much of the world is already raising interest rates to combat inflation.

“The impact these cuts will have on inflation and economic policy in the West is hard to predict, but higher oil prices will only increase the likelihood of more fiscal tightening, especially in the U.S., to curtail inflation,” said Jorge Leon, a senior vice president at Rystad Energy. “Western leaders, wary of an oil price spike, could explore import adjustments or open diplomatic discussions to help mitigate the impact and tame inflation.”

The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">extend earlier production cuts</a>&nbsp;through next year.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">A series of production cuts over the past year</a>&nbsp;has failed to substantially boost prices amid weakened demand from China and tighter monetary policy aimed at combating inflation. But with international travel back up to nearly pre-pandemic levels, the demand for oil likely will continue to rise.

The Saudis are particularly keen to boost oil prices in order to fund Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to overhaul the kingdom’s economy, reduce its dependence on oil and to create jobs for a young population.

The plan includes several massive infrastructure projects, including the construction of a futuristic $500 billion city called Neom.

But Saudi Arabia also has to manage its relationship with Washington. Biden campaigned on a promise of making the kingdom's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a “pariah” over the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

In recent months, tensions eased slightly as Biden's administration sought a deal with Riyadh for it to diplomatically recognize Israel.

But those talks include Saudi Arabia pushing for a nuclear cooperation deal that includes America allowing it to enrich uranium in the kingdom — something that worries nonproliferation experts, as spinning centrifuges open the door to a possible weapons program.

Prince Mohammed already has said the kingdom would pursue an atomic bomb if Iran had one, potentially creating a nuclear arms race in the region as Tehran’s program continues to advance closer to weapons-grade levels. Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a détente in recent months, though the region remains tense amid the wider tensions between Iran and the U.S.

Higher oil prices would also help Russian President Vladimir Putin fund his war on Ukraine. Western countries have used a price cap to try to cut into Moscow’s revenues. But those sanctions have seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">Moscow be forced to sell its oil at a discount</a>&nbsp;to countries like China and India.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683569393523.png" alt="There was no immediate reaction in Washington, though U.S. lawmakers have criticized OPEC, Saudi Arabia and Russia over their past production decisions." />
 <figcaption>There was no immediate reaction in Washington, though U.S. lawmakers have criticized OPEC, Saudi Arabia and Russia over their past production decisions.</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/saudi-arabia">Saudi Arabia</a>&nbsp;and Russia agreed Tuesday to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices.The dual announcements from Riyadh and Moscow pushed benchmark Brent crude above $90 a barrel in trading Tuesday afternoon, a price unseen in the market since November.The countries' moves could increase inflation and the cost for motorists at gasoline pumps. It also puts new pressure on Saudi Arabia's relationship with the United States, as President Joe Biden last year warned the kingdom there would be unspecified “consequences” for partnering with Russia on cuts as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Moscow wages war on Ukraine</a>.Saudi Arabia's announcement, carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, said the country still would monitor the market and could take further action if necessary.“This additional voluntary cut comes to reinforce the precautionary efforts made by OPEC+ countries with the aim of supporting the stability and balance of oil markets,” the Saudi Press Agency report said, citing an unnamed Energy Ministry official.State-run Russian news agency Tass quoted Alexander Novak, Russia's deputy prime minister and former energy minister, as saying Moscow would continue its 300,000 barrel a day cut.The decision “is aimed at strengthening the precautionary measures taken by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/opec">OPEC+ countries</a>&nbsp;in order to maintain stability and balance of oil markets,” Novak said.Benchmark Brent crude traded Tuesday above $90 a barrel after the announcement. Brent had largely hovered between $75 and $85 a barrel since last October. A barrel of West Texas Intermediate, a benchmark for America, traded over $87 a barrel.The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, though Biden and U.S. lawmakers have criticized Saudi Arabia and Russia over their past production decisions.Bob McNally, the founder and president of the Washington-based Rapidan Energy Group and a former White House energy adviser, said Saudi Arabia and Russia had “demonstrated their unity and resolve to proactively manage" the risk of oil prices potentially dropping in tougher economic conditions with their announcement Tuesday.“Barring a sharp economic downturn, these supply cuts will drive deep deficits into global oil balances and should propel crude oil prices well above $90 per barrel,” McNally said.The average gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the U.S. stands at $3.81, according to AAA, just under the all-time high for Labor Day of $3.83 in 2012. However, gasoline demand typically drops for U.S. motorists after the holiday so it remains unclear what immediate effect this could have on the American market, AAA spokesman Andrew Gross said.“I’m more concerned about what the rest of hurricane season may hold,” Gross told The Associated Press. “A big storm along the Gulf coast could move prices dramatically here.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-hurricane-idalia-2136985ceea53f5deb600c43aeea1138">Hurricane Idalia</a>&nbsp;just plowed through Florida and U.S. forecasters said Tuesday that a new tropical depression in the Atlantic Ocean could become a “major hurricane.”Meanwhile, higher gasoline prices can increase transportation costs and ultimately push the prices of goods even higher at a time when the U.S. and much of the world is already raising interest rates to combat inflation.“The impact these cuts will have on inflation and economic policy in the West is hard to predict, but higher oil prices will only increase the likelihood of more fiscal tightening, especially in the U.S., to curtail inflation,” said Jorge Leon, a senior vice president at Rystad Energy. “Western leaders, wary of an oil price spike, could explore import adjustments or open diplomatic discussions to help mitigate the impact and tame inflation.”The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">extend earlier production cuts</a>&nbsp;through next year.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">A series of production cuts over the past year</a>&nbsp;has failed to substantially boost prices amid weakened demand from China and tighter monetary policy aimed at combating inflation. But with international travel back up to nearly pre-pandemic levels, the demand for oil likely will continue to rise.The Saudis are particularly keen to boost oil prices in order to fund Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to overhaul the kingdom’s economy, reduce its dependence on oil and to create jobs for a young population.The plan includes several massive infrastructure projects, including the construction of a futuristic $500 billion city called Neom.But Saudi Arabia also has to manage its relationship with Washington. Biden campaigned on a promise of making the kingdom's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a “pariah” over the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.In recent months, tensions eased slightly as Biden's administration sought a deal with Riyadh for it to diplomatically recognize Israel.But those talks include Saudi Arabia pushing for a nuclear cooperation deal that includes America allowing it to enrich uranium in the kingdom — something that worries nonproliferation experts, as spinning centrifuges open the door to a possible weapons program.Prince Mohammed already has said the kingdom would pursue an atomic bomb if Iran had one, potentially creating a nuclear arms race in the region as Tehran’s program continues to advance closer to weapons-grade levels. Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a détente in recent months, though the region remains tense amid the wider tensions between Iran and the U.S.Higher oil prices would also help Russian President Vladimir Putin fund his war on Ukraine. Western countries have used a price cap to try to cut into Moscow’s revenues. But those sanctions have seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">Moscow be forced to sell its oil at a discount</a>&nbsp;to countries like China and India.

Oil prices spike as Saudi Arabia extends oil cuts through end of year

WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of struggling to find agreement on just about anything in a divided Congress, lawmakers are returning to Capitol Hill to try to avert a government shutdown, even as House Republicans consider whether to press forward with an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-government-shutdown-house-republicans-abbde0620a2058e304846a93834e9bd6">A short-term funding measure</a>&nbsp;to keep government offices fully functioning will dominate the September agenda, along with emergency funding for Ukraine, federal disaster funds and the Republican-driven probe into Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings.

Time is running short for Congress to act. The House is scheduled to meet for just 11 days before the government's fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, leaving little room to maneuver. And the deal-making will play out as two top Republicans, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, deal with health issues.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-government-shutdown-house-republicans-abbde0620a2058e304846a93834e9bd6">The president and congressional leaders</a>, including Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, are focused on passage of a months-long funding measure, known as a continuing resolution, to keep government offices running while lawmakers iron out a budget. It's a step Congress routinely takes to avoid stoppages, but McCarthy faces resistance from within his own Republican ranks, including from some hardline conservatives who openly embrace the idea of a government shutdown.

“Honestly, it's a pretty big mess,” McConnell said at an event in Kentucky last week.

Here are the top issues as lawmakers return from the August break:

When Biden and McCarthy struck a deal to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-biden-mccarthy-senate-house-default-b8c3566b0c9cb168d9706aa256e327f7">suspend the nation's debt</a>&nbsp;ceiling in June, it included provisions for topline spending numbers. But under pressure from the House Freedom Caucus, House Republicans have advanced spending bills that cut below that agreement.

Republicans have also tried to load their spending packages with conservative policy wins. For example, House Republicans added provisions blocking abortion coverage, transgender care and diversity initiatives to a July defense package, turning what has traditionally been a bipartisan effort into a sharply contested bill.

But Democrats control the Senate and are certain to reject most of the conservative proposals. Senators are crafting their spending bills on a bipartisan basis with an eye toward avoiding unrelated policy fights.

Top lawmakers in both chambers are now turning to a stopgap funding package, a typical strategy to give the lawmakers time to iron out a long-term agreement.

The House Freedom Caucus has already released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-shutdown-freedom-caucus-mccarthy-8d2d2296cb1680dc1bf945d726da178f">a list of demands</a>&nbsp;it wants included in the continuing resolution. But they amount to a right-wing wish list that would never fly in the Senate.

The conservative opposition means McCarthy will almost certainly have to win significant Democratic support to pass a funding bill — but such an approach risks a new round of conflict with the same conservatives who in the past have threatened to oust him from the speakership.

Democrats are already readying blame for the House GOP.

“The last thing the American people deserve is for extreme House members to trigger a government shutdown that hurts our economy, undermines our disaster preparedness, and forces our troops to work without guaranteed pay," said White House spokesman Andrew Bates.

In a letter to his colleagues Friday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote that the focus when the Senate returns Tuesday will be “funding the government and preventing House Republican extremists from forcing a government shutdown.”

It leaves McCarthy desperate to get the votes to keep government offices running and avoid the political blowback. As he tries to persuade Republicans to go along with a temporary fix, McCarthy has been arguing that a government shutdown would also halt Republican investigations into the Biden administration.

“If we shut down, all of government shuts it down — investigations and everything else — it hurts the American public,” the speaker said on Fox News last week.

Since they gained the House majority, Republicans have launched a series of investigations into the Biden administration, with an eye towards impeaching the president or his Cabinet officials. They have now&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-impeachment-mccarthy-hannity-78e4c7efeb030b29e1576f868257179b">zeroed in on the president's son</a>, Hunter Biden, and his overseas business dealings, including with Ukrainian gas company Burisma.

The inquiries have not produced evidence that President Biden took official action on behalf of his son or business partners, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-hunter-biden-impeachment-inquiry-government-shutdown-56d9ccc7f090ea220a47e877e503179e">McCarthy has called impeachment</a>&nbsp;a “natural step forward” for the investigations.

An impeachment inquiry by the House would be a first step toward bringing articles of impeachment. It is not yet clear what that may look like, especially because the speaker does not appear to have the GOP votes lined up to support an impeachment inquiry. Moderate Republicans have so far balked at sending the House on a full-fledged impeachment hunt.

But Donald Trump, running once again to challenge Biden, is prodding them to move ahead quickly.

“I don’t know how actually how a Republican could not do it," Trump said in an interview on Real America's Voice. “I think a Republican would be primaried and lose immediately, no matter what district you’re in.”

The White House has requested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-invasion-biden-congress-funding-d392f9b1adbb9c44249dce1cccdc2d1e">more than $40 billion</a>&nbsp;in emergency funding, including $13 billion in military aid for Ukraine, $8 billion in humanitarian support for the nation and $12 billion to replenish U.S. federal disaster funds at home.

The request for the massive cash infusion comes as Kyiv launches a counteroffensive against the Russian invasion. But support for Ukraine is waning among Republicans, especially as Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism of the war.

Nearly 70 Republicans voted for an unsuccessful effort to discontinue military aid to Ukraine in July, though strong support for the war effort remains among many members.

It is also not clear whether the White House's supplemental request for U.S. disaster funding, which also includes funds to bolster enforcement and curb drug trafficking at the southern U.S. border, will be tied to the Ukraine funding or a continuing budget resolution. The disaster funding enjoys wide support in the House, but could be tripped up if packaged with other funding proposals.

The Senate is expected to spend most of September focused on funding the government and confirming Biden's nominees, meaning that major policy legislation will have to wait. But Schumer outlined some priorities for the remaining months of the year in the letter to his colleagues.

Schumer said the Senate would work on legislation to lower the costs of drugs, address rail safety and provide disaster relief after floods in Vermont, fires in Hawaii and a hurricane in Florida.

Senators will also continue to examine whether legislation is needed to address artificial intelligence. Schumer has convened what he is calling an “AI insight forum” on Sept. 13 in the Senate with tech industry leaders, including Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, the CEO of X and Tesla, as well as former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates.

Senate Republicans will return next week to renewed questions about the health of their leader, McConnell.

McConnell, 81, faces questions about his ability to continue as the top Senate Republican after he has frozen up twice during news conferences in the last two months since falling and suffering a concussion in March. During the event in Kentucky last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-gop-leader-mcconnell-health-freeze-up-c5b43745251daa0bb63636ceff4edce2">he fell silent</a>&nbsp;for roughly 30 seconds as he answered a question from a reporter.

Dr. Brian Monahan, the Capitol's attending physician,&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/When%20the%20Senate%20returns%20next%20week,%20our%20focus%20will%20be%20on%20funding%20the%20government%20and%20preventing%20House%20Republican%20extremists%20from%20forcing%20a%20government%20shutdown.">said Thursday</a>&nbsp;that McConnell is cleared to work. But the question of whether McConnell — the longest-serving party leader in Senate history — can continue as Republican leader has sparked intense speculation about who will eventually replace him.

Meanwhile, the health of California Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dianne-feinstein-fall-hospital-31a1358e1c25839b45bb699d83c75d58">Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 90, has visibly</a>&nbsp;wavered in recent months after she was hospitalized for shingles earlier this year. She suffered a fall at her San Francisco home in August and visited the hospital for testing.

And in the House,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-scalise-blood-cancer-house-republican-leader-f98d35f1d09e8c8009e180068b191daa">Rep. Steve Scalise</a>, the No. 2 Republican, disclosed last week that he has been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma and is undergoing treatment.

Scalise, 57, said he will continue to serve and described the cancer as “very treatable.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609336667005.png" alt="The House is scheduled to meet for just 11 days before the government's fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The House is scheduled to meet for just 11 days before the government's fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of struggling to find agreement on just about anything in a divided Congress, lawmakers are returning to Capitol Hill to try to avert a government shutdown, even as House Republicans consider whether to press forward with an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-government-shutdown-house-republicans-abbde0620a2058e304846a93834e9bd6">A short-term funding measure</a>&nbsp;to keep government offices fully functioning will dominate the September agenda, along with emergency funding for Ukraine, federal disaster funds and the Republican-driven probe into Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings.Time is running short for Congress to act. The House is scheduled to meet for just 11 days before the government's fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, leaving little room to maneuver. And the deal-making will play out as two top Republicans, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, deal with health issues.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-government-shutdown-house-republicans-abbde0620a2058e304846a93834e9bd6">The president and congressional leaders</a>, including Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, are focused on passage of a months-long funding measure, known as a continuing resolution, to keep government offices running while lawmakers iron out a budget. It's a step Congress routinely takes to avoid stoppages, but McCarthy faces resistance from within his own Republican ranks, including from some hardline conservatives who openly embrace the idea of a government shutdown.“Honestly, it's a pretty big mess,” McConnell said at an event in Kentucky last week.Here are the top issues as lawmakers return from the August break:KEEPING THE GOVERNMENT OPENWhen Biden and McCarthy struck a deal to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-biden-mccarthy-senate-house-default-b8c3566b0c9cb168d9706aa256e327f7">suspend the nation's debt</a>&nbsp;ceiling in June, it included provisions for topline spending numbers. But under pressure from the House Freedom Caucus, House Republicans have advanced spending bills that cut below that agreement.Republicans have also tried to load their spending packages with conservative policy wins. For example, House Republicans added provisions blocking abortion coverage, transgender care and diversity initiatives to a July defense package, turning what has traditionally been a bipartisan effort into a sharply contested bill.But Democrats control the Senate and are certain to reject most of the conservative proposals. Senators are crafting their spending bills on a bipartisan basis with an eye toward avoiding unrelated policy fights.Top lawmakers in both chambers are now turning to a stopgap funding package, a typical strategy to give the lawmakers time to iron out a long-term agreement.The House Freedom Caucus has already released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-shutdown-freedom-caucus-mccarthy-8d2d2296cb1680dc1bf945d726da178f">a list of demands</a>&nbsp;it wants included in the continuing resolution. But they amount to a right-wing wish list that would never fly in the Senate.The conservative opposition means McCarthy will almost certainly have to win significant Democratic support to pass a funding bill — but such an approach risks a new round of conflict with the same conservatives who in the past have threatened to oust him from the speakership.Democrats are already readying blame for the House GOP.“The last thing the American people deserve is for extreme House members to trigger a government shutdown that hurts our economy, undermines our disaster preparedness, and forces our troops to work without guaranteed pay," said White House spokesman Andrew Bates.In a letter to his colleagues Friday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote that the focus when the Senate returns Tuesday will be “funding the government and preventing House Republican extremists from forcing a government shutdown.”It leaves McCarthy desperate to get the votes to keep government offices running and avoid the political blowback. As he tries to persuade Republicans to go along with a temporary fix, McCarthy has been arguing that a government shutdown would also halt Republican investigations into the Biden administration.“If we shut down, all of government shuts it down — investigations and everything else — it hurts the American public,” the speaker said on Fox News last week.IMPEACHMENT INQUIRYSince they gained the House majority, Republicans have launched a series of investigations into the Biden administration, with an eye towards impeaching the president or his Cabinet officials. They have now&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-impeachment-mccarthy-hannity-78e4c7efeb030b29e1576f868257179b">zeroed in on the president's son</a>, Hunter Biden, and his overseas business dealings, including with Ukrainian gas company Burisma.The inquiries have not produced evidence that President Biden took official action on behalf of his son or business partners, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-hunter-biden-impeachment-inquiry-government-shutdown-56d9ccc7f090ea220a47e877e503179e">McCarthy has called impeachment</a>&nbsp;a “natural step forward” for the investigations.An impeachment inquiry by the House would be a first step toward bringing articles of impeachment. It is not yet clear what that may look like, especially because the speaker does not appear to have the GOP votes lined up to support an impeachment inquiry. Moderate Republicans have so far balked at sending the House on a full-fledged impeachment hunt.But Donald Trump, running once again to challenge Biden, is prodding them to move ahead quickly.“I don’t know how actually how a Republican could not do it," Trump said in an interview on Real America's Voice. “I think a Republican would be primaried and lose immediately, no matter what district you’re in.”UKRAINE AND DISASTER FUNDINGThe White House has requested&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-invasion-biden-congress-funding-d392f9b1adbb9c44249dce1cccdc2d1e">more than $40 billion</a>&nbsp;in emergency funding, including $13 billion in military aid for Ukraine, $8 billion in humanitarian support for the nation and $12 billion to replenish U.S. federal disaster funds at home.The request for the massive cash infusion comes as Kyiv launches a counteroffensive against the Russian invasion. But support for Ukraine is waning among Republicans, especially as Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism of the war.Nearly 70 Republicans voted for an unsuccessful effort to discontinue military aid to Ukraine in July, though strong support for the war effort remains among many members.It is also not clear whether the White House's supplemental request for U.S. disaster funding, which also includes funds to bolster enforcement and curb drug trafficking at the southern U.S. border, will be tied to the Ukraine funding or a continuing budget resolution. The disaster funding enjoys wide support in the House, but could be tripped up if packaged with other funding proposals.LEGISLATION ON HOLDThe Senate is expected to spend most of September focused on funding the government and confirming Biden's nominees, meaning that major policy legislation will have to wait. But Schumer outlined some priorities for the remaining months of the year in the letter to his colleagues.Schumer said the Senate would work on legislation to lower the costs of drugs, address rail safety and provide disaster relief after floods in Vermont, fires in Hawaii and a hurricane in Florida.Senators will also continue to examine whether legislation is needed to address artificial intelligence. Schumer has convened what he is calling an “AI insight forum” on Sept. 13 in the Senate with tech industry leaders, including Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, the CEO of X and Tesla, as well as former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates.HEALTH CONCERNSSenate Republicans will return next week to renewed questions about the health of their leader, McConnell.McConnell, 81, faces questions about his ability to continue as the top Senate Republican after he has frozen up twice during news conferences in the last two months since falling and suffering a concussion in March. During the event in Kentucky last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-gop-leader-mcconnell-health-freeze-up-c5b43745251daa0bb63636ceff4edce2">he fell silent</a>&nbsp;for roughly 30 seconds as he answered a question from a reporter.Dr. Brian Monahan, the Capitol's attending physician,&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/When%20the%20Senate%20returns%20next%20week,%20our%20focus%20will%20be%20on%20funding%20the%20government%20and%20preventing%20House%20Republican%20extremists%20from%20forcing%20a%20government%20shutdown.">said Thursday</a>&nbsp;that McConnell is cleared to work. But the question of whether McConnell — the longest-serving party leader in Senate history — can continue as Republican leader has sparked intense speculation about who will eventually replace him.Meanwhile, the health of California Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dianne-feinstein-fall-hospital-31a1358e1c25839b45bb699d83c75d58">Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 90, has visibly</a>&nbsp;wavered in recent months after she was hospitalized for shingles earlier this year. She suffered a fall at her San Francisco home in August and visited the hospital for testing.And in the House,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-scalise-blood-cancer-house-republican-leader-f98d35f1d09e8c8009e180068b191daa">Rep. Steve Scalise</a>, the No. 2 Republican, disclosed last week that he has been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma and is undergoing treatment.Scalise, 57, said he will continue to serve and described the cancer as “very treatable.”

Impeachment threats, shutdown fears: Congress returns to work

KANSAS CIty (AP) — A 46% pay raise. A 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay. A restoration of traditional pensions.

The demands that a more combative United Auto Workers union has pressed on General Motors, Stellantis and Ford — demands that even the UAW's own president calls “audacious” — are edging it closer to a strike when its contract ends Sept. 14.

The automakers, which are making billions in profits, have dismissed the UAW's wish list. They argue that its demands are unrealistic at a time of fierce competition from Tesla and lower-wage foreign automakers as the world shifts from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. The wide gulf between the sides could mean a strike against one or more of the automakers, which could send already-inflated vehicle prices even higher.

A potential strike by 146,000 UAW members comes against the backdrop of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/labor-unrest-hollywood-screenwriters-actors-ups-drivers-c3b94e32c347d5b5f61e695bcf436b46">increasingly emboldened U.S. unions of all kinds</a>. The number of strikes and threatened strikes is growing,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-writers-strike-100-days-3bea7be9077dba59b5f3b4a705646a84">involving Hollywood actors and writers</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ups-teamsters-contract-union-voting-b104ca459ddb810f2018c68046d063ed">sizable settlements with railroads and major concessions by corporate giants like UPS</a>.

Shawn Fain, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-election-shawn-fain-ray-curry-85fa05496e7d1d21243708e4385a54f8">won the UAW’s presidency this spring in the first direct election</a>&nbsp;by members, has set high expectations and assured union members that they can achieve significant gains if they are willing to walk picket lines.

In a speech to a Labor Day parade crowd in Detroit on Monday, Fain said that if the companies don’t come up with a fair contract, “come Sept. 14, we’re going to take action to get it by any means necessary.”

Fain has characterized the contract talks with Detroit automakers as a form of war between billionaires and ordinary middle-class workers. Last month, in an act of showmanship during a Facebook Live event, Fain condemned a contract proposal from Stellantis as “trash” — and tossed a copy of it into a wastebasket, “where it belongs,” he said.

Over the past decade, the Detroit Three have emerged as robust profit-makers. They've collectively posted net income of $164 billion over the past decade, $20 billion of it this year. The CEOs of all three major automakers earn multiple millions in annual compensation.

Speaking last month to Ford workers at a plant in Louisville, Kentucky, Fain complained about one standard for the corporate class and another for ordinary workers.

“They get out-of-control salaries," he said. "They get pensions they don’t even need. They get top-rate health care. They work whatever schedule they want. The majority of our members do not get a pension nowadays. It’s crazy. We get substandard health care. We don’t get to work remotely.”

UAW members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize its leaders to call a strike. So, too, have Canadian auto workers, whose contracts end four days later and who have designated Ford as their target.

The UAW hasn't said whether it will select one target automaker. It could strike all three, though doing so could deplete the union's strike fund in under three months.

On the other hand, if a strike lasted even just 10 days, it would cost the three automakers nearly a billion dollars, the Anderson Economic Group has calculated. During a 40-day UAW strike in 2019, GM alone lost $3.6 billion.

Last week, the union filed charges of unfair labor practices against Stellantis and GM, which it said have yet to offer counterproposals. As for Ford, Fain asserted that its response, by rejecting most of the union’s demands, “insults our very worth.”

All three automakers have countered that the union's charges are baseless and that they're seeking a fair deal that would allow them to invest in the future.

Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, suggested that the strong U.S. job market and the companies' outsize profits have given Fain leverage in negotiations. In addition, he noted, the automakers are poised to release a slew of new electric vehicles that would be delayed by a strike. And they have only a limited supply of vehicles to withstand a prolonged walkout.

“The question really is," he said, "are the parties willing to move on some of these things at the table? That hasn't been evident yet.”

Even Fain has described the union's proposals as “audacious” in demanding the restoration of traditional defined-benefit pensions for new hires; an end to tiers of wages; pension increases for retirees; and — perhaps boldest of all — a 32-hour week for 40 hours of pay.

Currently, UAW workers who were hired after 2007 don't receive defined-benefit pensions. Their health benefits are less generous, too. For years, the union gave up general pay raises and lost cost-of-living wage increases to help the companies control costs. Though top-scale assembly workers earn $32.32 an hour, temporary workers start at just under $17. Still, full-time workers have received profit-sharing checks ranging this year from $9,716 at Ford to $14,760 at Stellantis.

At Detroit’s Labor Day Parade, workers said a strike appears likely now.

Jason Craig, a worker at a Stellantis parts warehouse near Detroit, said his company appears most likely to be the strike target, but he said the union might go to Ford because it seems more family-oriented. Fain reiterated Monday that all three companies remain strike targets.

Perhaps the biggest issue blocking a contract agreement is union representation at 10 EV battery plants that the companies have proposed. Most of these plants are joint ventures with South Korean battery makers, which want to pay less.

“These battery workers deserve the same wage and salary standards that generations of auto workers have fought for," Fain told members.

The union fears that because EVs are simpler to build, with fewer moving parts, fewer workers will be needed to assemble them. In addition, workers at combustion engine and transmission plants will likely lose jobs in the transition; they'll need a place to go.

Fain, a 54-year-old electrician who came out of a Chrysler factory in Kokomo, Indiana, is among several labor leaders across the economy who have been escalating their demands and flexing their muscles. So far this year, 247 strikes have occurred involving 341,000 workers — the most since Cornell University began tracking strikes in 2021, though still well below the numbers during the 1970s and 1980s.

Masters suggested that the automakers wouldn't be able to quickly replace striking workers. The tight job market, diminished interest in manufacturing jobs and comparatively modest wages would make it difficult to hire enough workers.

Some auto workers regard the UPS contract, with a $49-an-hour top wage for experienced drivers, as a benchmark for their negotiations. Others say they're just hoping to get near that figure.

But automakers say a generous settlement would stick them with costs far above their competitors' just as they start producing more EVs. The inability to bring Hyundai-Kia, Nissan, Volkswagen, Honda and Toyota factories into the union has weakened the UAW's leverage, said Harry Katz, a labor professor at Cornell.

If you include the value of their benefits, workers at the Detroit 3 automakers receive around $60 an hour. The corresponding figure at foreign-based automakers with U.S. factories is just $40 to $45, Katz said. Much of the disparity reflects pensions and health care.

If the Detroit companies end up with higher labor costs, they'll pass them on to consumers, making vehicles more expensive, said Sam Fiorani, an analyst with AutoForecast Solutions, a consulting firm.

“More than half of the vehicles built in the U.S. are in nonunion plants,” he said. “So if you raise the price to build a unionized vehicle, you could price yourself out of competition with vehicles already built in North America."

A strike of more than a couple of weeks would reduce still-tight supplies of vehicles on Detroit automakers' dealer lots. With demand still strong, prices would rise.

The UAW's members are “reminding management that management can’t operate those factories without a settlement,” Katz said.

Masters and Katz say there's still time to settle without a strike. Katz predicts a settlement short of UPS numbers, possibly with 3% general pay raises plus cost-of-living adjustments, increased company contributions to 401(k) accounts for newer workers and faster transitions to top pay.

That said, Katz suggested, Fain has to back up his tough talk: “He’s got to prove himself."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693911150496.png" alt="Workers march over the Labor Day holiday weekend- UAW photo" />
 <figcaption>Workers march over the Labor Day holiday weekend- UAW photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CIty (AP) — A 46% pay raise. A 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay. A restoration of traditional pensions.The demands that a more combative United Auto Workers union has pressed on General Motors, Stellantis and Ford — demands that even the UAW's own president calls “audacious” — are edging it closer to a strike when its contract ends Sept. 14.The automakers, which are making billions in profits, have dismissed the UAW's wish list. They argue that its demands are unrealistic at a time of fierce competition from Tesla and lower-wage foreign automakers as the world shifts from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. The wide gulf between the sides could mean a strike against one or more of the automakers, which could send already-inflated vehicle prices even higher.A potential strike by 146,000 UAW members comes against the backdrop of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/labor-unrest-hollywood-screenwriters-actors-ups-drivers-c3b94e32c347d5b5f61e695bcf436b46">increasingly emboldened U.S. unions of all kinds</a>. The number of strikes and threatened strikes is growing,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-writers-strike-100-days-3bea7be9077dba59b5f3b4a705646a84">involving Hollywood actors and writers</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ups-teamsters-contract-union-voting-b104ca459ddb810f2018c68046d063ed">sizable settlements with railroads and major concessions by corporate giants like UPS</a>.Shawn Fain, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-election-shawn-fain-ray-curry-85fa05496e7d1d21243708e4385a54f8">won the UAW’s presidency this spring in the first direct election</a>&nbsp;by members, has set high expectations and assured union members that they can achieve significant gains if they are willing to walk picket lines.In a speech to a Labor Day parade crowd in Detroit on Monday, Fain said that if the companies don’t come up with a fair contract, “come Sept. 14, we’re going to take action to get it by any means necessary.”Fain has characterized the contract talks with Detroit automakers as a form of war between billionaires and ordinary middle-class workers. Last month, in an act of showmanship during a Facebook Live event, Fain condemned a contract proposal from Stellantis as “trash” — and tossed a copy of it into a wastebasket, “where it belongs,” he said.Over the past decade, the Detroit Three have emerged as robust profit-makers. They've collectively posted net income of $164 billion over the past decade, $20 billion of it this year. The CEOs of all three major automakers earn multiple millions in annual compensation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693911002324.png" alt="UAW workers march over the Labor Day weekend holiday-UAW photo" />
 <figcaption>UAW workers march over the Labor Day weekend holiday-UAW photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Speaking last month to Ford workers at a plant in Louisville, Kentucky, Fain complained about one standard for the corporate class and another for ordinary workers.“They get out-of-control salaries," he said. "They get pensions they don’t even need. They get top-rate health care. They work whatever schedule they want. The majority of our members do not get a pension nowadays. It’s crazy. We get substandard health care. We don’t get to work remotely.”UAW members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize its leaders to call a strike. So, too, have Canadian auto workers, whose contracts end four days later and who have designated Ford as their target.The UAW hasn't said whether it will select one target automaker. It could strike all three, though doing so could deplete the union's strike fund in under three months.On the other hand, if a strike lasted even just 10 days, it would cost the three automakers nearly a billion dollars, the Anderson Economic Group has calculated. During a 40-day UAW strike in 2019, GM alone lost $3.6 billion.Last week, the union filed charges of unfair labor practices against Stellantis and GM, which it said have yet to offer counterproposals. As for Ford, Fain asserted that its response, by rejecting most of the union’s demands, “insults our very worth.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693911296614.png" alt="-Workers march over the Labor Day holiday weekend-photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>-Workers march over the Labor Day holiday weekend-photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>All three automakers have countered that the union's charges are baseless and that they're seeking a fair deal that would allow them to invest in the future.Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, suggested that the strong U.S. job market and the companies' outsize profits have given Fain leverage in negotiations. In addition, he noted, the automakers are poised to release a slew of new electric vehicles that would be delayed by a strike. And they have only a limited supply of vehicles to withstand a prolonged walkout.“They are vulnerable,” Masters said.“The question really is," he said, "are the parties willing to move on some of these things at the table? That hasn't been evident yet.”Even Fain has described the union's proposals as “audacious” in demanding the restoration of traditional defined-benefit pensions for new hires; an end to tiers of wages; pension increases for retirees; and — perhaps boldest of all — a 32-hour week for 40 hours of pay.Currently, UAW workers who were hired after 2007 don't receive defined-benefit pensions. Their health benefits are less generous, too. For years, the union gave up general pay raises and lost cost-of-living wage increases to help the companies control costs. Though top-scale assembly workers earn $32.32 an hour, temporary workers start at just under $17. Still, full-time workers have received profit-sharing checks ranging this year from $9,716 at Ford to $14,760 at Stellantis.At Detroit’s Labor Day Parade, workers said a strike appears likely now.Jason Craig, a worker at a Stellantis parts warehouse near Detroit, said his company appears most likely to be the strike target, but he said the union might go to Ford because it seems more family-oriented. Fain reiterated Monday that all three companies remain strike targets.Perhaps the biggest issue blocking a contract agreement is union representation at 10 EV battery plants that the companies have proposed. Most of these plants are joint ventures with South Korean battery makers, which want to pay less.“These battery workers deserve the same wage and salary standards that generations of auto workers have fought for," Fain told members.The union fears that because EVs are simpler to build, with fewer moving parts, fewer workers will be needed to assemble them. In addition, workers at combustion engine and transmission plants will likely lose jobs in the transition; they'll need a place to go.Fain, a 54-year-old electrician who came out of a Chrysler factory in Kokomo, Indiana, is among several labor leaders across the economy who have been escalating their demands and flexing their muscles. So far this year, 247 strikes have occurred involving 341,000 workers — the most since Cornell University began tracking strikes in 2021, though still well below the numbers during the 1970s and 1980s.Masters suggested that the automakers wouldn't be able to quickly replace striking workers. The tight job market, diminished interest in manufacturing jobs and comparatively modest wages would make it difficult to hire enough workers.Some auto workers regard the UPS contract, with a $49-an-hour top wage for experienced drivers, as a benchmark for their negotiations. Others say they're just hoping to get near that figure.But automakers say a generous settlement would stick them with costs far above their competitors' just as they start producing more EVs. The inability to bring Hyundai-Kia, Nissan, Volkswagen, Honda and Toyota factories into the union has weakened the UAW's leverage, said Harry Katz, a labor professor at Cornell.If you include the value of their benefits, workers at the Detroit 3 automakers receive around $60 an hour. The corresponding figure at foreign-based automakers with U.S. factories is just $40 to $45, Katz said. Much of the disparity reflects pensions and health care.If the Detroit companies end up with higher labor costs, they'll pass them on to consumers, making vehicles more expensive, said Sam Fiorani, an analyst with AutoForecast Solutions, a consulting firm.“More than half of the vehicles built in the U.S. are in nonunion plants,” he said. “So if you raise the price to build a unionized vehicle, you could price yourself out of competition with vehicles already built in North America."A strike of more than a couple of weeks would reduce still-tight supplies of vehicles on Detroit automakers' dealer lots. With demand still strong, prices would rise.The UAW's members are “reminding management that management can’t operate those factories without a settlement,” Katz said.Masters and Katz say there's still time to settle without a strike. Katz predicts a settlement short of UPS numbers, possibly with 3% general pay raises plus cost-of-living adjustments, increased company contributions to 401(k) accounts for newer workers and faster transitions to top pay.That said, Katz suggested, Fain has to back up his tough talk: “He’s got to prove himself."

Auto strike looms, could shut down plants in KC, nationwide

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19 Monday but is experiencing only mild symptoms, her spokeswoman said.

President Joe Biden was tested for the virus following his wife's positive test, but his results were negative. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president would continue testing regularly and would be monitored for symptoms.

Jill Biden will remain at the couple's home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for the time being, communications director Elizabeth Alexander said. The first lady had planned to start the new school year Tuesday at Northern Virginia Community College, where she teaches English and writing.

Due to her condition, she was working with school officials to arrange substitute teachers for her classes, Alexander said.

The first lady had traveled with her husband to Florida on Saturday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-florida-trip-hurricane-idalia-desantis-3ff2f44e6a314dfaf1e329fa10ac1b5a">inspect the damage from Hurricane Idalia</a>. President Biden then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-wilmington-rehoboth-beach-home-vacation-019e6ae93ca86d4620c0cec826994af6">spent part of the Labor Day weekend at the Delaware beach house</a>&nbsp;before traveling Monday to a union event in Philadelphia and then back to the White House.

The Bidens both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-covid-rebound-case-527711014401a11dcd37952e1f1e6aa4">contracted COVID previously</a>, last summer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693879726664.png" alt="President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk to board Air Force One for departure at Gainesville Regional Airport after surveying damage caused by Hurricane Idalia, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk to board Air Force One for departure at Gainesville Regional Airport after surveying damage caused by Hurricane Idalia, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19 Monday but is experiencing only mild symptoms, her spokeswoman said.President Joe Biden was tested for the virus following his wife's positive test, but his results were negative. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president would continue testing regularly and would be monitored for symptoms.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693879816483.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Jill Biden will remain at the couple's home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for the time being, communications director Elizabeth Alexander said. The first lady had planned to start the new school year Tuesday at Northern Virginia Community College, where she teaches English and writing.Due to her condition, she was working with school officials to arrange substitute teachers for her classes, Alexander said.The first lady had traveled with her husband to Florida on Saturday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-florida-trip-hurricane-idalia-desantis-3ff2f44e6a314dfaf1e329fa10ac1b5a">inspect the damage from Hurricane Idalia</a>. President Biden then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-wilmington-rehoboth-beach-home-vacation-019e6ae93ca86d4620c0cec826994af6">spent part of the Labor Day weekend at the Delaware beach house</a>&nbsp;before traveling Monday to a union event in Philadelphia and then back to the White House.The Bidens both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-covid-rebound-case-527711014401a11dcd37952e1f1e6aa4">contracted COVID previously</a>, last summer.

First lady Jill Biden tests positive for COVID; President negative so far

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Following the Supreme Court’s summer ruling against 40 million federal student loan borrowers who would have qualified for debt relief, the Biden administration crafted a year-long delay in repayments.

The policy, known as an on-ramp, is set to begin next month.

Additionally, hours after the Supreme Court’s decision, the Department of Education unveiled a new repayment plan for those with federal student loans, known as Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE.&nbsp; The new income-driven repayment plan calculates payments based on a borrower’s income and family size and forgives balances after a set number of years.

It’s estimated by the administration that more than 20 million borrowers will benefit. Borrowers can apply&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan">here.</a>&nbsp;A campaign is being launched to publicize the new program, by the Department of Education in collaboration with groups like the Student Debt Crisis Center, UnidosUS and the NAACP.

“This plan is a game changer for millions of Americans, many of whom are putting off having children, buying their first home, or even starting a business because they can’t get out from under their student loans,” said White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden on a call with reporters on Monday. “Student loans will be manageable.”

Last year, the Biden administration rolled out a debt forgiveness plan for borrowers with federal student loans that would have been a one-time cancellation of up to $10,000. Borrowers who had received Pell Grants — federal aid to help low-income students pay for higher education — could qualify for an additional $10,000 in forgiveness.

<a target="_blank" href="https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2023/06/30/us-supreme-court-rules-against-biden-administration-student-loan-debt-relief-plan/">The conservative bloc of the Supreme Court on June 30&nbsp;</a>ruled that the Biden administration did not have the legal authority to enact that one-time student debt relief program. The case was filed by Republican attorneys general of Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and South Carolina, and they argued the Biden administration overstepped its reach.

Following that decision from the court, the Biden administration initiated rulemaking through the Higher Education Act to try again to enact debt relief, and finalized a rule for the new repayment plan known as SAVE.

Here are some questions and answers about the on-ramp policy and SAVE plan.

Federal student loan repayments are set to resume in October, but while borrowers have a year of leniency to begin repayments, interest will continue to accrue starting in September. The on-ramp program starts Oct. 1 and will extend until Sept. 30 of next year.

“Financially vulnerable borrowers who miss monthly payments during this period are not considered delinquent, reported to credit bureaus, placed in default, or referred to debt collection agencies,” according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/06/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-provide-debt-relief-and-support-for-student-loan-borrowers/">fact sheet</a>&nbsp;released by the White House.

The Department of Education did not respond to questions from States Newsroom asking how the agency would prevent loan servicers from reporting borrowers to credit bureau or debt collectors.

How is the on-ramp policy different from the pause on federal student loan repayments?

The pause on federal student loan repayments was first put in place by the Trump administration in 2020 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and has been extended several times.

The pause meant those with federal student loans did not have to repay, and no interest accrued. With this new policy, interest will still accrue, but borrowers have a year before having to start paying back their loans.

What does a final rule for the SAVE plan mean?

<a target="_blank" href="https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2021/idrfactsheetfinal.pdf">This is an income-driven repayment plan</a>&nbsp;that the Department of Education said will cut borrowers’ monthly payments in half. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-launches-most-affordable-repayment-plan-ever-transforming-income-driven-repayment-cutting-undergraduate-payments-half-and-preventing-unpaid-interest-accumulation?utm_content=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_name=&amp;utm_source=govdelivery&amp;utm_term=">official launch&nbsp;</a>of the application was Tuesday.

“This is a giant step forward in decreasing the burden of crushing debt that rests on so many borrowers’ shoulders,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “Low-income students, whose burdens will be cut in half, and most other students, who will never pay more than 5% of their income, will breathe a sigh of relief across every corner of America.

“While there will be those that will challenge this in court, the administration has carefully crossed the legal t’s and dotted the legal i’s. The fight to cancel student debt is far from over, but this is a massive step in the right direction. President Biden deserves accolades and support for this action.”

A borrower could save more than $1,000 per year on payments, compared to other income-driven repayment plans. And, depending on income levels, it will allow more than 1 million additional borrowers to make $0 monthly payments without their interest accruing, the Department of Education estimates.

Borrowers with undergraduate loans will pay 5% of their discretionary income, rather than the 10% required under previous income repayment plans. Borrowers with undergraduate and graduate loans will pay a weighted average between 5% and 10% of their incomes.

The White House said a borrower’s monthly payment will be based on their discretionary income, defined in the plan as the difference between their adjusted gross income and 225% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guideline amount for the family size. Borrowers who earn a minimum wage of $15 an hour will not have to make a monthly payment.

According to the Department of Education, that means borrowers will not owe loan payments if they are a single person earning $32,800 or less or a family of four earning $67,500 or less, though the amounts are higher in Alaska and Hawaii.

The plan also forgives loan balances after as little as 10 years of payment, rather than 20 years under previous income repayment plans. The plan also does not charge borrowers with unpaid monthly interest, as long as those borrowers are making their monthly payments.

Who qualifies for the SAVE student loan repayment plan?&nbsp;

Most federal student loan borrowers are going to qualify for this plan. However, those with Direct PLUS loans to parents and certain other loans will not qualify for it; the list can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan">here.</a>

Borrowers signed up for the current Revised Pay as You Earn (REPAYE) plan will automatically be enrolled in SAVE.

How is SAVE different from previous federal student loan repayment plans?

With this plan, if your calculated payment ends up to be less than the amount of interest that accrues every month, that remaining interest will be forgiven. The previous plan did not have that element, so borrowers were continuing to see their balances grow.

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Following the Supreme Court’s summer ruling against 40 million federal student loan borrowers who would have qualified for debt relief, the Biden administration crafted a year-long delay in repayments.The policy, known as an on-ramp, is set to begin next month.Additionally, hours after the Supreme Court’s decision, the Department of Education unveiled a new repayment plan for those with federal student loans, known as Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE.&nbsp; The new income-driven repayment plan calculates payments based on a borrower’s income and family size and forgives balances after a set number of years.It’s estimated by the administration that more than 20 million borrowers will benefit. Borrowers can apply&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan">here.</a>&nbsp;A campaign is being launched to publicize the new program, by the Department of Education in collaboration with groups like the Student Debt Crisis Center, UnidosUS and the NAACP.“This plan is a game changer for millions of Americans, many of whom are putting off having children, buying their first home, or even starting a business because they can’t get out from under their student loans,” said White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden on a call with reporters on Monday. “Student loans will be manageable.”Last year, the Biden administration rolled out a debt forgiveness plan for borrowers with federal student loans that would have been a one-time cancellation of up to $10,000. Borrowers who had received Pell Grants — federal aid to help low-income students pay for higher education — could qualify for an additional $10,000 in forgiveness.<a target="_blank" href="https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2023/06/30/us-supreme-court-rules-against-biden-administration-student-loan-debt-relief-plan/">The conservative bloc of the Supreme Court on June 30&nbsp;</a>ruled that the Biden administration did not have the legal authority to enact that one-time student debt relief program. The case was filed by Republican attorneys general of Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and South Carolina, and they argued the Biden administration overstepped its reach.Following that decision from the court, the Biden administration initiated rulemaking through the Higher Education Act to try again to enact debt relief, and finalized a rule for the new repayment plan known as SAVE.Here are some questions and answers about the on-ramp policy and SAVE plan.When does the on-ramp program start?Federal student loan repayments are set to resume in October, but while borrowers have a year of leniency to begin repayments, interest will continue to accrue starting in September. The on-ramp program starts Oct. 1 and will extend until Sept. 30 of next year.“Financially vulnerable borrowers who miss monthly payments during this period are not considered delinquent, reported to credit bureaus, placed in default, or referred to debt collection agencies,” according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/06/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-provide-debt-relief-and-support-for-student-loan-borrowers/">fact sheet</a>&nbsp;released by the White House.The Department of Education did not respond to questions from States Newsroom asking how the agency would prevent loan servicers from reporting borrowers to credit bureau or debt collectors.How is the on-ramp policy different from the pause on federal student loan repayments?The pause on federal student loan repayments was first put in place by the Trump administration in 2020 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and has been extended several times.The pause meant those with federal student loans did not have to repay, and no interest accrued. With this new policy, interest will still accrue, but borrowers have a year before having to start paying back their loans.What does a final rule for the SAVE plan mean?<a target="_blank" href="https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2021/idrfactsheetfinal.pdf">This is an income-driven repayment plan</a>&nbsp;that the Department of Education said will cut borrowers’ monthly payments in half. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-launches-most-affordable-repayment-plan-ever-transforming-income-driven-repayment-cutting-undergraduate-payments-half-and-preventing-unpaid-interest-accumulation?utm_content=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_name=&amp;utm_source=govdelivery&amp;utm_term=">official launch&nbsp;</a>of the application was Tuesday.“This is a giant step forward in decreasing the burden of crushing debt that rests on so many borrowers’ shoulders,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “Low-income students, whose burdens will be cut in half, and most other students, who will never pay more than 5% of their income, will breathe a sigh of relief across every corner of America.“While there will be those that will challenge this in court, the administration has carefully crossed the legal t’s and dotted the legal i’s. The fight to cancel student debt is far from over, but this is a massive step in the right direction. President Biden deserves accolades and support for this action.”A borrower could save more than $1,000 per year on payments, compared to other income-driven repayment plans. And, depending on income levels, it will allow more than 1 million additional borrowers to make $0 monthly payments without their interest accruing, the Department of Education estimates.How does the SAVE plan work?Borrowers with undergraduate loans will pay 5% of their discretionary income, rather than the 10% required under previous income repayment plans. Borrowers with undergraduate and graduate loans will pay a weighted average between 5% and 10% of their incomes.The White House said a borrower’s monthly payment will be based on their discretionary income, defined in the plan as the difference between their adjusted gross income and 225% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guideline amount for the family size. Borrowers who earn a minimum wage of $15 an hour will not have to make a monthly payment.According to the Department of Education, that means borrowers will not owe loan payments if they are a single person earning $32,800 or less or a family of four earning $67,500 or less, though the amounts are higher in Alaska and Hawaii.The plan also forgives loan balances after as little as 10 years of payment, rather than 20 years under previous income repayment plans. The plan also does not charge borrowers with unpaid monthly interest, as long as those borrowers are making their monthly payments.Who qualifies for the SAVE student loan repayment plan?&nbsp;Most federal student loan borrowers are going to qualify for this plan. However, those with Direct PLUS loans to parents and certain other loans will not qualify for it; the list can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan">here.</a>Borrowers signed up for the current Revised Pay as You Earn (REPAYE) plan will automatically be enrolled in SAVE.How is SAVE different from previous federal student loan repayment plans?With this plan, if your calculated payment ends up to be less than the amount of interest that accrues every month, that remaining interest will be forgiven. The previous plan did not have that element, so borrowers were continuing to see their balances grow.

Here’s what to know about new federal policies for repaying student loans

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kevinhardy/">KEVIN HARDY</a>

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

More than a dozen states considered bills following the Eras Tour problems

There’s no question what motivated state Rep. Kelly Moller to push for changes in Minnesota law on concert ticket sales.

“Really, it was the Taylor Swift debacle for me,” she said.

A self-professed Swiftie, the Democrat found herself among millions of other Americans unable to buy tickets last year to Swift’s Eras Tour.

She preregistered for tickets, but never received a code to buy them. And on the day sales went live online, she sat by as friends with codes got bumped out of the ticket queue for no apparent reason.&nbsp;Then Ticketmaster’s website crashed.

The ordeal convinced her that the concert ticket industry warrants more government oversight.

“I do think a lot of that is better served at the federal level, but that said, there are things we can do at the state level,” she said.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.house.mn.gov/members/profile/news/15511/36550">Moller introduced a bill this year</a>&nbsp;that would force ticket sellers to disclose the full cost of tickets, including fees, up front to buyers in her state. It also would ban speculative ticketing — a practice in which resale companies sell tickets they don’t yet own.

The bill stalled, but Moller expects it to be reconsidered next year. It is part of a wave of legislation considered in more than a dozen states this year following the unprecedented disaster in the run-up to Swift’s Eras Tour,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/17/business/taylor-swift-eras-tour-two-billion/index.html#:~:text=That%20comes%20to%20%242.2%20billion,at%20New%20York%20University%20Steinhardt.">which is on pace to be the highest-grossing tour in history</a>.

Swift and her legions of fans were&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-taylor-swift-af5d58d2a8c6def368ded1bd2ddd8a6f">outraged when Ticketmaster’s website crashed</a>&nbsp;last November as it faced unprecedented demand from fans, bots and ticket resellers ahead of her tour.&nbsp;Social media blew up over the fiasco, and news organizations published story after story. It sparked bipartisan legislative proposals in Congress, though no bill has become law yet.

That’s led state legislatures to step in: Lawmakers of both parties across the country introduced new bills this year to regulate concert and live event ticket purchasing.

It’s a rare bipartisan issue in statehouses. But lawmakers are learning how complicated — and controversial — the world of online ticketing is. In several states, legislators are caught in the middle between companies like Ticketmaster and secondary sellers such as StubHub.

“There are a lot of issues that beg for a national focus, a national solution. But because of the political dynamics in Washington, D.C., we haven’t gotten very many solutions. … So states believe they have to act,” said California state Sen. Bill Dodd, a Democrat.

Dodd sponsored&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB478">a bill</a>&nbsp;this year that would ban so-called junk fees on tickets — fees tacked onto the base price that lawmakers view as deceptive. The proposal targets other services, including hotel and resort fees, but Dodd said concerts were a major driver. President Joe Biden called out junk fees in his State of the Union address in February and has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/06/15/president-biden-recognizes-actions-by-private-sector-ticketing-and-travel-companies-to-eliminate-hidden-junk-fees-and-provide-millions-of-customers-with-transparent-pricing/">publicly praised</a>&nbsp;companies that have committed to transparent pricing, such as Airbnb and Live Nation, Ticketmaster’s parent company.

Dodd said he isn’t hostile to ticket marketplaces such as Ticketmaster and StubHub. He uses those sites to buy tickets to concerts and basketball games. But, he said, consumers should know the full price up front. The White House estimates&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/blog/2022/10/26/the-presidents-initiative-on-junk-fees-and-related-pricing-practices/">junk fees cost Americans more than $65 billion per year.</a>

“It’s outrageous,” he said, “and I think Californians are sick and tired of dishonest fees being tacked onto just anything.”

Dodd’s bill, which was backed by California Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta, passed the state Senate and is pending in the Assembly. It is one of several ticketing bills considered by Golden State lawmakers this session.

The state Senate unanimously passed a proposal from Republican state Sen. Scott Wilk that he said targets the “stranglehold” some companies have over sales. The bill would prohibit exclusivity clauses in contracts between a primary ticket seller such as Ticketmaster and an entertainment venue in California. Wilk said in his news release it would allow artists to work with other ticket sellers without the fear of retaliation from large ticket sellers — and ultimately reduce fees for consumers. It’s<a target="_blank" href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB829">&nbsp;in committee</a>&nbsp;in the Assembly.

Earlier this year, the Colorado legislature passed a bill that would have required sellers to fully disclose the total cost of event tickets, prohibited vendors from raising prices during the buying process and banned speculative ticketing.

But Democratic Gov. Jared Polis&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y1saLSg0xKpn47feQXIcCKXAOOh6f04I/view">vetoed the act</a>&nbsp;in June, saying it could prevent competition and “risk upsetting the successful entertainment ecosystem in Colorado.”

Chris Castle, an entertainment lawyer who tracks ticket legislation across the country, said the Colorado veto illustrates the industry’s ability to sway public officials.

Polis referenced concerns he heard from the National Consumers League and the Consumer Federation of America. Both of those consumer advocacy groups have received funding from secondary ticket marketplaces such as StubHub, the music publication Pitchfork&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/consumer-groups-take-money-from-ticketing-industry/">reported</a>.

“It’d be easy enough to say, ‘Well, I heard from the stakeholders, and I thought these guys had the better argument.’ But he didn’t say that,” Castle said of Polis. “He starts talking about these groups. And sure enough, it turns out, they’re all on the take.”

Conor Cahill, the governor’s spokesperson,&nbsp;did not answer questions about the influence of ticket marketplaces on the veto, but said Polis will apply a “consumer-first lens” to future legislation on the issue.

The National Consumers League has no problem being associated with groups like StubHub, said John Breyault, the organization’s vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud. He said the group shares a common belief with resellers that the marketplace needs more competition, not less. But it still disagrees on some specific issues, he said.

“There are problems at every level of the industry including in the secondary market that we are trying to address through both our advocacy at the state level and our advocacy at the federal level,” Breyault said.

Bills in several states backed by StubHub aim to protect so-called transferability of tickets — that is, the customers’ right to pass on or resell tickets they purchase.

Six states — Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Utah and Virginia — currently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.protectticketrights.com/the-issues">protect the right of fans to transfer or sell tickets</a>. Without that right, some advocates say Ticketmaster’s terms and conditions can ban transferring tickets or require that they be resold on their own platform.

StubHub makes no secret of its efforts to educate and persuade state lawmakers.

“The states are really where it’s at in a lot of ways,” said Laura Dooley, the company’s head of global government relations.&nbsp;“Our industry right now is almost exclusively regulated at the state level.”

This year, the company has tracked nearly 70 ticketing bills proposed across 25 states. Dooley said many state lawmakers introduce new regulations with good intentions, but don’t always understand the industry.

As an example, she pointed to state efforts to ban bots — software that can bypass security measures in online ticketing systems and buy tickets in bulk faster than humans.

Ticketmaster cited bots as a major cause of the Eras Tour fiasco. Bots are banned by federal law, though that regulation only has been enforced once since 2016,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/01/ftc-brings-first-ever-cases-under-bots-act">according to the Federal Trade Commission</a>. Dooley said StubHub isn’t opposed to state bot bans, but does push legislators to consider enforcement measures in crafting their bills. That’s because regulators need cooperation from the industry and access to ticketing software to monitor for bots, Dooley said.

Dooley contends some lawmakers’ proposed solutions don’t target root causes, including the unique way live event tickets are sold, generally through exclusive deals with one retail platform.

“When you have millions and millions of people wanting to buy a product and they’re being asked to buy that product at the same time on the same day through an exclusive retail provider — in this case Ticketmaster and in many cases Ticketmaster — that system is going to be overloaded, right? And it’s going to be a frustrating experience,” Dooley said.

Ticketmaster did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story.

Brian Hess, executive director of the nonprofit fan advocacy organization&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sportsfans.org/">Sports Fans Coalition</a>, pointed out thatlawmakers have a variety of interests to consider: the primary ticket markets like Ticketmaster, the artists, the consumer, and secondary markets like StubHub.

“Ticketing fights are far more contentious than anyone anticipates,” he said. “Each side of the market likes to blame the other side, and consumers are stuck in the middle.”

The Sports Fans Coalition is in part funded by secondary marketplaces like StubHub and lobbies on ticket legislation across the country.

Hess said federal regulators should not have allowed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/25/the-live-nation-and-ticketmaster-monopoly-of-live-entertainment.html">the 2010 merger</a>&nbsp;of Live Nation, an event promoter and venue operator, with Ticketmaster, a ticket provider.

“They are the monopoly in the industry,” he said. “They were the ones that botched Taylor Swift’s tickets, and they’re the ones that continue to have ticket sale problems when they launch new shows.”

Texas Republican state Rep. Kronda Thimesch said she saw firsthand how bots can distort the marketplace and prevent customers from purchasing tickets.

That’s what she blamed for her own daughter’s unsuccessful attempts to buy Swift tickets last year.

“Fans then have to resort to paying hundreds, if not thousands, over face value to resellers in order to see their favorite artist,” she said.

That’s why she introduced a bill banning ticket-buying bots in Texas, which was signed into law by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

Thimesch noted that ticket issues aren’t just a problem for Swift fans — country star Zach Bryan named his December live album&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/12/28/zach-bryan-drops-live-album-all-my-homies-hate-ticketmaster/69761475007/">“All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster.”</a>&nbsp;Thimesch said she is open to exploring more ticketing legislation when the Texas legislature reconvenes.

More than 1,500 miles away, Massachusetts Democratic state Sen. John Velis has a similar outlook. He’s interested in diving deep into the world of ticketing. But he’s starting off small.

“I think the art, if you will, of legislating is you kind of go little by little,” he said. “I think ticket pricing is a great and very logical place to start.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693768918136.png" alt="-Taylor Swift performs during The Eras Tour at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.&nbsp;The ticketing fiasco before the tour has prompted lawmakers across the country to consider new laws on live event ticketing " />
 <figcaption>-Taylor Swift performs during The Eras Tour at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.&nbsp;The ticketing fiasco before the tour has prompted lawmakers across the country to consider new laws on live event ticketing </figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kevinhardy/">KEVIN HARDY</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a><h2>More than a dozen states considered bills following the Eras Tour problems</h2>There’s no question what motivated state Rep. Kelly Moller to push for changes in Minnesota law on concert ticket sales.“Really, it was the Taylor Swift debacle for me,” she said.A self-professed Swiftie, the Democrat found herself among millions of other Americans unable to buy tickets last year to Swift’s Eras Tour.She preregistered for tickets, but never received a code to buy them. And on the day sales went live online, she sat by as friends with codes got bumped out of the ticket queue for no apparent reason.&nbsp;Then Ticketmaster’s website crashed.The ordeal convinced her that the concert ticket industry warrants more government oversight.“I do think a lot of that is better served at the federal level, but that said, there are things we can do at the state level,” she said.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.house.mn.gov/members/profile/news/15511/36550">Moller introduced a bill this year</a>&nbsp;that would force ticket sellers to disclose the full cost of tickets, including fees, up front to buyers in her state. It also would ban speculative ticketing — a practice in which resale companies sell tickets they don’t yet own.The bill stalled, but Moller expects it to be reconsidered next year. It is part of a wave of legislation considered in more than a dozen states this year following the unprecedented disaster in the run-up to Swift’s Eras Tour,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/17/business/taylor-swift-eras-tour-two-billion/index.html#:~:text=That%20comes%20to%20%242.2%20billion,at%20New%20York%20University%20Steinhardt.">which is on pace to be the highest-grossing tour in history</a>.Swift and her legions of fans were&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-taylor-swift-af5d58d2a8c6def368ded1bd2ddd8a6f">outraged when Ticketmaster’s website crashed</a>&nbsp;last November as it faced unprecedented demand from fans, bots and ticket resellers ahead of her tour.&nbsp;Social media blew up over the fiasco, and news organizations published story after story. It sparked bipartisan legislative proposals in Congress, though no bill has become law yet.That’s led state legislatures to step in: Lawmakers of both parties across the country introduced new bills this year to regulate concert and live event ticket purchasing.It’s a rare bipartisan issue in statehouses. But lawmakers are learning how complicated — and controversial — the world of online ticketing is. In several states, legislators are caught in the middle between companies like Ticketmaster and secondary sellers such as StubHub.“There are a lot of issues that beg for a national focus, a national solution. But because of the political dynamics in Washington, D.C., we haven’t gotten very many solutions. … So states believe they have to act,” said California state Sen. Bill Dodd, a Democrat.Dodd sponsored&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB478">a bill</a>&nbsp;this year that would ban so-called junk fees on tickets — fees tacked onto the base price that lawmakers view as deceptive. The proposal targets other services, including hotel and resort fees, but Dodd said concerts were a major driver. President Joe Biden called out junk fees in his State of the Union address in February and has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/06/15/president-biden-recognizes-actions-by-private-sector-ticketing-and-travel-companies-to-eliminate-hidden-junk-fees-and-provide-millions-of-customers-with-transparent-pricing/">publicly praised</a>&nbsp;companies that have committed to transparent pricing, such as Airbnb and Live Nation, Ticketmaster’s parent company.Dodd said he isn’t hostile to ticket marketplaces such as Ticketmaster and StubHub. He uses those sites to buy tickets to concerts and basketball games. But, he said, consumers should know the full price up front. The White House estimates&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/blog/2022/10/26/the-presidents-initiative-on-junk-fees-and-related-pricing-practices/">junk fees cost Americans more than $65 billion per year.</a>“It’s outrageous,” he said, “and I think Californians are sick and tired of dishonest fees being tacked onto just anything.”Dodd’s bill, which was backed by California Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta, passed the state Senate and is pending in the Assembly. It is one of several ticketing bills considered by Golden State lawmakers this session.The state Senate unanimously passed a proposal from Republican state Sen. Scott Wilk that he said targets the “stranglehold” some companies have over sales. The bill would prohibit exclusivity clauses in contracts between a primary ticket seller such as Ticketmaster and an entertainment venue in California. Wilk said in his news release it would allow artists to work with other ticket sellers without the fear of retaliation from large ticket sellers — and ultimately reduce fees for consumers. It’s<a target="_blank" href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB829">&nbsp;in committee</a>&nbsp;in the Assembly.<h2>‘The states are where it’s at’</h2>Earlier this year, the Colorado legislature passed a bill that would have required sellers to fully disclose the total cost of event tickets, prohibited vendors from raising prices during the buying process and banned speculative ticketing.But Democratic Gov. Jared Polis&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y1saLSg0xKpn47feQXIcCKXAOOh6f04I/view">vetoed the act</a>&nbsp;in June, saying it could prevent competition and “risk upsetting the successful entertainment ecosystem in Colorado.”Chris Castle, an entertainment lawyer who tracks ticket legislation across the country, said the Colorado veto illustrates the industry’s ability to sway public officials.Polis referenced concerns he heard from the National Consumers League and the Consumer Federation of America. Both of those consumer advocacy groups have received funding from secondary ticket marketplaces such as StubHub, the music publication Pitchfork&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/consumer-groups-take-money-from-ticketing-industry/">reported</a>.“It’d be easy enough to say, ‘Well, I heard from the stakeholders, and I thought these guys had the better argument.’ But he didn’t say that,” Castle said of Polis. “He starts talking about these groups. And sure enough, it turns out, they’re all on the take.”Conor Cahill, the governor’s spokesperson,&nbsp;did not answer questions about the influence of ticket marketplaces on the veto, but said Polis will apply a “consumer-first lens” to future legislation on the issue.The National Consumers League has no problem being associated with groups like StubHub, said John Breyault, the organization’s vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud. He said the group shares a common belief with resellers that the marketplace needs more competition, not less. But it still disagrees on some specific issues, he said.“There are problems at every level of the industry including in the secondary market that we are trying to address through both our advocacy at the state level and our advocacy at the federal level,” Breyault said.Bills in several states backed by StubHub aim to protect so-called transferability of tickets — that is, the customers’ right to pass on or resell tickets they purchase.Six states — Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Utah and Virginia — currently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.protectticketrights.com/the-issues">protect the right of fans to transfer or sell tickets</a>. Without that right, some advocates say Ticketmaster’s terms and conditions can ban transferring tickets or require that they be resold on their own platform.StubHub makes no secret of its efforts to educate and persuade state lawmakers.“The states are really where it’s at in a lot of ways,” said Laura Dooley, the company’s head of global government relations.&nbsp;“Our industry right now is almost exclusively regulated at the state level.”This year, the company has tracked nearly 70 ticketing bills proposed across 25 states. Dooley said many state lawmakers introduce new regulations with good intentions, but don’t always understand the industry.As an example, she pointed to state efforts to ban bots — software that can bypass security measures in online ticketing systems and buy tickets in bulk faster than humans.Ticketmaster cited bots as a major cause of the Eras Tour fiasco. Bots are banned by federal law, though that regulation only has been enforced once since 2016,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/01/ftc-brings-first-ever-cases-under-bots-act">according to the Federal Trade Commission</a>. Dooley said StubHub isn’t opposed to state bot bans, but does push legislators to consider enforcement measures in crafting their bills. That’s because regulators need cooperation from the industry and access to ticketing software to monitor for bots, Dooley said.Dooley contends some lawmakers’ proposed solutions don’t target root causes, including the unique way live event tickets are sold, generally through exclusive deals with one retail platform.“When you have millions and millions of people wanting to buy a product and they’re being asked to buy that product at the same time on the same day through an exclusive retail provider — in this case Ticketmaster and in many cases Ticketmaster — that system is going to be overloaded, right? And it’s going to be a frustrating experience,” Dooley said.Ticketmaster did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story.Brian Hess, executive director of the nonprofit fan advocacy organization&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sportsfans.org/">Sports Fans Coalition</a>, pointed out thatlawmakers have a variety of interests to consider: the primary ticket markets like Ticketmaster, the artists, the consumer, and secondary markets like StubHub.“Ticketing fights are far more contentious than anyone anticipates,” he said. “Each side of the market likes to blame the other side, and consumers are stuck in the middle.”The Sports Fans Coalition is in part funded by secondary marketplaces like StubHub and lobbies on ticket legislation across the country.Hess said federal regulators should not have allowed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/25/the-live-nation-and-ticketmaster-monopoly-of-live-entertainment.html">the 2010 merger</a>&nbsp;of Live Nation, an event promoter and venue operator, with Ticketmaster, a ticket provider.“They are the monopoly in the industry,” he said. “They were the ones that botched Taylor Swift’s tickets, and they’re the ones that continue to have ticket sale problems when they launch new shows.”<h2>A bipartisan focus</h2>Texas Republican state Rep. Kronda Thimesch said she saw firsthand how bots can distort the marketplace and prevent customers from purchasing tickets.That’s what she blamed for her own daughter’s unsuccessful attempts to buy Swift tickets last year.“Fans then have to resort to paying hundreds, if not thousands, over face value to resellers in order to see their favorite artist,” she said.That’s why she introduced a bill banning ticket-buying bots in Texas, which was signed into law by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.Thimesch noted that ticket issues aren’t just a problem for Swift fans — country star Zach Bryan named his December live album&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/12/28/zach-bryan-drops-live-album-all-my-homies-hate-ticketmaster/69761475007/">“All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster.”</a>&nbsp;Thimesch said she is open to exploring more ticketing legislation when the Texas legislature reconvenes.More than 1,500 miles away, Massachusetts Democratic state Sen. John Velis has a similar outlook. He’s interested in diving deep into the world of ticketing. But he’s starting off small.“I think the art, if you will, of legislating is you kind of go little by little,” he said. “I think ticket pricing is a great and very logical place to start.”Velis introduced a bill that would require upfront transparent ticket pricing and ban “dynamic pricing,” a practice in which sellers adjust prices based on demand. While he’s interested in eventually exploring ride shares or other services, his legislation is so far focused on concert and live event tickets, he said.Before the Eras Tour mess, Velis said he got interested in the issue after hearing constituents and co-workers complain about exorbitant fees on live event tickets. Tickets advertised for $100 can sometimes end up costing double that once all the fees are tacked on, he said.“I just thought to myself, ‘That is so incredibly wrong,’” he said. “If someone wants to spend their hard-earned money at $10,000 a ticket to go see Taylor Swift or Jay-Z or the Boston Celtics, giddy up. But I just want that consumer to know going into that initial transaction that they’re going to be spending $10,000.”Velis said his bill should receive a hearing soon in the state Senate.Jurisdictional bounds are likely to prove complicated, he acknowledged. After all, consumers often buy tickets for events in other states. But he said his bill is solely aimed at protecting consumers — a notion he says is hard to oppose.“In my experience, this is without a doubt a bipartisan issue,” he said. “I’ve experienced nobody raising a concern from a partisan politics standpoint.”<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>. Follow Stateline on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://facebook.com/statelinenewsroom">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stateline_news">Twitter</a>.