DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ All the GOP politicians who've flocked to Trump's Manhattan trial to support him
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Sen. Rick Scott was the first elected Republican to show up. He ended up missing a vote. Florida Sen. Rick Scott walks behind Trump at the trial on May 9. Jeenah Moon/Pool Photo via APOn Thursday, May 9, Sen. Rick Scott of Florida became the first elected Republican to show up to the trial. The Florida senator, who's up for reelection in November, ended up missing a procedural vote on the bill later that day.

Persons: Sen, Rick Scott, Florida Sen, Jeenah, Rick Scott of, Scott, who's, Debbie Mucarsel Powell Organizations: Republican, Trump, Federal Aviation Administration, Democratic Locations: Rick Scott of Florida, Florida

☆ Senate Races to Pass Bill to Reauthorize F.A.A. and Improve Air Travel
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Kayla Guo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Senate is racing against a Friday deadline to pass legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration at a moment of intense uncertainty and disruption in the air travel system, but a host of policy disputes and unrelated issues are threatening to prolong the debate. As one of the few remaining bills considered a must-pass item this year, the F.A.A. package has become a magnet for dozens of amendments and policy riders that lawmakers are fighting for a vote on, which has slowed its progress in the Senate. and another $738 million to the National Transportation Safety Board for airport modernization, technology programs and safety. It also would bolster the hiring and training of air traffic controllers, codify airlines’ refund obligations to passengers and strengthen protections for passengers with disabilities.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, “ Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, Senate, National Transportation Safety Board Locations: New York

☆ Surveillance Law Section 702 Keeps Us Safe - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Matthew Waxman | Adam Klein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

This is an extraordinarily dangerous time for the United States and our allies. Civil libertarians argued that the surveillance bill erodes Americans’ privacy rights and pointed to examples when American citizens got entangled in investigations. The result preserves critical intelligence powers while protecting Americans’ privacy rights in our complex digital age. At the center of the debate is the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. That way, the government can efficiently obtain from communication providers the calls and messages of large numbers of foreign targets — 246,073 in 2022 alone.

Persons: Israel’s unpreparedness Organizations: Foreign Intelligence, Google Locations: United States

☆ Senate passes reauthorization of a key U.S. surveillance program after midnight deadline
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

After its midnight deadline, the Senate voted early Saturday to reauthorize a key U.S. surveillance law after divisions over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans' data nearly forced the statute to lapse. The legislation approved 60-34 with bipartisan support would extend for two years the program known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. "If you miss a key piece of intelligence, you may miss some event overseas or put troops in harm's way," Sen. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said. One of the major changes detractors had proposed centered around restricting the FBI's access to information about Americans through the program. "I think that is a risk that we cannot afford to take with the vast array of challenges our nation faces around the world," Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Friday.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Biden's, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Ayman al, Sen, Marco Rubio, shouldn't, General Merrick Garland, Garland, Schumer, Dick Durbin, Durbin, Democratic Sen, Mark Warner Organizations: Homeland, U.S, Capitol, Foreign Intelligence, White House, FISA, Republican, Senate Intelligence, Justice Department, United, Justice, Biden, U.S . Capitol, Democratic Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, harm's, United States

The House has put a modified surveillance bill on track for final passage as soon as Friday, just days after an earlier version failed to advance in a public rebuke to GOP leadership. The House voted Friday morning to approve the rule governing debate surrounding the modified bill behind Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reauthorization, a key step before final passage. Greene was seen on the House floor speaking to Johnson, who later told reporters the two spoke about “all sorts of things.”“Marjorie and I agree on our conservative philosophy,” Johnson said. Johnson organized a classified reading room off the House floor for members to view classified information ahead of Friday’s vote, according to a GOP leadership aide. White House National Security communications adviser John Kirby reiterated the White House’s support for the reauthorization ahead of the final House floor vote expected later Friday.

Persons: Mike Johnson –, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Johnson, Greene, ” “ Marjorie, ” Johnson, “, Donald Trump, ”, Joe Biden, John Kirby, ” Kirby, Kirby, CNN’s Aileen Graef Organizations: Foreign Intelligence, GOP, Louisiana Republican, FISA, Trump, House, FBI, Senate, reauthorization, White, National Security Locations: Louisiana, Georgia, Ukraine, Florida, Iran

☆ A bloodthirsty ISIS branch is 'on the upswing' after the US left Afghanistan in a lurch, a former top commander says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementIn the years since the US and its NATO allies left Afghanistan, a particularly violent branch of the Islamic State terror group has grown stronger. During the first few years of its existence, ISIS-K attacks were mainly confined to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The first year under the Taliban's rule saw a sharp uptick in terror attacks inside Afghanistan. But that trend has changed in recent months; attacks inside the country declined while attacks beyond its borders have increased. Thus, the conditions inside Afghanistan have awarded the terror group space to develop a greater capacity to stage external attacks.

Persons: —, Joseph Votel, Hamid, Taylor Crul, Michael Kugelman, Kugelman, MARCUS YAM, Votel, that's, Doug Ellis, Qassem, STRINGER, Michael Kurilla, John Kirby, Biden, Kirby Organizations: Service, NATO, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S . Air Force, US Air Force, REUTERS ISIS, Islamic, ISIS, Department of Defense, Hamid, AP, South Asia Institute, Wilson, Kabul International Airport, ANGELES, US Central Command, Security Forces, Staff, Getty, White, National Security, Department, Defense Locations: Afghanistan, Moscow, Kabul, Handout, Khorasan Provence, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Washington, Darzab district, Jowzjan province, Mar, Iran, Central Asia, Iranian, Kerman, Europe, Russia, Islamic State, Crocus, American, Achin, Nangarhar Province

☆ What information is the government actually collecting under FISA?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

They scuttled House Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to extend the FISA Section 702 program with minimal tweaks. It is true that the FBI obtained warrants through FISA to wiretap Carter Page, an adviser to Trump’s first presidential campaign. According to the National Security Agency, 60% of what appears in the Presidential Daily Brief has some data that comes from the 702 program. The 702 program has been updated in the years since its inception, including in 2018, to include new protections to minimize Americans’ communications from being accessed without a warrant. Additionally, these proposals would bar the government from sidestepping warrant requirements by simply buying the data of Americans from so-called data brokers.

Persons: CNN —, Donald Trump, “, Mike Johnson’s, Carter, Trump’s, Trump, Read, Katie Bo Lillis, Johnson, Christopher Wray, ”, Leon Panetta Organizations: CNN, Foreign Intelligence, Trump, FISA, Republicans, FBI, Privacy, Civil, National Security Agency, Center for Justice, New York University, Brennan Center, Intelligence Community, National Intelligence, House, CIA, New Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, New York City

CNN —House conservatives revolted against GOP leadership and defeated a FISA rule vote on the floor Wednesday, the latest blow to Speaker Mike Johnson that comes after former President Donald Trump called on Republicans to kill the bill. “KILL FISA,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. Johnson told members at a closed-door conference meeting Wednesday morning that he spoke with Trump Tuesday night. But, according to members, Johnson told them they didn’t discuss FISA. In his call to “kill FISA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Donald Trump, Trump, “, ” Trump, Johnson, Matt Gaetz, Anna Paulina Luna, Tim Burchett, ”, Marjorie Taylor Greene, surveil Trump, Carter Page, ” Johnson, ” CNN’s Lauren Fox Organizations: CNN, GOP, FISA, Republicans, Foreign Intelligence, Reforming Intelligence, Republican, Florida GOP, Tennessee GOP, Trump, The Georgia Republican, Authority, National Defense, FBI, House Republicans, Truth Locations: Louisiana, Florida, Trump’s

☆ Trump is recreating his web of chaos at home and abroad in a preview of what a second term could look like
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Some top Democrats worry that Americans have forgotten the chaos that raged every day Donald Trump was president, and that voters’ faded recall of the uproar will end up handing him a second term. Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is threatening to topple Johnson if he dares to pass it. — Nationwide chaos is, meanwhile, spreading in the wake of the Trump-built Supreme Court conservative majority overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022. — Bipartisan efforts to solve a border crisis are in tatters after Trump’s House followers in February killed the most sweeping and conservative bill in years. Yet Trump has vowed to end the war in 24 hours if he wins a second term.

Persons: Donald Trump, ’, Trump, Mike Johnson, Ukraine –, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Johnson, Roe, Wade, Trump’s, Joe Biden, —, Johnson –, Lago Trump, bucked Johnson, Bill Barr, CNN’s Annie Grayer, ” Barr, ”, Barr, “ We’re, Greene, “, ” Greene, CNN’s Manu Raju, We’re, laud, Ronald Reagan’s, Vladimir Putin’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, don’t, CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen, Putin, Christopher Cavoli, ” Cavoli, Biden, majority’s handiwork, he’d, didn’t, –, he’s Organizations: CNN, GOP, Republican, Trump, Washington, Trump -, Mar, Foreign Intelligence, FBI, FISA, Kremlin, Ukraine, European Command, House Armed Services Committee, Arizona Locations: Ukraine, Arizona, tatters, America, Washington, Russia, Georgia, Florida, Russian, Mar, Alabama

☆ Biden embraces bully pulpit as he escalates fight against Trump and GOP over Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Arlette Saenz | Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —President Joe Biden is embracing his bully pulpit as he calls out resistance from former President Donald Trump and Republicans on Ukraine and Russia. In repeatedly assailing Trump and his party from the White House, Biden also hopes to illustrate the stakes of the upcoming election and demonstrate his own efforts to unite the west against Russian aggression. House Republicans have scuttled efforts to pass a bipartisan border security bill and additional assistance for Ukraine – both at Trump’s urging. “Trump gave an invitation to Putin to invade some of our ally, NATO allies,” Biden said earlier this month. Why can’t Trump just say that?” Biden said in a White House video released Tuesday.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Donald Trump’s, Alexey Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s, Biden, Putin, Navalny, ” Biden, “, ” Trump, assailing Trump, Strom Thurmond, “ I’ve, I’ve, Thurmond, segregationists, Strom, ” “ I’m, Mike Johnson, Trump, He’s, “ Trump, Abraham Lincoln, America, can’t Trump, he’s, they’re, ” Organizations: CNN, Republicans, House Republicans, Trump, San, Wednesday, White, Ukraine –, Democratic, United States Congress, ”, NATO, Super, Quinnipiac, Russia Locations: Ukraine, Russia, California, San Francisco, Israel, Palestinian, Los Angeles, Bay, White, Russian, United States, Avdiivka, Michigan , Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish

☆ Biden Calls Republicans in Congress ‘Worse’ Than Strom Thurmond
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Reid J. Epstein | More About Reid J. Epstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“I’ve served with real racists,” he said at an evening fund-raiser in California. “I’ve served with Strom Thurmond. I’ve served with all these guys that have set terrible records on race. “By the time Strom left, he did terrible things,” Mr. Biden said, according to a pool report. But he added that Mr. Thurmond ended up having more African Americans “in his staff than any other member in Congress.

Persons: Biden, “ I’ve, ”, Strom Thurmond, I’ve, Mr, Thurmond, Strom, “ Organizations: Southern Locations: California, South Carolina

☆ Passing at home, failing abroad: Grading Mike Johnson's first month as speaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

In late October, House Republicans settled on a little-known congressman as their next leader. AdvertisementMike Johnson has been the speaker of the House for just under a month now following a testy race to succeed ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Johnson's so-called "laddered" approach has been heavily criticized by congressional Democrats, Republicans, and even the White House, who called it an "unserious proposal." AdvertisementSection 702: FailFBI Director Christopher Wray speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, in Washington. AdvertisementWith just over a month left until the authorization expires, though, Johnson's been mum on the topic since becoming speaker.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, —, Johnson, here's, Tom Brenner, McCarthy, Biden, Tom Emmer, Elise Stefanik, Steve Scalise, Alex Wong, Volodymyr Zelensky, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Mandel Ngan, Michael McCaul, McCaul, Sandy Huffaker, Congress didn't, Christopher Wray, Evan Vucci, Jim Jordan, Johnson's, Patrick McHenry, Win McNamee, who's, he'd, McCarthy's Organizations: Republicans, Business, Service, The Washington, Getty, House Republican, Capitol, House Republicans, Internal Revenue Service, Democratic, White, Congress, Republican, Foreign Affairs Committee, American Farm Bureau Federation, Texas Farm Bureau, Foreign Intelligence, Associated Press, GOP Rep, FBI Locations: Israel, Gaza, Washington , DC, Ukraine, AFP, Mexico, Taiwan, California, Texas, Washington

director, said on Wednesday that the bureau had opened a slew of investigations into Hamas as it tries to thwart potential attacks and stymie financial support for the militant group. He added, “We’ve kept our sights on Hamas and have multiple investigations into individuals affiliated with that foreign terrorist organization.”Among those killed on Oct. 7 were about three dozen American citizens, with another 10 unaccounted for. In a heated exchange, Mr. Wray said neither F.B.I. “The answer is, emphatically not,” Mr. Wray said, his temper rising. “Your day is coming, Mr. Wray,” he said.

Persons: Christopher A, Wray, Mr, “ we’ve, “ We’ve, ” Mr, ”, Clay Higgins, peddled, Higgins Organizations: Homeland Security, Hamas, Islamic, Governmental Affairs, Republican, Capitol Locations: United States, Israel, Islamic State, Al Qaeda, Gaza, Louisiana

☆ The next House speaker will inherit a mountain of work that threatens the stability of their speakership before it even begins
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

House Republicans are still trying to figure out who they want as the next speaker. The new speaker will need to keep the government funded, pass Israel and Ukraine packages, and more. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . House Republicans began the secret voting process on Tuesday morning to whittle down the 8 remaining speaker candidates until only one remains. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe mountain of responsibilities the next speaker needs to urgently take care of is getting bigger and bigger.

Persons: It's, McCarthy, —, whittle, Kevin McCarthy, Biden, It'll Organizations: Republicans, Service, Biden Administration, Russian, Senate, Foreign Intelligence, GOP Locations: Israel, Ukraine

The program, called the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Program, or PEPFAR, started in 2003 by President George W. Bush. Congress missed the Sept. 30 deadline to renew funding for PEPFAR before it expired. The policy had not been included as a part of PEPFAR funding until 2017, when the Trump administration expanded the policy to include it as a part of the program. Advocates for PEPFAR contend the program does not directly or indirectly fund abortion services. For some countries, the health benefits of the PEPFAR program go beyond its mission of reducing the spread of AIDS.

Persons: George W, Joe Biden, PEPFAR, “, ”, Chris Smith, Biden, Ronald Reagan, Trump, Bush, George Ingram, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, reauthorization, Ingram, ” Ingram, Carlos del Rio Organizations: U.S, President’s, AIDS Relief, U.S . State Department, PEPFAR, Congress, House Republicans, Biden Administration, House Global Health, Senate, Senators, Republicans, Center for Sustainable Development, Brookings Institute, Kaiser Family Foundation, Program, Emory University School of Medicine, State, Committee, Infectious Diseases Society of America Locations: U.S, New Jersey, Mexico, Washington, Africa, China, Russia

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks on PEPFAR at World AIDS Day event hosted by the Business Council for International Understanding in Washington, U.S. December 2, 2022. A deadline to renew long-term funding for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) passed on Saturday, despite a stop gap deal reached to avoid a government-wide shutdown. Smith insisted that PEPFAR should not be reauthorized unless it barred nongovernmental organizations that used any funding to promote or provide abortion services. Advocates say PEPFAR does not fund or provide abortion services and that none of its money goes directly or indirectly to fund abortion services. The State Department says more than $100 billion has been spent on the global HIV/AIDS response through the program, which has saved 25 million lives.

Persons: Antony Blinken, PEPFAR, Jonathan Ernst, Matthew Miller, Miller, Biden, George W, Bush, Chris Smith, Smith, Simon Lewis, Patricia Zengerle, Alistair Bell Organizations: Business Council, International, REUTERS, United, U.S, State, President’s, AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, Republican, The State Department, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, Congress, U.S, Washington, Africa, PEPFAR

☆ US government shutdown could add misery to air travel
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. Travel Association said a partial shutdown would cost the U.S. travel economy as much as $140 million a day. During a government shutdown, the U.S. air travel system would be "hampered by more flight delays, longer screening lines and setbacks in air travel modernization," the group said. Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security officers are among the government workers who would be required to keep working but would not be paid. A government watchdog report said in June that air traffic operations were at risk. The FAA was forced to slow air traffic putting pressure on lawmakers to end the standoff.

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, Buttigieg, shutdowns, David Shepardson, Grant McCool Organizations: LaGuardia, U.S, Acquire, . Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S . Travel Association, Air, Transportation Security Administration, FAA, TSA, Thomson Locations: New York City, New York, WASHINGTON, U.S

“I personally would like to see the inquiry happen (this) week,” the Georgia Republican told CNN. The two chambers are hundreds of billions dollars apart and divided over controversial social issues that House Republicans have tacked on to their spending bills. “I am against a continuing resolution in any form or fashion,” Gonzales told CNN. “There is a constitutional and legal test that you have to meet with evidence,” Johnson told CNN. If McCarthy again defers an impeachment vote, it could enrage the right.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Biden, “, capitulating, Donald Trump, McCarthy, Steve Womack, –, hasn’t, Tony Gonzales, Womack, “ McCarthy, Dusty Johnson of, “ He’s, I’ve, Anna Moneymaker, It’s, Ben Cline of, ”, ” Johnson, ” Gonzales, I’m, Gonzales, Bob Good, Al Drago, Greene, ” Greene, Ken Buck, don’t, Johnson, Sen, Marco Rubio, ” Rubio, West Virginia Republican Sen, Shelley Moore Capito, ” Capito, impeaching Biden, Trump, ” Rep, Dusty Johnson, Alex Brandon, Cline, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, @aoc, eric, Lauren Boebert, defers, ” Womack Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, GOP, Georgia Republican, “, Biden, Republicans, Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, ”, Building, Department of Justice, Caucus, Freedom Caucus, Senate, Senate Democrats, Fox Business, Republican, Bloomberg, Getty, House Republicans, –, Street Caucus, Florida Republican, West Virginia Republican, Capitol Locations: Washington, Ukraine, That’s, Arkansas, Tony Gonzales of Texas, Dusty Johnson of South, Washington , DC, Ben Cline of Virginia, Virginia, Ken Buck of Colorado, Florida, South Dakota, ”, Colorado

☆ Flood insurance swamps US government
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The U.S. government’s flood coverage could soon find itself financially underwater. The National Flood Insurance Program, which covers nearly 5 million properties, needs to be reauthorized by Congress by the end of the month to avoid a housing crunch. A FEMA report seen by the Associated Press estimated another 1 million fewer Americans will buy flood insurance by the end of the decade, further starving the program of much-needed funds. The program’s flood fund lost nearly $1.9 billion in fiscal 2022, up from a $236 million loss the year prior. Follow @BenWinck on XCONTEXT NEWSCongressional authorization for the U.S. National Flood Insurance Program is set to lapse on Sept. 30 if lawmakers don’t approve a new extension.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, Hurricane Lee, Lee, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Sharon Lam, Aditya Sriwatsav Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Flood Insurance, National Association of Realtors, FEMA, Associated Press, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Association, U.S, National Flood Insurance, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Hurricane Center, Thomson Locations: Oak, Florida, U.S, United States, Singapore, East Coast

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:Aug. 31The Washington Post on sexism in the U.S. militaryNearly eight years ago, the United States opened up all military combat roles to women, clearing a pathway for female service members to join the most elite military forces. Women at multiple military bases reported that other soldiers would bang on their doors in the middle of the night. Even a program that once represented the highest ideals of the United States — its compassion, its expertise and its resources — is becoming a casualty of the country’s most destructive and divisive forces. Lack of adequate cooling during hot summers has plagued Southern states for decades, but climate change has now made it a problem in Northern states as well — Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, Indiana. Ukraine received the first batch of uranium munitions from the United Kingdom in March to use in its UK-made Challenger 2 tanks.

Persons: Soldiers, “, ”, George W, Bush, Anthony Fauci, Mark Dybul, PEPFAR, Henry Hyde, Dave Weldon, H.I.V, Hyde, Weldon, Biden, MAGA, Biden’s, Mr, Chris Smith of, Smith, Roe, Wade, Tommy Tuberville, Susan B, Anthony Pro, ” Nyserda, Don’t, Louisianans, it’s, commissaries, Joe Arpaio, let’s, perceptibly Organizations: Washington, Green, Ranger Regiment, Green Berets, Army Rangers, Special Operations, Army Special Operations Command, Special Forces, Army, Command, New York Times, Democrats, Republicans, Catholic Church, Republican Party, AIDS Relief, Republican, Heritage Foundation, Biden, Mr, PEPFAR, America, Family Research, United, New York State Energy Research, Development Authority, Alliance, Clean Energy, Alliance for Clean Energy, Developers, Micron Technology, Los Angeles Times, Staff, Prisons, US State Department, US Locations: United States, U.S, Afghanistan, Africa, Illinois, Florida, Chris Smith of New Jersey, Alabama, New York, Ukraine, California , Connecticut, Hawaii , Indiana , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts, Michigan , New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Louisiana, Angola, Texas, Southern, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota , Indiana, Maricopa County, Ariz, Los Angeles, California, Corcoran, Tulare Lake, China, Russia, United Kingdom, Moscow, Belarus, Washington, Europe, Asia, Brazil, Indonesia

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is worried about the safety of chemical facilities across the country after its power to keep dangerous substances out of the hands of extremists lapsed a month ago. Homeland Security officials say this left gaping holes in the country's national security, and they are calling on Congress to act quickly when it returns this week. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, which falls under DHS, then determines whether the facility is considered high risk and therefore must develop a security plan. Congress gave the department the authority to begin the chemical security program in 2006, and it went into effect the following year. Homeland Security officials say the program's lapse has left them without a vital security tool.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, ”, Kelly Murray, Sen, Rand Paul, Paul, ” Paul, there's, Murray, she's, reauthorized, they're, Matt Fridley, “ They’re, Scott Jensen Organizations: WASHINGTON, Department of Homeland Security, Chemical, Homeland Security, Homeland, Chemical Security, Infrastructure Security Agency, DHS, Congress, Kentucky Republican, & Infrastructure Security Agency, American Chemistry Council Locations: Virginia, Kentucky

☆ What is Section 702? Congress is debating the controversial surveillance power
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Juhi Doshi | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, allows the government to conduct targeted surveillance of foreign nationals living outside the U.S. without needing to obtain a warrant. As recently as this month, a court opinion disclosed that FBI employees wrongly searched foreign surveillance data for the last names of a U.S. senator and a state senator. But data on U.S. citizens is still collected when they interact with a foreign surveillance target — that's known as "incidental" collection. Lawmakers from both sides have said they won't vote to renew the provision unless major changes are made in how the FBI uses foreign surveillance data to investigate Americans. "And that means first and foremost addressing the warrantless surveillance of Americans in violation of the Fourth Amendment."

Persons: Samuel Corum, Biden, they're, George Floyd, Joe Biden's, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Read, Trump, Ron DeSantis, Bush, Donald Trump, Dick Durbin, Sen, Mike Lee, they've, Patrick Toomey, Toomey, Christopher Wray, Wray Organizations: Getty, Foreign Intelligence, FISA, FBI, Social, American Civil Liberties Union, White, President's Intelligence, Board, National, NBC, Historically, Republicans, DOJ, ACLU's National Security, National Intelligence, Committee Locations: Washington , DC, reauthorize, U.S, China, Russia, Florida, Georgia, Fulton, Utah

☆ White House recommends scaling back FBI authority under intelligence act
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, July 31 (Reuters) - A White House review on Monday recommended that the FBI's ability to conduct non-national security queries under a controversial surveillance law be removed as part of reforms aimed at getting the law reauthorized. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act's Section 702 permits the U.S. government to collect digital communications of foreigners located outside the United States. "If Congress fails to reauthorize Section 702, history may judge the lapse of Section 702 authorities as one of the worst intelligence failures of our time," concluded the review, which was conducted for the White House by the president's Intelligence Advisory Board. The review recommended that Attorney General Merrick Garland "remove FBI’s authority to conduct queries for evidence of a non-national security-related crime in its Section 702 data." "FBI’s use of Section 702 should be limited to foreign intelligence purposes only and FBI personnel should receive additional training on what foreign intelligence entails," the review said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Merrick Garland, Joe Biden's, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Steve Holland, Mark Porter, Deepa Babington Organizations: Foreign Intelligence, Republican, White, president's Intelligence, Department, FBI, Thomson Locations: United States

☆ AIDS Relief Program Under Threat as G.O.P. Insists on Abortion Restriction
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Sheryl Gay Stolberg | More About Sheryl Gay Stolberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic former House speaker, and George W. Bush, the Republican former president, do not agree on much. Mr. Bush created that program, the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, in 2003. But now PEPFAR is in danger of becoming a victim of abortion politics — just as the State Department is reorganizing to make the program permanent. But House Republicans are not moving forward with a bill to reauthorize it for another five years, because abortion opponents — led by a G.O.P. congressman who has long been a supporter of PEPFAR — are insisting on adding abortion-related restrictions.

Persons: Nancy Pelosi, George W, Bush, Bono, —, PEPFAR Organizations: Democratic, House, Republican, Dublin —, America’s, AIDS Relief, State Department, Republicans Locations: Washington —

☆ Senators aim to protect small businesses from foreign IP theft with new bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

If passed, the IDEA Act will reauthorize a state and local law enforcement intellectual property enforcement program at $25 million per year from 2024-29. They include China, Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia — areas where IP theft against U.S. small businesses is particularly rampant. Bipartisan lawmakers from both houses of Congress have often highlighted the urgent need for targeted solutions toward IP theft. Other IDEA Act initiatives include:An IP Protection Legal Aid program to counsel and protect small business owners. "Intellectual property crimes cost American businesses hundreds of billions of dollars each year, and small businesses often lack the resources to protect themselves against foreign bad actors," said Cornyn, R-Texas.

Persons: –, Mike Gallagher, Tammy Baldwin, John Cornyn Organizations: WASHINGTON, American IP Defense, IDEA, American Intellectual, U.S . Trade Representative, U.S, Republican, Rep, Chinese Communist Party, Justice Department, Government, Office, Joint, IDEA Act's, Texans Locations: Austin , Texas, Jackson , Mississippi, Chicago, China, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Sens, America, Texas

Search resuls for: "reauthorize"

25 mentions found