Washington, D.C. --&nbsp;The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Bestway (Hong Kong) International Ltd. (China) and Bestway (USA) Inc. (Chandler, Arizona) (Bestway), Intex Recreation Corp. (Long Beach, California) and Polygroup North America Inc. &nbsp;(El Paso, Texas) are announcing the recall of about 5 million 48-inch and taller above-ground pools that use compression straps. These straps wrap around the pool on the outside of the supporting poles, and may create a foothold, allowing a child to access the pool and drown.

<a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Bestway-Intex-and-Polygroup-Recall-Certain-Above-Ground-Pools-48-Inches-and-Taller-Due-to-Drowning-Hazard-Nine-Deaths-Reported-Five-Million-Pools-Sold-Since-2002?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery&amp;utm_term=20250721">Click here for additional information.</a>

Children can still gain access to the pools using these footholds even if the ladder is removed.&nbsp;

CPSC believes that nine children between the ages of 22 months and 3 years old have drowned&nbsp;

after gaining access to the pools via the footholds. The incidents occurred in California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri between 2007 and 2022.

CPSC is also aware of three other incidents in 2011 and 2012 where children who gained access to the recalled pools were reported to have previously used the compression strap to gain entry to the pool.

Consumers should immediately contact Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup to receive a free repair kit consisting of a rope that attaches to each of the vertical support poles at the ground level and wraps around the pool. The rope will maintain the structural integrity of the pool (a function previously served by the compression strap). Consumers should first secure the repair and then cut and remove the compression strap from the pool.&nbsp;

The pool brand names and model numbers are printed on the pool liner on the outside of the pool. Pool models of 48 inches and taller that are included in this recall are listed below:

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753114668088.png" alt="-Example of child using the compression strap to stand on above-ground pool, illustrating the hazard involved.-photo Consumer Product Safety Commission" />
                        <figcaption>-Example of child using the compression strap to stand on above-ground pool, illustrating the hazard involved.-photo Consumer Product Safety Commission</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Washington, D.C. --&nbsp;The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Bestway (Hong Kong) International Ltd. (China) and Bestway (USA) Inc. (Chandler, Arizona) (Bestway), Intex Recreation Corp. (Long Beach, California) and Polygroup North America Inc. &nbsp;(El Paso, Texas) are announcing the recall of about 5 million 48-inch and taller above-ground pools that use compression straps. These straps wrap around the pool on the outside of the supporting poles, and may create a foothold, allowing a child to access the pool and drown.</p><p><a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/Bestway-Intex-and-Polygroup-Recall-Certain-Above-Ground-Pools-48-Inches-and-Taller-Due-to-Drowning-Hazard-Nine-Deaths-Reported-Five-Million-Pools-Sold-Since-2002?utm_campaign=&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery&amp;utm_term=20250721">Click here for additional information.</a></p><p>Children can still gain access to the pools using these footholds even if the ladder is removed.&nbsp;</p><p>CPSC believes that nine children between the ages of 22 months and 3 years old have drowned&nbsp;</p><p>after gaining access to the pools via the footholds. The incidents occurred in California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri between 2007 and 2022.</p><p>CPSC is also aware of three other incidents in 2011 and 2012 where children who gained access to the recalled pools were reported to have previously used the compression strap to gain entry to the pool.</p><p>Consumers should immediately contact Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup to receive a free repair kit consisting of a rope that attaches to each of the vertical support poles at the ground level and wraps around the pool. The rope will maintain the structural integrity of the pool (a function previously served by the compression strap). Consumers should first secure the repair and then cut and remove the compression strap from the pool.&nbsp;</p><p>The pool brand names and model numbers are printed on the pool liner on the outside of the pool. Pool models of 48 inches and taller that are included in this recall are listed below:</p>

Millions of above ground pools under recall after reports of 9 deaths

LINCOLN – Nebraska Attorney General Hilgers and Nebraska Governor Pillen announced today that Nebraska has sued the State of Colorado to enforce the South Platte River Compact and clear the way for construction of the Perkins County Canal.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nebraska and Colorado signed the South Platte River Compact in 1923. The Compact was approved by both states’ legislatures, ratified by Congress in 1926, and has the force of federal law. The Compact limits certain Colorado uses and defines how much water Nebraska is to receive from the river in both the summer (irrigation) season and the winter (non-irrigation) season.

Colorado is currently threatening Nebraska’s water supply of the South Platte River in at least two ways. First, Colorado allows unlawful water diversions that have deprived Nebraska of its right to water during the irrigation season. Second, Colorado is obstructing Nebraska’s efforts to construct the Perkins County Canal.

The U.S. Supreme Court has original jurisdiction regarding disputes between states. The Court’s intervention is needed to stop Colorado’s violations of the South Platte River Compact and to resolve what has turned into an irreconcilable conflict over the design and operation of the Perkins County Canal.

“Today’s action will ensure that Nebraska receives all the water to which it is entitled to under the Compact and that Nebraska’s agriculture and economy are protected. Our suit has two basic elements: First, it challenges Colorado’s ongoing, unauthorized overuse of Nebraska’s water during the summer and the rationale Colorado uses to justify it.&nbsp;Second, we challenge Colorado’s efforts to obstruct the construction of the Canal and prevent Nebraska from accessing the additional water Nebraska is entitled to in the South Platte River Compact. Water is the essential lifeblood of Nebraska’s economy, and it’s my goal to protect one of the state’s most important assets,” stated Attorney General Mike Hilgers.

Governor Pillen added, “Today’s action comes only after we made every reasonable effort to resolve our differences with Colorado.&nbsp;Ultimately, Nebraska must push forward to secure our water for future generations. Although we hoped to avoid a lawsuit, we are confident we remain on schedule to complete the Perkins County Canal by 2032.”

Colorado is now required to answer Nebraska’s claims, and the U.S. Supreme Court will later decide how to proceed.

<p>LINCOLN – Nebraska Attorney General Hilgers and Nebraska Governor Pillen announced today that Nebraska has sued the State of Colorado to enforce the South Platte River Compact and clear the way for construction of the Perkins County Canal.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Nebraska and Colorado signed the South Platte River Compact in 1923. The Compact was approved by both states’ legislatures, ratified by Congress in 1926, and has the force of federal law. The Compact limits certain Colorado uses and defines how much water Nebraska is to receive from the river in both the summer (irrigation) season and the winter (non-irrigation) season.</p><p>Colorado is currently threatening Nebraska’s water supply of the South Platte River in at least two ways. First, Colorado allows unlawful water diversions that have deprived Nebraska of its right to water during the irrigation season. Second, Colorado is obstructing Nebraska’s efforts to construct the Perkins County Canal.</p><p>The U.S. Supreme Court has original jurisdiction regarding disputes between states. The Court’s intervention is needed to stop Colorado’s violations of the South Platte River Compact and to resolve what has turned into an irreconcilable conflict over the design and operation of the Perkins County Canal.</p><p>“Today’s action will ensure that Nebraska receives all the water to which it is entitled to under the Compact and that Nebraska’s agriculture and economy are protected. Our suit has two basic elements: First, it challenges Colorado’s ongoing, unauthorized overuse of Nebraska’s water during the summer and the rationale Colorado uses to justify it.&nbsp;Second, we challenge Colorado’s efforts to obstruct the construction of the Canal and prevent Nebraska from accessing the additional water Nebraska is entitled to in the South Platte River Compact. Water is the essential lifeblood of Nebraska’s economy, and it’s my goal to protect one of the state’s most important assets,” stated Attorney General Mike Hilgers.</p><p>Governor Pillen added, “Today’s action comes only after we made every reasonable effort to resolve our differences with Colorado.&nbsp;Ultimately, Nebraska must push forward to secure our water for future generations. Although we hoped to avoid a lawsuit, we are confident we remain on schedule to complete the Perkins County Canal by 2032.”</p><p>Colorado is now required to answer Nebraska’s claims, and the U.S. Supreme Court will later decide how to proceed.</p>

Nebraska Sues Colorado over Rights to  South Platte River in U.S. Supreme Court

It is with both sadness and hope that the elders of Grace Community Church announce that Pastor John MacArthur has gone to be with the Lord after 56 years of faithful ministry. Last week, Pastor John unexpectedly contracted pneumonia, and the Lord took him home on Monday, July 14. Dr. MacArthur was 86 years old, according to a statement on the church web site.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Patricia; four children; fifteen grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

To millions through the media ministry of Grace to You, Pastor John was a preacher of the Word. To tens of thousands of students, he was the beloved president and chancellor of The Master's University. To thousands of graduates of The Master's Seminary, he was a champion of biblical exposition. To numerous churches and pastors abroad through The Master's Academy International, he was a stalwart for the truth. To his church, he was our dear pastor—a fearless leader in challenging times. To his family, he was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

At the center of Dr. MacArthur's ministry was an unwavering commitment to declare God's truth, and Pastor John preached the Word in season and out of season. Even in recent years, though beset with health challenges, he persisted in teaching, leading, and investing in the ministries the Lord had entrusted to him. Pastor John modeled a true fortitude for His Lord Jesus, believing that to live is Christ and therefore to die is gain. Having fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith, Pastor John was summoned home by his heavenly Master. His faith is now sight; he is at home with the Lord; and he has heard the words, "Well done good and faithful slave" (<a href="https://ref.ly/Matt%2025.21;nasb95?t=biblia" target="_blank">Matthew 25:21</a>).

Join with us in praying for Pastor John's wife, Patricia, and family in this season of sadness mixed with eternal joy. Though our hearts are heavy with this loss, we do "not grieve as do the rest who have no hope" (<a href="https://ref.ly/1%20Thess%204.13;nasb95?t=biblia" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 4:13</a>). For those who die in Christ are His, and He loses not one. This is the hope Pastor John preached in his final sermon series on Revelation: "The worthy Lamb will come and conquer this sinful world and reign forever. And we will reign with Him. Glory upon glory upon glory. I don’t know about you, but I say with the apostle John, 'Even so, come, Lord Jesus.'”

<p>It is with both sadness and hope that the elders of Grace Community Church announce that Pastor John MacArthur has gone to be with the Lord after 56 years of faithful ministry. Last week, Pastor John unexpectedly contracted pneumonia, and the Lord took him home on Monday, July 14. Dr. MacArthur was 86 years old, according to a statement on the church web site.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our hearts are heavy, yet rejoicing, as we share the news that our beloved pastor and teacher John MacArthur has entered into the presence of the Savior. This evening, his faith became sight. He faithfully endured until his race was run.<br><br>2 Timothy 4:1-8 <a href="https://t.co/5JplmC0Dvp">pic.twitter.com/5JplmC0Dvp</a></p>&mdash; Grace to You (@gracetoyou) <a href="https://twitter.com/gracetoyou/status/1944937107937464752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Patricia; four children; fifteen grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.</p><p>To millions through the media ministry of Grace to You, Pastor John was a preacher of the Word. To tens of thousands of students, he was the beloved president and chancellor of The Master's University. To thousands of graduates of The Master's Seminary, he was a champion of biblical exposition. To numerous churches and pastors abroad through The Master's Academy International, he was a stalwart for the truth. To his church, he was our dear pastor—a fearless leader in challenging times. To his family, he was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.</p><p>At the center of Dr. MacArthur's ministry was an unwavering commitment to declare God's truth, and Pastor John preached the Word in season and out of season. Even in recent years, though beset with health challenges, he persisted in teaching, leading, and investing in the ministries the Lord had entrusted to him. Pastor John modeled a true fortitude for His Lord Jesus, believing that to live is Christ and therefore to die is gain. Having fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith, Pastor John was summoned home by his heavenly Master. His faith is now sight; he is at home with the Lord; and he has heard the words, "Well done good and faithful slave" (<a href="https://ref.ly/Matt%2025.21;nasb95?t=biblia" target="_blank">Matthew 25:21</a>).</p><p>Join with us in praying for Pastor John's wife, Patricia, and family in this season of sadness mixed with eternal joy. Though our hearts are heavy with this loss, we do "not grieve as do the rest who have no hope" (<a href="https://ref.ly/1%20Thess%204.13;nasb95?t=biblia" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 4:13</a>). For those who die in Christ are His, and He loses not one. This is the hope Pastor John preached in his final sermon series on Revelation: "The worthy Lamb will come and conquer this sinful world and reign forever. And we will reign with Him. Glory upon glory upon glory. I don’t know about you, but I say with the apostle John, 'Even so, come, Lord Jesus.'”</p>

John MacArthur, influential preacher, culture warrior dies at 86

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration, for now, to proceed with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-appeals-court-upholds-order-blocking-education-department-closure" target="_blank">mass layoffs and a plan to dramatically downsize the Education Department</a>&nbsp;ordered earlier this year.

The decision from the nation’s highest court marks a major victory for President Donald Trump, who has sought to overhaul the federal role in education.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a1203_pol1.pdf" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;was unsigned, while Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, indicating a 6-3 decision.

The dissent, authored by Sotomayor, was scathing.

“The majority is either willfully blind to the implications of its ruling or naive,” she wrote. “But either way the threat to our Constitution’s separation of powers is grave.”

The Supreme Court’s order temporarily suspends lower court orders that: forced the agency to reinstate more than 1,300 employees gutted from a reduction in force, or RIF, effort; blocked the department from carrying out Trump’s executive order to dismantle the department; and barred the agency from transferring some services to other federal agencies.

In a statement Monday, Education Secretary Linda McMahon celebrated the decision, saying “today, the Supreme Court again confirmed the obvious: the President of the United States, as the head of the Executive Branch, has the ultimate authority to make decisions about staffing levels, administrative organization, and day-to-day operations of federal agencies.”

“While today’s ruling is a significant win for students and families, it is a shame that the highest court in the land had to step in to allow President Trump to advance the reforms Americans elected him to deliver using the authorities granted to him by the U.S. Constitution,” she said.

“The U.S. Department of Education will now deliver on its mandate to restore excellence in American education. We will carry out the reduction in force to promote efficiency and accountability and to ensure resources are directed where they matter most — to students, parents, and teachers.”

A coalition of teachers, unions and school districts that sued over Trump’s order to eliminate the department and the mass layoffs said they were “incredibly disappointed by the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Trump-Vance administration to proceed with its harmful efforts to dismantle the Department of Education while our case moves forward.”

“This unlawful plan will immediately and irreparably harm students, educators and communities across our nation. Children will be among those hurt the most by this decision. We will never stop fighting on behalf of all students and public schools and the protections, services, and resources they need to thrive,” they added.

Challenge from Democratic state AGs, unions

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/court-order-blocks-trump-eliminating-us-education-department" target="_blank">labor and advocacy coalition</a>&nbsp;and a slew of Democratic attorneys general each sued in March over some of the administration’s most consequential education initiatives.

One of the lawsuits comes from a coalition of Democratic attorneys general in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington state and Wisconsin.

The other lawsuit was brought by the American Federation of Teachers, its Massachusetts chapter, AFSCME Council 93, the American Association of University Professors, the Service Employees International Union and two school districts in Massachusetts.

A Massachusetts federal judge consolidated the lawsuits and granted the states’ and groups’ preliminary injunction in May.

The administration appealed that decision, leading to a June decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-appeals-court-upholds-order-blocking-education-department-closure" target="_blank">keeping in place</a>&nbsp;the district court’s order.

The Trump administration then asked the Supreme Court to intervene.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745271542976.png" alt="File photo U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon s (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)." />
                        <figcaption>File photo U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon s (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom).</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a></p><p>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration, for now, to proceed with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-appeals-court-upholds-order-blocking-education-department-closure" target="_blank">mass layoffs and a plan to dramatically downsize the Education Department</a>&nbsp;ordered earlier this year.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We’re on it, Mr. President! <a href="https://t.co/URGYOsvHXN">https://t.co/URGYOsvHXN</a></p>&mdash; Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) <a href="https://twitter.com/EDSecMcMahon/status/1944912417718460436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The decision from the nation’s highest court marks a major victory for President Donald Trump, who has sought to overhaul the federal role in education.</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a1203_pol1.pdf" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;was unsigned, while Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, indicating a 6-3 decision.</p><p>The dissent, authored by Sotomayor, was scathing.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752532757011.png" alt="Trump" />
                        <figcaption>Trump</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>“The majority is either willfully blind to the implications of its ruling or naive,” she wrote. “But either way the threat to our Constitution’s separation of powers is grave.”</p><p>The Supreme Court’s order temporarily suspends lower court orders that: forced the agency to reinstate more than 1,300 employees gutted from a reduction in force, or RIF, effort; blocked the department from carrying out Trump’s executive order to dismantle the department; and barred the agency from transferring some services to other federal agencies.</p><p>In a statement Monday, Education Secretary Linda McMahon celebrated the decision, saying “today, the Supreme Court again confirmed the obvious: the President of the United States, as the head of the Executive Branch, has the ultimate authority to make decisions about staffing levels, administrative organization, and day-to-day operations of federal agencies.”</p><p>“While today’s ruling is a significant win for students and families, it is a shame that the highest court in the land had to step in to allow President Trump to advance the reforms Americans elected him to deliver using the authorities granted to him by the U.S. Constitution,” she said.</p><p>“The U.S. Department of Education will now deliver on its mandate to restore excellence in American education. We will carry out the reduction in force to promote efficiency and accountability and to ensure resources are directed where they matter most — to students, parents, and teachers.”</p><p>A coalition of teachers, unions and school districts that sued over Trump’s order to eliminate the department and the mass layoffs said they were “incredibly disappointed by the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Trump-Vance administration to proceed with its harmful efforts to dismantle the Department of Education while our case moves forward.”</p><p>“This unlawful plan will immediately and irreparably harm students, educators and communities across our nation. Children will be among those hurt the most by this decision. We will never stop fighting on behalf of all students and public schools and the protections, services, and resources they need to thrive,” they added.</p><h2>Challenge from Democratic state AGs, unions</h2><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/court-order-blocks-trump-eliminating-us-education-department" target="_blank">labor and advocacy coalition</a>&nbsp;and a slew of Democratic attorneys general each sued in March over some of the administration’s most consequential education initiatives.</p><p>One of the lawsuits comes from a coalition of Democratic attorneys general in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington state and Wisconsin.</p><p>The other lawsuit was brought by the American Federation of Teachers, its Massachusetts chapter, AFSCME Council 93, the American Association of University Professors, the Service Employees International Union and two school districts in Massachusetts.</p><p>A Massachusetts federal judge consolidated the lawsuits and granted the states’ and groups’ preliminary injunction in May.</p><p>The administration appealed that decision, leading to a June decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-appeals-court-upholds-order-blocking-education-department-closure" target="_blank">keeping in place</a>&nbsp;the district court’s order.</p><p>The Trump administration then asked the Supreme Court to intervene.&nbsp;</p>

Supreme Court allows Trump to carry out plan to dismantle Education Department

WASHINGTON — On Monday, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure compliance with President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14224, which establishes English as the official language of the United States of America. 

Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department of Justice will lead a coordinated effort across federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure legal compliance with the Executive Order through targeted measures where necessary.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1407776/dl?inline=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">Click here to read the</a> full guidance document.

"As President Trump has made clear, English is the official language of the United States," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The Department of Justice will lead the effort to codify the President’s Executive Order and eliminate wasteful virtue-signaling policies across government agencies to promote assimilation over division."

"President Trump’s Executive Order marks a pivotal step toward unifying our nation through a common language and enhancing efficiency in federal operations," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. "The Department of Justice ensures that while we respect linguistic diversity, our federal resources will prioritize English proficiency to empower new Americans and strengthen civic unity.”

While leaving room for linguistic diversity that exists in private and community spheres, this Guidance will help streamline federal processes, reduce administrative burdens, and increase operational efficiency across agencies by removing extensive translation services and de-prioritizing multilingualism over English proficiency. Implementing the Executive Order will enhance social and economic integration, offer new Americans a vital pathway for civic engagement, and further bind Americans together with a shared language.

President Trump’s Executive Order rescinds Executive Order No. 13,166, signed by President Clinton on August 16, 2000. Executive Order No. 13,166 directed agencies to enhance access to federal programs for persons with limited English proficiency and required tailored guidance for recipients of federal funding—straining federal resources and impeding the assimilation of new Americans.

This is the latest Guidance issued by the Department of Justice to implement and administer President Trump’s agenda.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752522208272.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON — On Monday, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure compliance with President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14224, which establishes English as the official language of the United States of America. </p><p>Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department of Justice will lead a coordinated effort across federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure legal compliance with the Executive Order through targeted measures where necessary.</p><p><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1407776/dl?inline=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">Click here to read the</a> full guidance document.</p><p>"As President Trump has made clear, English is the official language of the United States," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The Department of Justice will lead the effort to codify the President’s Executive Order and eliminate wasteful virtue-signaling policies across government agencies to promote assimilation over division."</p><p>"President Trump’s Executive Order marks a pivotal step toward unifying our nation through a common language and enhancing efficiency in federal operations," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. "The Department of Justice ensures that while we respect linguistic diversity, our federal resources will prioritize English proficiency to empower new Americans and strengthen civic unity.”</p><p>While leaving room for linguistic diversity that exists in private and community spheres, this Guidance will help streamline federal processes, reduce administrative burdens, and increase operational efficiency across agencies by removing extensive translation services and de-prioritizing multilingualism over English proficiency. Implementing the Executive Order will enhance social and economic integration, offer new Americans a vital pathway for civic engagement, and further bind Americans together with a shared language.</p><p>President Trump’s Executive Order rescinds Executive Order No. 13,166, signed by President Clinton on August 16, 2000. Executive Order No. 13,166 directed agencies to enhance access to federal programs for persons with limited English proficiency and required tailored guidance for recipients of federal funding—straining federal resources and impeding the assimilation of new Americans.</p><p>This is the latest Guidance issued by the Department of Justice to implement and administer President Trump’s agenda.</p>

Read new DOJ guidance on implementing English as official language of the US

Danone U.S. is voluntarily recalling YoCrunch® products sold at retail stores nationwide due to the potential presence of plastic pieces in the dome topper.

 If consumed, the plastic pieces could potentially cause a choking response. The issue is isolated only to the separately packaged topper and does not impact the separately packaged yogurt. This recall applies to all flavors and sizes of YoCrunch® products currently in-market, as summarized on the table below.

Consumer complaints have reported the presence of plastic pieces in the toppers, which have the potential to cause choking. The plastic pieces are transparent, may have sharp edges, and could present a risk to consumers because some pieces are between 7 and 25 mm in length. This voluntary recall was initiated on&nbsp;July 11, 2025, and is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company is working swiftly with retail partners to remove the impacted product from shelves, while it works to address the issue and bring back the YoCrunch® products so many people enjoy.

Danone U.S., the makers of YoCrunch, takes every consumer experience seriously and is initiating this voluntary recall in line with its commitment to product quality and consumer safety.

Consumers who have purchased the affected YoCrunch® products should not consume them. For information on refunds, please contact the YoCrunch® Consumer Care Line at 1-877-344-4886. Consumer Care specialists are available to speak live Monday - Friday,&nbsp;9am to 6pm ET.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752574434288.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Danone U.S. is voluntarily recalling YoCrunch® products sold at retail stores nationwide due to the potential presence of plastic pieces in the dome topper.</p><p> If consumed, the plastic pieces could potentially cause a choking response. The issue is isolated only to the separately packaged topper and does not impact the separately packaged yogurt. This recall applies to all flavors and sizes of YoCrunch® products currently in-market, as summarized on the table below.</p><p>Consumer complaints have reported the presence of plastic pieces in the toppers, which have the potential to cause choking. The plastic pieces are transparent, may have sharp edges, and could present a risk to consumers because some pieces are between 7 and 25 mm in length. This voluntary recall was initiated on&nbsp;July 11, 2025, and is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company is working swiftly with retail partners to remove the impacted product from shelves, while it works to address the issue and bring back the YoCrunch® products so many people enjoy.</p><p>Danone U.S., the makers of YoCrunch, takes every consumer experience seriously and is initiating this voluntary recall in line with its commitment to product quality and consumer safety.</p><p>Consumers who have purchased the affected YoCrunch® products should not consume them. For information on refunds, please contact the YoCrunch® Consumer Care Line at 1-877-344-4886. Consumer Care specialists are available to speak live Monday - Friday,&nbsp;9am to 6pm ET.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752574621391.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure>

YoCrunch yogurt products recalled over potential choking risk

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump on Putin: &quot;I don&#39;t want to say he&#39;s an assassin, but he&#39;s a tough guy.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/wlOwhd1SFV">pic.twitter.com/wlOwhd1SFV</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1944786409396584801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump on Russia: &quot;We&#39;re very, very unhappy with them and we&#39;re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don&#39;t have a deal in 50 days. Tariffs at about 100%.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nDWaAojSoC">pic.twitter.com/nDWaAojSoC</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1944781747507314768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump on new weapons deal with NATO: &quot;We&#39;ve made a deal today where we&#39;re going to be sending [NATO] weapons and they&#39;re going to be paying for it. The United States will not be having any payment made.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/pyY7VwpRi0">pic.twitter.com/pyY7VwpRi0</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1944780906289381639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump threatens Russia, sets deadline for peace deal with Ukraine

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a>

WASHINGTON — Congress has just days left to approve the Trump administration’s request to cancel $9.4 billion in previously approved funding for public media and foreign aid, setting up yet another tight deadline for lawmakers.&nbsp;

The Senate must pass the bill before July 18, otherwise the White House budget office will be required to spend the funding and be barred from sending up the same proposal again for what are called rescissions.

But objections from several GOP senators could stop the legislation in its tracks, or change it substantially, requiring another House vote in a very short time frame. Rejecting the plan would represent a loss for the Trump administration after passage of the “big, beautiful” tax and spending cut law earlier this month.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., appears optimistic he can secure the votes needed to begin debate, though he hasn’t said publicly if he thinks the bill can actually pass.&nbsp;

“We’ll have it up on the floor next week. Hopefully, we get on it and then we’ll have an amendment process,” Thune said during a Wednesday press conference. “And kind of like a budget reconciliation bill, it’s an open amendment process, a vote-a-rama type process, which I’m sure you’re very excited about.”

At least 50 Republicans must agree to proceed to the legislation amid unified opposition from Democrats. Thune can only lose three GOP senators and still begin debate with Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote. Rescissions bills are exempt from the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.

After a maximum of 10 hours of debate, the Senate will begin a marathon amendment voting session that could substantially reshape the measure.

There may be enough Republican votes to completely remove the section rescinding $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds the Public Broadcasting Service, National Public Radio and hundreds of local public media stations.

Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds all brought up misgivings during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-drive-defund-npr-pbs-resisted-republicans-rural-states" target="_blank">a June hearing</a>&nbsp;about how canceling previously approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would impact rural communities and emergency alerts.

Collins, R-Maine, also raised concerns about the Trump administration’s efforts to claw back previously approved funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, and is likely to bring an amendment to the floor on that issue, according to her office. PEPFAR is a global initiative to combat HIV/AIDS that was led by President George W. Bush.

Democrats will get to offer as many amendments as they want during the vote-a-rama and could try to remove each section of the bill one by one, forcing Republicans to weigh in publicly on numerous foreign aid programs.

President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-wants-congress-slash-94b-spending-now-defund-npr-and-pbs" target="_blank">sent Congress the rescissions request</a>&nbsp;in early June, starting a 45-day clock for lawmakers to consider his proposal.

The recommendation asked lawmakers to cancel $8.3 billion in foreign aid funding, including $500 million for certain global health programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“This proposal would not reduce treatment but would eliminate programs that are antithetical to American interests and worsen the lives of women and children, like ‘family planning’ and ‘reproductive health,’ LGBTQI+ activities, and ‘equity’ programs,” the request states. “This rescission proposal aligns with the Administration’s efforts to eliminate wasteful USAID foreign assistance programs.”

The House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-votes-yank-billions-npr-pbs-and-foreign-aid-programs" target="_blank">voted mostly along party lines</a>&nbsp;in mid-June to approve the rescissions request, but the legislation sat around the Senate for weeks as Republicans struggled to pass their “big, beautiful” law.

The Senate can vote to approve the proposal as is, change it, or let it expire, forcing the White House budget office to spend the money, which it’s been able to legally freeze since sending Congress the rescissions request.

Senators’ decision will impact how Republicans in that chamber, especially Thune and those on the Appropriations Committee, work with White House budget director Russ Vought in the coming months and years.

Congress and the Trump administration must broker some sort of funding agreement before the start of the next fiscal year on Oct. 1 to stave off a shutdown.

Vought has also said he plans to send lawmakers additional rescissions requests, though he hasn’t said exactly when or what programs he’ll include.

Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Thursday as the panel debated three of the full-year government funding bills that the rescissions package is not acceptable and could impede the committee’s traditionally bipartisan work.

“We need to make sure decisions about what to fund and, yes, what to rescind are made here in Congress on a bipartisan basis and within our annual funding process,” Murray said. “We cannot allow bipartisan funding bills with partisan rescission packages. It will not work. And that is why I will repeat my commitment to all of my colleagues that on this side of the dais, we stand ready to discuss rescissions as part of these bipartisan spending bills.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746181587274.png" alt="Google image" />
                        <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a></p><p>WASHINGTON — Congress has just days left to approve the Trump administration’s request to cancel $9.4 billion in previously approved funding for public media and foreign aid, setting up yet another tight deadline for lawmakers.&nbsp;</p><p>The Senate must pass the bill before July 18, otherwise the White House budget office will be required to spend the funding and be barred from sending up the same proposal again for what are called rescissions.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/zMYMcrzbxu">pic.twitter.com/zMYMcrzbxu</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943446385501614262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>But objections from several GOP senators could stop the legislation in its tracks, or change it substantially, requiring another House vote in a very short time frame. Rejecting the plan would represent a loss for the Trump administration after passage of the “big, beautiful” tax and spending cut law earlier this month.</p><p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., appears optimistic he can secure the votes needed to begin debate, though he hasn’t said publicly if he thinks the bill can actually pass.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’ll have it up on the floor next week. Hopefully, we get on it and then we’ll have an amendment process,” Thune said during a Wednesday press conference. “And kind of like a budget reconciliation bill, it’s an open amendment process, a vote-a-rama type process, which I’m sure you’re very excited about.”</p><h2>JD Vance needed again?</h2><p>At least 50 Republicans must agree to proceed to the legislation amid unified opposition from Democrats. Thune can only lose three GOP senators and still begin debate with Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote. Rescissions bills are exempt from the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster.</p><p>After a maximum of 10 hours of debate, the Senate will begin a marathon amendment voting session that could substantially reshape the measure.</p><p>There may be enough Republican votes to completely remove the section rescinding $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds the Public Broadcasting Service, National Public Radio and hundreds of local public media stations.</p><p>Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds all brought up misgivings during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-drive-defund-npr-pbs-resisted-republicans-rural-states" target="_blank">a June hearing</a>&nbsp;about how canceling previously approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would impact rural communities and emergency alerts.</p><p>Collins, R-Maine, also raised concerns about the Trump administration’s efforts to claw back previously approved funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, and is likely to bring an amendment to the floor on that issue, according to her office. PEPFAR is a global initiative to combat HIV/AIDS that was led by President George W. Bush.</p><p>Democrats will get to offer as many amendments as they want during the vote-a-rama and could try to remove each section of the bill one by one, forcing Republicans to weigh in publicly on numerous foreign aid programs.</p><h2>45 days for Trump request</h2><p>President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-wants-congress-slash-94b-spending-now-defund-npr-and-pbs" target="_blank">sent Congress the rescissions request</a>&nbsp;in early June, starting a 45-day clock for lawmakers to consider his proposal.</p><p>The recommendation asked lawmakers to cancel $8.3 billion in foreign aid funding, including $500 million for certain global health programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development.</p><p>“This proposal would not reduce treatment but would eliminate programs that are antithetical to American interests and worsen the lives of women and children, like ‘family planning’ and ‘reproductive health,’ LGBTQI+ activities, and ‘equity’ programs,” the request states. “This rescission proposal aligns with the Administration’s efforts to eliminate wasteful USAID foreign assistance programs.”</p><p>The House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-votes-yank-billions-npr-pbs-and-foreign-aid-programs" target="_blank">voted mostly along party lines</a>&nbsp;in mid-June to approve the rescissions request, but the legislation sat around the Senate for weeks as Republicans struggled to pass their “big, beautiful” law.</p><p>The Senate can vote to approve the proposal as is, change it, or let it expire, forcing the White House budget office to spend the money, which it’s been able to legally freeze since sending Congress the rescissions request.</p><h2>Relations with White House</h2><p>Senators’ decision will impact how Republicans in that chamber, especially Thune and those on the Appropriations Committee, work with White House budget director Russ Vought in the coming months and years.</p><p>Congress and the Trump administration must broker some sort of funding agreement before the start of the next fiscal year on Oct. 1 to stave off a shutdown.</p><p>Vought has also said he plans to send lawmakers additional rescissions requests, though he hasn’t said exactly when or what programs he’ll include.</p><p>Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Thursday as the panel debated three of the full-year government funding bills that the rescissions package is not acceptable and could impede the committee’s traditionally bipartisan work.</p><p>“We need to make sure decisions about what to fund and, yes, what to rescind are made here in Congress on a bipartisan basis and within our annual funding process,” Murray said. “We cannot allow bipartisan funding bills with partisan rescission packages. It will not work. And that is why I will repeat my commitment to all of my colleagues that on this side of the dais, we stand ready to discuss rescissions as part of these bipartisan spending bills.”</p>

US Senate GOP under pressure on Trump demand to defund NPR, PBS, foreign aid

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Patriot missile defenses for Ukraine: &quot;The European Union is paying for it. We&#39;re not paying anything for it. We will send it. It&#39;ll be business for us.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0kkfvL7UZC">pic.twitter.com/0kkfvL7UZC</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1944546839987958042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I am very disappointed with President Putin. I thought he was somebody that meant what he said — and he&#39;ll talk so beautifully, then he&#39;ll bomb people at night. We don&#39;t like that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/9HaGgLiKEJ">pic.twitter.com/9HaGgLiKEJ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1944549417266364443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump rips Putin, suggests a shift in policy on war in Ukraine

Tariffs, deportations threaten economic damage in the still-thriving Southeast United States.

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a><br><a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Global clashes and trade wars hammered Midwestern states’ agricultural economies early this year, while a continuing boom in Southeastern states’ housing and tech jobs kept their economies humming along.

Some Southeastern states were seeing a strong agricultural economy because of still-rising poultry and egg prices, though small row-crop farmers there were still caught in the crunch of high costs and low profits, and many declared bankruptcy. And the area benefited from gains in real estate and tech.

Overall, 39 states and the District of Columbia saw drops in gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter of this year — well above the 22 states and the District of Columbia seeing drops during the same time in 2024, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state" target="_blank">statistics</a>&nbsp;released June 27.

National numbers released late last month show a rare decrease in economic output for the first quarter, the first since 2022, partly because of increased imports as suppliers sought to stock up on imported goods ahead of tariff increases. GDP is calculated by subtracting imported goods from national economic output.

There’s widespread agreement that row-crop farmers are suffering economic pain, especially in the Midwest where the industry dominates the economy. Meanwhile, the booming housing and tech sectors in the South are on a continued winning streak even as storm clouds gather over tariffs and immigrant labor.

Nationwide, more farms filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy from January through March than in any full year since 2021, driven by higher costs for supplies and lower prices paid for row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.

“Crop prices and commodity prices are significantly lower, and fertilizer and equipment prices are higher, so we’re seeing a bit of a struggle right now in the farm economy,” said Abygail Streff, an economist and policy analyst at the Nebraska Farm Bureau.

Meat prices are one of the few bright spots in Nebraska’s farm economy, Streff said. “For a lot of producers who have cattle, this has been a really good year for them.”

Still, Nebraska, along with Iowa, suffered the biggest drop in GDP, according to the analysis. Each state fell 6.1% from the same time a year ago.

The squeeze on farmers from high fertilizer prices and low grain prices means they must&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/crop-production/fertilizer-prices-vs-corn-prices-are-now-some-worst-history" target="_blank">produce more and more corn</a>&nbsp;just to pay their fertilizer costs, said Josh Linville, a fertilizer market analyst at StoneX.

Fertilizer supply has been disrupted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2023/september/global-fertilizer-market-challenged-by-russia-s-invasion-of-ukraine" target="_blank">by sanctions against Russia</a>, and it’s gotten worse this year with the bombing of Iran and the trade war with China, two countries that are also important fertilizer suppliers to American farmers, Linville said.

“We tend to think of the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz [a shipping channel under threat by conflict] from an oil-slash-energy perspective, but 1 out of every 2 tons of urea fertilizer that gets shipped to the United States comes from the Middle East,” Linville said.

Despite being a drain in the Midwest, agriculture was a positive driver of economies in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to Stateline’s analysis.

That’s because Southeastern agriculture includes more poultry and eggs, currently more profitable than the row crops that dominate in the Midwest, said Wendiam Sawadgo, an extension economist at Auburn University. The divergence is expected to last, he said, with row-crop prices continuing to fall and meat and egg prices continuing to rise this year.

But even in the Southeast, row-crop farmers suffered.

Arkansas saw a near-record number of farm bankruptcies this year, for example. And climate change has contributed to lower soybean prices as low water levels in the Mississippi River make barge transportation more difficult and expensive, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/6/907/files/2025/06/MS-River-Fryar-Article-Mitchell-and-Biram-2025.pdf" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;this year by the University of Arkansas’ Agricultural Economics &amp; Agribusiness Department.

Farm bankruptcies nationally came to 259 in the first three months of this year. That was more than any full year since 2021, when there were 276, according to cases compiled by Ryan Loy, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas saw 15 farm bankruptcies in the first quarter, almost as many as in all of 2024, when there were 16.

“We’ve already outpaced all of last year on a national scale,” he said.

Large farms can ride out struggles, but smaller farms are more likely to go bankrupt from increases in costs and lower market prices, a pattern that started in the early 2010s and got sharply worse in the past year, Loy said.

All five of the states with the fastest-growing economies were in the 12-state Southeast region defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Even there, though, the percentages were slight: South Carolina (up 1.7%), Florida (up 1.4%), Alabama (up 1%), North Carolina and Arkansas (each up .8%) had the largest increases in the nation.

The largest drivers in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina were real estate and tech, while increases in Alabama and Arkansas were mostly in agriculture.

The Carolinas have been magnets for new movers, said Matthew Martin, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based regional executive for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The influx has driven more housing and infrastructure work to supply newcomers, he said.

“Employment in South Carolina is on fire right now and North Carolina is doing well also. They’re places that people want to be,” Martin said. “Employers want to be there, too, and so there’s been population growth. Then you’ve got to have all the retail and health care. That has got to follow it.”

Business owners are uncertain about future federal policy in the Trump administration, Martin said, according to conversations he’s had.

They worry about tariffs, whether they’ll have to raise prices or accept lower profits, and eventually whether those factors could cause job growth to stall. And some businesses that depend on immigrant labor say they’ve lost workers despite using the national E-Verify system to make sure employees have legal status to work, Martin said.

Martin hasn’t heard of many workplace raids in the Carolinas, but there have been some federal audits of employee forms to check for false statements.

“Some of the workers won’t show up from that day forward,” Martin said.

Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenderson@stateline.org">thenderson@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751161934969.png" alt="Post photo" />
                        <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>Tariffs, deportations threaten economic damage in the still-thriving Southeast United States.</h2><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a><br><a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a></p><p>Global clashes and trade wars hammered Midwestern states’ agricultural economies early this year, while a continuing boom in Southeastern states’ housing and tech jobs kept their economies humming along.</p><p>Some Southeastern states were seeing a strong agricultural economy because of still-rising poultry and egg prices, though small row-crop farmers there were still caught in the crunch of high costs and low profits, and many declared bankruptcy. And the area benefited from gains in real estate and tech.</p><p>Overall, 39 states and the District of Columbia saw drops in gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter of this year — well above the 22 states and the District of Columbia seeing drops during the same time in 2024, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state" target="_blank">statistics</a>&nbsp;released June 27.</p><p>National numbers released late last month show a rare decrease in economic output for the first quarter, the first since 2022, partly because of increased imports as suppliers sought to stock up on imported goods ahead of tariff increases. GDP is calculated by subtracting imported goods from national economic output.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752369967885.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>There’s widespread agreement that row-crop farmers are suffering economic pain, especially in the Midwest where the industry dominates the economy. Meanwhile, the booming housing and tech sectors in the South are on a continued winning streak even as storm clouds gather over tariffs and immigrant labor.</p><p>Nationwide, more farms filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy from January through March than in any full year since 2021, driven by higher costs for supplies and lower prices paid for row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.</p><p>“Crop prices and commodity prices are significantly lower, and fertilizer and equipment prices are higher, so we’re seeing a bit of a struggle right now in the farm economy,” said Abygail Streff, an economist and policy analyst at the Nebraska Farm Bureau.</p><p>Meat prices are one of the few bright spots in Nebraska’s farm economy, Streff said. “For a lot of producers who have cattle, this has been a really good year for them.”</p><p>Still, Nebraska, along with Iowa, suffered the biggest drop in GDP, according to the analysis. Each state fell 6.1% from the same time a year ago.</p><p>The squeeze on farmers from high fertilizer prices and low grain prices means they must&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/crop-production/fertilizer-prices-vs-corn-prices-are-now-some-worst-history" target="_blank">produce more and more corn</a>&nbsp;just to pay their fertilizer costs, said Josh Linville, a fertilizer market analyst at StoneX.</p><p>Fertilizer supply has been disrupted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2023/september/global-fertilizer-market-challenged-by-russia-s-invasion-of-ukraine" target="_blank">by sanctions against Russia</a>, and it’s gotten worse this year with the bombing of Iran and the trade war with China, two countries that are also important fertilizer suppliers to American farmers, Linville said.</p><p>“We tend to think of the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz [a shipping channel under threat by conflict] from an oil-slash-energy perspective, but 1 out of every 2 tons of urea fertilizer that gets shipped to the United States comes from the Middle East,” Linville said.</p><p>Despite being a drain in the Midwest, agriculture was a positive driver of economies in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to Stateline’s analysis.</p><p>That’s because Southeastern agriculture includes more poultry and eggs, currently more profitable than the row crops that dominate in the Midwest, said Wendiam Sawadgo, an extension economist at Auburn University. The divergence is expected to last, he said, with row-crop prices continuing to fall and meat and egg prices continuing to rise this year.</p><p>But even in the Southeast, row-crop farmers suffered.</p><p>Arkansas saw a near-record number of farm bankruptcies this year, for example. And climate change has contributed to lower soybean prices as low water levels in the Mississippi River make barge transportation more difficult and expensive, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/6/907/files/2025/06/MS-River-Fryar-Article-Mitchell-and-Biram-2025.pdf" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;this year by the University of Arkansas’ Agricultural Economics &amp; Agribusiness Department.</p><p>Farm bankruptcies nationally came to 259 in the first three months of this year. That was more than any full year since 2021, when there were 276, according to cases compiled by Ryan Loy, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas saw 15 farm bankruptcies in the first quarter, almost as many as in all of 2024, when there were 16.</p><p>“We’ve already outpaced all of last year on a national scale,” he said.</p><p>Large farms can ride out struggles, but smaller farms are more likely to go bankrupt from increases in costs and lower market prices, a pattern that started in the early 2010s and got sharply worse in the past year, Loy said.</p><p>All five of the states with the fastest-growing economies were in the 12-state Southeast region defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Even there, though, the percentages were slight: South Carolina (up 1.7%), Florida (up 1.4%), Alabama (up 1%), North Carolina and Arkansas (each up .8%) had the largest increases in the nation.</p><p>The largest drivers in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina were real estate and tech, while increases in Alabama and Arkansas were mostly in agriculture.</p><p>The Carolinas have been magnets for new movers, said Matthew Martin, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based regional executive for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The influx has driven more housing and infrastructure work to supply newcomers, he said.</p><p>“Employment in South Carolina is on fire right now and North Carolina is doing well also. They’re places that people want to be,” Martin said. “Employers want to be there, too, and so there’s been population growth. Then you’ve got to have all the retail and health care. That has got to follow it.”</p><p>Business owners are uncertain about future federal policy in the Trump administration, Martin said, according to conversations he’s had.</p><p>They worry about tariffs, whether they’ll have to raise prices or accept lower profits, and eventually whether those factors could cause job growth to stall. And some businesses that depend on immigrant labor say they’ve lost workers despite using the national E-Verify system to make sure employees have legal status to work, Martin said.</p><p>Martin hasn’t heard of many workplace raids in the Carolinas, but there have been some federal audits of employee forms to check for false statements.</p><p>“Some of the workers won’t show up from that day forward,” Martin said.</p><p>Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenderson@stateline.org">thenderson@stateline.org</a>.</p>

Midwest farm economies suffered while some Sun Belt states kept rolling in early 2025

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/timhenderson/">Tim Henderson</a><br><a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Measles cases have surpassed a recent 2019 record to reach the highest level since 1992, with at least 1,289 cases reported in 39 states.

The milestone comes as health officials are increasingly alarmed by vaccine skepticism gaining a voice in the Trump Administration’s Health and Human Services Administration under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Pediatricians and public health associations filed&nbsp;<a href="https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/FiledSuit.pdf?_gl=1*d9u6yb*_ga*MzQ4MDI4MjI0LjE3NTE5MTMxMTI.*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3NTE5MTMxMTIkbzEkZzAkdDE3NTE5MTMxMTIkajYwJGwwJGgw" target="_blank">a federal lawsuit this</a>&nbsp;week challenging a May directive by Kennedy, claiming it “creates barriers” to vaccination for pregnant women and young children.

“Because of his name and profile, Mr. Kennedy has been instrumental in increasing the levels of vaccine hesitancy and skepticism in this country,” the lawsuit states. “The Secretary’s dismantling of the vaccine infrastructure must end.”

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html" target="_blank">reported Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that there were 1,288 cases in 38 states, surpassing the 2019 level of 1,274.&nbsp;<a href="https://dph.sc.gov/news/dph-confirms-measles-upstate-resident-0" target="_blank">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;later reported its own first case of the year, an unvaccinated international traveler in the northwestern Upstate area of the state.

<a href="https://health.wyo.gov/measles-case-confirmed-in-natrona-county/" target="_blank">Wyoming</a>&nbsp;reported its first measles case since 2010 on July 1, an unvaccinated child in Natrona County.

Other states recently joining the list:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2025/06/24/first-case-measles-identified-north-carolina" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;reported its first case of the year June 24, in a child visiting Forsyth and Guilford counties from another country. And&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/erd/pages/oregons-first-measles-case-of-2025-confirmed-in-multnomah-county.aspx" target="_blank">Oregon</a>&nbsp;reported a case the same day for a person identified only as an unvaccinated international traveler sickened in June after returning to the Portland area.

“We’re here to tell you that measles is now in Oregon, and if you’re not vaccinated, you are susceptible,” said Dr. Paul R. Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division, in in a statement.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases and can spread rapidly among unvaccinated people.

Utah reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/06/20/utah-measles-case-reported-utah/" target="_blank">its first case</a>&nbsp;June 20, an unvaccinated person with no recent travel out of state. The state&nbsp;<a href="https://epi.utah.gov/measles-response/" target="_blank">now has nine cases</a>, mostly in Utah County, where Provo is located.

Confirmed cases this year were also reported in these other states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" />
                        <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/timhenderson/">Tim Henderson</a><br><a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a></p><p>Measles cases have surpassed a recent 2019 record to reach the highest level since 1992, with at least 1,289 cases reported in 39 states.</p><p>The milestone comes as health officials are increasingly alarmed by vaccine skepticism gaining a voice in the Trump Administration’s Health and Human Services Administration under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</p><p>Pediatricians and public health associations filed&nbsp;<a href="https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/FiledSuit.pdf?_gl=1*d9u6yb*_ga*MzQ4MDI4MjI0LjE3NTE5MTMxMTI.*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3NTE5MTMxMTIkbzEkZzAkdDE3NTE5MTMxMTIkajYwJGwwJGgw" target="_blank">a federal lawsuit this</a>&nbsp;week challenging a May directive by Kennedy, claiming it “creates barriers” to vaccination for pregnant women and young children.</p><p>“Because of his name and profile, Mr. Kennedy has been instrumental in increasing the levels of vaccine hesitancy and skepticism in this country,” the lawsuit states. “The Secretary’s dismantling of the vaccine infrastructure must end.”</p><p>The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html" target="_blank">reported Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that there were 1,288 cases in 38 states, surpassing the 2019 level of 1,274.&nbsp;<a href="https://dph.sc.gov/news/dph-confirms-measles-upstate-resident-0" target="_blank">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;later reported its own first case of the year, an unvaccinated international traveler in the northwestern Upstate area of the state.</p><p><a href="https://health.wyo.gov/measles-case-confirmed-in-natrona-county/" target="_blank">Wyoming</a>&nbsp;reported its first measles case since 2010 on July 1, an unvaccinated child in Natrona County.</p><p>Other states recently joining the list:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2025/06/24/first-case-measles-identified-north-carolina" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;reported its first case of the year June 24, in a child visiting Forsyth and Guilford counties from another country. And&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/erd/pages/oregons-first-measles-case-of-2025-confirmed-in-multnomah-county.aspx" target="_blank">Oregon</a>&nbsp;reported a case the same day for a person identified only as an unvaccinated international traveler sickened in June after returning to the Portland area.</p><p>“We’re here to tell you that measles is now in Oregon, and if you’re not vaccinated, you are susceptible,” said Dr. Paul R. Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division, in in a statement.</p><p>Measles is one of the most contagious diseases and can spread rapidly among unvaccinated people.</p><p>Utah reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/06/20/utah-measles-case-reported-utah/" target="_blank">its first case</a>&nbsp;June 20, an unvaccinated person with no recent travel out of state. The state&nbsp;<a href="https://epi.utah.gov/measles-response/" target="_blank">now has nine cases</a>, mostly in Utah County, where Provo is located.</p><p>Confirmed cases this year were also reported in these other states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.</p><p><a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>.</p>

Measles reaches highest level in 33 years, now in 39 states

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/"></a><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

The Senate ag bill is at odds with Trump, who wants to cut spending on USDA and FDA for the next fiscal year

LINCOLN — Nebraska could see $17.5 million in federal funds for construction of a U.S. Department of Agriculture research facility and the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., touted the potential funding in a press release this week, describing the budding UNL’s Agricultural Research Service facility as “a hub for world-class agricultural innovation.”

The federal money for Nebraska is part of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fy26_agriculture-fda_senate_report.pdf?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=7/11/25%20%20AM:&amp;utm_term=Punchbowl%20AM%20and%20Active%20Subscribers%20from%20Memberful%20Combined" target="_blank">a larger Senate agriculture funding bill</a>, which was advanced unanimously Thursday by the Appropriations Committee, on which Fischer serves. The Senate ag funding bill would increase spending for agricultural programs by 1% over current levels.&nbsp;

The USDA facility at UNL broke ground last year. The purpose of the $160 million facility is to find new ways to produce more food for a growing global population while using fewer natural resources.

Funding for the facility, along with about $86 million in additional money for Nebraska, was removed from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-vote-republican-funding-bill-government-shutdown-rcna196412" target="_blank">a GOP stopgap government funding bill</a>&nbsp;in March.&nbsp;

Fischer said she also secured provisions in the Senate ag-related spending bill prioritizing agricultural research at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska. The bill also would require the USDA to “streamline contracting and procurement services for livestock research facilities.”&nbsp;

That center endured&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/university-of-nebraska-and-pork-producers-fear-results-of-usda-layoffs/" target="_blank">the layoffs of 17 people</a>&nbsp;as part of efforts to cut federal spending by the then-Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year.&nbsp;

The ag funding bill is one of 12 appropriations bills that Congress must pass yearly to fund the federal government. But the ag funding push could be contested as the Trump administration seeks to reduce spending for the next fiscal year, which starts in October.

President Donald Trump has asked Congress to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-agriculture/2025/06/02/usda-faces-billions-in-cuts-00379893" target="_blank">reduce funding for the USDA by nearly $7 billion</a>. In Trump’s funding request, spending on the Agricultural Research Service would be reduced by $159 million.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Fiscal-Year-2026-Discretionary-Budget-Request.pdf" target="_blank">Trump budget request</a>&nbsp;from May also seeks to reduce spending on other government agencies — except for defense and border enforcement.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/nx-s1-5384318/trump-budget-cuts" target="_blank">Some of the biggest requested cuts</a>&nbsp;target foreign aid, climate-related funding and spending on programs the administration describes as “wokeism.”

While these White House budget requests are suggestions, Trump has a tight grip on the GOP in Congress and hasn’t ruled out using impoundment, basically his choosing not to spend the funds as a way to overrule Congress.

Last month, the House passed&nbsp;<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/committee-approves-fy26-agriculture-rural-development-food-and-drug" target="_blank">its own version of the ag bill</a>&nbsp;along party lines. That bill would reduce funding by 4 percent in the next fiscal year. The House bill spends roughly $25 billion, while the Senate version spends $27.1 billion.&nbsp;

The deadline to avoid a government shutdown is Sept. 30.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752325904146.png" alt=" U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., speaks during a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Senate webcast)" />
                        <figcaption> U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., speaks during a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Senate webcast)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/jsalinas/">Juan Salinas II</a><br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/zachwendling/"></a><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a></p><h2>The Senate ag bill is at odds with Trump, who wants to cut spending on USDA and FDA for the next fiscal year</h2><p>LINCOLN — Nebraska could see $17.5 million in federal funds for construction of a U.S. Department of Agriculture research facility and the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.</p><p>U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., touted the potential funding in a press release this week, describing the budding UNL’s Agricultural Research Service facility as “a hub for world-class agricultural innovation.”</p><p>The federal money for Nebraska is part of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fy26_agriculture-fda_senate_report.pdf?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=7/11/25%20%20AM:&amp;utm_term=Punchbowl%20AM%20and%20Active%20Subscribers%20from%20Memberful%20Combined" target="_blank">a larger Senate agriculture funding bill</a>, which was advanced unanimously Thursday by the Appropriations Committee, on which Fischer serves. The Senate ag funding bill would increase spending for agricultural programs by 1% over current levels.&nbsp;</p><p>The USDA facility at UNL broke ground last year. The purpose of the $160 million facility is to find new ways to produce more food for a growing global population while using fewer natural resources.</p><p>Funding for the facility, along with about $86 million in additional money for Nebraska, was removed from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-vote-republican-funding-bill-government-shutdown-rcna196412" target="_blank">a GOP stopgap government funding bill</a>&nbsp;in March.&nbsp;</p><p>Fischer said she also secured provisions in the Senate ag-related spending bill prioritizing agricultural research at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska. The bill also would require the USDA to “streamline contracting and procurement services for livestock research facilities.”&nbsp;</p><p>That center endured&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/university-of-nebraska-and-pork-producers-fear-results-of-usda-layoffs/" target="_blank">the layoffs of 17 people</a>&nbsp;as part of efforts to cut federal spending by the then-Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year.&nbsp;</p><p>The ag funding bill is one of 12 appropriations bills that Congress must pass yearly to fund the federal government. But the ag funding push could be contested as the Trump administration seeks to reduce spending for the next fiscal year, which starts in October.</p><p>President Donald Trump has asked Congress to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-agriculture/2025/06/02/usda-faces-billions-in-cuts-00379893" target="_blank">reduce funding for the USDA by nearly $7 billion</a>. In Trump’s funding request, spending on the Agricultural Research Service would be reduced by $159 million.&nbsp;</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Fiscal-Year-2026-Discretionary-Budget-Request.pdf" target="_blank">Trump budget request</a>&nbsp;from May also seeks to reduce spending on other government agencies — except for defense and border enforcement.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/nx-s1-5384318/trump-budget-cuts" target="_blank">Some of the biggest requested cuts</a>&nbsp;target foreign aid, climate-related funding and spending on programs the administration describes as “wokeism.”</p><p>While these White House budget requests are suggestions, Trump has a tight grip on the GOP in Congress and hasn’t ruled out using impoundment, basically his choosing not to spend the funds as a way to overrule Congress.</p><p>Last month, the House passed&nbsp;<a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/committee-approves-fy26-agriculture-rural-development-food-and-drug" target="_blank">its own version of the ag bill</a>&nbsp;along party lines. That bill would reduce funding by 4 percent in the next fiscal year. The House bill spends roughly $25 billion, while the Senate version spends $27.1 billion.&nbsp;</p><p>The deadline to avoid a government shutdown is Sept. 30.</p>

U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer says she steered $17.5 million to Nebraska in Senate ag funding bill

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752266854590.png" alt="President Trump and the first lady with first responders in Texas-image courtesy White House video" />
                        <figcaption>President Trump and the first lady with first responders in Texas-image courtesy White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a>: &quot;My deepest sympathy to all of the parents who lost beautiful young souls ... We are grieving with you. Our nation is grieving with you.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xYKFsBJ4Hu">pic.twitter.com/xYKFsBJ4Hu</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943764177593807032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump gets a question about possible delays to flood warnings: &quot;I just have admiration for the job that everybody did. Only a bad person would ask a question like that...I don&#39;t know who you are but only a very evil person would ask a question like that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/55lk5GoFK9">pic.twitter.com/55lk5GoFK9</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1943778362008199397?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump&#39;s opening remarks at roundtable on Texas floods: &quot;Our nation, we mourn for every life that was swept away in the flood and we pray for the families that are left behind.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GAGMwsSekw">pic.twitter.com/GAGMwsSekw</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1943769914629591536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrPhil?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrPhil</a> at roundtable on Texas floods: &quot;We know, psychologically, that the number one stressor that we can experience in life is the loss of a child…The truth is you never get over it. You get through it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/UtFCpJ9tKo">pic.twitter.com/UtFCpJ9tKo</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1943775546623627268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A Texas State Trooper tells President Trump on the recovery from the devastating flood: &quot;I want to thank you, too, sir — because if we didn&#39;t have a secure border, we wouldn&#39;t have this many assets to move. I wanted to say that to you personally.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/kht5XpIkha">pic.twitter.com/kht5XpIkha</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943774212667113594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> gives his thanks to first responders in Kerrville, Texas:<br><br>&quot;This was a terrible situation but we appreciate the job you&#39;ve done very much — very special people.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/A66w51IBn4">pic.twitter.com/A66w51IBn4</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943773106289713474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a>: &quot;What we are doing here, sir, is empowering the state and the local officials to make the best decisions for their people — because they know their people, they know their community... So thank you for being a President who trusts people.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/aF0BLFuiXe">pic.twitter.com/aF0BLFuiXe</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943766247629263326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Governor <a href="https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GregAbbott_TX</a>: &quot;We cannot thank you enough for deploying the <a href="https://twitter.com/USCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCG</a>, deploying the resources... When I made a request for a disaster declaration, you and your Administration granted that. This is the fastest that I&#39;m aware of, of any Administration responding...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/zoeXqV0whf">pic.twitter.com/zoeXqV0whf</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943765422408335465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> honors the memory of the girls of Camp Mystic:<br><br>&quot;They were there because they loved God. And as we grieve this unthinkable tragedy, we take comfort in the knowledge that God has welcomed those little beautiful girls into his comforting arms in heaven.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/XPo2H46U51">pic.twitter.com/XPo2H46U51</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943762101903688131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in Kerrville, Texas: &quot;The people here — first responders, the sheriff&#39;s office, all of police, law enforcement — they&#39;ve done an unbelievable job.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0s5uVZmKqo">pic.twitter.com/0s5uVZmKqo</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1943760942073819426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥First lady, President share thoughts after seeing Texas flood damage

Walmart Recalls Ozark Trail 64 oz Water Bottles Due to Serious Impact and Laceration Hazards

The lid can forcefully eject, posing serious impact and laceration hazards, when a consumer attempts to open the capped bottles after food, carbonated beverages or perishable beverages, such as juice or milk, are stored inside over time.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled water bottles and contact Walmart for a full refund. Consumers can bring the bottle to their nearest Walmart store for a refund.

Sold Exclusively At:Walmart stores nationwide and online at Walmart.com since 2017 for about $15.Importer(s):

Olympia Tools International Inc., of Covina, California and Walmart Inc., of Bentonville, Arkansas

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752254959750.png" alt="Photo Consumer Product Safety Commission" />
                        <figcaption>Photo Consumer Product Safety Commission</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Walmart Recalls Ozark Trail 64 oz Water Bottles Due to Serious Impact and Laceration Hazards</p><p>Hazard:</p><p>The lid can forcefully eject, posing serious impact and laceration hazards, when a consumer attempts to open the capped bottles after food, carbonated beverages or perishable beverages, such as juice or milk, are stored inside over time.</p><p>Remedy:</p><p>Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled water bottles and contact Walmart for a full refund. Consumers can bring the bottle to their nearest Walmart store for a refund.</p><p>Units:</p><p>About&nbsp;850,000</p><p>Sold Exclusively At:Walmart stores nationwide and online at Walmart.com since 2017 for about $15.Importer(s):</p><p>Olympia Tools International Inc., of Covina, California and Walmart Inc., of Bentonville, Arkansas</p>

Walmart recalls water bottles after 2 blinded by exploding caps

Record outbreak comes as vaccine skepticism increasingly gains a federal foothold.

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a>

The milestone comes as health officials are increasingly alarmed by vaccine skepticism gaining a voice in the Trump administration under U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Pediatricians and public health associations filed&nbsp;<a href="https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/FiledSuit.pdf?_gl=1*d9u6yb*_ga*MzQ4MDI4MjI0LjE3NTE5MTMxMTI.*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3NTE5MTMxMTIkbzEkZzAkdDE3NTE5MTMxMTIkajYwJGwwJGgw" target="_blank">a federal lawsuit this</a>&nbsp;week challenging a May directive by Kennedy, claiming it “creates barriers” to vaccination for pregnant women and young children

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="&nbsp;Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png" />
                        <figcaption>&nbsp;Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.png</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>Record outbreak comes as vaccine skepticism increasingly gains a federal foothold.</h2><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a></p><p>Measles cases have surpassed a recent 2019 record to reach the highest level since 1992, with at least 1,289 cases reported in 39 states.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752083381391.png" alt="87 cases of Measles in 11 counties in Kansas as of July 9. KDHE image" />
                        <figcaption>87 cases of Measles in 11 counties in Kansas as of July 9. KDHE image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The milestone comes as health officials are increasingly alarmed by vaccine skepticism gaining a voice in the Trump administration under U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</p><p>Pediatricians and public health associations filed&nbsp;<a href="https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/FiledSuit.pdf?_gl=1*d9u6yb*_ga*MzQ4MDI4MjI0LjE3NTE5MTMxMTI.*_ga_FD9D3XZVQQ*czE3NTE5MTMxMTIkbzEkZzAkdDE3NTE5MTMxMTIkajYwJGwwJGgw" target="_blank">a federal lawsuit this</a>&nbsp;week challenging a May directive by Kennedy, claiming it “creates barriers” to vaccination for pregnant women and young children</p><p>“Because of his name and profile, Mr. Kennedy has been instrumental in increasing the levels of vaccine hesitancy and skepticism in this country,” the lawsuit states. “The Secretary’s dismantling of the vaccine infrastructure must end.”</p><p>The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html" target="_blank">reported Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that there were 1,288 cases in 38 states, surpassing the 2019 level of 1,274.&nbsp;<a href="https://dph.sc.gov/news/dph-confirms-measles-upstate-resident-0" target="_blank">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;later reported its own first case of the year, an unvaccinated international traveler in the northwestern Upstate area of the state.</p><p><a href="https://health.wyo.gov/measles-case-confirmed-in-natrona-county/" target="_blank">Wyoming</a>&nbsp;reported its first measles case since 2010 on July 1, an unvaccinated child in Natrona County.</p><p>Other states recently joining the list:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2025/06/24/first-case-measles-identified-north-carolina" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;reported its first case of the year June 24, in a child visiting Forsyth and Guilford counties from another country. And&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/oha/erd/pages/oregons-first-measles-case-of-2025-confirmed-in-multnomah-county.aspx" target="_blank">Oregon</a>&nbsp;reported a case the same day for a person identified only as an unvaccinated international traveler sickened in June after returning to the Portland area.</p><p>“We’re here to tell you that measles is now in Oregon, and if you’re not vaccinated, you are susceptible,” said Dr. Paul R. Cieslak, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division, in in a statement.</p><p>Measles is one of the most contagious diseases and can spread rapidly among unvaccinated people.</p><p>Utah reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/06/20/utah-measles-case-reported-utah/" target="_blank">its first case</a>&nbsp;June 20, an unvaccinated person with no recent travel out of state. The state&nbsp;<a href="https://epi.utah.gov/measles-response/" target="_blank">now has nine cases</a>, mostly in Utah County, where Provo is located.</p><p>Confirmed cases this year were also reported in these other states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.</p><p>Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenderson@stateline.org">thenderson@stateline.org</a>.</p>

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/danielle-j-brown/">Danielle J. Brown</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sam-gauntt/">Sam Gauntt</a>

The U.S. Supreme Court late Tuesday lifted lower court injunctions that had blocked attempts by President Donald Trump and his DOGE Service to restructure the federal government.

Labor unions, advocates and local governments that sued to block the cuts said the president exceeded his authority with the executive order by moving to dismantle the federal government without congressional approval.

A U.S. District Court judge in Northern California agreed and issued a preliminary injunction to stall the executive order while the case was heard. A divided 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that decision.

But the White House pressed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14210-implementing-the-presidents-department-government-efficiency" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;did not restructure the government but merely called for reductions in force, which it said is within the president’s power.

The Supreme Court agreed in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a1174_h3ci.pdf" target="_blank">a one-page order</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, saying the government was likely to prevail on its claim and the injunction should be stayed while the case proceeded.

In a sharp, 15-page dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the district court judge had determined that the administration plan would not just cut jobs but would “fundamentally restructure” the federal government. He made a “reasoned determination” that the order should be stayed while the case was heard, she wrote.

“But that temporary, practical, harm-reducing preservation of the status quo was no match for this Court’s demonstrated enthusiasm for greenlighting this President’s legally dubious actions in an emergency posture,” she wrote.

“At bottom, this case is about whether that action amounts to a structural overhaul that usurps Congress’s policymaking prerogatives — and it is hard to imagine deciding that question in any meaningful way after those changes have happened,” she wrote. “Yet, for some reason, this Court sees fit to step in now and release the President’s wrecking ball at the outset of this litigation.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a brief concurrence, said she agreed with Jackson that the president does not have the authority to remake government without congressional approval.&nbsp; But she said the executive order and an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/latest-memos/guidance-on-agency-rif-and-reorganization-plans-requested-by-implementing-the-president-s-department-of-government-efficiency-workforce-optimization-initiative.pdf" target="_blank">implementing memo</a>&nbsp;from the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management call for the changes to be “consistent with applicable law,” and it’s for lower courts to determine if they are.

A White House spokesperson called the decision “another definitive victory” for the Trump administration.

“It clearly rebukes the continued assaults on the President’s constitutionally authorized executive powers by leftist judges who are trying to prevent the President from achieving government efficiency across the federal government,” the spokesperson, Harrison Fields, said in a written statement.

But labor unions, advocates and political leaders say that the decision undermines the value of federal employees, threatens the operation of federal services, and could even endanger American citizens.

In a statement Tuesday evening, the American Federation of Government Employees, along with the rest of the coalition of unions, nonprofits and municipalities bringing the suit against the administration, decried the Supreme Court’s decision as a “serious blow to our democracy.”

The coalition said the decision put “services that the American people rely on in grave jeopardy.”

“This decision does not change the simple and clear fact that reorganizing government functions and laying off federal workers en masse haphazardly without any congressional approval is not allowed by our Constitution,” the statement read. “While we are disappointed in this decision, we will continue to fight on behalf of the communities we represent and argue this case to protect critical public services that we rely on to stay

Gov. Wes Moore (D) said that as a state with a high concentration of federal workers, “any action against our federal employees is a direct strike against Maryland’s people and economy.”

“Today’s Supreme Court ruling on AFGE v. Trump will embolden President Trump in his mission to dismantle the federal government and threatens to upend the lives of countless public servants who wake up every day to deliver essential services and benefits that people rely on,” Moore said in a written statement. He noted that thousands of Maryland residents have already been laid off from federal agencies under the Trump administration.

In a post to X on Tuesday evening, U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th) wrote that Trump and OMB Director Russell Vought are continuing to “vilify and traumatize the patriots serving our nation, unconstitutionally reorganizing the federal government.”

“The Supreme Court’s decision today demonstrates that federal employees, their families and livelihoods, and the vital services they provide to the American people are of no concern to the Trump Administration,” Hoyer wrote. “I stand with our federal employees against these attacks.”

U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th) said in an&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RepRaskin/status/1942722560413601828" target="_blank">X post</a>&nbsp;that the ruling “will give Trump’s wrecking crew more awful ideas about sacking critical federal workers,” referencing layoffs at the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who help notify state and local agencies about impending dangerous weather.

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) added that layoffs could also put Americans at risk by “decimating essential public services” like food inspections and Social Security.

“As Justice Jackson put it in her dissent, ‘this was the wrong decision at the wrong moment, especially given what little this Court knows about what is actually happening on the ground,’” Van Hollen said in a statment. “She is right. The Court’s decision to allow this damage to be done before ruling on the merits shows how detached they are from the reality of the moment.”

Van Hollen said the administration’s plan “isn’t about efficiency, it’s about rigging the government to only benefit the wealthy and powerful special interests.”

“We are not done fighting in Congress, in the courts, and in our communities to defend the dedicated public servants who go to work on behalf of the American people day in and day out,” he said.

The Feb. 11 executive order directed federal agencies to prepeare for “large-scale reductions in force” and to work with members of the Department of Government Efficiency — the DOGE Service that was run at the time by billionaire Elon Musk — to develop a plan to reduce the size of the workforce. Military personnel were exempted, but virtually every other federal agency was affected.

The order was quickly challenged in court by labor unions, taxpayer and good government groups and by a half-dozen local governments: Harris County, Texas, Martin Luther King Jr. County, Washington, and San Francisco City and County, California; and the cities of Chicago, Baltimore, and Santa Rosa, California.

They argued that the goals of the executive order far exceeded the president’s authority to reduce the size of agencies. Under the DOGE plan, they argued to the Supreme Court, “functions across the federal government will be abolished, agencies will be radically downsized from what Congress authorized, critical government services will be lost, and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will lose their jobs.”

“There will be no way to unscramble that egg: If the courts ultimately deem the President to have overstepped his authority and intruded upon that of Congress, as a practical matter there will be no way to go back in time to restore those agencies, functions, and services,” their court filing said.

That was echoed by Jackson, who said the district court judge was in the best position to determine if the president’s order consisted of “minor workforce reductions” or whether it was a massive reorganization that overstepped executive authority.

“With scant justification, the majority permits the immediate and potentially devastating aggrandizement of one branch (the Executive) at the expense of another (Congress), and once again leaves the People paying the price for its reckless emergency-docket determinations,” she wrote.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672235865420.png" alt="Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
                        <figcaption>Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/danielle-j-brown/">Danielle J. Brown</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sam-gauntt/">Sam Gauntt</a></p><p>The U.S. Supreme Court late Tuesday lifted lower court injunctions that had blocked attempts by President Donald Trump and his DOGE Service to restructure the federal government.</p><p>Labor unions, advocates and local governments that sued to block the cuts said the president exceeded his authority with the executive order by moving to dismantle the federal government without congressional approval.</p><p>A U.S. District Court judge in Northern California agreed and issued a preliminary injunction to stall the executive order while the case was heard. A divided 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that decision.</p><p>But the White House pressed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing that Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14210-implementing-the-presidents-department-government-efficiency" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;did not restructure the government but merely called for reductions in force, which it said is within the president’s power.</p><p>The Supreme Court agreed in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a1174_h3ci.pdf" target="_blank">a one-page order</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, saying the government was likely to prevail on its claim and the injunction should be stayed while the case proceeded.</p><p>In a sharp, 15-page dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the district court judge had determined that the administration plan would not just cut jobs but would “fundamentally restructure” the federal government. He made a “reasoned determination” that the order should be stayed while the case was heard, she wrote.</p><p>“But that temporary, practical, harm-reducing preservation of the status quo was no match for this Court’s demonstrated enthusiasm for greenlighting this President’s legally dubious actions in an emergency posture,” she wrote.</p><p>“At bottom, this case is about whether that action amounts to a structural overhaul that usurps Congress’s policymaking prerogatives — and it is hard to imagine deciding that question in any meaningful way after those changes have happened,” she wrote. “Yet, for some reason, this Court sees fit to step in now and release the President’s wrecking ball at the outset of this litigation.”</p><p>Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a brief concurrence, said she agreed with Jackson that the president does not have the authority to remake government without congressional approval.&nbsp; But she said the executive order and an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/latest-memos/guidance-on-agency-rif-and-reorganization-plans-requested-by-implementing-the-president-s-department-of-government-efficiency-workforce-optimization-initiative.pdf" target="_blank">implementing memo</a>&nbsp;from the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management call for the changes to be “consistent with applicable law,” and it’s for lower courts to determine if they are.</p><p>A White House spokesperson called the decision “another definitive victory” for the Trump administration.</p><p>“It clearly rebukes the continued assaults on the President’s constitutionally authorized executive powers by leftist judges who are trying to prevent the President from achieving government efficiency across the federal government,” the spokesperson, Harrison Fields, said in a written statement.</p><p>But labor unions, advocates and political leaders say that the decision undermines the value of federal employees, threatens the operation of federal services, and could even endanger American citizens.</p><p>In a statement Tuesday evening, the American Federation of Government Employees, along with the rest of the coalition of unions, nonprofits and municipalities bringing the suit against the administration, decried the Supreme Court’s decision as a “serious blow to our democracy.”</p><p>The coalition said the decision put “services that the American people rely on in grave jeopardy.”</p><p>“This decision does not change the simple and clear fact that reorganizing government functions and laying off federal workers en masse haphazardly without any congressional approval is not allowed by our Constitution,” the statement read. “While we are disappointed in this decision, we will continue to fight on behalf of the communities we represent and argue this case to protect critical public services that we rely on to stay</p><p>Gov. Wes Moore (D) said that as a state with a high concentration of federal workers, “any action against our federal employees is a direct strike against Maryland’s people and economy.”</p><p>“Today’s Supreme Court ruling on AFGE v. Trump will embolden President Trump in his mission to dismantle the federal government and threatens to upend the lives of countless public servants who wake up every day to deliver essential services and benefits that people rely on,” Moore said in a written statement. He noted that thousands of Maryland residents have already been laid off from federal agencies under the Trump administration.</p><p>In a post to X on Tuesday evening, U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th) wrote that Trump and OMB Director Russell Vought are continuing to “vilify and traumatize the patriots serving our nation, unconstitutionally reorganizing the federal government.”</p><p>“The Supreme Court’s decision today demonstrates that federal employees, their families and livelihoods, and the vital services they provide to the American people are of no concern to the Trump Administration,” Hoyer wrote. “I stand with our federal employees against these attacks.”</p><p>U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th) said in an&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RepRaskin/status/1942722560413601828" target="_blank">X post</a>&nbsp;that the ruling “will give Trump’s wrecking crew more awful ideas about sacking critical federal workers,” referencing layoffs at the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who help notify state and local agencies about impending dangerous weather.</p><p>U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) added that layoffs could also put Americans at risk by “decimating essential public services” like food inspections and Social Security.</p><p>“As Justice Jackson put it in her dissent, ‘this was the wrong decision at the wrong moment, especially given what little this Court knows about what is actually happening on the ground,’” Van Hollen said in a statment. “She is right. The Court’s decision to allow this damage to be done before ruling on the merits shows how detached they are from the reality of the moment.”</p><p>Van Hollen said the administration’s plan “isn’t about efficiency, it’s about rigging the government to only benefit the wealthy and powerful special interests.”</p><p>“We are not done fighting in Congress, in the courts, and in our communities to defend the dedicated public servants who go to work on behalf of the American people day in and day out,” he said.</p><p>The Feb. 11 executive order directed federal agencies to prepeare for “large-scale reductions in force” and to work with members of the Department of Government Efficiency — the DOGE Service that was run at the time by billionaire Elon Musk — to develop a plan to reduce the size of the workforce. Military personnel were exempted, but virtually every other federal agency was affected.</p><p>The order was quickly challenged in court by labor unions, taxpayer and good government groups and by a half-dozen local governments: Harris County, Texas, Martin Luther King Jr. County, Washington, and San Francisco City and County, California; and the cities of Chicago, Baltimore, and Santa Rosa, California.</p><p>They argued that the goals of the executive order far exceeded the president’s authority to reduce the size of agencies. Under the DOGE plan, they argued to the Supreme Court, “functions across the federal government will be abolished, agencies will be radically downsized from what Congress authorized, critical government services will be lost, and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will lose their jobs.”</p><p>“There will be no way to unscramble that egg: If the courts ultimately deem the President to have overstepped his authority and intruded upon that of Congress, as a practical matter there will be no way to go back in time to restore those agencies, functions, and services,” their court filing said.</p><p>That was echoed by Jackson, who said the district court judge was in the best position to determine if the president’s order consisted of “minor workforce reductions” or whether it was a massive reorganization that overstepped executive authority.</p><p>“With scant justification, the majority permits the immediate and potentially devastating aggrandizement of one branch (the Executive) at the expense of another (Congress), and once again leaves the People paying the price for its reckless emergency-docket determinations,” she wrote.</p><p>This article was originally published by&nbsp;<a href="https://marylandmatters.org/" target="_blank">Maryland Matters</a>, a part of States Newsroom.</p>