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☆ 'Heavy lifting' needed to overcome opposition to permitting bill, Joe Manchin says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Valerie Volcovici | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) holds up a visual aid while speaking to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 20, 2022. Senator Joe Manchin on Friday warned that bipartisan opposition to his bill to overhaul energy permitting could derail his plan to attach it to temporary spending legislation and pass it by the end of the month. Manchin, who was interrupted by protesters opposed to the fossil fuel focus of his permitting plan, said that if Congress fails to reform the permitting process, it would jeopardize the clean energy investments the larger bill incentivizes. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Friday said the Biden administration continues to support congressional efforts to reform the energy permitting process. "We are very excited at DOE about the potential for streamlining permitting on clean energy projects," Granholm told reporters.

It will need to resolve differences with a similar Senate bill before it can head to Biden to sign. In addition, 139 House Republicans and eight Senate Republicans voted to challenge the results in some key states. Lawmakers in both parties acknowledge the vague law needs to be updated, but the House version faced strong opposition from House Republicans who argued this bill goes too far. For instance, the Senate bill would require one-fifth of the House and Senate to object to states' electors, instead of one lawmaker in both chambers. The House bill, on the other hand, requires one-third of each chamber to issue an objection.

☆ Australia mourns Queen Elizabeth from home of 'world's oldest continuous culture'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An image of Britain's Queen Elizabeth is illuminated on the sail of Sydney Opera House, following the Queen's passing, in Sydney, Australia, September 9, 2022. The ceremony was opened by a First Nations Elder, Aunty Violent Sheridan, who made a traditional Welcome to Country, and remembered Queen Elizabeth as a mother and grandmother. Albanese, who returned to Australia a day earlier after attending Queen Elizabeth's funeral in London, noted her memory was being honoured "on a continent home to the world's oldest continuous culture". In a speech at the memorial ceremony he said Australia had undergone a transformation during Queen Elizabeth's reign. Queen Elizabeth had taken pride in Australia's progress and "stood with us", he said, and Australia's "affection held strong".

☆ U.S. House Democrats release framework for bill to restrict members trading stocks
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Elizabeth FrantzWASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - U.S. House Democrats on Thursday released a framework for legislation that would restrict lawmakers and other senior government officials, including the Supreme Court, from trading in stocks. "These stories undermine the American people's faith and trust in the integrity of public officials and our federal government. Members of the public may ask, are our public officials acting in the public interest or their private financial interest?" The House may consider the legislation next week, according to a schedule announced by the House Majority Leader on Thursday. The White House has said President Joe Biden would leave it to Congress to decide the rules on members trading stocks.

The U.S. Supreme Court building is seen in Washington, U.S., June 26, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File PhotoSept 22 (Reuters) - An LGBT student group has agreed to hold off on forcing Yeshiva University to formally recognize it while the Jewish school in New York City appeals a judge's order requiring it to do so - an action the institution said would violate its religious values. Yeshiva last week halted all student club activities after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block New York state court judge Lynn Kotler's June order requiring the university to recognize the Y.U. The university is appealing Kotler's finding that it is subject to a city anti-discrimination law. The Modern Orthodox Jewish university, based in Manhattan, has roughly 6,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs.

Lawmakers also asked the CEOs to condemn China's "human rights abuses," in a departure from previous hearings that tended to focus on domestic issues like housing and consumer protection. JPMorgan & Chase (JPM.N) CEO Jamie Dimon and Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser both concurred, saying their banks would follow government guidance if China were to invade Taiwan. When asked later by Republican Lance Gooden if she would condemn "ongoing human rights abuses in China," Fraser hesitated. JPMorgan's Dimon also warned the United States had to compete with global Chinese banks, which have grown in size over the last few years to become the biggest in the world. "I am going to do everything in my power to make sure we compete with the best Chinese banks in the world.

☆ U.S. Senator Manchin unveils energy bill that some Democrats slam
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Timothy Gardner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Senator Joe Manchin on Wednesday released an energy permitting bill to speed approvals for natural gas pipelines and power transmission for renewable energy, legislation that some fellow Democrats criticized and will likely need to be amended in order to gain enough support. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe wider funding bill needs approval of the House and Senate and to be signed by President Joe Biden to become law. Manchin's staff told reporters he believes the funding bill will get 60 votes needed to pass the Senate with the permitting measure attached. The bill also sets a two-year target for environmental reviews on energy projects that need to be completed by more than one federal agency. In the House of Representatives, 77 Democrats this month asked Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in a letter to keep the side deal out of the funding bill.

☆ Top U.S. Senate Democrat Schumer sets vote for Wednesday on Kigali climate deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterU.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters following the Senate Democrats weekly policy lunch at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 20, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth FrantzWASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate will vote on Wednesday on approving the Kigali amendment to a major global climate treaty, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday. "Today the Senate will finish the work of ratifying the Kigali amendment," Schumer said in a speech to the Senate. Two-thirds of the Senate, or 67 votes, are needed for approval for passage. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Moira Warburton in WashingtonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. bank CEOs set for congressional grilling by Democrats and Republicans
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Pete Schroeder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People wearing masks for protection against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) walk past the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2022. read moreThe CEOs due to testify include the heads of the four largest U.S. banks: JPMorgan Chase & Co's Jamie Dimon, Wells Fargo's (WFC.N) Charles Scharf, Bank of America's (BAC.N) Brian Moynihan and Citigroup's Jane Fraser. They are set to be joined by US Bancorp (USB.N) CEO Andy Cecere, PNC Financial (PNC.N) CEO William Demchak and Truist's (TFC.N) Bill Rogers, who run the country's largest regional lenders. Democrats are likely to press bank executives on fees, the closure of bank branches in poorer areas and how banks are addressing fraudulent transactions. Some large banks have adopted policies that some Republicans say amount to boycotts of certain industries such as fossil fuels and firearms.

On a vote of 219-209, with most Republicans in opposition, the House approved the rules for debating the measure, clearing the way for a vote on passage. In addition, 139 House Republicans and eight Senate Republicans voted to challenge the results in some key states. Lawmakers in both parties acknowledge the vague law needs to be updated, but the House version faced strong opposition from House Republicans who argued this bill goes too far. For instance, the Senate bill would require one-fifth of the House and Senate to object to states' electors, instead of one lawmaker in both chambers. The House bill, on the other hand, requires one-third of each chamber to issue an objection.

People wearing masks for protection against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) walk past the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2022. The so-called Kigali amendment calls for the phase-down of HFCs, gases used in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) that are significantly more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming. Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development that has worked on phasing out HFCs, said the amendment can provide an example for other more contentious global climate negotiations. The world's leading producers of substitutes for HFCs are in Louisiana, New Jersey, Texas, and elsewhere in the United States. The world's fastest growing markets for refrigerators and air conditioners are overseas.

☆ The Fed just raised interest rates by another 0.75%, putting Main Street economy 'dangerously close' to edge of lending cliff
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Eric Rosenbaum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

"From a credit perspective, people are getting more cognizant about increasing interest cost, and that the Fed will keep interest rates at 4-4.50%," Arora said. "The expectation is, in the short term, SBA loans will adjust up and non-SBA loans are shorter tenure," he said. SBA loan guaranty waiver endingAnother cost that is suddenly influencing the SBA loan decision is the end of a waiver this month on SBA loan guaranty fees that are traditionally charged to borrowers so that in the event of a default, the SBA pays the portion of the loan that was guaranteed. When he started in small business lending back in 1998, business loans reached as high as 12% to 12.5%. And with a peak Fed rate level of 4% or higher reached by late this year, that is where SBA loan rates are heading.

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe U.S. Supreme Court building is seen in Washington, U.S., June 26, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File PhotoSept 20 (Reuters) - A federal law prohibiting people under felony indictment from buying firearms is unconstitutional, a federal judge in Texas has concluded, citing a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that significantly expanded gun rights. U.S. District Judge David Counts, an appointee of Republican former President Donald Trump, reached that conclusion on Monday in dismissing a federal indictment against Jose Gomez Quiroz, who had been charged under the decades-old ban. Quiroz had been indicted in a Texas state court for burglary and later for bail jumping when he attempted in late 2021 to buy a 22-caliber semiautomatic handgun, leading to his federal indictment. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Nate Raymond in Boston, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Howard GollerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. Senator Manchin to unveil energy permitting measure on Wednesday
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) holds up a visual aid while speaking to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 20, 2022. Senator Joe Manchin will unveil his full energy permitting bill on Wednesday to speed fossil fuel projects and offer incentives for renewable energy electricity transmission, legislation that faces an uphill battle. Manchin, an important swing vote in the 50-50 Senate, reached a side deal with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer during talks for the wider Inflation Reduction Act for his permitting measure to be voted on this fall. "I've never seen stranger bedfellows than Bernie Sanders and the extreme liberal left siding up with Republican leadership" and its rank-and-file senators, Manchin said. But Schatz said the bill has a chance if it offers incentives for renewable energy including transmission lines.

☆ World says goodbye to Britain's Queen Elizabeth from cafes and consulates
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The hearse transporting the coffin of Britain's Queen Elizabeth drives near Royal Guards along Albert Road on the day of her state funeral and burial, in Windsor, Britain, September 19, 2022. And in Paris, France, bar owner Thibaud Dupont showed off his new tattoo of the monarch on his forearm. "She was not our queen, but she reigned over Britain for 70 years. "Her presence is literally everywhere," IT professional Victor Lai said outside the British Consulate General in Hong Kong, where people have queued for the past 10 days to sign a memorial book. In Bahrain, British expatriates paid tribute to Elizabeth at a service at St. Christopher's Cathedral in the capital Manama.

Outside the Fed, however, there is a growing sense that the path to a soft landing is unlikely. Some analysts estimate the unemployment rate, which hit 3.7% in August, may need to rise as high as 7.5%. The new projections, though, will include anonymous estimates from each official for where the policy rate should be at the end of 2022 and the following three years. Reuters GraphicsThe 1.2-percentage-point difference between the two, the so-called "real" or inflation-adjusted federal funds rate, showed the Fed bowing to the need for tighter policy. But inflation eventually will have to move for the Fed to change course.

☆ Australia is asking its people one question and it's not whether to keep the King
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-13 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But in Australia, despite Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's pro-republic views, there's no concerted push in that direction. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attends the Proclamation of King Charles III, on the forecourt of Parliament House on September 11, 2022 in Canberra, Australia. Today, Yu says views within the Australia's Indigenous community on the Queen are mixed -- as they are in most communities. He said after the Voice to Parliament passes, Australia may be ready to consider life after the monarchy. However Yu, from ANU, said the issue of Australia's Indigenous people must be addressed before any talk of a republic.

☆ Democrats will add provisions on insulin to energy, tax bill -Schumer
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-28 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters following the Senate Democrats weekly policy lunch at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth FrantzWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday that Democrats would add provisions on insulin to the energy, tax and prescription drug bill they are aiming to pass next week. Schumer and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin announced on Wednesday a deal for a bill that Democrats will try to pass under a parliamentary maneuver that requires a simple majority vote instead of 60 votes like most legislation in the Senate.

☆ Uvalde Families Fight for Answers a Year After Texas School Shooting
▼ + stars: | 2022-05-24 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Army Sergeant Sentenced in Killing of Black Lives Matter Protester in Austin
▼ + stars: | 2020-07-25 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Daniel Perry had sent messages to friends discussing shooting protesters and sharing racist sentiments. Photo: Jay Janner/Pool Austin American-Statesman/Associated PressAUSTIN, Texas—An Army sergeant was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murdering a Black Lives Matter protester on the main street of Texas’ capital in 2020. Daniel Perry, 36, who was then working as an Uber driver, ran a red light into a crowd of social-justice marchers on July 25, 2020. Amid a confrontation with the group, he opened fire on Garrett Foster, a 28-year-old Air Force veteran, who was openly carrying an AK-47 style rifle, which is legal in Texas. Perry told police he believed the rifle was aimed in his direction.

☆ Political Feud Mires Case Against Alleged Mass Shooter at Walmart in El Paso
▼ + stars: | 2019-08-03 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The murder trial of a man accused of killing 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, in 2019 has become mired in a political sideshow, including claims that a representative of the district attorney impersonated the son of a victim in order to attack the judge. A report filed in court last week by a lawyer appointed to examine the matter on behalf of the family said that an attorney personally representing District Attorney Yvonne Rosales was responsible for sending an email in the family’s name criticizing Judge Sam Medrano Jr . and a political adversary of Ms. Rosales.

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