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☆ Where are the 12 US gov't funding bills to avert shutdown?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

But first, the House and Senate would have to agree upon the overall dollar amount of spending for the 12 bills combined. The Senate passed its version as part of a three-bill package on Nov. 1 with strong bipartisan support. DEFENSEOne of the largest of the 12 bills funds the Department of Defense - the Army, Navy, Air Force and the CIA. The Senate's version passed out of committee on July 27. The Senate's version passed out of committee on July 27.

Persons: Jon Cherry, shutdowns, Joe Biden, Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Moira Warburton, Aurora Ellis Organizations: U.S . Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Republican, Senate, of Veterans Affairs, Army, Navy, Air Force, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Housing, Urban, House Republicans, Amtrak, Department of Defense, CIA, Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory, of, of Indian Affairs, Land Management, Environmental Protection Agency, The, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of State, Agency for International Development, Peace Corps, Congress, Capitol Police, of Congress, Office, Treasury, of Columbia, Federal Trade Commission, COMMERCE, of Commerce, U.S . Census, U.S . Patent, Department of Justice, Republicans, HUMAN, of Education, Department of Health, Human Services, Department of Labor, Social Security Administration, National Labor Relations Board, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, New York, U.S, Washington

☆ GOP lawmakers call for VA to slash reliance on China for medical supplies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —A pair of Republicans leading powerful House committees are calling for the Department of Veterans Affairs to speed up efforts to decrease the agency’s reliance on China for medical supplies, CNN has learned. The Covid-19 pandemic laid bare a dangerous vulnerability in America’s medical supply chains that resulted in shortages of masks, respirators and other life-saving gear. “The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the national security and public health risks of failing to guarantee adequate medical supplies. As the biggest buyer of medical supplies among federal agencies, it has considerable influence. Congress has attempted to take steps to boost the resilience of the nation’s medical supply chain by easing dependence on goods from less friendly nations like China.

Persons: Mike Gallagher, Mike Bost, Denis McDonough, Bost, Gallagher, “, ” Terrence Hayes, Joe Biden, Health Richard Stone, ” Bost, McDonough, Democratic Sen, Tom Carper, Republican Sen, Thom Tillis, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Department of Veterans Affairs, CNN, Veterans ’, Chinese Communist Party, CCP, Department of Veteran Affairs, Defense Department, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health, Human Services, Republicans, Health, World Trade Organization, Congress, Democratic, Republican Locations: New York, China, United States, America, Covid, Mexico, Malaysia

☆ Biden administration has forgiven $127 billion in student debt. What to know about the relief options
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on new efforts to cancel student loan debt at the White House on Oct. 4, 2023. watch nowThe Biden administration has evaluated millions of borrowers' loan accounts to see if they should have had their debt cleared. Paul Morigi | Getty ImagesThe Biden administration has tried to reverse the trend of borrowers being excluded from the relief on technicalities. Total and Permanent Disability dischargeThe Biden administration has also forgiven the student debt of more than 500,000 disabled borrowers. The $11.7 billion in aid was delivered under the Total and Permanent Disability discharge.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin Dietsch, Mark Kantrowitz, Kantrowitz, Biden, George W, Bush, Paul Morigi Organizations: White, Getty, Public, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Studentaid.gov, U.S . Department of Education, Social Security Administration, The Department of Veterans Affairs

☆ Writing ‘Maid’ Pulled Stephanie Land Out of Poverty. She’s Fine Now, Right?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Ron Lieber | More About Ron Lieber | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ms. Land got married in 2019 to a veteran who is eligible to receive disability payments through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, but two late student-loan payments had left him ineligible for a V.A. They tried to move from Missoula, Mont., to Raleigh, N.C., in early 2020 and were seeking a mortgage of about $350,000. But her book deal and its promise of future payments weren’t enough for her to qualify for one. But if the show doesn’t get made at all, no more money generally comes your way — and production hadn’t started yet when Ms. Land was trying to buy a home. Like many nonfiction authors, Ms. Land turned to speaking.

Persons: Land, ”, Land’s, hadn’t Organizations: U.S . Department of Veterans Affairs, Netflix Locations: Missoula, Mont, Raleigh, N.C

WASHINGTON (AP) — The COVID-19 treatments millions of Americans have taken for free from the federal government will enter the private market next week with a hefty price tag. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is setting the price for a five-day treatment of Paxlovid at $1,390, but Americans can still access the pills at no cost -- for now. The less commonly used COVID-19 treatment Lagevrio, manufactured by Merck, also will hit the market next week. People on private insurance may start to notice copays for the treatments once their pharmacy or doctor's office runs out of the COVID-19 treatments they received from the government. Full-year revenue for Paxlovid and Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, is expected to be approximately $12.5 billion.

Persons: “ Pfizer, Paxlovid, coronavirus, Pfizer's, “, Tom Murphy Organizations: WASHINGTON, Pharmaceutical, Pfizer, Merck, Health, Human Services, The Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Indian Health Service, U.S, Associated Press, and Drug Administration, Paxlovid Locations: U.S, Indianapolis

☆ After Shooting, Maine Senators in the Spotlight on Guns
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Jonathan Weisman | More About Jonathan Weisman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, coupled with a conservative Democratic congressman’s reversal on an assault weapons ban, has turned the spotlight on the state’s two senators, Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, and Angus King, a Democrat-leaning independent, both of whom are skeptical about banning military-style rifles. Representative Jared Golden, among the most conservative Democrats in the House, rushed back to his Lewiston district on Thursday, as a gunman who killed 18 people in his hometown remained at large. He then stunned constituents in his traditionally pro-gun district by declaring that it was time for him “to take responsibility” for his “failure” to back a ban on assault weapons, “like the one used by the sick perpetrator of this mass killing.”Mr. Golden’s reversal is likely to put pressure on Maine’s senators, both of whom boast of occupying the political center and have used that position to forge significant bipartisan compromises in the past, including gun safety legislation passed last year after the murder of children in Uvalde, Texas. Ms. Collins, in particular, has taken heat from Democrats who say her professions of moderation have faltered at crucial times. Mr. King, who is standing for re-election in 2024, joined Republicans — including Ms. Collins — on Wednesday to back an amendment to a spending bill that would prohibit the Department of Veterans Affairs from automatically sending veterans’ personal information to the federal firearms background check system if they are deemed mentally unfit to manage their benefits.

Persons: Susan Collins, Angus King, Jared Golden, “, ”, ” Mr, Collins, . King, Collins — Organizations: Democratic, Republican, Democrat, Republicans —, Department of Veterans Affairs Locations: Lewiston , Maine, Lewiston, Uvalde , Texas

☆ Student loan forgiveness: How Biden continues to cancel debt after Supreme Court ruling
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Katie Lobosco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Washington CNN —Although the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s signature student loan forgiveness program in late June, his administration has found ways to cancel more than $48 billion in debt since then. That’s more student loan forgiveness than was granted under any other administration – in part due to the Biden administration’s efforts to temporarily expand some debt relief programs and to correct past administrative errors made to borrowers’ student loan accounts. Expanding debt relief program for public-sector workersNearly $51 billion of student loan debt has been canceled for 715,000 borrowers through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program since Biden took office. The PSLF program cancels outstanding federal student loan debt for public-sector workers who have made 120 qualifying monthly student loan payments, or about 10 years’ worth of payments. Nearly 513,000 borrowers with a total and permanent disability have received $11.7 billion in student loan forgiveness since 2021.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Biden, Trump, they’d, –, “, Virginia Foxx, ”, Abby Shafroth, Shafroth, Betsy DeVos Organizations: Washington CNN, of Education, Office, Congress, ”, CNN, Department of Education, Republican, Education, White, New Civil Liberties Alliance, Cato Institute, Mackinac Center for Public Policy, National Consumer Law Center, Loan, Public, PSLF, University of Phoenix, Corinthian Colleges, Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department, Social Security Locations: Michigan

☆ 5 successful real-estate investors who started with as little as $5,000 in savings explain how they leveraged FHA loans to buy their first properties
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Before writing off real estate as too expensive to invest in, you'll want to consider all of your options. Here's how it works and how you can use one to buy real estate and start building long-term wealth. How everyday people have leveraged FHA loans to buy property and build wealthBoston-based investor Karina Mejia used an FHA loan to buy her first property at age 22 . It's a joke but it is solid advice: Before you actually get married, you should each use your own FHA loan." You can get your foot in the door without too much upfront cash by using an FHA loan."

Persons: Ludomir Wanot, witxh, Wanot, Karina Mejia, Sasha, It's, Mejia, Avery Heilbron, Heilbron, Jervais, Jim Resonable, That's Organizations: Federal Housing Association, Evergreen Housing, Ludomir, Seattle, Department of Veterans Affairs Locations: Seattle, Boston, Georgia, North Carolina, North Carolina , California

☆ Utah accuses TikTok of misleading users about safety, China connection in new lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Utah is the latest state to file suit against TikTok, alleging the social media site misled its citizens about its relationship to its Chinese parent company and deceptively touted its platform as safe. TikTok has already faced similar lawsuits from Arkansas and Indiana, while Montana has chosen to ban the app altogether, a move that TikTok and creators have challenged. "Social media companies must be held responsible for the harms they are causing," Cox said in a statement. The other elements of the suit touch on concerns that many people have about social media platforms in general, not just TikTok. Utah has been particularly active in seeking to protect its citizens from what it sees as the harmful effects of social media.

Persons: Spencer Cox, Joe Biden, George E, TikTok, Cox, Sean Reyes Organizations: Utah Gov, U.S, Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical, TikTok, . Utah Gov, Social, CNBC, YouTube Locations: Utah, Salt Lake City , Utah, Arkansas, Indiana, Montana, Washington, China, harm's

☆ The Biden administration is negotiating lower prices for 10 medications with drug manufacturers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Biden administration announced Tuesday it is beginning talks with drug makers behind 10 expensive medications to lower prices for recipients of Medicare, the national health insurance program for older Americans and people with disability status. The negotiations are expected to last until 2024, with the lower prices expected to go into effect in 2026. The Congressional Budget Office "estimated that price negotiation will lower average drug prices paid by Medicare and will reduce the budget deficit by $25 billion in 2031." "Negotiating provides us a critical tool to ensure they get those prescription drugs at lower prices – just as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has done for years." AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Biden administration has recently taken aim at high drug prices and high profits at pharmaceutical companies.

Persons: —, Biden, Juliette Cubanski, Harris, Xavier Becerra, Jardiance, Eli Lilly Organizations: Service, Congressional, Medicare, Biden, Harris Administration, Human Services, U.S . Department of Veterans Affairs, HHS, Centers, Services

☆ US shutdown looms: Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy faces crucial test
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) addresses the 5th annual Congressional Hackathon on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 14, 2023. But hardline activism on spending, policy and impeachment have split Republicans in the House and slowed the Senate's path forward on approving bipartisan spending legislation. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries warned on Sunday that the situation amounts to a Republican "civil war." Unless the House can move forward on spending, Republican leaders say privately that they could be forced to move directly into negotiations with Senate Democrats on appropriations bills, circumventing hardliners. Other House Republicans fear that McCarthy's decision to open an impeachment inquiry of Biden could make it harder to gain cooperation on spending from Democrats.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Evelyn Hockstein, Joe Biden, brinkmanship, Fitch, Hakeem Jeffries, Tommy Tuberville, McCarthy, Biden, who's, Chip Roy, Patrick McHenry, Ralph Norman, Ken Buck, David Morgan, Richard Cowan, Scott Malone, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, ., Republican, U.S . Congress, Democratic, Senate, AAA, California Republican, Fox News, Department of Defense, House Republicans, White, Defense Department, Department of Veterans Affairs, Caucus, Moderate, Biden, Republicans, Washington Post, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, California

☆ Meta's VR technology is helping to train surgeons and treat patients, though costs remain a hurdle
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesJust days before assisting in his first major shoulder-replacement surgery last year, Dr. Jake Shine strapped on a virtual reality headset and got to work. Kettering Health Dayton is one of dozens of health systems in the U.S. working with emerging technologies like VR as one tool for helping doctors to train on and treat patients. Since the beginning of last year, Meta's Reality Labs unit, which develops the company's VR and AR, has lost over $21 billion. Meta Quest 3 VR headset. "The first virtual reality headset that I used was this big clunky headset that had all these wires it had to be connected to a laptop to function."

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Jake Shine, Shine, Zuckerberg, didn't, Jan Herzhoff, Brennan Spiegel, Spiegel, Caitlin Rawlins, Rawlins, there's, Brent Bamberger, Reem, she's, it's, Daboul, PrecisionOS, Danny Goel, Richard Miller, he's, Miller, They're, It's, Goel, Kettering's Bamberger, Rafael Grossmann, Grossmann, Glass, Hollie Adams Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Kettering Health Dayton, CNBC, Meta, VR, Facebook, Labs, Apple, Elsevier Health's, U.S . Department of Veterans Affairs, Spiegel, Software, Doctors, PrecisionOS, University of Rochester, Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Google, of Fine Locations: San Jose , California, U.S, Ohio, Sinai, Los Angeles, Cedars, New Hampshire, Mayfair , London

☆ Most first-time homebuyers don't put down 20%, expert says. Here's how much you may need
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But you probably don't need as much money as you think. In the following decades, many government-backed mortgages mandated a 20% down payment. The typical house in the U.S. has a median price of around $400,000. Applying the 20% rule would mean you'd need $80,000. Some states, cities and other groups have programs that award grants to homebuyers that bolster their down payment or help cover closing costs.

Persons: SurveyMonkey, Jessica Lautz, Lautz, Freddie Mac, Daniel Brennan Organizations: Istock, CNBC, National Association of Realtors, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Federal Housing Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Bank Locations: U.S, Arizona, Maine

☆ Would you pay hundreds of dollars for an app your doctor prescribed? Buzzy digital therapeutics could make you healthier — but your insurer probably won't cover them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Natalie Rahhal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Apps such as Somryst — known as prescription digital therapeutics — aim to raise the bar for personal healthcare delivered via smartphone. Digital therapeutics show promise for treating IBS and insomniaFunding for digital therapeutics surged by 133% between 2020 and 2021, and the sector's global value is estimated to grow from roughly $7 billion to about $28 billion from now to 2030, Fortune Business Insights reported. In fact, many insurance companies want years of data on real-world use before covering digital therapeutics, Insider previously reported. While there are free nonprescription DTxs available from sources such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, those aren't cleared by the FDA, and privately made prescription digital therapeutics often cost hundreds of dollars. "Digital therapeutics are meant to increase access to care.

Persons: Charlotte Jee, Jee, Corey McCann, John Torous, Beth Israel, they're, Torous, They're, AspyreRx, Mark Berman, hadn't Organizations: Healthcare, Morning, MIT Technology, National Health Service, Food and Drug Administration, Pear Therapeutics, Harvard Medical, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical, Fortune Business, FDA, Better Therapeutics, Disease Control, Department of Health, Human Services, of Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Aetna

☆ Zillow offers a 1% down payment loan program
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Zillow Home Loans pays an additional 2%, bringing the total down payment to 3%, which is typically the minimum payment required for a conventional home loan. Currently the program is only available to buyers in Arizona, according to Zillow, with plans to expand. With mortgage rates crossing over 7% in recent weeks and home prices rising, home sales have plummeted over the past year. Offering a low down payment program is in line with Zillow’s return to its core business after a short-lived expansion into the ibuying business. Zillow also offers a down payment assistance tool to see if you are eligible for other programs.

Persons: Zillow, Rich Barton, haven’t, Orphe Divounguy, ” Organizations: DC CNN, Mortgage, Association, US Department of Agriculture, Department of Veterans Affairs, Consumer Financial Locations: Washington, Arizona, homeownership, Phoenix

☆ How Bad Is a Second (or Third or Fourth) Case of Covid?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Dani Blum | More About Dani Blum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Reinfection and long CovidThe chances you will get long Covid from a reinfection are fairly unpredictable — several experts interviewed for this story used the metaphor of Russian roulette. The milder your symptoms, the less likely you are to get long Covid, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. But every time you get infected, no matter the severity, there is always a chance that you can develop longer-term symptoms. Dr. Sala said he frequently sees patients who were more or less fine after their first couple of infections wind up with long Covid in the wake of a third or fourth infection. Still, it’s not a foregone conclusion that reinfection definitively raises the risk of long Covid, said Fikadu Tafesse, a virologist at Oregon Health & Science University.

Persons: Peter Chin, Ziyad Al, Aly, Sala, that’s, ”, it’s, reinfection, Fikadu Tafesse, “ Organizations: University of California, Nature Medicine, U.S . Department of Veterans Affairs, Louis Healthcare, Oregon Health & Science University Locations: San Francisco, St

☆ Exclusive: Biden taps Jackson for economic adviser, signals focus on education
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on veterans' care at George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. August 10, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden is tapping C. Kirabo Jackson, a labor economist whose research advocates robust public spending on schools, to fill out his three-member Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), according to a White House official. The selection suggests public education will be a key area of focus for Biden's brain-trust ahead of a 2024 re-election bid expected to turn on the strength of the economy. Jackson's pick also comes as the Biden administration is thinking through how to boost lagging educational performance since the COVID-19 pandemic. Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Heather Timmons and Andrea RicciOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden, George E, Jonathan Ernst, Kirabo Jackson, Jackson, Biden, Jackson's, Cecilia Rouse, Trevor Hunnicutt, Heather Timmons, Andrea Ricci Organizations: George, Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical, REUTERS, Economic Advisers, White, Northwestern University, Princeton University, CEA, Thomson Locations: Salt Lake City , Utah, U.S

☆ Biden in Utah to mark anniversary of toxic burn pit legislation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will visit a Utah veterans’ medical center on Thursday to mark the one-year anniversary of the signing of legislation providing aid to veterans sickened by gases from military toxic burn pits. 1st Class Heath Robinson, stand by in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, U.S., August 10, 2022. The U.S. military used burn pits to dispose of waste on foreign bases until the mid-2010s. Under the law, certain cancers and ailments, including hypertension, are presumed to be connected to the burn pits and the need for veterans to prove they were connected was eliminated. Biden has said he believes there may have been a connection between the brain cancer that killed his son Beau Biden at age 46 and the burn pits that Beau was exposed to during his military service.

Persons: Joe Biden, Heath Robinson, Danielle, Brielle Robinson, Kevin Lamarque, Biden, invigorate, George E, Beau Biden, Beau Organizations: LAKE CITY, White, REUTERS, Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical, Reuters Locations: Utah, Washington , U.S, American, Salt Lake City, U.S

☆ Biden marks anniversary of toxic burn pit legislation during Utah trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - President Joe Biden visited a U.S. veterans’ medical center in Utah on Thursday to mark the one-year anniversary of the signing of legislation that provides aid to veterans sickened by gases from military toxic burn pits. 1st Class Heath Robinson, stand by in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, U.S., August 10, 2022. The U.S. military used burn pits to dispose of waste on foreign bases until the mid-2010s. Under the law, certain cancers and ailments, including hypertension, are presumed to be connected to the burn pits and the need for veterans to prove they were connected was eliminated. “The PACT Act means today’s veterans and their families won’t suffer the same painful frustrating delays and denials,” Biden said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Heath Robinson, Danielle, Brielle Robinson, Kevin Lamarque, Biden, invigorate, George E, Orange, ” Biden, “, ”, Beau Biden, Beau Organizations: LAKE CITY, White, REUTERS, Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical, Reuters Locations: U.S, Utah, Washington , U.S, American, Salt Lake City, Vietnam

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden asked Congress to approve about $40 billion in additional spending on Thursday, including $24 billion for Ukraine and other international needs, $4 billion related to border security and $12 billion for disaster relief. Trump, the front-runner in the race to be the Republican presidential nominee in 2024, has been sharply critical of U.S. support for Ukraine in the war. FIRST UKRAINE REQUEST SINCE REPUBLICANS TOOK HOUSERepublicans narrowly control the House, where Speaker Kevin McCarthy signaled in June that any request for more assistance for Ukraine would face an uphill path through Congress. The House and Senate last approved aid for the Kyiv government - $48 billion - in December, before Republicans took control of the House. The request includes $13.1 billion for the Department of Defense, including $9.5 billion for equipment for Ukraine and replenishment of U.S. equipment stocks already sent to Kyiv.

Persons: Joe Biden, George E, Jonathan Ernst, Donald Trump, pare, Chuck Schumer, Biden, America’s, Vladimir Putin, Schumer, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Shalanda Young, Russia's Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Andrea Shalal, Patricia Zengerle, David Shepardson, Doina Chiacu, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: George, Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical, REUTERS, White, Washington, Trump, Republican, Ukraine, Democratic, FIRST, HOUSE, Kyiv, Republicans, World Bank, Department of Defense, Department of State, U.S . Agency for International Development, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, Thomson Locations: Salt Lake City , Utah, U.S, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russian, United States, Russia, China, FIRST UKRAINE, Niger

☆ GOP congressman who voted twice against veterans health bill is now urging his constituents to enroll in its benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. David Schweikert voted twice last year against a bill to provide health benefits to veterans. But now, he's urging his constituents to sign up to receive benefits from the program. Now, the Arizona Republican is urging his constituents to sign up for the benefits created by that same legislation. In both instances, Schweikert was among the Republicans who voted against the bill. It's the latest example of Republican lawmakers touting programs created by legislation that they voted against.

Persons: David Schweikert, he's, Schweikert, Joe Biden —, —, Biden, Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville Organizations: Service, Arizona Republican, Arizona, Twitter, Facebook, —, Department of Veterans Affairs, Infrastructure Law Locations: Wall, Silicon, Arizona, Schweikert's Scottsdale, Alabama

☆ Qualifying for a mortgage is getting harder, as credit availability is the tightest in a decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

A decline in the Mortgage Credit Availability Index indicates that lending standards are tightening, while increases in the index would indicate loosening credit. Mortgage credit availability has been tightening since the spring, according to MBA, with a slight uptick in availability in June, when levels were essentially unchanged. Credit availability then fell again in July, to a decade low. In July, the conventional loan index, which examines non-government loan programs, decreased 0.5%. The government loan index, which examines Federal Housing Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs and US Department of Agriculture loan programs, was down by 0.1%.

Persons: Joel Kan, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Kan, ” Kan Organizations: DC CNN, Mortgage Bankers Association, ICE Mortgage Technology, Mortgage, Housing Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, US Department of Agriculture Locations: Washington

☆ Getting just 2 bills signed into law is enough to make Sen. Jon Tester the most effective legislator so far this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Jon Tester has had two of his bills signed into law after passing both chambers of Congress. Congress has passed far fewer bills this year due to divided government. Yet that's enough to make Tester the single most effective lawmaker in Congress this year, if getting bills signed into law is the sole metric. Just 12 bills have been signed into law by President Joe Biden this Congress. Of course, the reason so few bills have been signed into law is because Congress is now divided.

Persons: Sen, Jon Tester, Democratic Sen, he's, Joe Biden, Biden, Tester, Tim Sheehy, Matt Rosendale Organizations: Congress, Service, Privacy, Democratic, Republican, Veterans Affairs, Veterans, Major, Department of Veterans Affairs, Republicans, US Senate, Caucus Locations: Wall, Silicon, Montana

☆ These 8 daily habits could add up to 24 years to your life, new study says: 'Even adding only one' may lead to 4 extra years
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

It's clear now more than ever that living longer is heavily influenced by lifestyle choices like diet and exercise, but a recent unpublished study found that certain habits can add more than 20 additional years to your life. The research, presented last month at the American Society for Nutrition's annual meeting, found that practicing eight healthy habits at age 40 was associated with an additional 24 years of life for men. Women saw similar benefits from incorporating the practices in their lives at age 40, with 21 extra years added to their lives. "We were really surprised by just how much could be gained with the adoption of one, two, three, or all eight lifestyle factors," said Xuan-Mai Nguyen, lead study author and health science specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs, in a press release. "The earlier the better, but even if you only make a small change in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, it still is beneficial."

Persons: Xuan, Mai Nguyen Organizations: American Society, Department of Veterans Affairs

☆ Some U.S. government agencies are testing out A.I. to help fulfill public records requests
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Lewis Kamb | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Still, some open government and civil rights advocates are already raising concerns that the government's move toward using AI to help address FOIA problems may create new ones. So far, government agencies haven't widely disclosed to the public what kinds of AI tools are being used, and in what fashion, Marshall said. But experts widely agree the FOIA process must be modernized and fixed, as requests can sometimes take months, even years, to fulfill. An increasing number of requesters have turned to the courts for help in prying records loose in a timely manner. The state department is now testing two AI models to help process FOIA requests, Stein said.

Persons: —, Jason R, Adam Marshall, Marshall, they're, Michael Sarich, Eric F, Stein, that's, There's, Bradford Brown, Brown, Mitre, Baron, Clinton, Brett Max Kaufman Organizations: State Department, Justice Department, Centers for Disease Control, NBC News, University of Maryland, Freedom, Press, Justice Department's, Information, Department of Veterans Affairs, Justice, CDC, NBC, Mitre Corp, National Archives, Records Administration, Mitre Locations: —

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