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☆ House GOP embroiled in escalating primary feuds with majority on line
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Manu Raju | Melanie Zanona | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

For more on House Republican primary infighting, watch “Inside Politics with Manu Raju” on Sunday at 8 a.m. Washington CNN —GOP Rep. Don Bacon has had it with the far-right of his conference. Now McCarthy allies in the House GOP Conference are considering giving a boost to Aaron Dimmock, the retired Navy officer facing off against Gaetz in the August 20 primary. And while the outcomes in most of these primary races won’t impact the GOP’s efforts to keep the majority, they will shape the makeup of the next House Republican Conference and how they pursue their agenda. Several of Gonzales' colleagues in the House are backing a GOP primary challenger in his race for reelection.

Persons: Manu Raju ”, Don Bacon, They’ve, Republicans —, Bob Good, “, Bob Good’s, ” Bacon, we’ve, Tony Gonzales, Matt Gaetz, Good —, Adam Morgan, William Timmons, Kevin McCarthy, John McGuire, McCarthy, Mike Johnson, Dan Newhouse, Donald Trump, MAGA, Scott Perry, Jerrod, Gaetz —, McCarthy —, Gaetz, Aaron Dimmock, Derrick Van Orden, tubby ”, Chip Roy, Samuel Corum, Trump, ”, Ralph Norman, Morgan, Timmons, Joe Biden, Sen, Tony Vargas, Bacon, Dan Frei —, Lee Terry, “ He’s, ” Frei, Frei, Eric Underwood, Underwood, Bacon doesn’t, ” Underwood, he’s, Frei mailer, it’s, Gonzales, Tom Williams, Sarah Chamberlain, McGuire, Good’s, Steve Bannon, I’ve, ” Johnson, that’s, undercutting, CNN’s Jeff Zeleny, Sheden Tesfaldet Organizations: Republican, Washington CNN, GOP, Republicans, Nebraska Republican, CNN, Congress, Caucus, Rep, Good, Washington, Trump, Freedom Caucus, House GOP Conference, Navy, Gaetz, ”, Wisconsin Republican, Capitol, Getty, House Republican Conference, Democratic, Nebraska Republican Party, Nebraska Republicans, “, mailer, Republican Main Street Partnership, Nebraska GOP Locations: Nebraska, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, Ukraine

☆ Devastating tornadoes rip through Nebraska and Iowa, sending crews searching flattened homes as storm threat continues
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Aya Elamroussi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The severe weather threat is expected to continue through Sunday, with Saturday possibly being the most dangerous day. Strong tornadoes are possible from Michigan to Texas, including in Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Dallas, Milwaukee, Chicago and Austin. What to expect SaturdayMore than 50 million people are under the threat of severe weather Saturday from the Southern Plains into the Great Lakes region. “A complex but potentially significant severe weather episode is expected on Saturday,” the Weather Prediction Center said Friday. The tornado threat could ramp up considerably through the late afternoon and evening hours with “multiple strong tornadoes” possible, according to the prediction center.

Persons: “, Todd Schmaderer, ”, Douglas, Margery A, Beck, Kim Reynolds Organizations: CNN, National Weather Service, Saturday, Omaha Police, Minden , Iowa Gov, Prediction, Oklahoma City, Tulsa Locations: Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan, Texas, Elkhorn, Omaha , Nebraska, South, Minden, Oklahoma City , Kansas City, Dallas, Milwaukee, Chicago, Austin, Omaha, City, Douglas County, Nebraska’s Shelby, Lincoln , Nebraska, Waverly, Minden , Iowa, Pottawattamie County, •, Waco, Southern, Plains, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Lower Mississippi Valley

☆ Opinion: How Trump plans to win the presidency
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Julian Zelizer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

A potentially successful multi-prong strategy with electoral, media, legal, legislative and third-party intervention appears to be in place. Julian Zelizer Larry LevantiWhile 2020 was about subverting the Electoral College, Trump has been trying to work the rules to his advantage in 2024. These tactics build on the ways that Trump’s campaign had moved to shift primary rules to favor him. Trump is also working the 24-hour cable news and social media ecosystem to his advantage. When a bipartisan group of senators pushed a right-of-center immigration and foreign aid bill, Trump rallied his House minions to subvert passage.

Persons: Julian Zelizer, Donald Trump, Julian Zelizer Larry Levanti, Trump, Joe Biden, —, Biden, MAGA, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Greene, Mike Johnson, Robert Kennedy Jr, Jill, Timothy Mellon — Organizations: CNN, Princeton University, New York Times, America, Twitter, Electoral College, Republicans, GOP, MAGA Republicans, FISA, Green, The New York Times, Inc, Cornel Locations: In Nebraska, New York, Trump’s, Ukraine

Right now, President Biden’s clearest path to re-election in November seems to run through the middle of the country. Nebraska is one of just two states that distributes electoral college votes proportionally rather than with a winner-take-all approach. That means that, even though it’s a largely conservative state, Nebraskans sometimes still give one of their five electoral votes to a Democrat, as they did for Mr. Biden in 2020. This year, Nebraska and the up-for-grabs nature of that one electoral vote has caught the attention of the right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk, former President Donald Trump and his supporters. In recent weeks, they’ve mobilized and are throwing Nebraska’s unique electoral system into flux.

Persons: Biden, it’s, Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump, they’ve Organizations: Mr Locations: Pennsylvania , Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska, . Nebraska

☆ Trump and allies pressure Nebraska to change how it awards electoral votes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Daniel Strauss | Jeff Zeleny | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump and his allies have ramped up pressure for Nebraska lawmakers to change the method the state divvies out electoral college votes, an effort that underscores just how narrow the race for 270 electoral votes could be in the November rematch with President Joe Biden. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk kicked off the effort on Tuesday, sending a message on social media urging Nebraska Republicans to act. For weeks, the Biden campaign has had its eye on Omaha and its one electoral vote. For all the talk of Biden’s blue wall of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, winning all three could still leave him short of 270 electoral votes. The 2020 census changed the map based on decreasing populations in Pennsylvania and Michigan, so one of Nebraska’s three electoral votes could become critical should there be a 269-269 tie with Trump.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Charlie Kirk, Jim Pillen, Trump, Jim Pillen of, Let’s, ”, Sen, John Arch, ” Arch, I’m, “, Jen Day, Biden, Megan Hunt, it’s, Jane Kleeb, Loren Lippincott, ” Lippincolt, Trump’s Organizations: CNN, Nebraska, Republicans, Conservative, Nebraska Republicans, Republican Gov, Truth, Republican, “, LB, Capitol, Omaha, Democratic, Nebraska Democratic, Lincoln Journal Star, Trump Locations: Jim Pillen of Nebraska, Nebraska, Lincoln, Omaha, ” Nebraska, Maine, Wisconsin , Michigan, Pennsylvania, Michigan

As rural hospitals continue to struggle financially, a new type of hospital is slowly taking root, especially in the Southeast. Saving rural careThat was the case for Irwin County Hospital in Ocilla, Georgia, which was the second rural emergency hospital established in the U.S. “But ... we felt like we had to try.”Irwin County Hospital became a rural emergency hospital on Feb. 1, 2023. “We might have been closed if we hadn’t (become a rural emergency hospital), so ... something had to be done,” he said. Brock Slabach, the National Rural Health Association's chief operations officer, told the AP that upwards of 30 facilities are interested in converting to rural emergency hospitals this year.

Persons: Carrie Cochran, McClain, George Pink, Weeks, Scott Carver, he’d, ”, Quentin Whitwell, “ We’re, Whitwell, Carver, Traci Harper, Harper’s, “, ‘, Warren, Jared Chaffin, Amy Thimm, they’ll, Ron Te Brink, Chaffin, “ That’s, Kenneth Williams, Williams, Williams isn’t, we’ve, Pink, it’s, Cochran, Brock Slabach, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: National Rural Health Association, U.S, University of North, Sheps, for Health Services Research, Health Research Program, Irwin County Hospital, Hospital, Progressive Health Systems, Warren Memorial Hospital, Alliance Healthcare, Centers, Medicare, Associated Press, National Rural Health Association's, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: Southeast, Rural, Nebraska, Florida, Ocilla , Georgia, U.S, ” Irwin, Jacksonville , Florida, Holly Springs , Mississippi, Memphis

☆ Caitlin Clark-onomics and the new era of profitability in college sports
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Clare Duffy | Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Caitlin Clark made history Thursday as women’s college basketball’s all-time leading scorer. The total market for commercial NIL deals for college athletes is expected to reach an estimated $200 million in 2024, according to Opendorse, an online platform that helps connect athletes with NIL deals. The growing public profiles of college athletes has also meant additional funds for their schools and athletics programs. TickPick estimates the game will be the most expensive in women’s college basketball history. This past Sunday, Nebraska’s victory over Iowa in Lincoln attracted 1.7 million viewers — the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever on Fox Sports.

Persons: Caitlin Clark, Clark, ”, Patrick Rishe, St . Louis, “, Caitlin Clark’s, ” Rishe, ” Sam Weber, Angel Reese, Flau’jae Johnson, On3, Spotrac, Weber, Tiger Woods, LeBron James, doesn’t, ” Weber, maxing, you’ve Organizations: New, New York CNN, Gatorade, Nike, State Farm, WNBA, “, Washington University, Farm, CNN, LSU, NBA, Iowa Hawkeyes women’s, Iowa, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State, Fox Sports, Women Locations: New York, Iowa, St ., Iowa City, StubHub, Lincoln

(AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker who tanked an effort last year by his fellow Republicans to pass a near-total abortion ban has given top priority this year to a bill that would allow abortions beyond the state's 12-week ban in cases of fatal fetal anomalies. The bill by state Sen. Merv Riepe would amend Nebraska’s 12-week abortion ban, passed last year, to allow abortions in cases when a fetus is unable to survive outside the womb. The diagnosis and abortion must come before 20 weeks of pregnancy — a timeline consistent with Nebraska's previous 20-week ban on abortions. In Nebraska, advocates are trying to collect about 125,000 signatures needed by July 5 to put a constitutional amendment before voters to protect abortion rights until fetal viability. On the national stage, Democrats see the issue of abortion rights as a major driver in a presidential election year.

Persons: LINCOLN, Sen, Merv Riepe, Roe, Wade, Kate Cox, Riepe, ” Riepe, “, Adelle Burk, Burk, “ They're, ” Organizations: —, U.S, Texas Supreme, Democrat, Nebraska, Republican Locations: Neb, Nebraska, U.S ., Texas

Jim Pillen reversed course on Monday and announced that the state will accept roughly $18 million in federal funding to help feed hungry children over the summer break. “They talked about being hungry, and they talked about the summer USDA program and, depending upon access, when they'd get a sack of food,” Pillen said. A bill from state Sen. Jen Day of Omaha, a Democrat in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, would have forced the state to accept the federal funding. Kim Reynolds criticized the federal food program as doing “nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic." Pillen said Monday that Nebraska officials had already reached out to the USDA to confirm that the state would participate this year.

Persons: LINCOLN, Jim Pillen, Pillen, “, they'd, ” Pillen, ”, —, Sen, Jen, Ray Aguilar, Aguilar, Kim Reynolds, Reynolds, State Sen, Megan Hunt, ” Hunt Organizations: —, — Nebraska Gov, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Capitol, SNAP, Summer Food Service, Democrat, Republican, Nebraska, State, USDA Locations: Neb, — Nebraska, Nebraska, Pillen's, Omaha, Grand, Iowa

Nebraska is among more than a dozen states — all with Republican governors — that have opted out of receiving the funding. Kim Reynolds criticized the federal food program as doing “nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showing a steady increase in food insecurity among Nebraska families could help explain that flood of calls, Day said. “This places Nebraska above the national average and gives us the 11th highest food insecurity in the nation,” she said. “As many of you know, food is more expensive than ever, and it’s squeezing low-income Nebraska residents hardest."

Persons: Weeks, Jim Pillen, “, Omaha Sen, Jen Day, —, Kim Reynolds, Sen, Ray Aguilar, Aguilar, Day, Pillen Organizations: Republican Gov, Legislature's, Human Services Committee, SNAP, Democrat, Nebraska Legislature, Republican, Statistics, U.S . Department, Agriculture, Summer Food Service Program, U.S . Department of Agriculture Locations: Nebraska, Omaha, Iowa, Grand, U.S

(AP) — Longtime Omaha community activist Preston Love Jr. has announced he is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts for the seat Ricketts was appointed to fill last year. Love, 81, launched his campaign Wednesday in north Omaha before a crowd of about 100 with the endorsements of some of the state's top Democrats, including state party executive director Precious McKesson and state Sen. Tony Vargas. Ricketts also gave more than $1 million to the political action committee Conservative Nebraska, which ran a slew of attack ads against Pillen’s primary opponents. It is the second time the state party has backed Love for the Senate seat — although the first time came under unusual, scandal-plagued circumstance. Love is the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Black Votes Matter Institute of Community Engagement and an adjunct professor of Black studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Persons: —, Preston Love Jr, Sen, Pete Ricketts, Ricketts, Precious McKesson, Tony Vargas, Vargas, Don Bacon, Love, haven't, Lyndon, Johnson, Ricketts —, “ I'm, Jim Pillen, Ben Sasse, Pillen, Chris Janicek, Brad Ashford, Alisha Shelton, Nebraska’s, Sasse Organizations: — Longtime, Democratic, Republican U.S, Congress, Republican, GOP, Senate, “, United, Republican Gov, University of Florida, Conservative Nebraska, Democrats, U.S . Rep, of Community, University of Nebraska Locations: OMAHA, Neb, — Longtime Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S, United States, Love

UNCHARTED WATERS Airlines Race Toward a Future of Powering Their Jets With Corn Carriers want to replace jet fuel with ethanol to fight global warming. Corn 2022 N.D. MINN. WIS. S.D. Corn 2022 N.D. MINN. WIS. S.D. Corn 2022 N.D. MINN. WIS. S.D. Corn 2022 N.D. MINN. WIS. S.D.

Persons: “, ”, Jeffrey Broberg, Biden, Jake Wildman, Wildman, Lauren Riley, Amelia DeLuca, Todd Becker, United’s, Seager, et, Roy Stoltenberg, It’s, “ It’s, Mr, Stoltenberg, John, Stoltenberg douses, Megan Konar, Matt Jennen, midcentury, we’ve, Chad Friese, I’m, John Hansen, Mary, sighed Organizations: Jets, Carriers, Minnesota Well, Organization, United Airlines, Delta, New York Times, Farmers, IOWA NEB, MINN, Water Resources Research, Department of Agriculture, ”, U.S . Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, Aviation, Delta Air Lines, Ethanol Company, University of Illinois, Ethanol, ” Industry, Nebraska Farmers Union, Sunrise, Reserve Locations: America, Ohio, Washington, Minnesota, Nebraska, MINN, WIS, MICH, IOWA, IOWA NEB . OHIO, . MO, KAN . MO, KAN, In Kansas, Glenwood, Minn, ”, Japan, Germany, U.S, Chippewa, Benson, Omaha, ., KAN ., Cairo, Neb, Iowa, Wisconsin, University of Illinois Urbana, Champaign, Wood, China, Foxhome, Platte, . Nebraska

(AP) — An effort to enshrine abortion rights in the Nebraska Constitution is being launched, following on the heels of successful efforts in other reds states where Republicans had enacted or sought abortion restrictions. Protect Our Rights, the coalition behind the effort, submitted proposed petition language to the Nebraska Secretary of State's office late last month. That's proving consistent in other states where voters have backed abortion rights — including in Ohio, where voters last week resoundingly approved an amendment to the state constitution to protect abortion access. Paige Brown, a spokesperson for the Nebraska Catholic Conference that has lobbied hard for abortion restrictions, telegraphed that abortion opponents are aware of the public pushback. Ashley All, who helped lead the effort in Kansas to protect abortion rights, echoed that warning, noting Kansas voters rejected that state's anti-abortion effort by nearly 20 percentage points.

Persons: “ We're, ”, Ashlei Spivey, Spivey, ” Spivey, Roe, Wade, resoundingly, Paige Brown, “, Brown, ” Brown, Jim Pillen, Sen, Merve Riepe, Ashley All Organizations: Nebraska, American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, Women's, U.S, Supreme, Republican, Nebraska Catholic Conference, Nebraska Gov Locations: OMAHA, Neb, Nebraska, Omaha, Ohio, “ Ohio, Kansas

Crop Watch producers reported quick harvest progress in the first week of October, and soybeans were the prime beneficiary as many areas are close to wrapping up those efforts. Five Crop Watch soybean fields were harvested between last Monday and Sunday, three with slightly better than expected results and two with notably worse ones. Just two Crop Watch soybean fields await harvest: Ohio and North Dakota. Average Crop Watch corn yield remains unchanged at 3.61, and there were no adjustments to any individual scores this week. Only four of the 11 Crop Watch corn fields have been harvested as of Monday morning, and the most recent one was completed on Sept. 29.

Persons: Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Crop Watch, Nebraska and, Crop, Crop Watch, Watch, South Dakota, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, Ohio, North Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nebraska and South Dakota, South Dakota, South, Kingsbury , South Dakota, Freeborn , Minnesota, Burt , Nebraska, Rice , Kansas, Audubon , Iowa, Cedar , Iowa, Warren , Illinois, Crawford , Illinois, Tippecanoe , Indiana, Fairfield , Ohio, The North Dakota, Griggs County, Stutsman County

(AP) — As Nebraska's new law restricting gender-affirming care for minors goes into effect this weekend, families with transgender children and the doctors who treat them are steeling themselves for change. A key aspect of the law is a set of treatment guidelines that has yet to be created. Minors who already receive puberty blockers or hormones are allowed to continue the treatment, but new patients who are minors are largely banned from starting. At the time, Nebraska lawmakers were locked in a contentious battle over the proposed transgender health care ban, which touched off an epic filibuster that slowed the session to a crawl. At least 22 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those states face lawsuits.

Persons: LINCOLN, ”, Heather Rhea, “ There's, we'll, who've, Timothy Tesmer, Jim Pillen, Pillen, Lucifer, Sen, John Cavanaugh, “, ” Cavanaugh, Heather Rhea's, Nola Rhea, Rhea, She's, Dr, Alex Dworak, ” Dworak, Tesmer, Dworak Organizations: The American Academy of Pediatrics, Republican Gov, Republican, Nebraska Department of Health, Human Services, Nebraska, University of Nebraska, OneWorld Community Health Centers, Associated Press, Department of Health, U.S, Circuit Locations: Neb, Nebraska, Lincoln, Omaha, Minnesota, An Arkansas

Romulo Lollato, a wheat agronomist for Kansas State University, examines wheat in a field on an annual crop tour, near Washington, Kansas, U.S., May 16, 2023. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts 2023 corn yield in Illinois will be similar to that of 2021. USDA pegs Iowa’s corn yield just below 2021’s record, which also came amid dry conditions with well-timed showers. The tour uses a rough corn yield calculation, though it does not estimate soybean yield. Final soybean yield across the whole of Nebraska last year was the lowest since 2012 and 18% below the 2019-2021 average.

Persons: Romulo Lollato, Tom Polansek, Pro Farmer, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Kansas State University, REUTERS, Rights, Farmer, U.S . Department, Agriculture, Pro, Farm Journal Media, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington , Kansas, U.S, Rights NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois , Iowa , Nebraska , Minnesota , Indiana , Ohio, South Dakota, Nebraska

☆ How States Are Threading the Needle on Flag Design
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Mitch Smith | Sarah Almukhtar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

But it found that changing a state flag to make it stand out from the crowd is not a simple process. How States Are Threading the Needle on Flag Design Mitch Smith reported on the Utah flag from Centerville, Orem and Salt Lake City. And they don’t look like any other state’s flag. A version of Maine’s 1901 flagIn Michigan, a lawmaker suggested a panel to consider new flag designs. Some Utahns have already adopted the new flag design, even though it doesn’t officially become the state flag until next year.

Persons: Mitch Smith, Sarah Almukhtar, Brad Holdaway, SuAnn Taylor, “ They’re, Mr, Holdaway, Utahns, of Jesus Christ, Spencer Cox, Cox, Kim Raff, The New York Times “, ” Ted Kaye, NAVA, ” Mr, Kaye, Elizabeth Goodspeed, ”, Goodspeed, “ Hope, Laura Scofield, Doris Turner, Illinois ’, doesn’t, Chad Saunders Organizations: Republican, Beehive State, of Jesus, Gov, The New York Times, American Vexillological Association, Texas, Lone, Capitol, Democrat, Lone Star State Locations: Utah, Centerville, Orem, Salt Lake City, U.S.A, Illinois, Maine , Michigan, Minnesota, California, Rhode Island’s, Nebraska, Texas, California’s, Carolina’s, Maryland , California, South Carolina, New Mexico, South Dakota, Florida, Louisiana, Louisiana . Mississippi, Mississippi, Maine, Michigan, Utah In Utah

☆ Nebraska Teen Who Used Pills to End Pregnancy Gets 90 Days in Jail
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Michael Levenson | More About Michael Levenson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A Nebraska teenager who used abortion pills to terminate her pregnancy was sentenced on Thursday to 90 days in jail after she pleaded guilty earlier this year to illegally concealing human remains. The teenager, Celeste Burgess, 19, and her mother, Jessica Burgess, 42, were charged last year after the police obtained their private Facebook messages, which showed them discussing plans to end the pregnancy and “burn the evidence.”Prosecutors said the mother had ordered abortion pills online and had given them to her daughter in April 2022, when Celeste Burgess was 17 and in the beginning of the third trimester of her pregnancy. The two then buried the fetal remains themselves, the police said. Jessica Burgess pleaded guilty in July to violating Nebraska’s abortion law, furnishing false information to a law enforcement officer and removing or concealing human skeletal remains. She faces up to five years in prison at her sentencing on Sept. 22, according to Joseph Smith, the top prosecutor in Madison County, Neb.

Persons: Celeste Burgess, Jessica Burgess, Joseph Smith Organizations: ” Prosecutors Locations: Nebraska, Madison County, Neb

☆ See the States That Have Passed Laws Directed at Young Trans People
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Francesca Paris | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Not all the laws passed this year have gone into effect yet. Several states have prohibited only certain parts of gender-affirming care. Advocates for trans care have sued in numerous states over these laws, and other Democratic-led states have passed laws protecting transition care for young people. The bill led some providers of gender-affirming care to temporarily suspend their services to adults. And several states have banned Medicaid from covering transition care for adults.

Organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, Democratic Locations: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Nebraska, West

☆ Nebraska legislature passes bill to restrict abortions at 12 weeks, gender-affirming care for those under 19
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Jack Forrest | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A Nebraska bill combining a ban on most abortions after 12 weeks and restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender Nebraskans under 19 is poised to become law after the state’s unicameral legislature voted for its passage Friday. It will also severely restrict most abortions at 12 weeks after legislators added a last-minute amendment to the bill on May 17. The bill makes it illegal for medical personnel to perform an abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy — with exceptions for sexual assault, incest and medical emergencies. The bill does not define “medical emergency.”The bill also bans a range of treatments that fall under the umbrella of gender affirming care. Others, like puberty blockers and other hormone treatments, are the standard of care for many trans and nonbinary youth.

☆ Nebraska to Vote on Restrictions on Abortion and Transgender Care for Minors
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Ernesto Londoño | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Nebraska lawmakers were expected to vote on Friday on a bill addressing two of the most fraught issues in state legislative sessions around the nation this year: access to abortion and medical care for transgender youth. During the final days of a session that was notable for vociferous debate and persistent filibustering over the two issues, conservative legislators bundled provisions restricting access to both forms of medical treatment into a single bill. A vote was expected to take place on Friday afternoon in Nebraska’s single-house Legislature, which is nominally nonpartisan but dominated by Republicans. 574, includes looser restrictions than the original provisions that Republicans sought to pass. Republicans saw it as a compromise, while Democrats were furious about what they saw as a last-minute scramble to revive restrictions on abortion.

☆ Dr. LeRoy Carhart, Fierce Defender of Abortion Rights, Dies at 81
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Alex Traub | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Around 30 states, including Nebraska, outlawed the procedure. It was one that Dr. Carhart said he never used and that he described as “distasteful.” Nevertheless, he believed that the wording of the law was so broad that it could render illegal other types of abortions, and he sued Nebraska’s attorney general, Don Stenberg. Dr. Carhart became the lead plaintiff in two Supreme Court cases. When the George W. Bush administration enacted the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, Dr. Carhart sued again. The Supreme Court reversed course, however, with the author of the decision, Justice Anthony Kennedy, arguing that the federal law “expresses respect for the dignity of human life.”

Republicans in conservative states have sought to balance pressure from their base to place more restrictions on abortion with broader support for the right to end a pregnancy. Public support for legal abortion has climbed to 65 percent this year from 55 percent in 2010, according to recent polling from the Public Religion Research Institute. Majorities of residents in 43 states say that abortion should be legal in most cases. Around 63 percent of Republicans said abortion should be illegal in most or all cases, according to the PRRI poll. “What Republicans need to do is get to a place where they talk less about the extremes.”

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Using the U.S. government’s latest estimates, Argentina’s corn and soy yields are set to fall 29% and 33%, respectively, from the long-term trends. Corn and soy yields fell 13% and 28% below trend in 2009, respectively, and they each fell 24% in 2018. Corn and soy yields: Argentina, Brazil, USAUSAComparable U.S. drought events include 1988 and 2012, where corn yields fell a respective 28% and 24% below trend. The only other year since where corn losses came anywhere close was 1993, when extreme flooding cut corn yield by 19%. Corn yields fell more than 40% below trend in Illinois and Indiana in 2012, and in Iowa and Minnesota in 1993.

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