This recall involves Igloo 90 Qt. Flip &amp; Tow Rolling Coolers manufactured prior to January 2024. The date of manufacture is imprinted on the bottom of the cooler in a circular pattern with an arrow pointing to the month of manufacture and the last two digits of the year of manufacture inside the circle, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The recalled coolers have a tow handle. “IGLOO” is printed on the side of the coolers. The coolers were sold in multiple body and lid color combinations, some of which are pictured above. The following cooler models with tow handles are included in the recall. The model number is located on labels affixed to the bottom of the cooler.

<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Igloo-Recalls-More-Than-One-Million-90-Quart-Rolling-Coolers-Due-to-Fingertip-Amputation-and-Crushing-Hazards">Click here </a>for more details.

Igloo toll-free at 888-943-5182 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:igloo90qt@sedgwick.com">igloo90qt@sedgwick.com</a>, or online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.igloo90qtrecall.expertinquiry.com/">www.igloo90qtrecall.expertinquiry.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.igloocoolers.com/">http://www.igloocoolers.com</a>&nbsp;and click on “Recall Information” at the top of the page for more information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739468534690.png" alt="Image igloo" />
 <figcaption>Image igloo</figcaption>
 </figure>This recall involves Igloo 90 Qt. Flip &amp; Tow Rolling Coolers manufactured prior to January 2024. The date of manufacture is imprinted on the bottom of the cooler in a circular pattern with an arrow pointing to the month of manufacture and the last two digits of the year of manufacture inside the circle, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.The recalled coolers have a tow handle. “IGLOO” is printed on the side of the coolers. The coolers were sold in multiple body and lid color combinations, some of which are pictured above. The following cooler models with tow handles are included in the recall. The model number is located on labels affixed to the bottom of the cooler.<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Igloo-Recalls-More-Than-One-Million-90-Quart-Rolling-Coolers-Due-to-Fingertip-Amputation-and-Crushing-Hazards">Click here </a>for more details.Igloo toll-free at 888-943-5182 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:igloo90qt@sedgwick.com">igloo90qt@sedgwick.com</a>, or online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.igloo90qtrecall.expertinquiry.com/">www.igloo90qtrecall.expertinquiry.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.igloocoolers.com/">http://www.igloocoolers.com</a>&nbsp;and click on “Recall Information” at the top of the page for more information.

Igloo recall: Cooler handle hazard causes fingertip amputation injuries

IRAQ—&nbsp;Iraqi Security Forces enabled by U.S. forces, conducted precision airstrikes in the vicinity of Kirkuk, Iraq, killing two ISIS operatives on Monday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

An initial post-strike clearance found the dead ISIS operatives, an explosive suicide belt, explosive material, and components of weapons destroyed in the strike.

"The Iraqi Security Forces-led operation is part of the ongoing Defeat-ISIS campaign to disrupt and degrade ISIS' capabilities, dismantle their attack networks, and ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. Coalition Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CTF-OIR) enabled ISF during the operation by providing technical support and intelligence."

IRAQ—&nbsp;Iraqi Security Forces enabled by U.S. forces, conducted precision airstrikes in the vicinity of Kirkuk, Iraq, killing two ISIS operatives on Monday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.An initial post-strike clearance found the dead ISIS operatives, an explosive suicide belt, explosive material, and components of weapons destroyed in the strike."The Iraqi Security Forces-led operation is part of the ongoing Defeat-ISIS campaign to disrupt and degrade ISIS' capabilities, dismantle their attack networks, and ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. Coalition Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CTF-OIR) enabled ISF during the operation by providing technical support and intelligence."

U.S. forces help with deadly attack on ISIS operatives

WASHINGTON —Google has officially changed the 'Gulf of Mexico' on Google Maps to the 'Gulf of America' following Trump's order.

While flying to the Super Bowl, President Trump signed a proclamation declaring February 9, as "Gulf of America Day."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739228935257.png" alt="Google Map 5p.m. Monday February 10" />
 <figcaption>Google Map 5p.m. Monday February 10</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Google has officially changed the 'Gulf of Mexico' on Google Maps to the 'Gulf of America' following Trump's order.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">HAPPY GULF OF AMERICA DAY! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/hFGMBRKh4S">pic.twitter.com/hFGMBRKh4S</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1888707846000570775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🔊&quot;Air Force One is currently in international waters, the first time in history flying over the recently renamed Gulf of America.&quot; 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/XHXXrvtYzf">pic.twitter.com/XHXXrvtYzf</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1888705072562929894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>While flying to the Super Bowl, President Trump signed a proclamation declaring February 9, as "Gulf of America Day."

Google officially changes maps from Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — The largely partisan clash over whether to abolish the<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/demonstrators-us-capitol-rally-against-trumps-direct-attack-education" target="_blank">&nbsp;U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;came to the forefront at a Wednesday hearing by a U.S. House education panel, as rumors continue to circulate over President Donald Trump’s plans to dismantle the federal agency that’s just four-and-a-half decades old.

Trump campaigned heavily on a pledge to get rid of the department, which, among many responsibilities, administers funding for key programs, including for low-income school districts and special education, and also administers federal student aid.

Trump is reported&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/03/trump-education-department-dismantling-executive-order-draft/?utm_campaign=wp_the7&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F40e0f46%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82%2F64c1c5704dae0764a1593f12%2F32%2F103%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82" target="_blank">possibly issue some sort of executive order</a>&nbsp;that seeks to diminish the department internally and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-executive-order-8519eaa465385cc13f4ddcae90228dd3" target="_blank">calls on Congress to abolish the agency</a>. He alone does not have the authority to close the department, and the effort would require congressional approval.

Lawmakers clashed at a House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing focused on “the state of American education,” particularly school choice, parental rights in education and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The president’s sweeping plan outlined throughout his campaign to “save American education” has already burst out of the floodgates since he took office last month.

He issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-orders-education-department-guide-states-use-federal-funds-school-choice" target="_blank">series of education-related executive orders</a>&nbsp;last week focused on prioritizing school choice funding, ending what the administration sees as “radical indoctrination in K-12 schooling” and taking “additional measures to combat anti-semitism.”

Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-puts-dei-staff-paid-leave-guts-environmental-justice-offices-across-government" target="_blank">signed executive orders</a>&nbsp;in January that gut DEI programs and activities across the federal government.

Rep. Tim Walberg, chair of the House education panel, said he is “pleased to see that the Trump administration is taking excellent steps to restore common sense, personal responsibility and parental choice through our education system.”

“In K-12 education, there’s much work that needs to be done,” the Michigan Republican said, pointing to the latest data from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/" target="_blank">National Assessment of Educational Progress</a>.

The report found that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/supporting-files/summary-of-results.pdf" target="_blank">average math and reading scores in 2024</a>&nbsp;for pupils in fourth grade and eighth grade were lower compared to before the coronavirus pandemic, in 2019.

Nicole Neily, president and founder of Parents Defending Education, a parents’ rights group, said “American education is in crisis.”

“For far too long, U.S. schools have focused on everything but educating children, and as last week’s NAEP scores have shown, our children are bearing the brunt of these bad decisions,” she said.

Meanwhile, Democrats on the panel warned over the repercussions of dismantling the Education Department.

“The irony is not lost on me that we’re here to discuss the state of American education while the current administration is actively discussing how to dismantle the main federal agency responsible for ensuring safe, quality education for all students,” said Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member of the panel.

“We will fight any attempt to dismantle the department, and so, we don’t know what the plan will be, but count on our opposition to any plan that will abolish the Department of Education and the programs in it,” the Virginia Democrat added.

Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes noted that since being created in 1979, the Education Department “has been committed to ensuring high-quality education for children across the country.”

“As (Chairman Walberg) noted, there are about 1 million children who participate in private school choice programs, but 49.6 million children participate in public school education — what about them? Who is advocating for them?” Hayes said.

Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said Trump’s executive orders to “restrict teaching and learning in inclusive and supportive environments and his threats to dismantle the Department of Education and upend critical enforcement of federal civil rights laws will demolish the very foundation of good citizenship.”

“We must reject these proposals out of the Project 2025 playbook and approach public education with common sense and common purpose, not separatism and self-dealing,” Nelson said.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON — The largely partisan clash over whether to abolish the<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/demonstrators-us-capitol-rally-against-trumps-direct-attack-education" target="_blank">&nbsp;U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;came to the forefront at a Wednesday hearing by a U.S. House education panel, as rumors continue to circulate over President Donald Trump’s plans to dismantle the federal agency that’s just four-and-a-half decades old.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739206873043.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump campaigned heavily on a pledge to get rid of the department, which, among many responsibilities, administers funding for key programs, including for low-income school districts and special education, and also administers federal student aid.Trump is reported&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/03/trump-education-department-dismantling-executive-order-draft/?utm_campaign=wp_the7&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F40e0f46%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82%2F64c1c5704dae0764a1593f12%2F32%2F103%2F67a1feefb7704a156351bc82" target="_blank">possibly issue some sort of executive order</a>&nbsp;that seeks to diminish the department internally and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-executive-order-8519eaa465385cc13f4ddcae90228dd3" target="_blank">calls on Congress to abolish the agency</a>. He alone does not have the authority to close the department, and the effort would require congressional approval.Lawmakers clashed at a House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing focused on “the state of American education,” particularly school choice, parental rights in education and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.The president’s sweeping plan outlined throughout his campaign to “save American education” has already burst out of the floodgates since he took office last month.He issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-orders-education-department-guide-states-use-federal-funds-school-choice" target="_blank">series of education-related executive orders</a>&nbsp;last week focused on prioritizing school choice funding, ending what the administration sees as “radical indoctrination in K-12 schooling” and taking “additional measures to combat anti-semitism.”Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-puts-dei-staff-paid-leave-guts-environmental-justice-offices-across-government" target="_blank">signed executive orders</a>&nbsp;in January that gut DEI programs and activities across the federal government.<h2>Restoring ‘common sense’</h2>Rep. Tim Walberg, chair of the House education panel, said he is “pleased to see that the Trump administration is taking excellent steps to restore common sense, personal responsibility and parental choice through our education system.”“In K-12 education, there’s much work that needs to be done,” the Michigan Republican said, pointing to the latest data from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/" target="_blank">National Assessment of Educational Progress</a>.The report found that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/supporting-files/summary-of-results.pdf" target="_blank">average math and reading scores in 2024</a>&nbsp;for pupils in fourth grade and eighth grade were lower compared to before the coronavirus pandemic, in 2019.Nicole Neily, president and founder of Parents Defending Education, a parents’ rights group, said “American education is in crisis.”“For far too long, U.S. schools have focused on everything but educating children, and as last week’s NAEP scores have shown, our children are bearing the brunt of these bad decisions,” she said.<h2>‘We will fight any attempt’</h2>Meanwhile, Democrats on the panel warned over the repercussions of dismantling the Education Department.“The irony is not lost on me that we’re here to discuss the state of American education while the current administration is actively discussing how to dismantle the main federal agency responsible for ensuring safe, quality education for all students,” said Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member of the panel.“We will fight any attempt to dismantle the department, and so, we don’t know what the plan will be, but count on our opposition to any plan that will abolish the Department of Education and the programs in it,” the Virginia Democrat added.Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes noted that since being created in 1979, the Education Department “has been committed to ensuring high-quality education for children across the country.”“As (Chairman Walberg) noted, there are about 1 million children who participate in private school choice programs, but 49.6 million children participate in public school education — what about them? Who is advocating for them?” Hayes said.Janai Nelson, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said Trump’s executive orders to “restrict teaching and learning in inclusive and supportive environments and his threats to dismantle the Department of Education and upend critical enforcement of federal civil rights laws will demolish the very foundation of good citizenship.”“We must reject these proposals out of the Project 2025 playbook and approach public education with common sense and common purpose, not separatism and self-dealing,” Nelson said.

U.S. House members battle over eliminating Dept. of Education 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. moved one step closer to becoming Health and Human Services secretary on Tuesday after a Senate committee favorably reported his nomination to the floor.

The Finance Committee’s 14-13 party-line vote doesn’t necessarily guarantee Kennedy will receive Senate confirmation, though it signals he does have the chance despite decades of spreading false information about vaccine safety.

Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who backed Kennedy in committee, said during a floor speech later Tuesday he had received hundreds of messages personally and thousands into his office expressing strong support from some and dismay from others about the prospect of Kennedy gaining Senate confirmation.

“The most notable opponents of Mr. Kennedy were pediatricians on the front lines of our children’s health, who regularly have to combat misinformation,” Cassidy said. “They are aware that children are now contracting diseases that they would not have contracted if the child was vaccinated.”

Cassidy, who worked as a physician for decades before becoming a senator, said Kennedy and the Trump administration have assured him they will protect “the public health benefit of vaccination.”

“Mr. Kennedy and the administration committed that he and I would have an unprecedentedly close, collaborative, working relationship if he is confirmed,” Cassidy said. “We will meet or speak multiple times a month.”

Cassidy said Kennedy and the Trump administration committed that if confirmed, Kennedy would:&nbsp;

“If Mr. Kennedy is confirmed, I will use my authority of the Senate committee with oversight of HHS to rebuff any attempt to remove the public’s access to life-saving vaccines without ironclad causational scientific evidence that can be accepted and defended before the mainstream scientific community and before Congress,” Cassidy said. “I will watch carefully for any effort to wrongly sow public fear about vaccines between confusing references of coincidence and anecdote.”

Cassidy said that if Kennedy is confirmed as HHS secretary by the full Senate, he expects Kennedy would support overhauls Cassidy has planned for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.

“We also need to reform institutions, like FDA and NIH, and those, as has already been indicated, are my priorities as chairman of the HELP Committee. I look forward to his support in accomplishing this,” Cassidy said.

Democrats raised their concerns about how Kennedy’s confirmation would impact the country’s public health system, just before the committee voted.

Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock said that Kennedy is “manifestly unqualified for the job he seeks.”

“We need a serious person at the helm of the HHS, an agency responsible for the health of about half of all Americans,” Warnock said. “Mr. Kennedy appears more obsessed in chasing conspiracy theories than chasing solutions to lower health care costs for working families in Georgia and to make sure that we are protected.

“The last thing we need is a dilettante dabbling in conspiracy theories at HHS.”

North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said that he believes Kennedy will “go wild” as HHS Secretary.

“I hope he goes wild and actually finds a way to reduce the cost of health care,” Tillis said. “I hope he goes wild and instead of having the discussions that we have had for the 10 years that I’ve been in the Senate of making Medicaid work and making people on Medicaid healthier, I hope he goes wild and figures out how to do it because the status quo has not achieved much in the way of gain.

“I hope he goes wild on food safety discussions so that we can actually approve our food safety supply.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734473282160.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and Kennedy during a meeting in December- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and Kennedy during a meeting in December- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. moved one step closer to becoming Health and Human Services secretary on Tuesday after a Senate committee favorably reported his nomination to the floor.The Finance Committee’s 14-13 party-line vote doesn’t necessarily guarantee Kennedy will receive Senate confirmation, though it signals he does have the chance despite decades of spreading false information about vaccine safety.Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who backed Kennedy in committee, said during a floor speech later Tuesday he had received hundreds of messages personally and thousands into his office expressing strong support from some and dismay from others about the prospect of Kennedy gaining Senate confirmation.“The most notable opponents of Mr. Kennedy were pediatricians on the front lines of our children’s health, who regularly have to combat misinformation,” Cassidy said. “They are aware that children are now contracting diseases that they would not have contracted if the child was vaccinated.”Cassidy, who worked as a physician for decades before becoming a senator, said Kennedy and the Trump administration have assured him they will protect “the public health benefit of vaccination.”“Mr. Kennedy and the administration committed that he and I would have an unprecedentedly close, collaborative, working relationship if he is confirmed,” Cassidy said. “We will meet or speak multiple times a month.”<h2>Pledges by Kennedy</h2>Cassidy said Kennedy and the Trump administration committed that if confirmed, Kennedy would:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Work within the current vaccine approval and safety monitoring systems and not establish parallel systems;</li><li>Maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee on immunization practices recommendations without changes;</li><li>Keep statements on the CDC’s website that state vaccines do not cause autism;</li><li>Provide at least 30 days notice to the HELP Committee if HHS wants to make changes to any of the federal vaccine safety monitoring programs;</li><li>Allow the HELP Committee chairman to choose a representative on any board or commission formed to review vaccine safety; and</li><li>Appear before the HELP Committee on a quarterly basis if requested.</li>
 </ul>“If Mr. Kennedy is confirmed, I will use my authority of the Senate committee with oversight of HHS to rebuff any attempt to remove the public’s access to life-saving vaccines without ironclad causational scientific evidence that can be accepted and defended before the mainstream scientific community and before Congress,” Cassidy said. “I will watch carefully for any effort to wrongly sow public fear about vaccines between confusing references of coincidence and anecdote.”Cassidy said that if Kennedy is confirmed as HHS secretary by the full Senate, he expects Kennedy would support overhauls Cassidy has planned for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.“We also need to reform institutions, like FDA and NIH, and those, as has already been indicated, are my priorities as chairman of the HELP Committee. I look forward to his support in accomplishing this,” Cassidy said.<h2>‘Manifestly unqualified’</h2>Democrats raised their concerns about how Kennedy’s confirmation would impact the country’s public health system, just before the committee voted.Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock said that Kennedy is “manifestly unqualified for the job he seeks.”“We need a serious person at the helm of the HHS, an agency responsible for the health of about half of all Americans,” Warnock said. “Mr. Kennedy appears more obsessed in chasing conspiracy theories than chasing solutions to lower health care costs for working families in Georgia and to make sure that we are protected.“The last thing we need is a dilettante dabbling in conspiracy theories at HHS.”<h2>‘Go wild’</h2>North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said that he believes Kennedy will “go wild” as HHS Secretary.“I hope he goes wild and actually finds a way to reduce the cost of health care,” Tillis said. “I hope he goes wild and instead of having the discussions that we have had for the 10 years that I’ve been in the Senate of making Medicaid work and making people on Medicaid healthier, I hope he goes wild and figures out how to do it because the status quo has not achieved much in the way of gain.“I hope he goes wild on food safety discussions so that we can actually approve our food safety supply.”&nbsp;

RFK Jr. Nomination as Health Secretary Approved by Key U.S. Senate Panel

ARLINGTON, VA., January 31, 2025 — Gerber Products Company is initiating a recall and discontinuation of all batches of GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS due to a potential choking hazard for babies and young children, according to a statement from the Food and Drug Administration.

GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS were distributed nationwide via the internet and to distribution centers and retail stores in the following states and territories:

Recalled products can be identified as follows:

This recall and discontinuation is isolated to GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE and GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA.

The recall was initiated after receiving consumer complaints of choking incidents. To date, one emergency room visit has been reported to the firm.

Consumers who may have purchased GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS should not feed this product to their child and can return the product to the retailer where it was purchased for a refund. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a health care provider. For any additional support needed, Gerber is available 24/7 at 1-800-4-GERBER (1-800-443-7237).

We are working with the U.S. Food &amp; Drug Administration (FDA) on this recall and will cooperate with them fully.

For more information, consumers could call 1-800-4-GERBER (1-800-443-7237)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738595746534.png" alt="Image FDA" />
 <figcaption>Image FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, VA., January 31, 2025 — Gerber Products Company is initiating a recall and discontinuation of all batches of GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS due to a potential choking hazard for babies and young children, according to a statement from the Food and Drug Administration.GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS were distributed nationwide via the internet and to distribution centers and retail stores in the following states and territories:Recalled products can be identified as follows:<ul>
 <li>GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE, Net Wt. 3.2 Oz (90g), with UPC 0 15000 04618 7, all lot codes</li><li>GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA, Net Wt. 3.2 Oz (90g), with UPC 0 15000 04608 8, all lot codes</li><li>GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA, Net Wt. 1.59 Oz (45g), with UPC 0 15000 01015 7, all lot codes</li>
 </ul>This recall and discontinuation is isolated to GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – STRAWBERRY APPLE and GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS – BANANA.The recall was initiated after receiving consumer complaints of choking incidents. To date, one emergency room visit has been reported to the firm.Consumers who may have purchased GERBER® SOOTHE N CHEW® TEETHING STICKS should not feed this product to their child and can return the product to the retailer where it was purchased for a refund. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a health care provider. For any additional support needed, Gerber is available 24/7 at 1-800-4-GERBER (1-800-443-7237).We are working with the U.S. Food &amp; Drug Administration (FDA) on this recall and will cooperate with them fully.For more information, consumers could call 1-800-4-GERBER (1-800-443-7237)

Gerber recalls baby teething sticks over possible choking hazard

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738207177867.png" alt="Image from Kennedy Center web camera at the time of the collision&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image from Kennedy Center web camera at the time of the collision&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fire &amp; EMS Chief John Donnelly: &quot;We are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At this point we don&#39;t believe there are any survivors from this accident. We have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/422JqoEiVO">pic.twitter.com/422JqoEiVO</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1884965008783667498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Fire Chief: No survivors after collision of jet from Kansas and Army Helicopter

&nbsp;President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp; discussed his campaign promise to eliminate taxes on tips during a rally Saturday in Las Vegas. (Click below to watch)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737846846313.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp; discussed his campaign promise to eliminate taxes on tips during a rally Saturday in Las Vegas. (Click below to watch)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OXo-XBvMAUQ?si=mFg7mkE_gLDGmNoX&amp;start=8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🎥President Trump in Las Vegas discussed No Tax on Tips policy 

WASHINGTON —Vice President JD Vance has sworn in Rubio as Secretary of State. Rubio, a Senator from Florida becomes the first of Trump’s Cabinet nominees to get to work.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The U.S. Senate confirmed Rubio by a unanimous 99-0 vote Monday evening.

WASHINGTON —Vice President JD Vance has sworn in Rubio as Secretary of State. Rubio, a Senator from Florida becomes the first of Trump’s Cabinet nominees to get to work.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Vice President Vance swears in Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. Full video here: <a href="https://t.co/hzNSC919DE">https://t.co/hzNSC919DE</a> <a href="https://t.co/Cdh76lakDa">pic.twitter.com/Cdh76lakDa</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1881717644291653784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. Senate confirmed Rubio by a unanimous 99-0 vote Monday evening.

First Trump cabinet member sworn in to begin work

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

WASHINGTON — Just hours into his second term, President Donald Trump signed some of his first executive orders as an arena crowd of thousands cheered a U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/return-to-in-person-work/" target="_blank">mandate</a>&nbsp;for federal workers to return to the office full-time.

Trump scrawled his signature on nearly 10 portfolio-bound documents at a desk on the floor of the Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C., following an indoor inauguration parade at the 20,000-seat venue. Monday’s ceremonies were moved indoors because of cold temperatures.

The orders included rescinding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/initial-rescissions-of-harmful-executive-orders-and-actions/" target="_blank">78</a>&nbsp;Biden administration actions, freezing federal hiring and new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/regulatory-freeze-pending-review/" target="_blank">regulations</a>, and “<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-freedom-of-speech-and-ending-federal-censorship/" target="_blank">restoring</a>&nbsp;freedom of speech,” among&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/" target="_blank">others</a>&nbsp;that the White House press office dubbed “<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25499090-americafirstpriorities/" target="_blank">America First Priorities</a>.”

“Could you imagine Biden doing this? I don’t think so,” Trump said to the crowd.

Trump threw his ceremonial pens into the seats after signing the orders.

In an Oval Office ceremony shortly afterward, Trump signed a slew of other orders ranging from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-officials-outline-planned-immigration-crackdown" target="_blank">declaring</a>&nbsp;a national emergency at the southern border to throwing TikTok a 75-day lifeline to find a new owner.

Earlier Monday, surrounded by lawmakers from both parties who bantered with him in the President’s Room at the U.S. Capitol, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/flying-the-flag-of-the-united-states-at-full-staff-on-inauguration-day/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;mandating all U.S. flags fly at full height during future presidential inaugurations. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flags-half-staff-trump-inauguration-johnson-a0c99a017e74b880df1c2eadfce25c28" target="_blank">ordered</a>&nbsp;flags at full staff for Trump’s inauguration despite the recent death of the late President Jimmy Carter.

During his first blitz, Trump erased Biden executive orders on “Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation” and “Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals.”

Trump’s team signaled hours before inauguration that the incoming president planned to sign an order mandating the use of the word “sex” instead of “gender” in federal policy language and documents, including passports and visas.

White House administration officials said on a call with reporters early Monday, speaking on background, that one of their first executive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">orders</a>&nbsp;will focus on “defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government.”

Roughly 2 million transgender people live in the United States, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, which condemned Trump’s order Monday.

Kelley Robinson, the organization’s president, criticized Trump in a statement for “taking aim at the LGBTQ+ community instead of uniting our country and prioritizing the pressing issues the American people are facing.”

Among the dozens of previous Biden administration orders, Trump reversed Biden actions titled “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis” and “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.”

Environmental advocates denounced Trump’s executive orders. The Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement that Trump’s order for withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement “shows how threatened Trump is by the recent global compact to transition away from fossil fuels.”

“While Trump buries his head in the sand, it’s going to be up to state leaders to lock eyes on the climate crisis and lead us toward a livable future,” the statement said.

Incoming White House officials also teased orders taking down Biden-era environmental initiatives, including declaring an energy emergency, opening the Alaska wilderness for energy development and nixing energy standards for household appliances. They had not yet been released Monday night.

Later Monday evening in the Oval Office, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/application-of-protecting-americans-from-foreign-adversary-controlled-applications-act-to-tiktok/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;giving TikTok an extra 75 days to find a new owner. The order instructs the Department of Justice to ignore enforcing a federal law that required TikTok to separate from its China ties by Jan. 19.

“The unfortunate timing of (the law) — one day before I took office as the 47th President of the United States — interferes with my ability to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of the Act’s prohibitions before they take effect,” Trump’s order stated.

The popular video sharing app used by approximately 170 million Americans briefly went dark overnight Saturday into Sunday. A message to users read, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”

A federal law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-sign-executive-order-monday-delaying-tiktok-ban" target="_blank">mandated</a>&nbsp;that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance divest from the video sharing platform by the deadline when it became illegal for U.S. companies to distribute or maintain the app. Companies that don’t comply face fines up $5,000 per user.

Trump’s position is a reversal of his support for a ban in 2020.&nbsp;

“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I guess I didn’t have originally,” he told reporters in the Oval Office Monday night.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was among the attendees at Trump’s inauguration, and the company sponsored an inauguration eve party in downtown D.C., Reuters&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/conservative-influencers-celebrate-tiktok-sponsored-trump-inauguration-party-2025-01-20/" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Some lawmakers want to see the law enforced now. In a statement Sunday, Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska warned that companies who ignore the deadline could “face ruinous bankruptcy.”&nbsp;

“Now that the law has taken effect there’s no legal basis for any kind of ‘extension,’ of its effective date” they wrote.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-warns-sweeping-executive-orders-coming-monday-he-rallies-supporters" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;a packed arena in Washington, D.C., on the eve of the inauguration that they were “going to see executive orders that are going to make you extremely happy, lots of them.”

Trump said he would “act with historic speed and strength and fix every single crisis facing our country.”

As a candidate and Republican presidential nominee, Trump promised his supporters that on day one he would launch a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/immigration-advocates-prep-trump-mass-deportations-vow-legal-challenges" target="_blank">mass deportation</a>&nbsp;of immigrants, end Russia’s war on Ukraine, and pardon those convicted and who pleaded guilty to crimes committed during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

In one of his last actions in office, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-issues-preemptive-pardons-fauci-milley-and-jan-6-committee-members-staff" target="_blank">issued</a>&nbsp;preemptive pardons for lawmakers and staff who served on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, as well as the police officers who testified before the panel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737424030648.png" alt="Photo by Taylor Budowich, Assistant to the President" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Taylor Budowich, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — Just hours into his second term, President Donald Trump signed some of his first executive orders as an arena crowd of thousands cheered a U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/return-to-in-person-work/" target="_blank">mandate</a>&nbsp;for federal workers to return to the office full-time.Trump scrawled his signature on nearly 10 portfolio-bound documents at a desk on the floor of the Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C., following an indoor inauguration parade at the 20,000-seat venue. Monday’s ceremonies were moved indoors because of cold temperatures.The orders included rescinding&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/initial-rescissions-of-harmful-executive-orders-and-actions/" target="_blank">78</a>&nbsp;Biden administration actions, freezing federal hiring and new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/regulatory-freeze-pending-review/" target="_blank">regulations</a>, and “<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-freedom-of-speech-and-ending-federal-censorship/" target="_blank">restoring</a>&nbsp;freedom of speech,” among&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/" target="_blank">others</a>&nbsp;that the White House press office dubbed “<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25499090-americafirstpriorities/" target="_blank">America First Priorities</a>.”“Could you imagine Biden doing this? I don’t think so,” Trump said to the crowd.Trump threw his ceremonial pens into the seats after signing the orders.In an Oval Office ceremony shortly afterward, Trump signed a slew of other orders ranging from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-officials-outline-planned-immigration-crackdown" target="_blank">declaring</a>&nbsp;a national emergency at the southern border to throwing TikTok a 75-day lifeline to find a new owner.Earlier Monday, surrounded by lawmakers from both parties who bantered with him in the President’s Room at the U.S. Capitol, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/flying-the-flag-of-the-united-states-at-full-staff-on-inauguration-day/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;mandating all U.S. flags fly at full height during future presidential inaugurations. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/flags-half-staff-trump-inauguration-johnson-a0c99a017e74b880df1c2eadfce25c28" target="_blank">ordered</a>&nbsp;flags at full staff for Trump’s inauguration despite the recent death of the late President Jimmy Carter.<h2>The first blitz</h2>During his first blitz, Trump erased Biden executive orders on “Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation” and “Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals.”Trump’s team signaled hours before inauguration that the incoming president planned to sign an order mandating the use of the word “sex” instead of “gender” in federal policy language and documents, including passports and visas.White House administration officials said on a call with reporters early Monday, speaking on background, that one of their first executive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">orders</a>&nbsp;will focus on “defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government.”Roughly 2 million transgender people live in the United States, according to the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, which condemned Trump’s order Monday.Kelley Robinson, the organization’s president, criticized Trump in a statement for “taking aim at the LGBTQ+ community instead of uniting our country and prioritizing the pressing issues the American people are facing.”Among the dozens of previous Biden administration orders, Trump reversed Biden actions titled “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis” and “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.”Environmental advocates denounced Trump’s executive orders. The Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement that Trump’s order for withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement “shows how threatened Trump is by the recent global compact to transition away from fossil fuels.”“While Trump buries his head in the sand, it’s going to be up to state leaders to lock eyes on the climate crisis and lead us toward a livable future,” the statement said.Incoming White House officials also teased orders taking down Biden-era environmental initiatives, including declaring an energy emergency, opening the Alaska wilderness for energy development and nixing energy standards for household appliances. They had not yet been released Monday night.<h2>TikTok</h2>Later Monday evening in the Oval Office, Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/application-of-protecting-americans-from-foreign-adversary-controlled-applications-act-to-tiktok/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;giving TikTok an extra 75 days to find a new owner. The order instructs the Department of Justice to ignore enforcing a federal law that required TikTok to separate from its China ties by Jan. 19.“The unfortunate timing of (the law) — one day before I took office as the 47th President of the United States — interferes with my ability to assess the national security and foreign policy implications of the Act’s prohibitions before they take effect,” Trump’s order stated.The popular video sharing app used by approximately 170 million Americans briefly went dark overnight Saturday into Sunday. A message to users read, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”A federal law&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-sign-executive-order-monday-delaying-tiktok-ban" target="_blank">mandated</a>&nbsp;that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance divest from the video sharing platform by the deadline when it became illegal for U.S. companies to distribute or maintain the app. Companies that don’t comply face fines up $5,000 per user.Trump’s position is a reversal of his support for a ban in 2020.&nbsp;“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok that I guess I didn’t have originally,” he told reporters in the Oval Office Monday night.TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was among the attendees at Trump’s inauguration, and the company sponsored an inauguration eve party in downtown D.C., Reuters&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/conservative-influencers-celebrate-tiktok-sponsored-trump-inauguration-party-2025-01-20/" target="_blank">reported</a>.Some lawmakers want to see the law enforced now. In a statement Sunday, Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska warned that companies who ignore the deadline could “face ruinous bankruptcy.”&nbsp;“Now that the law has taken effect there’s no legal basis for any kind of ‘extension,’ of its effective date” they wrote.<h2>A long campaign of promises</h2>Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-warns-sweeping-executive-orders-coming-monday-he-rallies-supporters" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;a packed arena in Washington, D.C., on the eve of the inauguration that they were “going to see executive orders that are going to make you extremely happy, lots of them.”Trump said he would “act with historic speed and strength and fix every single crisis facing our country.”As a candidate and Republican presidential nominee, Trump promised his supporters that on day one he would launch a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/immigration-advocates-prep-trump-mass-deportations-vow-legal-challenges" target="_blank">mass deportation</a>&nbsp;of immigrants, end Russia’s war on Ukraine, and pardon those convicted and who pleaded guilty to crimes committed during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.In one of his last actions in office, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-issues-preemptive-pardons-fauci-milley-and-jan-6-committee-members-staff" target="_blank">issued</a>&nbsp;preemptive pardons for lawmakers and staff who served on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, as well as the police officers who testified before the panel.

Trump Orders Withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement, Erases Actions on LGBTQ Equality

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday night issued sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/" target="_blank">pardons</a>&nbsp;for nearly all Jan. 6 defendants, erasing accountability for those who violently tried to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election results on that date in 2021.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/">Click here to see the full list</a>&nbsp;of pardons and commutations

Behind the desk of the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he signed a pardon for nearly 1,500 defendants who participated in the attack and commuted the sentences for several others whose punishments require “further research,” he said.

“We hope they come out tonight. They’re expecting it,” Trump said about the defendants.

Journalists&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/awaiting-trump-pardons-families-jan-6-rioters-gather-outside-dc-jail" target="_blank">outside</a>&nbsp;the D.C. Central Detention Facility, where many Jan. 6 defendants are being held, reported families began gathering there Monday in anticipation of the pardons.&nbsp;

The White House released the names of 13 defendants whose sentences Trump commuted. They include numerous right-wing militia&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/court-sentences-two-oath-keepers-leaders-seditious-conspiracy-and-other-charges-related-us" target="_blank">leaders</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/jury-convicts-four-leaders-proud-boys-seditious-conspiracy-related-us-capitol-breach#:~:text=A%20jury%20in%20the%20District,6%2C%202021." target="_blank">convicted</a>&nbsp;of seditious conspiracy.

Among them are Stewart Rhodes of Texas and Kelly Meggs of Florida, the founder and current leader of the Oath Keepers, as well as members of the Proud Boys, including Joseph Biggs of Florida, Ethan Nordean of Washington, Zachary Rehl of Pennsylvania, and Dominic Pezzola of New York.&nbsp;&nbsp;

All remaining Jan. 6 defendants convicted of crimes related to the Capitol attack received a “full, complete and unconditional pardon,” according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/" target="_blank">order</a>.&nbsp;

Trump praised the defendants on the campaign trail as “hostages,” “patriots” and “warriors,” and pardoning them became a major theme of Trump’s rallies.

Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn said the pardons marked a “dark day in American history.”

“This decision is a betrayal to the officers who were severely injured — and died — as a result of the insurrection. This decision puts Americans at risk as these violent criminals return to their communities. These pardons are a reflection of what abuse of power looks like and what we the people are bound to witness over the next four years,” Dunn said in statement released by the anti-Trump group Courage for America.

The U.S. Department of Justice launched its largest-ever investigation following the attack that left over 140 police officers injured and upwards of $2.8 million in damage to the Capitol.

As of early January the department had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/48-months-jan-6-attack-us-capitol" target="_blank">charged</a>&nbsp;just over 1,580 people for crimes related to the riot, 608 of whom were charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement, including nearly a third who used a dangerous or deadly weapon, according to the department’s latest figures.

Weapons, and objects used as weapons, brought on the Capitol grounds ranged from firearms and tasers to chemical sprays and sharp-edged weapons, including knives, axes and even a sword, according to the department.

Approximately 1,000 have pleaded guilty — 682 to misdemeanors and 327 to felonies. Just over 200 defendants were found guilty at contested trials, including 10 who were convicted of seditious conspiracy.

Earlier Monday, Trump promised an overflow inauguration crowd in the Capitol Visitors Center that would deliver “action” for the Jan. 6 “hostages.”

He slammed Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-pardons-his-family-members-fauci-milley-and-jan-6-committee-members-and-staff" target="_blank">preemptive pardoning</a>&nbsp;of the “unselect committee of political thugs,” referring to the former president’s Monday morning action for members and staff who served on the House select committee that probed the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

Biden also preemptively pardoned police officers who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8WU8MRC2M8" target="_blank">testified</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/27/1020822066/4-officers-who-responded-to-capitol-riot-will-deliver-1st-testimonies-to-new-pan" target="_blank">before</a>&nbsp;the committee. The officers have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-dem-former-police-officers-lambast-trumps-jan-6-pardon-pledge" target="_blank">lambasted</a>&nbsp;Trump’s promise to pardon the rioters.

Former U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, one of the officers to receive the pardon, said in a statement Monday that he “was just doing my job and fulfilling my oath” when “American citizens attacked the U.S. Capitol, injuring me and my colleagues.”

“Thank you President Biden for upholding our nation’s democracy, for your years of service to this country, and — in your final moments as Commander-in-Chief — issuing preemptive pardons for me and other loyal Americans. I did not seek a pardon, and I did nothing wrong. My family and I are grateful for your empathy and leadership.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737422102211.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday night issued sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/" target="_blank">pardons</a>&nbsp;for nearly all Jan. 6 defendants, erasing accountability for those who violently tried to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election results on that date in 2021.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/">Click here to see the full list</a>&nbsp;of pardons and commutationsBehind the desk of the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he signed a pardon for nearly 1,500 defendants who participated in the attack and commuted the sentences for several others whose punishments require “further research,” he said.“We hope they come out tonight. They’re expecting it,” Trump said about the defendants.Journalists&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/awaiting-trump-pardons-families-jan-6-rioters-gather-outside-dc-jail" target="_blank">outside</a>&nbsp;the D.C. Central Detention Facility, where many Jan. 6 defendants are being held, reported families began gathering there Monday in anticipation of the pardons.&nbsp;The White House released the names of 13 defendants whose sentences Trump commuted. They include numerous right-wing militia&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/court-sentences-two-oath-keepers-leaders-seditious-conspiracy-and-other-charges-related-us" target="_blank">leaders</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/jury-convicts-four-leaders-proud-boys-seditious-conspiracy-related-us-capitol-breach#:~:text=A%20jury%20in%20the%20District,6%2C%202021." target="_blank">convicted</a>&nbsp;of seditious conspiracy.Among them are Stewart Rhodes of Texas and Kelly Meggs of Florida, the founder and current leader of the Oath Keepers, as well as members of the Proud Boys, including Joseph Biggs of Florida, Ethan Nordean of Washington, Zachary Rehl of Pennsylvania, and Dominic Pezzola of New York.&nbsp;&nbsp;All remaining Jan. 6 defendants convicted of crimes related to the Capitol attack received a “full, complete and unconditional pardon,” according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/" target="_blank">order</a>.&nbsp;Trump praised the defendants on the campaign trail as “hostages,” “patriots” and “warriors,” and pardoning them became a major theme of Trump’s rallies.Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn said the pardons marked a “dark day in American history.”“This decision is a betrayal to the officers who were severely injured — and died — as a result of the insurrection. This decision puts Americans at risk as these violent criminals return to their communities. These pardons are a reflection of what abuse of power looks like and what we the people are bound to witness over the next four years,” Dunn said in statement released by the anti-Trump group Courage for America.The U.S. Department of Justice launched its largest-ever investigation following the attack that left over 140 police officers injured and upwards of $2.8 million in damage to the Capitol.As of early January the department had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/48-months-jan-6-attack-us-capitol" target="_blank">charged</a>&nbsp;just over 1,580 people for crimes related to the riot, 608 of whom were charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement, including nearly a third who used a dangerous or deadly weapon, according to the department’s latest figures.Weapons, and objects used as weapons, brought on the Capitol grounds ranged from firearms and tasers to chemical sprays and sharp-edged weapons, including knives, axes and even a sword, according to the department.Approximately 1,000 have pleaded guilty — 682 to misdemeanors and 327 to felonies. Just over 200 defendants were found guilty at contested trials, including 10 who were convicted of seditious conspiracy.Earlier Monday, Trump promised an overflow inauguration crowd in the Capitol Visitors Center that would deliver “action” for the Jan. 6 “hostages.”He slammed Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-pardons-his-family-members-fauci-milley-and-jan-6-committee-members-and-staff" target="_blank">preemptive pardoning</a>&nbsp;of the “unselect committee of political thugs,” referring to the former president’s Monday morning action for members and staff who served on the House select committee that probed the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.Biden also preemptively pardoned police officers who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8WU8MRC2M8" target="_blank">testified</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/27/1020822066/4-officers-who-responded-to-capitol-riot-will-deliver-1st-testimonies-to-new-pan" target="_blank">before</a>&nbsp;the committee. The officers have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-dem-former-police-officers-lambast-trumps-jan-6-pardon-pledge" target="_blank">lambasted</a>&nbsp;Trump’s promise to pardon the rioters.Former U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, one of the officers to receive the pardon, said in a statement Monday that he “was just doing my job and fulfilling my oath” when “American citizens attacked the U.S. Capitol, injuring me and my colleagues.”“Thank you President Biden for upholding our nation’s democracy, for your years of service to this country, and — in your final moments as Commander-in-Chief — issuing preemptive pardons for me and other loyal Americans. I did not seek a pardon, and I did nothing wrong. My family and I are grateful for your empathy and leadership.”

Trump Pardons Members of Jan. 6 Mob who Stormed U.S. Capitol to Overturn 2020 Election

WASHINGTON — On the first day of Donald Trump’s presidency, the U.S. Senate Monday passed a bill that would require the expansion of mass detention for immigrants charged or arrested for property crimes.

In a 64-35 vote,&nbsp;12 Democrats joined Republicans to send the bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5" target="_blank">S. 5</a>, known as the Laken Riley Act, back to the House for final passage&nbsp;due to two amendments that were agreed to by senators.

One<a href="https://www.congress.gov/amendment/119th-congress/senate-amendment/14" target="_blank">&nbsp;amendment</a>&nbsp;from Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn would add the assault of a law enforcement officer as an offense requiring mandatory detention.

Another&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/amendment/119th-congress/senate-amendment/8?s=a&amp;r=87" target="_blank">amendment</a>, from Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, would also require mandatory detention requirements for “any crime that results in death or serious bodily injury to another person.”

When the measure is passed by the House, it’ll likely be one of the first bills signed into law by Trump, an early victory after he ran a presidential campaign promising mass deportations of immigrants in the country without proper legal authorization.

<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-officials-outline-planned-immigration-crackdown" target="_blank">Trump is set to sign 10 executive orders</a>&nbsp;to put in motion his immigration crackdown at the southern border.&nbsp;

The bill is named after 22-year-old Laken Riley, a&nbsp;nursing student who was murdered by a man who immigration authorities say entered the country illegally and was previously charged with shoplifting.

The measure would not only greatly expand the detention of immigrants arrested or charged with crimes outlined in the measure, but would give state attorneys general broad discretion to challenge federal immigration policy if enacted into law.

<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/immigration-lawyers-fear-laken-riley-bill-could-have-broad-impact-trump-takes-office" target="_blank">Immigration attorneys and experts have warned</a>&nbsp;the measure could have far-reaching ramifications, such as subjecting some migrants — including children and teens — to rapid detention and deportation.

WASHINGTON — On the first day of Donald Trump’s presidency, the U.S. Senate Monday passed a bill that would require the expansion of mass detention for immigrants charged or arrested for property crimes.In a 64-35 vote,&nbsp;12 Democrats joined Republicans to send the bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5" target="_blank">S. 5</a>, known as the Laken Riley Act, back to the House for final passage&nbsp;due to two amendments that were agreed to by senators.One<a href="https://www.congress.gov/amendment/119th-congress/senate-amendment/14" target="_blank">&nbsp;amendment</a>&nbsp;from Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn would add the assault of a law enforcement officer as an offense requiring mandatory detention.Another&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/amendment/119th-congress/senate-amendment/8?s=a&amp;r=87" target="_blank">amendment</a>, from Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, would also require mandatory detention requirements for “any crime that results in death or serious bodily injury to another person.”When the measure is passed by the House, it’ll likely be one of the first bills signed into law by Trump, an early victory after he ran a presidential campaign promising mass deportations of immigrants in the country without proper legal authorization.<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-officials-outline-planned-immigration-crackdown" target="_blank">Trump is set to sign 10 executive orders</a>&nbsp;to put in motion his immigration crackdown at the southern border.&nbsp;The bill is named after 22-year-old Laken Riley, a&nbsp;nursing student who was murdered by a man who immigration authorities say entered the country illegally and was previously charged with shoplifting.The measure would not only greatly expand the detention of immigrants arrested or charged with crimes outlined in the measure, but would give state attorneys general broad discretion to challenge federal immigration policy if enacted into law.<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/immigration-lawyers-fear-laken-riley-bill-could-have-broad-impact-trump-takes-office" target="_blank">Immigration attorneys and experts have warned</a>&nbsp;the measure could have far-reaching ramifications, such as subjecting some migrants — including children and teens — to rapid detention and deportation.

Major GOP-led Immigration Measure Passed by U.S. Senate, Heads to House

In a statement from the White House early Friday, President Joe Biden wrote, "Today, I am commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offenses who are serving disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice. With this action, I have now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in U.S. history."

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/17/clemency-recipient-list-8/">Click here to see</a>&nbsp;the complete list

'Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes."

"As Congress recognized through the Fair Sentencing Act and the First Step Act, it is time that we equalize these sentencing disparities. This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars. I am proud of my record on clemency and will continue to review additional commutations and pardons."

In a statement from the White House early Friday, President Joe Biden wrote, "Today, I am commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offenses who are serving disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice. With this action, I have now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in U.S. history."<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/17/clemency-recipient-list-8/">Click here to see</a>&nbsp;the complete list'Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes." "As Congress recognized through the Fair Sentencing Act and the First Step Act, it is time that we equalize these sentencing disparities. This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars. I am proud of my record on clemency and will continue to review additional commutations and pardons."

See the list: Biden grants clemency for 2,500 non-violent drug offenders

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday left in place a law that would ban TikTok, the popular social media app that for years has raised national security concerns, unless its parent company sells it.&nbsp;

“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the court wrote in its ruling. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights.”

A bipartisan law enacted last year requires ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell the platform by Sunday or face exclusion from U.S.-based app stores.

TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/skeptical-supreme-court-justices-weigh-rescue-tiktok-nearing-ban" target="_blank">fought</a>&nbsp;the law all the way to the Supreme Court, arguing First Amendment rights, but did not prevail and now faces a choice of whether to sell the app.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-656_ca7d.pdf" target="_blank">27-page ruling&nbsp;</a>created a bit of a dilemma for President-elect Donald Trump, who now supports TikTok staying on Americans’ cell phones despite wanting to ban it during his first administration.

Trump wrote Friday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113844165549788304" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;on his social media site, Truth Social, that he will address the issue once he takes office on Monday.

“I just spoke to Chairman Xi Jinping of China. The call was a very good one for both China and the U.S.A,” Trump wrote. “It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately. We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!”

Trump issued an executive order in 2020 to ban the video platform unless it broke from ByteDance, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/11/1237833658/house-tiktok-vote-trump" target="_blank">reversed</a>&nbsp;his position last year.

Trump’s attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, cited “pending litigation” and declined to directly answer a question about whether she would direct the Justice Department to enforce the TikTok ban during her confirmation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/senate-committee/us-attorney-general-nominee-pam-bondi-testifies-at-confirmation-hearing/430145" target="_blank">hearing</a>&nbsp;Wednesday.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration Monday, according to a source familiar with the planning.

Chew will not be the only tech executive sitting nearby as Trump takes the oath of office. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, are expected to be in attendance. Both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-meta-zuckerberg-inauguration-donation-c540bf7c638def11b8428e633965c718" target="_blank">donated</a>&nbsp;$1 million to Trump’s inaugural.

The law requiring TikTok’s parent company to sell the app or lose access to the American social media market received bipartisan support in the House last year, following a&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202486" target="_blank">352-65</a>&nbsp;vote in March. The measure cleared Congress as part of a larger supplemental&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/815/text?s=1&amp;r=15&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22Protecting+Americans+from+Foreign+Adversary+Controlled+Applications+Act%22%7D" target="_blank">package</a>&nbsp;a month later.

President Joe Biden signed it into law. However, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/biden-administration-no-plans-fine-companies-tiktok-ban-rcna188062" target="_blank">NBC News</a>, he will decline to enforce the law on his last day in office, leaving it to the incoming Trump administration to decide if it will levy fines on any app stores or other entities that fail to comply.

Congress and the Biden administration pointed to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfoh7MOVKX4" target="_blank">warnings</a>&nbsp;from national security officials about ByteDance’s ties to China’s government as the top reason to force its parent company to sell the app.

TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://usds.tiktok.com/who-owns-tiktoks-parent-company-bytedance/" target="_blank">maintains</a>&nbsp;that it is majority owned by global investors, including the Susquehanna International Group and Blackrock, though roughly 20% remains in the hands of its Chinese founders.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday left in place a law that would ban TikTok, the popular social media app that for years has raised national security concerns, unless its parent company sells it.&nbsp;“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the court wrote in its ruling. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights.”A bipartisan law enacted last year requires ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell the platform by Sunday or face exclusion from U.S.-based app stores.TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/skeptical-supreme-court-justices-weigh-rescue-tiktok-nearing-ban" target="_blank">fought</a>&nbsp;the law all the way to the Supreme Court, arguing First Amendment rights, but did not prevail and now faces a choice of whether to sell the app.<h2>Trump’s next move</h2>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-656_ca7d.pdf" target="_blank">27-page ruling&nbsp;</a>created a bit of a dilemma for President-elect Donald Trump, who now supports TikTok staying on Americans’ cell phones despite wanting to ban it during his first administration.Trump wrote Friday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113844165549788304" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;on his social media site, Truth Social, that he will address the issue once he takes office on Monday.“I just spoke to Chairman Xi Jinping of China. The call was a very good one for both China and the U.S.A,” Trump wrote. “It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately. We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!”Trump issued an executive order in 2020 to ban the video platform unless it broke from ByteDance, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/11/1237833658/house-tiktok-vote-trump" target="_blank">reversed</a>&nbsp;his position last year.Trump’s attorney general nominee, Pam Bondi, cited “pending litigation” and declined to directly answer a question about whether she would direct the Justice Department to enforce the TikTok ban during her confirmation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/senate-committee/us-attorney-general-nominee-pam-bondi-testifies-at-confirmation-hearing/430145" target="_blank">hearing</a>&nbsp;Wednesday.TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration Monday, according to a source familiar with the planning.Chew will not be the only tech executive sitting nearby as Trump takes the oath of office. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, are expected to be in attendance. Both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-meta-zuckerberg-inauguration-donation-c540bf7c638def11b8428e633965c718" target="_blank">donated</a>&nbsp;$1 million to Trump’s inaugural.<h2>Bipartisan backing for law</h2>The law requiring TikTok’s parent company to sell the app or lose access to the American social media market received bipartisan support in the House last year, following a&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202486" target="_blank">352-65</a>&nbsp;vote in March. The measure cleared Congress as part of a larger supplemental&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/815/text?s=1&amp;r=15&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22Protecting+Americans+from+Foreign+Adversary+Controlled+Applications+Act%22%7D" target="_blank">package</a>&nbsp;a month later.President Joe Biden signed it into law. However, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/biden-administration-no-plans-fine-companies-tiktok-ban-rcna188062" target="_blank">NBC News</a>, he will decline to enforce the law on his last day in office, leaving it to the incoming Trump administration to decide if it will levy fines on any app stores or other entities that fail to comply.Congress and the Biden administration pointed to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfoh7MOVKX4" target="_blank">warnings</a>&nbsp;from national security officials about ByteDance’s ties to China’s government as the top reason to force its parent company to sell the app.TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://usds.tiktok.com/who-owns-tiktoks-parent-company-bytedance/" target="_blank">maintains</a>&nbsp;that it is majority owned by global investors, including the Susquehanna International Group and Blackrock, though roughly 20% remains in the hands of its Chinese founders.

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Ban on TikTok Unless it’s Sold as Deadline Nears

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/greglarose/">GREG LAROSE</a>&nbsp;

An infectious disease expert says the relatively mild cases of avian influenza detected so far among dairy workers don’t warrant making a vaccine available to them, even as they work to contain and prevent spread of the contagious virus among herds.

Dr. Shira Doron, an epidemiologist and chief infection control officer for Tufts Medicine in Boston, said the minor spread of the H5N1 among humans – and no reported instances of human-to-human transmission – makes any widespread administration of a vaccine premature right now.

“There are also many logistical issues that would be associated with deployment of vaccine to farm workers – language barrier, undocumented status, compliance – so that is not the plan at this time, “ Doron said Friday morning during an Infectious Diseases Society of America teleconference.

H5N1 has circulated globally for decades, she said. Analysis of the strains currently circulating shows them to be poorly suited for transmission between humans and with low pandemic potential, according to Doron.

Human patients have also responded well to antiviral treatments such as Tamiflu, the doctor said.

The current avian flu strains have led to two severe cases in humans. One involved a 65-year-old person from Louisiana who contracted the virus from exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds, state health officials said. It was&nbsp;<a href="https://lailluminator.com/2025/01/06/avian-flu-louisiana/" target="_blank">the nation’s first ever fatal human case</a>&nbsp;of avian flu, though the patient was reported to have underlying conditions that worsened after they contracted H5N1.

The other severe case was a teen in Canada who had to be admitted to a hospital’s intensive care unit. That patient contracted the virus from wild birds, Doron said.

Dr. Julio Figeroua, LSU Health chief of infectious diseases and a professor at Louisiana State University’s medical school in New Orleans, also took part in the IDSA teleconference. There have been no secondary avian flu cases related to the patient in Louisiana who died, he said.

“We have people who do hunting, hunting of geese and ducks, and so advisories have been put out to those for proper handling of those particular animals,” Figeroua said. “A lot of backyard flocks that are here and in urban and suburban areas are potentially also potential sources for transmission.”

In addition to 919 dairy herds in 16 states, the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu has impacted more than 133 million poultry farms in all 50 states as of Wednesday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Coordination about the various federal and state agencies responding to avian flu outbreaks will be crucial to containing its spread, especially as the incoming Trump administration takes over, Doron and Figueroa said.

Asked to provide an estimate for when the current H5N1 outbreak might be contained or peter out on its own, Doron said it’s difficult to determine at this point.

“I think it really is going to depend on how long immunity lasts, and it’s too early in the outbreak to know that,” she said. “… If the immunity doesn’t last more than a few months, then we could have ongoing spread indefinitely.”

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://lailluminator.com/2025/01/10/avian-flu/" target="_blank">Louisiana Illuminator</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733747978622.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/greglarose/">GREG LAROSE</a>&nbsp;An infectious disease expert says the relatively mild cases of avian influenza detected so far among dairy workers don’t warrant making a vaccine available to them, even as they work to contain and prevent spread of the contagious virus among herds.Dr. Shira Doron, an epidemiologist and chief infection control officer for Tufts Medicine in Boston, said the minor spread of the H5N1 among humans – and no reported instances of human-to-human transmission – makes any widespread administration of a vaccine premature right now.“There are also many logistical issues that would be associated with deployment of vaccine to farm workers – language barrier, undocumented status, compliance – so that is not the plan at this time, “ Doron said Friday morning during an Infectious Diseases Society of America teleconference.H5N1 has circulated globally for decades, she said. Analysis of the strains currently circulating shows them to be poorly suited for transmission between humans and with low pandemic potential, according to Doron.Human patients have also responded well to antiviral treatments such as Tamiflu, the doctor said.The current avian flu strains have led to two severe cases in humans. One involved a 65-year-old person from Louisiana who contracted the virus from exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds, state health officials said. It was&nbsp;<a href="https://lailluminator.com/2025/01/06/avian-flu-louisiana/" target="_blank">the nation’s first ever fatal human case</a>&nbsp;of avian flu, though the patient was reported to have underlying conditions that worsened after they contracted H5N1.The other severe case was a teen in Canada who had to be admitted to a hospital’s intensive care unit. That patient contracted the virus from wild birds, Doron said.Dr. Julio Figeroua, LSU Health chief of infectious diseases and a professor at Louisiana State University’s medical school in New Orleans, also took part in the IDSA teleconference. There have been no secondary avian flu cases related to the patient in Louisiana who died, he said.“We have people who do hunting, hunting of geese and ducks, and so advisories have been put out to those for proper handling of those particular animals,” Figeroua said. “A lot of backyard flocks that are here and in urban and suburban areas are potentially also potential sources for transmission.”In addition to 919 dairy herds in 16 states, the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu has impacted more than 133 million poultry farms in all 50 states as of Wednesday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Coordination about the various federal and state agencies responding to avian flu outbreaks will be crucial to containing its spread, especially as the incoming Trump administration takes over, Doron and Figueroa said.Asked to provide an estimate for when the current H5N1 outbreak might be contained or peter out on its own, Doron said it’s difficult to determine at this point.“I think it really is going to depend on how long immunity lasts, and it’s too early in the outbreak to know that,” she said. “… If the immunity doesn’t last more than a few months, then we could have ongoing spread indefinitely.”This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://lailluminator.com/2025/01/10/avian-flu/" target="_blank">Louisiana Illuminator</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

No need to provide an avian flu vaccine for humans yet, expert says

NEW YORK —During an online Teams meeting, President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday in his&nbsp;hush money case. The judge did not impose any prison time, probation, a fine or other conditions.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/recorded-audio-president-elect-trump-sentenced-in-hush-money-case/430047">Click here </a>to listen to the sentencing hearing

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736520956783.png" alt="File photo President-elect Trump during a meeting with Republic Governors on Thursday night -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo President-elect Trump during a meeting with Republic Governors on Thursday night -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK —During an online Teams meeting, President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday in his&nbsp;hush money case. The judge did not impose any prison time, probation, a fine or other conditions.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/recorded-audio-president-elect-trump-sentenced-in-hush-money-case/430047">Click here </a>to listen to the sentencing hearing

🎧Listen to Trump sentencing: No prison, probation or conditions

WASHINGTON —United States Capitol Police officers prevented a man from bringing a machete and three knives past a screening checkpoint in the Capitol Visitor Center.

Just after 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, during security screening at the CVC’s north doors, USCP officers spotted a machete in a bag, which was going through the x-ray machine. Officers stopped the machine and searched the bag, which contained a machete and three knives.&nbsp;

“Our officers know they cannot let their guard down for one second,” said U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger. “It is this constant focus and attention to detail that helps keep this campus safe.”

44-year-old Mel J. Horne, of Washington, D.C., was arrested for multiple counts of Carrying a Dangerous Weapon.&nbsp;

Security screening was temporarily stopped at the north side of the Capitol Visitor Center, while the USCP investigated, but the checkpoint was reopened approximately an hour later. Public viewing for the lying in state was not stopped and will continue throughout the night, into Thursday morning.&nbsp;

Horne will be interviewed by USCP investigators to determine his motive. At this time there is no on-going threat towards the Congress, the U.S. Capitol, or the public.

WASHINGTON —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an incident Wednesday in Washington.

Just after 2:00 p.m., U.S. Capitol Police officers stopped and arrested a man who tried to get a machete into the Capitol Visitor Center, according to a media release.

Three knives were also found in the bag, along with the machete. Security screening was temporarily stopped at the north side of the Capitol Visitor Center while police investigated.

The man is being held on multiple requested charges of Carrying a Dangerous Weapon. Check the Post for more information once it is available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730837573908.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —United States Capitol Police officers prevented a man from bringing a machete and three knives past a screening checkpoint in the Capitol Visitor Center.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736381404606.png" alt="Photo U.S. Capitol Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Capitol Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, during security screening at the CVC’s north doors, USCP officers spotted a machete in a bag, which was going through the x-ray machine. Officers stopped the machine and searched the bag, which contained a machete and three knives.&nbsp;“Our officers know they cannot let their guard down for one second,” said U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger. “It is this constant focus and attention to detail that helps keep this campus safe.”44-year-old Mel J. Horne, of Washington, D.C., was arrested for multiple counts of Carrying a Dangerous Weapon.&nbsp;Security screening was temporarily stopped at the north side of the Capitol Visitor Center, while the USCP investigated, but the checkpoint was reopened approximately an hour later. Public viewing for the lying in state was not stopped and will continue throughout the night, into Thursday morning.&nbsp;Horne will be interviewed by USCP investigators to determine his motive. At this time there is no on-going threat towards the Congress, the U.S. Capitol, or the public.-----------WASHINGTON —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an incident Wednesday in Washington.Just after 2:00 p.m., U.S. Capitol Police officers stopped and arrested a man who tried to get a machete into the Capitol Visitor Center, according to a media release.Three knives were also found in the bag, along with the machete. Security screening was temporarily stopped at the north side of the Capitol Visitor Center while police investigated.The man is being held on multiple requested charges of Carrying a Dangerous Weapon. Check the Post for more information once it is available.

Police: Man with Machete Attempted to Enter U.S. Capitol 

On Tuesday, Vice President Harris announced a final rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. This rule will reduce the burden of medical debt and ensure that patients are not denied access to credit for home mortgages, car loans, or small business loans due to unpaid medical bills.&nbsp;

Further, Vice President Harris announced that states and localities have leveraged American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to support the elimination of over $1 billion in medical debt for more than 700,000 Americans. These actions build on the Vice President’s call to action for states to reduce the burden of medical debt, including by directly purchasing the debt from providers and third parties. 

"Overall, jurisdictions are on track to eliminate roughly $15 billion in medical debt for up to nearly 6 million Americans.&nbsp;“No one should be&nbsp;denied economic opportunity because they got sick or experienced a medical emergency. That is why President Biden and I cancelled over $1 billion in medical debt – part of our overall plan to forgive $7 billion by 2026 – with support from our American Rescue Plan, legislation that I advanced with my tie-breaking vote in the Senate."

On Tuesday, Vice President Harris announced a final rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. This rule will reduce the burden of medical debt and ensure that patients are not denied access to credit for home mortgages, car loans, or small business loans due to unpaid medical bills.&nbsp;Further, Vice President Harris announced that states and localities have leveraged American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to support the elimination of over $1 billion in medical debt for more than 700,000 Americans. These actions build on the Vice President’s call to action for states to reduce the burden of medical debt, including by directly purchasing the debt from providers and third parties. "Overall, jurisdictions are on track to eliminate roughly $15 billion in medical debt for up to nearly 6 million Americans.&nbsp;“No one should be&nbsp;denied economic opportunity because they got sick or experienced a medical emergency. That is why President Biden and I cancelled over $1 billion in medical debt – part of our overall plan to forgive $7 billion by 2026 – with support from our American Rescue Plan, legislation that I advanced with my tie-breaking vote in the Senate."We also reduced the burden of medical debt by increasing pathways to forgiveness and cracking down on predatory debt collection tactics,”&nbsp;said Vice President Harris.&nbsp;“Today, we are building on this meaningful work by announcing an unprecedented final rule that will make it so medical debt is no longer included in your credit score. This will be lifechanging for millions of families, making it easier for them to be approved for a car loan, a home loan, or a small-business loan. As someone who has spent my entire career fighting to protect consumers and lower medical bills, I know that our historic rule will help more Americans save money, build wealth, and thrive.”&nbsp;More than 100 million Americans struggle with medical debt. Medical debt is the largest source of debt in collections, making up a larger proportion of debt tradelines than credit cards, utilities, and auto loans. However, medical debt is not like other forms of debt because it is often the result of unavoidable medical complications and medical bills often contain significant errors, such as inflated or duplicative charges and fees for services never received or already paid. Reducing the burden of medical debt has been a key priority in President Biden and Vice President Harris’s effort to lower cost for American families.&nbsp;Removing Medical Debt from Consumer Credit Reports&nbsp;The CFPB is finalizing a rule that will remove medical debt from the credit reports of more than 15 million Americans, raising their credit scores by an estimated average of 20 points and leading to the approval of approximately 22,000 additional mortgages every year. Under the CFPB rule, there will be zero Americans with medical debt listed on their credit reports, down from 46 million in 2020.&nbsp;CFPB’s research indicates that medical bills are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-study-finds-medical-debt-overly-penalizes-consumer-credit-scores/">poor predictors</a>&nbsp;of an individual’s ability to repay a loan and that medical bills are often&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-report-spotlights-medical-billing-challenges/">confusing and erroneous</a>. In March 2022, the CFPB released a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-estimates-88-billion-in-medical-bills-on-credit-reports/">report</a>&nbsp;estimating that medical bills made up $88 billion of reported debts on credit reports. After the March 2022 report, the three largest credit reporting agencies announced that they would no longer include paid medical debts, unpaid medical debts less than a year old, and medical debt under $500 from credit reporting.&nbsp;Despite these voluntary changes,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-finds-15-million-americans-have-medical-bills-on-their-credit-reports/">15 million Americans</a>&nbsp;still have $49 billion in outstanding medical bills in collections appearing in the credit reporting system. Today’s action will remove these outstanding $49 billion in unpaid medical bills from the credit reports of the remaining 15 million impacted Americans.&nbsp;Vice President Harris’s Call to Action, Leveraging Federal Funds to Eliminate Medical Debt&nbsp;In June 2024, Vice President Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/06/11/fact-sheet-vice-president-harris-announces-proposal-to-prohibit-medical-bills-from-being-included-on-credit-reports-and-calls-on-states-and-localities-to-take-further-actions-to-reduce-medical-debt/">called on states, local governments, and health care providers to take action</a>&nbsp;to reduce the burden of medical debt. States and localities have responded to this call by directly relieving debt and launching innovative programs to improve their health systems. Thanks to the President Biden and Vice President Harris’s American Rescue Plan, states, counties, and cities have already eliminated more than an estimated $1 billion in medical debt for over 750,000 Americans, including:<ul>
 <li>Cook County, Illinois has eliminated over $382 million in medical debt for over 210,000 residents.</li><li>New Jersey has eliminated $220 million in medical debt for over 120,00 residents.</li><li>Cleveland, Ohio has eliminated nearly $137 million in medical debt for over 130,000 residents.</li><li>Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio partnered to eliminate over $87 million in medical debt for over 140,000 residents.</li><li>New Orleans, Louisiana has eliminated nearly $70 million in medical debt for 75,000 residents.</li><li>St. Paul, Minnesota has eliminated $40 million in medical debt for over 30,000 residents.</li><li>Washington, DC has eliminated $42 million in medical debt for over 60,000 residents.</li><li>Connecticut has eliminated $30 million in medical debt for 23,000 residents.</li><li>Wayne County, Michigan has eliminated $27 million in medical debt for more than 46,000 residents.</li><li>Oakland County, Michigan has eliminated $9 million in medical debt for more than 14,000 residents.</li>
 </ul>These and other jurisdictions are on track to eliminate an estimated up to $7 billion in medical debt for nearly 3 million Americans by the end of 2026 thanks to ARP-supported efforts.In addition to directly relieving debt, states and localities have responded to Vice President Harris’s call by launching innovative programs to improve their health systems. For instance, North Carolina&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2024/08/12/north-carolina-hospitals-sign-relieve-medical-debt">recently announced</a>&nbsp;that all of the state’s 99 eligible hospitals have committed to participate in medical debt relief program that will eliminate up to $4 billion in existing medical debt for nearly 2 million low-and middle-income North Carolinians.&nbsp; The program also ensures that hospitals have policies in place to reduce the chance individuals will end up in debt in the first place. North Carolina’s program utilizes a novel approach, where hospital systems become eligible for enhanced Medicaid reimbursements under the State Directed Payments Healthcare Access and Stabilization Program by implementing policies that:<ul>
 <li>Relieve all medical debt deemed uncollectible dating back to Jan. 1, 2014, for any individuals not enrolled in Medicaid with incomes at or below at least 350% of the federal poverty level (FPL) or for whom total debt exceeds 5% of annual income.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Relieve all unpaid medical debt dating back to Jan. 1, 2014, for individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Sets a charity care floor in the state that provides discounts on medical bills of between 50-100% for patients with incomes at or below 300% FPL, with the amount of the discount varying based on the patient’s income.</li><li>Automatically enroll people into financial assistance, known as charity care, by implementing a policy for presumptively determining individuals eligible for financial assistance through a streamlined screening and income validation approach.&nbsp;</li><li>Not sell any medical debt for consumers with incomes at or below 300% FPL to debt collectors.&nbsp;</li><li>Not report a patient’s debt covered by these policies to a credit reporting agency.</li>
 </ul>Preventing the Accumulation of Medical Debt Through Increased OversightToday’s announcements build on efforts by the Biden-Harris Administration to reduce the burden of medical debt, including:<ul>
 <li>The Internal Revenue Service&nbsp;<a href="https://news.bloombergtax.com/daily-tax-report/irs-plans-more-nonprofit-hospital-audits-as-scrutiny-heats-up">announced</a>&nbsp;new steps to ensure that non-profit hospitals provide free and reduced-price care for patients that need it, as is required by law. This includes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-counsel/2024-2025-priority-guidance-plan-initial-version.pdf">issuing new guidance</a>&nbsp;in the coming months to clarify the obligations of tax-exempt hospitals&nbsp; to offer and publicize financial assistance policies and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5313.pdf">committing to prioritizing enforcement actions</a>&nbsp;against tax-exempt hospitals that violate these responsibilities.</li><li>The CFPB issued an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-takes-aim-at-double-billing-and-inflated-charges-in-medical-debt-collection/">Advisory Opinion</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/consumer-advisory-pause-and-review-your-rights-when-you-hear-from-a-medical-debt-collector/">Consumer Advisory</a>&nbsp;clarifying the responsibilities of debt collectors to confirm that debts are accurate, valid, and substantiated before engaging in collection actions and explaining to consumers what actions they can take when they suspect that they have been improperly billed or if they have had improper or illegal collection actions taken against them.</li><li>The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implemented&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/01/fact-sheet-supporting-veterans-experiencing-financial-hardship-and-addressing-the-harmful-effects-of-military-environmental-exposures/#:~:text=VA%20will%20streamline%20the%20request%20process%20and%20set,effect%20in%20the%20next%2090%20to%20120%20days.">a streamlined process</a>&nbsp;to make it easier and faster for lower-income veterans to get their VA medical debt forgiven, already&nbsp;providing relief to over 10,000 veterans and saved them more than $10 million in copay debt.</li><li>The Department of Defense has proposed a rule aimed at providing financial relief for civilians receiving medical care at military medical treatment facilities (MTFs). &nbsp;If finalized as proposed, this rule would implement fee reductions through a sliding scale discount program as well as catastrophic cap waivers. &nbsp;Through these measures, the DoD aims to significantly reduce the financial burden on patients while maintaining high-quality care.</li><li>The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhfa.gov/Media/PublicAffairs/Documents/CS-Fact-Sheet-2022.pdf">validated and approved</a>&nbsp;the use of VantageScore 4.0, along with FICO 10T, for the underwriting of mortgages by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, marking the first time that a credit score that excludes medical debt has been approved for mortgage underwriting of Enterprise loans.</li><li>The Small Business Administration (SBA) is taking steps to reduce the role of medical debt in the underwriting of loans&nbsp;for its flagship 7(a) guaranteed loan program, including revising its lender Standard Operating Procedures and Lender Match tool to discourage consideration of medical debt.</li><li>The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued memorandum&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/M-22-17.pdf">M-22-17</a>&nbsp;to direct agencies to reduce the impact of medical debt in the underwriting of Federal credit programs, helping to spur the actions by VA, FHFA, and SBA listed above.</li><li>The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of the Treasury&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/notice-opportunities-comment/archive-closed/request-for-information-on-medical-payment-products/">issued a joint request for information</a>&nbsp;seeking comment on the prevalence, nature, and impact of medical payment products.</li><li>CMS and CFPB issued guidance clarifying protections against inappropriate patient billing and costs for the approximately 8 million low-income Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program.&nbsp;</li><li>The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury have prioritized implementing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/03/06/fact-sheet-president-biden-takes-new-steps-to-lower-prescription-drug-and-health-care-costs-expand-access-to-health-care-and-protect-consumers/">surprise billing protections</a>, preventing 1 million surprise medical bills every single month.</li><li>As a part of the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/02/fact-sheet-president-bidens-cap-on-the-cost-of-insulin-could-benefit-millions-of-americans-in-all-50-states/#:~:text=Eli%20Lilly%20announced%20they%20are%20lowering%20the%20cost,diabetes%20in%20all%20fifty%20states%20and%20U.S.%20territories.">capped the cost of insulin at $35</a>&nbsp;for a month’s supply of each covered insulin&nbsp;and capped out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 in 2025 for seniors and others with Medicare. Thanks to the $3500 cap, nearly 1.5 million Medicare enrollees saved nearly $1 billion on prescription drugs in just the first half of 2024. Since taking these actions, President Biden has called on Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/03/06/fact-sheet-president-biden-takes-new-steps-to-lower-prescription-drug-and-health-care-costs-expand-access-to-health-care-and-protect-consumers/#:~:text=Expand%20Cap%20on%20Out%2Dof%2DPocket%20Prescription%20Drug%20Costs.&amp;text=The%20President%20is%20calling%20on,putting%20food%20on%20the%20table.">to expand the cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs</a>&nbsp;to cover all Americans.</li><li>President Biden has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/10/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-lowers-health-care-costs/">called on states</a>&nbsp;to close the Medicaid coverage gap and create new pathways to health coverage by expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.</li><li>Secretary Becerra directed HHS to evaluate how providers’ billing practices impact access and affordability of care and the accrual of medical debt. HHS, CFPB, and the Treasury Department requested information and data on medical bill collection practices, lawsuits against patients, financial assistance, financial product offerings, and 3rd party contracting or debt buying practices. HHS, for the first time, considered weighing this information in their funding decisions.</li><li>The CFPB and the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a joint letter affirming that nursing homes that participate in Medicare and Medicaid are prohibited from forcing a resident’s family or friends to assume responsibility for the cost of care as a condition of admission or continued stay in the facility.</li><li>HHS is collecting evidence and data to inform future actions by adding new questions on medical debt to Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, two of the most important sources of data on health care in the United States.</li><li>HHS released a set of&nbsp;<a href="https://oig.hhs.gov/faqs/general-questions-regarding-certain-fraud-and-abuse-authorities/#13-does-the-federal-anti-kickback-statute-or-the-beneficiary-inducements-cmp-prohibit-hospitals-from-waiving-their-patients-cost-sharing-amounts-pursuant-to-hospitals-financial-assistance-policies-also-known-as-charity-care-policies.">frequently asked questions</a>&nbsp;clarifying that hospitals have the ability to provide relief to uninsured and underinsured patients who cannot afford their hospital bills and to Medicare beneficiaries who cannot afford their Medicare cost.</li><li>The Biden-Harris Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/03/28/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-new-landmark-rule-to-protect-americans-from-junk-health-insurance/#:~:text=Under%20the%20new%20rules%2C%20new%20plans%20that%20claim,they%20in%20fact%20provided%20little%20to%20no%20coverage.">issued</a>&nbsp;a final rule that protects consumers from junk health insurance and makes sure Americans aren’t scammed into low-quality coverage that leaves consumers on the hook for thousands of dollars in medical bills.</li><li>CMS is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/10/10/2024-23103/patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-hhs-notice-of-benefit-and-payment-parameters-for-2026-and">soliciting comment</a>&nbsp;on how hospital-based personnel who help consumers enroll in Marketplace coverage could connect consumers to hospital financial assistance programs designed to reduce medical debt.</li><li>The White House<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/12/08/readout-of-the-white-house-state-convening-on-medical-debt/">&nbsp;convened state and local leaders</a>&nbsp;to discuss initiatives to further lower health care costs and reduce the burden of medical debt, including addressing medical payment products, unfair debt collection practices, surprise billing and facility fees, and charity care.</li>
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