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☆ Biden to push for abortion rights bill if Democrats retain control of Congress
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Mike-Memoli-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Mike Memoli | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

President Joe Biden will pledge Tuesday to push for an abortion rights bill if Democrats retain control of Congress in the midterm elections, a Democratic official told NBC News. President Joe Biden speaks during an event at the East Portland Community Center in Portland, Ore. on Oct. 15, 2022. The president, who has largely focused on economic issues at recent public events, is turning his attention to abortion rights three weeks before the midterm elections, which could see Republicans retake control of Congress. Democrats across the country have campaigned heavily on abortion rights, vowing to reverse restrictions pushed by Republicans and expand access to reproductive health services. Any bills to codify abortion rights or to institute bans would be difficult to pass in a closely divided Senate, where 60 votes are needed to overcome filibusters.

☆ U.S. Permian oil production forecast to hit record in November -EIA
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Oil output in the Permian in Texas and New Mexico, the biggest U.S. shale oil basin, is forecast to rise by about 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a record 5.453 million bpd in November, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its productivity report on Monday. U.S. crude oil output in major U.S. shale basins is due to rise by about 104,000 bpd to 9.105 million bpd in November, its highest since March 2020, the EIA projected. In the Bakken in North Dakota and Montana, the EIA forecast oil output will rise 22,000 bpd to 1.190 million bpd in November, the most since December 2020. Total natural gas output in the big shale basins will increase 0.6 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) to a record 95.1 bcfd in November, the EIA forecast. Gas output in the Permian and the Haynesville in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas will also rise to record highs of 21.1 bcfd and 16.1 bcfd in November, respectively.

☆ CVS lowers prices on store-brand menstrual products by 25% in pharmacies nationwide, covers 'tampon taxes" in 12 states
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Sarah Belle Lin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The company's initiative also includes paying sales taxes on period products on customers' behalf in 12 states. Advocates are working towards legislation to address sales taxes on period products. People who menstruate require around 40 period products per cycle, according to the Alliance for Period Supplies. The nonprofit group PERIOD., which is partnering with CVS on the initiative, directed a message towards states that still tax menstrual products. "If you are one of the last 22 states to tax period products, it's time to repeal your antiquated law.

They heat their home mainly with fuel oil, which costs them $4.57 a gallon, up from around $3.10 last year. Duke Energy customers in Indiana were recently hit with a 7% hike after a temporary 16% increase just this summer. Fuel oil customers often must pay for deliveries up front, and many suppliers have been less willing to offer payment plans because of market volatility, experts said. “I don’t have savings, period.”Brickey and Parks applied for LIHEAP assistance through District Three, a government cooperative geared toward senior citizens in southwest Virginia. They had three months of electricity paid for this past summer, along with $800 worth of fuel oil assistance last winter.

"I'm now being attacked equally by the left and the right so I'm doing something right, I hope. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterBlackRock is ready to fund U.S. energy pipelines as soon as the projects receive government approvals, he said. The company is one of the largest financiers of pipelines in the world, investing in pipelines in Texas, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Energy security is in focus following the latest move by OPEC+ to cut its oil production target over U.S. objections. Fink was speaking ahead of BlackRock's release of its third-quarter results on Oct. 13, when it is expected to show a fall in quarterly revenue.

Oct 13 (Reuters) - A federal judge in West Virginia has ruled that a federal ban on possessing a gun with its serial number removed is unconstitutional, the first such ruling since the U.S. Supreme Court dramatically expanded gun rights in June. The decision came in a criminal case charging a man, Randy Price, with illegally possessing a gun with the serial number removed that was found in his car. The judge dismissed that charge, though Price is still charged with illegally possessing the gun after being convicted of previous felonies. The federal law in question prohibits anyone from transporting a gun with the serial number removed across state lines, or from possessing such a gun if it has ever been transported across state lines. Serial numbers, first required by the federal Gun Control Act of 1968, are intended to prevent illegal gun sales and make it easier to solve crimes by allowing individual guns to be traced.

A cluster of spotted lanternflies on a grapevine. Spotted lanternflies aren't great fliers, but are great hitchhikers. Penn State associate research professor Julie Urban conducts research in the field to combat spotted lanternflies. Shrawder said it's been four years since spotted lanternflies started feasting on his vines. Right photo: Vines destroyed by spotted lanternflies.

☆ Fact Check-Headline about Adam Schiff payment of $7.6 million to a boy and his family published by parody website
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Adam Schiff paid a boy and his family $7.6 million for an undisclosed lawsuit was posted by a parody website, although some social media users were duped. Reuters Fact Check found no evidence online to support the claim that any such payment was made, and no news reports related to such a lawsuit. A spokesperson for Schiff told Reuters Fact Check: “This is a disgusting and completely false allegation that has been peddled by QAnon conspiracy theorists. That such filth is pushed online by QAnon shows what a danger to the public discourse they have become.”Reuters Fact Check has previously addressed falsehoods shared by the parody website (here) , (here). This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team.

Here are Insider's top picks for same-day or next-day funding:Best quick personal loans LightStream Personal LoanUpstart Personal LoanAvant Personal LoanBest Egg Personal LoanRocket Loans personal loansOppLoans Personal LoansLendingPoint Personal Loan Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Same day Editor's rating 4.5/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star APR 5.24% to 19.99% with AutoPay (Rates as of 10/03/2022. This lender topped Insider's list of best personal loans in 2022, and quick funding is yet another bonus. Other fast personal loans we consideredNot all banks that offer personal loans will fund them quickly. Fast cash personal loan credit requirementsLender Minimum credit score LightStream 660 Upstart 600 Avant 600 Best Egg 640 LendingPoint 580 Rocket Loans 620 OppLoans No minimumThe best quick personal loan for you will largely depend on your credit score.

☆ CVS drops prices on its tampons and will pay the ‘pink tax’
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN Business —CVS will reduce prices on its store-branded menstrual products nationwide and pay the sales taxes on those products in a dozen states. Starting Thursday, CVS (CVS) will drop prices by 25% on CVS (CVS) Health and Live Better tampons, menstrual pads, liners and cups. The chain last week also began paying sales taxes for customers on period products in 12 states — Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia. CVS said it cannot cover the taxes in other states that levy them due to laws preventing third parties from paying taxes on a customer’s behalf. “Too often period products are taxed as luxury items and not recognized as basic necessities,” the organization said.

☆ At least 66 clinics in 15 states have stopped providing abortions since Dobbs, analysis finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-09 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

At least 66 clinics in 15 states have stopped providing abortions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, according to a new analysis from the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights research organization. The analysis notes that those states had 79 total clinics that provided abortions before the Dobbs decision, compared with 13 today. All of the remaining open clinics are in Georgia, where a law prohibits abortions once a "detectable human heartbeat is present." The most closings were in Texas, where at least a dozen clinics shuttered, the Guttmacher analysis says. Planned Parenthood also provides STD testing, pregnancy testing, transgender hormone therapy and primary care services, according to its website.

☆ Abortion: Clinics in 14 of 15 states have stopped providing services, survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-06 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The survey found that among 15 states that were enforcing either total abortion bans or near-total abortion bans between the decision and October 2, nearly two-thirds of clinics that once provided abortion care – 66 of 79 – had been forced to stop offering abortion services. That means there are no providers offering abortions in 14 of the 15 states, says Rachel Jones, principal research scientist at Guttmacher. The 15 states included in the survey are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The impacts of these closures are being felt far beyond these 15 states. States where abortions are still legal have seen large influxes of people who are traveling to get the procedure.

☆ Vishal Garg wants you to understand why he's still Better's CEO, even after getting ridiculed for brutally laying off 900 people via Zoom
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-03 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Vishal Garg, the CEO of Better, spoke out nine months after laying off hundreds of people over Zoom. "I would regularly tell my team that I think I'm the right founder for this company," Garg said. For his younger employees, Queens might be known as a hip borough with diverse populations and menus. But to Garg, Queens was something to be embarrassed by, leading him to pour even more energy into his work. Now at the helm of a slimmed-down Better, Garg is firmly looking forward to the future, SPAC or no SPAC.

☆ Manchin Seeks New Energy-Project Permitting Route After Senate Setback
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Natalie Andrews | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

For the past two years, Democrats needed Sen. Joe Manchin . Now, he needs them, plus some Republicans. Facing weak support, Mr. Manchin’s proposal to speed up federal environmental reviews of major energy projects was dropped Tuesday from a Senate bill needed to keep the government open. With the permitting measure out of the must-pass legislation, the West Virginia Democrat will have to engage in talks with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in hopes of reaching a deal by the end of the year.

☆ Return of pet projects in U.S. Congress crowds out funding for others
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Andy Sullivan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

A view shows the city of Glen Ullin, U.S., in this undated photo. Sept 29 (Reuters) - Glen Ullin, North Dakota, was first in line for money to replace its leaky water pipes before Washington cut funding by one-third this spring. The reason: Congress is yet again diverting money to pet projects known as "earmarks. That wasn't an option in North Dakota, whose congressional delegation did not submit any earmark requests this year or last. Glen Ullin probably won't qualify for infrastructure dollars because those are distributed using different criteria, officials say.

☆ There's an ESG backlash inside the executive ranks at top corporations
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Eric Rosenbaum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Only 25% of CFOs surveyed by CNBC support the SEC's climate disclosure proposal, according to the survey. More than half (55%) of CFOs are opposed to the SEC climate rule, and 35% say they "strongly oppose" it. Proving climate materialityA critical issue for CFOs with the new SEC climate disclosure is the lack of a clear correlation between the climate data and financial statements. The first task for CFOs on climate disclosure, Clayton says, is to be candid with investors and stakeholders about this disconnect. "We are not blanket defenders of ESG," said Martin Whittaker, founding CEO of ESG research nonprofit Just Capital, which releases an influential ranking of top companies on ESG annually.

☆ Trump says Joe Manchin has gone 'off the rails' and should have been 'brought into the Republican Party long ago'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that Sen. Joe Manchin had gone "off the rails." One of the most prominent examples was when he gutted President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" spending plan. "When people ask, 'What happened to Joe Manchin, why did he go off the rails?' "The fact is, Joe Manchin should have been brought into the Republican Party long ago," Trump wrote. In December, McConnell invited Manchin to join the GOP and slammed the Democratic Party for calling Manchin a "liar."

☆ ESG Threat Goes Beyond BlackRock
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Paul H. Tice | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Larry Fink can’t catch a break. He’s chairman and CEO of BlackRock , the largest investment manager in the world, with $8.5 trillion of assets under management. In the battle over sustainable investing and the spread of environmental, social and governance policies across Wall Street, both sides are gunning for him. Using a shoot-the-messenger approach, 19 states have publicly called BlackRock on the carpet with regard to ESG. Texas and West Virginia are already starting to claw back state business from the company.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was the only GOP committee member to oppose the bill. Other numbers to know:155 miles per hour: How fast the maximum sustained winds of Hurricane Ian were as of Wednesday morning, per the National Hurricane Center. 23 percentage points: Democrat Beto O’Rourke’s edge over Republican Gov. Last night, Democratic Gov. Tim.”Oklahoma Senate: Former President Donald Trump endorsed Republican Sen. James Lankford in his Senate bid, after conspicuously not endorsing the GOP incumbent in his primary.

☆ A small city in Illinois is luring newcomers with $5,000, quaint architecture, and a low cost of living. So far, it's working.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Since the program began, more than 106 people have moved to Quincy, according to city data. Altogether, nearly 60% of these newcomers found jobs in industries that drive Quincy's economy, such as manufacturing, healthcare, and education. Many programs launched in cities like Quincy, which offer newcomers a lower cost of living compared to major metropolises. The couple were approved for the relocation program "very quickly," Seguette said. The Great River Economic Development Foundation, a nonprofit business organization that serves all of Illinois' Adams County— which includes Quincy — is also advertising the relocation program under its "Quincy's Calling" campaign.

Senator Joe Manchin's bill to speed energy permitting as a handout to fossil fuel companies, but clean energy advocates said the bill's failure would hinder the rapid expansion renewable power needs to combat climate change. Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pulled Manchin's bill from temporary government funding legislation on Tuesday after it did not gain enough support. Clean energy backers said the permitting provision could still be attached to other bills later this year that must be passed, such as a big appropriations legislation. Jesse Jenkins, a clean energy expert at Princeton University, tweeted on Tuesday that the permitting bill had been "a big mixed back for climate & the environment." "We still need to build new clean energy & transmission at unprecedented pace!"

☆ Ex-Navy engineer who hid intel in a peanut butter sandwich pleads guilty
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Minyvonne Burke | Minyvonne Burke Is A Senior Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A former Navy engineer accused of trying to sell sensitive secrets about the Navy's nuclear-powered submarines to a foreign country by hiding them in a peanut butter sandwich changed his plea to guilty, federal court documents reveal. Jonathan Toebbe's wife, Diana Toebbe, also pleaded guilty after she was accused of helping him conduct surveillance to determine whether they were being followed. Jose Luis Magana / AP fileAt the time, the deal would have sent Jonathan Toebbe to prison for 12 years, while Diana Toebbe was to serve three years. The complaint described another instance where Jonathan Toebbe put the card in a chewing gum package. If the court doesn’t accept the latest plea agreement, Jonathan and Diana Toebbe would again have the right to withdraw their guilty pleas.

☆ U.S. Congress readies stopgap bill to avert shutdown, aid Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

President Joe Biden's Democrats, who control both chambers of Congress, are expected to avoid an embarrassing partial government shutdown just six weeks before the Nov. 8 midterm elections, when control of Congress will be at stake. The bill, which would extend overall government funding through Dec. 16, was facing resistance because of an energy permitting reform measure. The spending provisions include $12.3 billion in new money to help Ukraine turn back Russia's invasion, House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro said in a statement. In addition, it authorizes Biden to direct the drawdown of up to $3.7 billion for the transfer to Ukraine of excess weapons from U.S. stocks. The last time Congress allowed funding to lapse was in December 2018, when Democrats balked at paying for then-President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall, leading to a record, 35-day impasse and partial government shutdown.

☆ Manchin’s Permitting Bill Has a Poison Pill
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Senate may vote as early as Tuesday on Joe Manchin ’s permitting reform bill, and the West Virginian says Republicans should accept incremental progress rather than nothing. But the main problem isn’t that his changes are too modest, though they are. Some of them would do tangible harm to U.S. energy security and constitutional federalism. Though it’s received little attention, one section would rewrite how transmission lines are permitted, and not for the better. The 1935 Federal Power Act preserved state authority over transmission-line permits while the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decides how to allocate costs.

☆ Democrats strip Manchin's permitting reform bill from must-pass government funding measure after both Republicans and progressives pledged to vote against it
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Manchin's permitting reform plan was struck from a must-pass government funding bill on Tuesday. Progressives opposed it for environmental reasons, while Republicans want an even stronger bill. It's a major defeat for the West Virginia Democrat, who might otherwise have a hard time passing it. The bill would've green-lit a pipeline in Manchin's home state of West Virginia. The removal of Manchin's permitting reform legislation represents an unusual defeat for the usually-pivotal conservative Democrat.

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