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Is there an election coming up by any chance?”While some individual schools and colleges have implemented temporary mask requirements, there is no sign that anyone in federal or state leadership is considering widespread COVID-19 restrictions, requirements or mask mandates. “No COVID-19 public health restrictions or mask requirements are being considered by the Murphy administration," said Christi Peace, spokesperson for New Jersey Gov. It was largely the same message from Democratic governors’ offices in several other states that responded to an inquiry about whether any COVID-19 mandates were under consideration. “Currently, COVID-19 lockdowns and mask mandates are not being discussed and the governor has no plans to institute these measures,” she said. Reinstated mask requirements across the country have so far been limited to a handful of local schools and businesses.

Persons: It's, Ron DeSantis, ”, Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Donald Trump, Biden, ” Trump, Murphy, Phil Murphy, Jodi McGinnis Porter, Josh Shapiro, Kathy Hochul, Elisabeth Shephard, Tina Kotek, “, Alex Jones, Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Joe Biden’s, ” Biden, they’ve, Sen, J.D, Vance of, Democratic Sen, Ed Markey, Greene, Lisa Fazio, Tate Reeves, Nicky Forster, Joey Cappelletti, Mike Catalini, Jill Colvin, John Hanna, Maysoon Khan, Seung Min Kim, Steve LeBlanc, Morgan Lee, Marc Levy, Lisa Mascaro, Andrew Selsky Organizations: Florida Gov, Republicans, New Jersey Gov, New, New Mexico Department of Public Health, Oregon . Pennsylvania, Democrat, Democratic, New York Gov, TSA, Transportation Security, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, Republican, Morris Brown College, CDC, White House, Massachusetts, Vanderbilt University, Press, Associated Press, AP Locations: ”, Carolina, Rapid City , South Dakota, New Mexico, Kansas , Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, California, New York, COVID, Colorado, Atlanta, Georgia, South Lake, Maryland, Vance of Ohio, Mississippi

☆ US OKs state auto-repair law after raising hacking concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

After discussions with Massachusetts, NHTSA said the state had clarified that automakers could comply with the law using a "short-range wireless compliance approach, implemented appropriately." The Massachusetts attorney general's office said it appreciated "NHTSA’s clarification today that our state law is not preempted by federal law." Automakers now must comply with the state law, the office said. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing major automakers including General Motors (GM.N), Toyota Motor (7203.T) and Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) declined to comment but previously argued the state law would require automakers "to remove essential cybersecurity protections from their vehicles." The White House competition council engaged behind the scenes to help reach a resolution, a senior administration official said.

Persons: Brian Snyder, general's, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, David Shepardson, Jonathan Oatis, Andy Sullivan Organizations: Boston, REUTERS, Rights, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, Alliance, Automotive Innovation, General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Senators, Massachusetts, House, Thomson Locations: Somerville , Massachusetts, U.S, Massachusetts

☆ Student-loan companies are putting borrowers at 'heightened risk' of harm if they fail to prepare for payments to resume, 6 Democratic lawmakers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Student-loan payments are resuming in October without broad debt relief. A group of Democrats asked CEOs of student-loan companies how they are preparing for the restart. They want updated information on how the companies are training customer service workers and reaching out to borrowers. Since March 2020, student-loan payments have been on pause, with interest waived, to provide borrowers financial relief during the pandemic. It announced a 12-month "on-ramp" period once payments resume during which borrowers will not be reported to credit agencies for missed payments, along with a new income-driven repayment plan to lower monthly payments.

Persons: Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Van Hollen, Ed Markey, Sherrod Brown, Bob Menendez —, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, servicers Organizations: Service, Democratic, Public, Federal Student Aid, Republicans, Biden's Education Department Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Sen. Ed Markey announces bill to raise taxes on private jets and their ultra-wealthy passengers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Ed Markey on Wednesday announced legislation to raise taxes on jet fuel used by private planes. Private jet travel, which is the most polluting form of transport, has surged in recent years. The bill — called the Fueling Alternative Transportation with a Carbon Aviation Tax (FATCAT) Act — would raise federal taxes on private jet fuel from $0.22 to $1.95 per gallon. Private jet travel has surged in recent years. The surge in private jet travel raises serious environmental concerns.

Persons: Sen, Ed Markey, —, Markey, Chuck Collins Organizations: Wednesday, Massachusetts Democrat, Private, Service, Carbon Aviation, Institute for Policy Studies, Patriotic Millionaires, Federal Aviation, Senate Commerce, Science, Transportation, Communities Trust Fund, Treasury, NGO Transport, Environment Locations: Massachusetts

☆ Two senators urge automakers not to remove AM Radio from new cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - Two senators on the U.S. Commerce Committee on Friday wrote seven major automakers urging them not to remove AM Radio from new vehicles. Senator Ted Cruz, the panel's top Republican, and Democrat Ed Markey wrote to BMW (BMWG.DE), Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), Tesla (TSLA.O), Mazda (7261.T), Polestar (A4N1y.F), Rivian (RIVN.O) and Volvo Cars asking them to commit by July 7 to including AM Radio in new vehicles. Ford Motor (F.N) said last month it would reverse course and not remove AM broadcast radio as a feature in 2024 model vehicles after lawmakers introduced legislation to require them. Reporting by David ShepardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ted Cruz, Ed Markey, David Shepardson Organizations: U.S . Commerce, Republican, BMW, Volkswagen, Mazda, Volvo Cars, AM Radio, Ford, Thomson

☆ Two U.S. senators to automakers: don't remove AM radio from new vehicles
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - Two U.S. senators wrote seven major automakers on Friday urging them not to remove AM radio from new vehicles. "Preserving AM radio not only aligns with the growing recognition of its significance but also demonstrates a commitment to public safety and meeting consumer expectations," the senators wrote. Markey said last month the seven automakers had opted to remove AM broadcast radio from their electric vehicles. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing major automakers, said, "mandating AM radios in all vehicles is unnecessary. Automakers pointed to an existing system that distributes warnings across AM, FM, internet-based or satellite radio, and over cellular networks.

Persons: Ted Cruz, Ed Markey, Markey, Cruz, Jim Farley, Jessica Rosenworcel, David Shepardson, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Republican, Senate, Committee, BMW, Volkswagen, Mazda, Volvo Cars, Ford, The Alliance, Automotive Innovation, Federal Communications, Thomson

☆ US lawmakers urge FTC to finalize new consumer protections for car buyers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - A group of 17 Democratic U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday urged the Federal Trade Commission to finalize new consumer protections for car buyers despite objections from auto dealers who argue the rules would actually raise the cost of buying a car. They argued that "unfair and deceptive practices involving motor vehicle dealers have widespread consequences." The lawmakers said the FTC should require dealers to provide a legally enforceable "Offering Price" "that includes all pre-installed and mandatory add-on products" and finalize regulations prohibiting specific misrepresentations, among other reforms. The FTC wants to ban fees for add-on products and services that provide no consumer benefits like "nitrogen-filled" tires that contain no more nitrogen than normal air. "Dealers also pack vehicle sales with mandatory and price-inflated add-ons, increasing the cost and creating further confusion and uncertainty about a vehicle’s ultimate price," the lawmakers wrote.

Persons: Ed Markey, Ron Wyden, Cory Booker, Brian Schatz, Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Pramila Jayapal, David Shepardson, Chris Reese, David Gregorio, Leslie Adler Organizations: Democratic U.S, Wednesday, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Reuters, National Automobile Dealers Association, Center for Automotive Research, Alliance, Automotive Innovation, General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Thomson

☆ Meta lowers the minimum age for its Quest headsets from 13 to 10
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Facebook-parent Meta plans to lower the minimum age for its virtual reality headsets from 13 years old to 10 years old, despite pressure from lawmakers not to market its VR services to younger users. In its Friday blog post, Meta said parents will be able to set time limits and enforce breaks for their preteens on the headsets. Meta also makes it possible to cast content from its VR headsets to a TV or phone screen, so parents can watch what their kids are seeing. Meta’s headset and Horizon Worlds represent Zuckerberg’s vision for a next-generation internet, where users can interact with each other in virtual spaces resembling real life. Update: This story has been updated to reflect Meta’s plan to continue restricting Horizon Worlds to users 13 and older.

Persons: Preteens, Meta, ” Meta, Massachusetts Sen, Ed Markey, Connecticut Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Mark Zuckerberg Organizations: New, New York CNN, Facebook, Connecticut, CNN, Meta Locations: New York, Massachusetts, United States, Canada, Europe

☆ US senators question Twitter's FTC compliance under Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The lawmakers asked Musk and Yaccarino to respond to a series of questions about Twitter’s FTC obligations and whether the layoffs and resignations have hindered its ability to comply. Elon Musk under TwitterSince purchasing Twitter, Musk has said he’s laid off more than 6,000 employees, or roughly 80% of the company’s pre-acquisition headcount. Twitter is already under investigation by the FTC for possible breaches of its consent orders. But as both the FTC and now the senators have indicated, Twitter’s behavior under Musk is also covered by the consent agreements. House Republicans have alleged that the FTC probe is intended to “harass” Musk and represents an example of the “weaponization” of the US government.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Linda Yaccarino, Ella Irwin, Twitter’s, “ Mr, ”, Massachusetts Democratic Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Elizabeth Warren ; Oregon Democratic Sen, Ron Wyden, Ed Markey, Hawaii Democratic Sen, Mazie, Twitter didn’t, Twitter, he’s, Peiter “ Mudge ” Zatko, Zatko Organizations: Washington CNN —, Twitter, Federal Trade Commission, CNN, Massachusetts Democratic, Elizabeth Warren ; Oregon Democratic, Hawaii Democratic, FTC, Washington Post, House Republicans Locations: Elizabeth Warren ; Oregon

☆ Democrats warn Musk after Twitter safety execs leave
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

After news broke last week that both Twitter's head of trust and safety, Ella Irwin, and head of brand safety and advertising quality, A.J. Brown, had departed, four senators wrote in a letter to Twitter owner Elon Musk and new CEO Linda Yaccarino that they were concerned about Twitter's ability to meet its legal obligations. The Democrats asked the Twitter leaders several questions about whether and how the company has complied with the security and privacy obligations in the FTC consent decree. "Mr. Musk's behavior reveals an apparent indifference towards Twitter's longstanding legal obligations, which did not disappear when Mr. Musk took over the company," the senators wrote. "Regardless of his personal wealth, Mr. Musk is not exempt from the law, and neither is the company he purchased."

Persons: Ella Irwin, Brown, Elon Musk, Linda Yaccarino, Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Ron Wyden, Mazie Hirono, Musk's, Musk, Twitter Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Twitter, FTC, Department of Justice, New York Times, Democrats, CNBC, YouTube, Elon Locations: Sens, Hawaii

☆ Senate votes to repeal Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. White House warns Biden will veto
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Senate voted to repeal President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan on June 1, 2023. Getty Images | BloombergA GOP-led effort to overturn President Joe Biden's sweeping student loan forgiveness plan passed the Senate on Thursday. The measure, which passed the House along party lines last week, would also nullify the pause on student loan payments. More from Personal Finance:Student loan pay pause eased forgiveness for public servantsExperts say SCOTUS will rule against student loan forgivenessWhat's at stake as SCOTUS weighs student loan forgiveness Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., acknowledged that the passage of the legislation was mostly symbolic. "We should help Americans with student debt, not make their problems worse," Schumer said.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Biden, Education Miguel Cardona, —, It's, Mark Kantrowitz, SCOTUS, What's, Sen, John Thune, Thune, Joe Manchin, Manchin, Biden's, Ed Markey, Markey, Chuck Schumer, Schumer Organizations: Education, Getty, Bloomberg, GOP, Finance, Senate, Democrats, Democratic Locations: York

☆ Senate Democrats are asking Biden to stop negotiating with Republicans on a debt ceiling solution and take a route that would get rid of the problem forever
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Senate Democrats are asking Biden to prepare to use the 14th amendment to solve the debt ceiling crisis. The 14th amendment would allow Biden to bypass Congress and declare the debt ceiling unconstitutional. On Wednesday, The Washington Post first reported that five Democratic senators have spearheaded an effort to urge Biden to invoke a clause in the 14th amendment to address the debt ceiling. Rep. Jamie Raskin, for example, told Insider in a Wednesday interview that the 14th amendment "provides the whole structure for resolving the conflict." He said that he doesn't think the 14th amendment "solves our problem now.

A group of mostly Democratic senators pressured Tesla CEO Elon Musk to end the company's use of forced arbitration clauses in employee and customer contracts, in a letter on Monday. Forced arbitration clauses in consumer contracts have similarly obscured important details about Tesla's vehicle safety and business practices from the public, the lawmakers wrote. They asked for the same details about sexual harassment complaints from Tesla workers. However, Tesla makes and sells its cars direct to consumers so its forced arbitration clauses cover more than the norm where auto sales are concerned. Tesla uses arbitration clauses as a tactic to shunt people into a forum that's pretty rigged for the corporation."

☆ Senators say new US Postal Service pay plan will cut rural worker compensation
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - A group of six U.S. senators on Friday urged the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to delay implementation of a new compensation system that it says will reduce pay for tens of thousands of rural postal delivery workers. The senators -- Democrats Ron Wyden Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, Ed Markey and John Fetterman and independent Bernie Sanders -- in a letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said the automated Rural Route Evaluated Compensation System should not be used "until the system’s serious flaws are rectified." They also asked how USPS "will reimburse rural carriers for lost earnings when the system makes an inaccurate determination about their routes." Reporting by David ShepardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Some airlines effectively charge parents to sit with their kids. Biden is shaming the industry into changing that.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Consumer groups and President Joe Biden are aghast that carriers have effectively charged families more to sit together. No airline explicitly imposes a "family seating fee," but consumer advocates have complained for years about how that's exactly what's happening. Airlines for America, an industry lobbying arm that counts the big four, America, Delta, Southwest, and United, among its members, previously pointed out that none of its members explicitly charge a family seating fee. This is a March 24, 2023 screenshot of the Department of Transportation's dashboard of airline family seating policies. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts is working with a trio of other Senate Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, on separate legislation on just family seating.

☆ Meta opens up its Horizon Worlds VR app to teens for the first time, prompting outcries from US lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Meta is forging ahead with plans to let teenagers onto its virtual reality app, Horizon Worlds, despite objections from lawmakers and civil society groups that the technology could have possible unintended consequences for mental health. On Tuesday, the social media giant said children as young as 13 in Canada and the United States will gain access to Horizon Worlds for the first time in the coming weeks. Zuckerberg has pushed to spend billions developing VR hardware and software, even as Meta has scaled back significantly in other parts of its business. “Meta is despicably attempting to lure young teens to Horizon Worlds in an attempt to boost its failing platform,” said Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who last month, along with Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey, urged Zuckerberg to reconsider letting teens use the app. Lawmakers have previously raised alarms about the impact of some of Meta’s other products, including Instagram, on younger users.

☆ The US could lose up to 900 warplanes fighting a Chinese invasion of Taiwan but would emerge victorious, says think tank
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A think tank ran war game analyses for a conflict between the US and China over Taiwan. One of the analysts told Insider the US and Taiwan would likely succeed in beating back a Chinese invasion. The Washington-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, conducted war games last year to imagine how such a conflict would play out. The war games are designed to help envision how conflicts would play out. China conducted military drills around Taiwan following Pelosi's visit and said that further "training and war preparation" would continue, The Guardian reported.

☆ Starbucks union is using billboards, a brass band and a butter sculpture to pressure board members from Nike, Land O'Lakes and Lego
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Starbucks union organizers are stepping up pressure on individual members of the company's board. Leaders at Nike, Lego, and Land O' Lakes were targeted using billboards, a movie trailer, a brass band, and even a butter sculpture. The push comes a week after shareholders voted in favor of an investigation into Starbucks' labor practices. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles and online, a Lego Movie-styled trailer premiered with the aim of enlisting Lego President Jorgen Vig Knudstorp to join the side of Starbucks workers. And now, those tensions are spilling over to other companies as the union targets Starbucks' board of directors.

☆ Starbucks' Howard Schultz was the gold standard for good bosses everywhere. Then Gen Z worked for him.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks at the time, then appeared with Clinton on a panel to discuss corporate responsibility. Schultz discussed his 1987 decision to offer Starbucks employees stock options and what he said was better healthcare than rivals, among other benefits. Starbucks workers participate in November's Red Cup Rebellion, a nationwide strike. Starbucks's health insurance option for part-time workers originates in a 1986 contract for unionized Seattle Starbucks workers that Schultz fought against at the time. Markey said that by unionizing, Starbucks workers are "just looking to be someone who can protect themselves in the way your father could not."

☆ Starbuck's ex-CEO started his Congressional testimony with an emotional story about his father. It was used against him.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz told Congress about his father's work injury Wednesday. But Sen. Ed Markey used the anecdote to argue that Starbucks should respect unionizing workers. When Schultz was a child, his father slipped on ice and broke his foot while working as a driver, he said. Markey told the story of his own father, whom he said lost a finger in an accident at work. Starbucks told the Times that the remedies are "inappropriate."

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden would veto a Republican energy legislation package if it were to pass Congress, citing cost increases that the legislation could lead to, the White House said on Monday. 1 (Lower Energy Costs Act) would double the cost of energy efficiency upgrades that families need to reduce household bills and would repeal the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund that will cut energy costs and boost economic development in rural and urban communities across the country," the White House said. Republicans plan to bring the legislation to the floor of the House of Representatives, where they hold a slim majority, for a vote this week, Representative Elise Stefanik, who chairs the House Republican Conference, said on Monday. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said the House bill is "dead on arrival" in the Senate. But many senators want more moderate permitting legislation to expand the electricity transmission system and rapid build out of renewable power.

☆ Sen. Elizabeth Warren announces re-election bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Megan Lebowitz | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., announced Monday that she would be seeking a third term in office. The announcement also featured appearances by Democratic allies from Massachusetts, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and fellow Sen. Ed Markey. “Elizabeth is my partner in the Senate, and I have seen this perpetual energy machine up close,” Markey said. President Joe Biden won Massachusetts by nearly 34 percentage points in 2020 and Warren won re-election in 2018 by 24 points. I’m running for Senate,” Warren said on Meet the Press in April 2022.

☆ Utah just passed a bill that will force children to get parental consent before joining social media platforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Utah's governor Spencer Cox passed legislation restricting teenagers' access to social media. The new bill requires social media firms to obtain parental consent before children can open accounts. It also requires social media companies to establish a curfew for teens from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops — delivered daily to your inbox. Republican Governor Spencer Cox passed the Social Media Regulation Act, which aims to force social media companies to verify the age of all Utah residents before they can sign up for or maintain a social media account. The Associated Press reported that social media companies will likely sue to stop the law going into effect.

☆ TikTok creators, some U.S. Democratic lawmakers oppose ban on app
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] TikTok creators hold a news conference to speak out against a possible ban of TikTok at the House Triangle at the United States Capitol in Washington, U.S., March 22, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn HocksteinWASHINGTON, March 22 (Reuters) - TikTok creators and three U.S. Democratic Party lawmakers on Wednesday said they opposed any potential ban on the Chinese-owned short video sharing app that is used by more than 150 million Americans. Critics fear that TikTok user data in the United States could be passed on to China's government. Pocan said a "xenophobic witch hunt" is motivating some in Congress to seek a TikTok ban. Democratic Senator Mark Warner said two additional senators backed his bipartisan legislation with Republican John Thune to give the Biden administration new powers to ban TikTok.

☆ Elizabeth Warren demands Fed crackdown on large regional banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Senator Elizabeth Warren is cranking up the pressure on the Federal Reserve following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank fit into that asset threshold when they failed earlier this month. The bipartisan 2018 rollback of Dodd-Frank freed large regional banks in that range of assets from the toughest oversight. Notably, the letter was signed by Senator Angus King, the Maine independent who voted in favor of the 2018 rollback. Days after the bank failures, the Federal Reserve launched a review of the regulation and oversight of Silicon Valley Bank.

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