Donald Trump steps up effort to dispute and distract on Russia
After weeks on the defensive, President Donald Trump has stepped up his efforts to dispute, downplay and distract from revelations stemming from the investigations into the Kremlin’s interference in last year’s election and possible Russian ties to his campaign associates. The White House says the real story is not about Russia — it’s about how Obama administration officials allegedly leaked and mishandled classified material about Americans. Trump and his aides have accused former officials of inappropriately disclosing — or “unmasking” — the names of Trump associates whose conversations were picked up by U.S. intelligences agencies. “Such amazing reporting on unmasking and the crooked scheme against us by @foxandfriends,” Trump tweeted Monday. ‘Spied on before nomination.’ The real story.” The White House has not pointed to any hard evidence to support such allegations, and instead has relied on media reports from some of the same publications Trump derides as “fake news.” The truth is buried somewhere in classified material that is illegal to disclose. Here’s a look at what the White House believes is the real story. __ THE FLYNN AFFAIR Trump fired national security adviser Michael Flynn following news reports that Flynn misled the White House about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. But the White House says the problem is that Flynn’s conversations were in the news at all. “The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington?” Trump tweeted after firing Flynn in February. The White House has called for investigations into the disclosure of multiple intercepted conversations that Flynn had with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak before the inauguration. The government routinely monitors the communications of foreign officials in the U.S. It’s illegal to publicly disclose such classified information. Officially, the White House said Flynn was forced to resign because he had given inaccurate descriptions of the discussions to Vice President Mike Pence and others in the White House. But Trump has continued to defend Flynn, suggesting he was only fired because information about his contacts came out in the media. “Michael Flynn, Gen. Flynn is a wonderful man,” Trump said. “I think he’s been treated very, very unfairly by the media.” ___ THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION White House officials say some Obama holdovers are part of a so-called deep state out to tear Trump down. Last week, the White House latched onto a month-old television interview from an Obama administration official who said she encouraged congressional aides to gather as much information on Russia as possible before the inauguration. Evelyn Farkas, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense, said she feared that information “would disappear” after President Barack Obama left office. She was no longer in government at the time, having left the Pentagon about a year before the election. White House spokesman Sean Spicer called Farkas’ comments “devastating” and said they “raised serious concerns on whether or not there was an organized and widespread effort by the Obama administration to use and leak highly sensitive intelligence information for political purposes.” On Monday, Spicer suggested there should be more interest in a Bloomberg report in which anonymous U.S. officials said that Susan Rice, Obama’s national security adviser, asked for the identities of people related to Trump’s campaign and transition dozens of times. Spicer remarked that he was “somewhat intrigued by the lack of interest” in the Rice revelations. But he added: “I do think that it’s interesting, the level, or lack thereof, of interest in this subject.” As national security adviser, Rice would have regularly received intelligence reports and been able to request the identities of Americans whose communications were intercepted. ___ THE HILL WEIGHS IN The White House has embraced a top Republican’s assertion that information about Trump associates were improperly spread around the government in the final days of the Obama administration. It appears the White House played a role in helping House intelligence committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., acquire some of that information. Nunes announced last week that he had seen intelligence reports showing that Trump aides’ communications were picked up through routine surveillance. But he said their identities may have been improperly revealed. The California congressman later said he viewed the reports at the White House. The White House contends that Nunes’ information — which has not been made public — validates Trump’s explosive claim that his predecessor wiretapped his New York skyscraper. Nunes has disputed that but still says he found the reports “troubling.” The White House’s apparent involvement in helping Nunes access the information has overshadowed what Trump officials contend are real concerns about how much information about Americans is disseminated in intelligence reports. Trump has asked the House and Senate intelligence committees to include the matter in their Russia investigations. ___ CAMPAIGN MODE Trump won the election, but thinks it’s his vanquished opponent whose ties to Russia should be investigated. Some of the White House’s allegations against Clinton stem from her four years as secretary of state, a role that gave her ample reasons to have frequent contacts with Russia. To deflect questions about Trump’s friendly rhetoric toward Russia, the White House points to the fact that Clinton was a central figure in the Obama administration’s attempt to “reset” relations with Moscow — an effort that crumbled after Vladimir Putin took back the presidency. “When you compare the two sides in terms of who’s actually engaging with Russia, trying to strengthen them, trying to act with them, trying to interact with them, it is night and day between our actions and her actions,” Spicer said. Rex Tillerson, Trump’s secretary of state, has deep ties to Russia from his time running ExxonMobil and cutting oil deals with Moscow. The White House has also tried to link Clinton to Russia’s purchase of a controlling stake in a mining company with operations in the U.S., arguing that she was responsible for “selling off one-fifth of our country’s uranium.” The Clinton-led State Department was among nine U.S. government agencies that had to approve the purchase of
Senate agrees to extend VA’s program of private-sector care
The Senate on Monday approved legislation that would extend a troubled program aimed at widening veterans’ access to private-sector health care, the first step in an overhaul of programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill passed by voice vote. It would allow the VA to continue operating its Choice program until its money runs out, expected to occur early next year. Without legislation, the program will expire on Aug. 7 with nearly $1 billion left over in its account. The VA says that money can provide stopgap care until a broader revamp is designed. The Choice program was put in place after a 2014 wait-time scandal at the Phoenix VA medical center in which some veterans died. Intended to provide veterans more timely care, the Choice program allows veterans to go outside the VA network in cases where they had to wait more than 30 days for an appointment or drive more than 40 miles to a facility. Yet it often encountered long wait times of its own due to bureaucratic glitches and other problems. The Senate bill calls for fixes in the program to address some of those concerns, by helping speed up VA payments and promote greater sharing of medical records. It now goes to the House, which was expected to easily pass the measure Wednesday. “This bipartisan legislation cuts some of the red tape that slows down veterans’ access to care in their communities,” said Montana Sen. Jon Tester, the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “I’m proud that Republicans and Democrats in Congress worked together to provide these solutions for veterans.” Tester sponsored the bill along with Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Johnny Isakson of Georgia. Major veterans’ organizations and Democrats were not opposed to continuing the Choice program as a stopgap. But they are closely watching the VA’s subsequent overhaul, after President Donald Trump‘s transition team signaled last year that it would consider a “public-private” option in which veterans could get all their medical care in the private sector, with the government paying the bill. Veterans groups generally oppose that as a threat to the viability of VA medical centers. While VA Secretary David Shulkin has promised not to privatize the department, he says he wants to build stronger partnerships with the private sector to improve VA care. A newly formed White House Office of American Innovation led by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is also now examining ways to improve the VA. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Repeal in doubt, what Donald Trump alone can do on ‘Obamacare’
With prospects in doubt for repealing “Obamacare,” some Republicans say the Trump administration can rewrite regulations and take other actions to undo much of the health care law on its own. Some of those moves could disrupt life for millions of people, many in states that the new president carried. And then there’s the risk of court challenges. Remember the White House travel ban? “In a world where Obamacare is not going to be repealed and replaced, do you work to try to make it succeed, or do you take steps to undermine it in order to continue blaming President Obama and the Democrats for the dysfunction of the health care system?” asked Nicholas Bagley, a University of Michigan law professor who’s analyzed the administration’s leeway to make changes. “Right now we don’t know the answer, and we are getting conflicting signals from the administration.” The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office recently concluded that insurance markets would probably be stable “in most areas” under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act, or ACA. But President Donald Trump has said “it’s imploding, and soon will explode.” GOP congressional leaders, who had to pull their repeal bill, describe a multi-pronged attack on “Obamacare” that includes administration action. Democrats warn of “sabotage.” Enduring political turmoil is seen as contributing to insurers’ worries about returning to the health law’s markets next year. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of some actions Trump could order: STOP COST-SHARING SUBSIDIES In addition to subsidized insurance premiums, the ACA provides financial assistance for deductibles and copayments to consumers with modest incomes. House Republicans have challenged the constitutionality of aid payments, estimated at $7 billion this year. A U.S. district judge in Washington agreed, finding that the law does not explicitly authorize such expenditures. The case is on hold by mutual consent of the House and the Trump administration. Insurers, who are legally obligated to provide assistance to qualifying customers, continue to be reimbursed by the government. That could end unless the legal issue is resolved. Pro: For opponents of the ACA, stopping the cost-sharing payments would be the boldest step they could take short of outright repeal. Con: Insurers would bail out or jack up premiums to make up for the loss of government payments. A market “death spiral” could begin in short order. “There’s a tension here for the White House between avoiding a crisis in the insurance markets and facilitating the collapse of a program they bitterly oppose,” said Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. Officials won’t comment on pending litigation, but there doesn’t appear to be any policy change in the new administration. ___ TWEAK INSURANCE BENEFITS The ACA requires insurers to cover ten categories of “essential health benefits,” from prevention to prescriptions, maternity to mental health. While broad categories are written into law, key specifics are spelled out in regulations and guidance. The administration could propose changes. Pro: It could bring down premiums for consumers who are comfortable buying less-than-comprehensive policies. That might entice more people into the market. “Every American ought to be able to purchase the kind of coverage that they want,” Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told Congress. Con: Patient advocacy groups battled for the ACA’s required benefits and they’ll fight changes seen as harmful. “Essential health benefits are critical to assure access to what most people think is basic care,” said Mara Youdelman of the National Health Law Program. “If the administration attempts to get around the four corners of the law, we would certainly explore options for litigation.” ___ REMAKE MEDICAID Alongside subsidized private insurance for people who don’t have job-based coverage, the ACA expanded Medicaid to serve millions more low-income adults. With the repeal effort stalled, some of the 19 states that have refused the expansion may come forward. That gives the Trump administration an opportunity to steer an important program in a different direction. Price and Seema Verma, Trump’s new head of Medicare and Medicaid, have told governors they are willing to consider a broad range of new Medicaid approaches, including work requirements. Verma also says she wants to improve health, not just treat disease. Pro: States may gain more authority over a program that consumes major resources. The whole country could learn from individual state experiments. More low-income people may gain coverage. Con: New requirements may discourage some from signing up. “The majority of people are working,” said Judy Solomon of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which advocates for the poor. “For those who aren’t, it’s because of illness or caring for someone.” ___ WINK ON INSURANCE PENALTY Tax penalties on people who remain uninsured are the most unpopular part of the Obama-era law. The Trump administration has already eased enforcement. The IRS scrapped a plan to hold up tax returns of people who fail to indicate if they have coverage. Pro: If the tax man looks the other way altogether, it could win points for a president elected on a populist message. Some of those paying the fine are young people trying to get traction in life. Con: Policy experts say the insurance penalty is essential for nudging healthy people into the market. And it remains the law. ___ Trump’s next move is uncertain. But a recent AP-NORC poll found that 6 in 10 Americans disapproved of his handling of health care. Blaming the Obama administration may not be a viable option much longer. “If somebody can’t pay for their cancer medicine, they don’t want to hear you fulminate about how had Obamacare is,” said Bagley. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Judiciary panel votes 11-9 in favor of Neil Gorsuch
The Latest on the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court (all times local): 2:35 p.m. A divided Senate panel is backing Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. The Judiciary Committee voted 11-9 along party lines on Monday to favorably recommend Gorsuch to the full Senate. A confirmation vote is expected on Friday, but not before a partisan showdown over President Donald Trump‘s choice. Democrats have secured the 41 votes to block Gorsuch with a filibuster after Delaware Sen. Chris Coons said he would vote against the nominee. The opposition will prevent Republicans from reaching the 60 votes they need to move Gorsuch over procedural hurdles to a final Senate vote. Determined to confirm him despite Democratic objections, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has signaled he will likely change Senate rules later this week to reduce the threshold from 60 to a simple majority to get Gorsuch confirmed. ___ 1:25 p.m. Senate Democrats now have enough votes to try to block Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch with a filibuster, setting up a showdown with Republicans who plan to confirm him anyway. The crucial 41st vote came from Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware who announced his decision Monday as the Senate Judiciary Committee met to vote on Gorsuch’s nomination. Coons said that he had decided to oppose President Donald Trump’s nominee over concerns that include his vague answers in his hearing. Coons’ opposition will prevent Republicans from reaching the 60 votes they need to move Gorsuch over procedural hurdles to a final Senate vote. Determined to confirm him despite Democratic objections, they will likely change Senate rules later this week to reduce the threshold from 60 to a simple majority. __ 11:45 a.m. Senator Michael Bennet says he will not join Democratic efforts to block a full-Senate vote on the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. The Colorado Democrat has been under pressure to support Gorsuch in part because the nominee is also from Colorado. Bennet doesn’t say whether he will ultimately vote in favor of Gorsuch. But he says he will not try to block a vote. If Democrats successfully block a vote on Gorsuch, Senate Republicans are threatening to change Senate rules to enable them to confirm a Supreme Court nominee with a simple majority of 51 votes. Under current rules, the need 60 votes to end debate. Bennet says, “Changing the Senate rules now will only further politicize the Supreme Court.” ___ 11:35 a.m. Senator Lindsay Graham says flatly that Republicans will change the Senate’s rules if Democrats use a filibuster to block the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Under current rules, Supreme Court nominees need at least 60 votes to end debate and hold a vote on their confirmation. So far, 40 Democrats have publicly said they will try to block Gorsuch’s nomination. That’s just one shy of the number needed to stop the nomination under current Senate rules. The South Carolina Republican says his GOP colleagues will change the rules to enable them to confirm a Supreme Court nominee with a simple majority of 51 votes. Graham says: “The Senate’s traditions are going to change over this man. This says more about the Senate than it does Judge Gorsuch.” ___ 11:15 a.m. Senators Mark Warner and Patrick Leahy say they will vote against the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. The two Democrats are the 39th and 40th senators to say they will try to block Gorsuch’s nomination. That’s just one shy of the number needed to stop the nomination under current Senate rules. The nomination needs 60 votes to succeed. However, Senate Republicans are threatening to change Senate rules to enable them to confirm a Supreme Court nominee with a simple majority of 51 votes. All 52 Republicans are expected to support the Gorsuch. ___ 10:45 a.m. Senator Dianne Feinstein says she will vote against the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. The California Democrat cited two cases in which, she says, Gorsuch inserted his own view of what the law should be. In one case Gorsuch sided with a trucking company over a fired trucker who refused to drive a disabled truck in subzero weather. In the other case, Gorsuch sided with a school district that denied services to a student with autism. Feinstein also says she is troubled that Gorsuch refused to say whether he supports the outcome of Brown v. Board of Education, the court decision that ended racial segregation in public schools. Feinstein is the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is voting Monday on Gorsuch’s nomination. ___ 10:25 a.m. Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley says Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch is a mainstream judge who will be independent from the president. The Iowa Republican is accusing Democrats of “moving the goal posts” in their assessment of Gorsuch. Grassley opened a committee meeting on Gorsuch’s nomination by making the case in favor of President Donald Trump’s nominee for the high court. Republicans on the committee are expected to send Gorsuch’s nomination to the full Senate after a lengthy series of speeches. Most Democrats are expected to oppose the nomination. ___ 3:30 a.m. A Senate panel is opening a weeklong partisan showdown over President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee with Democrats steadily amassing the votes to block Neil Gorsuch and force Republicans to unilaterally change long-standing rules to confirm him. The Republican-led Judiciary Committee meets Monday and is expected to back Gorsuch and send his nomination to the full Senate, most likely on a near-party line vote. Intent on getting Trump’s pick on the high court, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is likely to change Senate rules so that Gorsuch can be confirmed with a simple majority in the 100-seat chamber, instead of the 60-voter threshold. So far, 36 Democrats and one independent have announced they will vote to block the nomination on a procedural cloture vote — a parliamentary step to advance a legislative
Payton Alexander: Neil Gorsuch confirmation would be great for Latinos
Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch is coming up for a vote in the Senate this month, with lawmakers debating the nomination of the Colorado judge to the highest court in the country. Like the late Justice Antonin Scalia, Judge Gorsuch has a track record of interpreting the Constitution as written and intended by the founders. He also served in the Justice Department, and clerked for Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy. For Latinos that value individual rights and the rule of law, there’s a lot to be excited about in his selection to fill the Supreme Court vacancy. Judge Gorsuch is an excellent pick to strengthen the free and open society that makes that dream possible. With millions of Latinos across the United States who value entrepreneurship and the American Dream, this is welcome news. Judges have a responsibility to protect our liberties from government meddling, and Judge Gorsuch has demonstrated that he will uphold Constitutional limits on government power no matter who is in charge — the foundation of a free and prosperous society. Far beyond his record as a defender of individual liberty, Judge Gorsuch’s career reflects a solid understanding of the way that progressive interpretations of regulatory and criminal codes have hurt the least fortunate and contributed to the two-tiered society that is emerging in this country. As a Supreme Court Justice, Judge Gorsuch shows promise that he would uphold the rights of all people — immigrants and native-born citizens alike. All of these issues disproportionately impact the Latino community. More than two hundred years of growing the size and scope of our government have taken their toll on the Constitution. If confirmed to the Supreme Court, Judge Gorsuch will interpret the law and the Constitution faithfully, rather than seeking to erode the checks on government power that it provides. An originalist interpretation of the Constitution, as championed by the late Justice Scalia, prevents judges from legislating from the bench and serves as a vital check against lawmaking by judicial fiat. Judge Gorsuch will help ensure that our constitutional rights are protected, while advancing the foundations of a free society through the rule of law. There are good reasons for Senators in both parties to support the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, and, in fact, he was unanimously approved to serve on the Court of Appeals — we encourage the Senate to show him the same wide support now. ___ Payton Alexander serves as a policy analyst for The LIBRE Initiative.
Mercedes hastens shift to electric cars as combustion era fades
Mercedes-Benz is accelerating its rollout of battery-powered autos in a race to meet tighter emissions rules as European buyers turn away from fuel-efficient diesel cars. In a $10.8 billion project, the world’s largest luxury-carmaker intends to release 10 new electric vehicles by 2022, three years earlier than a target announced at the Paris auto show in September. The expedited time frame reflects the urgency facing manufacturers as they brace for a shift away from traditional automotive technologies. Combustion engines would continue to be refined for a “transitional period,” Mercedes parent Daimler AG Chairman Manfred Bischoff said Wednesday. “We want to shape the profound transformation of the automotive industry from the forefront,” Bischoff said at the company’s annual shareholder meeting in Berlin. “Further fundamental changes will be required for Daimler to remain successful,” as the industry adjusts to cars with electric motors and capable of self-driving. The faster pace comes as the industry battles a backlash against diesel cars stemming from Volkswagen AG’s cheating scandal. Daimler has been embroiled with German prosecutors investigating the Stuttgart-based automaker’s employees over diesel-manipulation allegations. The technology is key for meeting increasingly stringent rules for lower carbon-dioxide emissions. Daimler is “naturally” cooperating with authorities on the diesel probe, CEO Dieter Zetsche said last week in his first public comments on the matter since the investigation became public on March 22. He repeated that Germany’s motor authority and transport ministry found no violations in their tests of Daimler vehicles. After achieving steady reductions in CO2 emissions in previous years, Daimler struggled in 2016 with levels in Europe steady at 123 grams per kilometer as buyers favored larger vehicles. In its home region, Daimler needs to reach 100 grams per kilometer by 2021 or face fines. Flat emissions German diesel demand in December fell to the lowest level since September 2010, accounting for 43 percent of total sales, according to the Center for Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Early signs of carmakers shifting focus from combustion engines are showing, Germany’s IG Metall union said after conducting a survey of manufacturers and suppliers in Daimler’s home state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. “Among development teams, especially in diesel, there are signs there’s less to do as electrification is starting to have an impact,” said Roman Zitzelsberger, a union representative on Daimler’s supervisory board. “We found there are fewer follow-up requests and general degree of activity.” Like other automakers trying to prepare for a future of electric self-driving cars, Daimler is focusing investments on future technologies at the expense of short-term profits. The company plans to spend more than $1.7 billion on its global battery production facilities, about half of which will go to a subsidiary in Kamenz, Germany. To bridge the gap toward an era of fully electric vehicles, Daimler is continuing to develop plug-in hybrids. Mercedes already has eight such models for sale, with upcoming versions set to include a new hybrid S-Class sedan with an extended battery range of as much as 31 miles. “It is necessary to do one thing without stopping with the other,” said Zetsche. “That’s why we are strengthening both: the new and the old.” Republished with permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
Alabama Small Business Development Center has big impact
The Alabama Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network was recognized recently for its role in helping thousands of small businesses in Alabama, as part of national “SBDC Day” to share the impact SBDCs have in communities across the country. The Alabama program is an accredited member of America’s SBDC, the largest and most comprehensive business assistance network in the U.S. “Alabama fosters an environment that allows small business enterprises to put down roots and thrive,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “The Alabama SBDC Network leverages resources from Alabama’s higher education institutions and is a vital part of the state of Alabama’s support system to help small firms succeed. “Their programs for capital access, government contracting and international trade are important for small business growth and help sustain the state’s entrepreneurial culture.” Small business is a vital component of the Alabama economy. Approximately 97 percent of the state’s businesses are considered small, with fewer than 500 employees. More than 300,000 small businesses provide more than 765,000 jobs, representing almost half of the state’s workforce. Fostering growth Growing and sustaining the small business sector is a key component of the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Accelerate Alabama 2.0 strategic plan. Working in partnership with Commerce, the Alabama SBDC Network plays an important role in accomplishing the plan’s goal for fostering entrepreneurship and innovation. The Alabama SBDC provides confidential, no-cost technical assistance and is a proven resource for aspiring and emerging small business owners. Over the last five years, the SBDC assisted 10,710 small firms in Alabama and helped 987 new business startups. It facilitated access to $379.6 million in capital for small business expansion projects. Among the Alabama companies the SBDC has assisted are Creative Concepts, a candy maker; Motus Motorcycles, whose handcrafted bikes have smashed speed records; and Sun Charge Systems, which produces solar-powered benches that act as charging stations. In addition, clients of the SBDC’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) program reported winning $1.45 billion in government contracts during the five-year period. These efforts created and retained 4,359 jobs. Figures are supported by client attribution and are not projections or estimates. SBDC customers have experienced 12.9 percent sales growth vs. the national average of 3.4 percent and employment growth of 8.5 percent vs. the national average of 1.9 percent. The program also helps new business spinoffs from university and industry research. A majority of the participants in Alabama Launchpad and other pitch competitions receive help from the SBDC. As economic developers look at ways to help local existing industry, the Alabama SBDC Network is a viable resource with 10 offices and 25 professional business advisers. Many advisers are co-located with incubators and local economic development organizations and travel to meet business owners in all 67 counties. The program is hosted by the University of Alabama and participating institutions include Alabama State University, Auburn University, Jacksonville State University, Troy University, University of Alabama in Huntsville, University of North Alabama, University of South Alabama and the University of West Alabama. The SBDC is a partnership program with the Small Business Administration, the state of Alabama and higher education institutions. For more information on small business assistance, please contact Eddie Postell in the Small Business Division of the Alabama Department of Commerce and visit the SBDC website. This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
Alabama “puppy mill” bill gets a name — Atti’s Bill
Man’s best friend has two new allies in the Alabama Legislature — Jacksonville-Republican state Rep. K.L. Brown and Bessemer-Democrat state Sen. Priscilla Dunn. The duo introduced bills drafted by the Alabama Puppy Mill Project, HB45 and SB17, in their respective chambers, which require commercial breeders of dogs and cats to be licensed and inspected annually in hopes to put an end to inhumane practices like puppy mills. On Thursday both bills finally got a name, and face, of their own — Atti’s Bill. Named after rescue pup Atti, short for Atticus Finch, along with her sister from a breeder in Troy, Ala. The bill now carries Atti’s name. According to the Alabama Puppy Mill Project, “they were riddled with parasites and had Parvo. They did everything they could to give them every ounce of veterinary care they could to save their lives. They were both fighters but Atti succumbed to the Parvo and died several days later.” The bills have now been renamed in her honor and memory. While neither bill directly refers to “puppy mills” they would apply to cat and dog breeders who have more than 10 female animals. They’d have to be licensed and inspected by the Alabama Dog and Cat Breeders Commission, which the legislation also creates. The state Department of Agriculture and Industries would have jurisdiction over the commission and funding would be covered through breeders’ licensing fees. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASCPA), Alabama is one of only 20 states that doesn’t have regulations for puppy mills — a large-scale commercial dog breeding facility where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs. HB45/SB17 hopes to put an end to that.
Congress seen as not likely to pass tax overhaul quickly
After their humiliating loss on health care, Republicans in Congress could use a quick victory on a big issue. It won’t be an overhaul of the tax code. Overhauling the tax code could prove harder to accomplish than repealing and replacing Barack Obama‘s health law. Congressional Republicans are divided on significant issues, especially a new tax on imports embraced by House Speaker Paul Ryan. And the White House is sending contradicting signals on the new tax, adding to the uncertainty. House Republicans also can’t decide whether to move on from health care. Ryan canceled a scheduled vote on a House GOP plan after it became obvious that Republicans didn’t have the votes. He said he will continue to work on the issue but one of his top lieutenants on health care, Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, says he is now “100 percent” focused on a tax overhaul. Ryan says Congress can work on both at the same time. It won’t be easy. Here’s why: ___ REPUBLICAN DIVIDE House and Senate Republicans largely agree on the broad outlines of a tax overhaul. They want to lower tax rates for individuals and corporations, and make up the lost revenue by scaling back tax breaks. But they are sharply divided on a key tenet of the House Republican plan. The new “border adjustment tax” would be applied to profits from goods and services consumed in the U.S., whether they are domestically produced or imported. Exports would be exempt. House GOP leaders say the tax is key to lowering the top corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent. But good luck finding a single Republican senator who will publicly support the tax. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, is the latest in a long line of Republican senators to come out against the tax. ___ ABSENT DEMOCRATS Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, says he wants to work with Democrats to overhaul the tax code. “A bipartisan bill would allow us to put in place more lasting reforms and give the overall effort additional credibility,” Hatch said. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said it is bad policy to pass major legislation without bipartisan support. “Without some meaningful buy-in, you guarantee a food fight,” McConnell wrote in his memoir last year. “You guarantee instability and strife.” But in the House, Republicans haven’t reached out to Democrats in any meaningful way. ___ WHERE’S THE WHITE HOUSE? “Obviously we’re driving the train on this,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said. But President Donald Trump‘s administration has been all over the map on tax reform. Trump at one point said the House border tax is too complicated, then said it’s in the mix. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told a Senate panel that “there would be no absolute tax cut for the upper class” in Trump’s tax plan. However, the plan Trump unveiled during his presidential campaign would provide big tax breaks to high-income households. Since taking office, Trump has promised “massive” tax cuts for the middle class. A former Treasury official under President Barack Obama says the White House needs to stake out clear goals on tax overhaul to guide the debate in Congress. “I think it’s important for the administration to signal early the general shape” of what they would like to accomplish so that there are fewer proposals vying for attention, said Michael Mundaca, a former assistant Treasury secretary now at Ernst & Young. ___ TAX CHANGE IS DIFFICULT There is a reason it’s been 31 years since the last time Congress rewrote the tax code. Since then, the number of exemptions, deductions and credits has mushroomed. Taxpayers enjoyed $1.6 trillion in tax breaks in 2016 — more than the federal government collected in individual income taxes. That huge number could provide plenty of tax breaks that lawmakers can scale back so they can lower tax rates significantly. There is just one problem — all of the biggest tax breaks are very popular and have powerful constituencies. Nearly 34 million families claimed the mortgage interest deduction in 2016. That same year more than 43 million families took advantage of a deduction of state and local taxes. The House Republicans’ tax plan would retain the mortgage deduction and eliminate the deduction for state and local taxes. ___ HEALTH CARE Both Trump and Republicans in Congress made big campaign promises to repeal and replace Obama’s health law, so the issue won’t go away. However, several players say negotiations on a way forward are non-existent. In the meantime, Trump is stoking animosity among a key voting bloc by criticizing them on Twitter. Two factions in the House GOP had members oppose the health plan: the hard-right Freedom Caucus and the moderate Tuesday Group. Ryan has suggested that they get together to sort out their differences, but it’s not happening, according to one key lawmaker. “We are not currently negotiating with the Freedom Caucus. There was never a meeting scheduled with the Freedom Caucus. We will never meet with the Freedom Caucus,” said Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., a member of the Tuesday Group. Trump tweeted: “The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don’t get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018!” To quote a favorite saying of the president, Not nice. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
US ambassador Nikki Haley says ‘no love’ in dealings with Russia
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says there’s no question Russia was involved in the U.S. presidential election and insists President Donald Trump would fully support strong action against the Kremlin once investigations are complete. Speaking in television interviews broadcast Sunday, Nikki Haley contended there is no contradiction between her tough stance and Trump’s repeated public statements seeking to minimize Russia’s role. She said Trump “has not once” told her to stop “beating up on Russia.” She joins Defense Secretary James Mattis as Trump administration officials who have forcefully called out Russia for its actions during the 2016 U.S. campaign. “We don’t want any country involved in our elections, ever,” Haley said. “We need to be very strong on that.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied his country meddled in the 2016 contest between Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton. While Trump himself has said he believes Russian operatives hacked Democratic Party emails during the election, he has repeatedly lambasted as “fake news” any suggestion that he or his staff had connections to Russia. Trump continued his attacks over the weekend, tweeting: “It is the same Fake News Media that said there is ‘no path to victory for Trump’ that is now pushing the phony Russia story. A total scam!” He added on Sunday: “The real story turns out to be SURVEILLANCE and LEAKING! Find the leakers.” U.S. intelligence agencies report that Russia tried to help Trump’s campaign effort. The FBI as well as congressional committees are investigating whether the Russian government coordinated with Trump associates during the campaign. The White House is also trying to quell a firestorm over its behind-the-scenes role in helping the Republican chairman of the House intelligence committee, Rep. Devin Nunes, view secret intelligence reports that he says pointed to inappropriate leaking. Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the panel, went to the White House on Friday to view materials that he said were “precisely the same.” He declined on Sunday to describe the contents, but criticized the unorthodox disclosure to Nunes, suggesting that the material was more likely an “effort to deflect attention” and “create a cloud through which the public cannot see.” “Whenever they see the president use the word ‘fake,’ it should set off alarm bells,” Schiff said. “I think that’s really what going on here.” Trump as president persuaded Haley to leave the governorship of South Carolina to represent the U.S. at the United Nations. She said she was “beating up on Russia” over issues such as its actions in Crimea and its dispute with Ukraine. When asked if she believes Trump should publicly take a harder Russia stance, she said: “Of course, he’s got a lot of things he’s doing.” “There’s no love or anything going on with Russia right now,” Haley said. “They get that we’re getting our strength back, that we’re getting our voice back and that we’re starting to lead again, and, honestly, at the United Nations, that’s the No. 1 comment I get is that they’re just so happy to see the United States lead again.” Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who chairs the Armed Services Committee, said it was indisputable that Russia attempted to influence the U.S. election, reiterating his call for a special select committee. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he didn’t think another review was necessary, citing the bipartisan work from the Senate Intelligence Committee. “I think they clearly laid out that they’re going wherever the facts take them,” McConnell said, referring to Republican chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina and Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the panel. “We don’t need yet another investigation. We know the FBI is looking at it from their perspective.” Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press secretary, said Russia was not worried about what any U.S. investigation might reveal. “We insist that any blaming that Russia could have been interfering in domestic affairs of the United States is slander,” he said. Haley, Peskov and McCain appeared on ABC’s “This Week,” Haley also was on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Schiff spoke on CNN’s “State of the Union,” and McConnell appeared on “Fox News Sunday” and NBC’s “Meet The Press.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
