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☆ Elon Musk downsized Big Tech. Can he do the same to Big Government?
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-17 | by ( Amanda Hoover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

And to run the new cost-cutting department, Trump tapped the businessman he calls the world's "greatest cutter" — Elon Musk. If you're looking to take a chainsaw to the federal government, Musk seems perfectly suited to the job. When it comes to federal spending, one person's waste is another person's bread and butter. And his massive investments in electric vehicles and social media are dependent on all sorts of federal spending and oversight. Musk has acknowledged that Americans will feel "hardship" as a result of the cuts he wants to see implemented.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Elon Musk, Musk, cochair, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ronald Reagan —, There's, Michael Morris, Morris, it's, Andy Wu, Linda Bilmes, Ronald Reagan, Joel Friedman, Brian Hughes, DOGE, Reagan, Ramaswamy, It's, Sam, Uncle, Elon Organizations: Department of Government, Twitter, Tesla, SpaceX, Defense Department, IRS, Columbia Business School, Harvard Business School, Government, Harvard Kennedy School, Office, GAO, Fox News, Budget, Federal Aviation Administration, Veterans Administration, — Locations: Ecuador, Independence

The World War II tank commander and recipient of the Navy Cross, the military’s second-highest recognition for valor, was one of the first service members exposed to a contaminated water supply at Camp Lejeune. His granddaughter sought to prove he was sickened at the Marine Corps training facility in North Carolina. Now, she plans to share what she believes is the largest private collection of Camp Lejeune materials with the veterans named in her documents. “I want to give these hard copies back.”Leo Case was stationed at Camp Lejeune after earning a Navy Cross for valor during World War II. Hoerman said she started digging into her grandfather’s history after the PACT Act of 2022 expanded benefits to millions of veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances.

Persons: Leo Case, Camp Lejeune, It’s, ”, Jessie Hoerman, Louis, “, ” Leo Case, Lejeune, Case, Hoerman Organizations: Pacific, Navy, Marine Corps, Camp Lejeune, Agency, Toxic Substances, Veterans Administration, NBC News Locations: Iwo Jima, Camp, North Carolina, St, Syracuse , New York

Following decades of grievances, the federal government on Thursday changed a policy that disqualified some disabled veterans from receiving subsidized housing. Advocates hope a new federal policy will help more disabled homeless veterans get off the streets. A homeless veterans encampment in Los Angeles in 2021. “No matter where veterans are, if we have homeless veterans, we are committed to them,” he said. About 1,834 homeless veterans were counted in Los Angeles this year, compared with 2,696 last year.

Persons: Al Seib, Denis McDonough, Francine Orr, Karen Bass, George Rose, ”, Mark Rosenbaum, Rosenbaum, Terrence Hayes, Hayes Organizations: of Housing, Urban, Veterans, Los Angeles Times, Getty, Veterans Administration, “ Veterans, American Civil Liberties Union of Southern, Los, Los Angeles, HUD Locations: Al, Los Angeles, ”, Westwood, Brentwood, American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, “, Los Angeles County, U.S

☆ US government shutdown: What is it and who would be affected?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Contracts awarded prior to the shutdown would continue, and the Pentagon could place new orders for supplies or services needed to protect national security. NATIONAL PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCESIt's not clear how the United States' 63 national parks would be affected. They remained open during the 2018-2019 shutdown, through restrooms and information desks were closed and waste disposal was halted. WHITE HOUSEIn 2018-2019 shutdown, the White House furloughed 1,100 of 1,800 staff in the Executive Office of the President. Some offices, such as the National Security Council, continued at full strength, while others like the Office of Management and Budget were scaled back sharply.

Persons: Kevin Wurm, Lockheed Martin, Donald Trump, Pete Buttigieg, Pell, Andy Sullivan, Pete Schroeder, Howard Schneider, Moira Warburton, Scott Malone, Alistair Bell Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Workers, Pentagon, Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon, The, National Nuclear Security Administration, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Service, Border Patrol, Coast Guard, Federal Trade, AFFAIRS U.S, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, National Oceanographic, Atmospheric Administration, NASA, Space, Disease Control, Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, Securities, Exchange, Commodities, Futures Trading, Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Currency, Social Security Administration, Veterans Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Education Department, White, Small Business Administration, National Labor Relations, National Security Council, Management, U.S . Postal, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States

☆ Federal authorities have been probing roughly 5,000 pilots suspected of withholding major health issues that could imperil their ability to fly safely, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Federal officials are probing roughly 5,000 pilots suspected of withholding major health issues, per The Washington Post. Many of the other pilots possess commercial licenses, which gives them ability to be hired to fly for a range of clients. Pilots have to pass regular health screenings, but according to The Post, the tests are often not always comprehensive. "The vast majority of these pilots may continue to operate safely while we complete the reconciliation process." "I know of a lot of pilots who have told me about [medical conditions] they aren't telling the FAA about," he said.

Persons: they're, Matthew Lehner, Lehner, Rick Mangini, Mangini Organizations: Washington Post . Veterans Affairs, Service, Washington Post, Federal Aviation Administration, Veterans Affairs, FAA, Post, Pilots, The, Veterans Administration, Aerospace Medicine, Department of Transportation, Department of Justice, Army Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Rudy Giuliani helped Purdue Pharma keep selling OxyContin. Here's the real story behind what's depicted in 'Painkiller.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Giuliani helped Purdue Pharma strike a deal with the government to keep selling the drug. Purdue Pharma hired Giuliani back in 2002, representing the first client his consulting firm ever landed, The New York Times reported in 2007. By getting Brownlee to agree to prosecute the parent company, Purdue Frederick, rather than Purdue Pharma, Giuliani and his team were also able to prevent a ban against Purdue Pharma doing future business with the federal government, which manages public health programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and the Veterans Administration health system, The Guardian reported. Under our settlement, Purdue Pharma would cease to exist and Knoa Pharma, a newly formed company with a public-minded mission, would emerge. The settlement would deliver over $10 billion of value for opioid crisis abatement, overdose rescue medicines, and victim compensation."

Persons: Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Giuliani, — Rudy Giuliani, Sackler, OxyContin, Edie Flowers, Uzo Aduba, Patrick Radden Keefe, John Brownlee's, James Comey, Brownlee, who'd, Purdue Frederick Organizations: Netflix, Former New York City Mayor, Purdue Pharma, Service, Purdue, New, New York City, OxyContin, The New York Times, Guardian, Veterans Administration, Knoa Pharma Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York, New York City, OxyContin

☆ Drug shortages’ effects on cancer research may be felt for years to come
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But these shortages aren’t just bad for current patients, experts say; their effects on cancer research may be felt for years to come. The National Cancer Institute, the federal government’s main agency for cancer research and training, told CNN that at least 174 of its own trials may be affected by the shortages. Cisplatin and other platinum-based drugs are prescribed for 10% to 20% of all cancer patients, according to the National Cancer Institute. Crucial work on hold“With drug shortages, trials have become almost like an impossible task. “These drug shortages come and go, and there’s no real rhyme or reason, and there seems to be no rhyme or reason in terms of which institutions have shortages.

Persons: Joe Biden, it’s, ’ ”, Shadia Jalal, Indiana University Melvin, Jalal, She’s, they’ve, ” Jalal, “, ”, haven’t, “ We’ve, Mark Fleury, Fleury, you’re, ” Fleury, Dmitry Walker, Merck, We’ve, ” Walker, there’s, Biden, Lawrence Feldman, ” Feldman, Feldman, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, ‘ Organizations: CNN, National Cancer Institute, American Society of Health, Cancer, Indiana University, Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hematology, Oncology, IU School of Medicine, Hoosier Cancer Research Network, Veterans Administration, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Cancer Society, WVU Medicine, US Food, Pharmacists, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, University of Illinois Medical Center, CNN Health Locations: United States, China, Chicago

☆ AOC says she's 'concerned' Biden might derail a bipartisan push to study psychedelics since he's regressive on cannabis
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The New York Democrat worried the president's "regressiv[e]" approach to cannabis could carry over. "And if there's a regressiveness toward cannabis policy, it's likely to be worse on anything else." The New York Democrat is trying to remove federal limits on scientific research for psychedelics that have blocked further study of the drugs. While the White House did not comment on the record to Terris, he recounted the president's mixed approach to cannabis policy. The New York Democrat said when she first introduced her legislation in 2019, an unnamed senior member of her party laughed at her.

Persons: Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Biden, —, she's, Joe Biden, Ben Terris, there's, he's, Dan Crenshaw, Terris, Crenshaw Organizations: New, New York Democrat, Service, Privacy, Democratic Rep, Cortez of New York, Texas Republican, Veterans Administration Locations: Alexandria, New York, Cortez of New, Washington, Las Vegas, Texas, psychedelics

The minimum credit score that you'll need to buy a house varies by lender and loan type. What credit score is needed to buy a house? Minimum credit score: No minimum, but with a credit score of at least 640 you could qualify for streamlined credit analysisIt's important to point out lenders are free to set higher minimum credit score requirements than what the loan-backing organizations require. When it comes to your credit score, your bank or credit card issuer may provide your score for free. If not, you can also use a free credit score monitoring tool like Credit Karma or Credit Sesame.

Forum, founded in 1948 to ensure that Mexican American World War II veterans could access their government benefits. “Latinos have a long and honorable tradition of military service,” he said, “only somehow it is not as well-known as that of other groups. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are nearly 1.3 million Latino veterans, or about 8 percent of the veteran population. Issues for Latino veterans, Vazquez-Contes noted, range from accessing medical care through the Veterans Administration system to homelessness to suicide. “The promotion rates for the top enlisted ranks, and the top officer ranks, are just basically void of Hispanic names.”Ricardo Aponte of the Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance.

The minimum credit score that you'll need to buy a house varies by lender and loan type. You may be surprised to learn that minimum credit score requirements will vary by lender and loan type. Minimum credit score: No minimum, but with a credit score of at least 640 you could qualify for streamlined credit analysisIt's important to point out lenders are free to set higher minimum credit score requirements than what the loan-backing organizations require. When it comes to your credit score, your bank or credit card issuer may provide your score for free. If not, you can also use a free credit score monitoring tool like Credit Karma or Credit Sesame.

Unlike VA loans, however, only borrowers who earn no more than 115% of the area median income are eligible for USDA loans. Yes — click here for detailsBest USDA lendersHere are some of our top choices for USDA loans in a variety of categories. Types of loans Conventional loans, construction loans, FHA loans, VA loans, USDA loans and Jumbo loansTerms 15-year to 30-yearCredit needed Some loans require a 620 credit score, some require a 540 credit score or no credit score at all. Yes, anyone can assume a VA loan, whether they are eligible for a VA loan or not. You can refinance a USDA loan using the USDA Streamline Refinance program.

Persons: Chase Bank Chase, Chase, you've Organizations: Department of Veteran Affairs, U.S . Department of Agriculture, USDA, Department of Agriculture, Veterans Administration, National Guard, Reserve, Veterans United, US, Navy Federal Credit Union Navy Federal Credit, Federal Credit, Chase Bank, Chase, Jumbo, Mortgage, PNC Bank, PMI, Community Loan, Flagstar Bank Flagstar Bank, Agriculture, CNBC, CNBC Select's, Facebook, Twitter Locations: ., U.S

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