On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed the national security package into law which included $60 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, $8 billion for Indo-Pacific, significant amounts for humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and a bill that forces the parent company of TikTok, ByteDance, to sell the the popular social media platform to an American company within a year or face a permanent ban.
“The path to my desk was a difficult path. It should have been easier and it should’ve gotten there sooner,” Biden said in remarks after signing the bill. “But in the end we did what America always does, we rose to the moment." The legislation faced considerable resistance from Republicans in the House, ultimaetly being unable to win the support from a majority of the majority. Despite this, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) forced the bill to the floor with the help of Democrats and successfully got the bill through the lower chamber. The Senate voted on Tuesday evening with 79 in favor, 18 against, and three abstaining.
In response to the bill, TikTok has vowed to take legal action. "This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court," TikTok said in a statement. "We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail. The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S. data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation. This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans. As we continue to challenge this unconstitutional ban, we will continue investing and innovating to ensure TikTok remains a space where Americans of all walks of life can safely come to share their experiences, find joy, and be inspired."
]]>DC Enquirer
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed the national security package into law which included $60 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, $8 billion for Indo-Pacific, significant amounts for humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and a bill that forces the parent company of TikTok, ByteDance, to sell the the popular social media platform to an American company within a year or face a permanent ban.
“The path to my desk was a difficult path. It should have been easier and it should’ve gotten there sooner,” Biden said in remarks after signing the bill. “But in the end we did what America always does, we rose to the moment.” The legislation faced considerable resistance from Republicans in the House, ultimaetly being unable to win the support from a majority of the majority. Despite this, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) forced the bill to the floor with the help of Democrats and successfully got the bill through the lower chamber. The Senate voted on Tuesday evening with 79 in favor, 18 against, and three abstaining.
In response to the bill, TikTok has vowed to take legal action. “This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court,” TikTok said in a statement. “We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail. The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S. data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation. This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans. As we continue to challenge this unconstitutional ban, we will continue investing and innovating to ensure TikTok remains a space where Americans of all walks of life can safely come to share their experiences, find joy, and be inspired.”
]]>Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said Monday that he was offended by President Biden's recent comments suggesting his uncle was eaten by cannibals in the Oceanic nation during World War II.
Marape expressed disappointment in a statementMonday that Biden would suggest his nation was rife with cannibals, noting also that Papua New Guinea was unwillingly pulled into the global conflict in the 1940s. Biden's comments suggesting his uncle, 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., was eaten in Papua New Guinea, came during a speech to a steelworkers union in Pittsburgh last week.
"President Biden’s remarks may have been a slip of the tongue; however, my country does not deserve to be labeled as such," Marape said in a statement. "World War II was not the doing of my people; however, they were needlessly dragged into a conflict that was not their doing."
"The remains of WWII lie scattered all over PNG, including the plane that carried President Biden’s uncle," he continued. "Perhaps, given President Biden’s comments and the strong reaction from PNG and other parts of the world, it is time for the USA to find as many remains of World War II in PNG as possible, including those of servicemen who lost their lives like Ambrose Finnegan."
]]>FOX NEWS
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said Monday that he was offended by President Biden’s recent comments suggesting his uncle was eaten by cannibals in the Oceanic nation during World War II.
Marape expressed disappointment in a statementMonday that Biden would suggest his nation was rife with cannibals, noting also that Papua New Guinea was unwillingly pulled into the global conflict in the 1940s. Biden’s comments suggesting his uncle, 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., was eaten in Papua New Guinea, came during a speech to a steelworkers union in Pittsburgh last week.
“President Biden’s remarks may have been a slip of the tongue; however, my country does not deserve to be labeled as such,” Marape said in a statement. “World War II was not the doing of my people; however, they were needlessly dragged into a conflict that was not their doing.”
“The remains of WWII lie scattered all over PNG, including the plane that carried President Biden’s uncle,” he continued. “Perhaps, given President Biden’s comments and the strong reaction from PNG and other parts of the world, it is time for the USA to find as many remains of World War II in PNG as possible, including those of servicemen who lost their lives like Ambrose Finnegan.”
]]>The Biden administration has finalized new Title IX regulations that codify protections for transgender people, as well as enhance protections for victims of sexual assault or harassment and pregnant people.
"For more than 50 years, Title IX has promised an equal opportunity to learn and thrive in our nation's schools free from sex discrimination,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in a statement on the revision. “These final regulations build on the legacy of Title IX by clarifying that all our nation’s students can access schools that are safe, welcoming, and respect their rights.”
The new regulations officially add "gender identity" onto the list of protections from sex-based discrimination for the first time, though the administration said it has already been applying this standard.
A decision on the administration’s proposed Title IX rule that would prohibit a blanket ban on transgender athletes from participating on teams aligned with their gender identity was not included in today's announcement. That process is still ongoing, according to a senior administration official.
]]>ABC NEWS
The Biden administration has finalized new Title IX regulations that codify protections for transgender people, as well as enhance protections for victims of sexual assault or harassment and pregnant people.
“For more than 50 years, Title IX has promised an equal opportunity to learn and thrive in our nation’s schools free from sex discrimination,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in a statement on the revision. “These final regulations build on the legacy of Title IX by clarifying that all our nation’s students can access schools that are safe, welcoming, and respect their rights.”
The new regulations officially add “gender identity” onto the list of protections from sex-based discrimination for the first time, though the administration said it has already been applying this standard.
A decision on the administration’s proposed Title IX rule that would prohibit a blanket ban on transgender athletes from participating on teams aligned with their gender identity was not included in today’s announcement. That process is still ongoing, according to a senior administration official.
]]>A dozen national news organizations are calling on the presumptive presidential nominees to commit to debates ahead of the November election.
In a joint statement Sunday, the news outlets pressed the candidates, without naming President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump, to pledge their participation in the debates scheduled by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.
“Though it is too early for invitations to be extended to any candidates, it is not too early for candidates who expect to meet the eligibility criteria to publicly state their support for — and their intention to participate in — the Commission’s debates planned for this fall,” the group of news organizations, including NBC News, said in a joint statement.
Biden and Trump have both won enough delegates to secure their nominations at the party conventions.
The news outlets cited the “exceptionally high” stakes of the election, adding “there is simply no substitute for the candidates debating with each other, and before the American people, their visions for the future of our nation.”
]]>NBC NEWS
A dozen national news organizations are calling on the presumptive presidential nominees to commit to debates ahead of the November election.
In a joint statement Sunday, the news outlets pressed the candidates, without naming President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump, to pledge their participation in the debates scheduled by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.
“Though it is too early for invitations to be extended to any candidates, it is not too early for candidates who expect to meet the eligibility criteria to publicly state their support for — and their intention to participate in — the Commission’s debates planned for this fall,” the group of news organizations, including NBC News, said in a joint statement.
Biden and Trump have both won enough delegates to secure their nominations at the party conventions.
The news outlets cited the “exceptionally high” stakes of the election, adding “there is simply no substitute for the candidates debating with each other, and before the American people, their visions for the future of our nation.”
]]>President Joe Biden’s former chief of staff Ron Klain complained during a recent event that the president was too focused on taking victory laps on infrastructure projects and not doing enough to address voters’ immediate concerns, such as the price of groceries, according to a report.
In audio obtained by Politico, Klain reportedly said at a recent event:
I think the president is out there too much talking about bridges… . He does two or three events a week where he’s cutting a ribbon on a bridge. And here’s a bridge. Like I tell you, if you go into the grocery store, you go to the grocery store and, you know, eggs and milk are expensive, the fact that there’s a fucking bridge is not [inaudible].
…
He’s not a congressman. He’s not running for Congress…I think it’s kind of a fool’s errand. I think that [it] also doesn’t get covered that much because, look, it’s a fucking bridge. Like it’s a bridge, and how interesting is the bridge? It’s a little interesting but it’s not a lot interesting.
Klain later told the outlet that he had also expressed pride over Biden’s accomplishments at the event, but again said Biden should talk about the future versus past accomplishments.
]]>BREITBART
President Joe Biden’s former chief of staff Ron Klain complained during a recent event that the president was too focused on taking victory laps on infrastructure projects and not doing enough to address voters’ immediate concerns, such as the price of groceries, according to a report.
In audio obtained by Politico, Klain reportedly said at a recent event:
I think the president is out there too much talking about bridges… . He does two or three events a week where he’s cutting a ribbon on a bridge. And here’s a bridge. Like I tell you, if you go into the grocery store, you go to the grocery store and, you know, eggs and milk are expensive, the fact that there’s a fucking bridge is not [inaudible].
…
He’s not a congressman. He’s not running for Congress…I think it’s kind of a fool’s errand. I think that [it] also doesn’t get covered that much because, look, it’s a fucking bridge. Like it’s a bridge, and how interesting is the bridge? It’s a little interesting but it’s not a lot interesting.
Klain later told the outlet that he had also expressed pride over Biden’s accomplishments at the event, but again said Biden should talk about the future versus past accomplishments.
]]>Joe Biden is now beating Donald Trump in the majority of recent polls, just seven months before the presidential election.
Last month it was confirmed that the pair will face off against each other in November, with Biden and Trump both winning enough delegates to secure their respective parties' presidential nomination and teeing up a rematch of the 2020 election.
Since then, analysis has turned to who will come up on top. So far, polls have been fairly evenly split, with commentators suggesting the race is too close to call.
While that remains the case, polls appear to be moving in Biden's favor. The Democratic incumbent is predicted to win the popular vote in eight of the twelve most recent polls added to the RacetotheWH website, which tracks average polling.
]]>NEWS WEEK
Joe Biden is now beating Donald Trump in the majority of recent polls, just seven months before the presidential election.
Last month it was confirmed that the pair will face off against each other in November, with Biden and Trump both winning enough delegates to secure their respective parties’ presidential nomination and teeing up a rematch of the 2020 election.
Since then, analysis has turned to who will come up on top. So far, polls have been fairly evenly split, with commentators suggesting the race is too close to call.
While that remains the case, polls appear to be moving in Biden’s favor. The Democratic incumbent is predicted to win the popular vote in eight of the twelve most recent polls added to the RacetotheWH website, which tracks average polling.
]]>Marjorie Taylor Greene: If I had it my way, we would have been successful on January 6 and Joe Biden wouldn't be president pic.twitter.com/yblgZG3IDM
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) April 9, 2024
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The new set of proposals, which CNN reported on Friday, have yet to be finalized. It’s President Joe Biden’s second attempt to implement broad student loan forgiveness after his first plan was struck down by the Supreme Court last summer.The president will travel to Wisconsin on Monday — a key swing state this November — to announce the plan.
The new policies, when combined with the more narrow actions already taken by the Biden administration to cancel student debt, would benefit more than 30 million Americans, according to a fact sheet provided by the White House.
That means that nearly 70% of all federal student loan borrowers would see their debt reduced or fully canceled due to Biden’s policies.
But first, the plans must be finalized – a process that could take months – and must withstand any potential legal challenges.
Biden’s new student loan forgiveness proposals could set up another fight with Republicans. Several conservative-led states and groups sued the Biden administration over the first student forgiveness program, arguing that the executive branch had overstepped its authority.
]]>Biden administration officials on Monday unveiled the details of a new plan to forgive student loan debt, suggesting that millions of Americans could start seeing debt relief as soon as this fall.
The new set of proposals, which CNN reported on Friday, have yet to be finalized. It’s President Joe Biden’s second attempt to implement broad student loan forgiveness after his first plan was struck down by the Supreme Court last summer.The president will travel to Wisconsin on Monday — a key swing state this November — to announce the plan.
The new policies, when combined with the more narrow actions already taken by the Biden administration to cancel student debt, would benefit more than 30 million Americans, according to a fact sheet provided by the White House.
That means that nearly 70% of all federal student loan borrowers would see their debt reduced or fully canceled due to Biden’s policies.
But first, the plans must be finalized – a process that could take months – and must withstand any potential legal challenges.
Biden’s new student loan forgiveness proposals could set up another fight with Republicans. Several conservative-led states and groups sued the Biden administration over the first student forgiveness program, arguing that the executive branch had overstepped its authority.
]]>On Thursday in a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden threatened to condition U.S. support for Israel's offensive in Gaza on its taking concrete steps to protect aid workers and civilians.
It was the first time that Biden, a Democrat and a staunch supporter of Israel, has sought to leverage U.S. aid as a way to influence Israeli military behavior.
The president has come under enormous pressure from his party's left wing to do more to address the humanitarian catastrophe for Palestinian civilians from Israeli attacks.
"There should not be a total blank check. We should not have a pattern where the Netanyahu government ignores the president of the United States and we just send more 2,000-pound bombs," Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, told Reuters.
]]>President Joe Biden’s demand this week that Israel improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza and support a ceasefire drew sharp attacks both from frustrated political allies who said the U.S. president did not go far enough and opponents who said he went too far.
On Thursday in a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden threatened to condition U.S. support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza on its taking concrete steps to protect aid workers and civilians.
It was the first time that Biden, a Democrat and a staunch supporter of Israel, has sought to leverage U.S. aid as a way to influence Israeli military behavior.
The president has come under enormous pressure from his party’s left wing to do more to address the humanitarian catastrophe for Palestinian civilians from Israeli attacks.
“There should not be a total blank check. We should not have a pattern where the Netanyahu government ignores the president of the United States and we just send more 2,000-pound bombs,” Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, told Reuters.
]]>The Environmental Protection Agency announced the new regulations Friday morning, and officials said they represent the strongest-ever greenhouse gas emissions standards of their kind. The rules will kick in beginning in 2026 for model year 2027 vehicles and progressively become more stringent through model year 2032, forcing a larger number of trucks and buses to be zero-emissions in that time frame.
"EPA’s standards complement President Biden’s unprecedented investment in our workers and communities to reduce harmful emissions, while strengthening our manufacturing capacity for the transportation technologies of the future," said White House Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. "By tackling pollution from heavy-duty vehicles, we can unlock extraordinary public health, climate, and economic gains."
"In finalizing these emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses, EPA is significantly cutting pollution from the hardest-working vehicles on the road," said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. "Building on our recently finalized rule for light- and medium-duty vehicles, EPA’s strong and durable vehicle standards respond to the urgency of the climate crisis by making deep cuts in emissions from the transportation sector."
]]>The Biden administration finalized long-awaited regulations targeting emissions generated from heavy-duty vehicles, including trucks and buses, the latest salvo in President Biden’s sweeping climate agenda.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced the new regulations Friday morning, and officials said they represent the strongest-ever greenhouse gas emissions standards of their kind. The rules will kick in beginning in 2026 for model year 2027 vehicles and progressively become more stringent through model year 2032, forcing a larger number of trucks and buses to be zero-emissions in that time frame.
“EPA’s standards complement President Biden’s unprecedented investment in our workers and communities to reduce harmful emissions, while strengthening our manufacturing capacity for the transportation technologies of the future,” said White House Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. “By tackling pollution from heavy-duty vehicles, we can unlock extraordinary public health, climate, and economic gains.”
“In finalizing these emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses, EPA is significantly cutting pollution from the hardest-working vehicles on the road,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “Building on our recently finalized rule for light- and medium-duty vehicles, EPA’s strong and durable vehicle standards respond to the urgency of the climate crisis by making deep cuts in emissions from the transportation sector.”
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