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☆ Group of Democrats call on Blinken to provide answers on bypassing Congress to approve arms sales to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —A group of 19 predominantly Democratic lawmakers is calling on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to provide answers about why he bypassed Congress last month to approve arms sales to Israel. The top US diplomat made two emergency determinations in December to immediately approve the transfer hundreds of millions of dollars in military equipment to Israel. In their letter, the lawmakers noted the rarity of administrations using emergency declarations to immediately approve arms sales without congressional approval. “Use of a national emergency waiver does not exempt the U.S. government from assessing whether arms sales are consistent with” those standards, they wrote. I would say that the process that the secretary followed and the process that we follow here at the State Department is the process that the law actually prescribed,” Miller said at a State Department briefing.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Joe Biden, Independent Sen, Bernie Sanders, Democratic Sens, Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley, Peter Welch, James McGovern, Earl Blumenauer, Joaquin Castro, Judy Chu, Raúl, Pramila Jayapal, Barbara Lee, Betty McCollum, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Delia Ramirez, Jan Schakowsky, Jill Tokuda, Maxine Waters, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Leahy, credibly, “ Israel, ”, ’, “, Matt Miller, ” Miller Organizations: CNN, UN, Independent, Democratic, State Department, Leahy, ”, Department Locations: Israel, Gaza, Hamas

☆ Where is Robert Card? Manhunt for Lewiston, Maine shooting suspect comes with challenges
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Dakin Andone | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Card is a certified firearms instructor, law enforcement officials in Maine told CNN. Lewiston Police Department identified Robert Card as a "person of interest" involved in the Lewiston shooting. “I would say living up in Maine he has more outdoor experience than most people get in their bootcamp experience in the Army,” D’Amico said. His careful planningSeveral law enforcement experts also pointed to what they said was evidence of careful planning by the suspect. Those are unknowns,” said CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller.

Persons: Robert Card, Maine’s, ”, Jonathan Wackrow, he’s, Clifford Steeves, Rob D’Amico, D’Amico, Michael Harrison, ” Harrison, Steeves, Chellie Pingree, “, ” D’Amico, “ He’s, Juliette Kayyem, Wackrow, John Miller, ” Miller, who’s Organizations: CNN, US Army, Army, Card’s Army Reserve Unit, Lewiston Police, Lewiston Police Department, FBI, CNN Card, Army Reserves, US, Subaru, Intelligence Locations: Maine, Lewiston, Portland, Baltimore, Lisbon

☆ US Farm Agency Finalizes Rule to Require Outdoor Access for Organic Chickens
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Leah DouglasWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday issued long-awaited final regulations to standardize living conditions of organic livestock and require that chickens raised organically have regular access to outdoor pasture. The rule will close loopholes that allowed some organic egg producers to meet outdoor access requirements for organic egg-laying hens with open-air porches, rather than pasture. "It's fair to say that this is the most significant update in organic regulations in over 30 years," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on a call with reporters. The USDA received more than 40,000 written comments on a draft version of the rule, Vilsack said, many dealing with the provisions that dictate minimum indoor and outdoor space requirements for livestock. Producers must comply with the rule within a year, but have five years to comply with certain provisions like the outdoor access requirement for laying hens.

Persons: Leah Douglas WASHINGTON, Tom Vilsack, Vilsack, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Chellie Pingree, ‘, Pingree, Leah Douglas, Tom Polansek, Chris Reese Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, USDA, Producers, Democratic Locations: Maine, U.S, Europe, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Washington, Chicago

Elected officials in Maine reacting to initial reports of the shooting in Lewiston expressed concern about the violence that had visited their community and shared words of sympathy with the friends and relatives of those caught in the shooting. A spokesman for Senator Angus King said that President Biden had reached out to the senator and pledged any federal assistance needed for the state. Janet Mills of Maine said on X that she had been “briefed on the active shooter situation” and urged residents to follow the directions of law enforcement. President Biden was briefed “on what’s known so far about the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, and will continue to receive updates,” the White House said in a statement. Our leaders must act.”Reid J. Epstein , Víctor Manuel Ramos and Ben Shpigel contributed reporting.

Persons: Chellie Pingree, Maine, Angus King, Mr, King, Biden, Susan Collins, ”, we’ve, Collins, Janet Mills, “, Jared Golden, Gabrielle Giffords, ” Reid J, Epstein, Víctor Manuel Ramos, Ben Shpigel Organizations: Gov, Democrat Locations: Maine, Lewiston, Lewiston , Maine, Arizona

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A bipartisan coalition of U.S. lawmakers has introduced a proposal designed to cut food waste in half by 2030. The lawmakers submitted their legislation on Thursday and said it would improve collaboration between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and regional waste prevention and food recovery organizations. The lawmakers said the proposal would also support new technological innovations and bolster the federal government's approach to food waste. Pingree said an estimated 30% to 40% of the U.S. food supply is discarded every year, and that is both bad for the environment and a contributor to food insecurity. Pingree said the proposal "would strengthen the federal government’s approach to food loss by tackling waste in every step of our food system - from prevention research and education to composting and donation programs.”The proposal would also establish an Office of Food Loss and Waste within the USDA.

Persons: Chellie Pingree, Mike Lawler, Democratic Sen, Chris Coons, Republican Sen, Jerry Moran of, Pingree Organizations: U.S, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Democratic, Republican, U.S . House, U.S . Senate Locations: PORTLAND, Maine, Chellie Pingree of Maine, New York, U.S, Delaware, Jerry Moran of Kansas

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