WASHINGTON —The Defense Department announced an additional security assistance package for Ukraine this past week that contains key capabilities to arm against Russian airstrikes targeting critical infrastructure across the country, according to a media release from the department.

The latest package, valued at up to $300 million, marks the 39th drawdown of DOD equipment for Ukraine since August 2021.

The newly announced assistance comes on the heels of Russia's recent drone attacks aimed at Ukraine's civilian infrastructure far from the front lines.

"Russia has continued to wage a brutal, completely unprovoked war against Ukraine, launching yet more airstrikes and bombarding Ukrainian cities across the country," said National Security Council spokesman John F. Kirby during a briefing at the White House. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Russia's recent onslaught included 17 separate air assaults targeting Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, in May alone. Those attacks harmed civilians and hit critical civilian infrastructure, Kirby said.&nbsp;

"In response, the United States is going to continue to help give them things that they need to better defend themselves," he said.&nbsp;

Included in the package are additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems, Avenger air defense systems, Stinger antiaircraft systems and AIM-7 missiles for air defense. &nbsp;

The package also includes more artillery and antiarmor capabilities, in addition to precision aerial munitions and other items. &nbsp;

The Biden administration has committed more than $37.6 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's invasion in February 2022. &nbsp;

Kirby said the U.S. and its allies remain firmly committed to supporting Ukraine going forward. &nbsp;

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III underscored the urgent need to help Ukraine defend its skies during last week's meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

"One of Ukraine's most urgent requirements is ground-based air defense," Austin said. "And this contact group will continue driving hard to help Ukraine defend the skies. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its sordid bombardment of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. And the Kremlin's cruelty only underscores Ukraine's need for a stronger, layered ground-based air defense architecture." &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, the U.S. has led 12 meetings of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, an alliance of more than 50 countries committed to the defense of Ukraine. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Austin underscored the United States' continued support for Ukraine at the conclusion of the latest summit, saying the contact group committed to doing even more to support Ukraine's fight for freedom.

<a href="https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/Support-for-Ukraine/">Spotlight: Support for Ukraine&nbsp;</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685796321552.png" alt="Air Force Staff Sgt. Dave Servida, ramp supervisor for the 436th Aerial Port Squadron, directs weapons cargo bound for Ukraine onto a C-17 Globemaster III during a security assistance mission at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Aug. 19, 2022. Photo by Air Force Airman 1st Class Cydney Lee" />
 <figcaption>Air Force Staff Sgt. Dave Servida, ramp supervisor for the 436th Aerial Port Squadron, directs weapons cargo bound for Ukraine onto a C-17 Globemaster III during a security assistance mission at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Aug. 19, 2022. Photo by Air Force Airman 1st Class Cydney Lee</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —The Defense Department announced an additional security assistance package for Ukraine this past week that contains key capabilities to arm against Russian airstrikes targeting critical infrastructure across the country, according to a media release from the department.The latest package, valued at up to $300 million, marks the 39th drawdown of DOD equipment for Ukraine since August 2021.The newly announced assistance comes on the heels of Russia's recent drone attacks aimed at Ukraine's civilian infrastructure far from the front lines."Russia has continued to wage a brutal, completely unprovoked war against Ukraine, launching yet more airstrikes and bombarding Ukrainian cities across the country," said National Security Council spokesman John F. Kirby during a briefing at the White House. &nbsp; &nbsp;Russia's recent onslaught included 17 separate air assaults targeting Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, in May alone. Those attacks harmed civilians and hit critical civilian infrastructure, Kirby said.&nbsp;"In response, the United States is going to continue to help give them things that they need to better defend themselves," he said.&nbsp;Included in the package are additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems, Avenger air defense systems, Stinger antiaircraft systems and AIM-7 missiles for air defense. &nbsp;The package also includes more artillery and antiarmor capabilities, in addition to precision aerial munitions and other items. &nbsp;The Biden administration has committed more than $37.6 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's invasion in February 2022. &nbsp;Kirby said the U.S. and its allies remain firmly committed to supporting Ukraine going forward. &nbsp;Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III underscored the urgent need to help Ukraine defend its skies during last week's meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group."One of Ukraine's most urgent requirements is ground-based air defense," Austin said. "And this contact group will continue driving hard to help Ukraine defend the skies. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its sordid bombardment of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. And the Kremlin's cruelty only underscores Ukraine's need for a stronger, layered ground-based air defense architecture." &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, the U.S. has led 12 meetings of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, an alliance of more than 50 countries committed to the defense of Ukraine. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Austin underscored the United States' continued support for Ukraine at the conclusion of the latest summit, saying the contact group committed to doing even more to support Ukraine's fight for freedom.<a href="https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/Support-for-Ukraine/">Spotlight: Support for Ukraine&nbsp;</a>

U.S. sending Ukraine another $300 million in additional military aid

By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Multiple public forums will kick off next week for the public to meet Rodney Bennett, the priority candidate to be chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/priority-candidate-for-unl-chancellor-is-30-year-veteran-of-higher-ed-and-would-be-first-person-of-color-in-the-role/">Bennett</a>, the former president of the University of Southern Mississippi, will attend nearly 20 forums, generally targeted to specific stakeholder groups but open to all members of the UNL community and the public.

“I hope every member of the UNL community will take this opportunity to engage with Rodney and share their feedback,” University of Nebraska President Ted Carter said in a statement.

Following a national search, Bennett was announced May 22 as the priority candidate to succeed Chancellor Ronnie Green, who plans to retire at the end of June.

Per state law, Bennett is undergoing a 30-day public vetting period. Carter can, at the conclusion of that period, bring Bennett’s candidacy to the June 22 NU Board of Regents meeting for final approval.

Carter said that he cannot wait to introduce Bennett to the UNL community and that public forums are an important phase in the search process.

“I have every confidence that the same qualities that made Dr. Bennett stand out to me in our search process will resonate with Nebraskans — his passionate belief in the land-grant mission, his relentless focus on outcomes, and his ability to bring people together around a shared vision for excellence,” Carter said.

Each forum will include an in-person and Zoom option, which is linked below for each event.

Location: Prem S. Paul Research Center at Whittier School, Boardroom, 2200 Vine St.

2:30 p.m.,&nbsp;Research and Economic Development Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/93845125287">Zoom</a>)

Location:&nbsp;Great Hall of the Wick Alumni Center, 1520 R St.

9:30 a.m.,&nbsp;Fine and Performing Arts and Architecture Forum&nbsp;(<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/92778423501">Zoom</a>)

11 a.m.,&nbsp;Engineering Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/93803852073">Zoom</a>)

1 p.m.,&nbsp;Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Chancellor’s Commissions Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/98545733592">Zoom</a>)

2:30 p.m.,&nbsp;Arts and Sciences Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/95330219446">Zoom</a>)

4 p.m.,&nbsp;Journalism and Mass Communications and Libraries Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/95665470771">Zoom</a>)

Location:&nbsp;Great Hall of the Wick Alumni Center, 1520 R St.&nbsp;

9:30 a.m.,&nbsp;College of Business Forum, (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/97761105059">Zoom</a>)

11 a.m.,&nbsp;Student Affairs Division Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/91729131948">Zoom</a>)

1 p.m.,&nbsp;Open Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/94973610311">Zoom</a>)

2:30 p.m.,&nbsp;Education and Human Sciences Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/95483393539">Zoom</a>)

4 p.m.,&nbsp;Staff Senate Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/94433537460">Zoom</a>)

Location: Varner Hall, 3835 Holdrege St.

2 p.m.,&nbsp;College of Law Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.zoom.us/j/97139458453">Zoom</a>)

3:30 p.m.,&nbsp;Graduate Student and Graduate Student Assembly Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.zoom.us/j/93019529761">Zoom</a>)

5 p.m.,&nbsp;Student and Association of Students of the University of Nebraska Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.zoom.us/j/99409666766">Zoom</a>)

Location:&nbsp;Nebraska East Union, Great Plains B, 1705 Arbor Drive

9:30 a.m.,&nbsp;College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/94167045978">Zoom</a>)

11 a.m.,&nbsp;Agricultural Research Division and Nebraska Extension Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/95144055129">Zoom</a>)

12:30 p.m.,&nbsp;Business and Finance Division Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.zoom.us/j/91490445416">Zoom</a>)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685920525916.png" alt=" Rodney Bennett, priority candidate for chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. (Photo courtesy of UNL)" />
 <figcaption> Rodney Bennett, priority candidate for chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. (Photo courtesy of UNL)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Multiple public forums will kick off next week for the public to meet Rodney Bennett, the priority candidate to be chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/priority-candidate-for-unl-chancellor-is-30-year-veteran-of-higher-ed-and-would-be-first-person-of-color-in-the-role/">Bennett</a>, the former president of the University of Southern Mississippi, will attend nearly 20 forums, generally targeted to specific stakeholder groups but open to all members of the UNL community and the public.“I hope every member of the UNL community will take this opportunity to engage with Rodney and share their feedback,” University of Nebraska President Ted Carter said in a statement.Following a national search, Bennett was announced May 22 as the priority candidate to succeed Chancellor Ronnie Green, who plans to retire at the end of June.Per state law, Bennett is undergoing a 30-day public vetting period. Carter can, at the conclusion of that period, bring Bennett’s candidacy to the June 22 NU Board of Regents meeting for final approval.Carter said that he cannot wait to introduce Bennett to the UNL community and that public forums are an important phase in the search process.“I have every confidence that the same qualities that made Dr. Bennett stand out to me in our search process will resonate with Nebraskans — his passionate belief in the land-grant mission, his relentless focus on outcomes, and his ability to bring people together around a shared vision for excellence,” Carter said.Each forum will include an in-person and Zoom option, which is linked below for each event.<h2>Monday, June 5</h2>Location: Prem S. Paul Research Center at Whittier School, Boardroom, 2200 Vine St.2:30 p.m.,&nbsp;Research and Economic Development Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/93845125287">Zoom</a>)<h2>Tuesday, June 6</h2>Location:&nbsp;Great Hall of the Wick Alumni Center, 1520 R St.9:30 a.m.,&nbsp;Fine and Performing Arts and Architecture Forum&nbsp;(<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/92778423501">Zoom</a>)11 a.m.,&nbsp;Engineering Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/93803852073">Zoom</a>)1 p.m.,&nbsp;Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Chancellor’s Commissions Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/98545733592">Zoom</a>)2:30 p.m.,&nbsp;Arts and Sciences Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/95330219446">Zoom</a>)4 p.m.,&nbsp;Journalism and Mass Communications and Libraries Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/95665470771">Zoom</a>)<h2>Wednesday, June 7</h2>Location:&nbsp;Great Hall of the Wick Alumni Center, 1520 R St.&nbsp;9:30 a.m.,&nbsp;College of Business Forum, (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/97761105059">Zoom</a>)11 a.m.,&nbsp;Student Affairs Division Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/91729131948">Zoom</a>)1 p.m.,&nbsp;Open Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/94973610311">Zoom</a>)2:30 p.m.,&nbsp;Education and Human Sciences Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/95483393539">Zoom</a>)4 p.m.,&nbsp;Staff Senate Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/94433537460">Zoom</a>)<h2>Thursday, June 8</h2>Location: Varner Hall, 3835 Holdrege St.2 p.m.,&nbsp;College of Law Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.zoom.us/j/97139458453">Zoom</a>)3:30 p.m.,&nbsp;Graduate Student and Graduate Student Assembly Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.zoom.us/j/93019529761">Zoom</a>)5 p.m.,&nbsp;Student and Association of Students of the University of Nebraska Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.zoom.us/j/99409666766">Zoom</a>)<h2>Friday, June 9</h2>Location:&nbsp;Nebraska East Union, Great Plains B, 1705 Arbor Drive9:30 a.m.,&nbsp;College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/94167045978">Zoom</a>)11 a.m.,&nbsp;Agricultural Research Division and Nebraska Extension Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://unl.zoom.us/j/95144055129">Zoom</a>)12:30 p.m.,&nbsp;Business and Finance Division Forum (<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.zoom.us/j/91490445416">Zoom</a>)

Public forums June 5-9 for University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor candidate

By ERIKA BOLSTAD&nbsp; <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/11/16/states-test-an-electrifying-idea-roads-that-can-recharge-your-ev">Stateline</a>

From its earliest days, Route 66 has reflected the American culture of the moment.

When the road connected Chicago to Los Angeles in 1926, it represented the possibility of the automobile. In the 1930s, it served as an east-to-west escape route from the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. By the 1950s, the 2,400-mile highway lured travelers with the post-World War II promise of adventure on the open road. And as the era of interstate highway driving dawned, Route 66 began to reflect a yearning for a time when a journey was about more than the destination.

Now the eight states traversed by America’s defining highway are getting it ready for its 100th anniversary, in 2026. States are handing out grants to restore vintage neon signs along the highway. They’re installing shoulders to make the road safer for bicyclists and improving signage to make the route more obvious through cities. And they’re installing charging stations that will make it easier to travel the entire length in an electric vehicle.

The iconic highway has always been “the ultimate symbol of a restless nation on the move,” writes Michael Wallis in “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.powells.com/book/route-66-the-mother-road-9780312082857">Route 66: The Mother Road</a>,” the 1990 book that may have saved the once-vital thoroughfare from obscurity after it was decommissioned as a federal highway in 1985. That symbolism won’t change, even as the vintage highway evolves to meet modern tourism’s demands, Wallis said in an interview with&nbsp;Stateline.

“The world still comes to Route 66,” said Wallis, who was appointed last year by President Joe Biden to the Route 66 Centennial Commission, which is planning some of the national events around the anniversary. “It’s because they can get a taste of this country before it became generic, before it was just littered with cookie-cutter franchise businesses, before it was homogenized. It’s a road not so much for tourists as it is for travelers.”

To that end, many states are planning how they can attract a new generation of travelers to Route 66. The road itself is now the destination.

In Illinois, where Route 66 begins and stretches for 300 miles, the state this spring awarded $6.6 million in grants to help communities upgrade and market their Route 66 attractions in advance of the 2026 celebrations.

The grants are aimed at boosting local tourism across Illinois as well as highlighting the state’s growing electric vehicle sector, Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. It’s a way of “honoring the history of Route 66 and looking to the future,” Pritzker said. One grant will create pylons at the beginning of the road in Chicago, which will feature QR codes that tell drivers where to find EV charging stations along Route 66.

The state money also will pay for interpretative panels at historic sites highlighted in “The Negro Motorist Green Book,” a guide to the midcentury service stations, motels and attractions where Black travelers were welcome in segregated states or hostile towns along the nation’s highways, including Route 66.

And this winter, the city of Edwardsville, Illinois, installed a 12.5-foot monument along its stretch of Route 66 not far from the Missouri border. The sign, a tilted version of the iconic highway shield, allows visitors to pose inside the round holes made by the number 66. It’s a Tik Tok or Instagram-friendly attraction, tourism officials say, which, as with the emphasis on neon signs, appeals to younger travelers.

In Arizona, the state developed the Route 66 Digital Passport, an app that allows travelers to tick off some of the best attractions for posting on social media. The app helped welcome a new generation of road-trippers to Arizona during the pandemic, when people sought outdoors and open-road experiences, said Josh Coddington, director of communications for the state’s Office of Tourism.

All along the route, towns are “recognizing the past, but they’re also maintaining [the road] so that it remains into the future,” said Rylie Mansuetti, the public and government affairs manager for AAA Oklahoma.

“It remains picture-worthy as we’re in the age of Instagram or TikTok,” she said. “A lot of these small towns are doing a great job at still offering that authentic taste and that step back, but making it appeal to newer generations.”

In Oklahoma, which has more than 400 miles of Route 66, the road is seen as a major tourism draw, Mansuetti said. Tulsa, known as the capital of Route 66, last year hosted the AAA Route 66 Road Fest. The party will continue this year — and will be among the signature national events of the 2026 centennial celebration.

“It’s called the Mother Road for a reason,” said Mansuetti, who notes that AAA tour guides began publishing the same year as Route 66 became a national road. “It’s absolutely a symbol of adventure and exploration, and it’s a driving force behind promoting tourism in the areas it passes through.”

In Oklahoma, the state Department of Transportation allows cities and counties to buy giant adhesive stickers to install on sections of the road, an Instagrammable and directional visual aid. To make part of Route 66 more accessible to bicyclists, Oklahoma recently received a $1 million federal grant to improve 1.3 miles of the highway near several roadside attractions, including the often photographed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://arcadiaroundbarn.com/">Arcadia Round Barn</a>.

Rhys Martin, president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, has traveled and photographed the entire length of the highway from Illinois to California. One of his favorite attractions in Oklahoma is the giant Blue Whale in Catoosa, a whimsical 20-foot-tall and 80-foot-long roadside attraction built in 1972. There are also dozens of local festivals in towns where Route 66 serves as their main street.

“If you just make time and get off the interstate, you’ll meet all kinds of amazing people and have some really great food and see things that you won’t see anywhere else,” he said. “Route 66 is about the experience. The phrase goes, it’s not about getting somewhere, it’s about going somewhere.”

An Oklahoma highway commissioner, Cyrus Avery, pushed tirelessly for Route 66’s creation as a federal highway in the 1920s, hopeful that it would divert traffic to Tulsa from other cross-country routes through Kansas City and Denver.

By 1939 with the publication of&nbsp;John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath,”&nbsp;Route 66 had achieved iconic status. In the book, Steinbeck describes Route 66 as the “Mother Road” for how it served as refuge for so many people displaced by the Great Depression and the devastation in the Great Plains of the Dust Bowl years. Route 66 was “the path of a people in flight,” Steinbeck wrote, “refugees from dust and shrinking land.”

After World War II, as automobile ownership and general prosperity boomed, the highway led to vacation destinations in New Mexico, Arizona and California. It was then that travelers experienced the heyday of the mom-and-pop motels and diners with architecture and neon signage that define the peak era of the highway.

For many older baby boomers, Route 66 meant the television show that aired from 1960 to 1964, starring two young men who drove the country in a Chevrolet Corvette convertible. The show was not set exclusively on Route 66, but its title and its spirit of adventure had an outsized impact on the road trip as a cultural phenomenon.

But over the next few decades, five new interstate highways — I-55, I-44, I-40, I-15 and I-10 — began replacing Route 66. Although at least 85% of the original road is still drivable, many of the small towns along Route 66 withered away after the interstates arrived, tastes changed, and more people preferred to travel by plane than by car.

Nonetheless, Route 66 remains — as both a physical highway and in the imagination as the ultimate road trip. In 2006, a new generation was introduced to the highway via the animated Pixar feature “Cars,” featuring race car Lightning McQueen and many of the road’s noteworthy roadside attractions.

Wallis, who voiced Sheriff in “Cars,” said that despite his longtime association with the road, he’s always been wary of overly romanticizing Route 66. It’s “much more than ’57 Chevys and poodle skirts,” he said. He points out that Nat King Cole, whose 1946 rendition of “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” helped popularize the highway, would not as a Black man have been able to stay at many of the establishments along the route.

“Those of us who want to preserve and protect Route 66 and tell the honest story, we believe there’s an obligation, since it’s arguably the most famous highway in the world,” he said. “Route 66 basically was a road for everyone. It was a road for blue bloods or rednecks, everybody traveling. But the conditions were different for various people that traveled there. And that needs to be pointed out. That’s very important.

Wallis lives in Tulsa and has written many other books in the three decades since his Route 66 classic, but the Mother Road has come to define his career. He’s often asked if the road gets boring. Never, Wallis said.

“Every time I go out on the road, I find something new,” he said. “More importantly, I find someone new.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685794919976.png" alt=" A full-size, brightly painted old DeSoto automobile rests on top of the front of the DeSoto Barbershop building against a backdrop of clear blue sky in Ash Fork, Arizona (Leslie Connell/National Archives)." />
 <figcaption> A full-size, brightly painted old DeSoto automobile rests on top of the front of the DeSoto Barbershop building against a backdrop of clear blue sky in Ash Fork, Arizona (Leslie Connell/National Archives).</figcaption>
 </figure>By ERIKA BOLSTAD&nbsp; <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/11/16/states-test-an-electrifying-idea-roads-that-can-recharge-your-ev">Stateline</a>From its earliest days, Route 66 has reflected the American culture of the moment.When the road connected Chicago to Los Angeles in 1926, it represented the possibility of the automobile. In the 1930s, it served as an east-to-west escape route from the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. By the 1950s, the 2,400-mile highway lured travelers with the post-World War II promise of adventure on the open road. And as the era of interstate highway driving dawned, Route 66 began to reflect a yearning for a time when a journey was about more than the destination.Now the eight states traversed by America’s defining highway are getting it ready for its 100th anniversary, in 2026. States are handing out grants to restore vintage neon signs along the highway. They’re installing shoulders to make the road safer for bicyclists and improving signage to make the route more obvious through cities. And they’re installing charging stations that will make it easier to travel the entire length in an electric vehicle.The iconic highway has always been “the ultimate symbol of a restless nation on the move,” writes Michael Wallis in “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.powells.com/book/route-66-the-mother-road-9780312082857">Route 66: The Mother Road</a>,” the 1990 book that may have saved the once-vital thoroughfare from obscurity after it was decommissioned as a federal highway in 1985. That symbolism won’t change, even as the vintage highway evolves to meet modern tourism’s demands, Wallis said in an interview with&nbsp;Stateline.“The world still comes to Route 66,” said Wallis, who was appointed last year by President Joe Biden to the Route 66 Centennial Commission, which is planning some of the national events around the anniversary. “It’s because they can get a taste of this country before it became generic, before it was just littered with cookie-cutter franchise businesses, before it was homogenized. It’s a road not so much for tourists as it is for travelers.”To that end, many states are planning how they can attract a new generation of travelers to Route 66. The road itself is now the destination.In Illinois, where Route 66 begins and stretches for 300 miles, the state this spring awarded $6.6 million in grants to help communities upgrade and market their Route 66 attractions in advance of the 2026 celebrations.The grants are aimed at boosting local tourism across Illinois as well as highlighting the state’s growing electric vehicle sector, Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. It’s a way of “honoring the history of Route 66 and looking to the future,” Pritzker said. One grant will create pylons at the beginning of the road in Chicago, which will feature QR codes that tell drivers where to find EV charging stations along Route 66.The state money also will pay for interpretative panels at historic sites highlighted in “The Negro Motorist Green Book,” a guide to the midcentury service stations, motels and attractions where Black travelers were welcome in segregated states or hostile towns along the nation’s highways, including Route 66.And this winter, the city of Edwardsville, Illinois, installed a 12.5-foot monument along its stretch of Route 66 not far from the Missouri border. The sign, a tilted version of the iconic highway shield, allows visitors to pose inside the round holes made by the number 66. It’s a Tik Tok or Instagram-friendly attraction, tourism officials say, which, as with the emphasis on neon signs, appeals to younger travelers.In Arizona, the state developed the Route 66 Digital Passport, an app that allows travelers to tick off some of the best attractions for posting on social media. The app helped welcome a new generation of road-trippers to Arizona during the pandemic, when people sought outdoors and open-road experiences, said Josh Coddington, director of communications for the state’s Office of Tourism.All along the route, towns are “recognizing the past, but they’re also maintaining [the road] so that it remains into the future,” said Rylie Mansuetti, the public and government affairs manager for AAA Oklahoma.“It remains picture-worthy as we’re in the age of Instagram or TikTok,” she said. “A lot of these small towns are doing a great job at still offering that authentic taste and that step back, but making it appeal to newer generations.”In Oklahoma, which has more than 400 miles of Route 66, the road is seen as a major tourism draw, Mansuetti said. Tulsa, known as the capital of Route 66, last year hosted the AAA Route 66 Road Fest. The party will continue this year — and will be among the signature national events of the 2026 centennial celebration.“It’s called the Mother Road for a reason,” said Mansuetti, who notes that AAA tour guides began publishing the same year as Route 66 became a national road. “It’s absolutely a symbol of adventure and exploration, and it’s a driving force behind promoting tourism in the areas it passes through.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685794865041.png" alt="A sign for the legendary Route 66 is pictured against the New Mexico sky (Kellie Thorne/National Archives)." />
 <figcaption>A sign for the legendary Route 66 is pictured against the New Mexico sky (Kellie Thorne/National Archives).</figcaption>
 </figure>In Oklahoma, the state Department of Transportation allows cities and counties to buy giant adhesive stickers to install on sections of the road, an Instagrammable and directional visual aid. To make part of Route 66 more accessible to bicyclists, Oklahoma recently received a $1 million federal grant to improve 1.3 miles of the highway near several roadside attractions, including the often photographed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://arcadiaroundbarn.com/">Arcadia Round Barn</a>.Rhys Martin, president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, has traveled and photographed the entire length of the highway from Illinois to California. One of his favorite attractions in Oklahoma is the giant Blue Whale in Catoosa, a whimsical 20-foot-tall and 80-foot-long roadside attraction built in 1972. There are also dozens of local festivals in towns where Route 66 serves as their main street.“If you just make time and get off the interstate, you’ll meet all kinds of amazing people and have some really great food and see things that you won’t see anywhere else,” he said. “Route 66 is about the experience. The phrase goes, it’s not about getting somewhere, it’s about going somewhere.”An Oklahoma highway commissioner, Cyrus Avery, pushed tirelessly for Route 66’s creation as a federal highway in the 1920s, hopeful that it would divert traffic to Tulsa from other cross-country routes through Kansas City and Denver.By 1939 with the publication of&nbsp;John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath,”&nbsp;Route 66 had achieved iconic status. In the book, Steinbeck describes Route 66 as the “Mother Road” for how it served as refuge for so many people displaced by the Great Depression and the devastation in the Great Plains of the Dust Bowl years. Route 66 was “the path of a people in flight,” Steinbeck wrote, “refugees from dust and shrinking land.”After World War II, as automobile ownership and general prosperity boomed, the highway led to vacation destinations in New Mexico, Arizona and California. It was then that travelers experienced the heyday of the mom-and-pop motels and diners with architecture and neon signage that define the peak era of the highway.For many older baby boomers, Route 66 meant the television show that aired from 1960 to 1964, starring two young men who drove the country in a Chevrolet Corvette convertible. The show was not set exclusively on Route 66, but its title and its spirit of adventure had an outsized impact on the road trip as a cultural phenomenon.But over the next few decades, five new interstate highways — I-55, I-44, I-40, I-15 and I-10 — began replacing Route 66. Although at least 85% of the original road is still drivable, many of the small towns along Route 66 withered away after the interstates arrived, tastes changed, and more people preferred to travel by plane than by car.Nonetheless, Route 66 remains — as both a physical highway and in the imagination as the ultimate road trip. In 2006, a new generation was introduced to the highway via the animated Pixar feature “Cars,” featuring race car Lightning McQueen and many of the road’s noteworthy roadside attractions.Wallis, who voiced Sheriff in “Cars,” said that despite his longtime association with the road, he’s always been wary of overly romanticizing Route 66. It’s “much more than ’57 Chevys and poodle skirts,” he said. He points out that Nat King Cole, whose 1946 rendition of “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” helped popularize the highway, would not as a Black man have been able to stay at many of the establishments along the route.“Those of us who want to preserve and protect Route 66 and tell the honest story, we believe there’s an obligation, since it’s arguably the most famous highway in the world,” he said. “Route 66 basically was a road for everyone. It was a road for blue bloods or rednecks, everybody traveling. But the conditions were different for various people that traveled there. And that needs to be pointed out. That’s very important.Wallis lives in Tulsa and has written many other books in the three decades since his Route 66 classic, but the Mother Road has come to define his career. He’s often asked if the road gets boring. Never, Wallis said.“Every time I go out on the road, I find something new,” he said. “More importantly, I find someone new.”

Route 66, America’s ‘Mother Road,’ readies for its centennial

WASHINGTON (AP) —In the year since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court struck down the nationwide right to abortion</a>, America’s religious leaders and denominations have responded in strikingly diverse ways — some celebrating the state-level bans that have ensued, others angered that a conservative Christian cause has changed the law of the land in ways they consider oppressive.

The divisions are epitomized in the country’s largest denomination — the Catholic Church.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/ap-norc-poll-details-rift-between-lay-catholics-and-bishops/">National polls</a>&nbsp;repeatedly show that a majority of U.S. Catholics believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases, yet the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/usccb-statement-us-supreme-court-ruling-dobbs-v-jackson">U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops</a>&nbsp;supports sweeping bans.

Among Protestants, a solid majority of white evangelicals favor outlawing abortion. But most mainline Protestants support the right to abortion, and several of their top leaders have decried the year-old Supreme Court ruling that undermined that right by reversing the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973.

For example, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Michael Curry, said he was “deeply grieved” by that ruling.

The decision “institutionalizes inequality because women with access to resources will be able to exercise their moral judgment in ways that women without the same resources will not,” Curry said.

Some religious Americans have gone beyond expressions of dismay, filing lawsuits contending that new abortion bans infringed on their own religious beliefs. Jewish women played roles in such lawsuits in Indiana and Kentucky; in Florida, a synagogue in Boynton Beach — Congregation L’Dor Va-Dor — contended in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-religion-lawsuits-florida-6e115c5c1f23eff92161d136940ae91e">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;that a state abortion ban violated Jewish teachings.

Dr. Sara Imershein, who performs first-trimester abortions in northern Virginia, said her Reform Judaism beliefs informed her decision to choose that path.

“I looked more at the liturgy of Judaism and found that it really supported my work,” she said. “I studied with my local rabbi.”

Imershein was in college when abortion was legalized nationwide. Now, at 69, she has seen Roe's demise.

“Laws that restrict abortion … ignore our Jewish teachings that are very old, and they stomp on our religious freedom,” she said.

In Buddhism, Islam and Sikhism, there also is widespread acceptance of abortion in some circumstances. Most U.S. Hindus are “very much in support of choice,” said Dheepa Sundaram, assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Denver; she cited the concept of karma which holds that each person has the liberty to act and face the consequences of their actions — good or bad.

Randall Balmer, a professor of American religious history at Dartmouth College, says the abortion debate is so intractable in part because believers in the opposing camps view the Bible — which doesn’t include the word “abortion” — as supporting their side.

“It shows the pliability of Scripture — the way that each group tries to marshal arguments on its behalf,” he said. “The Bible can be manipulated.”

“What strikes me about both sides is there’s no humility in their position,” Balmer added. “They stake out what they believe is God’s will, and everybody else is a heretic.”

Even within individual churches, divisions over abortion can flare. Bishop Timothy Clarke, pastor of First Church of God in Columbus, Ohio, frequently exhorts his predominantly African American congregation to respect those with opposing views.

Clarke describes himself as “biblically pro-life,” yet he criticizes the stringent abortion bans enacted in numerous Republican-led states as “excessive and extreme.”

Referring to laws that would criminalize abortion-providing doctors and deny abortion to victims of rape, he said many people in his church “are saying this is going too far. It’s beyond the pale.”

There is similar sentiment among some U.S. Catholics, says Kathleen Sprows Cummings, a professor of American studies and history at the University of Notre Dame and director of its Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism.

“There are some horrific stories coming out of pregnant women with severe issues who are being denied health care,” she said, referring to the consequences of some state abortion bans.

“We have to have a more human approach,” she said. “I think we’ll see more Catholics saying, ‘I’m not pro-abortion. But I want mercy. I want health care.’"

As a group, Catholic bishops are unwavering, as conveyed in a statement earlier this year from their conference’s president, Archbishop Timothy Broglio.

“The Catholic bishops of the United States are united in our commitment to life and will continue to work as one body in Christ to make abortion unthinkable,” he said.

<a href="https://apnorc.org/ap-norc-poll-details-rift-between-lay-catholics-and-bishops/">A poll last year</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed a clear gap between the prevalent views of U.S. Catholics, and the anti-abortion positions of the bishops. According to the poll, 63% of Catholic adults said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and 68% opposed Roe v. Wade's reversal.

“On every issue having to do with sexuality or reproductive health, there’s a huge gap between the way lay Catholics think and what the hierarchy is teaching,” said Jamie Manson, president of Catholics for Choice.

“What’s challenging,” she said, “is that even though most Catholics believe abortion should be legal, they don’t speak about it publicly because of the taboo … the fear of being ostracized by their community.”

Manson noted that a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/report/characteristics-us-abortion-patients-2014">2014 survey</a>&nbsp;by the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights, found that nearly one-fourth of U.S. abortion patients identify as Catholic.

“There’s an all-male hierarchy telling them they’re complicit in murder,” Manson said. “I wish what bishops and priests would do is listen to these women, listen to their stories of why they choose abortion.”

Among mainline Protestant denominations, there have been official statements acknowledging that abortion is a complex issue, but prevailing sentiment is that last year’s Supreme Court ruling was an injustice to women, particularly those already facing economic hardships and racial discrimination.

“This decision further complicates the struggle and creates division, anger, and chaos in an already divided and conflicted country,” wrote Bishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the United Methodist Church’s Council of Bishops.

Some Protestant pastors have emerged as outspoken advocates of abortion rights; among them is Jacqui Lewis, the first African American and first woman to serve as a senior minister in New York City’s historic Middle Collegiate Church.

She evoked the fear and heartache felt by many of the women affected by the new abortion bans.

“These are the poorest of us, the most disenfranchised and they’re struggling more because some portion of Christianity feels they have the right to decide for other people what is moral,” Lewis said. “It breaks my soul to see religion weaponized this way … it’s the opposite of what religion should be.”

Among the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, by far the largest evangelical denomination, there’s unified opposition to abortion. However, there has been sharp disagreement over whether to impose criminal penalties on women who get abortions.

The SBC’s president, Bart Barber, opposes criminalization of women in such cases and has sparred verbally with Baptist pastors who argue that such women. in some instances, should be considered murderers.

“I think it is unjust, unnecessary, and unwise to include in abortion laws the prosecution of women who seek or obtain an abortion,” Barber writes in a lengthy&nbsp;<a href="https://erlc.com/resource-library/commentary-articles/working-toward-the-end-of-abortion/">article.</a>&nbsp;“The abortionist is the murderer, and any law banning abortion should identify the abortionist uniquely as such.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656088183967.png" alt="Protestors for and against abortion outside the Supreme Court ruling in June 2022-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Protestors for and against abortion outside the Supreme Court ruling in June 2022-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY DAVID CRARY&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) —In the year since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court struck down the nationwide right to abortion</a>, America’s religious leaders and denominations have responded in strikingly diverse ways — some celebrating the state-level bans that have ensued, others angered that a conservative Christian cause has changed the law of the land in ways they consider oppressive.The divisions are epitomized in the country’s largest denomination — the Catholic Church.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/ap-norc-poll-details-rift-between-lay-catholics-and-bishops/">National polls</a>&nbsp;repeatedly show that a majority of U.S. Catholics believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases, yet the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/usccb-statement-us-supreme-court-ruling-dobbs-v-jackson">U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops</a>&nbsp;supports sweeping bans.Among Protestants, a solid majority of white evangelicals favor outlawing abortion. But most mainline Protestants support the right to abortion, and several of their top leaders have decried the year-old Supreme Court ruling that undermined that right by reversing the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973.For example, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Michael Curry, said he was “deeply grieved” by that ruling.The decision “institutionalizes inequality because women with access to resources will be able to exercise their moral judgment in ways that women without the same resources will not,” Curry said.Some religious Americans have gone beyond expressions of dismay, filing lawsuits contending that new abortion bans infringed on their own religious beliefs. Jewish women played roles in such lawsuits in Indiana and Kentucky; in Florida, a synagogue in Boynton Beach — Congregation L’Dor Va-Dor — contended in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-religion-lawsuits-florida-6e115c5c1f23eff92161d136940ae91e">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;that a state abortion ban violated Jewish teachings.Dr. Sara Imershein, who performs first-trimester abortions in northern Virginia, said her Reform Judaism beliefs informed her decision to choose that path.“I looked more at the liturgy of Judaism and found that it really supported my work,” she said. “I studied with my local rabbi.”Imershein was in college when abortion was legalized nationwide. Now, at 69, she has seen Roe's demise.“Laws that restrict abortion … ignore our Jewish teachings that are very old, and they stomp on our religious freedom,” she said.In Buddhism, Islam and Sikhism, there also is widespread acceptance of abortion in some circumstances. Most U.S. Hindus are “very much in support of choice,” said Dheepa Sundaram, assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Denver; she cited the concept of karma which holds that each person has the liberty to act and face the consequences of their actions — good or bad.Randall Balmer, a professor of American religious history at Dartmouth College, says the abortion debate is so intractable in part because believers in the opposing camps view the Bible — which doesn’t include the word “abortion” — as supporting their side.“It shows the pliability of Scripture — the way that each group tries to marshal arguments on its behalf,” he said. “The Bible can be manipulated.”“What strikes me about both sides is there’s no humility in their position,” Balmer added. “They stake out what they believe is God’s will, and everybody else is a heretic.”Even within individual churches, divisions over abortion can flare. Bishop Timothy Clarke, pastor of First Church of God in Columbus, Ohio, frequently exhorts his predominantly African American congregation to respect those with opposing views.Clarke describes himself as “biblically pro-life,” yet he criticizes the stringent abortion bans enacted in numerous Republican-led states as “excessive and extreme.”Referring to laws that would criminalize abortion-providing doctors and deny abortion to victims of rape, he said many people in his church “are saying this is going too far. It’s beyond the pale.”There is similar sentiment among some U.S. Catholics, says Kathleen Sprows Cummings, a professor of American studies and history at the University of Notre Dame and director of its Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism.“There are some horrific stories coming out of pregnant women with severe issues who are being denied health care,” she said, referring to the consequences of some state abortion bans.“We have to have a more human approach,” she said. “I think we’ll see more Catholics saying, ‘I’m not pro-abortion. But I want mercy. I want health care.’"As a group, Catholic bishops are unwavering, as conveyed in a statement earlier this year from their conference’s president, Archbishop Timothy Broglio.“The Catholic bishops of the United States are united in our commitment to life and will continue to work as one body in Christ to make abortion unthinkable,” he said.<a href="https://apnorc.org/ap-norc-poll-details-rift-between-lay-catholics-and-bishops/">A poll last year</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed a clear gap between the prevalent views of U.S. Catholics, and the anti-abortion positions of the bishops. According to the poll, 63% of Catholic adults said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and 68% opposed Roe v. Wade's reversal.“On every issue having to do with sexuality or reproductive health, there’s a huge gap between the way lay Catholics think and what the hierarchy is teaching,” said Jamie Manson, president of Catholics for Choice.“What’s challenging,” she said, “is that even though most Catholics believe abortion should be legal, they don’t speak about it publicly because of the taboo … the fear of being ostracized by their community.”Manson noted that a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/report/characteristics-us-abortion-patients-2014">2014 survey</a>&nbsp;by the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights, found that nearly one-fourth of U.S. abortion patients identify as Catholic.“There’s an all-male hierarchy telling them they’re complicit in murder,” Manson said. “I wish what bishops and priests would do is listen to these women, listen to their stories of why they choose abortion.”Among mainline Protestant denominations, there have been official statements acknowledging that abortion is a complex issue, but prevailing sentiment is that last year’s Supreme Court ruling was an injustice to women, particularly those already facing economic hardships and racial discrimination.“This decision further complicates the struggle and creates division, anger, and chaos in an already divided and conflicted country,” wrote Bishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the United Methodist Church’s Council of Bishops.Some Protestant pastors have emerged as outspoken advocates of abortion rights; among them is Jacqui Lewis, the first African American and first woman to serve as a senior minister in New York City’s historic Middle Collegiate Church.She evoked the fear and heartache felt by many of the women affected by the new abortion bans.“These are the poorest of us, the most disenfranchised and they’re struggling more because some portion of Christianity feels they have the right to decide for other people what is moral,” Lewis said. “It breaks my soul to see religion weaponized this way … it’s the opposite of what religion should be.”Among the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, by far the largest evangelical denomination, there’s unified opposition to abortion. However, there has been sharp disagreement over whether to impose criminal penalties on women who get abortions.The SBC’s president, Bart Barber, opposes criminalization of women in such cases and has sparred verbally with Baptist pastors who argue that such women. in some instances, should be considered murderers.“I think it is unjust, unnecessary, and unwise to include in abortion laws the prosecution of women who seek or obtain an abortion,” Barber writes in a lengthy&nbsp;<a href="https://erlc.com/resource-library/commentary-articles/working-toward-the-end-of-abortion/">article.</a>&nbsp;“The abortionist is the murderer, and any law banning abortion should identify the abortionist uniquely as such.”___

Religious leaders sharply divided over abortion, a year after Roe reversal

SINGAPORE (AP) — U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any “coercion and bullying” of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders in Singapore, Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aquilino-china-security-north-korea-bb41e692490b13cfcc0a6e28fd8f9bef">lobbied for support for Washington's vision</a>&nbsp;of a “free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights” as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

The U.S. has been expanding its own activities around the Indo-Pacific to counter sweeping territorial claims from China, including regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea.

“We are committed to ensuring that every country can fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows," he said at the forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank. "And every country, large or small, must remain free to conduct lawful maritime activities.”

Austin noted that the U.S. had provided millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine during the height of the pandemic and is regularly involved in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance efforts in the region. He said it is working to combat climate change, illegal fishing and ensure that supply chains do not suffer disruptions — ticking off many issues of importance to Asian-Pacific nations.

“We're doubling down on our alliances and partnerships,” he said.

He said the U.S. is also committed to deterring North Korea's missile threat and China's claims on Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that Beijing says is its territory, and said Washington has been stepping up defense planning, coordination and training with partner nations in the region.

“To be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation,” he said. “But we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion.”

Underscoring Austin's words, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate sailed Saturday through the Taiwan Strait, “waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law,” the U.S. 7th Fleet said. There was no immediate word of a Chinese response.

In Singapore, Chinese Lt. Gen. Jing Jianfeng, a senior member of the delegation accompanying Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu, accused Austin of “overtly or covertly making false accusations against China” in his address.

Speaking with reporters after Austin spoke, Jing alleged the U.S. has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-blinken-papua-biden-debt-limit-solomon-6bcfcfc6ea5c6bd179c072295c87b145">“deceiving and exploiting” Asia-Pacific nations</a>&nbsp;to advance its own self-interests to preserve “its dominant position" in the region.

He suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are “remnants of the Cold War” and establishing new pacts, like the AUKUS agreement with Britain and Australia and the “Quad” grouping with Australia, India and Japan “to divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation.”

Jing, who took no questions, said that by contrast, “China is committed to the region's development and prosperity.”

Austin sought to assure China that the U.S. remained “deeply committed” to the longstanding one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations with Taiwan, and continues to “categorically oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.”

He added that Russia's invasion of Ukraine had served to underline how dangerous the world would be if big countries were able to "just invade their peaceful neighbors with impunity.”

“Conflict is neither imminent nor inevitable,” Austin said. “Deterrence is strong today — and it’s our job to keep it that way. The whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

But Jing accused the U.S. of hollowing out the one-China policy, accusing Washington of supporting Taiwanese separatists without citing any evidence, and reiterating Beijing's claim that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's sovereign territory.”

“There's no room for us to concede or compromise,” he said.

He added that “China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the adjacent waters.”

Li, who became China’s defense minister in March,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-military-taiwan-balloon-singapore-e78f67d3d590294a2e4a351e6430e6ec">declined Austin’s invitation to talk</a>&nbsp;on the sidelines of the conference, though the two did shake hands before sitting down at opposite sides of the same table together as the forum opened Friday.

“A cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement,” he said.

Li, who was named defense minister in March, is under American sanctions that are part of a broad package of measures against Russia — but predate its invasion of Ukraine — that were imposed in 2018 over Li’s involvement in China’s purchase of combat aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow.

The sanctions, which broadly prevent Li from doing business in the United States, do not prevent him from holding official talks, American defense officials have said.

It was not clear whether Li, who is to address the forum Sunday morning, was in the room while Austin talked. He did join the American defense secretary and others later for a ministerial roundtable.

Austin reiterated calls that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made in his opening address at the forum for China to engage in regular, direct communications to help prevent any possible conflict.

“For responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime,” Austin said. “The right time to talk is every time. And the right time to talk is now.”

Jing said, however, that lines of communication needed to be based upon “mutual respect.”

“But the U.S. has been calling for communications on one hand and undermining China’s interests and concerns on the other,” he said.

The U.S. has noted that since 2021 — well before Li became defense minister — China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the U.S. Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685562587349.png" alt="From a video of the Chinese J-16 fighter pilot that "flew directly in front of the nose of a U.S. RC-135,&nbsp;forcing the American pilot to fly through the turbulent wake. Image INDOPACOM" />
 <figcaption>From a video of the Chinese J-16 fighter pilot that "flew directly in front of the nose of a U.S. RC-135,&nbsp;forcing the American pilot to fly through the turbulent wake. Image INDOPACOM</figcaption>
 </figure>SINGAPORE (AP) — U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any “coercion and bullying” of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict.Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders in Singapore, Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aquilino-china-security-north-korea-bb41e692490b13cfcc0a6e28fd8f9bef">lobbied for support for Washington's vision</a>&nbsp;of a “free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights” as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region.The U.S. has been expanding its own activities around the Indo-Pacific to counter sweeping territorial claims from China, including regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea.“We are committed to ensuring that every country can fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows," he said at the forum hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank. "And every country, large or small, must remain free to conduct lawful maritime activities.”Austin noted that the U.S. had provided millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine during the height of the pandemic and is regularly involved in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance efforts in the region. He said it is working to combat climate change, illegal fishing and ensure that supply chains do not suffer disruptions — ticking off many issues of importance to Asian-Pacific nations.“We're doubling down on our alliances and partnerships,” he said.He said the U.S. is also committed to deterring North Korea's missile threat and China's claims on Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that Beijing says is its territory, and said Washington has been stepping up defense planning, coordination and training with partner nations in the region.“To be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation,” he said. “But we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion.”Underscoring Austin's words, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer and a Canadian frigate sailed Saturday through the Taiwan Strait, “waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law,” the U.S. 7th Fleet said. There was no immediate word of a Chinese response.In Singapore, Chinese Lt. Gen. Jing Jianfeng, a senior member of the delegation accompanying Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu, accused Austin of “overtly or covertly making false accusations against China” in his address.Speaking with reporters after Austin spoke, Jing alleged the U.S. has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-blinken-papua-biden-debt-limit-solomon-6bcfcfc6ea5c6bd179c072295c87b145">“deceiving and exploiting” Asia-Pacific nations</a>&nbsp;to advance its own self-interests to preserve “its dominant position" in the region.He suggested that Washington has been holding on to alliances that are “remnants of the Cold War” and establishing new pacts, like the AUKUS agreement with Britain and Australia and the “Quad” grouping with Australia, India and Japan “to divide the world into ideologically-driven camps and provoke confrontation.”Jing, who took no questions, said that by contrast, “China is committed to the region's development and prosperity.”Austin sought to assure China that the U.S. remained “deeply committed” to the longstanding one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing as the government of China but allows informal relations with Taiwan, and continues to “categorically oppose unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.”He added that Russia's invasion of Ukraine had served to underline how dangerous the world would be if big countries were able to "just invade their peaceful neighbors with impunity.”“Conflict is neither imminent nor inevitable,” Austin said. “Deterrence is strong today — and it’s our job to keep it that way. The whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”But Jing accused the U.S. of hollowing out the one-China policy, accusing Washington of supporting Taiwanese separatists without citing any evidence, and reiterating Beijing's claim that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's sovereign territory.”“There's no room for us to concede or compromise,” he said.He added that “China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the adjacent waters.”Li, who became China’s defense minister in March,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-military-taiwan-balloon-singapore-e78f67d3d590294a2e4a351e6430e6ec">declined Austin’s invitation to talk</a>&nbsp;on the sidelines of the conference, though the two did shake hands before sitting down at opposite sides of the same table together as the forum opened Friday.Austin said this was not enough.“A cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement,” he said.Li, who was named defense minister in March, is under American sanctions that are part of a broad package of measures against Russia — but predate its invasion of Ukraine — that were imposed in 2018 over Li’s involvement in China’s purchase of combat aircraft and anti-aircraft missiles from Moscow.The sanctions, which broadly prevent Li from doing business in the United States, do not prevent him from holding official talks, American defense officials have said.It was not clear whether Li, who is to address the forum Sunday morning, was in the room while Austin talked. He did join the American defense secretary and others later for a ministerial roundtable.Austin reiterated calls that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made in his opening address at the forum for China to engage in regular, direct communications to help prevent any possible conflict.“For responsible defense leaders, the right time to talk is anytime,” Austin said. “The right time to talk is every time. And the right time to talk is now.”Jing said, however, that lines of communication needed to be based upon “mutual respect.”“But the U.S. has been calling for communications on one hand and undermining China’s interests and concerns on the other,” he said.The U.S. has noted that since 2021 — well before Li became defense minister — China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the U.S. Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements.

Defense secretary: U.S. won't stand for bullying from China

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-no-1-in-labor-force-participation-rate-no-2-in-low-unemployment-rate/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Sixteen organizations collectively have been awarded $11 million in low-interest loans and grants to create more affordable housing in the Omaha area.

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/02/front-porch-investments-opens-funding-gate-to-affordable-housing-projects/">Front Porch Investments</a>&nbsp;said that its latest round of “Development and Preservation Fund” recipients, announced Thursday, should generate 221 dwellings and help launch four new housing programs and four planning grants.

The nonprofit said it received 41 applications totaling $35.2 million in requests.

The funding is made possible through a partnership that matches philanthropic dollars with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.&nbsp;

Awards include $10.1 million in low-interest loans, both short- and long-term, and $1.4 million in grants.&nbsp;

A scoring committee includes representatives of the City of Omaha and local housing organizations. They look for programs that help households earning less than 120% of area median income and that reach seniors, at-risk youths and emerging developers.

“We received many strong applications, making this the most competitive round to date,” said Meridith Dillon, Front Porch executive director. “This partnership of ARPA and philanthropic funds for affordable housing continues to positively impact our community.”

Lionhead Development LLC, $400,000&nbsp;&nbsp;

Seventy-Five North Revitalization Corp., $1.47 million

Carole’s House of Hope Inc., $49,700&nbsp;

Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim, $196,270&nbsp;&nbsp;

Southside Redevelopment Corp. (Canopy South), $88,400

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626727724386.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-no-1-in-labor-force-participation-rate-no-2-in-low-unemployment-rate/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Sixteen organizations collectively have been awarded $11 million in low-interest loans and grants to create more affordable housing in the Omaha area.<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/03/02/front-porch-investments-opens-funding-gate-to-affordable-housing-projects/">Front Porch Investments</a>&nbsp;said that its latest round of “Development and Preservation Fund” recipients, announced Thursday, should generate 221 dwellings and help launch four new housing programs and four planning grants.The nonprofit said it received 41 applications totaling $35.2 million in requests.The funding is made possible through a partnership that matches philanthropic dollars with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.&nbsp;Awards include $10.1 million in low-interest loans, both short- and long-term, and $1.4 million in grants.&nbsp;A scoring committee includes representatives of the City of Omaha and local housing organizations. They look for programs that help households earning less than 120% of area median income and that reach seniors, at-risk youths and emerging developers.“We received many strong applications, making this the most competitive round to date,” said Meridith Dillon, Front Porch executive director. “This partnership of ARPA and philanthropic funds for affordable housing continues to positively impact our community.”<h2>Loan recipients:&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>AI Investment LLC, $2 millionBrinshore Development LLC, $1.5 millionHoly Name Housing Corp., $3 millionJendayi Frazer 50 Ventures LLC, $398,665Lionhead Development LLC, $400,000&nbsp;&nbsp;Seventy-Five North Revitalization Corp., $1.47 millionWoodling Development Corp., $625,000<h2>Grant recipients:&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>Carole’s House of Hope Inc., $49,700&nbsp;Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim, $196,270&nbsp;&nbsp;inCOMMON Housing Development, $30,000Omaha by Design, $134,000&nbsp;Restoring Dignity, $417,459&nbsp;Southside Redevelopment Corp. (Canopy South), $88,400Spark Capital, $243,750&nbsp;World Speaks, $121,928&nbsp;Youth Emergency Services, $139,819&nbsp;

Nonprofit awards loans, grants to spark more Omaha-area affordable housing

Missouri Family Health Council will distribute over 5,500 kits containing emergency contraception pills in a pilot program launching Thursday

By CLARA BATES <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

Anyone with a Missouri address can now request emergency contraception pills be shipped to them by mail, for free,&nbsp;under a pilot program launched Thursday by a health care nonprofit.

Missouri Family Health Council Inc. launched the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://mfhc.org/EC">“Free EC” initiative</a>&nbsp;using federal Title X funds for family planning programs. Missourians can request the pills through an online form on the nonprofit’s website or pick them up at designated in-person centers.

Also known as the morning-after pill, or by the brand name Plan B, the emergency contraception pill is an over-the-counter form of birth control that can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex to avoid pregnancy.&nbsp;

The goal of the initiative, Executive Director Michelle Trupiano said, is to reduce geographic and financial barriers Missourians face in accessing emergency contraception pills.

“Really since the&nbsp;Dobbs&nbsp;ruling last summer,” Trupiano said in an interview with The Independent, “we realized that it was more important to combat misinformation and stigma about and to improve access to emergency contraception.”

Since last summer, abortion has been outlawed in Missouri except in cases of medical emergency.&nbsp;

Emergency contraception pills have remained legal, but&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/29/missouri-ag-says-state-abortion-ban-does-not-prohibit-plan-b-or-contraception/">confusion</a>&nbsp;and misinformation around that fact in Missouri and nationally has mounted.&nbsp;

A poll conducted by the health policy research nonprofit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/press-release/the-public-including-women-of-childbearing-age-are-largely-confused-about-the-legality-of-medication-abortion-and-emergency-contraceptives-in-their-states/">KFF</a>&nbsp;this year found that one-third of American adults said they are “unsure” if emergency contraception is legal in their state, though it is legal in all 50 states. Confusion about its legality is more pronounced in states where abortion is banned, the poll found.

The emergency contraception pill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/plan-b-one-step-15-mg-levonorgestrel-information#:~:text=One%2DStep%20work%3F-,A.,similar%20way%20to%20prevent%20pregnancy.">works</a>&nbsp;similarly to birth control pills, generally to prevent ovulation, but most adults incorrectly believe it can end early pregnancy, KFF found.

“We definitely hope that as more people become aware of this [initiative], that it will combat the misinformation that maybe emergency contraception is illegal,” Trupiano said.&nbsp;

“And so that more people will feel more confidence that they understand the difference between emergency contraception and medication abortion, and that they are able to talk about it and feel confident in terms of the legality of all methods of birth control.”

The nonprofit created more than 5,500 kits, Trupiano said, each of which includes two doses of the emergency contraception pill, along with safer sex supplies like condoms and family planning information.

“While we partly did this as a response to the&nbsp;Dobbs&nbsp;decision, we also know that it’s not a solution to the abortion access crisis,” Trupiano said. “It’s just one way to try to ensure that as many people have access to preventive care as possible.”

Missourians can request one of the kits by submitting a form on the nonprofit’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://mfhc.org/EC">website</a>, or going to one of the in-person distribution centers partnering with the nonprofit, which include health centers and private community partners such as domestic violence organizations.

Trupiano hopes that down the line, Missouri Family Health Council can “secure additional funding, continue this in a sustainable way,” she said, “because we know the need is great.”

The Missouri Family Health Council is the state’s sole grantee of federal family planning funding through Title X. The state has tried, in recent years,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/17/missouri-state-health-agency-seeks-control-of-title-x-funds-that-go-to-planned-parenthood/">to oversee the funds themselves,</a>&nbsp;raising advocates’ concerns the state would limit which providers could receive the federal planning dollars. But so far, that attempt to control the funds has been unsuccessful.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685626036011.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri Family Health Council will distribute over 5,500 kits containing emergency contraception pills in a pilot program launching Thursday</h2>By CLARA BATES <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Anyone with a Missouri address can now request emergency contraception pills be shipped to them by mail, for free,&nbsp;under a pilot program launched Thursday by a health care nonprofit.Missouri Family Health Council Inc. launched the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://mfhc.org/EC">“Free EC” initiative</a>&nbsp;using federal Title X funds for family planning programs. Missourians can request the pills through an online form on the nonprofit’s website or pick them up at designated in-person centers.Also known as the morning-after pill, or by the brand name Plan B, the emergency contraception pill is an over-the-counter form of birth control that can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex to avoid pregnancy.&nbsp;The goal of the initiative, Executive Director Michelle Trupiano said, is to reduce geographic and financial barriers Missourians face in accessing emergency contraception pills.“Really since the&nbsp;Dobbs&nbsp;ruling last summer,” Trupiano said in an interview with The Independent, “we realized that it was more important to combat misinformation and stigma about and to improve access to emergency contraception.”Since last summer, abortion has been outlawed in Missouri except in cases of medical emergency.&nbsp;Emergency contraception pills have remained legal, but&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/29/missouri-ag-says-state-abortion-ban-does-not-prohibit-plan-b-or-contraception/">confusion</a>&nbsp;and misinformation around that fact in Missouri and nationally has mounted.&nbsp;A poll conducted by the health policy research nonprofit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/press-release/the-public-including-women-of-childbearing-age-are-largely-confused-about-the-legality-of-medication-abortion-and-emergency-contraceptives-in-their-states/">KFF</a>&nbsp;this year found that one-third of American adults said they are “unsure” if emergency contraception is legal in their state, though it is legal in all 50 states. Confusion about its legality is more pronounced in states where abortion is banned, the poll found.The emergency contraception pill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/plan-b-one-step-15-mg-levonorgestrel-information#:~:text=One%2DStep%20work%3F-,A.,similar%20way%20to%20prevent%20pregnancy.">works</a>&nbsp;similarly to birth control pills, generally to prevent ovulation, but most adults incorrectly believe it can end early pregnancy, KFF found.“We definitely hope that as more people become aware of this [initiative], that it will combat the misinformation that maybe emergency contraception is illegal,” Trupiano said.&nbsp;“And so that more people will feel more confidence that they understand the difference between emergency contraception and medication abortion, and that they are able to talk about it and feel confident in terms of the legality of all methods of birth control.”The nonprofit created more than 5,500 kits, Trupiano said, each of which includes two doses of the emergency contraception pill, along with safer sex supplies like condoms and family planning information.“While we partly did this as a response to the&nbsp;Dobbs&nbsp;decision, we also know that it’s not a solution to the abortion access crisis,” Trupiano said. “It’s just one way to try to ensure that as many people have access to preventive care as possible.”Missourians can request one of the kits by submitting a form on the nonprofit’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://mfhc.org/EC">website</a>, or going to one of the in-person distribution centers partnering with the nonprofit, which include health centers and private community partners such as domestic violence organizations.Trupiano hopes that down the line, Missouri Family Health Council can “secure additional funding, continue this in a sustainable way,” she said, “because we know the need is great.”The Missouri Family Health Council is the state’s sole grantee of federal family planning funding through Title X. The state has tried, in recent years,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/17/missouri-state-health-agency-seeks-control-of-title-x-funds-that-go-to-planned-parenthood/">to oversee the funds themselves,</a>&nbsp;raising advocates’ concerns the state would limit which providers could receive the federal planning dollars. But so far, that attempt to control the funds has been unsuccessful.

Nonprofit launches initiative to provide free emergency contraception by mail

LINCOLN —&nbsp;The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission on Friday found no probable cause in an alleged conflict of interest violation filed against State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha.

In an 8-0 vote, the commission found no probable cause to support an allegation that Hunt had a conflict of interest in the outcome of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49961">Legislative Bill 574</a>, which, in part, imposed&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/22/nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-signs-abortion-gender-care-restrictions-into-law/">restrictions</a>&nbsp;on gender-affirming care for minors.

David Begley, an Omaha-based attorney, filed the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/26/nebraska-lawmakers-defend-colleague-for-out-of-bounds-conflict-of-interest-complaint/">complaint</a>&nbsp;March 24 alleging that Hunt and her son, who is transgender, had a financial stake in the bill’s outcome.

“I’m happy the NADC saw the complaint for the frivolous political attack it was,” Hunt told the Nebraska Examiner after the ruling. “What worries me is seeing (an) increase in these attacks on trans people in this country and the families who love them.”

Begley argued that “in order to fully transition, Senator Hunt’s child would need medical services.” However, Hunt and multiple doctors who provide gender-affirming services have said this is untrue and gender transitions do not require medical care.

If LB 574 were defeated, Begley said, Hunt and her son had a “slightly more than average chance” of receiving Medicaid coverage if they filed a lawsuit against the bill.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services in 1990&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sos.ne.gov/rules-and-regs/regsearch/Rules/Health_and_Human_Services_System/Title-471/Chapter-18.pdf">excluded</a>&nbsp;Medicaid coverage for this care.

Frank Daley, the executive director of the commission, wrote in a synopsis of the case that conflicts of interest deal with a financial benefit for a state lawmaker or their immediate family. Such financial effect must be “reasonably foreseeable.”

“A financial effect is not considered reasonably foreseeable if it is remote, speculative, contingent or uncertain,” Daley wrote.

Begley told the Examiner Friday that just because a case is dismissed, that does not make it frivolous. People, he said, can “disagree” on reasonable foreseeability.

He stressed that Hunt has said she would do anything on the floor for her child and that, if true, she should file a lawsuit in federal court alleging LB 574 is contrary to the Affordable Care Act and the Fourteenth Amendment.

Hunt detailed on the floor during debate on LB 574 how the bill would&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/22/second-day-of-debate-on-trans-health-care-bill-brings-personal-stories-to-forefront/">harm her family</a>.

“The point isn’t that I could gain financially if my kid has rights,” Hunt said in an April 26 floor speech announcing the complaint. “The point is the harassment.”

This was a month after the complaint when Hunt said Daley hand-delivered the complaint to her.

Multiple senators came to Hunt’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/26/nebraska-lawmakers-defend-colleague-for-out-of-bounds-conflict-of-interest-complaint/">defense</a>&nbsp;on the floor that day, including State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, who said, “It is so far out of bounds that it does not merit discussion.”

Nebraska lawmakers approved LB 574 on a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/19/nebraska-passes-stricter-abortion-ban-limits-on-gender-affirming-care/">33-15 vote</a>&nbsp;to prohibit transition surgeries before the age of 19, while authorizing the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/10/final-say-on-nebraska-gender-care-legislation-would-be-delegated-to-executive-appointee-and-dhhs/">chief medical officer</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/25/nebraska-legislative-committee-advances-contentious-nomination-for-chief-medical-officer/">Dr. Timothy Tesmer</a>, to impose rules and regulations covering puberty blockers and hormone therapies for minors. The bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/08/state-lawmakers-to-try-again-to-limit-abortion-rights-pairing-it-with-a-bill-involving-gender-care/">as amended</a>, also imposed an approximately 10-week abortion ban.

He said Hunt could have filed a lawsuit before or after LB 574 passed. However, with the bill having passed, the damage is more “acute and clear now.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685815477973.png" alt="State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha speaks against LB 574 on the floor of the Legislature on Friday, May 19, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha speaks against LB 574 on the floor of the Legislature on Friday, May 19, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner).</figcaption>
 </figure>By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission on Friday found no probable cause in an alleged conflict of interest violation filed against State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha.In an 8-0 vote, the commission found no probable cause to support an allegation that Hunt had a conflict of interest in the outcome of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49961">Legislative Bill 574</a>, which, in part, imposed&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/22/nebraska-gov-jim-pillen-signs-abortion-gender-care-restrictions-into-law/">restrictions</a>&nbsp;on gender-affirming care for minors.David Begley, an Omaha-based attorney, filed the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/26/nebraska-lawmakers-defend-colleague-for-out-of-bounds-conflict-of-interest-complaint/">complaint</a>&nbsp;March 24 alleging that Hunt and her son, who is transgender, had a financial stake in the bill’s outcome.“I’m happy the NADC saw the complaint for the frivolous political attack it was,” Hunt told the Nebraska Examiner after the ruling. “What worries me is seeing (an) increase in these attacks on trans people in this country and the families who love them.”Begley argued that “in order to fully transition, Senator Hunt’s child would need medical services.” However, Hunt and multiple doctors who provide gender-affirming services have said this is untrue and gender transitions do not require medical care. If LB 574 were defeated, Begley said, Hunt and her son had a “slightly more than average chance” of receiving Medicaid coverage if they filed a lawsuit against the bill.The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services in 1990&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sos.ne.gov/rules-and-regs/regsearch/Rules/Health_and_Human_Services_System/Title-471/Chapter-18.pdf">excluded</a>&nbsp;Medicaid coverage for this care.Frank Daley, the executive director of the commission, wrote in a synopsis of the case that conflicts of interest deal with a financial benefit for a state lawmaker or their immediate family. Such financial effect must be “reasonably foreseeable.”“A financial effect is not considered reasonably foreseeable if it is remote, speculative, contingent or uncertain,” Daley wrote.Begley told the Examiner Friday that just because a case is dismissed, that does not make it frivolous. People, he said, can “disagree” on reasonable foreseeability.He stressed that Hunt has said she would do anything on the floor for her child and that, if true, she should file a lawsuit in federal court alleging LB 574 is contrary to the Affordable Care Act and the Fourteenth Amendment.Hunt detailed on the floor during debate on LB 574 how the bill would&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/22/second-day-of-debate-on-trans-health-care-bill-brings-personal-stories-to-forefront/">harm her family</a>.“The point isn’t that I could gain financially if my kid has rights,” Hunt said in an April 26 floor speech announcing the complaint. “The point is the harassment.”This was a month after the complaint when Hunt said Daley hand-delivered the complaint to her.Multiple senators came to Hunt’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/26/nebraska-lawmakers-defend-colleague-for-out-of-bounds-conflict-of-interest-complaint/">defense</a>&nbsp;on the floor that day, including State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, who said, “It is so far out of bounds that it does not merit discussion.”Nebraska lawmakers approved LB 574 on a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/19/nebraska-passes-stricter-abortion-ban-limits-on-gender-affirming-care/">33-15 vote</a>&nbsp;to prohibit transition surgeries before the age of 19, while authorizing the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/10/final-say-on-nebraska-gender-care-legislation-would-be-delegated-to-executive-appointee-and-dhhs/">chief medical officer</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/25/nebraska-legislative-committee-advances-contentious-nomination-for-chief-medical-officer/">Dr. Timothy Tesmer</a>, to impose rules and regulations covering puberty blockers and hormone therapies for minors. The bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/08/state-lawmakers-to-try-again-to-limit-abortion-rights-pairing-it-with-a-bill-involving-gender-care/">as amended</a>, also imposed an approximately 10-week abortion ban.He said Hunt could have filed a lawsuit before or after LB 574 passed. However, with the bill having passed, the damage is more “acute and clear now.”“She makes this statement that she’ll do anything for her child,” Begley said. “Well, go to federal court, Senator Hunt, that’s my recommendation to you.”