OMAHA, NE&nbsp;— The Platte Institute is excited&nbsp;to announce the recipients of&nbsp;inaugural&nbsp;“microgrants,” a dedicated initiative aimed at assisting individuals nearing the culmination of their incarceration or those recently released, to secure meaningful employment. This initiative aspires to empower them to contribute sustainably to their families and communities.&nbsp;

Jim Vokal, CEO of the Platte Institute,&nbsp;announced the&nbsp;beneficiaries of the grants. The honored recipients include Heart Ministry Center, On&nbsp;The&nbsp;Inside, Omaha Alternatives to Violence Project, Bridges to Hope, QUEENS Butterfly House, and Nebraskans Unafraid.&nbsp;

Vokal illustrated the diversity and the pivotal roles of the receiving organizations&nbsp;stating, “Each of these distinguished entities brings a unique and essential service to our community. From&nbsp;providing&nbsp;vital job training and placement programs, extending support to incarcerated women, offering alternative social training to those incarcerated, to supplying clothing and hygiene products enabling individuals to present their best selves in job searches.”&nbsp;

While the Platte Institute&nbsp;predominantly emphasizes&nbsp;eliminating&nbsp;barriers to success, especially focusing on workforce development, this foray into criminal justice areas is unique. “Our emphasis has consistently been on eliminating unnecessary barriers in occupational licensing and easing the path for entrepreneurs,” Vokal remarked.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He noted, “These microgrants&nbsp;highlight the importance&nbsp;and the necessity&nbsp;of passing Universal&nbsp;Recognition and Second Chances&nbsp;legislation in the&nbsp;unicameral. This legislation will&nbsp;open&nbsp;our workforce&nbsp;to groups that have traditionally faced barriers to work and those&nbsp;impacted&nbsp;by burdensome overregulation.”&nbsp;

The Platte Institute remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering an environment where every Nebraskan has the opportunity to succeed.&nbsp;Through such initiatives, we aim to remove obstacles and&nbsp;provide&nbsp;the essential support and opportunities, ensuring&nbsp;a holistic approach&nbsp;to workforce development.&nbsp;

For more information on the microgrants or to schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or write to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;

The Platte Institute advances policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. Discover more about our policies, initiatives, and resources at PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp;

OMAHA, NE&nbsp;— The Platte Institute is excited&nbsp;to announce the recipients of&nbsp;inaugural&nbsp;“microgrants,” a dedicated initiative aimed at assisting individuals nearing the culmination of their incarceration or those recently released, to secure meaningful employment. This initiative aspires to empower them to contribute sustainably to their families and communities.&nbsp;Jim Vokal, CEO of the Platte Institute,&nbsp;announced the&nbsp;beneficiaries of the grants. The honored recipients include Heart Ministry Center, On&nbsp;The&nbsp;Inside, Omaha Alternatives to Violence Project, Bridges to Hope, QUEENS Butterfly House, and Nebraskans Unafraid.&nbsp;Vokal illustrated the diversity and the pivotal roles of the receiving organizations&nbsp;stating, “Each of these distinguished entities brings a unique and essential service to our community. From&nbsp;providing&nbsp;vital job training and placement programs, extending support to incarcerated women, offering alternative social training to those incarcerated, to supplying clothing and hygiene products enabling individuals to present their best selves in job searches.”&nbsp;While the Platte Institute&nbsp;predominantly emphasizes&nbsp;eliminating&nbsp;barriers to success, especially focusing on workforce development, this foray into criminal justice areas is unique. “Our emphasis has consistently been on eliminating unnecessary barriers in occupational licensing and easing the path for entrepreneurs,” Vokal remarked.&nbsp;&nbsp;He noted, “These microgrants&nbsp;highlight the importance&nbsp;and the necessity&nbsp;of passing Universal&nbsp;Recognition and Second Chances&nbsp;legislation in the&nbsp;unicameral. This legislation will&nbsp;open&nbsp;our workforce&nbsp;to groups that have traditionally faced barriers to work and those&nbsp;impacted&nbsp;by burdensome overregulation.”&nbsp;The Platte Institute remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering an environment where every Nebraskan has the opportunity to succeed.&nbsp;Through such initiatives, we aim to remove obstacles and&nbsp;provide&nbsp;the essential support and opportunities, ensuring&nbsp;a holistic approach&nbsp;to workforce development.&nbsp;For more information on the microgrants or to schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or write to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;The Platte Institute advances policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. Discover more about our policies, initiatives, and resources at PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp;

 Platte Institute Announces Microgrant Recipients to Aid Post-Incarceration Workforce Integration 

Omaha, Neb., Sept. 25, 2023 – While National Coffee Day is September 29, Scooter’s Coffee has been spreading the coffee love all month long by offering FREE delicious, <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/brewed-coffee">fresh-brewed coffee</a> to customers every day throughout September. By the end of September, Scooter’s Coffee anticipates its stores will have served more than 1 million cups of free fresh-brewed coffee since September 1.

“What an exciting milestone to give away over 1 million cups of coffee during our September celebration of National Coffee Day,” said Joe Thornton, President of Scooter’s Coffee. “We have enjoyed the positive feedback from our valued loyal customers and new customers. Our Baristas have loved the joyful interactions with familiar and new faces each day in the drive-thru. It’s a reminder that a cup of coffee represents kindness, warmth and connection.”

Customers have been flocking to Scooter’s Coffee drive-thru locations throughout September to sip and savor fresh-brewed hot coffee for free.&nbsp;

Stop by <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/locations">your local Scooter’s Coffee</a> on National Coffee Day or any remaining day in September for a FREE brewed coffee of any size. The offer is valid one cup per person, per visit, while supplies last.

The coffee won’t stop flowing after the month ends. Scooter’s Coffee plans to extend the coffee love beyond September. Beginning October 1, customers can order any size fresh-brewed coffee for just $1.&nbsp;

“Making our fresh-brewed coffee available going forward for $1 on our menu is our way of extending an everyday great value while recognizing the loyalty and support of our amazing customers,” said Thornton.&nbsp;

Scoot on through the Scooter’s Coffee drive-thru and pair your brewed coffee with a fall bakery treat such as one of our <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/pumpkin-caramelicious-muffin">Pumpkin Caramelicious Muffins</a> or <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/maple-waffle-sandwich">Maple Waffle Sandwiches</a>. Customers can scan the Scooter’s Coffee <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/mobileapp">Mobile App</a> to earn Smiles that can be collected and redeemed for free drinks.

About Scooter’s CoffeeFounded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, Scooter’s Coffee uses only the finest coffee beans in the world, which are roasted by its affiliated company, Harvest Roasting, in Omaha, Nebraska. In over 25 years of business, the key to Scooter’s Coffee’s success is simple: stay committed to the original business principles and company’s four core values, which are Integrity, Love, Humility and Courage. The Scooter’s Coffee Brand Promise, often recited to franchisees, customers and employees, is: “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks… Amazingly Fast!®” It represents the company’s business origins and reflects a steady commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers.

Scooter’s Coffee, celebrating its 25th&nbsp;anniversary in 2023, is at the dawn of a strategic growth phase. The company is approaching 700 stores in 29 states, with plans to have 1,000 franchise stores open by the end of 2024. The U.S. coffee market is an estimated&nbsp;$48 billion-a-year, recession-resistant industry, and Scooter’s Coffee is striving to become the #1 drive-thru specialty coffee franchise system in the nation.

For more information, visit <a href="https://scooterscoffee.com/">scooterscoffee.com</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ScootersCoffee">facebook.com/scooterscoffee</a>, or <a href="https://ownascooters.com/">ownascooters.com</a>, or call 877-494-7004.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695653237632.jpeg" alt="Scooter's Coffee Fresh Brewed Coffee/Photo provided by Scooter's Coffee" />
 <figcaption>Scooter's Coffee Fresh Brewed Coffee/Photo provided by Scooter's Coffee</figcaption>
 </figure>Scooter's CoffeeOmaha, Neb., Sept. 25, 2023 – While National Coffee Day is September 29, Scooter’s Coffee has been spreading the coffee love all month long by offering FREE delicious, <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/brewed-coffee">fresh-brewed coffee</a> to customers every day throughout September. By the end of September, Scooter’s Coffee anticipates its stores will have served more than 1 million cups of free fresh-brewed coffee since September 1.“What an exciting milestone to give away over 1 million cups of coffee during our September celebration of National Coffee Day,” said Joe Thornton, President of Scooter’s Coffee. “We have enjoyed the positive feedback from our valued loyal customers and new customers. Our Baristas have loved the joyful interactions with familiar and new faces each day in the drive-thru. It’s a reminder that a cup of coffee represents kindness, warmth and connection.”Customers have been flocking to Scooter’s Coffee drive-thru locations throughout September to sip and savor fresh-brewed hot coffee for free.&nbsp;Stop by <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/locations">your local Scooter’s Coffee</a> on National Coffee Day or any remaining day in September for a FREE brewed coffee of any size. The offer is valid one cup per person, per visit, while supplies last.The coffee won’t stop flowing after the month ends. Scooter’s Coffee plans to extend the coffee love beyond September. Beginning October 1, customers can order any size fresh-brewed coffee for just $1.&nbsp;“Making our fresh-brewed coffee available going forward for $1 on our menu is our way of extending an everyday great value while recognizing the loyalty and support of our amazing customers,” said Thornton.&nbsp;Scoot on through the Scooter’s Coffee drive-thru and pair your brewed coffee with a fall bakery treat such as one of our <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/pumpkin-caramelicious-muffin">Pumpkin Caramelicious Muffins</a> or <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/maple-waffle-sandwich">Maple Waffle Sandwiches</a>. Customers can scan the Scooter’s Coffee <a href="https://www.scooterscoffee.com/mobileapp">Mobile App</a> to earn Smiles that can be collected and redeemed for free drinks.About Scooter’s CoffeeFounded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, Scooter’s Coffee uses only the finest coffee beans in the world, which are roasted by its affiliated company, Harvest Roasting, in Omaha, Nebraska. In over 25 years of business, the key to Scooter’s Coffee’s success is simple: stay committed to the original business principles and company’s four core values, which are Integrity, Love, Humility and Courage. The Scooter’s Coffee Brand Promise, often recited to franchisees, customers and employees, is: “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks… Amazingly Fast!®” It represents the company’s business origins and reflects a steady commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers.Scooter’s Coffee, celebrating its 25th&nbsp;anniversary in 2023, is at the dawn of a strategic growth phase. The company is approaching 700 stores in 29 states, with plans to have 1,000 franchise stores open by the end of 2024. The U.S. coffee market is an estimated&nbsp;$48 billion-a-year, recession-resistant industry, and Scooter’s Coffee is striving to become the #1 drive-thru specialty coffee franchise system in the nation.For more information, visit <a href="https://scooterscoffee.com/">scooterscoffee.com</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ScootersCoffee">facebook.com/scooterscoffee</a>, or <a href="https://ownascooters.com/">ownascooters.com</a>, or call 877-494-7004.

1 Million Cups Served by End of September, Scooter’s Coffee® Customers Enjoy Free Fresh-Brewed Coffee EVERY DAY This Month Ahead of National Coffee Day

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has gotten the updated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Letter-9.23.23.pdf">COVID-19 vaccine and annual flu shot</a>, the White House said Saturday.

The White House physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, said in a memo that Biden received both shots on Friday. O'Connor said Biden, 80, also was vaccinated several weeks ago against the respiratory illness known as RSV.

“As we enter the cold and flu season, the President encourages all Americans to follow his example and to check with their healthcare provider or pharmacist to assure that they are fully vaccinated,” O'Connor wrote.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccines-shots-cdc-5bc4db844557120bcc50dc0838c0e044">endorsed the new COVID-19 shot</a>&nbsp;for everyone 6 months and older. The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has faded, but there are still thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths in the United States each week.

Experts worry that immunity from previous vaccinations and infections is fading in many people, and a new shot would save many lives.

First lady Jill Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-covid19-president-24b43a5009e85ad6dc0524fafcf484ce">tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month</a>&nbsp;but experienced only mild symptoms.

The CDC recommends that people who have COVID-19 and are in isolation should wait to get vaccinated until there symptoms are gone and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fyour-health%2Fquarantine-isolation.html">isolation guidelines</a>&nbsp;have been met. Children and adults who have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mis/about.html">multisystem inflammatory syndrome</a>&nbsp;should wait to get vaccinated until recovering from being sick and 90 days have passed since the diagnosis, according to the CDC.

Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-6ffc64aa1d8d67b074dd8beb67d7cf6f">tested positive for COVID-19 in July 2022</a>&nbsp;and a second time slightly more than three days after he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-7842dd2e606bb9f6aeb15d4a8c856c97">cleared to exit coronavirus isolation</a>. The second incident was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-2e843a971be751e8b8b25575c8bfc60a">rare case</a>&nbsp;of “rebound” infection following treatment with an anti-viral drug.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695651053577.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has gotten the updated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Letter-9.23.23.pdf">COVID-19 vaccine and annual flu shot</a>, the White House said Saturday.The White House physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, said in a memo that Biden received both shots on Friday. O'Connor said Biden, 80, also was vaccinated several weeks ago against the respiratory illness known as RSV.“As we enter the cold and flu season, the President encourages all Americans to follow his example and to check with their healthcare provider or pharmacist to assure that they are fully vaccinated,” O'Connor wrote.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccines-shots-cdc-5bc4db844557120bcc50dc0838c0e044">endorsed the new COVID-19 shot</a>&nbsp;for everyone 6 months and older. The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has faded, but there are still thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths in the United States each week.Experts worry that immunity from previous vaccinations and infections is fading in many people, and a new shot would save many lives.First lady Jill Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-covid19-president-24b43a5009e85ad6dc0524fafcf484ce">tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month</a>&nbsp;but experienced only mild symptoms.The CDC recommends that people who have COVID-19 and are in isolation should wait to get vaccinated until there symptoms are gone and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fyour-health%2Fquarantine-isolation.html">isolation guidelines</a>&nbsp;have been met. Children and adults who have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mis/about.html">multisystem inflammatory syndrome</a>&nbsp;should wait to get vaccinated until recovering from being sick and 90 days have passed since the diagnosis, according to the CDC.Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-6ffc64aa1d8d67b074dd8beb67d7cf6f">tested positive for COVID-19 in July 2022</a>&nbsp;and a second time slightly more than three days after he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-7842dd2e606bb9f6aeb15d4a8c856c97">cleared to exit coronavirus isolation</a>. The second incident was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-2e843a971be751e8b8b25575c8bfc60a">rare case</a>&nbsp;of “rebound” infection following treatment with an anti-viral drug.

Biden has gotten the updated COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/25/family-of-famed-poet-plans-to-breach-century-old-monument-to-unlock-mystery-inside/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — After gaining federal permission, the family of a famed poet/author plans to trek to a remote corner of South Dakota in October to retrieve a century-old monument dedicated to a heroic mountain man.

The goal is to finally unlock a mystery hidden inside the monument, erected at the direction of writer John Neihardt as an “altar to courage” of the subject of one of his poems: Hugh Glass, who crawled, limped and paddled 200 miles after being mauled by a bear and left for dead in 1823.

The mauling was depicted in the 2015 movie “The Revenant,”&nbsp;which starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass.

Neihardt wrote that he placed a time capsule in the “bosom” of the concrete monument. The capsule, he wrote, includes an “original manuscript” from him, the author of “Black Elk Speaks,” a million-selling book about the remembrances of a Lakota medicine man.

The monument sits on U.S. Bureau of Reclamation land. The agency recently determined that<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/09/wayne-state-group-seeks-to-unlock-mysteries-surrounding-lonely-south-dakota-monument/">&nbsp;the Neihardt family rightly owns&nbsp;</a>the monument and gave the OK for the family to remove it from its current site, along Shadehill Reservoir near Lemmon, South Dakota.

Coralie Hughes, a granddaughter of Neihardt, said her family plans to haul it to the Neihardt State Historic Site, a museum dedicated to the poet/author, in Bancroft, Nebraska.

Family members, she said, plan to proceed carefully in breaching the monument after picking it up on Oct. 23-24.

“We have no idea what we’re going to find,” said Hughes from her home in Indiana. “We want to be very careful. We don’t know where the objects are.”

She said it has not been determined exactly when the family will reveal what was inside the time capsule, if it is successfully found. Tentative plans are to do that at the spring conference of the Neihardt Foundation, which is scheduled April 27 at Wayne State College.

The monument and its contents will be displayed at the Neihardt center in Bancroft, where the writer began his work on “The Cycle of the West,” a collection of five epic poems about the frontier which included the “Song of Hugh Glass.”

“It will be another attraction for our center. There’s a great story to go with it,” said Marianne Reynolds, the executive director of the Neihardt State Historic Site.&nbsp;

Unlocking the mystery of what’s inside the monument will be the culmination of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/09/wayne-state-group-seeks-to-unlock-mysteries-surrounding-lonely-south-dakota-monument/">a saga begun in June when a contingent from Wayne State</a>&nbsp;College trekked to Lemmon in response to a challenge issued by Neihardt — to return to the monument site after 100 years, read some poetry,and “celebrate” as mountain men might have.

The original monument was erected by Neihardt and members of a now-defunct “Neihardt Club” at the college, which the author/poet attended and was known in 1923 as Nebraska Normal College. A local rancher and local judge also helped, as did the head of the South Dakota State Historical Society.

Wayne State history professor Joseph Weixelman, who specialized in Western history, led a contingent of Wayne students.

But the contingent was denied permission to breach the monument, due to uncertainty about who exactly owned it, and who exactly could give permission to break into it.

The concrete monument was originally poured and created on private ranch land, but later, the property was obtained for federal reservoir, on which a park, managed by the State of South Dakota, now sits.

Just recently, the Bureau of Reclamation accepted the ownership claim of Hughes and other Neihardt desendants, and OK’d its removal to the historic site dedicated to Neihardt, the poet laureate in perpetuity of Nebraska.

Bureau spokeswoman Elizabeth Smith said that agency, in consultation with historians and to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, determined that the monument “was not of significance as a federal historic resource.”

She said that since the monument was moved sometime after the reservoir was built, “it no longer retains historic integrity” as outlined in the federal act.

Allowing it to be displayed at the Neihardt Center, Smith added, will provide “a long-term public benefit.”

&nbsp;Astrid Blumer, the proprietor of the Summerville Store and Cafe, a local gathering spot near the reservoir and monument, said it will be a little sad to see Neihardt’s monument removed. But, she said, a larger, state historical marker, erected by the State of South Dakota in the 1970s, will remain.

“So the story will not be forgotten,” Blumer said. “And that’s what important.”

“It’s a great story. We still own the legend,” she added.&nbsp;

Lemmon recently held its<a target="_blank" href="https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/trip-ideas/photo-essay/hugh-glass-rendezvous">&nbsp;annual Hugh Glass Rendezvous</a>&nbsp;to commemorate the bicentennial of the mauling.

Hughes said that the family’s wish is to crack into the monument as a family, and not have a large group looking over their shoulders.

&nbsp;“If you’re resorting to hand chisels and brushes, you don’t want a herd of people around,” she said. “It could easily take two days to chip our way in.”

There’s some uncertainty about whether anything is left inside the time capsule. The monument was reportedly inundated by floodwaters at least three times as it sat alongside the federal reservoir.

Hughes said it was in total keeping with her grandfather’s personality to erect such a monument, then bury a time capsule inside for others to unearth in 100 years.

“He had a great sense of humor, and he could make anything into an adventure,” she said. “He was so much fun.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695652192452.jpeg" alt=" Orignial monument to Hugh Glass seen today. (Courtesy of Joseph Weixelman)" />
 <figcaption> Orignial monument to Hugh Glass seen today. (Courtesy of Joseph Weixelman)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/25/family-of-famed-poet-plans-to-breach-century-old-monument-to-unlock-mystery-inside/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — After gaining federal permission, the family of a famed poet/author plans to trek to a remote corner of South Dakota in October to retrieve a century-old monument dedicated to a heroic mountain man.The goal is to finally unlock a mystery hidden inside the monument, erected at the direction of writer John Neihardt as an “altar to courage” of the subject of one of his poems: Hugh Glass, who crawled, limped and paddled 200 miles after being mauled by a bear and left for dead in 1823.The mauling was depicted in the 2015 movie “The Revenant,”&nbsp;which starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass.Neihardt wrote that he placed a time capsule in the “bosom” of the concrete monument. The capsule, he wrote, includes an “original manuscript” from him, the author of “Black Elk Speaks,” a million-selling book about the remembrances of a Lakota medicine man.The monument sits on U.S. Bureau of Reclamation land. The agency recently determined that<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/09/wayne-state-group-seeks-to-unlock-mysteries-surrounding-lonely-south-dakota-monument/">&nbsp;the Neihardt family rightly owns&nbsp;</a>the monument and gave the OK for the family to remove it from its current site, along Shadehill Reservoir near Lemmon, South Dakota.Coralie Hughes, a granddaughter of Neihardt, said her family plans to haul it to the Neihardt State Historic Site, a museum dedicated to the poet/author, in Bancroft, Nebraska.<h2>‘No idea’ what will be found</h2>Family members, she said, plan to proceed carefully in breaching the monument after picking it up on Oct. 23-24.“We have no idea what we’re going to find,” said Hughes from her home in Indiana. “We want to be very careful. We don’t know where the objects are.”She said it has not been determined exactly when the family will reveal what was inside the time capsule, if it is successfully found. Tentative plans are to do that at the spring conference of the Neihardt Foundation, which is scheduled April 27 at Wayne State College.<h2>Displayed in Bancroft</h2>The monument and its contents will be displayed at the Neihardt center in Bancroft, where the writer began his work on “The Cycle of the West,” a collection of five epic poems about the frontier which included the “Song of Hugh Glass.”“It will be another attraction for our center. There’s a great story to go with it,” said Marianne Reynolds, the executive director of the Neihardt State Historic Site.&nbsp;Unlocking the mystery of what’s inside the monument will be the culmination of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/09/wayne-state-group-seeks-to-unlock-mysteries-surrounding-lonely-south-dakota-monument/">a saga begun in June when a contingent from Wayne State</a>&nbsp;College trekked to Lemmon in response to a challenge issued by Neihardt — to return to the monument site after 100 years, read some poetry,and “celebrate” as mountain men might have.The original monument was erected by Neihardt and members of a now-defunct “Neihardt Club” at the college, which the author/poet attended and was known in 1923 as Nebraska Normal College. A local rancher and local judge also helped, as did the head of the South Dakota State Historical Society.<h2>Wayne State contingent led by professor</h2>Wayne State history professor Joseph Weixelman, who specialized in Western history, led a contingent of Wayne students.But the contingent was denied permission to breach the monument, due to uncertainty about who exactly owned it, and who exactly could give permission to break into it.The concrete monument was originally poured and created on private ranch land, but later, the property was obtained for federal reservoir, on which a park, managed by the State of South Dakota, now sits.Just recently, the Bureau of Reclamation accepted the ownership claim of Hughes and other Neihardt desendants, and OK’d its removal to the historic site dedicated to Neihardt, the poet laureate in perpetuity of Nebraska.Bureau spokeswoman Elizabeth Smith said that agency, in consultation with historians and to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, determined that the monument “was not of significance as a federal historic resource.”She said that since the monument was moved sometime after the reservoir was built, “it no longer retains historic integrity” as outlined in the federal act.<h2>‘We still own the legend’</h2>Allowing it to be displayed at the Neihardt Center, Smith added, will provide “a long-term public benefit.”&nbsp;Astrid Blumer, the proprietor of the Summerville Store and Cafe, a local gathering spot near the reservoir and monument, said it will be a little sad to see Neihardt’s monument removed. But, she said, a larger, state historical marker, erected by the State of South Dakota in the 1970s, will remain.“So the story will not be forgotten,” Blumer said. “And that’s what important.”“It’s a great story. We still own the legend,” she added.&nbsp;Lemmon recently held its<a target="_blank" href="https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/trip-ideas/photo-essay/hugh-glass-rendezvous">&nbsp;annual Hugh Glass Rendezvous</a>&nbsp;to commemorate the bicentennial of the mauling.Hughes said that the family’s wish is to crack into the monument as a family, and not have a large group looking over their shoulders.&nbsp;“If you’re resorting to hand chisels and brushes, you don’t want a herd of people around,” she said. “It could easily take two days to chip our way in.”There’s some uncertainty about whether anything is left inside the time capsule. The monument was reportedly inundated by floodwaters at least three times as it sat alongside the federal reservoir.Hughes said it was in total keeping with her grandfather’s personality to erect such a monument, then bury a time capsule inside for others to unearth in 100 years.“He had a great sense of humor, and he could make anything into an adventure,” she said. “He was so much fun.”

Family of famed poet plans to breach century-old monument to unlock mystery inside

By JENNIFER SHUTT,&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 — More than 3.5 million federal employees and military personnel — many in the Washington, D.C., area but also scattered across the states and around the globe — are bracing for another partial government shutdown, as U.S. House Republicans struggle to produce a short-term plan to fund the government past the end of the month.

Most of the workers will be furloughed and go without paychecks in a shutdown. Some will have to work without pay because of the nature of their jobs, like members of the military, law enforcement officers, air traffic controllers and TSA officers. Those federal employees would get back pay once the shutdown ends under a law enacted in January 2019.

Lawmakers would not be personally affected — members of Congress would continue to get paid, as well as President Joe Biden and federal judges, though the judicial branch could see its funding run low.

In the D.C. area, Virginia is home to an estimated 140,000 civilian federal workers, who for some unknown period would go without pay and would be forced to draw on savings or other assistance, according to a federal employee database. Maryland has an estimated 139,000 civilian employees.

There are 36,181 civilian federal employees in Missouri who would be impacted by a government shutdown.

The economic impact could be broad, because the funding lapse this year would hit much harder than the 35-day partial government shutdown that took place during the Trump administration and reduced GDP by billions of dollars. This time, a partial shutdown would affect more than 1.4 million uniformed members of the military and&nbsp;1 million additional civilian federal employees at the Pentagon, Department of Health and Human Services and several other agencies, as well as congressional staff.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, has repeatedly warned his own members against forcing a funding lapse, saying it won’t help the party to achieve its goals.

But that hasn’t stopped especially conservative Republicans from<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-gop-spending-bills-falter-congress-struggles-avoid-shutdown">&nbsp;halting work&nbsp;</a>on full-year spending measures and opposing the short-term stopgap bill that’s needed to give lawmakers more time to work out a deal.

American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley said in a written statement that a “government shutdown would be a disaster for the American people and the federal employees who keep our government running.”

“Shutdowns hurt local communities across the country, deny Americans access to government services, and do significant damage to the overall economy,” Kelley said.

Congress, Kelley said, “needs to do its job and pass a continuing resolution to keep the government funded at current levels while continuing to negotiate a final budget. Nothing less is acceptable.”

AFGE represents more than 750,000 federal and D.C. government employees.

Here’s a look at why the federal government might shut down by Oct. 1, what agencies are impacted and what isn’t affected.

Why would the government have to shut down?

Congress is supposed to pass 12 government funding bills each year before the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1, but lawmakers haven’t completed all of their bills on time since 1996.

Instead, every year the House and Senate pass at least one stopgap spending bill, or continuing resolution. This keeps funding levels and policy mostly flat for a few weeks or a couple of months, giving the Appropriations committees more time to work out bipartisan bills and for leaders to hold floor votes.

Congress sometimes has to pass several short-term funding bills lasting for months, or even the entire fiscal year, if agreements on new, full-year spending bills can’t be negotiated.

If Congress doesn’t approve all dozen full-year government funding bills, or pass a short-term stopgap bill, by midnight on Sept. 30, then a funding lapse begins and government departments begin implementing a partial shutdown.

Federal civilian employees are broadly categorized as either “excepted” or “non-excepted.” During a partial government shutdown, excepted federal workers continue to work without pay while everyone else is furloughed — which means they are on an enforced vacation and their pay is on hold until the government resumes operations.

Employees that deal with “the safety of human life or the protection of property” often work without pay until Congress approves some sort of spending measure.

What federal departments and agencies are involved?&nbsp;

Any federal department or agency without a full-year appropriations bill would need to implement its shutdown plans if Congress doesn’t approve a spending bill before Oct. 1.

Congress has yet to pass any of its dozen annual funding bills for fiscal 2024, so all of the departments and agencies funded through the annual appropriations process would be impacted.

That includes the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs.

Smaller federal agencies would also be affected, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, NASA and the Smithsonian Institution, among dozens of others.

The entire legislative branch, including the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, the Capitol Police, the Congressional Budget Office, Government Accountability Office and the Library of Congress, among others, would be partially shut down.

Each department and agency has its own guidance for implementing a partial government shutdown, which is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/agency-contingency-plans/">posted on the Office of Management and Budget’s website.</a>

Spending on mandatory programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security does not go through the annual appropriations process, so those three programs are mostly exempt from the impact.

How many federal employees would be furloughed?

The federal government employed just under 2.2 million civilian employees earlier this year, according to its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fedscope.opm.gov/">database</a>. There are another 1.4 million members of the U.S. military, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/spec_fy2024.pdf">numbers</a>&nbsp;from the Office of Management and Budget. The Legislative Branch employs more than 31,000 employees and the judicial branch has about 33,000 employees.

About 745,000 of the civilian employees work for the Department of Defense, with another 449,000 at the Veterans Affairs Department. The Department of Homeland Security — which houses Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency — employs more than 216,000 federal employees.

A state-by-state&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fedscope.opm.gov/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp?b_action=powerPlayService&amp;m_encoding=UTF-8&amp;BZ=1AAABlrQKB6l42n1OTW_CQBT8M%7EuwPdS8HUDlwGGBJZJUsMK9obhaUz4McvHfN8DBtofO5CWTeTPJWHm2zIvsoJPIvw1db5LoiYALPNdVCJ2NRuyESnuOXLEbePFKOnKNNQHP1tjV6hBu96rY_oS46trBtAMhPnX10fTkBuRwWzaG7GixL6uv8mxu77q51t29Me2wIDcixNf58zv_SBH4hcC7sq8_CQyGPRatKA_XYZamOiySLE3VTvv%7ElqzgzT8xC8nMUrIQgoXLAixGCqHOpq3uBCYcCazqmth77apyuHTtH1sQNgSbCUYSPgjebMiHISYQ7DH_A3LipOYx080TZnwDkntmsg%3D%3D">breakdown</a>&nbsp;of where civilian federal employees work shows that the nation’s capital has the most federal employees, with 161,000 working in the District of Columbia.

California has the second-highest population of civilian federal employees with 142,000. Texas holds nearly 123,000.

More than 636,000 federal employees are veterans.

Federal employees will get back pay after the shutdown ends, though that hasn’t extended to federal contractors.

Does anyone get paid during a partial government shutdown?

Yes. The president, members of Congress and judges.

Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution “forbids the salary of the President to be reduced while he or she is in office, thus effectively guaranteeing the President of compensation regardless of any shutdown action,” according to the Congressional Research Service.

Members of Congress would receive pay for several reasons, including that they have a permanent appropriation for their salaries, a section of the Constitution addressing lawmakers’ pay and the 27th Amendment, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution says that U.S. lawmakers “shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.”

And the 27th Amendment notes that “No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”

Judges and the judiciary would “likely be able to continue to operate for a limited time using funds derived from court filings and other fees and from no-year appropriations,” according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/RL34680.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;from CRS.

Congress has failed to fund the government three times since 2000.

In 2013, there was a 16-day shutdown amid calls from several hardline Republicans, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz,&nbsp;to defund the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

While none of the 12 full-year government funding bills were law when that shutdown began, it didn’t fully impact the Pentagon.

Just before the funding lapse began, Congress passed a bill to provide pay for troops, Defense Department civilian employees and certain contractors working for either the Defense Department or the Homeland Security Department, according to the Congressional Research Service.

There were two funding lapses during the Trump administration, one of which was relatively short and one that lasted for 35 days.

The 35-day partial government shutdown began after five of the dozen annual spending bills became law, reducing the number of federal employees and operations impacted.

The Departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Labor and Veterans Affairs weren’t affected. Congress also wasn’t impacted, having passed its own funding bill.

What is the economic impact of a partial government shutdown?

Federal employees were furloughed for a total of 6.6 million days during the 2013 partial government shutdown, bringing the total “lost productivity” to about $2 billion, according to an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/reports/impacts-and-costs-of-october-2013-federal-government-shutdown-report.pdf">analysis</a>&nbsp;from the White House budget office.

The 2019 partial government shutdown reduced real gross domestic product by $3 billion during the fourth quarter of 2018 and by $8 billion during the first quarter of 2019, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-01/54937-PartialShutdownEffects.pdf">analysis</a>&nbsp;from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

That shutdown, CBO said in its report, “dampened economic activity mainly because of the loss of furloughed federal workers’ contribution to GDP, the delay in federal spending on goods and services, and the reduction in aggregate demand (which thereby dampened private-sector activity).”

What’s the Biden administration saying?

The White House released a memo Wednesday rebuking House Republicans for approaching the end of the fiscal year without a bipartisan plan to fund the government.

The administration said it’s clear that “if extreme House Republicans fail to ram through their radical agenda, they plan to take their frustration out on the American people by forcing a government shutdown that would undermine our economy and national security, create needless uncertainty for families and businesses, and have damaging consequences across the country.”

The memo says a funding lapse could affect dozens of federal programs, including eliminating some spaces in Head Start, slowing down new loans at the Small Business Administration and forcing the FDA to “delay food safety inspections for a wide variety of products all across the country.”

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, could have to reduce the number of inspections, “denying workers a key protection against safety risk, and Americans who are owed back pay for their hard work would face delays due to the majority of Department of Labor investigations being suspended.”

Air travel could also be impacted since TSA employees and air traffic controllers would be working without pay, the White House memo says.

“These consequences are real and avoidable — but only if House Republicans stop playing political games with peoples’ lives and catering to the ideological demands of their most extreme, far-right members,” the White House memo says. “It’s time for House Republicans to abide by the bipartisan budget agreement that a majority of them voted for, keep the government open, and address other urgent needs for the American people.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695238897489.png" alt="A partial government shutdown would affect more than 1.4 million uniformed members of the military and 1 million additional civilian federal employees at the Pentagon, Department of Health and Human Services and several other agencies, as well as congressional staff (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)." />
 <figcaption>A partial government shutdown would affect more than 1.4 million uniformed members of the military and 1 million additional civilian federal employees at the Pentagon, Department of Health and Human Services and several other agencies, as well as congressional staff (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JENNIFER SHUTT,&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 — More than 3.5 million federal employees and military personnel — many in the Washington, D.C., area but also scattered across the states and around the globe — are bracing for another partial government shutdown, as U.S. House Republicans struggle to produce a short-term plan to fund the government past the end of the month.Most of the workers will be furloughed and go without paychecks in a shutdown. Some will have to work without pay because of the nature of their jobs, like members of the military, law enforcement officers, air traffic controllers and TSA officers. Those federal employees would get back pay once the shutdown ends under a law enacted in January 2019.Lawmakers would not be personally affected — members of Congress would continue to get paid, as well as President Joe Biden and federal judges, though the judicial branch could see its funding run low.In the D.C. area, Virginia is home to an estimated 140,000 civilian federal workers, who for some unknown period would go without pay and would be forced to draw on savings or other assistance, according to a federal employee database. Maryland has an estimated 139,000 civilian employees.There are 36,181 civilian federal employees in Missouri who would be impacted by a government shutdown.The economic impact could be broad, because the funding lapse this year would hit much harder than the 35-day partial government shutdown that took place during the Trump administration and reduced GDP by billions of dollars. This time, a partial shutdown would affect more than 1.4 million uniformed members of the military and&nbsp;1 million additional civilian federal employees at the Pentagon, Department of Health and Human Services and several other agencies, as well as congressional staff.Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, has repeatedly warned his own members against forcing a funding lapse, saying it won’t help the party to achieve its goals.But that hasn’t stopped especially conservative Republicans from<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-gop-spending-bills-falter-congress-struggles-avoid-shutdown">&nbsp;halting work&nbsp;</a>on full-year spending measures and opposing the short-term stopgap bill that’s needed to give lawmakers more time to work out a deal.American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley said in a written statement that a “government shutdown would be a disaster for the American people and the federal employees who keep our government running.”“Shutdowns hurt local communities across the country, deny Americans access to government services, and do significant damage to the overall economy,” Kelley said.Congress, Kelley said, “needs to do its job and pass a continuing resolution to keep the government funded at current levels while continuing to negotiate a final budget. Nothing less is acceptable.”AFGE represents more than 750,000 federal and D.C. government employees.Here’s a look at why the federal government might shut down by Oct. 1, what agencies are impacted and what isn’t affected.<h2>Why would the government have to shut down?</h2>Congress is supposed to pass 12 government funding bills each year before the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1, but lawmakers haven’t completed all of their bills on time since 1996.Instead, every year the House and Senate pass at least one stopgap spending bill, or continuing resolution. This keeps funding levels and policy mostly flat for a few weeks or a couple of months, giving the Appropriations committees more time to work out bipartisan bills and for leaders to hold floor votes.Congress sometimes has to pass several short-term funding bills lasting for months, or even the entire fiscal year, if agreements on new, full-year spending bills can’t be negotiated.If Congress doesn’t approve all dozen full-year government funding bills, or pass a short-term stopgap bill, by midnight on Sept. 30, then a funding lapse begins and government departments begin implementing a partial shutdown.<h2>What happens during a shutdown?&nbsp;</h2>Federal civilian employees are broadly categorized as either “excepted” or “non-excepted.” During a partial government shutdown, excepted federal workers continue to work without pay while everyone else is furloughed — which means they are on an enforced vacation and their pay is on hold until the government resumes operations.Employees that deal with “the safety of human life or the protection of property” often work without pay until Congress approves some sort of spending measure.<h2>What federal departments and agencies are involved?&nbsp;</h2>Any federal department or agency without a full-year appropriations bill would need to implement its shutdown plans if Congress doesn’t approve a spending bill before Oct. 1.Congress has yet to pass any of its dozen annual funding bills for fiscal 2024, so all of the departments and agencies funded through the annual appropriations process would be impacted.That includes the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs.Smaller federal agencies would also be affected, including the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, NASA and the Smithsonian Institution, among dozens of others.The entire legislative branch, including the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, the Capitol Police, the Congressional Budget Office, Government Accountability Office and the Library of Congress, among others, would be partially shut down.Each department and agency has its own guidance for implementing a partial government shutdown, which is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/agency-contingency-plans/">posted on the Office of Management and Budget’s website.</a><h2>What federal operations escape?</h2>Spending on mandatory programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security does not go through the annual appropriations process, so those three programs are mostly exempt from the impact.<h2>How many federal employees would be furloughed?</h2>The federal government employed just under 2.2 million civilian employees earlier this year, according to its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fedscope.opm.gov/">database</a>. There are another 1.4 million members of the U.S. military, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/spec_fy2024.pdf">numbers</a>&nbsp;from the Office of Management and Budget. The Legislative Branch employs more than 31,000 employees and the judicial branch has about 33,000 employees.About 745,000 of the civilian employees work for the Department of Defense, with another 449,000 at the Veterans Affairs Department. The Department of Homeland Security — which houses Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency — employs more than 216,000 federal employees.A state-by-state&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fedscope.opm.gov/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp?b_action=powerPlayService&amp;m_encoding=UTF-8&amp;BZ=1AAABlrQKB6l42n1OTW_CQBT8M%7EuwPdS8HUDlwGGBJZJUsMK9obhaUz4McvHfN8DBtofO5CWTeTPJWHm2zIvsoJPIvw1db5LoiYALPNdVCJ2NRuyESnuOXLEbePFKOnKNNQHP1tjV6hBu96rY_oS46trBtAMhPnX10fTkBuRwWzaG7GixL6uv8mxu77q51t29Me2wIDcixNf58zv_SBH4hcC7sq8_CQyGPRatKA_XYZamOiySLE3VTvv%7ElqzgzT8xC8nMUrIQgoXLAixGCqHOpq3uBCYcCazqmth77apyuHTtH1sQNgSbCUYSPgjebMiHISYQ7DH_A3LipOYx080TZnwDkntmsg%3D%3D">breakdown</a>&nbsp;of where civilian federal employees work shows that the nation’s capital has the most federal employees, with 161,000 working in the District of Columbia.California has the second-highest population of civilian federal employees with 142,000. Texas holds nearly 123,000.More than 636,000 federal employees are veterans.Federal employees will get back pay after the shutdown ends, though that hasn’t extended to federal contractors.<h2>Does anyone get paid during a partial government shutdown?</h2>Yes. The president, members of Congress and judges.Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution “forbids the salary of the President to be reduced while he or she is in office, thus effectively guaranteeing the President of compensation regardless of any shutdown action,” according to the Congressional Research Service.Members of Congress would receive pay for several reasons, including that they have a permanent appropriation for their salaries, a section of the Constitution addressing lawmakers’ pay and the 27th Amendment, according to the Congressional Research Service.Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution says that U.S. lawmakers “shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.”And the 27th Amendment notes that “No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”Judges and the judiciary would “likely be able to continue to operate for a limited time using funds derived from court filings and other fees and from no-year appropriations,” according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/RL34680.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;from CRS.<h2>How many funding lapses have there been?</h2>Congress has failed to fund the government three times since 2000.In 2013, there was a 16-day shutdown amid calls from several hardline Republicans, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz,&nbsp;to defund the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.While none of the 12 full-year government funding bills were law when that shutdown began, it didn’t fully impact the Pentagon.Just before the funding lapse began, Congress passed a bill to provide pay for troops, Defense Department civilian employees and certain contractors working for either the Defense Department or the Homeland Security Department, according to the Congressional Research Service.There were two funding lapses during the Trump administration, one of which was relatively short and one that lasted for 35 days.The 35-day partial government shutdown began after five of the dozen annual spending bills became law, reducing the number of federal employees and operations impacted.The Departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Labor and Veterans Affairs weren’t affected. Congress also wasn’t impacted, having passed its own funding bill.<h2>What is the economic impact of a partial government shutdown?</h2>Federal employees were furloughed for a total of 6.6 million days during the 2013 partial government shutdown, bringing the total “lost productivity” to about $2 billion, according to an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/reports/impacts-and-costs-of-october-2013-federal-government-shutdown-report.pdf">analysis</a>&nbsp;from the White House budget office.The 2019 partial government shutdown reduced real gross domestic product by $3 billion during the fourth quarter of 2018 and by $8 billion during the first quarter of 2019, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-01/54937-PartialShutdownEffects.pdf">analysis</a>&nbsp;from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.That shutdown, CBO said in its report, “dampened economic activity mainly because of the loss of furloughed federal workers’ contribution to GDP, the delay in federal spending on goods and services, and the reduction in aggregate demand (which thereby dampened private-sector activity).”<h2>What’s the Biden administration saying?</h2>The White House released a memo Wednesday rebuking House Republicans for approaching the end of the fiscal year without a bipartisan plan to fund the government.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Your daily reminder. <a href="https://t.co/JbGTuwUJjz">pic.twitter.com/JbGTuwUJjz</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1705979153680351524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The administration said it’s clear that “if extreme House Republicans fail to ram through their radical agenda, they plan to take their frustration out on the American people by forcing a government shutdown that would undermine our economy and national security, create needless uncertainty for families and businesses, and have damaging consequences across the country.”The memo says a funding lapse could affect dozens of federal programs, including eliminating some spaces in Head Start, slowing down new loans at the Small Business Administration and forcing the FDA to “delay food safety inspections for a wide variety of products all across the country.”The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, could have to reduce the number of inspections, “denying workers a key protection against safety risk, and Americans who are owed back pay for their hard work would face delays due to the majority of Department of Labor investigations being suspended.”Air travel could also be impacted since TSA employees and air traffic controllers would be working without pay, the White House memo says.“These consequences are real and avoidable — but only if House Republicans stop playing political games with peoples’ lives and catering to the ideological demands of their most extreme, far-right members,” the White House memo says. “It’s time for House Republicans to abide by the bipartisan budget agreement that a majority of them voted for, keep the government open, and address other urgent needs for the American people.”

‘Disaster’ nears: Federal workers’ paychecks will be on hold in a shutdown

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers' charter flight home following a Sunday night win in Las Vegas made an emergency landing in Kansas City early Monday.

Team spokesman Burt Lauten&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SteelersPRBurt/status/1706248570871992612?s=20">posted on X</a>, formerly known as Twitter, that “everyone on the plane is safe and we are making necessary plans to arrive back in Pittsburgh later today.”

KDKA TV, which has a pair of journalists on the team plane, r<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/KDKA%20TV,%20which%20has%20a%20pair%20of%20journalists%20on%20the%20team%20plane,%20reported%20the%20plane%20had%20an%20oil">eported the plane landed in Kansas City</a>&nbsp;just before 5 a.m. EDT. The station reported the plane was dealing with an oil pressure failure in one of the engines.

The team was originally scheduled to arrive in Pittsburgh around 5:30 a.m. EDT after improving to 2-1 by holding off the Raiders.

Veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward had a little fun with the situation, joking on X with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and pop star Taylor Swift that the team needed a ride to Pittsburgh.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">Swift attended Kansas City's blowout</a>&nbsp;victory over Chicago on Sunday as a guest of Kelce's.

The Steelers were given Monday off by head coach Mike Tomlin. They travel to Houston on Oct. 1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695649140570.png" alt="Emergency vehicles on hand to inspect the aircraft at KCI early Monday-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Emergency vehicles on hand to inspect the aircraft at KCI early Monday-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers' charter flight home following a Sunday night win in Las Vegas made an emergency landing in Kansas City early Monday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our team charter plane was unexpectedly diverted to Kansas City early this morning on our way back to Pittsburgh following our game in Las Vegas. Everyone on the plane is safe, and we are making necessary plans to arrive back in Pittsburgh later today.&mdash; Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteelersPRBurt/status/1706248570871992612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Team spokesman Burt Lauten&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SteelersPRBurt/status/1706248570871992612?s=20">posted on X</a>, formerly known as Twitter, that “everyone on the plane is safe and we are making necessary plans to arrive back in Pittsburgh later today.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sorry you had to make an unscheduled touchdown in Kansas City, <a href="https://twitter.com/steelers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Steelers</a>. That will be the only one this year (not on the <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a> schedule). Post season: who knows? Fly safely. <a href="https://t.co/KF17e3neN2">pic.twitter.com/KF17e3neN2</a>&mdash; Kansas City International Airport (@Fly_KansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/Fly_KansasCity/status/1706326483151593625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>KDKA TV, which has a pair of journalists on the team plane, r<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/KDKA%20TV,%20which%20has%20a%20pair%20of%20journalists%20on%20the%20team%20plane,%20reported%20the%20plane%20had%20an%20oil">eported the plane landed in Kansas City</a>&nbsp;just before 5 a.m. EDT. The station reported the plane was dealing with an oil pressure failure in one of the engines.The team was originally scheduled to arrive in Pittsburgh around 5:30 a.m. EDT after improving to 2-1 by holding off the Raiders.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Dang emergency landing in KC.I think it’s due to <a href="https://twitter.com/minkfitz_21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@minkfitz_21</a> “roughing the passer call” but seriously landing KC……….&mdash; Cam Heyward (@CamHeyward) <a href="https://twitter.com/CamHeyward/status/1706238337739018524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward had a little fun with the situation, joking on X with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and pop star Taylor Swift that the team needed a ride to Pittsburgh.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">Swift attended Kansas City's blowout</a>&nbsp;victory over Chicago on Sunday as a guest of Kelce's.The Steelers were given Monday off by head coach Mike Tomlin. They travel to Houston on Oct. 1.

Steelers' team plane makes emergency landing in Kansas City

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Union leaders and Hollywood studios reached a tentative agreement Sunday to end a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">historic screenwriters strike</a>&nbsp;after nearly five months, though no deal is yet in the works for striking actors.

The Writers Guild of America announced the deal in a joint statement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the group that represents studios, streaming services and production companies in negotiations.

“WGA has reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP,” the guild said in an email to members. “This was made possible by the enduring solidarity of WGA members and extraordinary support of our union siblings who joined us on the picket lines for over 146 days.”

The three-year contract agreement — settled on after five marathon days of renewed talks by WGA and AMPTP negotiators that was joined at times by studio executives — must be approved by the guild's board and members before the strike officially ends.

In a longer message from the guild shared by members on social media, the writers were told the strike is not over and no one was to return to work until hearing otherwise, but picketing is to be suspended immediately.

The terms of the deal were not immediately announced. The tentative deal to end the last writers strike, in 2008, was approved by more than 90% of members.

The agreement comes just five days before the strike would've become the longest in the guild's history, and the longest Hollywood strike more than 70 years.

As a result of the agreement, nightly network shows including NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” could return to the air within days.

But as writers prepare to potentially crack open their laptops again, it’s far from back to business as usual in Hollywood, as talks have not yet resumed between studios and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Crew members left with no work by the stoppage will remain unemployed for now.

“SAG-AFTRA congratulates the WGA on reaching a tentative agreement with the AMPTP after 146 days of incredible strength, resiliency and solidarity on the picket lines,” the actors union said in a statement. “While we look forward to reviewing the WGA and AMPTP’s tentative agreement, we remain committed to achieving the necessary terms for our members.”

The statement said the guild continues “to urge the studio and streamer CEOs and the AMPTP to return to the table and make the fair deal that our members deserve and demand.”

The proposed solution to the writers strike came after talks resumed on Wednesday for the first time in a month.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-lombardini-drescher-stutzman-iger-zaslav-00c17264129cebb17d10b80b9c51aa3e">Chief executives</a>&nbsp;including Bob Iger of Disney, Ted Sarandos of Netflix, David Zaslav of Warner Bros. Discovery and Donna Langley of NBCUniversal reportedly took part in the negotiations directly.

It was reached without the intervention of federal mediators or other government officials, which had been necessary in previous strikes.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement congratulating the two sides on the deal and said she is hopeful the same can happen soon with actors.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom did the same, saying writers "went on strike over existential threats to their careers and livelihoods — expressing real concerns over the stress and anxiety workers are feeling. I am grateful that the two sides have come together.”

About 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America walked off the job May 2 over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-film-tv-streaming-29940516d1a0650cd87021d104ddb8a1">issues of pay</a>, the size of writing staffs on shows and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-hollywood-strikes-explained-writers-actors-e872bd63ab52c3ea9f7d6e825240a202">use of artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;in the creation of scripts. Actors, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-actors-strike-ca3e3eddc910f1e52d618e5e3c394554">joined the writers on strike in July</a>, have their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">own issues</a>&nbsp;but there have been no discussions about resuming negotiations with their union yet.

The writers strike immediately sent late-night talk shows and “Saturday Night Live” into hiatus, and has since sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-delayed-shows-movies-writers-42b99032bb638930df097f675b363898">dozens of scripted shows and other productions</a>&nbsp;into limbo, including forthcoming seasons of Netflix's “Stranger Things," HBO's “The Last of Us,” and ABC's “Abbot Elementary," and films including “Deadpool 3” and “Superman: Legacy.” The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emmys-2023-explained-writers-actors-strike-a2a5a3e5dd3439d94fe8246f8001b83b">Emmy Awards</a>&nbsp;were also pushed from September to January.

More recently, writers had been targeting talk shows that were working around strike rules to return to air, including “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drew-barrymore-strike-show-premiere-postponed-92e4ded590fb2c75f08d4ea94224bd96">The Drew Barrymore Show</a>,” “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-maher-talk-show-writers-strike-7363bc25e6a506d285e508a209e54835">Real Time With Bill Maher</a>&nbsp;” and “The Talk.” All reversed course in the face of picketing and pressure, and are likely to quickly return now.

The combined strikes made for a pivotal moment in Hollywood as creative labor faced off against executives in a business transformed and torn by technology, from the seismic shift to streaming in recent years to the potentially paradigm-shifting emergence of AI in the years to come.

Screenwriters had traditionally gone on strike more than any other segment of the industry, but had enjoyed a relatively long stretch of labor peace until spring negotiations for a new contract fell apart. The walkout was their first since 2007 and their longest since 1988.

On July 14, more than two months into the strike, the writers got a dose of solidarity and star power — along with a whole lot of new picketing partners — when they were joined by 65,000 striking film and television actors.

It was the first time the two groups had been on strike together since 1960. In that walkout, the writers strike started first and ended second. This time, studios opted to deal with the writers first.

The AMPTP first reached out to suggest renewing negotiations in August. The meetings were short, infrequent, and not productive, and talks went silent for another month.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Union leaders and Hollywood studios reached a tentative agreement Sunday to end a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">historic screenwriters strike</a>&nbsp;after nearly five months, though no deal is yet in the works for striking actors.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSAGAFTRA%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0jaMiZMv53yYtGoVAANz5A5vKLLDaM2NofDvyAR2zPH3kYZD6xeacQu5PtmcRgh2Kl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="767" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The Writers Guild of America announced the deal in a joint statement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the group that represents studios, streaming services and production companies in negotiations.“WGA has reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP,” the guild said in an email to members. “This was made possible by the enduring solidarity of WGA members and extraordinary support of our union siblings who joined us on the picket lines for over 146 days.”The three-year contract agreement — settled on after five marathon days of renewed talks by WGA and AMPTP negotiators that was joined at times by studio executives — must be approved by the guild's board and members before the strike officially ends.In a longer message from the guild shared by members on social media, the writers were told the strike is not over and no one was to return to work until hearing otherwise, but picketing is to be suspended immediately.The terms of the deal were not immediately announced. The tentative deal to end the last writers strike, in 2008, was approved by more than 90% of members.The agreement comes just five days before the strike would've become the longest in the guild's history, and the longest Hollywood strike more than 70 years.As a result of the agreement, nightly network shows including NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” could return to the air within days.But as writers prepare to potentially crack open their laptops again, it’s far from back to business as usual in Hollywood, as talks have not yet resumed between studios and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Crew members left with no work by the stoppage will remain unemployed for now.“SAG-AFTRA congratulates the WGA on reaching a tentative agreement with the AMPTP after 146 days of incredible strength, resiliency and solidarity on the picket lines,” the actors union said in a statement. “While we look forward to reviewing the WGA and AMPTP’s tentative agreement, we remain committed to achieving the necessary terms for our members.”The statement said the guild continues “to urge the studio and streamer CEOs and the AMPTP to return to the table and make the fair deal that our members deserve and demand.”The proposed solution to the writers strike came after talks resumed on Wednesday for the first time in a month.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-lombardini-drescher-stutzman-iger-zaslav-00c17264129cebb17d10b80b9c51aa3e">Chief executives</a>&nbsp;including Bob Iger of Disney, Ted Sarandos of Netflix, David Zaslav of Warner Bros. Discovery and Donna Langley of NBCUniversal reportedly took part in the negotiations directly.It was reached without the intervention of federal mediators or other government officials, which had been necessary in previous strikes.Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement congratulating the two sides on the deal and said she is hopeful the same can happen soon with actors.California Gov. Gavin Newsom did the same, saying writers "went on strike over existential threats to their careers and livelihoods — expressing real concerns over the stress and anxiety workers are feeling. I am grateful that the two sides have come together.”About 11,500 members of the Writers Guild of America walked off the job May 2 over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-film-tv-streaming-29940516d1a0650cd87021d104ddb8a1">issues of pay</a>, the size of writing staffs on shows and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-hollywood-strikes-explained-writers-actors-e872bd63ab52c3ea9f7d6e825240a202">use of artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;in the creation of scripts. Actors, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-actors-strike-ca3e3eddc910f1e52d618e5e3c394554">joined the writers on strike in July</a>, have their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">own issues</a>&nbsp;but there have been no discussions about resuming negotiations with their union yet.The writers strike immediately sent late-night talk shows and “Saturday Night Live” into hiatus, and has since sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-delayed-shows-movies-writers-42b99032bb638930df097f675b363898">dozens of scripted shows and other productions</a>&nbsp;into limbo, including forthcoming seasons of Netflix's “Stranger Things," HBO's “The Last of Us,” and ABC's “Abbot Elementary," and films including “Deadpool 3” and “Superman: Legacy.” The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emmys-2023-explained-writers-actors-strike-a2a5a3e5dd3439d94fe8246f8001b83b">Emmy Awards</a>&nbsp;were also pushed from September to January.More recently, writers had been targeting talk shows that were working around strike rules to return to air, including “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drew-barrymore-strike-show-premiere-postponed-92e4ded590fb2c75f08d4ea94224bd96">The Drew Barrymore Show</a>,” “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-maher-talk-show-writers-strike-7363bc25e6a506d285e508a209e54835">Real Time With Bill Maher</a>&nbsp;” and “The Talk.” All reversed course in the face of picketing and pressure, and are likely to quickly return now.The combined strikes made for a pivotal moment in Hollywood as creative labor faced off against executives in a business transformed and torn by technology, from the seismic shift to streaming in recent years to the potentially paradigm-shifting emergence of AI in the years to come.Screenwriters had traditionally gone on strike more than any other segment of the industry, but had enjoyed a relatively long stretch of labor peace until spring negotiations for a new contract fell apart. The walkout was their first since 2007 and their longest since 1988.On July 14, more than two months into the strike, the writers got a dose of solidarity and star power — along with a whole lot of new picketing partners — when they were joined by 65,000 striking film and television actors.It was the first time the two groups had been on strike together since 1960. In that walkout, the writers strike started first and ended second. This time, studios opted to deal with the writers first.The AMPTP first reached out to suggest renewing negotiations in August. The meetings were short, infrequent, and not productive, and talks went silent for another month.

Writers Guild, Hollywood studios reach tentative agreement to end strike

Many farmers are already busy taking in crops as dry conditions have encouraged an early start to the harvest season. Financially speaking, farming is a high-risk venture. The impact of unpredictable weather patterns underscores the importance of doing everything we can to maximize market access and stability for our agriculture industry. Alongside securing sound crop insurance provisions in ongoing Farm Bill renewal discussions, ensuring American trade policy reflects the best interests of our hard-working producers is critical in our pursuit of economic strength.

﻿In order to prosper, producers must be empowered with opportunities provided through a strong, strategic trade agenda. According to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, 81 percent of the 1,850 companies exporting goods from Nebraska in 2020 were small- and medium-sized enterprises. Nebraska exported $8 billion in goods to foreign markets in 2021, and international trade supports 255,600– or nearly 20 percent – of all jobs in the state. This includes more than just agriculture products. Not to be overlooked, a large component of Third District output includes manufacturing. For instance, Grand Island’s state-of-the-art Case New Holland factory exports approximately 35 percent of its production to 40 countries around the world.

The critical importance of U.S. trade leadership makes inaction by the Biden administration all the more disappointing. The U.S. is in danger of being left behind by our global competitors because the administration is opting for non-binding “frameworks” and “dialogues” over traditional trade agreements. The Trump-negotiated United States-Mexico-Canada agreement (USMCA) was a huge win for trade and now represents the global gold standard for trade agreements. This is in part because of the enforceability of such agreements – something notably missing from any framework or dialogue. Without these enforcement provisions, we would not be able to combat Mexico’s unscientific ban on U.S. grown corn.

As the number one market for both U.S. and Nebraska grown corn, resolving this dispute with Mexico is essential for long-term economic growth of our countries. Yet, despite my calls for his input, the Biden administration has been slow to utilize the dispute resolution mechanism, and the president himself has been silent on the issue. A simple message saying what the Mexican government is doing is wrong could be sent from a podium anywhere and would show support for our growers who depend on this market access.

With the administration asleep at the wheel on trade, Congress must step up. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution designates the “power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises…[and] to regulate commerce with foreign nations” under the purview of the Legislative Branch. There are many opportunities for Congress to reassert this authority over trade matters. In my role as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade, I am committed to doing what is necessary to ensure the United States succeeds and leads in the 21st century.

This week, I led a Trade Subcommittee hearing on the opportunity to reauthorize and modernize the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), a key trade program which benefits all Americans by promoting stability and economic growth in developing countries while providing a tool for the U.S. to level the playing field.

Done strategically, GSP can bring savings amid high inflation to those who need it most through lowered tariffs. This strengthens the U.S. manufacturing industry, and our supply chains in general. GSP alone won’t be the answer to all our supply chain challenges, but it certainly can be a helpful tool.

Another key trade preference program in our arsenal that has expired is the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB). MTB is another important tool many job creators and consumers rely on, and I look forward to getting both these programs on a path to swift renewal.

We can come together on a bipartisan basis and break the logjam that has held back GSP and MTB renewal since they expired at the end of 2020. I am confident we can do the hard work necessary to reform and renew these beneficial programs and restore robust U.S. leadership on trade. American producers and small businesses are counting on it.

Adrian SmithMany farmers are already busy taking in crops as dry conditions have encouraged an early start to the harvest season. Financially speaking, farming is a high-risk venture. The impact of unpredictable weather patterns underscores the importance of doing everything we can to maximize market access and stability for our agriculture industry. Alongside securing sound crop insurance provisions in ongoing Farm Bill renewal discussions, ensuring American trade policy reflects the best interests of our hard-working producers is critical in our pursuit of economic strength.﻿In order to prosper, producers must be empowered with opportunities provided through a strong, strategic trade agenda. According to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, 81 percent of the 1,850 companies exporting goods from Nebraska in 2020 were small- and medium-sized enterprises. Nebraska exported $8 billion in goods to foreign markets in 2021, and international trade supports 255,600– or nearly 20 percent – of all jobs in the state. This includes more than just agriculture products. Not to be overlooked, a large component of Third District output includes manufacturing. For instance, Grand Island’s state-of-the-art Case New Holland factory exports approximately 35 percent of its production to 40 countries around the world.The critical importance of U.S. trade leadership makes inaction by the Biden administration all the more disappointing. The U.S. is in danger of being left behind by our global competitors because the administration is opting for non-binding “frameworks” and “dialogues” over traditional trade agreements. The Trump-negotiated United States-Mexico-Canada agreement (USMCA) was a huge win for trade and now represents the global gold standard for trade agreements. This is in part because of the enforceability of such agreements – something notably missing from any framework or dialogue. Without these enforcement provisions, we would not be able to combat Mexico’s unscientific ban on U.S. grown corn.As the number one market for both U.S. and Nebraska grown corn, resolving this dispute with Mexico is essential for long-term economic growth of our countries. Yet, despite my calls for his input, the Biden administration has been slow to utilize the dispute resolution mechanism, and the president himself has been silent on the issue. A simple message saying what the Mexican government is doing is wrong could be sent from a podium anywhere and would show support for our growers who depend on this market access.With the administration asleep at the wheel on trade, Congress must step up. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution designates the “power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises…[and] to regulate commerce with foreign nations” under the purview of the Legislative Branch. There are many opportunities for Congress to reassert this authority over trade matters. In my role as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade, I am committed to doing what is necessary to ensure the United States succeeds and leads in the 21st century.This week, I led a Trade Subcommittee hearing on the opportunity to reauthorize and modernize the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), a key trade program which benefits all Americans by promoting stability and economic growth in developing countries while providing a tool for the U.S. to level the playing field.Done strategically, GSP can bring savings amid high inflation to those who need it most through lowered tariffs. This strengthens the U.S. manufacturing industry, and our supply chains in general. GSP alone won’t be the answer to all our supply chain challenges, but it certainly can be a helpful tool.Another key trade preference program in our arsenal that has expired is the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB). MTB is another important tool many job creators and consumers rely on, and I look forward to getting both these programs on a path to swift renewal.We can come together on a bipartisan basis and break the logjam that has held back GSP and MTB renewal since they expired at the end of 2020. I am confident we can do the hard work necessary to reform and renew these beneficial programs and restore robust U.S. leadership on trade. American producers and small businesses are counting on it.

 Restoring American Leadership on Trade

WASHINGTON (AP) — A small town on the Texas border declares a state of emergency as tens of thousands of migrants cross the border. The Biden administration grants protection to nearly half a million Venezuelans in the country, giving them the ability to work. This comes after some Democratic mayors and governors warn that growing numbers of migrants in their care are busting their budgets.

The various scenarios playing out across the country paint a picture of a strained immigration system making an impact far from the U.S.-Mexico border. The Biden administration late Wednesday announced measures intended to alleviate the problems.

The U.S. has had immigration surges before so what's different now, and why?

HOW DOES THE NUMBER OF MIGRANTS ARRIVING NOW COMPARE TO PREVIOUS DECADES?

Part of the issue is that a lot more people are coming to the U.S. The numbers dropped earlier this summer after pandemic-era migration rules ended and tougher enforcement measures kicked in. But the numbers are climbing again.

On Wednesday, the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, announced a state of emergency after nearly 6,000 migrants crossed the Rio Grande River from Mexico into the town of roughly 28,000 people in two days.

In fiscal year 2022, Border Patrol encountered 2.2 million people crossing the border illegally. The numbers have gone down in the fiscal year ending this month — about 1.6 million so far — but that's still high.

You have to go back decades to see comparable numbers. From 1990 to 2006, Border Patrol encounters nearly always topped one million a year, with a peak of 1.6 million in 2000. Then the numbers began to fall. From 2010 to 2020, the agency recorded below half a million encounters a year, except for 2019 when they climbed to 859,501.

Statistics aren't always a perfect measure, of course. The numbers from the 1990s and 2000s are considered vast undercounts because migrants often evaded authorities as they entered the U.S. Now, migrants often turn themselves in so they can request asylum.

In recent years, the measures used to contain the COVID-19 pandemic skewed the count. The government relied heavily on a public health tool called Title 42 to quickly eject people from the country. But there was no penalty so experts say migrants returned again and again, thus pushing up the statistics.

The Biden administration late Wednesday announced it was giving Temporary Protected Status to an estimated 472,000 Venezuelans who arrived in the country as of July 31. That makes it easier for them to work in the U.S. Venezuelans make up such a large proportion of the people coming to the U.S. that changing their status has an outsized effect. In New York City, about 40% of the rough 60,000 asylum seekers the city is paying to house are from Venezuela.

The administration also vowed to speed up the time it takes for migrants who are already eligible to work to get their authorizations processed — a key demand from Democratic governors and mayors.

More broadly, the administration has relied on a carrot and stick approach over the last year to deal with immigration. That's involved doing things like giving humanitarian parole to people from certain countries provided they have a financial sponsor and fly into the country. And then relying heavily on consequences for those who don't follow the rules. For example, they have beefed up deportations and expulsions.

Republicans say it's not enough and accuse the administration of doing little to control the southern border.

WHO IS COMING AND DOES THAT AFFECT RESOURCES?

Julia Gelatt, of the Migration Policy Institute, said there are key differences between what's going on now and during past immigration surges.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, there were more single adults coming to the U.S. Now, families with children are increasingly arriving, and they have different needs. While a single adult traveling by himself may be OK crashing on a friend's couch, families often expect more for their children and may be more likely to need government services to protect them. Kids need to go to school.

Also, communications have advanced. These days, migrants can easily share information on social media about the best places to go and what services are available.

Gelatt noted that many of the migrants crossing the border don't hide from the government. Some have been granted humanitarian parole or have a notice to appear in immigration court. They may feel more empowered to ask for assistance.

One of the challenges that has thrust immigration into the spotlight is housing.

New York City and Massachusetts have right-to-shelter rules, meaning they must provide housing to people who need it with certain restrictions. In addition to the roughly 60,000 migrants New York is housing, Massachusetts is also paying to shelter about 11,000 new arrivals.

Murad Awawdeh, who heads the New York Immigration Coalition that advocates for immigrants' rights, said immigrants arriving in the city previously didn't really use the city-run shelter system. They had friends or relatives to help them find places to stay. But that's changing.

"The most unique thing about this situation is simply that folks don't have a family connection here or community connections like they have had historically," Awawdeh said.

Decades ago, migrants arriving in the U.S. were almost all Mexican nationals. Experts and officials note that migrants today arrive from a vast array of countries across South and Central America and Africa, as well as from China and India. Their disparate countries of origin complicate deportations, because they have to be flown. In some cases, migrants can't be deported because the U.S. has no agreement with their native countries, notably Venezuela.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF MIGRANTS BEING BUSED FROM THE BORDER?

In 2022, Texas began busing migrants to Democrat-led cities around the country to challenge the Biden administration's border policies. Arizona has also bused migrants out of state.

The numbers are relatively small compared to the overall migrant flow. For example, since the spring of 2022, New York says it has counted 113,000 newly arrived migrants compared to the 8,200 Texas said it bused there.

But the Migration Policy Institute wrote last year that the Republican-sponsored trips had repercussions far beyond the numbers. After crossing the southern border, migrants used to spread "organically, quietly, and gradually" across the U.S., the Institute wrote.

"The buses have instead brought migrants to these cities in an orchestrated, visible, and deliberately disorderly way. ... In generating this chaos, the busing scheme has succeeded at least in showcasing the challenges at the border," the organization wrote.

Associated Press reporter Steve LeBlanc in Boston contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695343466970.png" alt="photo Texas Dept. of Public Safety" />
 <figcaption>photo Texas Dept. of Public Safety</figcaption>
 </figure>By REBECCA SANTANA Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — A small town on the Texas border declares a state of emergency as tens of thousands of migrants cross the border. The Biden administration grants protection to nearly half a million Venezuelans in the country, giving them the ability to work. This comes after some Democratic mayors and governors warn that growing numbers of migrants in their care are busting their budgets.The various scenarios playing out across the country paint a picture of a strained immigration system making an impact far from the U.S.-Mexico border. The Biden administration late Wednesday announced measures intended to alleviate the problems.The U.S. has had immigration surges before so what's different now, and why?HOW DOES THE NUMBER OF MIGRANTS ARRIVING NOW COMPARE TO PREVIOUS DECADES?Part of the issue is that a lot more people are coming to the U.S. The numbers dropped earlier this summer after pandemic-era migration rules ended and tougher enforcement measures kicked in. But the numbers are climbing again.On Wednesday, the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, announced a state of emergency after nearly 6,000 migrants crossed the Rio Grande River from Mexico into the town of roughly 28,000 people in two days.In fiscal year 2022, Border Patrol encountered 2.2 million people crossing the border illegally. The numbers have gone down in the fiscal year ending this month — about 1.6 million so far — but that's still high.You have to go back decades to see comparable numbers. From 1990 to 2006, Border Patrol encounters nearly always topped one million a year, with a peak of 1.6 million in 2000. Then the numbers began to fall. From 2010 to 2020, the agency recorded below half a million encounters a year, except for 2019 when they climbed to 859,501.Statistics aren't always a perfect measure, of course. The numbers from the 1990s and 2000s are considered vast undercounts because migrants often evaded authorities as they entered the U.S. Now, migrants often turn themselves in so they can request asylum.In recent years, the measures used to contain the COVID-19 pandemic skewed the count. The government relied heavily on a public health tool called Title 42 to quickly eject people from the country. But there was no penalty so experts say migrants returned again and again, thus pushing up the statistics.WHAT'S THE GOVERNMENT DOING?The Biden administration late Wednesday announced it was giving Temporary Protected Status to an estimated 472,000 Venezuelans who arrived in the country as of July 31. That makes it easier for them to work in the U.S. Venezuelans make up such a large proportion of the people coming to the U.S. that changing their status has an outsized effect. In New York City, about 40% of the rough 60,000 asylum seekers the city is paying to house are from Venezuela.The administration also vowed to speed up the time it takes for migrants who are already eligible to work to get their authorizations processed — a key demand from Democratic governors and mayors.More broadly, the administration has relied on a carrot and stick approach over the last year to deal with immigration. That's involved doing things like giving humanitarian parole to people from certain countries provided they have a financial sponsor and fly into the country. And then relying heavily on consequences for those who don't follow the rules. For example, they have beefed up deportations and expulsions.Republicans say it's not enough and accuse the administration of doing little to control the southern border.WHO IS COMING AND DOES THAT AFFECT RESOURCES?Julia Gelatt, of the Migration Policy Institute, said there are key differences between what's going on now and during past immigration surges.In the late 1990s and early 2000s, there were more single adults coming to the U.S. Now, families with children are increasingly arriving, and they have different needs. While a single adult traveling by himself may be OK crashing on a friend's couch, families often expect more for their children and may be more likely to need government services to protect them. Kids need to go to school.Also, communications have advanced. These days, migrants can easily share information on social media about the best places to go and what services are available.Gelatt noted that many of the migrants crossing the border don't hide from the government. Some have been granted humanitarian parole or have a notice to appear in immigration court. They may feel more empowered to ask for assistance.WHERE ARE MIGRANTS STAYING?One of the challenges that has thrust immigration into the spotlight is housing.New York City and Massachusetts have right-to-shelter rules, meaning they must provide housing to people who need it with certain restrictions. In addition to the roughly 60,000 migrants New York is housing, Massachusetts is also paying to shelter about 11,000 new arrivals.Murad Awawdeh, who heads the New York Immigration Coalition that advocates for immigrants' rights, said immigrants arriving in the city previously didn't really use the city-run shelter system. They had friends or relatives to help them find places to stay. But that's changing."The most unique thing about this situation is simply that folks don't have a family connection here or community connections like they have had historically," Awawdeh said.Decades ago, migrants arriving in the U.S. were almost all Mexican nationals. Experts and officials note that migrants today arrive from a vast array of countries across South and Central America and Africa, as well as from China and India. Their disparate countries of origin complicate deportations, because they have to be flown. In some cases, migrants can't be deported because the U.S. has no agreement with their native countries, notably Venezuela.WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF MIGRANTS BEING BUSED FROM THE BORDER?In 2022, Texas began busing migrants to Democrat-led cities around the country to challenge the Biden administration's border policies. Arizona has also bused migrants out of state.The numbers are relatively small compared to the overall migrant flow. For example, since the spring of 2022, New York says it has counted 113,000 newly arrived migrants compared to the 8,200 Texas said it bused there.But the Migration Policy Institute wrote last year that the Republican-sponsored trips had repercussions far beyond the numbers. After crossing the southern border, migrants used to spread "organically, quietly, and gradually" across the U.S., the Institute wrote."The buses have instead brought migrants to these cities in an orchestrated, visible, and deliberately disorderly way. ... In generating this chaos, the busing scheme has succeeded at least in showcasing the challenges at the border," the organization wrote.___Associated Press reporter Steve LeBlanc in Boston contributed to this report.