<a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Omni%20Dem%20Highlight.pdf">The legislation includes the following,</a> according to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Support for Public Schools: Congress secured historic levels of funding to support public school teachers and students and invest in our children’s future. The bill includes:

• $17.5 billion, the largest increase in more than a decade, for Title I-A grants to local educational agencies to support student achievement, including through preschool programs for eligible children.

• $14.2 billion, a $433 million increase, for special education state grant programs that support services to nearly 9 million students and children with a disability.

• $75 million, double the funding from last year, for Full Community Services Schools, which integrate student supports and family engagement to improved student attendance.

• $1.29 billion, an increase of $30 million, for 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, which serves 1.6 million students across the country.

College Access, Affordability, and Completion: Affordable access to higher education is a pillar to achieving the American dream and essential to driving our economy forward in the 21st century. The bill includes:

• $400 increase in the maximum Pell grant award, the largest increase in more than a

decade, which will help 7 million students pursue a postsecondary education.

• $1.1 billion, an increase of $40 million, for TRIO, which helps more than 800,000 lowincome individuals, first generation college students, and individuals with disabilities prepare for and get into college and succeed when they’re there.

• $378 million, an increase of $10 million for GEAR UP, which helps almost 600,000 lowincome students beginning in middle school and through high school prepare for a postsecondary education.

$65 million, an increase of $10 million, for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program to increase access to affordable and convenient child care options for student parents.

• $885 million, an increase of $96 million, for a programs to strengthen HBCUs, MSI, and other historically under-resourced institutions of higher education serving a high percentage of low-income students.

Making Housing More Affordable and Safe: Democrats included critical resources to expand opportunities for affordable housing and provide assistance to families struggling to avoid unsafe housing conditions or from falling into homelessness. In addition to providing the resources to preserve rental assistance to the more than 5 million HUD-assisted, low-income households amid significant rent increases, the bill includes:

• $280 million for 32,800 new housing vouchers.

• $3.2 billion, a 16 percent increase, for public housing capital formula funds.

• $350 million, a 75 percent increase, for Choice Neighborhoods.

• $1.5 billion, an 11 percent increase and the highest level of funding provided in the past decade, for new affordable housing production through the HOME program.

• $4.8 billion for community and economic development.

• More than $1 billion, a 21 percent increase, for Housing for the Elderly.

• $352 million, a 55 percent increase, for Housing for Persons Disabilities.

• More than $1 billion, a 24 percent increase, for Native community housing programs.

• $415 million, a 15 percent increase, for the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes to address lead-based paint and other environmental hazards in low-income and HUD-assisted housing.

• $489 million, a $24 million increase, for the Legal Services Corporation, which provides civil legal assistance to low-income persons including those involved in housing and foreclosure cases.

Child Care and Early Child Education: Any young family understands that the cost of child care is far too high and the pandemic forced millions of women to leave the workforce because they could not afford child care. Democrats secured strong support to lower the cost of child care, including:

• $11.036 billion, a $288.7 million increase, for Head Start. This increase will allow a cost-of-living adjustment for Head Start teachers and staff, and includes quality improvement funding to help Head Start programs recruit and retain teachers.

• $6.165 billion, a 4.4 percent increase, for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. Particularly as the pandemic has upended child care for many working parents, the increase will help ensure families have access to high-quality, affordable care for their children.

Preventing Homelessness for Vulnerable Households: More than 580,000 people experienced homelessness in the United States on a single night in 2020. Democrats are committed to helping communities design and implement local solutions to end homelessness and included

$3.213 billion, a 6.6 percent increase, for Homeless Assistance Grants. This includes:

$2.8 billion to fully meet the Continuum of Care program’s renewal need.

• $290 million for Emergency Solutions Grants.

• $107 million for new investments to support homeless youth, including a $25 million increase targeted to improving coordination across local systems serving homeless youth.

• $52 million for new rapid rehousing projects that serve victims and survivors of domestic violence.

Climate Change and the Environment: The climate crisis poses a significant threat to human health and the environment. After four years of denial and inaction by the Trump administration,

Democrats included significant new funding to mitigate and adapt to the threat of climate change. The bill includes:

• $3.2 billion – a historic level of funding and a 12 percent increase – for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) to support vehicle technologies, wind power, solar energy, weatherization assistance programs, and renewable grid integration.

• $2.94 billion at the Department of Energy to support research, development, and demonstration of cybersecurity, grid innovation, and carbon-free power sources keeping the United States at the forefront of energy innovation.

• $1.903 billion to the Department of Transportation to mitigate the effects of climate change in our transportation system.

• $1.234 billion for the new Carbon Reduction program to help reduce transportation related greenhouse gas emissions.

• $425 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) clean air programs to tackle the existential threat of climate change and address the continuing burden of harmful air pollution on communities across the country.

• $92 million for diesel emission clean up grants that take high polluting diesel engines off the streets and out of communities.

• $31.97 million for Tribal Climate Resiliency funding through Bureau of Indian Affairs to help Tribal communities address and prepare for the effects of climate change.

• $2.7 billion for State Revolving Loan funds to build climate resilient water infrastructure and address other priority water challenges.

• $1.23 billion for EPA’s Superfund program to create jobs and protect the public by cleaning up hazardous waste sites and $46 million for brownfield grants that tackle contaminated properties and power local economic growth.

• $5.877 billion, an 8 percent increase, for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric&nbsp;Administration (NOAA) for, among other things, climate modeling and prediction and helping communities adapt to a change climate. This amount includes a more than $40 million increase for various NOAA climate-related projects and programs, such as $18 million for climate research and $6.25 million for offshore wind permitting and expansion.

• $41.5 million, a 24 percent increase, for the Assistance to Coal Communities Program within the Economic Development Administration at the Department of Commerce to support communities transitioning away from coal-fired power plants.

• $587 million in EPA geographic programs to restore and build the resilience of priority waterbodies across the country through community-led initiatives.

$100 million for environmental justice programs at the Environmental Protection Agency, a transformational expansion of the current $12 million program to better address the disproportionate impacts of pollution on communities of color and lowincome communities.

• $100 million for Military Installation Resilience to enable the Department of Defense to address infrastructure needs to prepare for and address current and future risks from climate change.

Supporting Our Veterans and Investing in Our Troops: Congressional . The bill includes:

• $97.5 billion, an 8.7 percent increase, for VA Medical Care to provide essential health services for 9.2 million veterans, including funds for rural health programs, veterans’ homelessness prevention, and mental health.

• $1.44 billion to support troop housing projects, child development centers, and the construction, renovation, and repair of public schools on military instillations.

• $278.1 million for housing and rental assistance.

• $119.6 million in food assistance to support service members and their families struggling to put food on the table.

Investing in Science, Research, and Development: Congress secured historic increases for science, research, and development. Investing in science is investing in innovation and our country’s competitive advantage. The bill includes:

• $1 billion to launch the Advanced Research Projects for Health, the President’s bold and promising proposal to accelerate the pace of breakthroughs in medicine.

• $351 million increase for the National Science Foundation – the largest increase in 12 years– for a total funding level of $8.84 billion. This includes $900 million for climate and clean energy research, a $45 million increase. NSF is the funding source for approximately 25 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by

America’s colleges and universities

• $7.475 billion, a 6 percent increase, for the Department of Energy Office of Science to advance the highest priorities to maintain U.S. scientific leadership. The Office of Science is the largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences.

• $44.959 billion for the National Institutes of Health, an increase of $2.25 billion or 5.3 percent to advance science and speed the development of new therapies, diagnostics and preventive measures.

Strengthening Police-Community Relations and Supporting Law Enforcement:&nbsp; The bill includes: $201 million, a 31 percent increase, for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant programs, including funding for de-escalation, implicit bias, duty to intervene training, and crisis intervention teams.

• $3.88 billion, a 15 percent increase, in DOJ grants to state and local law enforcement and communities to prevent and respond to crime.

o The Byrne-JAG program is funded at $674.5 million, with $382 million, a 6 percent increase, being released to support state, local, Tribal, and territorial criminal justice systems.

o COPS Hiring grants are funded at $246 million, which will place approximately 1,700 more police officers on the streets of our communities.

o Funding is also included for programs that support training for officers to properly handle interactions with individuals who have mental illness or a disability ($10 million), officer mental health and wellness ($8 million), the purchase of body cameras ($35 million) and bulletproof vests ($30 million), and rural law enforcement needs ($8 million).

Opioids &amp; Substance Misuse The United States reached new records in the number of drug overdose fatalities during the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 100,000 lives lost to drug overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021. Democrats are committed to ending the scourge of opioid and substance abuse and bill includes important investments to address the nation’s substance misuse crisis, including:

• $4.2 billion, a 9 percent increase, across the Department of Health and Human Services to address opioid abuse.

• $1.525 billion for the State Opioid Response Grant program.

• $50 million increase for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.

• $101 million, a nearly 11 percent increase, for medication assisted treatment.

• $490 million for opioid overdose surveillance and prevention at CDC.

• $80 million to address the needs of children affected by the opioid crisis.

• $135 million targeted to help affected rural communities.

Mental Health: Mental health care is health care, and Congress secured significant new investments to improve mental health access and the nation’s system of crisis care. These investments include:

• $101.6 million – a $77.6 million increase – for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline to successfully transition to 988.

• $315 million, a $65 million increase, for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.

• $857.6 million, a 13.2 percent increase, for the Mental Health Block Grant, which continues a 5 percent set aside for states to create crisis care programs.

• $10 million for a new grant program to improve mental health crisis care responses.

• $10 million, a $2 million increase, for infant and early childhood mental health.

• $120 million, a $13 million increase, for Project AWARE, which will expand efforts to identify and help children and youth in need of mental health care.

• $111 million, a $90 million increase, for Department of Education programs designed to increase the availability of mental health services in schools.

Support for Tribes: The bill provides an increase of more than $500 million for the Indian Health Service and tribal programs in the Department of the Interior and additional clean energy funding at the Department of Energy including:

• $4.66 billion, an 8.3 percent increase, for tribal health services, including mental health and suicide prevention.

• $25 million, a 25 percent increase, to address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women cases in Indian Country.

• $7 million in new funding for an Indian Boarding School initiative to conduct a comprehensive review of the troubled legacy of federal boarding school policies.

• $58 million, a 164 percent increase for the Indian Energy Policy and Programs at the Department of Energy, to help deploy clean energy across Indian Country.

Addressing Food Insecurity: More than 38 million people, including 12 million children, in the United States are food insecure. Congressional Democrats fought to secure new resources to help American families put food on the table and ensure that over 4 million low income women and children do not see their benefits reduced at the end of April. The bill includes:

• An extension of the WIC Cash Value Voucher program, a special $35 monthly benefit for purchasing fruits and vegetables that would have expired in April.

• $6 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which supported 6.2 million low-income women, infants and children younger than five per month in fiscal year 2020.

• $140.4 billion, a 23 percent increase, for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides a lifeline to more than 40 million people every year.

• $26.8 billion, a 7 percent increase, for Child Nutrition Programs.

Public Health and Preparedness: As a nation, we were unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. Decades of underinvestment in public health infrastructure and erosion of the public health workforce contributed to the pandemic’s heavy toll. To ensure we are prepared for the next public health crisis, Democrats secured new and historic investments in rebuilding our public health infrastructure and key investments in our preparedness and response capabilities.

The bill also includes $1 billion to launch the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, the President’s bold and promising proposal to accelerate the pace of breakthroughs in medicine.

• 7 percent increase for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with new, flexible funding for CDC to support our public health infrastructure and strengthen state and local governments’ infrastructure and capacity to respond to emerging public health threats.

• 19.8 percent increase for the Strategic National Stockpile that will allow us to maintain an inventory of supplies and a modern distribution model to ensure readiness for a future pandemic.

24.8 percent increase for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support novel vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic platforms that will enable quicker, more effective public health and medical responses to detect and respond to infectious diseases and health emergencies.

• 5.3 percent increase for the National Institutes of Health, with this investment Congress has increased funding for NIH over the past seven years.

Wildland Fire and Fire Prevention: Increasingly intense wildfires have destroyed communities across the country. Democrats secured funding to combat these wildfires and prevent them in the first place. This funding includes:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671640779259.png" alt="Senator Rand Paul with the&nbsp;4,155 page bill that nobody read before the vote." />
 <figcaption>Senator Rand Paul with the&nbsp;4,155 page bill that nobody read before the vote.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Omni%20Dem%20Highlight.pdf">The legislation includes the following,</a> according to the Senate Appropriations Committee.Support for Public Schools: Congress secured historic levels of funding to support public school teachers and students and invest in our children’s future. The bill includes:• $17.5 billion, the largest increase in more than a decade, for Title I-A grants to local educational agencies to support student achievement, including through preschool programs for eligible children.• $14.2 billion, a $433 million increase, for special education state grant programs that support services to nearly 9 million students and children with a disability.• $75 million, double the funding from last year, for Full Community Services Schools, which integrate student supports and family engagement to improved student attendance.• $1.29 billion, an increase of $30 million, for 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, which serves 1.6 million students across the country.College Access, Affordability, and Completion: Affordable access to higher education is a pillar to achieving the American dream and essential to driving our economy forward in the 21st century. The bill includes:• $400 increase in the maximum Pell grant award, the largest increase in more than adecade, which will help 7 million students pursue a postsecondary education.• $1.1 billion, an increase of $40 million, for TRIO, which helps more than 800,000 lowincome individuals, first generation college students, and individuals with disabilities prepare for and get into college and succeed when they’re there.• $378 million, an increase of $10 million for GEAR UP, which helps almost 600,000 lowincome students beginning in middle school and through high school prepare for a postsecondary education.$65 million, an increase of $10 million, for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program to increase access to affordable and convenient child care options for student parents.• $885 million, an increase of $96 million, for a programs to strengthen HBCUs, MSI, and other historically under-resourced institutions of higher education serving a high percentage of low-income students.Making Housing More Affordable and Safe: Democrats included critical resources to expand opportunities for affordable housing and provide assistance to families struggling to avoid unsafe housing conditions or from falling into homelessness. In addition to providing the resources to preserve rental assistance to the more than 5 million HUD-assisted, low-income households amid significant rent increases, the bill includes:• $280 million for 32,800 new housing vouchers.• $3.2 billion, a 16 percent increase, for public housing capital formula funds.• $350 million, a 75 percent increase, for Choice Neighborhoods.• $1.5 billion, an 11 percent increase and the highest level of funding provided in the past decade, for new affordable housing production through the HOME program.• $4.8 billion for community and economic development.• More than $1 billion, a 21 percent increase, for Housing for the Elderly.• $352 million, a 55 percent increase, for Housing for Persons Disabilities.• More than $1 billion, a 24 percent increase, for Native community housing programs.• $415 million, a 15 percent increase, for the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes to address lead-based paint and other environmental hazards in low-income and HUD-assisted housing.• $489 million, a $24 million increase, for the Legal Services Corporation, which provides civil legal assistance to low-income persons including those involved in housing and foreclosure cases.Child Care and Early Child Education: Any young family understands that the cost of child care is far too high and the pandemic forced millions of women to leave the workforce because they could not afford child care. Democrats secured strong support to lower the cost of child care, including:• $11.036 billion, a $288.7 million increase, for Head Start. This increase will allow a cost-of-living adjustment for Head Start teachers and staff, and includes quality improvement funding to help Head Start programs recruit and retain teachers.• $6.165 billion, a 4.4 percent increase, for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. Particularly as the pandemic has upended child care for many working parents, the increase will help ensure families have access to high-quality, affordable care for their children.Preventing Homelessness for Vulnerable Households: More than 580,000 people experienced homelessness in the United States on a single night in 2020. Democrats are committed to helping communities design and implement local solutions to end homelessness and included$3.213 billion, a 6.6 percent increase, for Homeless Assistance Grants. This includes:$2.8 billion to fully meet the Continuum of Care program’s renewal need.• $290 million for Emergency Solutions Grants.• $107 million for new investments to support homeless youth, including a $25 million increase targeted to improving coordination across local systems serving homeless youth.• $52 million for new rapid rehousing projects that serve victims and survivors of domestic violence.Climate Change and the Environment: The climate crisis poses a significant threat to human health and the environment. After four years of denial and inaction by the Trump administration,Democrats included significant new funding to mitigate and adapt to the threat of climate change. The bill includes:• $3.2 billion – a historic level of funding and a 12 percent increase – for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) to support vehicle technologies, wind power, solar energy, weatherization assistance programs, and renewable grid integration.• $2.94 billion at the Department of Energy to support research, development, and demonstration of cybersecurity, grid innovation, and carbon-free power sources keeping the United States at the forefront of energy innovation.• $1.903 billion to the Department of Transportation to mitigate the effects of climate change in our transportation system.• $1.234 billion for the new Carbon Reduction program to help reduce transportation related greenhouse gas emissions.• $425 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) clean air programs to tackle the existential threat of climate change and address the continuing burden of harmful air pollution on communities across the country.• $92 million for diesel emission clean up grants that take high polluting diesel engines off the streets and out of communities.• $31.97 million for Tribal Climate Resiliency funding through Bureau of Indian Affairs to help Tribal communities address and prepare for the effects of climate change.• $2.7 billion for State Revolving Loan funds to build climate resilient water infrastructure and address other priority water challenges.• $1.23 billion for EPA’s Superfund program to create jobs and protect the public by cleaning up hazardous waste sites and $46 million for brownfield grants that tackle contaminated properties and power local economic growth.• $5.877 billion, an 8 percent increase, for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric&nbsp;Administration (NOAA) for, among other things, climate modeling and prediction and helping communities adapt to a change climate. This amount includes a more than $40 million increase for various NOAA climate-related projects and programs, such as $18 million for climate research and $6.25 million for offshore wind permitting and expansion.• $41.5 million, a 24 percent increase, for the Assistance to Coal Communities Program within the Economic Development Administration at the Department of Commerce to support communities transitioning away from coal-fired power plants.• $587 million in EPA geographic programs to restore and build the resilience of priority waterbodies across the country through community-led initiatives.$100 million for environmental justice programs at the Environmental Protection Agency, a transformational expansion of the current $12 million program to better address the disproportionate impacts of pollution on communities of color and lowincome communities.• $100 million for Military Installation Resilience to enable the Department of Defense to address infrastructure needs to prepare for and address current and future risks from climate change.Supporting Our Veterans and Investing in Our Troops: Congressional . The bill includes:• $97.5 billion, an 8.7 percent increase, for VA Medical Care to provide essential health services for 9.2 million veterans, including funds for rural health programs, veterans’ homelessness prevention, and mental health.• $1.44 billion to support troop housing projects, child development centers, and the construction, renovation, and repair of public schools on military instillations.• $278.1 million for housing and rental assistance.• $119.6 million in food assistance to support service members and their families struggling to put food on the table.Investing in Science, Research, and Development: Congress secured historic increases for science, research, and development. Investing in science is investing in innovation and our country’s competitive advantage. The bill includes:• $1 billion to launch the Advanced Research Projects for Health, the President’s bold and promising proposal to accelerate the pace of breakthroughs in medicine.• $351 million increase for the National Science Foundation – the largest increase in 12 years– for a total funding level of $8.84 billion. This includes $900 million for climate and clean energy research, a $45 million increase. NSF is the funding source for approximately 25 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted byAmerica’s colleges and universities• $7.475 billion, a 6 percent increase, for the Department of Energy Office of Science to advance the highest priorities to maintain U.S. scientific leadership. The Office of Science is the largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences.• $44.959 billion for the National Institutes of Health, an increase of $2.25 billion or 5.3 percent to advance science and speed the development of new therapies, diagnostics and preventive measures.Strengthening Police-Community Relations and Supporting Law Enforcement:&nbsp; The bill includes: $201 million, a 31 percent increase, for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant programs, including funding for de-escalation, implicit bias, duty to intervene training, and crisis intervention teams.• $3.88 billion, a 15 percent increase, in DOJ grants to state and local law enforcement and communities to prevent and respond to crime.o The Byrne-JAG program is funded at $674.5 million, with $382 million, a 6 percent increase, being released to support state, local, Tribal, and territorial criminal justice systems.o COPS Hiring grants are funded at $246 million, which will place approximately 1,700 more police officers on the streets of our communities.o Funding is also included for programs that support training for officers to properly handle interactions with individuals who have mental illness or a disability ($10 million), officer mental health and wellness ($8 million), the purchase of body cameras ($35 million) and bulletproof vests ($30 million), and rural law enforcement needs ($8 million).Opioids &amp; Substance Misuse The United States reached new records in the number of drug overdose fatalities during the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 100,000 lives lost to drug overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021. Democrats are committed to ending the scourge of opioid and substance abuse and bill includes important investments to address the nation’s substance misuse crisis, including:• $4.2 billion, a 9 percent increase, across the Department of Health and Human Services to address opioid abuse.• $1.525 billion for the State Opioid Response Grant program.• $50 million increase for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.• $101 million, a nearly 11 percent increase, for medication assisted treatment.• $490 million for opioid overdose surveillance and prevention at CDC.• $80 million to address the needs of children affected by the opioid crisis.• $135 million targeted to help affected rural communities.Mental Health: Mental health care is health care, and Congress secured significant new investments to improve mental health access and the nation’s system of crisis care. These investments include:• $101.6 million – a $77.6 million increase – for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline to successfully transition to 988.• $315 million, a $65 million increase, for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.• $857.6 million, a 13.2 percent increase, for the Mental Health Block Grant, which continues a 5 percent set aside for states to create crisis care programs.• $10 million for a new grant program to improve mental health crisis care responses.• $10 million, a $2 million increase, for infant and early childhood mental health.• $120 million, a $13 million increase, for Project AWARE, which will expand efforts to identify and help children and youth in need of mental health care.• $111 million, a $90 million increase, for Department of Education programs designed to increase the availability of mental health services in schools.Support for Tribes: The bill provides an increase of more than $500 million for the Indian Health Service and tribal programs in the Department of the Interior and additional clean energy funding at the Department of Energy including:• $4.66 billion, an 8.3 percent increase, for tribal health services, including mental health and suicide prevention.• $25 million, a 25 percent increase, to address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women cases in Indian Country.• $7 million in new funding for an Indian Boarding School initiative to conduct a comprehensive review of the troubled legacy of federal boarding school policies.• $58 million, a 164 percent increase for the Indian Energy Policy and Programs at the Department of Energy, to help deploy clean energy across Indian Country.Addressing Food Insecurity: More than 38 million people, including 12 million children, in the United States are food insecure. Congressional Democrats fought to secure new resources to help American families put food on the table and ensure that over 4 million low income women and children do not see their benefits reduced at the end of April. The bill includes:• An extension of the WIC Cash Value Voucher program, a special $35 monthly benefit for purchasing fruits and vegetables that would have expired in April.• $6 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which supported 6.2 million low-income women, infants and children younger than five per month in fiscal year 2020.• $140.4 billion, a 23 percent increase, for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides a lifeline to more than 40 million people every year.• $26.8 billion, a 7 percent increase, for Child Nutrition Programs.Public Health and Preparedness: As a nation, we were unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. Decades of underinvestment in public health infrastructure and erosion of the public health workforce contributed to the pandemic’s heavy toll. To ensure we are prepared for the next public health crisis, Democrats secured new and historic investments in rebuilding our public health infrastructure and key investments in our preparedness and response capabilities.The bill also includes $1 billion to launch the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, the President’s bold and promising proposal to accelerate the pace of breakthroughs in medicine.Other funding increases include:• 7 percent increase for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with new, flexible funding for CDC to support our public health infrastructure and strengthen state and local governments’ infrastructure and capacity to respond to emerging public health threats.• 19.8 percent increase for the Strategic National Stockpile that will allow us to maintain an inventory of supplies and a modern distribution model to ensure readiness for a future pandemic.24.8 percent increase for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support novel vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic platforms that will enable quicker, more effective public health and medical responses to detect and respond to infectious diseases and health emergencies.• 5.3 percent increase for the National Institutes of Health, with this investment Congress has increased funding for NIH over the past seven years.Wildland Fire and Fire Prevention: Increasingly intense wildfires have destroyed communities across the country. Democrats secured funding to combat these wildfires and prevent them in the first place. This funding includes:• $5.7 billion, a 5.5 percent increase, for the Forest Service to radically improve forest restoration and fire risk reduction efforts and to increase year-round staffing to carry out this work.• $2.45 billion for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund.Rebuilding our Highways and Implementing the IIJA: Congress&nbsp;built on the historic investments included in the bipartisan infrastructure law to rebuild our nation’s crumbling infrastructure and the roads, highways and bridges that connect our communities. These investments include:• $60.657 billion, an $11.5 billion increase, for Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) activities.

What's in the $1.7 trillion spending bill congress approved

CINCINNATI (AP) — Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin was in critical condition early Tuesday after the Bills say he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field following a tackle hours earlier, leading to the indefinite postponement of Buffalo's pivotal Monday night showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment,” the Bills said in a statement. “He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/damar-hamlin">In a chilling scene</a>, Hamlin was administered CPR on the field, ESPN reported, while surrounded by teammates, some of them in tears, while they shielded him from public view. He was hurt while tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on a seemingly routine play that didn't appear unusually violent.

The NFL announced Hamlin's condition shortly after he was taken to a hospital, but neither the league nor the hospital released any other details about the 24-year-old's medical condition. The team's statement was released before its flight arrived back in Buffalo early Tuesday. There was no immediate update about the future status of the game.

On the play the 6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin was injured, Higgins led with his right shoulder, which hit the defensive back in the chest. Hamlin then wrapped his arms around Higgins' shoulders and helmet to drag him down. Hamlin quickly got to his feet, appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand, and then fell backward about three seconds later and lay motionless.

Hamlin was treated on the field by team and independent medical personnel and local paramedics, and he was taken by ambulance to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Teammate Stefon Diggs later joined Hamlin at the hospital.

About 100 Bills fans and a few Bengals fans gathered on a corner one block from the emergency room entrance, some of them holding candles.

Jeff Miller, an NFL executive vice president, told reporters on a conference call early Tuesday that the league had made no plans at this time to play the game, adding that Hamlin's health was the main focus.

An ambulance was on the field four minutes after Hamlin collapsed while many players embraced, including quarterbacks Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow.

“Please pray for our brother,”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/JoshAllenQB/status/1610128591458652160">Allen tweeted</a>.

Hamlin collapsed at 8:55 p.m., and when he was taken off the field about 19 minutes later in what seemed like an eternity, the Bills gathered in prayer. A few minutes after the ambulance left the field, the game was suspended, and players walked off the field slowly and into their locker rooms where they awaited word on Hamlin and the game.

“I’ve never seen anything like it since I was playing,” NFL executive Troy Vincent, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback during his career, said in the conference call early Tuesday morning. “Immediately, my player hat went on, like, how do you resume playing after seeing a traumatic event in front of you?”

Hamlin’s uniform was cut off as he was attended to by medical personnel. ESPN reported on its telecast that Hamlin was also given oxygen.

Vincent said the league took no steps toward restarting the game and did not ask players to begin a five-minute warmup period as ESPN's broadcasters had announced.

“It never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play," Vincent said. "That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive. That’s not a place we should ever be in.”

Vincent said the Bills were returning early Tuesday morning to the team facility in Orchard Park, New York, with the exception of a few players who stayed behind with Hamlin.

There was a heavy police presence at Buffalo Niagara International Airport when the team arrived at about 2:45 a.m. A small group of fans gathered across the street from the players' parking area near the airport. Police blocked off the road to allow the players to leave.

The Bengals led 7-3 in the first quarter of a game between teams vying for the top playoff seed in the AFC. Cincinnati entered at 11-4 and leading the AFC North by one game over Baltimore, while AFC East champion Buffalo was 12-3.

“The NFLPA and everyone in our community is praying for Damar Hamlin,” the players' union said in a statement. “We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players, and with the NFL. The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar’s health and well being.”

The unfinished game has major playoff implications as the NFL enters the final week of the regular season, with the wild-card playoff round scheduled to begin on Jan. 14.

The aftermath of the injury was reminiscent of when Bills tight end Kevin Everett lay motionless on the field after making a tackle on the second-half opening kickoff in Buffalo’s 2007 season-opening game against the Denver Broncos.

Everett sustained a spinal cord injury that initially left him partially paralyzed.

Hamlin spent five years of college at Pittsburgh — his hometown — and appeared in 48 games for the Panthers over that span. He was a second-team All-ACC performer as a senior, was voted a team captain and was picked to play in the Senior Bowl.

He was drafted in the sixth round by the Bills in 2021, played in 14 games as a rookie and then became a starter this year once Micah Hyde was lost for the season to injury.

By late Monday night,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/mxksc-the-chasing-ms-foundation-community-toy-drive">a community toy drive organized by Hamlin</a>&nbsp;had surged to more than $1.2 million in donations. His stated goal was $2,500.

Kathryn Bersani and her mother, Gayle, were among the Bills fans who traveled from Buffalo for the game and went to the hospital from the stadium.

“This is our family Christmas,” Kathryn Bersani said. "We thought it would be a great game. Joe (Burrow) and Josh (Allen) are such great men. Sad, sad time. Such a shock. I just hope he can live a normal life. It stunned us.”

Chuck and Janet Kohl went to the hospital after watching the game at home.

“This is much more important than football,” Chuck Kohl said. “Had to come and pray for Mr. Hamlin.”

Entering the game, Hamlin had 91 tackles, including 63 solo tackles, and 1 1/2 sacks.

A tweet from the Pitt football account was simple and clear: “Damar Hamlin is the best of us. We love you, 3,” the tweet said, referring to Hamlin by his college jersey number. “Praying for you.”

CINCINNATI (AP) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field Monday night and was administered CPR before being driven to a hospital, where the NFL said he was in critical condition, and Buffalo's game against the Cincinnati Bengals was suspended for the night.

The NFL announced just over an hour after the injury that the game would not resume. When or if the teams would return to the field was not immediately clear.

“Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available,” the league said in a statement. “The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game.”

Hamlin collided with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins after a completion in what appeared to be a routine, if violent, tackle. He got to his feet, appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand, and then fell backward about three seconds later and lay motionless.

Hamlin was treated on the field by team and independent medical personnel and local paramedics, the NFL said. He was surrounded by stunned players from both teams.

An ambulance was on the field four minutes after Hamlin collapsed, with many players in tears, including cornerback Tre’Davious White. The quarterbacks — Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow — embraced.

Hamlin collapsed at 8:55 p.m., and when he was taken off the field 16 minutes later, the Bills gathered in prayer. He was driven to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Five minutes after the ambulance departed, the game was suspended, and players walked off the field slowly and into their locker rooms.

Hamlin's uniform was cut off and he appeared to be getting CPR from medical personnel. ESPN reported on its telecast that Hamlin was also given oxygen.

“No one’s been through this,” longtime NFL quarterback Troy Aikman said on the ESPN telecast. “I’ve never seen anything like it, either.”

The 24-year-old Hamlin spent five years of college at Pitt — his hometown — and appeared in 48 games for the Panthers over that span. He was a second-team All-ACC performer as a senior, was voted a team captain and was picked to play in the Senior Bowl.

Entering the game, the 6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin had 91 tackles, including 63 solo tackles, and 1 1/2 sacks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672714269393.png" alt="Damar Hamlin photo courtesy Buffalo Bills" />
 <figcaption>Damar Hamlin photo courtesy Buffalo Bills</figcaption>
 </figure>CINCINNATI (AP) — Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin was in critical condition early Tuesday after the Bills say he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field following a tackle hours earlier, leading to the indefinite postponement of Buffalo's pivotal Monday night showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.&mdash; Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) <a href="https://twitter.com/BuffaloBills/status/1610166228559052801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment,” the Bills said in a statement. “He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/damar-hamlin">In a chilling scene</a>, Hamlin was administered CPR on the field, ESPN reported, while surrounded by teammates, some of them in tears, while they shielded him from public view. He was hurt while tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on a seemingly routine play that didn't appear unusually violent.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/Q5xPxUZpxH">pic.twitter.com/Q5xPxUZpxH</a>&mdash; NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1610111462281994241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The NFL announced Hamlin's condition shortly after he was taken to a hospital, but neither the league nor the hospital released any other details about the 24-year-old's medical condition. The team's statement was released before its flight arrived back in Buffalo early Tuesday. There was no immediate update about the future status of the game.On the play the 6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin was injured, Higgins led with his right shoulder, which hit the defensive back in the chest. Hamlin then wrapped his arms around Higgins' shoulders and helmet to drag him down. Hamlin quickly got to his feet, appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand, and then fell backward about three seconds later and lay motionless.Hamlin was treated on the field by team and independent medical personnel and local paramedics, and he was taken by ambulance to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Teammate Stefon Diggs later joined Hamlin at the hospital.About 100 Bills fans and a few Bengals fans gathered on a corner one block from the emergency room entrance, some of them holding candles.Jeff Miller, an NFL executive vice president, told reporters on a conference call early Tuesday that the league had made no plans at this time to play the game, adding that Hamlin's health was the main focus.An ambulance was on the field four minutes after Hamlin collapsed while many players embraced, including quarterbacks Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow.“Please pray for our brother,”&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/JoshAllenQB/status/1610128591458652160">Allen tweeted</a>.Hamlin collapsed at 8:55 p.m., and when he was taken off the field about 19 minutes later in what seemed like an eternity, the Bills gathered in prayer. A few minutes after the ambulance left the field, the game was suspended, and players walked off the field slowly and into their locker rooms where they awaited word on Hamlin and the game.“I’ve never seen anything like it since I was playing,” NFL executive Troy Vincent, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback during his career, said in the conference call early Tuesday morning. “Immediately, my player hat went on, like, how do you resume playing after seeing a traumatic event in front of you?”Hamlin’s uniform was cut off as he was attended to by medical personnel. ESPN reported on its telecast that Hamlin was also given oxygen.Vincent said the league took no steps toward restarting the game and did not ask players to begin a five-minute warmup period as ESPN's broadcasters had announced.“It never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play," Vincent said. "That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive. That’s not a place we should ever be in.”Vincent said the Bills were returning early Tuesday morning to the team facility in Orchard Park, New York, with the exception of a few players who stayed behind with Hamlin.There was a heavy police presence at Buffalo Niagara International Airport when the team arrived at about 2:45 a.m. A small group of fans gathered across the street from the players' parking area near the airport. Police blocked off the road to allow the players to leave.The Bengals led 7-3 in the first quarter of a game between teams vying for the top playoff seed in the AFC. Cincinnati entered at 11-4 and leading the AFC North by one game over Baltimore, while AFC East champion Buffalo was 12-3.“The NFLPA and everyone in our community is praying for Damar Hamlin,” the players' union said in a statement. “We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players, and with the NFL. The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar’s health and well being.”The unfinished game has major playoff implications as the NFL enters the final week of the regular season, with the wild-card playoff round scheduled to begin on Jan. 14.The aftermath of the injury was reminiscent of when Bills tight end Kevin Everett lay motionless on the field after making a tackle on the second-half opening kickoff in Buffalo’s 2007 season-opening game against the Denver Broncos.Everett sustained a spinal cord injury that initially left him partially paralyzed.Hamlin spent five years of college at Pittsburgh — his hometown — and appeared in 48 games for the Panthers over that span. He was a second-team All-ACC performer as a senior, was voted a team captain and was picked to play in the Senior Bowl.He was drafted in the sixth round by the Bills in 2021, played in 14 games as a rookie and then became a starter this year once Micah Hyde was lost for the season to injury.By late Monday night,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/mxksc-the-chasing-ms-foundation-community-toy-drive">a community toy drive organized by Hamlin</a>&nbsp;had surged to more than $1.2 million in donations. His stated goal was $2,500.Kathryn Bersani and her mother, Gayle, were among the Bills fans who traveled from Buffalo for the game and went to the hospital from the stadium.“This is our family Christmas,” Kathryn Bersani said. "We thought it would be a great game. Joe (Burrow) and Josh (Allen) are such great men. Sad, sad time. Such a shock. I just hope he can live a normal life. It stunned us.”Chuck and Janet Kohl went to the hospital after watching the game at home.“This is much more important than football,” Chuck Kohl said. “Had to come and pray for Mr. Hamlin.”Entering the game, Hamlin had 91 tackles, including 63 solo tackles, and 1 1/2 sacks.A tweet from the Pitt football account was simple and clear: “Damar Hamlin is the best of us. We love you, 3,” the tweet said, referring to Hamlin by his college jersey number. “Praying for you.”---------------CINCINNATI (AP) — Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field Monday night and was administered CPR before being driven to a hospital, where the NFL said he was in critical condition, and Buffalo's game against the Cincinnati Bengals was suspended for the night.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/Q5xPxUZpxH">pic.twitter.com/Q5xPxUZpxH</a>&mdash; NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1610111462281994241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The NFL announced just over an hour after the injury that the game would not resume. When or if the teams would return to the field was not immediately clear.“Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available,” the league said in a statement. “The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game.”Hamlin collided with Bengals receiver Tee Higgins after a completion in what appeared to be a routine, if violent, tackle. He got to his feet, appeared to adjust his face mask with his right hand, and then fell backward about three seconds later and lay motionless.Hamlin was treated on the field by team and independent medical personnel and local paramedics, the NFL said. He was surrounded by stunned players from both teams.An ambulance was on the field four minutes after Hamlin collapsed, with many players in tears, including cornerback Tre’Davious White. The quarterbacks — Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow — embraced.Hamlin collapsed at 8:55 p.m., and when he was taken off the field 16 minutes later, the Bills gathered in prayer. He was driven to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Five minutes after the ambulance departed, the game was suspended, and players walked off the field slowly and into their locker rooms.Hamlin's uniform was cut off and he appeared to be getting CPR from medical personnel. ESPN reported on its telecast that Hamlin was also given oxygen.“No one’s been through this,” longtime NFL quarterback Troy Aikman said on the ESPN telecast. “I’ve never seen anything like it, either.”The Bengals led 7-3 in the first quarter of a game between teams vying for the top playoff seed in the AFC. Cincinnati entered at 11-4 and leading the AFC North by one game over Baltimore, while AFC East champion Buffalo was 12-3.The aftermath of the injury was reminiscent of when Bills tight end Kevin Everett lay motionless on the field after making a tackle on the second-half opening kickoff in Buffalo’s 2007 season-opening game against the Denver Broncos.Everett sustained a spinal cord injury that initially left him partially paralyzed.The 24-year-old Hamlin spent five years of college at Pitt — his hometown — and appeared in 48 games for the Panthers over that span. He was a second-team All-ACC performer as a senior, was voted a team captain and was picked to play in the Senior Bowl.He was drafted in the sixth round by the Bills in 2021, played in 14 games as a rookie and then became a starter this year once Micah Hyde was lost for the season to injury.Entering the game, the 6-foot, 200-pound Hamlin had 91 tackles, including 63 solo tackles, and 1 1/2 sacks.A tweet from the Pitt football account was simple and clear: “Damar Hamlin is the best of us. We love you, 3,” the tweet said, referring to Hamlin by his college jersey number. “Praying for you.”

Cardiac arrest on field: Bills' Hamlin remains in critical condition 

WASHINGTON (AP) — With security threats to Supreme Court justices still fresh memories, Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday praised programs that protect judges, saying that “we must support judges by ensuring their safety.”

Roberts and other conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;justices were the subject of protests, some at their homes, after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">May leak</a>&nbsp;of the court's decision that ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">stripped away constitutional protections for abortion</a>. Justice Samuel Alito has said that the leak made conservative justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-elena-kagan-samuel-alito-government-and-politics-10bf92ae6830573054da5f756a029d1c">“targets for assassination."</a>&nbsp;And in June, a man carrying a gun, knife and zip ties was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-brett-kavanaugh-district-of-columbia-maryland-government-and-politics-179d18e7f933b3decbaddb542ceb0b29">arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house</a>&nbsp;after threatening to kill the justice, whose vote was key to overturning the court's Roe v. Wade decision.

Roberts, writing in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/year-end/2022year-endreport.pdf">annual year-end report</a>&nbsp;about the federal judiciary, did not specifically mention the abortion decision, but the case and the reaction to it seemed clearly on his mind.

“Judicial opinions speak for themselves, and there is no obligation in our free country to agree with them. Indeed, we judges frequently dissent — sometimes strongly — from our colleagues’ opinions, and we explain why in public writings about the cases before us," Roberts wrote.

Polls following the abortion decision show public trust in the court is at historic lows. And two of Roberts' liberal colleagues who dissented in the abortion case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-elena-kagan-government-and-politics-55227b14975d1c6266eab8712c0dd482">Justices Elena Kagan</a>&nbsp;and Sonia Sotomayor, have said the court needs to be concerned about overturning precedent and appearing political.

After the leak and threat to Kavanaugh, lawmakers passed legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-brett-kavanaugh-government-and-politics-d2507dd3b67efd64e52c2feab91b0eeb">increasing security protection</a>&nbsp;for the justices and their families. Separately, in December, lawmakers passed legislation protecting the personal information of federal judges including their addresses.

The law is named for the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, 20-year-old Daniel Anderl, who was killed at the family's New Jersey home by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-us-news-ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-new-jersey-4dad37bb3ff60bfbde5bf75d369d8f96">man who previously had a case before her</a>.

Roberts thanked members of Congress "who are attending to judicial security needs.” And he said programs that protect judges are “essential to run a system of courts.”

In writing about judicial security, Roberts told the story of Judge Ronald N. Davies, who in September 1957 ordered the integration of Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. Davies' decision followed the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling that segregated schools were unconstitutional and rejected Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus' attempt to stop school integration.

Davies “was physically threatened for following the law," but the judge was “uncowed," Roberts said.

“A judicial system cannot and should not live in fear. The events of Little Rock teach about the importance of rule by law instead of by mob,” he wrote.

Roberts noted that officials are currently working to replicate the courtroom Davies presided over in 1957. Roberts said the judge's bench used by Davies and other artifacts from the courtroom have been preserved and will be installed in the re-created courtroom in a federal courthouse in Little Rock "so that these important artifacts will be used to hold court once again."

Before that happens, however, the judge's bench will be on display as part of an exhibit at the Supreme Court beginning in the fall and for the next several years, he said.

“The exhibit will introduce visitors to how the system of federal courts works, to the history of racial segregation and desegregation in our country, and to Thurgood Marshall’s towering contributions as an advocate," Roberts said. Marshall, who argued Brown v. Board of Education, became the Supreme Court's first Black justice in 1967.

The Supreme Court is still grappling with complicated issues involving race.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-college-admissions-affirmative-action-196ab930c799bcdc8b2a4a220641dd48">Two cases this term deal with affirmative action</a>, and the court's conservative majority is expected to use them to reverse decades of decisions that allow colleges to take account of race in admissions. In another case, the justices could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-race-and-ethnicity-f274ce05a19da4a3d48648f82df174e2">weaken the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965</a>, the crown jewel of the civil rights movement.

The justices will hear their first arguments of 2023 on Jan. 9.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672235865420.png" alt="Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
 <figcaption>Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With security threats to Supreme Court justices still fresh memories, Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday praised programs that protect judges, saying that “we must support judges by ensuring their safety.”Roberts and other conservative&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;justices were the subject of protests, some at their homes, after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-draft-opinion-07439f9fc4542f1500ab78dfd34036b1">May leak</a>&nbsp;of the court's decision that ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">stripped away constitutional protections for abortion</a>. Justice Samuel Alito has said that the leak made conservative justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-elena-kagan-samuel-alito-government-and-politics-10bf92ae6830573054da5f756a029d1c">“targets for assassination."</a>&nbsp;And in June, a man carrying a gun, knife and zip ties was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-brett-kavanaugh-district-of-columbia-maryland-government-and-politics-179d18e7f933b3decbaddb542ceb0b29">arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house</a>&nbsp;after threatening to kill the justice, whose vote was key to overturning the court's Roe v. Wade decision.Roberts, writing in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/year-end/2022year-endreport.pdf">annual year-end report</a>&nbsp;about the federal judiciary, did not specifically mention the abortion decision, but the case and the reaction to it seemed clearly on his mind.“Judicial opinions speak for themselves, and there is no obligation in our free country to agree with them. Indeed, we judges frequently dissent — sometimes strongly — from our colleagues’ opinions, and we explain why in public writings about the cases before us," Roberts wrote.Polls following the abortion decision show public trust in the court is at historic lows. And two of Roberts' liberal colleagues who dissented in the abortion case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-elena-kagan-government-and-politics-55227b14975d1c6266eab8712c0dd482">Justices Elena Kagan</a>&nbsp;and Sonia Sotomayor, have said the court needs to be concerned about overturning precedent and appearing political.After the leak and threat to Kavanaugh, lawmakers passed legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-brett-kavanaugh-government-and-politics-d2507dd3b67efd64e52c2feab91b0eeb">increasing security protection</a>&nbsp;for the justices and their families. Separately, in December, lawmakers passed legislation protecting the personal information of federal judges including their addresses.The law is named for the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, 20-year-old Daniel Anderl, who was killed at the family's New Jersey home by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-us-news-ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-new-jersey-4dad37bb3ff60bfbde5bf75d369d8f96">man who previously had a case before her</a>.Roberts thanked members of Congress "who are attending to judicial security needs.” And he said programs that protect judges are “essential to run a system of courts.”In writing about judicial security, Roberts told the story of Judge Ronald N. Davies, who in September 1957 ordered the integration of Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. Davies' decision followed the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling that segregated schools were unconstitutional and rejected Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus' attempt to stop school integration.Davies “was physically threatened for following the law," but the judge was “uncowed," Roberts said.“A judicial system cannot and should not live in fear. The events of Little Rock teach about the importance of rule by law instead of by mob,” he wrote.Roberts noted that officials are currently working to replicate the courtroom Davies presided over in 1957. Roberts said the judge's bench used by Davies and other artifacts from the courtroom have been preserved and will be installed in the re-created courtroom in a federal courthouse in Little Rock "so that these important artifacts will be used to hold court once again."Before that happens, however, the judge's bench will be on display as part of an exhibit at the Supreme Court beginning in the fall and for the next several years, he said.“The exhibit will introduce visitors to how the system of federal courts works, to the history of racial segregation and desegregation in our country, and to Thurgood Marshall’s towering contributions as an advocate," Roberts said. Marshall, who argued Brown v. Board of Education, became the Supreme Court's first Black justice in 1967.The Supreme Court is still grappling with complicated issues involving race.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-college-admissions-affirmative-action-196ab930c799bcdc8b2a4a220641dd48">Two cases this term deal with affirmative action</a>, and the court's conservative majority is expected to use them to reverse decades of decisions that allow colleges to take account of race in admissions. In another case, the justices could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-race-and-ethnicity-f274ce05a19da4a3d48648f82df174e2">weaken the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965</a>, the crown jewel of the civil rights movement.The justices will hear their first arguments of 2023 on Jan. 9.

Chief justice: Judges' safety 'essential' to court system

VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi">Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s body, his head resting on a pair of crimson pillows, lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica on Monday as tens of thousands queued to pay tribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">the pontiff who shocked the world by retiring</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.

On the eve of the first of three days of viewing, Italian security officials had said at least 25,000-30,000 people would come on Monday. But by mid-afternoon, around six hours after the basilica's doors opened to the public, Vatican police estimated that about 40,000 had filed by the body, the Holy See said.

As daylight broke, 10 white-gloved Papal Gentlemen — lay assistants to pontiffs and papal households — carried the body on a cloth-covered wooden stretcher after its arrival at the basilica to its resting place in front of the main altar under Bernini's towering bronze canopy.

A Swiss Guard saluted as Benedict's body was brought in through a side door after it was transferred in a van from the chapel of the monastery grounds where the increasingly frail,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">95-year-old former pontiff died</a>&nbsp;on Saturday morning.

His longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, and a handful of consecrated laywomen who served in Benedict's household, followed the van by foot for a few hundred yards in a silent procession toward the basilica. Some of the women stretched out a hand to touch the body with respect.

Before the rank-and-file faithful were allowed into the basilica, prayers were recited and the basilica's archpriest, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, sprinkled holy water over the body, and a small cloud of incense was released near the bier. Benedict's hands were clasped, a rosary around his fingers.

Just after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT), the doors of the basilica were swung open so the public, some of whom had waited for hours in the pre-dawn damp, could pay their respects to the late pontiff,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">who retired from the papacy in 2013 —</a>&nbsp;the first pope to do so in 600 years.

Faithful and curious, the public strode briskly up the center aisle to pass by the bier with its cloth draping after waiting in a line that by midmorning snaked around St. Peter's Square.

Benedict's body was dressed with a miter, the peaked headgear of a bishop, and a red cloak.

Filippo Tuccio, 35, said he came from Venice on an overnight train to view Benedict's body.

“I wanted to pay homage to Benedict because he had a key role in my life and my education,” Tuccio said.

“When I was young I participated in World Youth Days,'' he said, referring to the jamborees of young faithful held periodically and attended by pontiffs. Tuccio added that he had studied theology, and “his pontificate accompanied me during my university years.”

“He was very important for me: for what I am, my way of thinking, my values," Tuccio continued.

Among those coming to the basilica viewing was Cardinal Walter Kasper, like Benedict, a German theologian. Kasper served as head of the Vatican’s Christian unity office during Benedict's papacy.

Benedict left an “important mark” on theology and spirituality, but also on the history of the papacy with his courage to step aside, Kasper told The Associated Press.

“This resignation wasn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength, a greatness because he saw that he was no longer up to the challenges of being pope,” Kasper said.

Kasper, who was among the cardinals who elected Benedict to the papacy in 2005, added that the resignation gave "a more human vision to the papacy: that the pope is a man and is dependent on his physical and mental strengths.”

Public viewing was set for 10 hours on Monday, and 12 hours each on Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday morning’s funeral, which will be led by Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square.

As Benedict desired, the funeral will marked by simplicity, the Vatican said when announcing the death on Saturday.

Workers on Monday were setting up an altar in the square for the funeral Mass. Also being arranged were rows of chairs for the faithful who want to attend the funeral. Authorities said they expected about 60,000 to come for the Mass.

On Monday, the Vatican confirmed widely reported burial plans. In keeping with his wishes, Benedict’s tomb will be in the crypt of the grotto under the basilica that was last used by St. John Paul II, before the saint’s body was moved upstairs into the main basilica ahead of his 2011 beatification, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

At two sides of the piazza's colonnade, viewers went through the usual security measures required for tourists entering the basilica — passing through metal detectors and screening bags through an X-ray machine.

“I think his main legacy was teaching us how to be free,” she said. “He had a special intelligence in saying what was essential in his faith and that was contagious” for other faithful. “The thing I thought when he died was that I would like to be as free as he was.”

While venturing that the shy, bookworm German churchman and theologian and the current Argentine-born pontiff had different temperaments, Ferrante said: “I believe there’s a continuity between him and Pope Francis and whoever understands the real relationship between them and Christ can see that."

An American man who lives in Rome called the opportunity to view the body “an amazing experience.” Mountain Butorac, 47, who is originally from Atlanta, said he arrived 90 minutes before dawn.

"I loved Benedict, I loved him as a cardinal (Joseph Ratzinger), when he was elected pope and also after he retired,” Butorac said. “I think he was a sort of people’s grandfather living in the Vatican.”

With an organ and choir’s soft rendition of “Kyrie Eleison” ("Lord, have mercy" in ancient Greek) in the background, ushers moved well-wishers along at a steady clip down the basilica’s center aisle.. Someone left a red rose.

A few VIPs had a moment before the general public to pay their respects, including Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, the far-right leader who in the past has professed admiration for the conservative leanings of Benedict.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella also came to view the body. The Vatican has said only two nations' official delegations — from Italy and from Benedict's native Germany — were invited formally to the funeral, since the pope emeritus was no longer head of state.

Sister Regina Brand was among the mourners who came to the square before dawn.

“He’s a German pope and I am from Germany," she said. "And I am here to express my gratitude and love, and I want to pray for him and to see him.”

VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi">Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s body, his head resting on a pair of crimson pillows, lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica on Monday as thousands of people filed by to pay tribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">the pontiff who shocked the world by retiring</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.

A Swiss Guard had saluted as the body was brought in via a side door after Benedict's remains, placed in a van, were transferred from the chapel of the monastery grounds where the increasingly frail,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">95-year-old former pontiff had passed away</a>&nbsp;on Saturday morning.

His longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, and a handful of consecrated laywomen who served in Benedict's household, followed the van by foot for a few hundred yards (meters) in a silent procession toward the basilica. Some of the women stretched out a hand to touch the body with respect.

Just after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT), the doors of the basilica were swung open so the public, some of whom had waited for hours in the dampness before dawn, could pay their respects to the late pontiff,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">who retired from the papacy in 2013</a>&nbsp;to become the first pope to do so in 600 years.

“I wanted to pay homage to Benedict because he had a key role in my life and my education. I arrived here at around 7:30, after leaving Venice last night," Tuccio said.

“When I was young I participated in World Youth Days,'' said the pilgrim, referring to the jamborees of young faithful held periodically and attended by pontiffs. Tuccio added that he had studied theology, and “his pontificate accompanied me during my university years.”

"He was very important for me: for what I am, my way of thinking, my values. This is why I wanted to say goodbye today.”

Kasper, who was among the cardinals who elected Benedict to the papacy in 2005, added that the resignation decision gave "a more human vision to the papacy: that the pope is a man and is dependent on his physical and mental strengths.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672667999600.png" alt="The body of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI laid out in state inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. Benedict XVI, the German theologian who will be remembered as the first pope in 600 years to resign, has died, the Vatican announced Saturday. He was 95. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)" />
 <figcaption>The body of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI laid out in state inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. Benedict XVI, the German theologian who will be remembered as the first pope in 600 years to resign, has died, the Vatican announced Saturday. He was 95. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi">Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s body, his head resting on a pair of crimson pillows, lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica on Monday as tens of thousands queued to pay tribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">the pontiff who shocked the world by retiring</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.On the eve of the first of three days of viewing, Italian security officials had said at least 25,000-30,000 people would come on Monday. But by mid-afternoon, around six hours after the basilica's doors opened to the public, Vatican police estimated that about 40,000 had filed by the body, the Holy See said.As daylight broke, 10 white-gloved Papal Gentlemen — lay assistants to pontiffs and papal households — carried the body on a cloth-covered wooden stretcher after its arrival at the basilica to its resting place in front of the main altar under Bernini's towering bronze canopy.A Swiss Guard saluted as Benedict's body was brought in through a side door after it was transferred in a van from the chapel of the monastery grounds where the increasingly frail,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">95-year-old former pontiff died</a>&nbsp;on Saturday morning.His longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, and a handful of consecrated laywomen who served in Benedict's household, followed the van by foot for a few hundred yards in a silent procession toward the basilica. Some of the women stretched out a hand to touch the body with respect.Before the rank-and-file faithful were allowed into the basilica, prayers were recited and the basilica's archpriest, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, sprinkled holy water over the body, and a small cloud of incense was released near the bier. Benedict's hands were clasped, a rosary around his fingers.Just after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT), the doors of the basilica were swung open so the public, some of whom had waited for hours in the pre-dawn damp, could pay their respects to the late pontiff,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">who retired from the papacy in 2013 —</a>&nbsp;the first pope to do so in 600 years.Faithful and curious, the public strode briskly up the center aisle to pass by the bier with its cloth draping after waiting in a line that by midmorning snaked around St. Peter's Square.Benedict's body was dressed with a miter, the peaked headgear of a bishop, and a red cloak.Filippo Tuccio, 35, said he came from Venice on an overnight train to view Benedict's body.“I wanted to pay homage to Benedict because he had a key role in my life and my education,” Tuccio said.“When I was young I participated in World Youth Days,'' he said, referring to the jamborees of young faithful held periodically and attended by pontiffs. Tuccio added that he had studied theology, and “his pontificate accompanied me during my university years.”“He was very important for me: for what I am, my way of thinking, my values," Tuccio continued.Among those coming to the basilica viewing was Cardinal Walter Kasper, like Benedict, a German theologian. Kasper served as head of the Vatican’s Christian unity office during Benedict's papacy.Benedict left an “important mark” on theology and spirituality, but also on the history of the papacy with his courage to step aside, Kasper told The Associated Press.“This resignation wasn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength, a greatness because he saw that he was no longer up to the challenges of being pope,” Kasper said.Kasper, who was among the cardinals who elected Benedict to the papacy in 2005, added that the resignation gave "a more human vision to the papacy: that the pope is a man and is dependent on his physical and mental strengths.”Public viewing was set for 10 hours on Monday, and 12 hours each on Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday morning’s funeral, which will be led by Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square.As Benedict desired, the funeral will marked by simplicity, the Vatican said when announcing the death on Saturday.Workers on Monday were setting up an altar in the square for the funeral Mass. Also being arranged were rows of chairs for the faithful who want to attend the funeral. Authorities said they expected about 60,000 to come for the Mass.On Monday, the Vatican confirmed widely reported burial plans. In keeping with his wishes, Benedict’s tomb will be in the crypt of the grotto under the basilica that was last used by St. John Paul II, before the saint’s body was moved upstairs into the main basilica ahead of his 2011 beatification, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.At two sides of the piazza's colonnade, viewers went through the usual security measures required for tourists entering the basilica — passing through metal detectors and screening bags through an X-ray machine.Marina Ferrante, 62, was among them.“I think his main legacy was teaching us how to be free,” she said. “He had a special intelligence in saying what was essential in his faith and that was contagious” for other faithful. “The thing I thought when he died was that I would like to be as free as he was.”While venturing that the shy, bookworm German churchman and theologian and the current Argentine-born pontiff had different temperaments, Ferrante said: “I believe there’s a continuity between him and Pope Francis and whoever understands the real relationship between them and Christ can see that."An American man who lives in Rome called the opportunity to view the body “an amazing experience.” Mountain Butorac, 47, who is originally from Atlanta, said he arrived 90 minutes before dawn."I loved Benedict, I loved him as a cardinal (Joseph Ratzinger), when he was elected pope and also after he retired,” Butorac said. “I think he was a sort of people’s grandfather living in the Vatican.”With an organ and choir’s soft rendition of “Kyrie Eleison” ("Lord, have mercy" in ancient Greek) in the background, ushers moved well-wishers along at a steady clip down the basilica’s center aisle.. Someone left a red rose.A few VIPs had a moment before the general public to pay their respects, including Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, the far-right leader who in the past has professed admiration for the conservative leanings of Benedict.Italian President Sergio Mattarella also came to view the body. The Vatican has said only two nations' official delegations — from Italy and from Benedict's native Germany — were invited formally to the funeral, since the pope emeritus was no longer head of state.Sister Regina Brand was among the mourners who came to the square before dawn.“He’s a German pope and I am from Germany," she said. "And I am here to express my gratitude and love, and I want to pray for him and to see him.”-------------------VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi">Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s body, his head resting on a pair of crimson pillows, lay in state in St. Peter's Basilica on Monday as thousands of people filed by to pay tribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">the pontiff who shocked the world by retiring</a>&nbsp;a decade ago.As daylight broke, 10 white-gloved Papal Gentlemen — lay assistants to pontiffs and papal households — carried the body on a cloth-covered wooden stretcher after its arrival at the basilica to its resting place in front of the main altar under Bernini's towering bronze canopy.A Swiss Guard had saluted as the body was brought in via a side door after Benedict's remains, placed in a van, were transferred from the chapel of the monastery grounds where the increasingly frail,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">95-year-old former pontiff had passed away</a>&nbsp;on Saturday morning.His longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, and a handful of consecrated laywomen who served in Benedict's household, followed the van by foot for a few hundred yards (meters) in a silent procession toward the basilica. Some of the women stretched out a hand to touch the body with respect.Before the rank-and-file faithful were allowed into the basilica, prayers were recited and the basilica's archpriest, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, sprinkled holy water over the body, and a small cloud of incense was released near the bier. Benedict's hands were clasped, a rosary around his fingers.Just after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT), the doors of the basilica were swung open so the public, some of whom had waited for hours in the dampness before dawn, could pay their respects to the late pontiff,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-language-99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">who retired from the papacy in 2013</a>&nbsp;to become the first pope to do so in 600 years.Faithful and curious, the public strode briskly up the center aisle to pass by the bier with its cloth draping after waiting in a line that by midmorning snaked around St. Peter's Square.Benedict's body was dressed with a miter, the peaked headgear of a bishop, and a red cloak.Filippo Tuccio, 35, said he came from Venice on an overnight train to view Benedict's body.“I wanted to pay homage to Benedict because he had a key role in my life and my education. I arrived here at around 7:30, after leaving Venice last night," Tuccio said.“When I was young I participated in World Youth Days,'' said the pilgrim, referring to the jamborees of young faithful held periodically and attended by pontiffs. Tuccio added that he had studied theology, and “his pontificate accompanied me during my university years.”"He was very important for me: for what I am, my way of thinking, my values. This is why I wanted to say goodbye today.”Among those coming to the basilica viewing was Cardinal Walter Kasper, like Benedict, a German theologian. Kasper served as head of the Vatican’s Christian unity office during Benedict's papacy.Benedict left an “important mark” on theology and spirituality, but also on the history of the papacy with his courage to step aside, Kasper told The Associated Press.“This resignation wasn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength, a greatness because he saw that he was no longer up to the challenges of being pope,” Kasper said.Kasper, who was among the cardinals who elected Benedict to the papacy in 2005, added that the resignation decision gave "a more human vision to the papacy: that the pope is a man and is dependent on his physical and mental strengths.”Public viewing lasts for 10 hours on Monday in St. Peter’s Basilica. Twelve hours of viewing are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday morning’s funeral, which will be led by Pope Francis, at St. Peter’s Square.As Benedict desired, the funeral will marked by simplicity, the Vatican said when announcing the death on Saturday.On Monday, the Vatican confirmed widely reported burial plans. In keeping with his wishes, Benedict’s tomb will be in the crypt of the grotto under the basilica that was last used by St. John Paul II, before the saint’s body was moved upstairs into the main basilica before his 2011 beatification, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.Security officials expected at least 25,000 people to pass by the body on the first day of viewing. Italian state television said around 10,000 had viewed Benedict's body after about four hours.At two sides of the piazza's colonnade, viewers went through the usual security measures required for tourists entering the basilica — passing through metal detectors and screening bags through an X-ray machine.Marina Ferrante, 62, was among them. The Roman arrived an hour before the doors were opened, and she grew emotional when she explained why she came.“I think his main legacy was teaching us how to be free,” she said. “He had a special intelligence in saying what was essential in his faith and that was contagious” for other faithful. “The thing I thought when he died was that I would like to be as free as he was.”While venturing that the shy, bookworm German churchman and theologian and the current Argentine-born pontiff had different temperaments, “I believe there’s a continuity between him and Pope Francis and whoever understands the real relationship between them and Christ can see that," Ferrante said.An American man who lives in Rome called the opportunity to view the body “an amazing experience.” Mountain Butorac, 47, who is originally from Atlanta, said he arrived 90 minutes before the dawn opening and left the basilica a half-hour after it opened.“I loved Benedict, I loved him as a cardinal (Joseph Ratzinger), when he was elected pope and also after he retired,” Butorac said. “I think he was a sort of people’s grandfather living in the Vatican.”He came to the Vatican to pray for Benedict when he was ailing, “so I wanted to be here today to say goodbye. I think he and Francis were close, they cared for each other,” he said.With an organ and choir’s soft rendition of “Kyrie Eleison” ("Lord, have mercy" in ancient Greek) in the background, ushers moved well-wishers along at a steady clip down the basilica’s center aisle and then nudged them gently forward, saying, in Italian, “avanti” (keep going) to keep the pace brisk. Someone left a red rose.A few VIPs had a moment before the general public to pay their respects, including Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, the far-right leader who in the past has professed admiration for the conservative leanings of Benedict.Italian President Sergio Mattarella also came to view the body. The Vatican has said only two nations' official delegations — from Italy and from Benedict's native Germany — were invited formally to the funeral, since the pope emeritus was no longer head of state.Sister Regina Brand was among the mourners who came to the square before dawn.“He’s a German pope and I am from Germany," she said. "And I am here to express my gratitude and love, and I want to pray for him and to see him.”