The rule would allow medical debt on credit reports — even in states that forbid it.

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/avollers/">Anna Claire Vollers</a>

A new Trump administration rule issued late last month would override state laws that prevent consumers’ credit reports from including medical debt, potentially weakening financial protections for millions of Americans.

In recent years,<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2025/jul/state-protections-against-medical-debt-look-policies-across-us#:~:text=Twelve%20states%20have%20recently%20taken%20action%20to%20prevent%20medical%20debt%20from%20appearing%20on%20credit%20reports%2C%20bringing%20the%20total%20number%20of%20states%20prohibiting%20this%20practice%20to%2014.47" target="_blank">&nbsp;more than a dozen states</a>&nbsp;have taken steps to keep medical debt from hurting residents’ credit scores, passing laws with bipartisan support. But new<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/28/2025-19671/fair-credit-reporting-act-preemption-of-state-laws" target="_blank">&nbsp;guidance</a>&nbsp;from the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/28/2025-19671/fair-credit-reporting-act-preemption-of-state-laws#:~:text=The%20Bureau%20has%20reviewed%20the%202022%20interpretive%20rule%20that%20interprets%20sections%201681t(b)(1)%20and%201681t(b)(5)%20of%20the%20FCRA%2C%20and%20the%20Bureau%20now%20confirms%20the%20withdrawal%20of%20that%20rule." target="_blank">&nbsp;repeals</a>&nbsp;a Biden-era rule that allowed states to impose their own bans. The Trump administration has<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/28/2025-19671/fair-credit-reporting-act-preemption-of-state-laws#:~:text=The%20Bureau%20is%20also%20clarifying%20that%20the%20FCRA%20generally%20preempts%20State%20laws%20that%20touch%20on%20broad%20areas%20of%20credit%20reporting%2C%20consistent%20with%20Congress%27s%20intent%20to%20create%20national%20standards%20for%20the%20credit%20reporting%20system." target="_blank">&nbsp;interpreted</a>&nbsp;the 1970 Fair Credit Reporting Act to say that it overrides state laws around reporting debt to credit bureaus.

American consumers had at least<a href="https://www.kff.org/health-costs/the-burden-of-medical-debt-in-the-united-states/" target="_blank">&nbsp;$220 billion in unpaid medical bills</a>&nbsp;in 2024, according to an analysis from research nonprofit KFF. About 6% of American adults, or 14 million people, owe more than $1,000 in medical debt.

“Medical debt is a tremendous weight keeping so many families from financial security, and, unlike most other forms of debt, it’s not a choice,” North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, said last month in a<a href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2025/10/13/governor-stein-ncdhhs-announce-more-65-billion-medical-debt-erased-north-carolina-0" target="_blank">&nbsp;statement</a>&nbsp;announcing that a new state program had wiped out<a href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2025/10/13/governor-stein-ncdhhs-announce-more-65-billion-medical-debt-erased-north-carolina-0" target="_blank">&nbsp;more than $6.5 billion in medical debt</a>&nbsp;for more than 25 million North Carolinians.

People rarely plan to take on debt from medical care, as they do when they borrow money to buy a house or car.&nbsp;A<a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_medical-debt-burden-in-the-united-states_report_2022-03.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;one-time or short-term expense</a>&nbsp;such as a single hospital stay causes about two-thirds of all medical debt, according to a 2022 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report.

And even though<a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/the-burden-of-medical-debt-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=Despite%20over%2090%25%20of%20the%20United%20States%20population%20having%20some%20form%20of%20health%20insurance%2C" target="_blank">&nbsp;most Americans have health insurance</a>, many get stuck with unexpected medical bills because their policies have high deductibles or don’t fully cover some treatments, procedures or drugs. People in worse health and those living with a disability are more likely to report medical debt, as are middle-aged adults, Black Americans, and people with low and middle incomes, according to KFF.

In&nbsp;the past two years,<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2025/jul/state-protections-against-medical-debt-look-policies-across-us#:~:text=Twelve%20states%20have%20recently%20taken%20action%20to%20prevent%20medical%20debt%20from%20appearing%20on%20credit%20reports%2C%20bringing%20the%20total%20number%20of%20states%20prohibiting%20this%20practice%20to%2014." target="_blank">&nbsp;a dozen states</a>&nbsp;have passed laws forbidding medical debt from appearing on credit reports, bringing the total number of states with such laws to 14: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

Another five states — Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Nevada and Utah — limit how and when medical debt can appear on credit reports, according to the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund.

Republican and Democratic legislators in other states, including<a href="https://legiscan.com/MI/text/SB0451/id/3259039" target="_blank">&nbsp;Michigan</a>,<a href="https://legiscan.com/OH/bill/HB257/2025" target="_blank">&nbsp;Ohio</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://legiscan.com/SD/bill/HB1058/2025" target="_blank">&nbsp;South Dakota</a>, have introduced similar bills this year.

Now the new state laws face an uncertain future. In January, while Biden was still in office,&nbsp; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/final-rules/prohibition-on-creditors-and-consumer-reporting-agencies-concerning-medical-information-regulation-v/" target="_blank">&nbsp;prohibiting credit reporting agencies</a>&nbsp;from reporting medical debt in certain circumstances.&nbsp;Credit bureaus and credit unions&nbsp;<a href="https://litigationtracker.law.georgetown.edu/litigation/cornerstone-credit-union-league-et-al-v-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-et-al/" target="_blank">sued to stop the rule</a>.&nbsp;The incoming Trump administration agreed with the plaintiffs and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicarerights.org/medicare-watch/2025/07/31/federal-court-reverses-federal-medical-debt-protections#:~:text=A%20lawsuit%20followed%20immediately%2C%20arguing%20CFPB%20had%20exceeded%20its%20authority%2C%20and%2C%20under%20the%20Trump%20administration%2C%20the%20agency%20changed%20direction.%20Instead%20of%20defending%20the%20rule%20in%20court%2C%20the%20agency%20agreed%20with%20plaintiffs%20that%20the%20rule%20should%20be%20blocked%2C%20and%20the%20court%20agreed." target="_blank">declined to defend the rule in court</a>, so a federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txed.235173/gov.uscourts.txed.235173.52.0_1.pdf" target="_blank">blocked it</a>.

Maine state Sen. Donna Bailey, a Democrat, said in a September<a href="https://www.mainesenate.org/new-sen-bailey-law-protects-consumers-from-the-negative-impacts-of-medical-debt/" target="_blank">&nbsp;statement</a>&nbsp;that Maine’s new law barring medical debt from appearing on consumer reports was even more important in light of the demise of the federal rule.

“Although Americans no longer have the federal protection, Mainers will continue to have protection here in our state,” she said in September. “When we go to the hospital for medical care, especially for emergencies, any debt that we take on should not hold us back from buying a car, renting a home or taking out a loan.”

But the Trump administration’s latest order would render state laws such as Maine’s moot.

Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:avollers@stateline.org">avollers@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762514381672.png" alt=" A cancer patient’s medical bills are spread on a kitchen table in a home in Salem, Va., in this 2011 file photo. A new Trump administration rule would override more than a dozen state laws that shield consumers’ credit reports from medical debt. (Photo by Don Petersen/Associated Press)" />
 <figcaption> A cancer patient’s medical bills are spread on a kitchen table in a home in Salem, Va., in this 2011 file photo. A new Trump administration rule would override more than a dozen state laws that shield consumers’ credit reports from medical debt. (Photo by Don Petersen/Associated Press)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The rule would allow medical debt on credit reports — even in states that forbid it.</h2>By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/avollers/">Anna Claire Vollers</a>A new Trump administration rule issued late last month would override state laws that prevent consumers’ credit reports from including medical debt, potentially weakening financial protections for millions of Americans.In recent years,<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2025/jul/state-protections-against-medical-debt-look-policies-across-us#:~:text=Twelve%20states%20have%20recently%20taken%20action%20to%20prevent%20medical%20debt%20from%20appearing%20on%20credit%20reports%2C%20bringing%20the%20total%20number%20of%20states%20prohibiting%20this%20practice%20to%2014.47" target="_blank">&nbsp;more than a dozen states</a>&nbsp;have taken steps to keep medical debt from hurting residents’ credit scores, passing laws with bipartisan support. But new<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/28/2025-19671/fair-credit-reporting-act-preemption-of-state-laws" target="_blank">&nbsp;guidance</a>&nbsp;from the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/28/2025-19671/fair-credit-reporting-act-preemption-of-state-laws#:~:text=The%20Bureau%20has%20reviewed%20the%202022%20interpretive%20rule%20that%20interprets%20sections%201681t(b)(1)%20and%201681t(b)(5)%20of%20the%20FCRA%2C%20and%20the%20Bureau%20now%20confirms%20the%20withdrawal%20of%20that%20rule." target="_blank">&nbsp;repeals</a>&nbsp;a Biden-era rule that allowed states to impose their own bans. The Trump administration has<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/28/2025-19671/fair-credit-reporting-act-preemption-of-state-laws#:~:text=The%20Bureau%20is%20also%20clarifying%20that%20the%20FCRA%20generally%20preempts%20State%20laws%20that%20touch%20on%20broad%20areas%20of%20credit%20reporting%2C%20consistent%20with%20Congress%27s%20intent%20to%20create%20national%20standards%20for%20the%20credit%20reporting%20system." target="_blank">&nbsp;interpreted</a>&nbsp;the 1970 Fair Credit Reporting Act to say that it overrides state laws around reporting debt to credit bureaus.American consumers had at least<a href="https://www.kff.org/health-costs/the-burden-of-medical-debt-in-the-united-states/" target="_blank">&nbsp;$220 billion in unpaid medical bills</a>&nbsp;in 2024, according to an analysis from research nonprofit KFF. About 6% of American adults, or 14 million people, owe more than $1,000 in medical debt.“Medical debt is a tremendous weight keeping so many families from financial security, and, unlike most other forms of debt, it’s not a choice,” North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, said last month in a<a href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2025/10/13/governor-stein-ncdhhs-announce-more-65-billion-medical-debt-erased-north-carolina-0" target="_blank">&nbsp;statement</a>&nbsp;announcing that a new state program had wiped out<a href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2025/10/13/governor-stein-ncdhhs-announce-more-65-billion-medical-debt-erased-north-carolina-0" target="_blank">&nbsp;more than $6.5 billion in medical debt</a>&nbsp;for more than 25 million North Carolinians.People rarely plan to take on debt from medical care, as they do when they borrow money to buy a house or car.&nbsp;A<a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_medical-debt-burden-in-the-united-states_report_2022-03.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;one-time or short-term expense</a>&nbsp;such as a single hospital stay causes about two-thirds of all medical debt, according to a 2022 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report.And even though<a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/the-burden-of-medical-debt-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=Despite%20over%2090%25%20of%20the%20United%20States%20population%20having%20some%20form%20of%20health%20insurance%2C" target="_blank">&nbsp;most Americans have health insurance</a>, many get stuck with unexpected medical bills because their policies have high deductibles or don’t fully cover some treatments, procedures or drugs. People in worse health and those living with a disability are more likely to report medical debt, as are middle-aged adults, Black Americans, and people with low and middle incomes, according to KFF.In&nbsp;the past two years,<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2025/jul/state-protections-against-medical-debt-look-policies-across-us#:~:text=Twelve%20states%20have%20recently%20taken%20action%20to%20prevent%20medical%20debt%20from%20appearing%20on%20credit%20reports%2C%20bringing%20the%20total%20number%20of%20states%20prohibiting%20this%20practice%20to%2014." target="_blank">&nbsp;a dozen states</a>&nbsp;have passed laws forbidding medical debt from appearing on credit reports, bringing the total number of states with such laws to 14: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.Another five states — Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Nevada and Utah — limit how and when medical debt can appear on credit reports, according to the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund.Republican and Democratic legislators in other states, including<a href="https://legiscan.com/MI/text/SB0451/id/3259039" target="_blank">&nbsp;Michigan</a>,<a href="https://legiscan.com/OH/bill/HB257/2025" target="_blank">&nbsp;Ohio</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://legiscan.com/SD/bill/HB1058/2025" target="_blank">&nbsp;South Dakota</a>, have introduced similar bills this year.Now the new state laws face an uncertain future. In January, while Biden was still in office,&nbsp; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/final-rules/prohibition-on-creditors-and-consumer-reporting-agencies-concerning-medical-information-regulation-v/" target="_blank">&nbsp;prohibiting credit reporting agencies</a>&nbsp;from reporting medical debt in certain circumstances.&nbsp;Credit bureaus and credit unions&nbsp;<a href="https://litigationtracker.law.georgetown.edu/litigation/cornerstone-credit-union-league-et-al-v-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-et-al/" target="_blank">sued to stop the rule</a>.&nbsp;The incoming Trump administration agreed with the plaintiffs and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicarerights.org/medicare-watch/2025/07/31/federal-court-reverses-federal-medical-debt-protections#:~:text=A%20lawsuit%20followed%20immediately%2C%20arguing%20CFPB%20had%20exceeded%20its%20authority%2C%20and%2C%20under%20the%20Trump%20administration%2C%20the%20agency%20changed%20direction.%20Instead%20of%20defending%20the%20rule%20in%20court%2C%20the%20agency%20agreed%20with%20plaintiffs%20that%20the%20rule%20should%20be%20blocked%2C%20and%20the%20court%20agreed." target="_blank">declined to defend the rule in court</a>, so a federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txed.235173/gov.uscourts.txed.235173.52.0_1.pdf" target="_blank">blocked it</a>.Maine state Sen. Donna Bailey, a Democrat, said in a September<a href="https://www.mainesenate.org/new-sen-bailey-law-protects-consumers-from-the-negative-impacts-of-medical-debt/" target="_blank">&nbsp;statement</a>&nbsp;that Maine’s new law barring medical debt from appearing on consumer reports was even more important in light of the demise of the federal rule.“Although Americans no longer have the federal protection, Mainers will continue to have protection here in our state,” she said in September. “When we go to the hospital for medical care, especially for emergencies, any debt that we take on should not hold us back from buying a car, renting a home or taking out a loan.”But the Trump administration’s latest order would render state laws such as Maine’s moot.Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:avollers@stateline.org">avollers@stateline.org</a>.

New Trump administration rule would override state medical debt protections

Visits highlight role of Nebraska’s 2nd District as a swing district in U.S. House and presidential politics

&nbsp; By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/30/nebraska-dhhs-website-blames-dems-for-federal-government-shutdown-as-snap-shutoff-looms/">Nebraska Examiner&nbsp;</a>

OMAHA — Former President Joe Biden highlighted harsh economic realities facing American families under President Donald Trump. And Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear pitched a recipe for helping Democrats win in deep-red states.&nbsp;

Both headliners for the Nebraska Democrats’ top annual fundraiser Friday rallied a downtown Hilton crowd of 630 people headed into next year’s midterm elections, in which the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District could play a crucial role. Another 220 watched from an overflow area.

Friday was one of Biden’s few public speaking events since dropping out of the 2024 presidential campaign under fire from some in the party about his electability following a shaky debate performance against Trump.

He criticized Trump on a variety of issues, from cutting Medicare in the “big, beautiful” tax and spending bill to Trump’s handling of the “strong economy” Biden said he left him. He said Trump had taken a wrecking ball to the Constitution.

“Folks, look, this isn’t a golden age,” Biden said. “The fact of the matter is that it is a very, very dark moment … But we’re in a situation where we had something very special happen just last Tuesday.”

The fundraiser followed strong national elections for Democrats on Tuesday. The party won most of its high-profile contests nationally, including the Governor’s Office in Virginia and the mayor’s race in New York. Some political observers have said the tone and mood of the electorate might hint at&nbsp;what’s possible in the midterms, when the party out of power typically gains seats.

Much of Biden’s speech focused on helping Democrats send a message to his successor: “You work for us, Mr. President. We don’t work for you. You work for us, not just billionaires and millionaires.”

Biden also touted some of his accomplishments as president, including working with Congress to pass the largest modern investment in American infrastructure, a bipartisan bill he passed with help from retiring Nebraska Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon and others.

Beshear, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful, spoke about how his approach to politics focuses on working for all Kentuckians, not just those who share his party. He said he governs in a way that can serve as a model for Democrats to win in deeply red, Republican states.&nbsp;

Beshear’s approach tries to bring party members and others together — including progressives, union members, centrists and some Republicans —&nbsp;over economic concerns, which lets him sidestep many of the social issues distracting other campaigns.

“We’ve got to get back to the work of showing people that we are spending all day, every day, trying to make their life a little bit better and a little bit easier,”&nbsp; Beshear said.

He visited Nebraska after having headed to South Carolina earlier this year to test the water for a potential bid. He also visited neighboring Iowa in 2024 to speak at a Democratic fundraiser.&nbsp;

Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. set much of the evening’s tone when he warmed up the crowd by putting on a blue and white&nbsp;“Make America Humane Again” hat — poking fun at Trump’s bright red “Make America Great Again” hats.&nbsp;

“Let’s make America humane again,” he said after being introduced as the first Democrat to lead Nebraska’s largest city in a dozen years.

Jane Kleeb, chair of the state party, said Friday that the blue “wave” Democrats want in 2026 started in May 2025 in Nebraska, with Ewing’s win over three-term Republican incumbent Mayor Jean Stothert.

Ewing criticized Trump’s handling of immigration policy and the ICE raids happening across the U.S. He mentioned the administration’s bulldozing of homeless encampments and sending the National Guard into cities.&nbsp;Democrats gathered as&nbsp;pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated outside of the hotel.&nbsp;

“We are going to stand with our immigrants when the national state is trying to create chaos,” Ewing said. “We are going to build a space and a city and an economy that works for everybody, not just the rich.”

Republicans took notice of the Biden and Beshear visits. U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts’ GOP campaign sent a truck with a digital ad on it driving through downtown Omaha during the fundraiser, attacking his registered nonpartisan opponent Dan Osborn by labeling him on it as the “future of the Democratic Party.”

The Nebraska Republican Party, in a statement, said, “If Nebraska Democrats think the presence of the former president will make people forget about the radical Democrats’ policies, inflation, open borders and out-of-control spending, they’re wrong.”

But local Democrats paid no mind, as many spoke in positive tones about the Democrats’ chances in future elections — especially in the Omaha-based&nbsp;2nd Congressional District.&nbsp;

The Omaha-based district was the only swing district nationally to side with Democrats in 2024, when Trump won every contested swing state and won the presidency, except for the stray Electoral College vote that Nebraska allows its congressional districts to syphon off.&nbsp;

Omaha, along with the rest of the&nbsp;2nd Congressional District, voted for Biden in 2020 and sided with former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.

And this year’s version of the 2nd District U.S. House race is shaping up to be another charged one, with a crowded Democratic primary vying to replace Republican U.S. Rep Don Bacon, who decided to retire early this year. Political experts view the seat as a possible pickup for Democrats.&nbsp;

That 2nd District slice of the 2026 midterm elections is emerging as crucial for the state and national<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/08/25/nebraska-is-emerging-as-crucial-for-2026-midterms-can-dems-find-an-opening/">&nbsp;Democratic Party as it tries to find a</a>&nbsp;path toward retaking the House from Republicans. Mid-decade redistricting efforts, including one being discussed in Nebraska, have made that effort more complex.

Nebraska Democrats have said they have desires of winning beyond the 2nd District, especially in legislative races that could spell the difference between the ability to filibuster conservative legislation or not.

The Nebraska Democratic Party’s top annual fundraising event has a history of drawing major headliners, including former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former vice presidential candidate. One reason: Kleeb, the state party chair, serves as a vice chair of the party at the national level.&nbsp;

The event is named for Ben Nelson, a former Nebraska governor and U.S. senator who cast a critical vote to help the party pass the Affordable Care Act under former President Barack Obama.&nbsp;His former vice president encouraged Democrats and others not to despair but to work.

“The American experiment is not going to end on our watch,” said Biden.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762693805392.png" alt="Former President Joe Biden speaks during a Nebraska Democratic Party fundraiser at the Omaha Hilton on Nov. 8, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Former President Joe Biden speaks during a Nebraska Democratic Party fundraiser at the Omaha Hilton on Nov. 8, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Visits highlight role of Nebraska’s 2nd District as a swing district in U.S. House and presidential politics</h2>&nbsp; By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/30/nebraska-dhhs-website-blames-dems-for-federal-government-shutdown-as-snap-shutoff-looms/">Nebraska Examiner&nbsp;</a>OMAHA — Former President Joe Biden highlighted harsh economic realities facing American families under President Donald Trump. And Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear pitched a recipe for helping Democrats win in deep-red states.&nbsp;Both headliners for the Nebraska Democrats’ top annual fundraiser Friday rallied a downtown Hilton crowd of 630 people headed into next year’s midterm elections, in which the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District could play a crucial role. Another 220 watched from an overflow area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762693731959.png" alt="Former President Joe Biden speaks at a Nebraska Democratic Party gathering at the Omaha Hilton on Nov. 8, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Former President Joe Biden speaks at a Nebraska Democratic Party gathering at the Omaha Hilton on Nov. 8, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Friday was one of Biden’s few public speaking events since dropping out of the 2024 presidential campaign under fire from some in the party about his electability following a shaky debate performance against Trump.He criticized Trump on a variety of issues, from cutting Medicare in the “big, beautiful” tax and spending bill to Trump’s handling of the “strong economy” Biden said he left him. He said Trump had taken a wrecking ball to the Constitution.“Folks, look, this isn’t a golden age,” Biden said. “The fact of the matter is that it is a very, very dark moment … But we’re in a situation where we had something very special happen just last Tuesday.”The fundraiser followed strong national elections for Democrats on Tuesday. The party won most of its high-profile contests nationally, including the Governor’s Office in Virginia and the mayor’s race in New York. Some political observers have said the tone and mood of the electorate might hint at&nbsp;what’s possible in the midterms, when the party out of power typically gains seats.Much of Biden’s speech focused on helping Democrats send a message to his successor: “You work for us, Mr. President. We don’t work for you. You work for us, not just billionaires and millionaires.”Biden also touted some of his accomplishments as president, including working with Congress to pass the largest modern investment in American infrastructure, a bipartisan bill he passed with help from retiring Nebraska Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon and others.Beshear, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful, spoke about how his approach to politics focuses on working for all Kentuckians, not just those who share his party. He said he governs in a way that can serve as a model for Democrats to win in deeply red, Republican states.&nbsp;Beshear’s approach tries to bring party members and others together — including progressives, union members, centrists and some Republicans —&nbsp;over economic concerns, which lets him sidestep many of the social issues distracting other campaigns.“We’ve got to get back to the work of showing people that we are spending all day, every day, trying to make their life a little bit better and a little bit easier,”&nbsp; Beshear said.He visited Nebraska after having headed to South Carolina earlier this year to test the water for a potential bid. He also visited neighboring Iowa in 2024 to speak at a Democratic fundraiser.&nbsp;Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. set much of the evening’s tone when he warmed up the crowd by putting on a blue and white&nbsp;“Make America Humane Again” hat — poking fun at Trump’s bright red “Make America Great Again” hats.&nbsp;“Let’s make America humane again,” he said after being introduced as the first Democrat to lead Nebraska’s largest city in a dozen years.Jane Kleeb, chair of the state party, said Friday that the blue “wave” Democrats want in 2026 started in May 2025 in Nebraska, with Ewing’s win over three-term Republican incumbent Mayor Jean Stothert.Ewing criticized Trump’s handling of immigration policy and the ICE raids happening across the U.S. He mentioned the administration’s bulldozing of homeless encampments and sending the National Guard into cities.&nbsp;Democrats gathered as&nbsp;pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated outside of the hotel.&nbsp;“We are going to stand with our immigrants when the national state is trying to create chaos,” Ewing said. “We are going to build a space and a city and an economy that works for everybody, not just the rich.”Republicans took notice of the Biden and Beshear visits. U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts’ GOP campaign sent a truck with a digital ad on it driving through downtown Omaha during the fundraiser, attacking his registered nonpartisan opponent Dan Osborn by labeling him on it as the “future of the Democratic Party.”The Nebraska Republican Party, in a statement, said, “If Nebraska Democrats think the presence of the former president will make people forget about the radical Democrats’ policies, inflation, open borders and out-of-control spending, they’re wrong.”But local Democrats paid no mind, as many spoke in positive tones about the Democrats’ chances in future elections — especially in the Omaha-based&nbsp;2nd Congressional District.&nbsp;The Omaha-based district was the only swing district nationally to side with Democrats in 2024, when Trump won every contested swing state and won the presidency, except for the stray Electoral College vote that Nebraska allows its congressional districts to syphon off.&nbsp;Omaha, along with the rest of the&nbsp;2nd Congressional District, voted for Biden in 2020 and sided with former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.And this year’s version of the 2nd District U.S. House race is shaping up to be another charged one, with a crowded Democratic primary vying to replace Republican U.S. Rep Don Bacon, who decided to retire early this year. Political experts view the seat as a possible pickup for Democrats.&nbsp;That 2nd District slice of the 2026 midterm elections is emerging as crucial for the state and national<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/08/25/nebraska-is-emerging-as-crucial-for-2026-midterms-can-dems-find-an-opening/">&nbsp;Democratic Party as it tries to find a</a>&nbsp;path toward retaking the House from Republicans. Mid-decade redistricting efforts, including one being discussed in Nebraska, have made that effort more complex.Nebraska Democrats have said they have desires of winning beyond the 2nd District, especially in legislative races that could spell the difference between the ability to filibuster conservative legislation or not.The Nebraska Democratic Party’s top annual fundraising event has a history of drawing major headliners, including former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former vice presidential candidate. One reason: Kleeb, the state party chair, serves as a vice chair of the party at the national level.&nbsp;The event is named for Ben Nelson, a former Nebraska governor and U.S. senator who cast a critical vote to help the party pass the Affordable Care Act under former President Barack Obama.&nbsp;His former vice president encouraged Democrats and others not to despair but to work.“The American experiment is not going to end on our watch,” said Biden.

Biden visits Omaha with Kentucky governor as Nebraska Dems eye 2026

ATCHISON COUNTY —Three teens were injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Atchison County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Acura MDX driven by an 18-year-old Bellevue, Nebraska man was northbound on Interstate 29 eight miles south of Hamburg, Iowa.

The SUV traveled off the west side of the road. The vehicle returned to the road, crossed the center line, traveled off the east side of the road and down an embankment. The vehicle struck several trees a fence, became airborne and rolled into a field.&nbsp; One occupant was ejected.

Atchison Holt ambulance transported the driver and a passenger identified as a 16-year-old Bellevue boy to Grape Community Hospital.&nbsp; Air by Starcare transported a second passenger, 18-year-old from Bellevue, to Bryan West Medial Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.&nbsp; All three were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

ATCHISON COUNTY —Three teens were injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Saturday in Atchison County, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Acura MDX driven by an 18-year-old Bellevue, Nebraska man was northbound on Interstate 29 eight miles south of Hamburg, Iowa.The SUV traveled off the west side of the road. The vehicle returned to the road, crossed the center line, traveled off the east side of the road and down an embankment. The vehicle struck several trees a fence, became airborne and rolled into a field.&nbsp; One occupant was ejected.Atchison Holt ambulance transported the driver and a passenger identified as a 16-year-old Bellevue boy to Grape Community Hospital.&nbsp; Air by Starcare transported a second passenger, 18-year-old from Bellevue, to Bryan West Medial Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.&nbsp; All three were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

3 Nebraska teens hospitalized after violent SUV crash

The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program (IBTPP), and state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of 13 infant botulism illnesses from 10 states: Arizona, California (2), Illinois (2), Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas (2), Washington, according to a statement from the agency.

Laboratory confirmation for some cases is ongoing. There are no deaths reported at this time. The CDPH IBTPP reported an increase in number of botulism type A infections among infants consuming ByHeart powdered infant formula from August 2025 to November 2025. 

All 13 cases included in this outbreak are reported to have consumed ByHeart- brand powdered infant formula. Officials in several states have collected leftover infant formula for testing. This testing is underway, and results are not yet available but expected in the coming weeks. &nbsp;

FDA has been in contact with the firm and has recommended the firm conduct a voluntary recall due to the number of cases, severity of illness, and the strong epidemiological signal. Today, ByHeart, Inc. agreed to initiate a recall of the two lots of ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant formula (Lot: 206VABP/251261P2 and Lot: 206VABP/251131P2) that were reported to have been consumed by the infants. FDA is continuing to work with the firm to ensure all potentially impacted product is removed from the market.

Symptoms of&nbsp;Infant botulism&nbsp;&nbsp;

Most infants with infant botulism will initially develop constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, and difficulty swallowing, which can progress to difficulty breathing and respiratory arrest. Symptoms of infant botulism, which is diagnosed clinically, can take as long as several weeks to develop following formula ingestion.

ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula is available for sale online and at major retailers nationwide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762681537657.png" alt="Image FDA" />
 <figcaption>Image FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program (IBTPP), and state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of 13 infant botulism illnesses from 10 states: Arizona, California (2), Illinois (2), Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas (2), Washington, according to a statement from the agency.Laboratory confirmation for some cases is ongoing. There are no deaths reported at this time. The CDPH IBTPP reported an increase in number of botulism type A infections among infants consuming ByHeart powdered infant formula from August 2025 to November 2025. All 13 cases included in this outbreak are reported to have consumed ByHeart- brand powdered infant formula. Officials in several states have collected leftover infant formula for testing. This testing is underway, and results are not yet available but expected in the coming weeks. &nbsp;FDA has been in contact with the firm and has recommended the firm conduct a voluntary recall due to the number of cases, severity of illness, and the strong epidemiological signal. Today, ByHeart, Inc. agreed to initiate a recall of the two lots of ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant formula (Lot: 206VABP/251261P2 and Lot: 206VABP/251131P2) that were reported to have been consumed by the infants. FDA is continuing to work with the firm to ensure all potentially impacted product is removed from the market.<h2>Symptoms of&nbsp;Infant botulism&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>Most infants with infant botulism will initially develop constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, and difficulty swallowing, which can progress to difficulty breathing and respiratory arrest. Symptoms of infant botulism, which is diagnosed clinically, can take as long as several weeks to develop following formula ingestion.<h2>Stores affected</h2>ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula is available for sale online and at major retailers nationwide.

ByHeart baby formula recalled amid 10-state outbreak of infant botulism

DOUGLAS COUNTY —The runner who died from injuries after she was struck in a hit-and-run incident Thursday evening near Lawrence was Elsa McGrain, 20, a University of Kansas student from Omaha, according to&nbsp; Sheriff's Department Spokesman Officer George Diepenbrock.

She was studying pre-medicine and set to graduate in 2026.&nbsp;

Elsa was running and a vehicle struck her around 6 p.m. Thursday in the 1700 block of E 1500 Road, which is North Seventh Street extended and south of U.S. Highway 24-40 near the Lawrence Regional Airport.

Douglas County deputies and detectives continue to work diligently to investigate this thoroughly, find the driver involved and work appropriately through the justice system from there.

Detectives have determined the vehicle of interest is a truck that is all white with no side markings.

DGSO continues to ask anyone who might have information about the vehicle in the photo or been in the area on E 1500 Road between 5:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday and has potential information to call DGSO Detective Lance Flachsbarth, 785-393-5845, or Douglas County Crime Stoppers, 785-843-TIPS (8477), and leave your contact information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762637613576.png" alt="Detectives have determined the vehicle of interest is a truck that is all white with no side markings.-Douglas County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Detectives have determined the vehicle of interest is a truck that is all white with no side markings.-Douglas County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —The runner who died from injuries after she was struck in a hit-and-run incident Thursday evening near Lawrence was Elsa McGrain, 20, a University of Kansas student from Omaha, according to&nbsp; Sheriff's Department Spokesman Officer George Diepenbrock.She was studying pre-medicine and set to graduate in 2026.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762637573361.png" alt="Elsa McGrain courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Elsa McGrain courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Elsa was running and a vehicle struck her around 6 p.m. Thursday in the 1700 block of E 1500 Road, which is North Seventh Street extended and south of U.S. Highway 24-40 near the Lawrence Regional Airport.Douglas County deputies and detectives continue to work diligently to investigate this thoroughly, find the driver involved and work appropriately through the justice system from there.Detectives have determined the vehicle of interest is a truck that is all white with no side markings.DGSO continues to ask anyone who might have information about the vehicle in the photo or been in the area on E 1500 Road between 5:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday and has potential information to call DGSO Detective Lance Flachsbarth, 785-393-5845, or Douglas County Crime Stoppers, 785-843-TIPS (8477), and leave your contact information.

Sheriff: Victim in fatal hit-and-run was KU student from Nebraska

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>

The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily&nbsp;blocked Friday night a lower court’s order that the Trump administration pay for a full month of food benefits, hours after some states began loading nutrition assistance funds on payment cards held by the 42 million Americans who use the program.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26221041-25a539-admin-stay/" target="_blank">In a two-page filing,</a>&nbsp;Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson&nbsp;accepted the government’s request to pause a Thursday order from Rhode Island Chief U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell while a lower appeals court hears the case.&nbsp;

His order Thursday compelled the U.S. Department of Agriculture to transfer funds from other programs to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, for November. The Trump administration had said the ongoing government shutdown meant it could not pay November SNAP benefits.

“The applicants assert that, without intervention from this Court, they will have to ‘transfer an estimated $4 billion by tonight’ to fund SNAP benefits through November,” Jackson, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, wrote.&nbsp;

A stay is needed to reach an “expeditious resolution,” she wrote.

Jackson’s order froze SNAP payments to states that the USDA had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-issues-november-snap-benefits-then-asks-supreme-court-intervene" target="_blank">appeared to authorize</a>&nbsp;earlier Friday before the administration appealed to the high court.

It was unclear Friday night what effect that might have on individual recipients’ electronic benefit transfer, or EBT, cards. A press release earlier Friday from California Gov. Gavin Newsom said some Californians had begun to see full benefits on their cards, following an order from a lower court.

In a Friday evening brief to the Supreme Court that followed a day of conflicting messages from the administration, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer said the high court should step in to protect the executive branch’s power from what he characterized as unprecedented overreach by McConnell.

By demanding that the USDA transfer money from a $23 billion fund for child nutrition programs to pay for November SNAP benefits, McConnell substituted his judgment for the agency’s, a violation of the constitutional separation-of-powers doctrine, Sauer argued.&nbsp;

The department’s decision to pay for partial November benefits, by using the roughly $5 billion remaining in a contingency fund, rather than by paying about $9 billion for a full month of benefits, was its decision to make and not reviewable by courts, Sauer said.

“USDA reasonably determined that the best course was to combine partial SNAP payments with stable funding for Child Nutrition Programs—versus jeopardize the latter to guarantee full payments with the former,” Sauer wrote. “The district court would have done otherwise. But it had no legal basis to ‘substitute its own policy judgment for that of the agency.’”

The lower court order — as well a midday Friday letter from the USDA to state SNAP administrators — had also led to confusion among states who started to demand SNAP funds in a way Sauer compared to a bank run.

Several states announced full funding would be available and began sending money to beneficiaries.

Immediately after McConnell’s order was published, Wisconsin demanded “100% of SNAP benefits,” Sauer wrote. Even though the USDA system rejected the file, the private-sector processor of the payment “moved forward, resulting in Wisconsin currently overdrawing its letter of credit by $20 million,” he said.

Kansas made a similar move. And some California SNAP users received their full benefits, according to Sauer’s brief.

McConnell on Thursday had ruled the department’s decision to withhold SNAP benefits arbitrary and capricious — the standard for judicial review of an executive branch action.&nbsp;

The $23 billion fund could spare the $4 billion needed to make November SNAP benefits whole and still maintain its intended purpose well beyond the month, so there was no need to maintain that fund at that level, he wrote.

Instead, the decision “predictably magnifies harm and undermines the very purpose of the program it administers,” McConnell wrote.

While federal agencies are due discretion from courts, such a “poor” use of decision-making power must be remedied, he said.

“Contrary to what the Defendants claim, 29 million children who participate in the Child Nutrition Program are not at risk of immediately going hungry in the event of a transfer,” he said. “Instead, SNAP recipients—16 million of whom are children—will go hungry if they do not receive their SNAP benefits this month.”

But Sauer responded that was not McConnell’s call to make.&nbsp;

The trial judge’s ruling improperly assumed that Congress would eventually replenish the child nutrition program fund, but the USDA was within its right to take a more cautious approach toward protecting the child nutrition funding, said the solicitor general.

“It obviously was not unlawful for the agency to see things differently—and refuse to starve Peter to feed Paul, by gambling school lunches tomorrow in exchange for more SNAP money today,” he wrote. “Indeed, that sort of hard tradeoff is precisely the sort of decision that Congress committed to agency discretion and placed beyond the reach of judges.”

While the USDA had not denied that it was able to move money to different priorities after Congress had appropriated it, the government did not have to do so, Sauer said.

Allowing McConnell’s ruling to stand would invite a stampede to litigation, the government maintained.

“If allowed to stand, this decision will metastasize and sow further shutdown chaos,” Sauer said. “Every beneficiary of a federal program could run into court, point to an agency’s general discretion to prioritize funding, and claim that failing to prioritize their chosen program was arbitrary and capricious.”

Sauer also said McConnell read too much into Trump’s social media post this week that threatened to withhold SNAP funding for the duration of the shutdowns.

McConnell cited in his order the post, in which Trump said SNAP benefits would “be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” showed the true purpose of the USDA move was political leverage.

“The court below had no basis to transfer of billions of dollars from school lunches to its preferred program based on its tendentious view of ‘the administration’s true motivations.’”

In a statement, Skye Perryman, the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, an advocacy group that is leading the litigation to force SNAP payments, said the group would continue to work to “secure benefits for the American people”

“The Trump-Vance administration continues to attempt — over and over — to take food out of the hands of families, seniors, workers, and children,” Perryman said. “And every time they tried, the courts told them what the law already makes clear: they cannot. American families should not be used as political props in a shutdown that this White House manufactured.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762570194872.png" alt="Supreme Court's Justice Jackson issued the emergency order -Photo Credit:Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States." />
 <figcaption>Supreme Court's Justice Jackson issued the emergency order -Photo Credit:Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States.</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily&nbsp;blocked Friday night a lower court’s order that the Trump administration pay for a full month of food benefits, hours after some states began loading nutrition assistance funds on payment cards held by the 42 million Americans who use the program.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26221041-25a539-admin-stay/" target="_blank">In a two-page filing,</a>&nbsp;Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson&nbsp;accepted the government’s request to pause a Thursday order from Rhode Island Chief U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell while a lower appeals court hears the case.&nbsp;His order Thursday compelled the U.S. Department of Agriculture to transfer funds from other programs to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, for November. The Trump administration had said the ongoing government shutdown meant it could not pay November SNAP benefits.“The applicants assert that, without intervention from this Court, they will have to ‘transfer an estimated $4 billion by tonight’ to fund SNAP benefits through November,” Jackson, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, wrote.&nbsp;A stay is needed to reach an “expeditious resolution,” she wrote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762569874331.png" alt="Page 1" />
 <figcaption>Page 1</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762569857484.png" alt="Page 2" />
 <figcaption>Page 2</figcaption>
 </figure>Jackson’s order froze SNAP payments to states that the USDA had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-issues-november-snap-benefits-then-asks-supreme-court-intervene" target="_blank">appeared to authorize</a>&nbsp;earlier Friday before the administration appealed to the high court.It was unclear Friday night what effect that might have on individual recipients’ electronic benefit transfer, or EBT, cards. A press release earlier Friday from California Gov. Gavin Newsom said some Californians had begun to see full benefits on their cards, following an order from a lower court.<h2>High court challenge&nbsp;</h2>In a Friday evening brief to the Supreme Court that followed a day of conflicting messages from the administration, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer said the high court should step in to protect the executive branch’s power from what he characterized as unprecedented overreach by McConnell.By demanding that the USDA transfer money from a $23 billion fund for child nutrition programs to pay for November SNAP benefits, McConnell substituted his judgment for the agency’s, a violation of the constitutional separation-of-powers doctrine, Sauer argued.&nbsp;The department’s decision to pay for partial November benefits, by using the roughly $5 billion remaining in a contingency fund, rather than by paying about $9 billion for a full month of benefits, was its decision to make and not reviewable by courts, Sauer said.“USDA reasonably determined that the best course was to combine partial SNAP payments with stable funding for Child Nutrition Programs—versus jeopardize the latter to guarantee full payments with the former,” Sauer wrote. “The district court would have done otherwise. But it had no legal basis to ‘substitute its own policy judgment for that of the agency.’”<h2>Confusion in states&nbsp;</h2>The lower court order — as well a midday Friday letter from the USDA to state SNAP administrators — had also led to confusion among states who started to demand SNAP funds in a way Sauer compared to a bank run.Several states announced full funding would be available and began sending money to beneficiaries.Immediately after McConnell’s order was published, Wisconsin demanded “100% of SNAP benefits,” Sauer wrote. Even though the USDA system rejected the file, the private-sector processor of the payment “moved forward, resulting in Wisconsin currently overdrawing its letter of credit by $20 million,” he said.Kansas made a similar move. And some California SNAP users received their full benefits, according to Sauer’s brief.<h2>16 million children on SNAP</h2>McConnell on Thursday had ruled the department’s decision to withhold SNAP benefits arbitrary and capricious — the standard for judicial review of an executive branch action.&nbsp;The $23 billion fund could spare the $4 billion needed to make November SNAP benefits whole and still maintain its intended purpose well beyond the month, so there was no need to maintain that fund at that level, he wrote.Instead, the decision “predictably magnifies harm and undermines the very purpose of the program it administers,” McConnell wrote.While federal agencies are due discretion from courts, such a “poor” use of decision-making power must be remedied, he said.“Contrary to what the Defendants claim, 29 million children who participate in the Child Nutrition Program are not at risk of immediately going hungry in the event of a transfer,” he said. “Instead, SNAP recipients—16 million of whom are children—will go hungry if they do not receive their SNAP benefits this month.”<h2>‘Starve Peter to feed Paul’</h2>But Sauer responded that was not McConnell’s call to make.&nbsp;The trial judge’s ruling improperly assumed that Congress would eventually replenish the child nutrition program fund, but the USDA was within its right to take a more cautious approach toward protecting the child nutrition funding, said the solicitor general.“It obviously was not unlawful for the agency to see things differently—and refuse to starve Peter to feed Paul, by gambling school lunches tomorrow in exchange for more SNAP money today,” he wrote. “Indeed, that sort of hard tradeoff is precisely the sort of decision that Congress committed to agency discretion and placed beyond the reach of judges.”While the USDA had not denied that it was able to move money to different priorities after Congress had appropriated it, the government did not have to do so, Sauer said.Allowing McConnell’s ruling to stand would invite a stampede to litigation, the government maintained.“If allowed to stand, this decision will metastasize and sow further shutdown chaos,” Sauer said. “Every beneficiary of a federal program could run into court, point to an agency’s general discretion to prioritize funding, and claim that failing to prioritize their chosen program was arbitrary and capricious.”<h2>Trump social media post</h2>Sauer also said McConnell read too much into Trump’s social media post this week that threatened to withhold SNAP funding for the duration of the shutdowns.McConnell cited in his order the post, in which Trump said SNAP benefits would “be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” showed the true purpose of the USDA move was political leverage.Sauer said that was improper.“The court below had no basis to transfer of billions of dollars from school lunches to its preferred program based on its tendentious view of ‘the administration’s true motivations.’”In a statement, Skye Perryman, the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, an advocacy group that is leading the litigation to force SNAP payments, said the group would continue to work to “secure benefits for the American people”“The Trump-Vance administration continues to attempt — over and over — to take food out of the hands of families, seniors, workers, and children,” Perryman said. “And every time they tried, the courts told them what the law already makes clear: they cannot. American families should not be used as political props in a shutdown that this White House manufactured.”

US Supreme Court temporarily blocks November SNAP payments

November 7, 2025 (Bellevue, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a former Bellevue Police Department officer as part of a child enticement investigation.

The investigation began in July, when the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office requested NSP investigate a report regarding a Bellevue officer, identified as Ryan Agustin. During the investigation, the Nebraska State Patrol found Agustin to be in possession of manufactured child sexual abuse material.

Friday afternoon, NSP arrested Agustin, 38, of Bellevue, for manufacturing child sexual abuse material. He was lodged in Sarpy County Jail. The investigation remains ongoing.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565129733856.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>November 7, 2025 (Bellevue, Neb.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a former Bellevue Police Department officer as part of a child enticement investigation.The investigation began in July, when the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office requested NSP investigate a report regarding a Bellevue officer, identified as Ryan Agustin. During the investigation, the Nebraska State Patrol found Agustin to be in possession of manufactured child sexual abuse material.Friday afternoon, NSP arrested Agustin, 38, of Bellevue, for manufacturing child sexual abuse material. He was lodged in Sarpy County Jail. The investigation remains ongoing.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Former Bellevue Officer Arrested in Child Sexual Abuse Material Investigation

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>

The U.S. Department of Agriculture told states Friday it was releasing full November funding for the nation’s major food assistance program that helps 42 million people afford groceries, complying with a federal court order issued Thursday.

Payments would be sent to states Friday, the department’s Food and Nutrition Service said in a letter to state directors of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which is funded by the federal government and administered by the states. Patrick A. Penn, the deputy under secretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, wrote the two-paragraph&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/%2520https%253a//www.documentcloud.org/documents/26220869-snap-november-2025-benefit-guidance-update/" target="_blank">letter.</a>

“Later today, FNS will complete the processes necessary to make funds available to support your subsequent transmittal of full issuance files to your EBT processor,” Penn wrote. “We will keep you as up to date as possible on any future developments and appreciate your continued partnership to serve program beneficiaries across the country.”

The move abandons an appeal President Donald Trump’s administration made following&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-ordered-pay-full-9b-november-snap-benefits-amid-shutdown" target="_blank">Thursday’s order</a>&nbsp;from Chief U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of Rhode Island. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71886023/00108363689/rhode-island-state-council-of-churches-v-rollins/" target="_blank">appeal</a>&nbsp;said the government shutdown, and the resulting lack of funding for SNAP, was Congress’ fault and that the department could not be compelled to transfer other funds to pay for SNAP benefits.

The shutdown, which started when Congress failed to pass annual laws by Oct. 1, left SNAP without any appropriated funding for November and beyond. The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/usda-wont-shuffle-funds-extend-snap-during-shutdown-about-face-earlier-plan" target="_blank">reversed its own guidance</a>&nbsp;and declined to use a contingency fund and other accounts within the USDA held more than enough to cover some benefits.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761944916334.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>The U.S. Department of Agriculture told states Friday it was releasing full November funding for the nation’s major food assistance program that helps 42 million people afford groceries, complying with a federal court order issued Thursday.Payments would be sent to states Friday, the department’s Food and Nutrition Service said in a letter to state directors of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which is funded by the federal government and administered by the states. Patrick A. Penn, the deputy under secretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, wrote the two-paragraph&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/%2520https%253a//www.documentcloud.org/documents/26220869-snap-november-2025-benefit-guidance-update/" target="_blank">letter.</a>“Later today, FNS will complete the processes necessary to make funds available to support your subsequent transmittal of full issuance files to your EBT processor,” Penn wrote. “We will keep you as up to date as possible on any future developments and appreciate your continued partnership to serve program beneficiaries across the country.”The move abandons an appeal President Donald Trump’s administration made following&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-ordered-pay-full-9b-november-snap-benefits-amid-shutdown" target="_blank">Thursday’s order</a>&nbsp;from Chief U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of Rhode Island. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71886023/00108363689/rhode-island-state-council-of-churches-v-rollins/" target="_blank">appeal</a>&nbsp;said the government shutdown, and the resulting lack of funding for SNAP, was Congress’ fault and that the department could not be compelled to transfer other funds to pay for SNAP benefits.The shutdown, which started when Congress failed to pass annual laws by Oct. 1, left SNAP without any appropriated funding for November and beyond. The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/usda-wont-shuffle-funds-extend-snap-during-shutdown-about-face-earlier-plan" target="_blank">reversed its own guidance</a>&nbsp;and declined to use a contingency fund and other accounts within the USDA held more than enough to cover some benefits.

Full November SNAP benefits to be issued by Trump administration despite shutdown

By Ashley Murray | Nebraska Examiner

WASHINGTON — A vote to stop President Donald Trump’s deadly strikes on alleged drug-running boats off the coast of Venezuela failed Thursday in the U.S. Senate, nearly mirroring the outcome of a similar war powers vote last month.&nbsp;

Senate Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky again joined Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00608.htm" target="_blank">a 49-51 vote</a>, just shy of the simple majority needed to advance legislation aimed at halting Trump’s escalating campaign on what his administration describes as “narco-terrorists.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/90/cosponsors?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22S.J.res+90%22%7D" target="_blank">joint resolution</a>, brought to the floor by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., directs the “removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress.”

Paul and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., initially cosponsored the bill, and a dozen more Democratic senators and one independent signed on.&nbsp;

Schiff’s similar measure&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-rejects-restriction-military-strikes-vessels-caribbean" target="_blank">failed</a>&nbsp;48-51 in early October.

Kaine forced Thursday’s vote under the War Powers Resolution, a Vietnam War-era&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47603" target="_blank">statute</a>&nbsp;that gives Congress a check on the president’s use of the military abroad.&nbsp;

The death toll from U.S. military strikes has risen to 67 since September, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/02/politics/timeline-us-strikes-caribbean-pacific-vis" target="_blank">CNN</a>. Notably, the Trump administration is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2025/11/04/uss-gerald-r-ford-heads-to-caribbean-to-support-anti-narcotics-effort/" target="_blank">relocating</a>&nbsp;the country’s most advanced aircraft carrier from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, joining other Navy resources currently amassed there.&nbsp;

On Oct. 16, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/16/g-s1-93677/trump-confirms-cia-operations-venezuela" target="_blank">publicly confirmed</a>&nbsp;a New York Times report that he had authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela and told reporters he was “looking at land” for possible further strikes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“All of this together with the increased pace of strikes in the Caribbean and the Pacific suggest that we are on the verge of something that should not happen without a debate and vote in Congress before the American people,” Kaine said on the floor before the vote.&nbsp;

Kaine and Schiff told reporters Thursday they viewed the White House Office of Legal Counsel opinion authorizing the fatal strike in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean near Venezuela.&nbsp;

The document, which senators are allowed to read in a classified setting, “makes no effort to claim that there’s a legal rationale for invading a sovereign nation, no effort to claim that it’s about Venezuela, or could be used with respect to Venezuela or any country,” Kaine said.

Schiff characterized the opinion as “broad enough to authorize just about anything.”

Kaine urged Senate Republicans, who received a brief and review of the document earlier this week, to introduce and debate legislation authorizing the administration to continue its military force in the region.

“Anybody in Congress who thinks we ought to be bombing ships in the Caribbean and Pacific, introduce an AUMF (Authorization for Use of Military Force) and have a debate and vote on it,” Kaine said, adding “but don’t just abdicate this power.”&nbsp;

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1985863010376642677" target="_blank">posted</a>&nbsp;a grainy video online Tuesday of a vessel in flames after a strike, and said the United States targeted the boat in the Eastern Pacific that had been operated by “a Designated Terrorist Organization.”&nbsp;

“Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. The strike was conducted in international waters in the Eastern Pacific.”

“No U.S. forces were harmed in the strike, and two male narco-terrorists — who were aboard the vessel — were killed,” Hegseth wrote on social media.

It’s&nbsp;<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jul/31/2003271432/-1/-1/0/DOD-LAW-OF-WAR-MANUAL-JUNE-2015-UPDATED-JULY%202023.PDF" target="_blank">unlawful</a>&nbsp;for the U.S. military to intentionally&nbsp;<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jul/31/2003271432/-1/-1/0/DOD-LAW-OF-WAR-MANUAL-JUNE-2015-UPDATED-JULY%202023.PDF" target="_blank">kill</a>&nbsp;civilians who are not actively taking part in hostilities against the U.S.&nbsp;

Ahead of Thursday’s vote, Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, defended the administration’s “decisive actions to protect thousands of Americans from lethal narcotics.”&nbsp;

“Some Democrat members and members of the media claim that President Trump does not have authority to conduct these strikes. I’ll tell you right now, that is plain wrong,” said Risch, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Risch said he and fellow Senate Republicans have sat through “hours of briefings and analysis by government legal departments and attorneys” regarding the strikes.

Schiff and Kaine told reporters their access to information and briefings has been more limited.

On the Senate floor ahead of the vote, Paul compared the strikes and buildup in the Caribbean to the U.S. military’s “misguided” intervention in the Middle East.

“We owe it to our service members to only send them into harm’s way when vital American interests are at stake. Who is in charge of Venezuela does not constitute such an interest,” Paul said, alleging the strikes are about regime change in the South American nation ruled by dictator Nicolás Maduro.

&nbsp; “We overthrew Sadam Hussein thinking Iraq would be transformed into this great Jeffersonian democracy. Instead what occurred was an insurgency that led to some of the most brutal sectarian violence in living memory,” Paul said.

Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in 1973 after the Nixon administration secretly bombed Vietnam and Cambodia,&nbsp;<a href="https://gsp.yale.edu/sites/default/files/walrus_cambodiabombing_oct06.pdf" target="_blank">killing hundreds of thousands of people.</a>&nbsp;

By Ashley Murray | Nebraska Examiner<figure>
 <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/timkainenov62025-1536x1153.jpg" alt="&nbsp;Sen. Adam Schiff of California, left, and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, both Democrats, talk to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 6, 2025. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Sen. Adam Schiff of California, left, and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, both Democrats, talk to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 6, 2025. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — A vote to stop President Donald Trump’s deadly strikes on alleged drug-running boats off the coast of Venezuela failed Thursday in the U.S. Senate, nearly mirroring the outcome of a similar war powers vote last month.&nbsp;Senate Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky again joined Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00608.htm" target="_blank">a 49-51 vote</a>, just shy of the simple majority needed to advance legislation aimed at halting Trump’s escalating campaign on what his administration describes as “narco-terrorists.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/90/cosponsors?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22S.J.res+90%22%7D" target="_blank">joint resolution</a>, brought to the floor by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., directs the “removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress.”Paul and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., initially cosponsored the bill, and a dozen more Democratic senators and one independent signed on.&nbsp;Schiff’s similar measure&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-rejects-restriction-military-strikes-vessels-caribbean" target="_blank">failed</a>&nbsp;48-51 in early October.Kaine forced Thursday’s vote under the War Powers Resolution, a Vietnam War-era&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47603" target="_blank">statute</a>&nbsp;that gives Congress a check on the president’s use of the military abroad.&nbsp;The death toll from U.S. military strikes has risen to 67 since September, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/02/politics/timeline-us-strikes-caribbean-pacific-vis" target="_blank">CNN</a>. Notably, the Trump administration is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2025/11/04/uss-gerald-r-ford-heads-to-caribbean-to-support-anti-narcotics-effort/" target="_blank">relocating</a>&nbsp;the country’s most advanced aircraft carrier from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, joining other Navy resources currently amassed there.&nbsp;On Oct. 16, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/16/g-s1-93677/trump-confirms-cia-operations-venezuela" target="_blank">publicly confirmed</a>&nbsp;a New York Times report that he had authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela and told reporters he was “looking at land” for possible further strikes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Kaine, Schiff push for war powers vote</h2>“All of this together with the increased pace of strikes in the Caribbean and the Pacific suggest that we are on the verge of something that should not happen without a debate and vote in Congress before the American people,” Kaine said on the floor before the vote.&nbsp;Kaine and Schiff told reporters Thursday they viewed the White House Office of Legal Counsel opinion authorizing the fatal strike in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean near Venezuela.&nbsp;The document, which senators are allowed to read in a classified setting, “makes no effort to claim that there’s a legal rationale for invading a sovereign nation, no effort to claim that it’s about Venezuela, or could be used with respect to Venezuela or any country,” Kaine said.Schiff characterized the opinion as “broad enough to authorize just about anything.”Kaine urged Senate Republicans, who received a brief and review of the document earlier this week, to introduce and debate legislation authorizing the administration to continue its military force in the region.“Anybody in Congress who thinks we ought to be bombing ships in the Caribbean and Pacific, introduce an AUMF (Authorization for Use of Military Force) and have a debate and vote on it,” Kaine said, adding “but don’t just abdicate this power.”&nbsp;<h2>Hegseth posts video</h2>Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1985863010376642677" target="_blank">posted</a>&nbsp;a grainy video online Tuesday of a vessel in flames after a strike, and said the United States targeted the boat in the Eastern Pacific that had been operated by “a Designated Terrorist Organization.”&nbsp;“Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. The strike was conducted in international waters in the Eastern Pacific.”“No U.S. forces were harmed in the strike, and two male narco-terrorists — who were aboard the vessel — were killed,” Hegseth wrote on social media.It’s&nbsp;<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jul/31/2003271432/-1/-1/0/DOD-LAW-OF-WAR-MANUAL-JUNE-2015-UPDATED-JULY%202023.PDF" target="_blank">unlawful</a>&nbsp;for the U.S. military to intentionally&nbsp;<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jul/31/2003271432/-1/-1/0/DOD-LAW-OF-WAR-MANUAL-JUNE-2015-UPDATED-JULY%202023.PDF" target="_blank">kill</a>&nbsp;civilians who are not actively taking part in hostilities against the U.S.&nbsp;Ahead of Thursday’s vote, Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, defended the administration’s “decisive actions to protect thousands of Americans from lethal narcotics.”&nbsp;“Some Democrat members and members of the media claim that President Trump does not have authority to conduct these strikes. I’ll tell you right now, that is plain wrong,” said Risch, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.Risch said he and fellow Senate Republicans have sat through “hours of briefings and analysis by government legal departments and attorneys” regarding the strikes.Schiff and Kaine told reporters their access to information and briefings has been more limited.<h2>Paul criticizes Trump moves</h2>On the Senate floor ahead of the vote, Paul compared the strikes and buildup in the Caribbean to the U.S. military’s “misguided” intervention in the Middle East.“We owe it to our service members to only send them into harm’s way when vital American interests are at stake. Who is in charge of Venezuela does not constitute such an interest,” Paul said, alleging the strikes are about regime change in the South American nation ruled by dictator Nicolás Maduro.&nbsp; “We overthrew Sadam Hussein thinking Iraq would be transformed into this great Jeffersonian democracy. Instead what occurred was an insurgency that led to some of the most brutal sectarian violence in living memory,” Paul said.Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in 1973 after the Nixon administration secretly bombed Vietnam and Cambodia,&nbsp;<a href="https://gsp.yale.edu/sites/default/files/walrus_cambodiabombing_oct06.pdf" target="_blank">killing hundreds of thousands of people.</a>&nbsp;

US Senate fails to pass war powers resolution blocking Trump attacks on Venezuela

Omaha, NE – Investigators with the Omaha Police Department’s Special Investigations Section, in collaboration with the Douglas County Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security, have concluded a months-long investigation resulting in the arrests of five individuals on multiple felony charges related to sex trafficking Oct. 30, 2025.

Omaha police emphasized that these arrests represent the culmination of months of diligent investigative work aimed at dismantling sex trafficking operations in the city.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762533948241.png" alt="Photos: Omaha Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos: Omaha Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>Omaha, NE – Investigators with the Omaha Police Department’s Special Investigations Section, in collaboration with the Douglas County Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security, have concluded a months-long investigation resulting in the arrests of five individuals on multiple felony charges related to sex trafficking Oct. 30, 2025.The arrests are as follows:<ul>
 <li>Thomas Falcon, 62: Possession of child sexual abuse material, pandering, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material, and keeping a place of prostitution.
</li><li>Amy Hicks, 39: Income tax evasion, possession of child sexual abuse material, pandering, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, distribution of child sexual abuse material, and keeping a place of prostitution.
</li><li>Douglas Johnson, 54: Possession of child sexual abuse material, pandering, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
</li><li>Scott Nelson, 52: Possession of child sexual abuse material, pandering, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and manufacturing child sexual abuse material.
</li><li>Steven Harper, 56: Keeping a place of prostitution and aiding and abetting pandering.</li>
 </ul>Latest Case Updates<ul>
 <li>Amy Hicks, a city of Omaha finance employee, has waived her preliminary hearing and is now bound over for trial in district court. Prosecutors described Hicks as the “lynchpin” of the operation, alleging she recruited dozens of people through commercial sex apps between 2022 and 2024.
</li><li>Hicks remains in custody at the Douglas County Jail on a $10 million bond.
</li><li>The other four defendants — Falcon, Johnson, Nelson, and Harper — have preliminary hearings scheduled for December 10, when the state must demonstrate probable cause to move the felony charges forward.
</li><li>Court documents indicate two victims have come forward so far, with authorities noting there could be additional victims. Some arrest affidavits in the case remain sealed due to the sensitive nature of the investigation.</li>
 </ul>Omaha police emphasized that these arrests represent the culmination of months of diligent investigative work aimed at dismantling sex trafficking operations in the city.

Five Arrested in Omaha Sex Trafficking Investigation

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to continue carrying out, for now, its policy requiring that passports only list a person’s sex assigned at birth.

The nation’s highest court paused a lower court order that temporarily barred the administration from enforcing the policy, codified in an executive order Trump signed in January.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;made it the “policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female” and called on the State Department to “implement changes to require that government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately reflect the holder’s sex.”&nbsp;

Under then-President Joe Biden, the State Department&nbsp;<a href="https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/31/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-advances-equality-and-visibility-for-transgender-americans/" target="_blank">allowed</a>&nbsp;people to “select an ‘X’ as their gender marker on their U.S. passport application.”

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26219531-scotus-passports-11625/" target="_blank">the unsigned court order</a>, the majority noted that “displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth — in both cases, the Government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, indicating a 6-3 decision.

Jackson, who authored the dissent, wrote that the court “fails to spill any ink considering the plaintiffs, opting instead to intervene in the Government’s favor without equitable justification, and in a manner that permits harm to be inflicted on the most vulnerable party.”&nbsp;

“This Court has once again paved the way for the immediate infliction of injury without adequate (or, really, any) justification,” she wrote. “Because I cannot acquiesce to this pointless but painful perversion of our equitable discretion, I respectfully dissent.”&nbsp;

In February, the American Civil Liberties Union&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.280559/gov.uscourts.mad.280559.1.0_2.pdf" target="_blank">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the administration on behalf of seven transgender and nonbinary people over the suspension of the Biden-era policy.

A federal judge in Massachusetts in June temporarily blocked the administration from enforcing the policy. The judge had issued an earlier preliminary injunction in April that applied to six of the case’s plaintiffs.&nbsp;

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit kept in place the district court’s order in September, prompting the administration to ask the Supreme Court to intervene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627262146028.jpeg" alt="Image Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to continue carrying out, for now, its policy requiring that passports only list a person’s sex assigned at birth.The nation’s highest court paused a lower court order that temporarily barred the administration from enforcing the policy, codified in an executive order Trump signed in January.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;made it the “policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female” and called on the State Department to “implement changes to require that government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately reflect the holder’s sex.”&nbsp;Under then-President Joe Biden, the State Department&nbsp;<a href="https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/31/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-advances-equality-and-visibility-for-transgender-americans/" target="_blank">allowed</a>&nbsp;people to “select an ‘X’ as their gender marker on their U.S. passport application.”In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26219531-scotus-passports-11625/" target="_blank">the unsigned court order</a>, the majority noted that “displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth — in both cases, the Government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, indicating a 6-3 decision.Jackson, who authored the dissent, wrote that the court “fails to spill any ink considering the plaintiffs, opting instead to intervene in the Government’s favor without equitable justification, and in a manner that permits harm to be inflicted on the most vulnerable party.”&nbsp;“This Court has once again paved the way for the immediate infliction of injury without adequate (or, really, any) justification,” she wrote. “Because I cannot acquiesce to this pointless but painful perversion of our equitable discretion, I respectfully dissent.”&nbsp;In February, the American Civil Liberties Union&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.280559/gov.uscourts.mad.280559.1.0_2.pdf" target="_blank">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the administration on behalf of seven transgender and nonbinary people over the suspension of the Biden-era policy.A federal judge in Massachusetts in June temporarily blocked the administration from enforcing the policy. The judge had issued an earlier preliminary injunction in April that applied to six of the case’s plaintiffs.&nbsp;The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit kept in place the district court’s order in September, prompting the administration to ask the Supreme Court to intervene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Supreme Court OKs for now Trump passport policy that targets trans people

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to pay roughly $9 billion for November SNAP benefits by Friday. Vice President&nbsp; JD Vance criticized the ruling.

(click below to listen to Vice President Vance's comments)

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to pay roughly $9 billion for November SNAP benefits by Friday. Vice President&nbsp; JD Vance criticized the ruling.(click below to listen to Vice President Vance's comments)<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;It’s an absurd ruling because you have a federal judge effectively telling us what we have to do in the midst of a Democrat government shutdown... What we’d like to do is for the Democrats to open up the government — then we can fund SNAP, and we can also do a lot of other… <a href="https://t.co/TWSpzllzKt">pic.twitter.com/TWSpzllzKt</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1986601094550602090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Vice President critical of judge's ruling to fully fund SNAP

WASHINGTON, D.C. —&nbsp;U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford&nbsp; outlined the proactive actions the FAA will take to maintain the highest standards of safety in the national airspace system. This includes achieving a temporary 10 percent reduction in flights at 40 high traffic airports across the country. &nbsp;

Since the beginning of the shutdown, controllers have been working without pay, and staffing triggers at air traffic facilities across the country have been increasing. This has resulted in increased reports of strain on the system from both pilots and air traffic controllers. This past weekend, there were 2,740 delays at various airports.  &nbsp;

“My department has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety. This isn’t about politics – it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.&nbsp;“It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking.”&nbsp;

“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford.&nbsp;“The FAA will continue to closely monitor operations, and we will not hesitate to take further action to make sure air travel remains safe.”  &nbsp;

The full emergency order can be read&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/FAA-Emergency-Order-11-6-25.pdf">HERE</a>.&nbsp;

A 4 percent reduction in operations will take effect Friday, November 7, ramping up to 6 percent by November 11, 8 percent by November 13, and 10 percent by November 14.&nbsp;

These actions were directly informed by the FAA’s review of aviation safety data, including voluntary, confidential safety reports that pilots and air traffic controllers file. The data indicates increased stress on the system, which increases risk. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Airlines will be required to issue full refunds. They will not be required to cover secondary costs. This is the normal procedure when a delay or cancellation is not at the fault of the carrier.&nbsp;

The order does not require a reduction in international flights. Carriers may use their own discretion to decide which flights are canceled to reach the order’s goal.&nbsp;

Decisions to increase or decrease these flight reductions will be informed by safety data. &nbsp;

The 40 affected high impact airports include: &nbsp;

ANC –&nbsp;Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport&nbsp;

ATL –&nbsp;Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport&nbsp;

BOS –&nbsp;Boston Logan International Airport&nbsp;

BWI –&nbsp;Baltimore/Washington International Airport&nbsp;

CLT –&nbsp;Charlotte Douglas International Airport&nbsp;

CVG –&nbsp;Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport&nbsp;

DAL –&nbsp;Dallas Love Field&nbsp;DCA –&nbsp;Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport&nbsp;

DEN –&nbsp;Denver International Airport&nbsp;

DFW –&nbsp;Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport&nbsp;

DTW –&nbsp;Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport&nbsp;EWR –&nbsp;Newark Liberty International Airport&nbsp;

FLL –&nbsp;Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport&nbsp;

HNL –&nbsp;Honolulu International Airport&nbsp;

HOU –&nbsp;William P. Hobby Airport&nbsp;

IAD –&nbsp;Washington Dulles International Airport

&nbsp;IAH –&nbsp;George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport&nbsp;

IND –&nbsp;Indianapolis International Airport&nbsp;

JFK –&nbsp;New York John F. Kennedy International Airport&nbsp;

LAS –&nbsp;Las Vegas McCarran International Airport&nbsp;

LAX –&nbsp;Los Angeles International Airport&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762445699793.png" alt="Photo Frontier Airlines" />
 <figcaption>Photo Frontier Airlines</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/USDOT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USDOT</a> has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety. This isn’t about politics – it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue working without pay. It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow, and the day after because… <a href="https://t.co/YRrq5sdy4T">pic.twitter.com/YRrq5sdy4T</a>&mdash; Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1986598889005477938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>WASHINGTON, D.C. —&nbsp;U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford&nbsp; outlined the proactive actions the FAA will take to maintain the highest standards of safety in the national airspace system. This includes achieving a temporary 10 percent reduction in flights at 40 high traffic airports across the country. &nbsp;Since the beginning of the shutdown, controllers have been working without pay, and staffing triggers at air traffic facilities across the country have been increasing. This has resulted in increased reports of strain on the system from both pilots and air traffic controllers. This past weekend, there were 2,740 delays at various airports.  &nbsp;“My department has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety. This isn’t about politics – it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.&nbsp;“It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking.”&nbsp;“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford.&nbsp;“The FAA will continue to closely monitor operations, and we will not hesitate to take further action to make sure air travel remains safe.”  &nbsp;The full emergency order can be read&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/FAA-Emergency-Order-11-6-25.pdf">HERE</a>.&nbsp;Summary of Actions:A 4 percent reduction in operations will take effect Friday, November 7, ramping up to 6 percent by November 11, 8 percent by November 13, and 10 percent by November 14.&nbsp;The FAA will also:<ul>
 <li>Prohibit some visual flight rule approaches (VFR) at facilities with staffing triggers</li><li>Limit commercial space launches to non-peak hours so they are prohibited between 11:01 a.m. and 2:59 p.m. UTC</li><li>Prohibit parachute operations and photo missions near facilities with a staffing trigger. &nbsp;</li>
 </ul>These actions were directly informed by the FAA’s review of aviation safety data, including voluntary, confidential safety reports that pilots and air traffic controllers file. The data indicates increased stress on the system, which increases risk. &nbsp;&nbsp;Additional Information:Airlines will be required to issue full refunds. They will not be required to cover secondary costs. This is the normal procedure when a delay or cancellation is not at the fault of the carrier.&nbsp;The order does not require a reduction in international flights. Carriers may use their own discretion to decide which flights are canceled to reach the order’s goal.&nbsp;Decisions to increase or decrease these flight reductions will be informed by safety data. &nbsp;The 40 affected high impact airports include: &nbsp;ANC –&nbsp;Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport&nbsp;ATL –&nbsp;Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport&nbsp;BOS –&nbsp;Boston Logan International Airport&nbsp;BWI –&nbsp;Baltimore/Washington International Airport&nbsp;CLT –&nbsp;Charlotte Douglas International Airport&nbsp;CVG –&nbsp;Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport&nbsp;DAL –&nbsp;Dallas Love Field&nbsp;DCA –&nbsp;Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport&nbsp;DEN –&nbsp;Denver International Airport&nbsp;DFW –&nbsp;Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport&nbsp;DTW –&nbsp;Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport&nbsp;EWR –&nbsp;Newark Liberty International Airport&nbsp;FLL –&nbsp;Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport&nbsp;HNL –&nbsp;Honolulu International Airport&nbsp;HOU –&nbsp;William P. Hobby Airport&nbsp;IAD –&nbsp;Washington Dulles International Airport&nbsp;IAH –&nbsp;George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport&nbsp;IND –&nbsp;Indianapolis International Airport&nbsp;JFK –&nbsp;New York John F. Kennedy International Airport&nbsp;LAS –&nbsp;Las Vegas McCarran International Airport&nbsp;LAX –&nbsp;Los Angeles International Airport&nbsp;LGA –&nbsp;New York LaGuardia Airport&nbsp;MCO –&nbsp;Orlando International Airport&nbsp;MDW –&nbsp;Chicago Midway International Airport&nbsp;MEM –&nbsp;Memphis International Airport&nbsp;MIA –&nbsp;Miami International Airport&nbsp;MSP –&nbsp;Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport&nbsp;OAK –&nbsp;Oakland International Airport&nbsp;ONT –&nbsp;Ontario International Airport&nbsp;ORD –&nbsp;Chicago O’Hare International Airport&nbsp;PDX –&nbsp;Portland International Airport&nbsp;PHL –&nbsp;Philadelphia International Airport&nbsp;PHX –&nbsp;Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport&nbsp;SAN –&nbsp;San Diego International Airport&nbsp;SDF –&nbsp;Louisville International Airport&nbsp;SEA –&nbsp;Seattle–Tacoma International Airport&nbsp;SFO –&nbsp;San Francisco International Airport&nbsp;SLC –&nbsp;Salt Lake City International Airport&nbsp;TEB –&nbsp;Teterboro Airport&nbsp;TPA –&nbsp;Tampa International Airport