LONDON (AP) — Kate, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-william-uk-royals-prince-shopping-video-c7f3483e8850b859845897a1433b60c0">Princess of Wales</a>, has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy, she revealed Friday in a stunning announcement that followed weeks of speculation about her health and whereabouts.

The princess disclosed her condition in a video message recorded Wednesday in Windsor and broadcast Friday. It came after relentless speculation on social media ever since January, when she was hospitalized for unspecified&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-princess-of-wales-operation-uk-royals-eea1a111a295152b8820b94fd257c12d">abdominal surgery</a>.

Kate asked for “time, space and privacy” while she is treated for an unspecified type of cancer that was discovered after what she described as “major” surgery.

Wearing a casual striped sweater and jeans, Kate sat on a wooden bench in front of a lawn dotted with daffodils. The flowers, which bloom in early spring, are often used as a symbol of hope for people fighting cancer.

“I am well," she said. "I am getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal.”

Kate, 42, hadn’t been seen publicly since Christmas until video surfaced this week of her with her husband, Prince William, heir to the throne. It showed them walking from a shop that sells produce grown on the royal family's Windsor estate.

The news is another jolt for the royal family since the announcement last month that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-iii-cancer-britain-e0408a7c9bb86ad2af8754ce4b37d65e">King Charles III</a>&nbsp;was being treated for an unspecified type of cancer that was discovered while undergoing a procedure for a benign enlarged prostate.

Charles said he is “so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did,” according to a statement released by Buckingham Palace. The king, who received prostate treatment in the same hospital and at the same time Kate had her surgery, remained in the “closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law" in the past weeks.

The king and Queen Camilla “will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time," the palace said.

Before Friday, Kensington Palace had given little detail about Kate’s condition beyond saying it wasn’t cancer-related, the surgery was successful and recuperation would keep the princess away from public duties until April. Kate said it had been thought that her condition was non-cancerous until post-surgery tests revealed the diagnosis.

“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," she said.

By choosing to speak directly to the country and the world about her condition, rather than issuing a statement through the palace, Kate offered a level of intimacy and transparency atypical of a member of the royal family and may help tamp down runaway conjecture. The king’s disclosure of his condition was also notably open by royal standards.

Kate said it had taken her time to recover from the surgery before starting “preventative” treatment, which she said was in the early stages.

Dr. Shivan Sivakumar, associate professor in oncology at the University of Birmingham, said it’s unclear what the princess meant by “preventative” chemotherapy but he presumed that it’s what is known as “adjuvant” chemotherapy in the medical profession.

“This is chemotherapy after an operation to prevent recurrence,” he said. “This is to attempt to destroy any circulating cancer cells.”

Kate said it has been “an incredibly tough couple of months” for her family. She said it had taken time to tell her three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in a way “appropriate for them” and reassure them she will be OK.

The announcement came after the start of the Easter holidays, which will shield the children from media coverage of the news.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement that Kate “has shown tremendous bravery.” He added: “In recent weeks she has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media.”

Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, also sent his best wishes to the princess at this “distressing time.”

“We are incredibly sad to hear of the news,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who opened her briefing with reporters moments after news of cancer treatment broke. “We are taking this in, this terrible news, as all of you are.”

Charles, 75, has withdrawn from public duties while he has cancer treatment, though he's appeared frequently in photos carrying on meetings with government officials and dignitaries and was even seen going to church.

Kate, on the other hand, had been out of view instead of appearing at charity events and promoting causes such as supporting children early in life, leading to weeks of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-princess-of-wales-trooping-color-britain-d55d1e8bbf1a9357b116e8b38a16e92d">speculation and gossip</a>. Attempts to put rumors to bed by releasing a photo of her on Mother's Day in the U.K. surrounded by her three smiling children backfired when The Associated Press and other news agencies retracted the image because it had been manipulated.

Kate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/princess-kate-manipulated-photo-482fda64281b4a63ccf30364d96b2622">issued a statement</a>&nbsp;the next day acknowledging she liked to “experiment with editing” and apologizing for “any confusion” the photo had caused. But that did little to quell the speculation.

Even the footage published by The Sun and TMZ that appeared to show Kate and William shopping sparked a new flurry of rumor-mongering, with some armchair sleuths refusing to believe the video showed Kate at all.

Earlier this week, a British privacy watchdog said it was investigating a report that staff at the private London hospital where she was treated tried to snoop on her medical records while she was a patient for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-princess-of-wales-operation-uk-royals-eea1a111a295152b8820b94fd257c12d">abdominal surgery.</a>

The former Kate Middleton, who married William in a fairy-tale wedding in 2011, has boosted the popularity and appeal of the British monarchy worldwide more than any royal since Princess Diana.

The princess is the oldest of three children brought up in a well-to-do neighborhood in Berkshire, west of London. The Middletons have no aristocratic background, and the British press often referred to Kate as a “commoner” marrying into royalty.

Her brother James Middleton posted on Instagram: “Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too.”

Kate attended the private school Marlborough College and then University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she met William around 2001. Friends and housemates at first, their relationship became widely publicized when they were pictured together on a skiing holiday in Switzerland in 2004.

Kate graduated in 2005 with a degree in art history and a budding relationship with the prince.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711131728044.png" alt="File- Kate, Princess of Wales, with her children during the Coronation in May of 2023-image from AP video" />
 <figcaption>File- Kate, Princess of Wales, with her children during the Coronation in May of 2023-image from AP video</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Kate, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-william-uk-royals-prince-shopping-video-c7f3483e8850b859845897a1433b60c0">Princess of Wales</a>, has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy, she revealed Friday in a stunning announcement that followed weeks of speculation about her health and whereabouts.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales <a href="https://t.co/5LQT1qGarK">pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK</a>&mdash; The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1771235267837321694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The princess disclosed her condition in a video message recorded Wednesday in Windsor and broadcast Friday. It came after relentless speculation on social media ever since January, when she was hospitalized for unspecified&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-princess-of-wales-operation-uk-royals-eea1a111a295152b8820b94fd257c12d">abdominal surgery</a>.Kate asked for “time, space and privacy” while she is treated for an unspecified type of cancer that was discovered after what she described as “major” surgery.Wearing a casual striped sweater and jeans, Kate sat on a wooden bench in front of a lawn dotted with daffodils. The flowers, which bloom in early spring, are often used as a symbol of hope for people fighting cancer.“I am well," she said. "I am getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal.”Kate, 42, hadn’t been seen publicly since Christmas until video surfaced this week of her with her husband, Prince William, heir to the throne. It showed them walking from a shop that sells produce grown on the royal family's Windsor estate.The news is another jolt for the royal family since the announcement last month that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-iii-cancer-britain-e0408a7c9bb86ad2af8754ce4b37d65e">King Charles III</a>&nbsp;was being treated for an unspecified type of cancer that was discovered while undergoing a procedure for a benign enlarged prostate.Charles said he is “so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did,” according to a statement released by Buckingham Palace. The king, who received prostate treatment in the same hospital and at the same time Kate had her surgery, remained in the “closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law" in the past weeks.The king and Queen Camilla “will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time," the palace said.Before Friday, Kensington Palace had given little detail about Kate’s condition beyond saying it wasn’t cancer-related, the surgery was successful and recuperation would keep the princess away from public duties until April. Kate said it had been thought that her condition was non-cancerous until post-surgery tests revealed the diagnosis.“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," she said.By choosing to speak directly to the country and the world about her condition, rather than issuing a statement through the palace, Kate offered a level of intimacy and transparency atypical of a member of the royal family and may help tamp down runaway conjecture. The king’s disclosure of his condition was also notably open by royal standards.Kate said it had taken her time to recover from the surgery before starting “preventative” treatment, which she said was in the early stages.Dr. Shivan Sivakumar, associate professor in oncology at the University of Birmingham, said it’s unclear what the princess meant by “preventative” chemotherapy but he presumed that it’s what is known as “adjuvant” chemotherapy in the medical profession.“This is chemotherapy after an operation to prevent recurrence,” he said. “This is to attempt to destroy any circulating cancer cells.”Kate said it has been “an incredibly tough couple of months” for her family. She said it had taken time to tell her three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in a way “appropriate for them” and reassure them she will be OK.The announcement came after the start of the Easter holidays, which will shield the children from media coverage of the news.British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement that Kate “has shown tremendous bravery.” He added: “In recent weeks she has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media.”Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, also sent his best wishes to the princess at this “distressing time.”“We are incredibly sad to hear of the news,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who opened her briefing with reporters moments after news of cancer treatment broke. “We are taking this in, this terrible news, as all of you are.”Charles, 75, has withdrawn from public duties while he has cancer treatment, though he's appeared frequently in photos carrying on meetings with government officials and dignitaries and was even seen going to church.Kate, on the other hand, had been out of view instead of appearing at charity events and promoting causes such as supporting children early in life, leading to weeks of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-princess-of-wales-trooping-color-britain-d55d1e8bbf1a9357b116e8b38a16e92d">speculation and gossip</a>. Attempts to put rumors to bed by releasing a photo of her on Mother's Day in the U.K. surrounded by her three smiling children backfired when The Associated Press and other news agencies retracted the image because it had been manipulated.Kate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/princess-kate-manipulated-photo-482fda64281b4a63ccf30364d96b2622">issued a statement</a>&nbsp;the next day acknowledging she liked to “experiment with editing” and apologizing for “any confusion” the photo had caused. But that did little to quell the speculation.Even the footage published by The Sun and TMZ that appeared to show Kate and William shopping sparked a new flurry of rumor-mongering, with some armchair sleuths refusing to believe the video showed Kate at all.Earlier this week, a British privacy watchdog said it was investigating a report that staff at the private London hospital where she was treated tried to snoop on her medical records while she was a patient for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kate-princess-of-wales-operation-uk-royals-eea1a111a295152b8820b94fd257c12d">abdominal surgery.</a>The former Kate Middleton, who married William in a fairy-tale wedding in 2011, has boosted the popularity and appeal of the British monarchy worldwide more than any royal since Princess Diana.The princess is the oldest of three children brought up in a well-to-do neighborhood in Berkshire, west of London. The Middletons have no aristocratic background, and the British press often referred to Kate as a “commoner” marrying into royalty.Her brother James Middleton posted on Instagram: “Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too.”Kate attended the private school Marlborough College and then University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she met William around 2001. Friends and housemates at first, their relationship became widely publicized when they were pictured together on a skiing holiday in Switzerland in 2004.Kate graduated in 2005 with a degree in art history and a budding relationship with the prince.___

🎥Kate, Princess of Wales, reveals cancer diagnosis in moving video

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/21/proposal-advances-to-modernize-parental-involvement-in-nebraska-k-12-education/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Lawmakers advanced a measure Thursday designed to increase parental involvement in K-12 learning and expand access to certain educational materials.

<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49659">Legislative Bill 71</a>, from State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, would update a 30-year law about what rights parents, guardians and educational decision-makers have in K-12 schools. A public school district would need to adopt a new policy by July 1 and state how the district seeks to involve parents in their children’s education.

The policy would also need to include how districts would allow access to certain testing and curriculum information or request that their child be excused from specific instruction or activities.&nbsp;The district would need to prominently post the policy online by Aug. 1.

Sanders, in conversations with the Nebraska Examiner, said lawmakers would likely need to delay implementation of some of the bill’s provisions until 2025, such as creating the new parental involvement policy&nbsp;and posting it online, to give schools time to prepare.

Lawmakers gave LB 71 first-round approval&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10486">43-0</a>&nbsp;on Thursday.&nbsp;If passed, the bill would not take effect until three months after the Legislature adjourns, or about mid-July.&nbsp;

Sanders said LB 71’s focus is parental rights, but it doesn’t tell schools what or how to teach, just that they need to be transparent and ensure that parents have proper access to materials.

“It all started with parents and their need to know,” she said Thursday.

LB 71 would be a “reasonable, common sense update,” Sanders said, and address what former Commissioner of Education Matthew Blomstedt described as a “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.launchne.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/July-11-Letter-to-School-Leaders.pdf">crisis of confidence</a>” in system leadership.

“It’s my hope that LB 71 can play a role in restoring that trust,” Sanders said.

LB 71 would expand what educational materials parents can access, in addition to textbooks and tests, to also encompass:

School districts would need to specify how they would “accommodate” —&nbsp;not merely “handle” — parental requests to attend and monitor classes, assemblies, activities or counseling sessions.

Lawmakers voted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10484">40-0</a>&nbsp;to add&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55343">LB 1193</a>&nbsp;from State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln that would allow parents to request that their child&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-bill-would-allow-children-to-repeat-a-grade-in-k-12-with-parental-permission/">repeat a grade for select reasons</a>.

In K-4, the reasons could include academic needs, illness or excessive absenteeism (50% or more school days missed). Students in grades 5-12 would be limited to excessive absenteeism.

“In the rare instances where there are disagreements with a parent — and to be clear, most of the time there’s not,” Conrad said at the bill’s Feb. 6 hearing, “… the parent’s decision should really carry the day.”

Conrad praised Sanders’ bill as a way to “heed the call” from parents and other stakeholders who have hit roadblocks as they were trying to get more information from K-12 schools.

State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil attempted to add an amendment based on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/06/nebraska-lawmaker-brings-thinner-updated-proposal-for-k-12-school-transparency/">some provisions</a>&nbsp;in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55180">LB 1399</a>&nbsp;that would require school districts to publicize the library books they have available for checkout and notify parents via email when their student checks one out.&nbsp;

It would also have allowed students or parents a way to give a presentation at a school board meeting on a school book or other material. The board would then decide whether the material remains available.

Murman said his amendment was designed to improve Sanders’ bill, not bring it down, while also addressing concerns he heard from both supporters and opponents of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50448">LB 441</a>&nbsp;this week. Supporters&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/20/obscenity-bill-that-could-criminalize-nebraska-librarians-teachers-fails-to-advance/">failed 30-17 to end debate</a>&nbsp;Wednesday on that bill. While focused on obscenity, the debate often extended more broadly to what senators generally found objectionable in schools.

“We can only improve the process of communication between parents and schools and educators,” Murman said.

Murman withdrew his amendment shortly after Sanders labeled it as “unfriendly.” She said she respects and appreciates Murman’s work on his amendment but that LB 71 needed to be a “bipartisan deal” for all involved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711122815181.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue. April 3, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue. April 3, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/21/proposal-advances-to-modernize-parental-involvement-in-nebraska-k-12-education/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Lawmakers advanced a measure Thursday designed to increase parental involvement in K-12 learning and expand access to certain educational materials.<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49659">Legislative Bill 71</a>, from State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, would update a 30-year law about what rights parents, guardians and educational decision-makers have in K-12 schools. A public school district would need to adopt a new policy by July 1 and state how the district seeks to involve parents in their children’s education.The policy would also need to include how districts would allow access to certain testing and curriculum information or request that their child be excused from specific instruction or activities.&nbsp;The district would need to prominently post the policy online by Aug. 1.Sanders, in conversations with the Nebraska Examiner, said lawmakers would likely need to delay implementation of some of the bill’s provisions until 2025, such as creating the new parental involvement policy&nbsp;and posting it online, to give schools time to prepare.Lawmakers gave LB 71 first-round approval&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10486">43-0</a>&nbsp;on Thursday.&nbsp;If passed, the bill would not take effect until three months after the Legislature adjourns, or about mid-July.&nbsp;<h2>‘It all started with parents’</h2>Sanders said LB 71’s focus is parental rights, but it doesn’t tell schools what or how to teach, just that they need to be transparent and ensure that parents have proper access to materials.“It all started with parents and their need to know,” she said Thursday.LB 71 would be a “reasonable, common sense update,” Sanders said, and address what former Commissioner of Education Matthew Blomstedt described as a “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.launchne.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/July-11-Letter-to-School-Leaders.pdf">crisis of confidence</a>” in system leadership.“It’s my hope that LB 71 can play a role in restoring that trust,” Sanders said.LB 71 would expand what educational materials parents can access, in addition to textbooks and tests, to also encompass:<ul>
 <li>Activities information.</li><li>Digital materials.</li><li>Websites or applications used for learning.</li><li>Training materials for teachers, administrators and staff.</li><li>Procedures for the review and approval of training materials, learning materials and activities.</li>
 </ul>School districts would need to specify how they would “accommodate” —&nbsp;not merely “handle” — parental requests to attend and monitor classes, assemblies, activities or counseling sessions.<h2>Repeating grades</h2>Lawmakers voted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10484">40-0</a>&nbsp;to add&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55343">LB 1193</a>&nbsp;from State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln that would allow parents to request that their child&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-bill-would-allow-children-to-repeat-a-grade-in-k-12-with-parental-permission/">repeat a grade for select reasons</a>.In K-4, the reasons could include academic needs, illness or excessive absenteeism (50% or more school days missed). Students in grades 5-12 would be limited to excessive absenteeism.“In the rare instances where there are disagreements with a parent — and to be clear, most of the time there’s not,” Conrad said at the bill’s Feb. 6 hearing, “… the parent’s decision should really carry the day.”Conrad praised Sanders’ bill as a way to “heed the call” from parents and other stakeholders who have hit roadblocks as they were trying to get more information from K-12 schools.<h2>Library book amendment withdrawn</h2>State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil attempted to add an amendment based on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/06/nebraska-lawmaker-brings-thinner-updated-proposal-for-k-12-school-transparency/">some provisions</a>&nbsp;in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55180">LB 1399</a>&nbsp;that would require school districts to publicize the library books they have available for checkout and notify parents via email when their student checks one out.&nbsp;It would also have allowed students or parents a way to give a presentation at a school board meeting on a school book or other material. The board would then decide whether the material remains available.Murman said his amendment was designed to improve Sanders’ bill, not bring it down, while also addressing concerns he heard from both supporters and opponents of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50448">LB 441</a>&nbsp;this week. Supporters&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/20/obscenity-bill-that-could-criminalize-nebraska-librarians-teachers-fails-to-advance/">failed 30-17 to end debate</a>&nbsp;Wednesday on that bill. While focused on obscenity, the debate often extended more broadly to what senators generally found objectionable in schools.“We can only improve the process of communication between parents and schools and educators,” Murman said.Murman withdrew his amendment shortly after Sanders labeled it as “unfriendly.” She said she respects and appreciates Murman’s work on his amendment but that LB 71 needed to be a “bipartisan deal” for all involved.

Proposal advances to modernize parental involvement in Nebraska K-12 education

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;is at risk of being ousted after hard-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to vacate on Friday in the middle of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-shutdown-budget-speaker-johnson-85dc1e93f6c49c154c02a166d0e8e784">a House vote on a $1.2 trillion package</a>&nbsp;to keep the government open.

It’s the same political dynamic that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">removed the last Republican speaker</a>, Kevin McCarthy, just five months ago when far-right conservatives revolted over his compromise with Democrats to prevent a federal shutdown. But this one faces steeper odds with less GOP support.

The House is scheduled to leave town for a two-week spring recess at the end of Friday’s session, and it’s doubtful any vote on removing Johnson, of Louisiana, would be imminent.

“Speaker Johnson always listens to the concerns of members but is focused on governing,” spokesman Raj Shah said. “He will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense and demonstrates how we’ll grow our majority.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/motion-to-vacate-kevin-mccarthy-republicans-congress-eba874f3a76ab8ebe03236514d981810">Under the rules</a>, any member can make the motion privileged, which would require leaders to schedule a vote within two legislative days. But it can also simply sit until lawmakers return next month.

Greene, of Georgia, said she was issuing a “warning” to Johnson but did not indicate a timetable for her next move.

“We’ve started the clock to start the process to elect a new speaker,” she said on the Capitol steps.

Yet even the threat of removal, the ultimate punishment for a speaker, will hang over Johnson’s young speakership, just months on the job — particularly as he turns next to passing funding to support Ukraine that far-right Republicans oppose.

No speaker had been removed this way until McCarthy’s dramatic ouster last fall, a swift, stunning and chaotic episode that essentially shuttered the House chamber for weeks as Republicans searched for a new speaker.

Greene is a leading ally of the Republicans' presumed 2024 presidential nominee, former president Donald Trump, and McCarthy, of California, was toppled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/motion-to-vacate-kevin-mccarthy-republicans-congress-eba874f3a76ab8ebe03236514d981810">a similar contingent of far-right Republicans</a>&nbsp;led at the time by Trump ally Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.

The Georgia congresswoman spoke vehemently against House passage of the government funding bill, and she has warned she would try to remove the speaker if he pushes ahead with a package to support Ukraine as it battles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion</a>.

Johnson has refused to put a $95 billion Senate-passed national security package with Ukraine funds to a House vote, but nevertheless he promised to fund Ukraine as the a next priority. The removal threat against him now puts any votes to help Ukraine in potential jeopardy.

With the most narrow majority in modern times, Johnson has a weak grasp on his Republicans in the House. He can risk only a few defectors on any vote, meaning he could be easily ousted, unless Democrats jump in with their votes to protect him.

Still, many Republicans in Congress were embarrassed by McCarthy’s removal as speaker, which exposed deep party divisions and infighting that left their new majority, in office since January, unable to fully function on priorities.

The night before Friday’s voting, Gaetz warned against trying to oust Johnson, saying that Republican lawmakers fed up with the process would cross the aisle and vote for the Democratic leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-e6dee438b2cfd776b70ff29495072ab5">Rep. Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;of New York.

“If we vacated this speaker, we’d end up with a Democrat,” Gaetz predicted late Thursday. “When I vacated the last one, I made a promise to the country that we would not end up with a Democrat speaker. ... I couldn’t make that promise again today.”

The idea of a Republican House majority casting votes to make a Democrat the House speaker would be an unheard of political situation.

But with Republicans at war among themselves it is also one that could potentially transpire as they try to return Congress to a sense of normalcy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711124062964.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson during a Thursday news conference -courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson during a Thursday news conference -courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;is at risk of being ousted after hard-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to vacate on Friday in the middle of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-shutdown-budget-speaker-johnson-85dc1e93f6c49c154c02a166d0e8e784">a House vote on a $1.2 trillion package</a>&nbsp;to keep the government open.It’s the same political dynamic that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">removed the last Republican speaker</a>, Kevin McCarthy, just five months ago when far-right conservatives revolted over his compromise with Democrats to prevent a federal shutdown. But this one faces steeper odds with less GOP support.The House is scheduled to leave town for a two-week spring recess at the end of Friday’s session, and it’s doubtful any vote on removing Johnson, of Louisiana, would be imminent.“Speaker Johnson always listens to the concerns of members but is focused on governing,” spokesman Raj Shah said. “He will continue to push conservative legislation that secures our border, strengthens our national defense and demonstrates how we’ll grow our majority.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/motion-to-vacate-kevin-mccarthy-republicans-congress-eba874f3a76ab8ebe03236514d981810">Under the rules</a>, any member can make the motion privileged, which would require leaders to schedule a vote within two legislative days. But it can also simply sit until lawmakers return next month.Greene, of Georgia, said she was issuing a “warning” to Johnson but did not indicate a timetable for her next move.“We’ve started the clock to start the process to elect a new speaker,” she said on the Capitol steps.Yet even the threat of removal, the ultimate punishment for a speaker, will hang over Johnson’s young speakership, just months on the job — particularly as he turns next to passing funding to support Ukraine that far-right Republicans oppose.No speaker had been removed this way until McCarthy’s dramatic ouster last fall, a swift, stunning and chaotic episode that essentially shuttered the House chamber for weeks as Republicans searched for a new speaker.Greene is a leading ally of the Republicans' presumed 2024 presidential nominee, former president Donald Trump, and McCarthy, of California, was toppled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/motion-to-vacate-kevin-mccarthy-republicans-congress-eba874f3a76ab8ebe03236514d981810">a similar contingent of far-right Republicans</a>&nbsp;led at the time by Trump ally Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.The Georgia congresswoman spoke vehemently against House passage of the government funding bill, and she has warned she would try to remove the speaker if he pushes ahead with a package to support Ukraine as it battles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion</a>.Johnson has refused to put a $95 billion Senate-passed national security package with Ukraine funds to a House vote, but nevertheless he promised to fund Ukraine as the a next priority. The removal threat against him now puts any votes to help Ukraine in potential jeopardy.With the most narrow majority in modern times, Johnson has a weak grasp on his Republicans in the House. He can risk only a few defectors on any vote, meaning he could be easily ousted, unless Democrats jump in with their votes to protect him.Still, many Republicans in Congress were embarrassed by McCarthy’s removal as speaker, which exposed deep party divisions and infighting that left their new majority, in office since January, unable to fully function on priorities.The night before Friday’s voting, Gaetz warned against trying to oust Johnson, saying that Republican lawmakers fed up with the process would cross the aisle and vote for the Democratic leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-e6dee438b2cfd776b70ff29495072ab5">Rep. Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;of New York.“If we vacated this speaker, we’d end up with a Democrat,” Gaetz predicted late Thursday. “When I vacated the last one, I made a promise to the country that we would not end up with a Democrat speaker. ... I couldn’t make that promise again today.”The idea of a Republican House majority casting votes to make a Democrat the House speaker would be an unheard of political situation.But with Republicans at war among themselves it is also one that could potentially transpire as they try to return Congress to a sense of normalcy.

House speaker's job in jeopardy as Dems pass $1.2T spending bill

LINCOLN, NEB. – As Nebraskans are further removed from where their food, fiber, and energy are grown, it is important for Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers to share their story with state legislators. Nebraska Farm Bureau’s (NEFB) Promotion and Education (P&amp;E) and Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&amp;R) Committees, which are made up of farmers and ranchers across the state, did just that during National Agriculture Week.

Governor Jim Pillen declared&nbsp;March 17- 23, 2024 as National Agriculture Week in Nebraska.&nbsp;This week celebrates the history, inventions, careers, products, and trade of agriculture. To celebrate, Nebraska Farm Bureau’s P&amp;E and YF&amp;R Committee members provided beef sticks and popcorn made from products grown by farmers and ranchers to raise awareness to state senators of Nebraska’s number one industry: agriculture.

“When I get to share my story with my elected officials, I feel like I am making an impact,” said Karen Grant, NEFB P&amp;E committee member from Madison County. “It is so important that senators hear from individuals who work on the farm or ranch and see how policy impacts us directly.”

P&amp;E Committee members lead the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation’s volunteer promotion and education efforts through training and outreach education. Agriculture fuels the economy in Nebraska and the message shared with senators by committee members helps Nebraska inch closer to every Nebraskan understanding the impact of agriculture in the state.

In addition to raising awareness, YF&amp;R committee members spoke to state senators about the challenges they face on their farms and ranches in Nebraska. Members advocated for reducing property taxes in the state.

“We are thankful for the tremendous gains made in property tax relief over the last four years,” said Jill England, Central Region YF&amp;R Committee member from Hall County. “There is still progress to be made to&nbsp;ensure that property, income, and sales taxes provide equal footing in funding our state’s priorities.”

The YF&amp;R program is comprised of men and women ages 18-35 who are Farm Bureau members and looking to develop their leadership skills while also meeting and networking with their peers. For more than 50 years, young farmers and ranchers from across Nebraska have come together to share their experiences and to gather ideas and information.

The success of agriculture is critical to the future of a prosperous Nebraska. Whether you live in a big city, small town, or farm or ranch, agriculture is a part of your everyday life. National Agriculture Week was celebrated March 17- 23, 2024 and is used as an opportunity to highlight how agriculture is a part of Nebraska.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.

The mission of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is to engage youth, educators, and the general public to promote an understanding and awareness of the vital importance of agriculture in the lives of all Nebraskans. The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For more information about the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefbfoundation.org/" target="_blank">www.nefbfoundation.org</a>.&nbsp;

Nebraska Farm BureauLINCOLN, NEB. – As Nebraskans are further removed from where their food, fiber, and energy are grown, it is important for Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers to share their story with state legislators. Nebraska Farm Bureau’s (NEFB) Promotion and Education (P&amp;E) and Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&amp;R) Committees, which are made up of farmers and ranchers across the state, did just that during National Agriculture Week.Governor Jim Pillen declared&nbsp;March 17- 23, 2024 as National Agriculture Week in Nebraska.&nbsp;This week celebrates the history, inventions, careers, products, and trade of agriculture. To celebrate, Nebraska Farm Bureau’s P&amp;E and YF&amp;R Committee members provided beef sticks and popcorn made from products grown by farmers and ranchers to raise awareness to state senators of Nebraska’s number one industry: agriculture.“When I get to share my story with my elected officials, I feel like I am making an impact,” said Karen Grant, NEFB P&amp;E committee member from Madison County. “It is so important that senators hear from individuals who work on the farm or ranch and see how policy impacts us directly.”P&amp;E Committee members lead the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation’s volunteer promotion and education efforts through training and outreach education. Agriculture fuels the economy in Nebraska and the message shared with senators by committee members helps Nebraska inch closer to every Nebraskan understanding the impact of agriculture in the state.In addition to raising awareness, YF&amp;R committee members spoke to state senators about the challenges they face on their farms and ranches in Nebraska. Members advocated for reducing property taxes in the state.“We are thankful for the tremendous gains made in property tax relief over the last four years,” said Jill England, Central Region YF&amp;R Committee member from Hall County. “There is still progress to be made to&nbsp;ensure that property, income, and sales taxes provide equal footing in funding our state’s priorities.”The YF&amp;R program is comprised of men and women ages 18-35 who are Farm Bureau members and looking to develop their leadership skills while also meeting and networking with their peers. For more than 50 years, young farmers and ranchers from across Nebraska have come together to share their experiences and to gather ideas and information.The success of agriculture is critical to the future of a prosperous Nebraska. Whether you live in a big city, small town, or farm or ranch, agriculture is a part of your everyday life. National Agriculture Week was celebrated March 17- 23, 2024 and is used as an opportunity to highlight how agriculture is a part of Nebraska.The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefb.org/" target="_blank">www.nefb.org</a>.The mission of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is to engage youth, educators, and the general public to promote an understanding and awareness of the vital importance of agriculture in the lives of all Nebraskans. The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For more information about the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nefbfoundation.org/" target="_blank">www.nefbfoundation.org</a>.&nbsp;

 Farmers and Ranchers Champion Agriculture to State Senators in Honor of National Agriculture Week

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who went missing in Tennessee's capital for nearly two weeks, has been found dead in a river, police announced Friday. No foul play is suspected, investigators said.

Metro Nashville police officials confirmed that Strain's body had been recovered from the Cumberland River approximately 8 miles (12.8 kilometers) west of downtown at around 7:30 a.m.

Police Chief John Drake told reporters that workers on the river initially found Strain's body and alerted authorities. Medical examiners later confirmed it was Strain, he said, adding that an autopsy will be conducted later Friday.

“We have reports that normally under these circumstances ... with his height and weight, he could have surfaced between 14 and 20 days,” Drake said. “This is the 14th day. So we were really expecting to find him.”

Police previously said Strain, 22, was last seen just before 10 p.m. on March 8 after drinking downtown. A massive search was quickly launched, with just small clues available to help investigators trying to find him, including finding his bank card along a river bank and using surveillance footage to track his final moments.

University of Missouri officials said in a statement that Strain was traveling to Nashville to attend a private event.

Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, and his stepfather, Chris Whiteid, have been in Nashville after learning about his disappearance.

“I just need to know where my son is,” Michelle Whiteid initially told outlets. “We talk every day, multiple times a day. This is the longest I’ve ever gone without talking to him. It’s devastating. I just want to find him and hug him.”

Drake said that his “heart and prayers" were going to Strain's family “for this very unfortunate and tragic accident.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711121657770.jpeg" alt="This undated photo provided by Chris Whiteid show Riley Strain on Jan. 2, 2024. Police in Tennessee on Friday, March 22, announced that Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who went missing in Nashville for nearly two weeks, has been found dead. Metro Nashville police officials confirmed that Strain's body had been recovered from the Cumberland River approximately eight miles (12.8 kilometers) west of downtown. (Chris Whiteid via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This undated photo provided by Chris Whiteid show Riley Strain on Jan. 2, 2024. Police in Tennessee on Friday, March 22, announced that Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who went missing in Nashville for nearly two weeks, has been found dead. Metro Nashville police officials confirmed that Strain's body had been recovered from the Cumberland River approximately eight miles (12.8 kilometers) west of downtown. (Chris Whiteid via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who went missing in Tennessee's capital for nearly two weeks, has been found dead in a river, police announced Friday. No foul play is suspected, investigators said.Metro Nashville police officials confirmed that Strain's body had been recovered from the Cumberland River approximately 8 miles (12.8 kilometers) west of downtown at around 7:30 a.m.Police Chief John Drake told reporters that workers on the river initially found Strain's body and alerted authorities. Medical examiners later confirmed it was Strain, he said, adding that an autopsy will be conducted later Friday.“We have reports that normally under these circumstances ... with his height and weight, he could have surfaced between 14 and 20 days,” Drake said. “This is the 14th day. So we were really expecting to find him.”Police previously said Strain, 22, was last seen just before 10 p.m. on March 8 after drinking downtown. A massive search was quickly launched, with just small clues available to help investigators trying to find him, including finding his bank card along a river bank and using surveillance footage to track his final moments.University of Missouri officials said in a statement that Strain was traveling to Nashville to attend a private event.Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, and his stepfather, Chris Whiteid, have been in Nashville after learning about his disappearance.“I just need to know where my son is,” Michelle Whiteid initially told outlets. “We talk every day, multiple times a day. This is the longest I’ve ever gone without talking to him. It’s devastating. I just want to find him and hug him.”Drake said that his “heart and prayers" were going to Strain's family “for this very unfortunate and tragic accident.”

Police find Missouri student Riley Strain's body in Tennessee river; no foul play suspected

The Buffalo County Sheriff's Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding a single vehicle crash the resulted in the death of one adult male driver.&nbsp; The crash occurred at approximately 5:40 AM on Friday March 22, 2024.

According to preliminary investigation, a single vehicle was traveling southbound on Cottonmill Road located just West of Kearney, NE.&nbsp; The vehicle left the roadways, rolled and ejected the driver.&nbsp; There were no other occupants.&nbsp; The driver was located deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Authorities are working to confirm the identity of the driver.&nbsp; The crash occurred in the road ditch of Cottonmill Road in the area south of the Cottonmill Park entrance and north of the canal bridge.

Assisting deputies at the scene are members of the Kearney Police Department, Kearney / Buffalo County FAIT team, KVFD, GSH Paramedics, Buffalo County Highway Department and Buffalo County Attorney’s Office.

Next of kin have not been notified.&nbsp; The Buffalo County Attorney’s Office has ordered an autopsy.&nbsp; Investigation is ongoing at this time.

Buffalo County Sheriff's OfficeThe Buffalo County Sheriff's Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding a single vehicle crash the resulted in the death of one adult male driver.&nbsp; The crash occurred at approximately 5:40 AM on Friday March 22, 2024.According to preliminary investigation, a single vehicle was traveling southbound on Cottonmill Road located just West of Kearney, NE.&nbsp; The vehicle left the roadways, rolled and ejected the driver.&nbsp; There were no other occupants.&nbsp; The driver was located deceased at the scene.&nbsp; Authorities are working to confirm the identity of the driver.&nbsp; The crash occurred in the road ditch of Cottonmill Road in the area south of the Cottonmill Park entrance and north of the canal bridge.Assisting deputies at the scene are members of the Kearney Police Department, Kearney / Buffalo County FAIT team, KVFD, GSH Paramedics, Buffalo County Highway Department and Buffalo County Attorney’s Office.Next of kin have not been notified.&nbsp; The Buffalo County Attorney’s Office has ordered an autopsy.&nbsp; Investigation is ongoing at this time.

One person dead following early morning accident outside of Kearney

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia and China on Friday vetoed a U.S.-sponsored U.N. resolution calling for “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;in Gaza to protect civilians and enable humanitarian aid to be delivered to more than 2 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-malnutrition-famine-children-dying-israel-palestinians-2f938b1a82d7822c7da67cc162da1a37">hungry Palestinians</a>.

The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 11 members in favor, three against and one abstention.

Before the vote, Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow supports an immediate cease-fire, but he questioned the language in the resolution and accused U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of “misleading the international community” for “politicized” reasons.

The resolution declared that a cease-fire is “imperative."

The draft that was put to a vote made no direct link to the release of hostages taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-us-resolution-gaza-ceasefire-israel-palestinians-9acc24774f2f2633bec9ffc087447ff7">in the previous draft</a>. But it unequivocally supported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/qatar-government-israel-government-middle-east-israel-international-agreements-05de20f151f646e492fdd0dda6db0159">diplomatic efforts “to secure such a cease-fire</a>&nbsp;in connection with the release of all remaining hostages.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-security-council">Security Council</a>&nbsp;had already adopted two resolutions on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, but none calling for a cease-fire.

Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in late October calling for pauses in the fighting to deliver aid, protection of civilians, and a halt to arming Hamas. They said it didn’t reflect global calls for a cease-fire.

The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has vetoed three resolutions demanding a cease-fire, the most recent an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-israel-palestinians-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-vote-350c86ef261bf1a00a2515cf22764de5">Arab-backed measure supported by 13 council members</a>&nbsp;with one abstention on Feb. 20.

A day earlier, the U.S. circulated a rival resolution, which went through major changes during negotiations before Friday's vote. It initially would have supported a temporary cease-fire linked to the release of all hostages, and the previous draft would have supported international efforts for a cease-fire as part of a hostage deal.

The vote took place as Blinken, America’s top diplomat, is on his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-egypt-israel-gaza-hamas-blinken-7e4d53b15a6c86979faaeae035564e58">sixth urgent mission to the Middle East</a>&nbsp;since the Israel-Hamas war, discussing a deal for a cease-fire and hostage release, as well as post-war scenarios.

Nate Evans, the spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, said the resolution was "an opportunity for the Council to speak with one voice to support the diplomacy happening on the ground and pressure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-gaza-palestinian-authority-israel-war-ed7018dbaae09b81513daf3bda38109a">Hamas</a>&nbsp;to accept the deal on the table.”

Meanwhile, the 10 elected members of the Security Council have been drafting their own resolution, which demands an immediate humanitarian cease-fire for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ramadan-muslims-fasting-prayer-photos-83ead097a3b0921f387bb70ad2b6b3fc">Muslim holy month of Ramadan</a>&nbsp;that began March 10 to be “respected by all parties leading to a permanent sustainable cease-fire.”

It also demands “the immediate and unconditional&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hostage-families-ceasefire-ramadan-d1b0da2f7bd2e9882f79ebae874561be">release of all hostages</a>&nbsp;” and emphasizes the urgent need to protect civilians and deliver humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in the surprise Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel that triggered the war, and abducted another 250 people. Hamas is still believed to be holding some 100 people hostage, as well as the remains of 30 others.

In Gaza, the Health Ministry raised the death toll in the territory Thursday to nearly 32,000 Palestinians. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">doesn’t differentiate</a>&nbsp;between civilians and combatants in its count but says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-children-gaza-war-victims-un-inequality-f0f89a724543b99c2c22439e7af09405">women and children</a>&nbsp;make up two-thirds of the dead.

The international community’s authority on determining the severity of hunger crises warned this week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-18-2024-eefc526aec97821fe5f1e845801a6640">“famine is imminent” in northern Gaza</a>, where 70% of people are experiencing catastrophic hunger. The report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative, or IPC, warned that escalation of the war could push half of Gaza’s total population to the brink of starvation.

The U.S. draft expressed “deep concern about the threat of conflict-induced famine and epidemics presently facing the civilian population in Gaza as well as the number of undernourished people, and also that hunger in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels.”

It emphasized “the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians in the entire Gaza Strip” and lift all barriers to getting aid to civilians “at scale.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-06-2024-3e4bc85bc4e184312763fc331fbffedb">Israel faces mounting pressure</a>&nbsp;from even its closest allies to streamline the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip and to open more land crossings, and come to a cease-fire agreement. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to move the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-hamas-gaza-israel-war-541e91c0f09196944a4dabeded94596f">military offensive to the southern city of Rafah</a>, where some 1.3 million displaced Palestinians have sought safety. Netanyahu says it's a Hamas stronghold.

The final U.S. draft eliminated language in the initial draft that said Israel’s offensive in Rafah “should not proceed under current circumstances.” Instead, in an introductory paragraph, the council emphasized its concern that a ground offensive into Rafah “would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement, potentially into neighboring countries, and would have serious implications for regional peace and security.”

For the first time in a U.N. resolution, the U.S. draft would condemn “all acts of terrorism, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-airstrikes-festival-survivors-5b5dc4eb87be8d7b51dceff1c9f906fd">Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023</a>, as well as its taking and killing of hostages, murder of civilians, and sexual violence, including rape.”

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States called for a vote Friday on a newly revised and tougher U.N. resolution declaring that “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is “imperative” to protect civilians and enable humanitarian aid to be delivered to more than 2 million&nbsp;<a href="https://whyy.org/articles/israel-hamas-war-gaza-famine-said-to-be-imminent/">hungry Palestinians</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-us-resolution-gaza-ceasefire-israel-palestinians-9acc24774f2f2633bec9ffc087447ff7">In the previous draft</a>, the Security Council did not make such a declaration. Instead, it would have supported international efforts for a cease-fire as part of a hostage deal.

The new draft obtained Thursday by The Associated Press “determines” — which is a council order — “the imperative of an immediate and sustained cease-fire,” with no direct link to the release of hostages taken during Hamas’ surprise attack in Israel on Oct. 7. But “toward that end” it would unequivocally support&nbsp;<a href="https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/blinken-huddles-on-gaza-with-arab-diplomats-in-cairo-as-us-israel-relations-sour/">diplomatic efforts “to secure such a cease-fire</a>&nbsp;in connection with the release of all remaining hostages.”

After the 15 Security Council members met behind closed doors Thursday afternoon to discuss Gaza, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said when asked if the U.S. draft would be adopted: “I am optimistic. That’s why it took us so long, because we worked so hard.”

Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, told reporters that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pressing for an immediate cease-fire and if the resolution calls for an immediate cease-fire “we will, of course, support it.”

But he questioned the wording of the U.S. draft, asking: “What’s an imperative? I have an imperative to give you $100, but … it’s only an imperative, not $100.”

“So, somebody’s fooling around, I think, (with the) international community,” Polyansky said. “We are not satisfied with anything that doesn’t call for immediate cease-fire. I think everybody is not satisfied with this. Even Secretary Blinken is not satisfied.”

Blinken is on his sixth urgent mission to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began, discussing a deal for a cease-fire and hostage release as well as post-war scenarios.

Nate Evans, the spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, issued a statement while the Security Council was holding closed Gaza consultations announcing that the U.S. would bring the resolution to a vote Friday morning.

“This resolution is an opportunity for the Council to speak with one voice to support the diplomacy happening on the ground and pressure Hamas to accept the deal on the table,” Evans said.

Meanwhile, the 10 elected members of the Security Council have been drafting their own resolution that would demand an immediate humanitarian cease-fire for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-11-2024-c6835d50f91dff0443e0f7fdf5e3229f">Muslim holy month of Ramadan</a>, which began March 10, to be “respected by all parties leading to a permanent sustainable cease-fire.”

It also would demand “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and emphasize the urgent need to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-17-2024-ab0b75fdd8f0ab51c5e38b1870afecd8">protect civilians and deliver humanitarian aid</a>&nbsp;throughout the Gaza Strip.

That draft had not yet been put in “blue,” which is the final form required for a vote.

France’s U.N. ambassador, Nicolas de Riviere, told reporters that “there is a desire to take action, no one want to procrastinate, so we hope that a decision can be made by tomorrow evening.”

“We need a cease-fire right now,” he said. “There are two options: Either the U.S. text is adopted and then we’ll move to the next phase of this crisis management, or the text is not adopted and then the draft of the elected members will come to the table and put to the vote, and I hope it will be adopted.”

The Health Ministry in Gaza raised the death toll in the territory Thursday to nearly 32,000 Palestinians. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">doesn’t differentiate</a>&nbsp;between civilians and combatants in its count but says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-children-gaza-war-victims-un-inequality-f0f89a724543b99c2c22439e7af09405">women and children</a>&nbsp;make up two-thirds of the dead.

Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in the surprise Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel that triggered the war, and abducted 250 people. Hamas is still believed to be holding some 100 people hostage as well as the remains of 30 others.

The international community’s authority on determining the severity of hunger crises warned this week that “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza, where 70% of people are experiencing catastrophic hunger. The report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative, or IPC, warned that escalation of the war could push half of Gaza’s total population to the brink of starvation.

The U.S. draft would express “deep concern about the threat of conflict-induced famine and epidemics presently facing the civilian population in Gaza as well as the number of undernourished people, and also that hunger in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels.” It would emphasize “the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians in the entire Gaza Strip” and lift all barriers to getting aid to civilians “at scale.”

Israel faces mounting pressure from even its closest allies to streamline the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip and open more land crossings and for a cease-fire. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to move the military offensive to the southern city of Rafah, which he says is a Hamas stronghold. Some 1.3 million displaced Palestinians have sought safety in Rafah.

The final U.S. draft eliminated language in the initial draft that said Israel’s offensive in Rafah “should not proceed under current circumstances.” Instead, in an introductory paragraph, the council would emphasize its concern that a ground offensive into Rafah “would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement, potentially into neighboring countries, and would have serious implications for regional peace and security.”

For the first time in a U.N. resolution, the U.S. draft would condemn “all acts of terrorism, including the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, as well as its taking and killing of hostages, murder of civilians, and sexual violence, including rape.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697659524198.png" alt="File photo&nbsp;U.S. United Nations Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield- image CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo&nbsp;U.S. United Nations Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield- image CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia and China on Friday vetoed a U.S.-sponsored U.N. resolution calling for “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;in Gaza to protect civilians and enable humanitarian aid to be delivered to more than 2 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-malnutrition-famine-children-dying-israel-palestinians-2f938b1a82d7822c7da67cc162da1a37">hungry Palestinians</a>.The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 11 members in favor, three against and one abstention.Before the vote, Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow supports an immediate cease-fire, but he questioned the language in the resolution and accused U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of “misleading the international community” for “politicized” reasons.The resolution declared that a cease-fire is “imperative."The draft that was put to a vote made no direct link to the release of hostages taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-us-resolution-gaza-ceasefire-israel-palestinians-9acc24774f2f2633bec9ffc087447ff7">in the previous draft</a>. But it unequivocally supported&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/qatar-government-israel-government-middle-east-israel-international-agreements-05de20f151f646e492fdd0dda6db0159">diplomatic efforts “to secure such a cease-fire</a>&nbsp;in connection with the release of all remaining hostages.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-security-council">Security Council</a>&nbsp;had already adopted two resolutions on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, but none calling for a cease-fire.Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in late October calling for pauses in the fighting to deliver aid, protection of civilians, and a halt to arming Hamas. They said it didn’t reflect global calls for a cease-fire.The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has vetoed three resolutions demanding a cease-fire, the most recent an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-israel-palestinians-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-vote-350c86ef261bf1a00a2515cf22764de5">Arab-backed measure supported by 13 council members</a>&nbsp;with one abstention on Feb. 20.A day earlier, the U.S. circulated a rival resolution, which went through major changes during negotiations before Friday's vote. It initially would have supported a temporary cease-fire linked to the release of all hostages, and the previous draft would have supported international efforts for a cease-fire as part of a hostage deal.The vote took place as Blinken, America’s top diplomat, is on his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-egypt-israel-gaza-hamas-blinken-7e4d53b15a6c86979faaeae035564e58">sixth urgent mission to the Middle East</a>&nbsp;since the Israel-Hamas war, discussing a deal for a cease-fire and hostage release, as well as post-war scenarios.Nate Evans, the spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, said the resolution was "an opportunity for the Council to speak with one voice to support the diplomacy happening on the ground and pressure&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-gaza-palestinian-authority-israel-war-ed7018dbaae09b81513daf3bda38109a">Hamas</a>&nbsp;to accept the deal on the table.”Meanwhile, the 10 elected members of the Security Council have been drafting their own resolution, which demands an immediate humanitarian cease-fire for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ramadan-muslims-fasting-prayer-photos-83ead097a3b0921f387bb70ad2b6b3fc">Muslim holy month of Ramadan</a>&nbsp;that began March 10 to be “respected by all parties leading to a permanent sustainable cease-fire.”It also demands “the immediate and unconditional&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hostage-families-ceasefire-ramadan-d1b0da2f7bd2e9882f79ebae874561be">release of all hostages</a>&nbsp;” and emphasizes the urgent need to protect civilians and deliver humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip.Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in the surprise Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel that triggered the war, and abducted another 250 people. Hamas is still believed to be holding some 100 people hostage, as well as the remains of 30 others.In Gaza, the Health Ministry raised the death toll in the territory Thursday to nearly 32,000 Palestinians. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">doesn’t differentiate</a>&nbsp;between civilians and combatants in its count but says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-children-gaza-war-victims-un-inequality-f0f89a724543b99c2c22439e7af09405">women and children</a>&nbsp;make up two-thirds of the dead.The international community’s authority on determining the severity of hunger crises warned this week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-18-2024-eefc526aec97821fe5f1e845801a6640">“famine is imminent” in northern Gaza</a>, where 70% of people are experiencing catastrophic hunger. The report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative, or IPC, warned that escalation of the war could push half of Gaza’s total population to the brink of starvation.The U.S. draft expressed “deep concern about the threat of conflict-induced famine and epidemics presently facing the civilian population in Gaza as well as the number of undernourished people, and also that hunger in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels.”It emphasized “the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians in the entire Gaza Strip” and lift all barriers to getting aid to civilians “at scale.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-06-2024-3e4bc85bc4e184312763fc331fbffedb">Israel faces mounting pressure</a>&nbsp;from even its closest allies to streamline the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip and to open more land crossings, and come to a cease-fire agreement. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to move the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-hamas-gaza-israel-war-541e91c0f09196944a4dabeded94596f">military offensive to the southern city of Rafah</a>, where some 1.3 million displaced Palestinians have sought safety. Netanyahu says it's a Hamas stronghold.The final U.S. draft eliminated language in the initial draft that said Israel’s offensive in Rafah “should not proceed under current circumstances.” Instead, in an introductory paragraph, the council emphasized its concern that a ground offensive into Rafah “would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement, potentially into neighboring countries, and would have serious implications for regional peace and security.”For the first time in a U.N. resolution, the U.S. draft would condemn “all acts of terrorism, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-airstrikes-festival-survivors-5b5dc4eb87be8d7b51dceff1c9f906fd">Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023</a>, as well as its taking and killing of hostages, murder of civilians, and sexual violence, including rape.”----------UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States called for a vote Friday on a newly revised and tougher U.N. resolution declaring that “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is “imperative” to protect civilians and enable humanitarian aid to be delivered to more than 2 million&nbsp;<a href="https://whyy.org/articles/israel-hamas-war-gaza-famine-said-to-be-imminent/">hungry Palestinians</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-us-resolution-gaza-ceasefire-israel-palestinians-9acc24774f2f2633bec9ffc087447ff7">In the previous draft</a>, the Security Council did not make such a declaration. Instead, it would have supported international efforts for a cease-fire as part of a hostage deal.The new draft obtained Thursday by The Associated Press “determines” — which is a council order — “the imperative of an immediate and sustained cease-fire,” with no direct link to the release of hostages taken during Hamas’ surprise attack in Israel on Oct. 7. But “toward that end” it would unequivocally support&nbsp;<a href="https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/blinken-huddles-on-gaza-with-arab-diplomats-in-cairo-as-us-israel-relations-sour/">diplomatic efforts “to secure such a cease-fire</a>&nbsp;in connection with the release of all remaining hostages.”After the 15 Security Council members met behind closed doors Thursday afternoon to discuss Gaza, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said when asked if the U.S. draft would be adopted: “I am optimistic. That’s why it took us so long, because we worked so hard.”Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, told reporters that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pressing for an immediate cease-fire and if the resolution calls for an immediate cease-fire “we will, of course, support it.”But he questioned the wording of the U.S. draft, asking: “What’s an imperative? I have an imperative to give you $100, but … it’s only an imperative, not $100.”“So, somebody’s fooling around, I think, (with the) international community,” Polyansky said. “We are not satisfied with anything that doesn’t call for immediate cease-fire. I think everybody is not satisfied with this. Even Secretary Blinken is not satisfied.”Blinken is on his sixth urgent mission to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began, discussing a deal for a cease-fire and hostage release as well as post-war scenarios.Nate Evans, the spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, issued a statement while the Security Council was holding closed Gaza consultations announcing that the U.S. would bring the resolution to a vote Friday morning.“This resolution is an opportunity for the Council to speak with one voice to support the diplomacy happening on the ground and pressure Hamas to accept the deal on the table,” Evans said.Meanwhile, the 10 elected members of the Security Council have been drafting their own resolution that would demand an immediate humanitarian cease-fire for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-11-2024-c6835d50f91dff0443e0f7fdf5e3229f">Muslim holy month of Ramadan</a>, which began March 10, to be “respected by all parties leading to a permanent sustainable cease-fire.”It also would demand “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and emphasize the urgent need to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-17-2024-ab0b75fdd8f0ab51c5e38b1870afecd8">protect civilians and deliver humanitarian aid</a>&nbsp;throughout the Gaza Strip.That draft had not yet been put in “blue,” which is the final form required for a vote.France’s U.N. ambassador, Nicolas de Riviere, told reporters that “there is a desire to take action, no one want to procrastinate, so we hope that a decision can be made by tomorrow evening.”“We need a cease-fire right now,” he said. “There are two options: Either the U.S. text is adopted and then we’ll move to the next phase of this crisis management, or the text is not adopted and then the draft of the elected members will come to the table and put to the vote, and I hope it will be adopted.”The Health Ministry in Gaza raised the death toll in the territory Thursday to nearly 32,000 Palestinians. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">doesn’t differentiate</a>&nbsp;between civilians and combatants in its count but says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-children-gaza-war-victims-un-inequality-f0f89a724543b99c2c22439e7af09405">women and children</a>&nbsp;make up two-thirds of the dead.Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in the surprise Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel that triggered the war, and abducted 250 people. Hamas is still believed to be holding some 100 people hostage as well as the remains of 30 others.The international community’s authority on determining the severity of hunger crises warned this week that “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza, where 70% of people are experiencing catastrophic hunger. The report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative, or IPC, warned that escalation of the war could push half of Gaza’s total population to the brink of starvation.The U.S. draft would express “deep concern about the threat of conflict-induced famine and epidemics presently facing the civilian population in Gaza as well as the number of undernourished people, and also that hunger in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels.” It would emphasize “the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians in the entire Gaza Strip” and lift all barriers to getting aid to civilians “at scale.”Israel faces mounting pressure from even its closest allies to streamline the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip and open more land crossings and for a cease-fire. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to move the military offensive to the southern city of Rafah, which he says is a Hamas stronghold. Some 1.3 million displaced Palestinians have sought safety in Rafah.The final U.S. draft eliminated language in the initial draft that said Israel’s offensive in Rafah “should not proceed under current circumstances.” Instead, in an introductory paragraph, the council would emphasize its concern that a ground offensive into Rafah “would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement, potentially into neighboring countries, and would have serious implications for regional peace and security.”For the first time in a U.N. resolution, the U.S. draft would condemn “all acts of terrorism, including the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, as well as its taking and killing of hostages, murder of civilians, and sexual violence, including rape.”

Russia and China veto US resolution calling for immediate cease-fire in Gaza

DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis is recalling nearly 285,000 Dodge and Chrysler sedans because the&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V198-1964.PDF">side air bag inflators can explode</a>&nbsp;with too much force during a crash and hurl metal fragments at drivers and passengers.

The recall covers air bag inflators on both sides of Dodge Chargers and Chrysler 300 large cars from the 2018 through 2021 model years.

The automaker says in documents posted Friday by U.S. safety regulators that moisture may get into the inflators due to a manufacturing defect and cause corrosion and cracks. The documents say Stellantis has seven warranty claims and customer assistance reports but no reports of injuries.

Dealers will replace both side air bag modules. Owners will be notified starting May 3.

Stellantis estimates that 1% of the inflators are defective.

The inflators are made by Joyson Safety Systems, a company that ended up acquiring Japanese air bag maker Takata after its bankruptcy. Takata used ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate front air bags in a crash. But the chemical propellant can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.

It wasn’t clear whether Takata was involved in designing the recalled Dodge and Chrysler air bags or if the company used ammonium nitrate as the propellant. Messages were left seeking comment from Stellantis.

DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis is recalling nearly 285,000 Dodge and Chrysler sedans because the&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V198-1964.PDF">side air bag inflators can explode</a>&nbsp;with too much force during a crash and hurl metal fragments at drivers and passengers.The recall covers air bag inflators on both sides of Dodge Chargers and Chrysler 300 large cars from the 2018 through 2021 model years.The automaker says in documents posted Friday by U.S. safety regulators that moisture may get into the inflators due to a manufacturing defect and cause corrosion and cracks. The documents say Stellantis has seven warranty claims and customer assistance reports but no reports of injuries.Dealers will replace both side air bag modules. Owners will be notified starting May 3.Stellantis estimates that 1% of the inflators are defective.The inflators are made by Joyson Safety Systems, a company that ended up acquiring Japanese air bag maker Takata after its bankruptcy. Takata used ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate front air bags in a crash. But the chemical propellant can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.It wasn’t clear whether Takata was involved in designing the recalled Dodge and Chrysler air bags or if the company used ammonium nitrate as the propellant. Messages were left seeking comment from Stellantis.

Recall on Dodge Chargers, Chrysler 300s: Air bags could explode

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers introduced a&nbsp;<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/republicans.appropriations.house.gov/files/Second%20FY24%20Package%20-%20Further%20Consolidated%20Appropriations%20Act%2C%202024.pdf">$1.2 trillion spending package</a>&nbsp;Thursday that sets the stage for avoiding a partial government shutdown for several&nbsp;<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/further-consolidated-appropriations-act-2024">key federal agencies</a>&nbsp;this weekend and allows Congress, nearly six months into the budget year, to complete its work funding the government through September.

<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/republicans.appropriations.house.gov/files/Second%20FY24%20Package%20-%20Further%20Consolidated%20Appropriations%20Act%2C%202024.pdf">Click here to read</a> details of the bill

Democrats were able to swat back scores of policy mandates and some of the steeper budget cuts that House Republicans were seeking to impose on nondefense programs, though House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., highlighted some wins, including a nearly 24% increase in detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal from the country.

This year’s spending bills were divided into two packages. The first one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-senate-congress-budget-spending-7dfcb8d8682d5dc28c91af3702489d89">cleared Congress</a>&nbsp;two weeks ago, just hours before a shutdown deadline for the agencies funded through the bills.

Now Congress is focused on the second, larger package, which includes about $886 billion for the&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20A%20Defense.PDF">Defense Department</a>, a more than 3% increase from last year’s levels. The 1,012-page bill also funds the departments of&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20C%20Homeland.pdf">Homeland Security</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20D%20LHHS.pdf">Health and Human Services, Labor</a>, and others.

“Congress must now race to pass this package before government funding runs out this Friday,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Nondefense spending will be relatively flat compared with the prior year, though some agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, are taking a hit, and many agencies will not see their budgets keep up with inflation.

When combining the two packages, discretionary spending for the budget year will come to about $1.66 trillion. That does not include programs such as Social Security and Medicare, and financing the country's rising debt.

The House is expected to take the measure up first on Friday. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., urged Republicans to vote for the measure, noting that more than 70% of the spending goes to defense.

“At at time when the world's on fire, more than ever, we need to make sure that we are properly funding our nation's defense and supporting our troops,” Scalise said.

Then it would move to the Senate where senators would have to agree on taking it up expeditiously to avoid a partial shutdown. Usually, such agreements include votes on proposed amendments to the bill.

Johnson described the bill as a serious commitment to strengthening national defense while expanding support for those serving in the military. The bill provides for a 5.2% pay increase for service members.

In promoting the bill, Republicans cited several ways it would help Israel. Most notably, they highlighted a prohibition on funding through March 2025 for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-un-aid-refugees-29932f8d12c4fa748daa03e3689dc536">U.N. Relief and Works Agency</a>, which is the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians in Gaza.

Republicans are insisting on cutting off funding to the agency after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-29-2024-4c49c2fb89c3bfd4963f2260b34943c1">Israel alleged that a dozen employees of the agency were involved in the attack</a>&nbsp;that Hamas conducted in Israel on Oct. 7.

But the prohibition does concern some lawmakers because many relief agencies say there is no way to replace its ability to deliver the humanitarian assistance that the United States and others are trying to send to Gaza, where one-quarter of the 2.3 million residents are starving.

Democrats emphasized that humanitarian assistance will increase globally though, by about $336.4 million.

Sen. Patty Murray, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, also highlighted a $1 billion increase for Head Start programs and new child care centers for military families. Democrats also played up a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research and a $100 million increase for Alzheimer's research.

“We defeated outlandish cuts that would have been a gut punch for American families and our economy," said Murray, D-Wash.

She also said Democrats successfully fought off numerous policy measures, known as riders, that House Republicans were seeking to add.

“From Day 1 of this process, I said there would be no extreme, far-right riders to restrict women’s reproductive freedoms — and there aren’t, she said.

Among the policy provisions that House Republicans did secure was a requirement that only allows for the American flag and “other official flags” to fly over U.S. diplomatic facilities. Under the Biden administration, U.S. embassies have been invited to fly the pride flag or light up with rainbow colors in support of the LGBTQ community.

There is also a provision that prevents the Consumer Product Safety Commission from banning gas stoves. But the White House has said President Joe Biden would not support a ban, and the commission, an independent agency,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-us-consumer-product-safety-commission-ap-fact-check-texas-2003dcf8d0bee8ddf45080186b2e0c7b">says no such ban</a>&nbsp;was in the works.

The spending in the bill largely tracks with an agreement that former Speaker Kevin McCarthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-biden-mccarthy-house-votes-9375cce9b7526b2d0a5728f8d4a18a0a">worked out</a>&nbsp;with the White House in May 2023, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills.

Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told lawmakers Thursday that last year's agreement, which became the Fiscal Responsibility Act, will save taxpayers about $1 trillion over the coming decade.

McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the speaker’s role a few months after securing the debt ceiling deal. Eight Republicans ended up joining with Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-3542dd134dccf35bc67db3463baec53b">removing</a>&nbsp;McCarthy as speaker. And some of those unhappy with that deal also expressed misgivings about the latest package.

“I hope there will be some modest wins. Unfortunately, I don’t expect that we will get much in the way of significant policy wins based on past history and based on our unwillingness to use any kind of leverage to force policy wins, meaning a willingness to walk away and say no,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va.

Work on the spending bills has been more bipartisan in the Senate. Murray issued a joint statement after the bill's release with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, urging colleagues to vote for it.

“There is zero need for a shutdown or chaos — and members of Congress should waste no time in passing these six bills, which will greatly benefit every state in America and reflect important priorities of many senators,” Murray and Collins said.

Johnson said that after the spending package passes, the House would next turn its attention to a bill that focuses on aiding Ukraine and Israel, though lawmakers are scheduled to be away from Washington for the next two weeks. The Senate has already approved a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, but Johnson has declined to bring that up for a vote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711054939075.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers introduced a&nbsp;<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/republicans.appropriations.house.gov/files/Second%20FY24%20Package%20-%20Further%20Consolidated%20Appropriations%20Act%2C%202024.pdf">$1.2 trillion spending package</a>&nbsp;Thursday that sets the stage for avoiding a partial government shutdown for several&nbsp;<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/further-consolidated-appropriations-act-2024">key federal agencies</a>&nbsp;this weekend and allows Congress, nearly six months into the budget year, to complete its work funding the government through September.<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/republicans.appropriations.house.gov/files/Second%20FY24%20Package%20-%20Further%20Consolidated%20Appropriations%20Act%2C%202024.pdf">Click here to read</a> details of the billDemocrats were able to swat back scores of policy mandates and some of the steeper budget cuts that House Republicans were seeking to impose on nondefense programs, though House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., highlighted some wins, including a nearly 24% increase in detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal from the country.This year’s spending bills were divided into two packages. The first one&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-senate-congress-budget-spending-7dfcb8d8682d5dc28c91af3702489d89">cleared Congress</a>&nbsp;two weeks ago, just hours before a shutdown deadline for the agencies funded through the bills.Now Congress is focused on the second, larger package, which includes about $886 billion for the&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20A%20Defense.PDF">Defense Department</a>, a more than 3% increase from last year’s levels. The 1,012-page bill also funds the departments of&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20C%20Homeland.pdf">Homeland Security</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240318/Division%20D%20LHHS.pdf">Health and Human Services, Labor</a>, and others.“Congress must now race to pass this package before government funding runs out this Friday,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.Nondefense spending will be relatively flat compared with the prior year, though some agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, are taking a hit, and many agencies will not see their budgets keep up with inflation.When combining the two packages, discretionary spending for the budget year will come to about $1.66 trillion. That does not include programs such as Social Security and Medicare, and financing the country's rising debt.The House is expected to take the measure up first on Friday. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., urged Republicans to vote for the measure, noting that more than 70% of the spending goes to defense.“At at time when the world's on fire, more than ever, we need to make sure that we are properly funding our nation's defense and supporting our troops,” Scalise said.Then it would move to the Senate where senators would have to agree on taking it up expeditiously to avoid a partial shutdown. Usually, such agreements include votes on proposed amendments to the bill.Johnson described the bill as a serious commitment to strengthening national defense while expanding support for those serving in the military. The bill provides for a 5.2% pay increase for service members.In promoting the bill, Republicans cited several ways it would help Israel. Most notably, they highlighted a prohibition on funding through March 2025 for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-un-aid-refugees-29932f8d12c4fa748daa03e3689dc536">U.N. Relief and Works Agency</a>, which is the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians in Gaza.Republicans are insisting on cutting off funding to the agency after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-29-2024-4c49c2fb89c3bfd4963f2260b34943c1">Israel alleged that a dozen employees of the agency were involved in the attack</a>&nbsp;that Hamas conducted in Israel on Oct. 7.But the prohibition does concern some lawmakers because many relief agencies say there is no way to replace its ability to deliver the humanitarian assistance that the United States and others are trying to send to Gaza, where one-quarter of the 2.3 million residents are starving.Democrats emphasized that humanitarian assistance will increase globally though, by about $336.4 million.Sen. Patty Murray, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, also highlighted a $1 billion increase for Head Start programs and new child care centers for military families. Democrats also played up a $120 million increase in funding for cancer research and a $100 million increase for Alzheimer's research.“We defeated outlandish cuts that would have been a gut punch for American families and our economy," said Murray, D-Wash.She also said Democrats successfully fought off numerous policy measures, known as riders, that House Republicans were seeking to add.“From Day 1 of this process, I said there would be no extreme, far-right riders to restrict women’s reproductive freedoms — and there aren’t, she said.Among the policy provisions that House Republicans did secure was a requirement that only allows for the American flag and “other official flags” to fly over U.S. diplomatic facilities. Under the Biden administration, U.S. embassies have been invited to fly the pride flag or light up with rainbow colors in support of the LGBTQ community.There is also a provision that prevents the Consumer Product Safety Commission from banning gas stoves. But the White House has said President Joe Biden would not support a ban, and the commission, an independent agency,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-us-consumer-product-safety-commission-ap-fact-check-texas-2003dcf8d0bee8ddf45080186b2e0c7b">says no such ban</a>&nbsp;was in the works.The spending in the bill largely tracks with an agreement that former Speaker Kevin McCarthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-biden-mccarthy-house-votes-9375cce9b7526b2d0a5728f8d4a18a0a">worked out</a>&nbsp;with the White House in May 2023, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills.Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told lawmakers Thursday that last year's agreement, which became the Fiscal Responsibility Act, will save taxpayers about $1 trillion over the coming decade.McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the speaker’s role a few months after securing the debt ceiling deal. Eight Republicans ended up joining with Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-3542dd134dccf35bc67db3463baec53b">removing</a>&nbsp;McCarthy as speaker. And some of those unhappy with that deal also expressed misgivings about the latest package.“I hope there will be some modest wins. Unfortunately, I don’t expect that we will get much in the way of significant policy wins based on past history and based on our unwillingness to use any kind of leverage to force policy wins, meaning a willingness to walk away and say no,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va.Work on the spending bills has been more bipartisan in the Senate. Murray issued a joint statement after the bill's release with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, urging colleagues to vote for it.“There is zero need for a shutdown or chaos — and members of Congress should waste no time in passing these six bills, which will greatly benefit every state in America and reflect important priorities of many senators,” Murray and Collins said.Johnson said that after the spending package passes, the House would next turn its attention to a bill that focuses on aiding Ukraine and Israel, though lawmakers are scheduled to be away from Washington for the next two weeks. The Senate has already approved a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, but Johnson has declined to bring that up for a vote.

What's in the $1.2 trillion spending plan to avert a government shutdown

WASHINGTON —The Biden Administration is cancelling student loans for an additional 78,000 public service workers – teachers, nurses, firefighters, and more – through Public Service Loan Forgiveness, according to a statement on the White House web site.

"These public service workers have dedicated their careers to serving their communities, but because of past administrative failures, never got the relief they were entitled to under the law."

&nbsp; "Because of the fixes my Administration has made, we have now cancelled student debt for over 870,000 public service workers– compared to only about 7,000 public service borrowers ever receiving forgiveness prior to my Administration," the statement said. 

"And through all of our various student debt relief actions, nearly four million Americans have had their student debt cancelled under my Administration."

"The announcement comes on top of the significant progress we’ve achieved for students and student loan borrowers in the past few years.&nbsp; This includes: providing the largest increases in Pell Grants in over a decade to help families who earn less than roughly $60,000 a year; fixing Income-Driven Repayment plans so borrowers in repayment for years get the relief they earned; and creating the most generous Income-Driven Repayment plan in history – the SAVE plan."

"Borrowers can go to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/" target="_blank">studentaid.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply. And, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on my Administration’s original student debt relief plan, we are continuing to pursue an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible.

"From day one of my Administration, I promised to fix broken student loan programs and make sure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity. I won’t back down from using every tool at my disposal to deliver student debt relief to more Americans, and build an economy from the middle out and bottom up. "

WASHINGTON —The Biden Administration is cancelling student loans for an additional 78,000 public service workers – teachers, nurses, firefighters, and more – through Public Service Loan Forgiveness, according to a statement on the White House web site."These public service workers have dedicated their careers to serving their communities, but because of past administrative failures, never got the relief they were entitled to under the law."&nbsp; "Because of the fixes my Administration has made, we have now cancelled student debt for over 870,000 public service workers– compared to only about 7,000 public service borrowers ever receiving forgiveness prior to my Administration," the statement said. "And through all of our various student debt relief actions, nearly four million Americans have had their student debt cancelled under my Administration.""The announcement comes on top of the significant progress we’ve achieved for students and student loan borrowers in the past few years.&nbsp; This includes: providing the largest increases in Pell Grants in over a decade to help families who earn less than roughly $60,000 a year; fixing Income-Driven Repayment plans so borrowers in repayment for years get the relief they earned; and creating the most generous Income-Driven Repayment plan in history – the SAVE plan.""Borrowers can go to&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/" target="_blank">studentaid.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply. And, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on my Administration’s original student debt relief plan, we are continuing to pursue an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible as quickly as possible."From day one of my Administration, I promised to fix broken student loan programs and make sure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity. I won’t back down from using every tool at my disposal to deliver student debt relief to more Americans, and build an economy from the middle out and bottom up. "

Biden cancels another $6 billion in student loan debt 

OMAHA, NE — The Platte Institute, a steadfast advocate for economic freedom and sustainable tax policies in Nebraska, voices its concern over the recent announcement by the Nebraska Legislature's Revenue Committee regarding new measures intended to lower property taxes. While the goal of reducing the tax burden on Nebraskans is commendable and dire, the approach proposed, which includes increasing the sales tax rate and extending taxation to business inputs like advertising, is a step in the wrong direction.&nbsp;

Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of the Platte Institute, articulated the organization’s stance, emphasizing that, “Raising the sales tax rate and taxing business inputs like advertising is bad tax policy. In recent years, the legislature has repeatedly succeeded and shown the best path to lowering taxes is to constrain all sources of revenue and spending growth. Such constraints need to be imposed upon local governments. We believe that constraining state and local revenue and spending growth is the best path forward rather than raising new sales tax revenues to lower property tax revenues.”&nbsp;

These proposed changes would inadvertently harm Nebraska's economy by increasing the financial burden on businesses and consumers alike. Moreover, such measures do not address the underlying issues contributing to the state's tax challenges.&nbsp;The Platte Institute urges the Revenue Committee and the Nebraska Legislature at large to consider alternative strategies, such as those referenced in our report “<a href="https://platteinstitute.org/nebraskas-path-to-the-top-ten-four-more-years-of-tax-reform/" target="_blank">Nebraska’s Path to the Top Ten, Four More Years of Tax Reform</a>,” that focus on limiting the growth of spending at both state and local levels.

Platte InstituteOMAHA, NE — The Platte Institute, a steadfast advocate for economic freedom and sustainable tax policies in Nebraska, voices its concern over the recent announcement by the Nebraska Legislature's Revenue Committee regarding new measures intended to lower property taxes. While the goal of reducing the tax burden on Nebraskans is commendable and dire, the approach proposed, which includes increasing the sales tax rate and extending taxation to business inputs like advertising, is a step in the wrong direction.&nbsp;Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of the Platte Institute, articulated the organization’s stance, emphasizing that, “Raising the sales tax rate and taxing business inputs like advertising is bad tax policy. In recent years, the legislature has repeatedly succeeded and shown the best path to lowering taxes is to constrain all sources of revenue and spending growth. Such constraints need to be imposed upon local governments. We believe that constraining state and local revenue and spending growth is the best path forward rather than raising new sales tax revenues to lower property tax revenues.”&nbsp;These proposed changes would inadvertently harm Nebraska's economy by increasing the financial burden on businesses and consumers alike. Moreover, such measures do not address the underlying issues contributing to the state's tax challenges.&nbsp;The Platte Institute urges the Revenue Committee and the Nebraska Legislature at large to consider alternative strategies, such as those referenced in our report “<a href="https://platteinstitute.org/nebraskas-path-to-the-top-ten-four-more-years-of-tax-reform/" target="_blank">Nebraska’s Path to the Top Ten, Four More Years of Tax Reform</a>,” that focus on limiting the growth of spending at both state and local levels. This approach not only aligns with the principles of economic freedom and responsibility but also ensures that tax relief is achieved without compromising Nebraska's fiscal health or economic competitiveness.&nbsp;As this debate progresses, the Platte Institute remains committed to engaging with policymakers, stakeholders, and the public to advocate for tax policies that promote growth, fairness, and economic opportunity for all Nebraskans. We encourage a return to discussions that consider the long-term implications of tax reforms and seek solutions that genuinely benefit the state's economy and its residents.&nbsp;For further information, to request an interview, or to discuss the implications of the proposed tax measures, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;The Platte Institute continues to advance policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. For more insights, visit PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp; &nbsp;