Bipartisan bill would make it easier for military recruits with medical issues to land defense jobs
A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill will introduce a bill on Wednesday to help Americans with physical issues disqualifying them from military service to find civilian jobs in the armed forces and defense industry. The Defense Workforce Integration Act is sponsored by Republicans and Democrats in both chambers of Congress. The proposal, which seeks to support the thousands of Americans with physical issues that disqualify them from service, would target workforce shortages in critical areas, including manufacturing, cybersecurity and defense logistics. HEGSETH ORDERS ‘HISTORIC’ REDUCTION OF GENERAL OFFICERS IN THE MILITARY “Oftentimes, the U.S. Department of Defense will invest significant time and resources into military recruits’ training – only for those recruits to be taken out of consideration for medical reasons, many of which do not prohibit them from working to keep our nation safe,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., one author of the bill. Key provisions of the legislation include directing the Department of Defense to provide information about civilian employment opportunities to people who were medically disqualified from service during initial evaluations. SUPREME COURT STAYS LOWER COURT RULING, ALLOWING TRUMP TRANSGENDER BAN TO PROCEED The bill also aims to support service members disqualified early in their careers, expanding on existing Air Force best practices by establishing Army and Navy personnel management programs. These programs would facilitate recommendations to civilian hiring authorities in the Department of Defense, which improves access to the hiring process without guaranteeing jobs. “Medical issues might prevent some patriotic Americans from active military service, but it doesn’t have to prevent them from finding other ways to serve our country,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a co-sponsor of the bill in the Upper Chamber. The lawmakers want to turn a potential loss of talent into an opportunity by allowing the Department of Defense to retain people in whom they have already invested resources. Reuters contributed to this report.
Operation Sindoor: PM Modi chairs Cabinet meet, says ‘no mistakes whatsoever…’
Sources said the Prime Minister praised the armed forces for their “commendable job” and “immaculate execution,” underlining their professionalism and commitment to national security.
Do we even need this? Lawmakers get real about REAL ID mandate starting today
The United States has had 20 years to roll out REAL ID. Starting today, passengers must have a REAL ID or another accepted form of identification, like a passport, to travel domestically in the country. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill spoke with Fox News Digital about how their home states implemented the final phase of REAL ID, as President Donald Trump‘s administration signaled there would be no deadline extensions. “I had to go through all that to get it on my license, and that was a year or two ago,” Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn, said. “Tennessee put that into effect a long time ago. If there’s a hard deadline now, people better get on the stick.” While some Republican lawmakers expressed concern to Fox News Digital about their constituents not knowing or being able to get a REAL ID in time, most agreed REAL ID was a step in the right direction for national security. PANDEMIC, PRICE TAGS AND PRIVACY CONCERNS: WHY IT TOOK 20 YEARS TO IMPLEMENT REAL ID Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., called REAL ID a “better way to prove who you are, and make sure there’s less fraud in the country.” ‘EXPECT WAIT TIMES’: TRUMP ADMIN SIGNALS NO EXCEPTIONS AFTER KENTUCKY ASKS FOR REAL ID EXTENSION “It’s important that every state does the same thing,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said. “We can’t have some states doing one thing, some states doing the other. This is the United States of America, the last time I looked. We’re going to do it. Let’s all do it the same, do it the right way, take care of business, and go from there.” Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colo., told Fox News Digital that Colorado has not had any problems with REAL ID, adding, “Colorado’s gotten a lot of things wrong, but on REAL ID, I think they did a good job.” Other states have not been as successful in their REAL ID rollouts. Kentucky lawmakers, including Kentucky’s Senate Transportation Committee Chair Jimmy Higdon and 27 state Senate leaders, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on April 17 requesting a delay on REAL ID enforcement, citing concerns among Kentuckians “who are still unable to access driver’s licensing services due to limited appointment availability and long lines for walk-ins.” The Trump administration confirmed in a statement to Fox News Digital that states would need to comply by the May 7 deadline, despite Kentucky’s delay request. “What I’m concerned about is that constituents who may not be aware of the REAL ID requirement or that didn’t have time to get their REAL ID, will show up at an airport to go on a flight and realize they can’t fly domestically anymore without that REAL ID,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said. Malliotakis said she has been trying to get the word out to her community that passengers will either need to get a REAL ID or travel with their passport starting Wednesday. “I think the government needs to be more proactive and do advertisements. I would urge DHS and TSA to be doing that to get the word out there, so people can get their REAL ID as soon as possible,” she added. However, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., took the criticism a step further, telling Fox News Digital that REAL ID “has not really been talked a whole lot about in Congress, and we’re starting to get questions from constituents.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “We want to make sure that people have the ability to make accommodations, but the question is whether or not we even need this. We haven’t even had that debate in Congress. We should,” Schmitt added, despite Congress passing the REAL ID Act in 2005. Rep. Dale Strong, R-Ala., had a different take. “Get the yellow star on your driver’s license, it’ll help you down the road.”
Catholic Church to excommunicate priests for following WA law requiring child abuse confessions to be reported
The Catholic Church announced that priests will be excommunicated if they follow a new Washington state law requiring clergy to report confessions about child abuse to law enforcement. “Catholic clergy may not violate the seal of confession — or they will be excommunicated from the Church,” the Archdiocese of Seattle said in a statement. “All Catholics must know and be assured that their confessions remain sacred, secure, confidential and protected by the law of the Church.” “The Catholic Church agrees with the goal of protecting children and preventing child abuse,” the statement added, noting that it “remains committed to reporting child sexual abuse, working with victim survivors towards healing and protecting all minors and vulnerable people.” The new law — signed by Democrat Gov. Bob Ferguson last week — added “members of the clergy” to a list of professionals who are required to report information that relates to child abuse or neglect to law enforcement, and the measure does not provide an exception for information offered at a confession booth. DOJ INVESTIGATING ‘ANTI-CATHOLIC’ WASHINGTON STATE LAW REQUIRING CLERGY TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE Priests in the Catholic Church have been bound by the absolute seal of confidentiality, an obligation that requires them to keep anything learned in confession a secret. The Archdiocese of Seattle said its policies already require priests to be mandatory reporters unless the information is received during confession. “While we remain committed to protecting minors and all vulnerable people from abuse, priests cannot comply with this law if the knowledge of abuse is obtained during the Sacrament of Reconciliation,” its statement said. UTAH BILL WOULD PROTECT CLERGY MEMBERS WHEN REPORTING CHILD ABUSE TO POLICE The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation into the law for possible violations of the First Amendment’s religious protections. “SB 5375 demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law, a violation of the Constitution and a breach of the free exercise of religion cannot stand under our Constitutional system of government,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division said. “Worse, the law appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compared to other reporting professionals,” she continued. “We take this matter very seriously and look forward to Washington State’s cooperation with our investigation.” The bill will go into effect on July 26. Washington is one of just five states that does not explicitly or implicitly require clergy to report suspected child abuse or neglect, a federal report shows, according to Fox 13. Most states exempt information obtained through confession from mandatory reporting, but Washington now joins just a handful of states that do not provide such exemptions. “This new law singles out religion and is clearly both government overreach and a double standard,” the Archdiocese of Seattle said. “The line between Church and state has been crossed and needs to be walked back. People of every religion in the State of Washington and beyond should be alarmed by this overreach of our Legislature and Governor.”
Operation Sindoor: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh explain why India carried out strikes on terror sites in Pakistan
Addressing a press briefing in the national capital hours after the targetted strikes by India, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the objectives of the operation.
‘Pahalgam attack left us no choice’: J-K CM Omar Abdullah backs Operation Sindoor, details inside
J&K CM Omar Abdullah backed Operation Sindoor, saying India had to respond after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26, urging Pakistan to avoid escalation.
Operation Sindoor: Karnataka Congress posts Mahatma Gandhi quote on peace, deletes it after airstrikes, lauds IAF later
Karnataka Congress posted it hours after India carried out an air strike at nine locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) as part of its ‘Operation Sindoor’ to avenge the killing of 26 tourists in a terrorist attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.
Operation Sindoor: Indian Forces destroy terror camps that trained 26/11 conspirators Ajmal Kasab, David Headley, see visuals
Colonel Qureshi detailed the targeted camps, stating that the four terrorist camps destroyed in Pakistan are Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya.
REAL ID is here: 5 things to know before flying
After 20 years of delays, the REAL ID deadline to fly commercial in the United States has landed. Here are five things to know before flying. On May 11, 2005, President George W. Bush signed the REAL ID Act into law to enhance national security in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Passed by the U.S. Congress, the act set federal standards for issuing identification cards, like driver’s licenses. In addition to the compliance requirement to board a federally regulated commercial aircraft, beginning May 7, 2025, American adults will need a compliant ID to access certain federal facilities and enter nuclear power plants, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). After the REAL ID deadline, state-issued driver’s licenses or IDs that are not REAL ID-compliant will no longer be accepted as a valid form of identification at airports. REAL ID ‘UNNECESSARY IN KEEPING US SAFE,’ GOP LAWMAKER SAYS AS DEADLINE LOOMS NO ‘REAL ID’ APPOINTMENTS OPEN IN NEW JERSEY AS RESIDENTS SOUND OFF: ‘GET WITH THE TIMES, NJ’ Starting May 7, travelers can only use their state-issued ID or license to fly within the United States if it is REAL ID-complaint. However, there are several other forms of identification that will still be accepted for domestic travel, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Travelers unsure if their ID is accepted can check with their local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and check for a star on the upper top portion of their card, signaling REAL ID compliance. Don’t panic! Be sure to travel with a passport or another accepted identification card, if you have one. The TSA advises that passengers, including those with TSA Precheck, who present identification at a TSA checkpoint that is not REAL ID compliant and who do not have an alternative ID form will be informed they are noncompliant and could be directed to a separate area at the airport for potential additional screening. A TSA officer can ask noncompliant passengers to complete an identity verification process, which includes name and current address confirmation. Once your identity is confirmed, passengers can enter the screening checkpoint but might be subject to additional screening. TSA will not allow passengers to enter the security checkpoint if they do not provide the acceptable identification, decline to cooperate with the additional identity verification or if a passenger’s identity cannot be confirmed. While REAL IDs are not required to travel if a passenger has alternative accepted identification, they are recommended under the REAL ID Act. To obtain a REAL ID, travelers can visit their state’s DMV with documentation proving their full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, two proofs of residency and lawful status. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the country, so minors will not need a REAL ID to fly.
‘Fully prepared for any Pak misadvancements’: India describes Operation Sindoor as well-planned, ready for retaliation against Pakistan
India’s Operation Sindoor targeted terror camps in Pakistan and PoK in retaliation to the Pahalgam attack, with a statement emphasizing preparedness to respond to any escalation.