<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/09/governor-business-leaders-tout-potential-to-grow-bio-manufacturing-industry-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

KEARNEY — Nebraska is ideally situated to become a hub for the growing bio-manufacturing industry, if it can grow its workforce and meet a rising demand for reducing the carbon footprint of products, those attending the Governor’s Ag and Economic Development Summit were told Wednesday.

Business leaders, along with Gov. Jim Pillen, said that Nebraska provides a dedicated workforce, attractive tax incentives, low-cost utilities, proximity to raw materials like corn and ethanol, and a supportive local governance — where you’re only “a call or two” away from reaching a decision-maker.

&nbsp;“In Ohio, it was hard to get the mayor to return my call,” said Paul Caldwell, site director of Evonik’s facility in Blair, which extracts&nbsp;omega-3 fatty acids from natural marine algae for animal nutrition.

Pillen, during a press conference at the summit, which drew about 500 people, said that Nebraska is the “center of the new bio-economy.”

“We raise the lowest carbon footprint ag products in the country,” he said. “The vision is we grow Nebraska industries so we don’t export a kernel of corn.”

“We have to keep it here and keep the value for our families here,” the governor said.

Currently, Nebraska has about 18,000 jobs related to bio-manufacturing, from scientists to soil testers, according to Rob Owen of Bio Nebraska, a local trade group.&nbsp;

Owen, along with four speakers on a panel about bio-manufacturing, said the industry is growing, and needs to better communicate that it provides great-paying jobs. A report done by Bio Nebraska said that the average bio-sciences jobs in Nebraska was paying nearly $83,000 a year, well above the state average for all jobs of $54,000.

The Cargill campus at Blair, which includes Germany-based Evonik and Danish-owned Novozymes, is the nation’s largest bio-processing campus in the country, according to Owen, employing about 1,000 workers.

But speakers on the panel said that a barrier to growing the industry is a lack of workforce — not just scientists, but shift workers. They said training programs need to be beefed up, and more students need to be told about the opportunities for a high-paying career in their home state.

“We need to educate our kids, train our kids and keep them here,” Pillen said, adding that the lack of workforce is a problem in several industries in Nebraska.

When asked if the state was spending enough on training programs, the governor said the state needs to be fiscally conservative and adopt favorable tax policies that don’t force residents “to run away.”

Billy Hagstrom, co-founder of the Omaha research and development firm, Bluestem Biosciences, said that companies are seeking to “de-carbonize” because consumers desire more sustainable products. He said he and his two other co-founders — who all moved from California — were encouraged by the supportive atmosphere in Nebraska.

Right now, Hagstrom said that there’s a “breathtaking” amount of momentum coming from the Biden Administration related to climate and sustainable products, creating more opportunities for products Bluestem is looking to develop.

Viridis Chemical of Columbus, which opened in December of 2020, uses ethanol from a nearby plant to produce chemicals used in paint, adhesives, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Rick Cochrane of Viridis said a main selling point for the company is that its carbon footprint is much lower than similar chemicals produced from oil.

Lowering the carbon footprint has risen as a leading priority for companies, he and other speakers said, and may be the No. 1 concern of European firms.

&nbsp;“To get off a barrel of oil, you need to get on to a bushel of corn,” Hagstrom said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691671811821.jpeg" alt=" The sprawling Cargill bio-tech campus near Blair converts corn into several products, including ethanol and sweetener. (Courtesy of Cargill)" />
 <figcaption> The sprawling Cargill bio-tech campus near Blair converts corn into several products, including ethanol and sweetener. (Courtesy of Cargill)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/09/governor-business-leaders-tout-potential-to-grow-bio-manufacturing-industry-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>KEARNEY — Nebraska is ideally situated to become a hub for the growing bio-manufacturing industry, if it can grow its workforce and meet a rising demand for reducing the carbon footprint of products, those attending the Governor’s Ag and Economic Development Summit were told Wednesday.Business leaders, along with Gov. Jim Pillen, said that Nebraska provides a dedicated workforce, attractive tax incentives, low-cost utilities, proximity to raw materials like corn and ethanol, and a supportive local governance — where you’re only “a call or two” away from reaching a decision-maker.&nbsp;“In Ohio, it was hard to get the mayor to return my call,” said Paul Caldwell, site director of Evonik’s facility in Blair, which extracts&nbsp;omega-3 fatty acids from natural marine algae for animal nutrition.<h2>‘Center of new bio-economy’</h2>Pillen, during a press conference at the summit, which drew about 500 people, said that Nebraska is the “center of the new bio-economy.”“We raise the lowest carbon footprint ag products in the country,” he said. “The vision is we grow Nebraska industries so we don’t export a kernel of corn.”“We have to keep it here and keep the value for our families here,” the governor said.Currently, Nebraska has about 18,000 jobs related to bio-manufacturing, from scientists to soil testers, according to Rob Owen of Bio Nebraska, a local trade group.&nbsp;Owen, along with four speakers on a panel about bio-manufacturing, said the industry is growing, and needs to better communicate that it provides great-paying jobs. A report done by Bio Nebraska said that the average bio-sciences jobs in Nebraska was paying nearly $83,000 a year, well above the state average for all jobs of $54,000.The Cargill campus at Blair, which includes Germany-based Evonik and Danish-owned Novozymes, is the nation’s largest bio-processing campus in the country, according to Owen, employing about 1,000 workers.<h2>Lack of workers a barrier</h2>But speakers on the panel said that a barrier to growing the industry is a lack of workforce — not just scientists, but shift workers. They said training programs need to be beefed up, and more students need to be told about the opportunities for a high-paying career in their home state.“We need to educate our kids, train our kids and keep them here,” Pillen said, adding that the lack of workforce is a problem in several industries in Nebraska.When asked if the state was spending enough on training programs, the governor said the state needs to be fiscally conservative and adopt favorable tax policies that don’t force residents “to run away.”Billy Hagstrom, co-founder of the Omaha research and development firm, Bluestem Biosciences, said that companies are seeking to “de-carbonize” because consumers desire more sustainable products. He said he and his two other co-founders — who all moved from California — were encouraged by the supportive atmosphere in Nebraska.<h2>‘Breathtaking’ momentum</h2>Right now, Hagstrom said that there’s a “breathtaking” amount of momentum coming from the Biden Administration related to climate and sustainable products, creating more opportunities for products Bluestem is looking to develop.Viridis Chemical of Columbus, which opened in December of 2020, uses ethanol from a nearby plant to produce chemicals used in paint, adhesives, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.Rick Cochrane of Viridis said a main selling point for the company is that its carbon footprint is much lower than similar chemicals produced from oil.Lowering the carbon footprint has risen as a leading priority for companies, he and other speakers said, and may be the No. 1 concern of European firms.&nbsp;“To get off a barrel of oil, you need to get on to a bushel of corn,” Hagstrom said.

Governor, business leaders tout potential to grow ‘bio-manufacturing’ industry in Nebraska

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Several thousand Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as the Lahaina fire swept across the island, killing at least 36 people and burning parts of a centuries-old town.

The fire took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood. Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.

<a href="https://www.mauicounty.gov/">Maui county announced</a> the updated death toll on its website late Wednesday, writing that no other details were currently available on the deaths. Officials said earlier that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">271 structures were damaged or destroyed</a>&nbsp;and dozens of people injured.

On Wednesday, Maui crews continued to battle blazes in several places on the island. Authorities urged visitors to stay away.

Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described a harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies Tuesday afternoon. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.

“We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa said at an evacuation shelter on Wednesday, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.

As the family fled, a senior center across the road erupted in flames. They called 911, but didn't know if the people got out. Fire alarms blared. As they drove away, downed utility poles and fleeing cars slowed their progress.

Kawaakoa, 34, grew up in the apartment building, called Lahaina Surf, where his dad and grandmother also lived. Lahaina Town dates back to the 1700s and has long been a favorite destination for tourists.

“It was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything," Kawaakoa said. “I was helpless.”

The Hawaiian fires were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">whipped by strong winds</a>&nbsp;from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It's the latest in a series of disasters caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the likelihood of such events.

As winds eased somewhat on Maui, some flights resumed Wednesday, allowing pilots to view the full scope of the devastation. Aerial video from Lahaina showed dozens of homes and businesses razed, including on Front Street, where tourists once gathered to shop and dine. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront, boats in the harbor were scorched, and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of charred trees.

“It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that,” said Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company. “We had tears in our eyes."

About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday. With cell service and phone lines down in some areas, many people were struggling to check in with friends and family members living near the wildfires. Some were posting messages on social media.

Tiare Lawrence was frantically trying to reach her siblings who live near where a gas station exploded in Lahaina.

“There’s no service, so we can’t get ahold of anyone,” she said from the Maui community of Pukalani.

Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, from the Hawaii State Dept. of Defense, told reporters Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, to distribute water, and possibly adding law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons of water on the Maui fires.

State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a statement that a team was working on contingency plans and preparing for the possible loss of the King Kamehameha III elementary school that had been in Lahaina for more than a century.

“The department is striving to maintain regular school schedules to provide a sense of normalcy, but will keep most Maui schools closed for the remainder of this week,” he said.

The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape flames and smoke, including two children.

Among those injured were three people with critical burns who were flown to Straub Medical Center’s burn unit on the island of Oahu, officials said. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, officials said, and a firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition after inhaling smoke.

Richard Bissen Jr., the mayor of Maui County, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that he didn't have details on how or where on the island the six deaths occurred. He said officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires, but officials did point to the combination of dry conditions, low humidity and high winds.

More than 2,100 people spent Tuesday night in evacuation centers. Another 2,000 travelers sheltered at Kahului Airport after many flights were canceled. Officials were preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in thousands of displaced tourists and locals.

Mauro Farinelli, of Lahaina, said the winds had started blowing hard on Tuesday, and then somehow a fire had started up on a hillside.

“It just ripped through everything with amazing speed,” he said, adding it was “like a blowtorch.”

The winds were so strong they blew his garage door off its hinges and trapped his car in the garage, Farinelli said. So a friend drove him, along with his wife Judit and dog Susi, to an evacuation shelter. He had no idea what had happened to their home.

“We’re hoping for the best,” he said, “but we’re pretty sure it’s gone.”

President Joe Biden said he'd ordered all available federal assets to help with the response. He said the Hawaii National Guard had mobilized Chinook helicopters to help with fire suppression as well as search and rescue efforts on Maui.

“Our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses and communities destroyed," Biden said in a statement.

Former President Barack Obama, who was born in Hawaii, said on social media that it’s tough to see some of the images coming out of a place that is so special to many.

Alan Dickar, who owns a poster gallery and three houses in Lahaina, said most tourists who come to Maui visit Front Street.

“The central two blocks is the economic heart of this island, and I don’t know what’s left," he said.

Dickar took video of flames engulfing the main strip before escaping with three friends and two cats.

“Every significant thing I owned burned down today,” he said. “I’ll be OK. I got out safely.”

Wildfires were also burning on Hawaii’s Big Island, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there had been no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there. Roth said firefighters had needed to extinguish some roof fires and there were continuing flareups of one fire near the Mauna Kea Resorts.

Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said the flames had wiped out communities and urged travelers to stay away.

“This is not a safe place to be,” she said.

Luke issued an emergency proclamation on behalf of Gov. Josh Green, who was traveling. Green's office said he'd cut short his trip and was returning Wednesday evening.

Fires in Hawaii are unlike many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bonny-fire-york-california-nevada-wildfires-mojave-3fe4fc9ea8bb500bb48e7589f16911ad">those burning in the U.S. West</a>. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-environment-and-nature-droughts-hawaii-wildfires-ca2f8cbf76abf6affbbee9fce3be69a8">major fire on the Big Island in 2021</a>&nbsp;burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate.

The 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California killed at least 85 people and destroyed nearly 19,000 homes.

Yasso, who fled her home with boyfriend Kawaakoa, said residents are going to need time to regroup and that people shouldn't plan to visit right now.

“It’s everybody losing their memories of growing up,” she said. “It’s the memories for everybody. We all lost our homes with this.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691662929011.png" alt="Image taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui" />
 <figcaption>Image taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui</figcaption>
 </figure>WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Several thousand Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as the Lahaina fire swept across the island, killing at least 36 people and burning parts of a centuries-old town.The fire took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood. Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.<a href="https://www.mauicounty.gov/">Maui county announced</a> the updated death toll on its website late Wednesday, writing that no other details were currently available on the deaths. Officials said earlier that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">271 structures were damaged or destroyed</a>&nbsp;and dozens of people injured.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Leeward areas of the state will remain under a Red Flag Warning through tonight. Stay updated with our watches, warnings, and advisories at <a href="https://t.co/ZtuCL9tVrL">https://t.co/ZtuCL9tVrL</a>. The wildfires on Maui were captured on satellite imagery as shown here. <a href="https://t.co/ix1MR58DHS">pic.twitter.com/ix1MR58DHS</a>&mdash; NWSHonolulu (@NWSHonolulu) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSHonolulu/status/1689447349800800256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Wednesday, Maui crews continued to battle blazes in several places on the island. Authorities urged visitors to stay away.Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described a harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies Tuesday afternoon. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.“We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa said at an evacuation shelter on Wednesday, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.As the family fled, a senior center across the road erupted in flames. They called 911, but didn't know if the people got out. Fire alarms blared. As they drove away, downed utility poles and fleeing cars slowed their progress.Kawaakoa, 34, grew up in the apartment building, called Lahaina Surf, where his dad and grandmother also lived. Lahaina Town dates back to the 1700s and has long been a favorite destination for tourists.“It was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything," Kawaakoa said. “I was helpless.”The Hawaiian fires were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">whipped by strong winds</a>&nbsp;from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It's the latest in a series of disasters caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the likelihood of such events.As winds eased somewhat on Maui, some flights resumed Wednesday, allowing pilots to view the full scope of the devastation. Aerial video from Lahaina showed dozens of homes and businesses razed, including on Front Street, where tourists once gathered to shop and dine. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront, boats in the harbor were scorched, and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of charred trees.“It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that,” said Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company. “We had tears in our eyes."About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday. With cell service and phone lines down in some areas, many people were struggling to check in with friends and family members living near the wildfires. Some were posting messages on social media.Tiare Lawrence was frantically trying to reach her siblings who live near where a gas station exploded in Lahaina.“There’s no service, so we can’t get ahold of anyone,” she said from the Maui community of Pukalani.Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, from the Hawaii State Dept. of Defense, told reporters Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, to distribute water, and possibly adding law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons of water on the Maui fires.State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a statement that a team was working on contingency plans and preparing for the possible loss of the King Kamehameha III elementary school that had been in Lahaina for more than a century.“The department is striving to maintain regular school schedules to provide a sense of normalcy, but will keep most Maui schools closed for the remainder of this week,” he said.The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape flames and smoke, including two children.Among those injured were three people with critical burns who were flown to Straub Medical Center’s burn unit on the island of Oahu, officials said. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, officials said, and a firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition after inhaling smoke.Richard Bissen Jr., the mayor of Maui County, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that he didn't have details on how or where on the island the six deaths occurred. He said officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires, but officials did point to the combination of dry conditions, low humidity and high winds.More than 2,100 people spent Tuesday night in evacuation centers. Another 2,000 travelers sheltered at Kahului Airport after many flights were canceled. Officials were preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in thousands of displaced tourists and locals.Mauro Farinelli, of Lahaina, said the winds had started blowing hard on Tuesday, and then somehow a fire had started up on a hillside.“It just ripped through everything with amazing speed,” he said, adding it was “like a blowtorch.”The winds were so strong they blew his garage door off its hinges and trapped his car in the garage, Farinelli said. So a friend drove him, along with his wife Judit and dog Susi, to an evacuation shelter. He had no idea what had happened to their home.“We’re hoping for the best,” he said, “but we’re pretty sure it’s gone.”President Joe Biden said he'd ordered all available federal assets to help with the response. He said the Hawaii National Guard had mobilized Chinook helicopters to help with fire suppression as well as search and rescue efforts on Maui.“Our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses and communities destroyed," Biden said in a statement.Former President Barack Obama, who was born in Hawaii, said on social media that it’s tough to see some of the images coming out of a place that is so special to many.Alan Dickar, who owns a poster gallery and three houses in Lahaina, said most tourists who come to Maui visit Front Street.“The central two blocks is the economic heart of this island, and I don’t know what’s left," he said.Dickar took video of flames engulfing the main strip before escaping with three friends and two cats.“Every significant thing I owned burned down today,” he said. “I’ll be OK. I got out safely.”Wildfires were also burning on Hawaii’s Big Island, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there had been no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there. Roth said firefighters had needed to extinguish some roof fires and there were continuing flareups of one fire near the Mauna Kea Resorts.Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said the flames had wiped out communities and urged travelers to stay away.“This is not a safe place to be,” she said.Luke issued an emergency proclamation on behalf of Gov. Josh Green, who was traveling. Green's office said he'd cut short his trip and was returning Wednesday evening.Fires in Hawaii are unlike many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bonny-fire-york-california-nevada-wildfires-mojave-3fe4fc9ea8bb500bb48e7589f16911ad">those burning in the U.S. West</a>. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-environment-and-nature-droughts-hawaii-wildfires-ca2f8cbf76abf6affbbee9fce3be69a8">major fire on the Big Island in 2021</a>&nbsp;burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate.The 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California killed at least 85 people and destroyed nearly 19,000 homes.Yasso, who fled her home with boyfriend Kawaakoa, said residents are going to need time to regroup and that people shouldn't plan to visit right now.“It’s everybody losing their memories of growing up,” she said. “It’s the memories for everybody. We all lost our homes with this.”

Dozens dead, injured on Maui as fires burn through Hawaii

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday to block and regulate high-tech U.S.-based investments going toward&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-biden-xi-jinping-dictator-c1fe17f72e2d37fcc840575eea1b78d2">China</a>&nbsp;— a move the administration said was targeted but it also reflected an intensifying competition between the world's two biggest powers.

The order covers advanced computer chips, micro electronics, quantum information technologies and artificial intelligence. Senior administration officials said that the effort stemmed from national security goals rather than economic interests, and that the categories it covered were intentionally narrow in scope. The order seeks to blunt China's ability to use U.S. investments in its technology companies to upgrade its military while also preserving broader levels of trade that are vital for both nations' economies.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce responded in a statement early Thursday that it has “serious concern” about the order and “reserves the right to take measures.”

The United States and China appear to be increasingly locked in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-china-18398dd629fa6b4d5d93a439e003cb11">geopolitical competition</a>&nbsp;with a conflicting set of values. Biden administration officials have insisted that they have no interest in “decoupling” from China, yet the U.S. also has limited the export of advanced computer chips and kept the expanded tariffs set up by President Donald Trump. And in its response, China accused the U.S. of “using the cover of ‘risk reduction’ to carry out ‘decoupling and chain-breaking.’” China has engaged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-foreign-business-crackdown-349cf4e894fef93c9fd150ac1242bfb1">crackdowns</a>&nbsp;on foreign companies.

Biden has suggested that China's economy is struggling and its global ambitions have been tempered as the U.S. has reenergized its alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the European Union. The administration consulted with allies and industry in shaping the executive order.

“Worry about China, but don’t worry about China,” Biden told donors at a June fundraising event in California.

The officials previewing the order said that China has exploited U.S. investments to support the development of weapons and modernize its military. The new limits were tailored not to disrupt China's economy, but they would complement the export controls on advanced computer chips from last year that led to pushback by Chinese officials. The Treasury Department, which would monitor the investments, will announce a proposed rulemaking with definitions that would conform to the presidential order and go through a public comment process.

The goals of the order would be to have investors notify the U.S. government about certain types of transactions with China as well as to place prohibitions on some investments. Officials said the order is focused on areas such as private equity, venture capital and joint partnerships in which the investments could possibly give countries of concern such as China additional knowledge and military capabilities.

J. Philip Ludvigson, a lawyer and former Treasury official, said the order was an initial framework that could be expanded over time.

“The executive order issued today really represents the start of a conversation between the U.S. government and industry regarding the details of the ultimate screening regime," Ludvigson said. “While the executive order is limited initially to semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies, and artificial intelligence, it explicitly provides for a future broadening to other sectors."

The issue is also a bipartisan priority. In July by a vote of 91-6, the Senate added as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act requirements to monitor and limit investments in countries of concern, including China.

Yet reaction to Biden's order on Wednesday showed a desire to push harder on China. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., said the order was an “essential step forward," but it “cannot be the final step.” Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Biden should been more aggressive, saying, “we have to stop all U.S. investment in China’s critical technology and military companies — period.”

Biden has called Chinese President Xi Jinping a “dictator” in the aftermath of the U.S. shooting down a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-china-18398dd629fa6b4d5d93a439e003cb11">spy balloon</a>&nbsp;from China that floated over the United States. Taiwan's status has been a source of tension, with Biden saying that China had become coercive regarding its independence.

China has supported Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, though Biden has noted that the friendship has not extended to the shipment of weapons.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said it met a number of times with the White House and federal agencies as the order was being prepared and said its goal during the comment period will be “to ensure the measure is targeted and administrable.”

U.S. officials have long signaled the coming executive order on investing in China, but it's unclear whether financial markets will regard it as a tapered step or a continued escalation of tensions at a fragile moment.

“The message it sends to the market may be far more decisive,” said Elaine Dezenski, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "U.S. and multinational companies are already reexamining the risks of investing in China. Beijing’s so-called ‘national security’ and ‘anti-espionage’ laws that curb routine and necessary corporate due diligence and compliance were already having a chilling effect on U.S. foreign direct investment. That chilling now risks turning into a deep freeze.”

In its statement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the executive order “seriously deviates from the market economy and fair competition principles the United States has always advocated. It affects the normal business decisions of enterprises, disrupts the international economic and trade order and seriously disrupts the security of global industrial and supply chains.”

China's strong economic growth has stumbled coming out of pandemic lockdowns. On Wednesday, its National Bureau of Statistics reported a 0.3% decline in consumer prices in July from a year ago. That level of deflation points to a lack of consumer demand in China that could hamper growth.

Separately, foreign direct investment into China fell 89% from a year earlier in the second quarter of this year to $4.9 billion, according to data released by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

Most foreign investment is believed to be brought in by Chinese companies and disguised as foreign money to get tax breaks and other benefits, according to Chinese researchers.

However, foreign business groups say global companies also are shifting investment plans to other economies.

Foreign companies have lost confidence in China following tighter security controls and a lack of action on reform promises. Calls by Xi and other leaders for more economic self-reliance have left investors uneasy about their future in the state-dominated economy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691616065590.png" alt="Biden at the Grand Canyon on Wednesday-White House image" />
 <figcaption>Biden at the Grand Canyon on Wednesday-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday to block and regulate high-tech U.S.-based investments going toward&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-biden-xi-jinping-dictator-c1fe17f72e2d37fcc840575eea1b78d2">China</a>&nbsp;— a move the administration said was targeted but it also reflected an intensifying competition between the world's two biggest powers.The order covers advanced computer chips, micro electronics, quantum information technologies and artificial intelligence. Senior administration officials said that the effort stemmed from national security goals rather than economic interests, and that the categories it covered were intentionally narrow in scope. The order seeks to blunt China's ability to use U.S. investments in its technology companies to upgrade its military while also preserving broader levels of trade that are vital for both nations' economies.The Chinese Ministry of Commerce responded in a statement early Thursday that it has “serious concern” about the order and “reserves the right to take measures.”The United States and China appear to be increasingly locked in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-china-18398dd629fa6b4d5d93a439e003cb11">geopolitical competition</a>&nbsp;with a conflicting set of values. Biden administration officials have insisted that they have no interest in “decoupling” from China, yet the U.S. also has limited the export of advanced computer chips and kept the expanded tariffs set up by President Donald Trump. And in its response, China accused the U.S. of “using the cover of ‘risk reduction’ to carry out ‘decoupling and chain-breaking.’” China has engaged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-foreign-business-crackdown-349cf4e894fef93c9fd150ac1242bfb1">crackdowns</a>&nbsp;on foreign companies.Biden has suggested that China's economy is struggling and its global ambitions have been tempered as the U.S. has reenergized its alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the European Union. The administration consulted with allies and industry in shaping the executive order.“Worry about China, but don’t worry about China,” Biden told donors at a June fundraising event in California.The officials previewing the order said that China has exploited U.S. investments to support the development of weapons and modernize its military. The new limits were tailored not to disrupt China's economy, but they would complement the export controls on advanced computer chips from last year that led to pushback by Chinese officials. The Treasury Department, which would monitor the investments, will announce a proposed rulemaking with definitions that would conform to the presidential order and go through a public comment process.The goals of the order would be to have investors notify the U.S. government about certain types of transactions with China as well as to place prohibitions on some investments. Officials said the order is focused on areas such as private equity, venture capital and joint partnerships in which the investments could possibly give countries of concern such as China additional knowledge and military capabilities.J. Philip Ludvigson, a lawyer and former Treasury official, said the order was an initial framework that could be expanded over time.“The executive order issued today really represents the start of a conversation between the U.S. government and industry regarding the details of the ultimate screening regime," Ludvigson said. “While the executive order is limited initially to semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies, and artificial intelligence, it explicitly provides for a future broadening to other sectors."The issue is also a bipartisan priority. In July by a vote of 91-6, the Senate added as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act requirements to monitor and limit investments in countries of concern, including China.Yet reaction to Biden's order on Wednesday showed a desire to push harder on China. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., said the order was an “essential step forward," but it “cannot be the final step.” Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Biden should been more aggressive, saying, “we have to stop all U.S. investment in China’s critical technology and military companies — period.”Biden has called Chinese President Xi Jinping a “dictator” in the aftermath of the U.S. shooting down a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-china-18398dd629fa6b4d5d93a439e003cb11">spy balloon</a>&nbsp;from China that floated over the United States. Taiwan's status has been a source of tension, with Biden saying that China had become coercive regarding its independence.China has supported Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, though Biden has noted that the friendship has not extended to the shipment of weapons.The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said it met a number of times with the White House and federal agencies as the order was being prepared and said its goal during the comment period will be “to ensure the measure is targeted and administrable.”U.S. officials have long signaled the coming executive order on investing in China, but it's unclear whether financial markets will regard it as a tapered step or a continued escalation of tensions at a fragile moment.“The message it sends to the market may be far more decisive,” said Elaine Dezenski, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "U.S. and multinational companies are already reexamining the risks of investing in China. Beijing’s so-called ‘national security’ and ‘anti-espionage’ laws that curb routine and necessary corporate due diligence and compliance were already having a chilling effect on U.S. foreign direct investment. That chilling now risks turning into a deep freeze.”In its statement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the executive order “seriously deviates from the market economy and fair competition principles the United States has always advocated. It affects the normal business decisions of enterprises, disrupts the international economic and trade order and seriously disrupts the security of global industrial and supply chains.”China's strong economic growth has stumbled coming out of pandemic lockdowns. On Wednesday, its National Bureau of Statistics reported a 0.3% decline in consumer prices in July from a year ago. That level of deflation points to a lack of consumer demand in China that could hamper growth.Separately, foreign direct investment into China fell 89% from a year earlier in the second quarter of this year to $4.9 billion, according to data released by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.Most foreign investment is believed to be brought in by Chinese companies and disguised as foreign money to get tax breaks and other benefits, according to Chinese researchers.However, foreign business groups say global companies also are shifting investment plans to other economies.Foreign companies have lost confidence in China following tighter security controls and a lack of action on reform promises. Calls by Xi and other leaders for more economic self-reliance have left investors uneasy about their future in the state-dominated economy.___

China slams Biden’s order limiting U.S. overseas tech investment

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A single ticket sold in Florida is good for a $1.58 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-jackpot-155-billion-tuesday-b588a87889a4ba7ff27c1ee8a9a24fc6">Mega Millions jackpot</a>, ending weeks of anticipation over who would win the eye-popping top prize.

A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday night were 13, 19, 20, 32, 33 and the yellow ball 14.

A message was left seeking comment Wednesday from Publix.

James F. Davis, secretary of the Florida Lottery, said Wednesday that officials don't yet know who bought the winning ticket. He noted that the person has 180 days to present the ticket to lottery officials in Tallahassee to receive the winnings.

“These individuals are going to perhaps contact a lawyer, contact a financial adviser and make sure they get their ducks in a row,” Davis told The Associated Press. “Because as you know when you are a winner you have an opportunity to be able to make such a difference in so many individual lives.”

Davis was in Iowa on Wednesday for a meeting of the Multi-State Lottery Association.

“I actually walked into the meeting room and everyone proceeded to start clapping, which was pretty exciting and exhilarating all at the same time,” he said.

Davis said he had been holding out hope that Florida would get a big winner in one of the multi-state lottery games, such as Mega Millions and Powerball.

“I’ll just tell you the last two winners of the Powerball have been in California, and I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed for the next winner to be here in the state of Florida,” he said.

One Publix employee arriving for work at the Neptune Beach store saw another and said “Mary, did you win the billion dollars?”

“Nope, and I assume you didn’t, either,” replied the other.

Neptune Beach is one of the many beachside communities along the Atlantic Ocean in northeast Florida. Like any beach town, it has a mix of affluent neighborhoods and some less-ideal spots. Several former and current players and coaches of the NFL football's Jacksonville Jaguars live in the area.

Before the big win, there had been 31 straight drawings since the last time someone won the game’s jackpot on April 18. That enabled the prize to steadily grow to be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpot-mega-millions-powerball-b77dd9c7de3f0ab09545a01113b1f111">third-largest in U.S. history</a>.

Mega Millions jackpot winners are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">so rare thanks to odds</a>&nbsp;of one in 302.6 million.

The $1.58 billion payout would go to the winner if they opt for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday’s jackpot was an estimated $783.3 million.

The prize money is subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/159">Florida law</a>&nbsp;that went into effect last year allows the winners of lottery prizes in excess of $250,000 to remain anonymous for 90 days. Also of note, there is no state income tax in Florida.

Mega Millions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-alabama-alaska-lotteries-business-86424cf8e2b7cccf8ae9d06f6652d559">is played in 45 states</a>, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Neptune Beach has just over 7,000 residents and is 16 miles (25 kilometers) east of Jacksonville on Florida's Atlantic Coast.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691613012416.jpeg" alt="A crew prepares to lift the British Airways Concorde off the Intrepid Sea, Air &amp; Space Museum, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, in New York. The Concorde supersonic jet that has been parked along Manhattan's west side since retiring from commercial air travel took a slow boat to Brooklyn on Wednesday for a facelift that will take several months. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)" />
 <figcaption>A crew prepares to lift the British Airways Concorde off the Intrepid Sea, Air &amp; Space Museum, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, in New York. The Concorde supersonic jet that has been parked along Manhattan's west side since retiring from commercial air travel took a slow boat to Brooklyn on Wednesday for a facelift that will take several months. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A single ticket sold in Florida is good for a $1.58 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-jackpot-155-billion-tuesday-b588a87889a4ba7ff27c1ee8a9a24fc6">Mega Millions jackpot</a>, ending weeks of anticipation over who would win the eye-popping top prize.A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday night were 13, 19, 20, 32, 33 and the yellow ball 14.A message was left seeking comment Wednesday from Publix.James F. Davis, secretary of the Florida Lottery, said Wednesday that officials don't yet know who bought the winning ticket. He noted that the person has 180 days to present the ticket to lottery officials in Tallahassee to receive the winnings.“These individuals are going to perhaps contact a lawyer, contact a financial adviser and make sure they get their ducks in a row,” Davis told The Associated Press. “Because as you know when you are a winner you have an opportunity to be able to make such a difference in so many individual lives.”Davis was in Iowa on Wednesday for a meeting of the Multi-State Lottery Association.“I actually walked into the meeting room and everyone proceeded to start clapping, which was pretty exciting and exhilarating all at the same time,” he said.Davis said he had been holding out hope that Florida would get a big winner in one of the multi-state lottery games, such as Mega Millions and Powerball.“I’ll just tell you the last two winners of the Powerball have been in California, and I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed for the next winner to be here in the state of Florida,” he said.One Publix employee arriving for work at the Neptune Beach store saw another and said “Mary, did you win the billion dollars?”“Nope, and I assume you didn’t, either,” replied the other.Neptune Beach is one of the many beachside communities along the Atlantic Ocean in northeast Florida. Like any beach town, it has a mix of affluent neighborhoods and some less-ideal spots. Several former and current players and coaches of the NFL football's Jacksonville Jaguars live in the area.Before the big win, there had been 31 straight drawings since the last time someone won the game’s jackpot on April 18. That enabled the prize to steadily grow to be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpot-mega-millions-powerball-b77dd9c7de3f0ab09545a01113b1f111">third-largest in U.S. history</a>.Mega Millions jackpot winners are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">so rare thanks to odds</a>&nbsp;of one in 302.6 million.The $1.58 billion payout would go to the winner if they opt for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday’s jackpot was an estimated $783.3 million.The prize money is subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/159">Florida law</a>&nbsp;that went into effect last year allows the winners of lottery prizes in excess of $250,000 to remain anonymous for 90 days. Also of note, there is no state income tax in Florida.Mega Millions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-alabama-alaska-lotteries-business-86424cf8e2b7cccf8ae9d06f6652d559">is played in 45 states</a>, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.Neptune Beach has just over 7,000 residents and is 16 miles (25 kilometers) east of Jacksonville on Florida's Atlantic Coast.

NYC museum's Concorde supersonic jet takes barge ride to Brooklyn for restoration

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691612749870.jpeg" alt="A Publix grocery store is shown in in Neptune Beach, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. The Florida Lottery says the Publix grocery store sold the winning ticket for a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot. (AP Photo/Mark Long)" />
 <figcaption>A Publix grocery store is shown in in Neptune Beach, Fla., Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. The Florida Lottery says the Publix grocery store sold the winning ticket for a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot. (AP Photo/Mark Long)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A single ticket sold in Florida is good for a $1.58 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-jackpot-155-billion-tuesday-b588a87889a4ba7ff27c1ee8a9a24fc6">Mega Millions jackpot</a>, ending weeks of anticipation over who would win the eye-popping top prize.A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday night were 13, 19, 20, 32, 33 and the yellow ball 14.A message was left seeking comment Wednesday from Publix.James F. Davis, secretary of the Florida Lottery, said Wednesday that officials don't yet know who bought the winning ticket. He noted that the person has 180 days to present the ticket to lottery officials in Tallahassee to receive the winnings.“These individuals are going to perhaps contact a lawyer, contact a financial adviser and make sure they get their ducks in a row,” Davis told The Associated Press. “Because as you know when you are a winner you have an opportunity to be able to make such a difference in so many individual lives.”Davis was in Iowa on Wednesday for a meeting of the Multi-State Lottery Association.“I actually walked into the meeting room and everyone proceeded to start clapping, which was pretty exciting and exhilarating all at the same time,” he said.Davis said he had been holding out hope that Florida would get a big winner in one of the multi-state lottery games, such as Mega Millions and Powerball.“I’ll just tell you the last two winners of the Powerball have been in California, and I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed for the next winner to be here in the state of Florida,” he said.One Publix employee arriving for work at the Neptune Beach store saw another and said “Mary, did you win the billion dollars?”“Nope, and I assume you didn’t, either,” replied the other.Neptune Beach is one of the many beachside communities along the Atlantic Ocean in northeast Florida. Like any beach town, it has a mix of affluent neighborhoods and some less-ideal spots. Several former and current players and coaches of the NFL football's Jacksonville Jaguars live in the area.Before the big win, there had been 31 straight drawings since the last time someone won the game’s jackpot on April 18. That enabled the prize to steadily grow to be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lottery-jackpot-mega-millions-powerball-b77dd9c7de3f0ab09545a01113b1f111">third-largest in U.S. history</a>.Mega Millions jackpot winners are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">so rare thanks to odds</a>&nbsp;of one in 302.6 million.The $1.58 billion payout would go to the winner if they opt for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday’s jackpot was an estimated $783.3 million.The prize money is subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/159">Florida law</a>&nbsp;that went into effect last year allows the winners of lottery prizes in excess of $250,000 to remain anonymous for 90 days. Also of note, there is no state income tax in Florida.Mega Millions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-alabama-alaska-lotteries-business-86424cf8e2b7cccf8ae9d06f6652d559">is played in 45 states</a>, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.Neptune Beach has just over 7,000 residents and is 16 miles (25 kilometers) east of Jacksonville on Florida's Atlantic Coast.

A Mega Millions ticket sold in Florida wins $1.58 billion jackpot, the third-largest in US history

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/09/usdas-climate-grants-for-farms-and-forests-run-into-republican-buzzsaw/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is spending more than $3 billion to cultivate more American farmers and forest landowners as partners to mitigate climate change — even while some Republicans on Capitol Hill try to stop the program entirely.

The administration launched a new farm program,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usda.gov/climate-solutions/climate-smart-commodities">Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities</a>, this year. It is the USDA’s largest-ever investment in climate-smart agriculture and part of a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2023/07/31/u-s-ag-secretary-touts-biden-climate-agenda-as-boost-for-rural-america-in-oregon-visit/">larger effort</a>&nbsp;to advance the administration’s priority of addressing climate change.

Agriculture Department officials say they hope the program will be transformational and help create markets that could eventually bring “climate-smart” products to grocery shelves.

<a target="_blank" href="https://publicdashboards.dl.usda.gov/t/FPAC_PUB/views/PartnershipsForClimate-SmartCommodities/Overview?%3Aembed=y&amp;%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y">The program disburses grants</a>&nbsp;for pilot programs that will pay landowners to try new practices to improve the carbon footprint of their operations — with a special focus to recruit traditionally underserved landowners to participate.

Even more ambitiously, the Agriculture Department wants to use the program to help create new markets and revenue streams for “climate-smart” practices for those producing commodities like corn, soybeans, almonds, pork or beef. In total, 52 projects mention building or expanding markets and 26 mention some form of branding or certification process, according to an analysis from the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

“Through these projects, our partners are working to create new markets for climate-smart commodities, while developing the tools needed to quantify impacts and help producers implement climate-smart practices on their land,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement announcing the implementation phase of the grants in April.

But Republican lawmakers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2022/11/07/climate-funding-could-suffer-in-the-farm-bill-under-gop-control-of-congress/">have criticized the program</a>&nbsp;— both for its emphasis on climate change and because of its funding source. Lawmakers have introduced bills to stop the program, and the GOP-controlled House Appropriations Committee voted to block spending for it next year.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Department has been moving forward steadily, approving grants and rolling out the $3.1 billion in projects, 141 of them in total, some of which have funding from other sources as well. USDA has finished negotiations with partners for most of the bigger budget grants and 60 projects across 53 states and territories are currently active.

The new initiative has won support from many agriculture, farm cooperative, forestry and research groups, including the National Farmers Union and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/afbf-issues-support-for-climate-smart-commodity-proposals">American Farm Bureau Federation</a>. It has participants from major universities and farm corporations.

USDA estimates the program will reach more than 60,000 farms, encompassing more than 25 million acres of working lands. The agency’s preliminary estimates are that it will provide a reduction of over 50,000 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. Climate activists say they hope the agency releases data as the projects roll out to show if those estimates become a reality.

Republican critics of the bill say the Biden administration overstepped its authority when it created the climate program and used the USDA’s financing institution, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usda.gov/ccc">Commodity Credit Corporation</a>, known as the CCC, to pay for it.

The Commodity Credit Corporation began during the Great Depression as a bailout program for cotton farmers. Over the years, Congress and presidential administrations have directed CCC to fund an increasingly broad array of programs, including farm bill programs, export and commodity programs, conservation and disaster assistance.

For years there was little conflict over the Agriculture Department’s broad discretion for the account. But Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, also came under fire for his use of the fund in 2010, when he was head of the USDA under President Barack Obama.

At issue then was $600 million in disaster assistance for Arkansas farmers who had been hit by wet weather. Republicans saw that aid as an attempt to shore up more support for Arkansas Democrat Blanche Lincoln, who was the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee at the time and was in a tough reelection fight.

Her opponent, Republican John Boozman, criticized the bailout, later went on to win the election and now is the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. The Republican Congress placed restrictions on the use of the CCC in its appropriations bills from 2012 to 2017.

The House Appropriations Committee tried the same maneuver this year and included language in its 2024 agriculture spending bill that would bar the agriculture secretary from using the CCC for any discretionary programs — which would bring the climate program to a screeching halt.

The Appropriations Committee approved the bill but it has not yet made it to the House floor for a vote, one of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/split-us-house-gop-raises-potential-government-shutdown-fall">several spending bills tied up</a>&nbsp;in disputes over how much the government should spend and whether the bills should include far-right policy objectives.

On the Senate side, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved a bill in June that would not limit USDA’s discretionary use of CCC. But Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) also introduced a bill in July that would limit the disbursal of funds through the CCC to only those authorized by Congress.

“I’m concerned that the CCC is at risk of becoming a slush fund for politically-driven pet projects,” Grassley said in a statement announcing the bill.

But Senate Democrats, who hold a thin majority in that chamber, are unlikely to agree to a bill that would limit the department’s use of the fund. The chair of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees USDA, New Mexico Democrat Sen. Martin Heinrich, also has his own&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1016">proposal</a>, the Agriculture Resilience Act, that would fund regenerative agriculture projects. It has 12 cosponsors.

The Biden administration’s climate program is unique, but the dispute over the Commodity Credit Corporation to advance pet projects for a presidential administration is not new.

Indeed, the account itself was first created in an act of executive authority, during the Great Depression. President Franklin Roosevelt authorized the CCC in 1933 through an executive order he issued while Congress was out of session.

Creating a separate account for farm support gave the government more leeway to deal with the variable nature of farm payments. Congress appropriated $3 million to capitalize it and stock was acquired to raise it to $100 million.

In its early years, the CCC gave millions of dollars in non-recourse loans to struggling cotton farmers. It later added corn, wheat, tobacco and other crops. In 1939, Roosevelt signed another executive order that transferred ownership and management of the CCC to the secretary of agriculture.

The possibilities opened further when the Truman administration reconfigured the CCC in 1948 and gave the secretary of agriculture even more discretion to use the funds for a variety of purposes. Under that charter, USDA can use it to make loans, purchases or payments to help agriculture producers, support the sale of commodities to other agencies and assist in the development of new markets for agricultural commodities. A board of directors oversees the corporation.

Since then, the CCC has essentially become USDA’s bank and served as the primary financing source for many farm bill programs, including commodity supports and conservation programs.

The broad mandate and borrowing authority allow USDA to carry out “almost any operation required to meet the objectives of supporting U.S. agriculture,” according to an analysis from the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan research group within the Library of Congress.

President Donald J. Trump’s administration took that to a new level in response to the administration’s trade war with China, using the CCC in dollar amounts that exceeded other administrations before or since.

“The Trump administration’s use of it was beyond creative, it was completely unprecedented,” said Ferd Hoefner, a Washington, D.C.-based consultant on farm and food policy. “It has been used frequently throughout history for all sorts of things, but they tended to be much lower-dollar amounts.”

The Trump administration directed $28 billion in aid to farmers in 2018-2019, when U.S. exports of agricultural goods dropped significantly in response to tariff increases.

USDA spent another $20 billion from the CCC in 2020 for producers who had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, the Trump administration authorized over $51 billion from the CCC between 2018 and 2020, according to an analysis by the current USDA.

While some Republicans dislike the Biden administration’s use of the fund, the requests to participate in the Climate Smart Agriculture Program demonstrate the idea has some traction.

Initially USDA announced it would invest $1 billion in the partnerships but tripled its commitment because of the overwhelming requests for funding. USDA officials say they received more than 1,000 proposals from more than 500 groups — which would have totaled over $20 billion if they had funded them all.

They settled on $3.1 billion in grants to universities, agribusiness groups and nonprofits that will run climate projects. Many of the programs will help connect farmers or landowners with consultants or land managers that can help them make environmental plans and pay them to implement practices like cover crops, no-till farming or planting trees.

The voluntary nature of the program and the incentives to participate will be key to getting farmers on board, according to Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union.

“It is important to remember that farmers are often trying to make sure that they stay financially solvent and are operating too often on really thin margins or in some cases negative margins,” said Larew.&nbsp; “If someone is trying to tell you to improve your soil health with a cover crop, if you are not currently doing that and operating on such thin margins, it is a huge leap of faith and a real financial risk in order to make that move.”

Programs across the country will enroll farmers and collect data. For instance, an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.riperoadmap.org/ripe-partnership-pilot-2/">alliance</a>&nbsp;led by Virginia Tech will enroll over 4,000 producers in Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota and Virginia for practices that include a pilot program to test new feed design and additives for livestock. Their project also plans to prototype a climate-smart certificate that can be sold in the private market.

Blue Diamond almond growers will offer no-cost seed and payments to farmers to put in conservation cover crops on their land.

The Climate Smart Partnerships are not a carbon bank or certification process — at least not yet. But many of them are working on ways to market climate-smart products.

For instance, the food processing giant Archer-Daniels Midland Company (ADM) received a $90 million&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://publicdashboards.dl.usda.gov/t/FPAC_PUB/views/PartnershipsForClimate-SmartCommodities/ProjectDetail?%3Aembed=y&amp;%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y">grant</a>&nbsp;to expand climate-smart corn, soybeans, wheat and peanut markets in 22 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin).

ADM will offer incentive payments to producers for climate-savvy improvements. They plan to develop climate-smart products with partners including Costco and Keurig-Dr. Pepper.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.forestfoundation.org/why-we-do-it/family-forest-blog/american-forest-foundation-awarded-usd35-million-through-usda-grant/">American Forest Foundation</a>&nbsp;received $35 million to help create forest management plans with landowners of private forests in 13 states (Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia). The group also plans to develop a new tracking system for third-party verification of climate benefits with wood products that come from participating properties.

“What we are delighted by through this opportunity is seeing USDA step up in a big way to incentivize this and say really both people and the planet matter,” said Beth Riley, director of public climate finance and philanthropy at American Forest Foundation.

Private landowners are responsible for 39 percent of the nation’s forests but fewer than 13 percent of them have a land management plan, according to the American Forest Foundation.

<a target="_blank" href="https://publicdashboards.dl.usda.gov/t/FPAC_PUB/views/PartnershipsForClimate-SmartCommodities/Overview?%3Aembed=y&amp;%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y">Click here</a>&nbsp;to see USDA’s database that shows climate-smart projects in each state.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691612377439.jpeg" alt=" The U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding projects to create new markets and revenue streams for “climate-smart” practices in farming, including beef production. In this photo, cattle graze in a field outside of North English, Iowa, on Sept. 13, 2017. (Courtesy of USDA, Preston Keres)" />
 <figcaption> The U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding projects to create new markets and revenue streams for “climate-smart” practices in farming, including beef production. In this photo, cattle graze in a field outside of North English, Iowa, on Sept. 13, 2017. (Courtesy of USDA, Preston Keres)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Allison Winter<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/09/usdas-climate-grants-for-farms-and-forests-run-into-republican-buzzsaw/">Nebraska Examiner</a>WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is spending more than $3 billion to cultivate more American farmers and forest landowners as partners to mitigate climate change — even while some Republicans on Capitol Hill try to stop the program entirely.The administration launched a new farm program,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usda.gov/climate-solutions/climate-smart-commodities">Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities</a>, this year. It is the USDA’s largest-ever investment in climate-smart agriculture and part of a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2023/07/31/u-s-ag-secretary-touts-biden-climate-agenda-as-boost-for-rural-america-in-oregon-visit/">larger effort</a>&nbsp;to advance the administration’s priority of addressing climate change.Agriculture Department officials say they hope the program will be transformational and help create markets that could eventually bring “climate-smart” products to grocery shelves.<a target="_blank" href="https://publicdashboards.dl.usda.gov/t/FPAC_PUB/views/PartnershipsForClimate-SmartCommodities/Overview?%3Aembed=y&amp;%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y">The program disburses grants</a>&nbsp;for pilot programs that will pay landowners to try new practices to improve the carbon footprint of their operations — with a special focus to recruit traditionally underserved landowners to participate.Even more ambitiously, the Agriculture Department wants to use the program to help create new markets and revenue streams for “climate-smart” practices for those producing commodities like corn, soybeans, almonds, pork or beef. In total, 52 projects mention building or expanding markets and 26 mention some form of branding or certification process, according to an analysis from the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.“Through these projects, our partners are working to create new markets for climate-smart commodities, while developing the tools needed to quantify impacts and help producers implement climate-smart practices on their land,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement announcing the implementation phase of the grants in April.But Republican lawmakers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2022/11/07/climate-funding-could-suffer-in-the-farm-bill-under-gop-control-of-congress/">have criticized the program</a>&nbsp;— both for its emphasis on climate change and because of its funding source. Lawmakers have introduced bills to stop the program, and the GOP-controlled House Appropriations Committee voted to block spending for it next year.Meanwhile, the Agriculture Department has been moving forward steadily, approving grants and rolling out the $3.1 billion in projects, 141 of them in total, some of which have funding from other sources as well. USDA has finished negotiations with partners for most of the bigger budget grants and 60 projects across 53 states and territories are currently active.The new initiative has won support from many agriculture, farm cooperative, forestry and research groups, including the National Farmers Union and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/afbf-issues-support-for-climate-smart-commodity-proposals">American Farm Bureau Federation</a>. It has participants from major universities and farm corporations.USDA estimates the program will reach more than 60,000 farms, encompassing more than 25 million acres of working lands. The agency’s preliminary estimates are that it will provide a reduction of over 50,000 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. Climate activists say they hope the agency releases data as the projects roll out to show if those estimates become a reality.Republicans try to block spending&nbsp;Republican critics of the bill say the Biden administration overstepped its authority when it created the climate program and used the USDA’s financing institution, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usda.gov/ccc">Commodity Credit Corporation</a>, known as the CCC, to pay for it.The Commodity Credit Corporation began during the Great Depression as a bailout program for cotton farmers. Over the years, Congress and presidential administrations have directed CCC to fund an increasingly broad array of programs, including farm bill programs, export and commodity programs, conservation and disaster assistance.For years there was little conflict over the Agriculture Department’s broad discretion for the account. But Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, also came under fire for his use of the fund in 2010, when he was head of the USDA under President Barack Obama.At issue then was $600 million in disaster assistance for Arkansas farmers who had been hit by wet weather. Republicans saw that aid as an attempt to shore up more support for Arkansas Democrat Blanche Lincoln, who was the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee at the time and was in a tough reelection fight.Her opponent, Republican John Boozman, criticized the bailout, later went on to win the election and now is the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. The Republican Congress placed restrictions on the use of the CCC in its appropriations bills from 2012 to 2017.The House Appropriations Committee tried the same maneuver this year and included language in its 2024 agriculture spending bill that would bar the agriculture secretary from using the CCC for any discretionary programs — which would bring the climate program to a screeching halt.The Appropriations Committee approved the bill but it has not yet made it to the House floor for a vote, one of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/split-us-house-gop-raises-potential-government-shutdown-fall">several spending bills tied up</a>&nbsp;in disputes over how much the government should spend and whether the bills should include far-right policy objectives.On the Senate side, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved a bill in June that would not limit USDA’s discretionary use of CCC. But Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) also introduced a bill in July that would limit the disbursal of funds through the CCC to only those authorized by Congress.“I’m concerned that the CCC is at risk of becoming a slush fund for politically-driven pet projects,” Grassley said in a statement announcing the bill.But Senate Democrats, who hold a thin majority in that chamber, are unlikely to agree to a bill that would limit the department’s use of the fund. The chair of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees USDA, New Mexico Democrat Sen. Martin Heinrich, also has his own&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1016">proposal</a>, the Agriculture Resilience Act, that would fund regenerative agriculture projects. It has 12 cosponsors.From cotton bailouts to trade warsThe Biden administration’s climate program is unique, but the dispute over the Commodity Credit Corporation to advance pet projects for a presidential administration is not new.Indeed, the account itself was first created in an act of executive authority, during the Great Depression. President Franklin Roosevelt authorized the CCC in 1933 through an executive order he issued while Congress was out of session.Creating a separate account for farm support gave the government more leeway to deal with the variable nature of farm payments. Congress appropriated $3 million to capitalize it and stock was acquired to raise it to $100 million.In its early years, the CCC gave millions of dollars in non-recourse loans to struggling cotton farmers. It later added corn, wheat, tobacco and other crops. In 1939, Roosevelt signed another executive order that transferred ownership and management of the CCC to the secretary of agriculture.The possibilities opened further when the Truman administration reconfigured the CCC in 1948 and gave the secretary of agriculture even more discretion to use the funds for a variety of purposes. Under that charter, USDA can use it to make loans, purchases or payments to help agriculture producers, support the sale of commodities to other agencies and assist in the development of new markets for agricultural commodities. A board of directors oversees the corporation.Since then, the CCC has essentially become USDA’s bank and served as the primary financing source for many farm bill programs, including commodity supports and conservation programs.The broad mandate and borrowing authority allow USDA to carry out “almost any operation required to meet the objectives of supporting U.S. agriculture,” according to an analysis from the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan research group within the Library of Congress.President Donald J. Trump’s administration took that to a new level in response to the administration’s trade war with China, using the CCC in dollar amounts that exceeded other administrations before or since.“The Trump administration’s use of it was beyond creative, it was completely unprecedented,” said Ferd Hoefner, a Washington, D.C.-based consultant on farm and food policy. “It has been used frequently throughout history for all sorts of things, but they tended to be much lower-dollar amounts.”The Trump administration directed $28 billion in aid to farmers in 2018-2019, when U.S. exports of agricultural goods dropped significantly in response to tariff increases.USDA spent another $20 billion from the CCC in 2020 for producers who had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, the Trump administration authorized over $51 billion from the CCC between 2018 and 2020, according to an analysis by the current USDA.New payments, new marketsWhile some Republicans dislike the Biden administration’s use of the fund, the requests to participate in the Climate Smart Agriculture Program demonstrate the idea has some traction.Initially USDA announced it would invest $1 billion in the partnerships but tripled its commitment because of the overwhelming requests for funding. USDA officials say they received more than 1,000 proposals from more than 500 groups — which would have totaled over $20 billion if they had funded them all.They settled on $3.1 billion in grants to universities, agribusiness groups and nonprofits that will run climate projects. Many of the programs will help connect farmers or landowners with consultants or land managers that can help them make environmental plans and pay them to implement practices like cover crops, no-till farming or planting trees.The voluntary nature of the program and the incentives to participate will be key to getting farmers on board, according to Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union.“It is important to remember that farmers are often trying to make sure that they stay financially solvent and are operating too often on really thin margins or in some cases negative margins,” said Larew.&nbsp; “If someone is trying to tell you to improve your soil health with a cover crop, if you are not currently doing that and operating on such thin margins, it is a huge leap of faith and a real financial risk in order to make that move.”Programs across the country will enroll farmers and collect data. For instance, an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.riperoadmap.org/ripe-partnership-pilot-2/">alliance</a>&nbsp;led by Virginia Tech will enroll over 4,000 producers in Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota and Virginia for practices that include a pilot program to test new feed design and additives for livestock. Their project also plans to prototype a climate-smart certificate that can be sold in the private market.Blue Diamond almond growers will offer no-cost seed and payments to farmers to put in conservation cover crops on their land.The Climate Smart Partnerships are not a carbon bank or certification process — at least not yet. But many of them are working on ways to market climate-smart products.For instance, the food processing giant Archer-Daniels Midland Company (ADM) received a $90 million&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://publicdashboards.dl.usda.gov/t/FPAC_PUB/views/PartnershipsForClimate-SmartCommodities/ProjectDetail?%3Aembed=y&amp;%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y">grant</a>&nbsp;to expand climate-smart corn, soybeans, wheat and peanut markets in 22 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin).ADM will offer incentive payments to producers for climate-savvy improvements. They plan to develop climate-smart products with partners including Costco and Keurig-Dr. Pepper.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.forestfoundation.org/why-we-do-it/family-forest-blog/american-forest-foundation-awarded-usd35-million-through-usda-grant/">American Forest Foundation</a>&nbsp;received $35 million to help create forest management plans with landowners of private forests in 13 states (Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia). The group also plans to develop a new tracking system for third-party verification of climate benefits with wood products that come from participating properties.“What we are delighted by through this opportunity is seeing USDA step up in a big way to incentivize this and say really both people and the planet matter,” said Beth Riley, director of public climate finance and philanthropy at American Forest Foundation.Private landowners are responsible for 39 percent of the nation’s forests but fewer than 13 percent of them have a land management plan, according to the American Forest Foundation.<a target="_blank" href="https://publicdashboards.dl.usda.gov/t/FPAC_PUB/views/PartnershipsForClimate-SmartCommodities/Overview?%3Aembed=y&amp;%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y">Click here</a>&nbsp;to see USDA’s database that shows climate-smart projects in each state.

USDA’s climate grants for farms and forests run into Republican buzzsaw

PROVO, Utah (AP) — An armed Utah man accused of making threats against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-factory-jobs-new-mexico-manufacturing-renaissance-95700c62f45c3a69b03e550ebdcfa01b">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;was shot and killed by FBI agents hours before the president was expected to land in the state Wednesday, authorities said.

Special agents were trying to serve a warrant on the home of Craig Deleeuw Robertson in Provo, south of Salt Lake City, when the shooting happened at 6:15 a.m., the FBI said in a statement.

Robertson was armed at the time of the shooting, according to two law enforcement sources who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss details of an ongoing investigation.

Robertson posted online Monday that he had heard Biden was coming to Utah and he was planning to dig out a camouflage suit and “clean the dust off the m24 sniper rifle," according to court documents.

In another post, Robertson refers to himself as a “MAGA Trumper," a reference to former President Donald Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan.

The posts indicated he did appear to own a long-range sniper rifle and numerous other weapons, as well as camouflage gear known as a “ghillie suit," investigators said in court records. Robertson was charged under seal Tuesday with three felony counts, including making threats against the president, court documents show.

Robertson also referenced a “presidential assassination” and made a long list of other online threats, including against top law enforcement officials overseeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468">court cases against Trump</a>: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

“The time is right for a presidential assassination or two. First Joe then Kamala!!!” authorities say Robertson wrote in a September 2022 Facebook post included in the filings. No attorney was immediately listed for Robertson in court documents.

No further details were immediately released about the shooting, which is under review by the FBI.

At the Provo house where the confrontation apparently took place and which is connected with Robertson through public records, law enforcement could be seen Wednesday going in and out and removing items.

A broken window could be seen next to the door and the blinds inside were askew.

The road leading to the house was blocked by police.

The house is just up the street from a meeting house of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with the Wasatch Mountains rising in the background.

Robertson had a custom woodworking business but did not renew his license after it expired last year, according to state records. On LinkedIn, Robertson said he worked for 45 years as a structural steel and welding inspector before retiring and starting his business, saying he specialized in “custom designs."

Biden is in the middle of a trip to the Western United States. He spent Wednesday in New Mexico, where he spoke at a factory that will produce wind towers, and is scheduled to fly to Utah later in the day.

On Thursday, he’s expected to visit a Veterans Affairs hospital to talk about the PACT Act, which expanded veterans benefits, and hold a reelection fundraiser.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691617796283.png" alt="President Biden speaking at an event in New Mexico Wednesday afternoon-White House image" />
 <figcaption>President Biden speaking at an event in New Mexico Wednesday afternoon-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>PROVO, Utah (AP) — An armed Utah man accused of making threats against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-factory-jobs-new-mexico-manufacturing-renaissance-95700c62f45c3a69b03e550ebdcfa01b">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;was shot and killed by FBI agents hours before the president was expected to land in the state Wednesday, authorities said.Special agents were trying to serve a warrant on the home of Craig Deleeuw Robertson in Provo, south of Salt Lake City, when the shooting happened at 6:15 a.m., the FBI said in a statement.Robertson was armed at the time of the shooting, according to two law enforcement sources who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss details of an ongoing investigation.Robertson posted online Monday that he had heard Biden was coming to Utah and he was planning to dig out a camouflage suit and “clean the dust off the m24 sniper rifle," according to court documents.In another post, Robertson refers to himself as a “MAGA Trumper," a reference to former President Donald Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan.The posts indicated he did appear to own a long-range sniper rifle and numerous other weapons, as well as camouflage gear known as a “ghillie suit," investigators said in court records. Robertson was charged under seal Tuesday with three felony counts, including making threats against the president, court documents show.Robertson also referenced a “presidential assassination” and made a long list of other online threats, including against top law enforcement officials overseeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468">court cases against Trump</a>: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and New York Attorney General Letitia James.“The time is right for a presidential assassination or two. First Joe then Kamala!!!” authorities say Robertson wrote in a September 2022 Facebook post included in the filings. No attorney was immediately listed for Robertson in court documents.No further details were immediately released about the shooting, which is under review by the FBI.At the Provo house where the confrontation apparently took place and which is connected with Robertson through public records, law enforcement could be seen Wednesday going in and out and removing items.A broken window could be seen next to the door and the blinds inside were askew.The road leading to the house was blocked by police.The house is just up the street from a meeting house of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with the Wasatch Mountains rising in the background.Robertson had a custom woodworking business but did not renew his license after it expired last year, according to state records. On LinkedIn, Robertson said he worked for 45 years as a structural steel and welding inspector before retiring and starting his business, saying he specialized in “custom designs."Biden is in the middle of a trip to the Western United States. He spent Wednesday in New Mexico, where he spoke at a factory that will produce wind towers, and is scheduled to fly to Utah later in the day.On Thursday, he’s expected to visit a Veterans Affairs hospital to talk about the PACT Act, which expanded veterans benefits, and hold a reelection fundraiser.__

Man who posted threats toward President Biden is killed in FBI raid

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/08/state-local-chambers-press-nebraska-delegation-for-smaller-scale-immigration-fixes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

ASHLAND, Nebraska — Workers are hard to come by, and Congress should help.&nbsp;&nbsp;

State business leaders shared that message and more with Nebraska’s all-GOP congressional delegation Tuesday during the annual summit held by the Nebraska, Omaha and Lincoln Chambers of Commerce at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum.

Local chamber members and Christine Scullion, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s executive director of government affairs, pressed the delegation to embrace an all-hands approach to supplying new workers, including supporting politically challenging fixes to the immigration system.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“What we’re trying to do is lay out that failure is actually the only not acceptable option,” said Scullion, the day’s keynote speaker. She leads an effort by the U.S. Chamber to encourage Congress to pass legal immigration reform and border enforcement this year.

Scullion said the national chamber, which advocates for state and local chambers, is no longer pushing a catch-all immigration reform bill, which the chamber believes won’t pass. They now seek incremental bills addressing flaws of the immigration system, in digestible bites that the public can understand.&nbsp;

She offered the breakfast crowd of more than 300 a handful of specific ways Congress can make a difference. Among them: expanding the numbers of specialty visas set aside each year for talent from other countries in fields where there aren’t enough American workers.

Congress can also work on cutting the lag time between when someone applies for asylum and when a case is heard by adding more immigration judges and encouraging more lawyers to take on immigration-related cases.&nbsp;

She said she would like to see speedier access to ID verification technologies for employers and potential employees and to see Congress clean up and clarify the alphabet soup of temporary and longer-term visas so sectors like agriculture and technology can get the help they need.

“The workforce challenges in the U.S. are massive, and we need to find a way to bridge that gap,” Scullion said. “We don’t want people taking American jobs, but we want to make sure that the economy is continuing to grow.”

She found a receptive audience for a separate, incremental approach to immigration from U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts and U.S. Reps. Mike Flood and Adrian Smith. Rep. Don Bacon was traveling and recorded a video message for the summit.

Fischer said she prefers breaking legislation on complicated topics like immigration into smaller pieces because it’s easier to find political allies and build support for changes that members can more easily explain to voters. It also lets members vote against changes they will not support, she said.

Ricketts said he is working with other senators to consider some changes, including letting governors&nbsp; request higher numbers of specialty visas in targeted industries. He said he is also open to providing green cards to the children of immigrants who are in the country legally.

Fischer, Ricketts, Flood and Smith stressed the need to get better control over illegal border crossings, which the Department of Homeland Security said jumped 30% in July after dropping in June. The delegation credited Scullion for acknowledging the political reality that little substantive change would occur in federal immigration law without new investments in border security.

Smith, said Nebraskans in his largely rural district might be more willing to discuss opportunities for immigrants seeking a better life if they felt the country was taking border security more seriously. The U.S. is spending about $17.5 billion on customs and border security this year.

Fischer said there is bipartisan “agreement to secure the border.” Ricketts agreed.&nbsp;

“We tried giving amnesty first,” Ricketts said of the 1980s immigration reform efforts under former President Ronald Reagan. “It didn’t work. So that’s why we know we have to secure the border first, and I’m pleased to hear the U.S. Chamber actually taking that seriously.”

Flood said advocates for immigration reform need to understand and empathize with border ranchers in Texas and Arizona who get knocks on their doors in the middle of the night from migrants who need water after spending days in the hot sun or who find dead people on their properties.

He asked how Nebraskans would feel if that was happening on farmsteads near Fairbury, Neb., for example.&nbsp;

“We would be pulling every fire alarm in a five-state area if anything remotely similar was happening in Nebraska,” Flood said.&nbsp;

Nebraskans critical of congressional inaction on immigration fixes argue that the only way to significantly cut the number of illegal border crossings is to increase the number of people allowed in legally and to improve the speed and clarity of the processes to enter the country.

Elsa RamonArranda of LULAC of Nebraska, which advocates for Latino residents, chafed at the description of border crossings as somehow new. She grew up in Laredo, Texas, and said she was used to seeing Border Patrol agents on the streets, “just like police.”&nbsp;

She said it was offensive to embrace immigration reform now that the U.S. needs workers and not because of human suffering along the border. She encouraged the chamber and its allies to reach out to Nebraska Latinos through groups like hers and include their voices in these discussions.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691608022382.jpeg" alt="Jason Ball, president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, moderates a question and answer session with Nebraska’s congressional delegates during legislative summit Tuesday in Ashland, Neb. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Jason Ball, president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, moderates a question and answer session with Nebraska’s congressional delegates during legislative summit Tuesday in Ashland, Neb. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/08/state-local-chambers-press-nebraska-delegation-for-smaller-scale-immigration-fixes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>ASHLAND, Nebraska — Workers are hard to come by, and Congress should help.&nbsp;&nbsp;State business leaders shared that message and more with Nebraska’s all-GOP congressional delegation Tuesday during the annual summit held by the Nebraska, Omaha and Lincoln Chambers of Commerce at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum.Local chamber members and Christine Scullion, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s executive director of government affairs, pressed the delegation to embrace an all-hands approach to supplying new workers, including supporting politically challenging fixes to the immigration system.&nbsp;&nbsp;“What we’re trying to do is lay out that failure is actually the only not acceptable option,” said Scullion, the day’s keynote speaker. She leads an effort by the U.S. Chamber to encourage Congress to pass legal immigration reform and border enforcement this year.<h2>Smaller, incremental changes</h2>Scullion said the national chamber, which advocates for state and local chambers, is no longer pushing a catch-all immigration reform bill, which the chamber believes won’t pass. They now seek incremental bills addressing flaws of the immigration system, in digestible bites that the public can understand.&nbsp;She offered the breakfast crowd of more than 300 a handful of specific ways Congress can make a difference. Among them: expanding the numbers of specialty visas set aside each year for talent from other countries in fields where there aren’t enough American workers.Congress can also work on cutting the lag time between when someone applies for asylum and when a case is heard by adding more immigration judges and encouraging more lawyers to take on immigration-related cases.&nbsp;She said she would like to see speedier access to ID verification technologies for employers and potential employees and to see Congress clean up and clarify the alphabet soup of temporary and longer-term visas so sectors like agriculture and technology can get the help they need.“The workforce challenges in the U.S. are massive, and we need to find a way to bridge that gap,” Scullion said. “We don’t want people taking American jobs, but we want to make sure that the economy is continuing to grow.”<h2>All-GOP delegation open to approach</h2>She found a receptive audience for a separate, incremental approach to immigration from U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts and U.S. Reps. Mike Flood and Adrian Smith. Rep. Don Bacon was traveling and recorded a video message for the summit.Fischer said she prefers breaking legislation on complicated topics like immigration into smaller pieces because it’s easier to find political allies and build support for changes that members can more easily explain to voters. It also lets members vote against changes they will not support, she said.Ricketts said he is working with other senators to consider some changes, including letting governors&nbsp; request higher numbers of specialty visas in targeted industries. He said he is also open to providing green cards to the children of immigrants who are in the country legally.<h2>Some want border security first</h2>Fischer, Ricketts, Flood and Smith stressed the need to get better control over illegal border crossings, which the Department of Homeland Security said jumped 30% in July after dropping in June. The delegation credited Scullion for acknowledging the political reality that little substantive change would occur in federal immigration law without new investments in border security.Smith, said Nebraskans in his largely rural district might be more willing to discuss opportunities for immigrants seeking a better life if they felt the country was taking border security more seriously. The U.S. is spending about $17.5 billion on customs and border security this year.Fischer said there is bipartisan “agreement to secure the border.” Ricketts agreed.&nbsp;“We tried giving amnesty first,” Ricketts said of the 1980s immigration reform efforts under former President Ronald Reagan. “It didn’t work. So that’s why we know we have to secure the border first, and I’m pleased to hear the U.S. Chamber actually taking that seriously.”<h2>Empathy needed</h2>Flood said advocates for immigration reform need to understand and empathize with border ranchers in Texas and Arizona who get knocks on their doors in the middle of the night from migrants who need water after spending days in the hot sun or who find dead people on their properties.He asked how Nebraskans would feel if that was happening on farmsteads near Fairbury, Neb., for example.&nbsp;“We would be pulling every fire alarm in a five-state area if anything remotely similar was happening in Nebraska,” Flood said.&nbsp;Nebraskans critical of congressional inaction on immigration fixes argue that the only way to significantly cut the number of illegal border crossings is to increase the number of people allowed in legally and to improve the speed and clarity of the processes to enter the country.Elsa RamonArranda of LULAC of Nebraska, which advocates for Latino residents, chafed at the description of border crossings as somehow new. She grew up in Laredo, Texas, and said she was used to seeing Border Patrol agents on the streets, “just like police.”&nbsp;She said it was offensive to embrace immigration reform now that the U.S. needs workers and not because of human suffering along the border. She encouraged the chamber and its allies to reach out to Nebraska Latinos through groups like hers and include their voices in these discussions.&nbsp;Immigrants and refugees contribute 8% of the state’s economic output, an OpenSky Policy Institute study indicated.“Immigration has never been able to be fixed, no matter what percentage of Congress is Republican or Democrat,” RamonArranda said. “It’s a very narrow view … and an attempt to scare people.”<h2>Looking ahead</h2>Newbies Ricketts and Flood expressed some optimism that progress was possible this year on immigration. Smith said he was encouraged by the chamber recognizing the value of smaller, more measured steps. Fischer, as she sometimes does, offered a dose of skepticism.Asked whether she saw a path to passage of immigration bills soon, she said simply: “No.”