Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Year: 2025

Trump admin reinstates 9/11 survivors program staff following HHS reorganization

Trump admin reinstates 9/11 survivors program staff following HHS reorganization

FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration’s Health and Human Services Department (HHS) sent out reinstatement notices to staff members who were part of a federal healthcare program for 9/11 survivors, following a reduction in force at HHS and its subagencies as part of Trump’s efforts to optimize the federal government.  The administration announced in mid-February that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would face cuts that would reduce the agency’s workforce by roughly one-tenth. As part of that reduction in force, 16 workers at the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) were let go, an HHS official confirmed.  The move spurred concern from both Democrats and Republicans. TRUMP FOE LETITIA JAMES LEADING CHARGE ON NEW MULTISTATE LAWSUIT OVER HHS CUTS  New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, whose district in the Hudson Valley is home to many 9/11 first responders, reportedly indicated after the cuts that he was actively communicating with the Trump administration about them.  “This political chaos is jeopardizing the healthcare of heroes,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., added in a Sunday statement about the 16 fired WTCHP workers. After political pressure in early April, the Trump administration eventually restored WTCHP Administrator Dr. John Howard to his role as head operator of the program, according to Lawler, and today all the staff members at WTCHP who were let go as part of the administration’s DOGE efforts have been reinstated.  One of the 16 total staffers who were swept up in the cuts had already accepted a resignation buyout offered by the Trump administration. “We appreciate the department’s swift action to address these notices and return critical program staff to work to help assist and provide ongoing services,” Howard said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We’re ready to serve the more than 133,000 responders and survivors of the 9/11 attacks who are served by this program along with other critical programs in NIOSH.”  NEW HHS REPORT SHEDS ADDITIONAL LIGHT ON RISKS OF GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE FOR MINORS The federal program, which is housed within the (CDC), was established by Congress in 2010 as part of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. It is operated by the CDC’s National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. The program was developed to provide healthcare services to 9/11 victims, first responders and others involved in support services during the attacks who were exposed to harmful contaminants that day, as many were forced to inhale toxic dust and debris as they attempted to save lives.  The program, which was extended in 2015, is slated to run until 2090 and aims to ensure that patients directly affected by the 9/11 attacks in New York, the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, have zero out-of-pocket costs for any health complications that came as a result of the 9/11 attacks. “The chaos we see throughout the administration we’re seeing 10 times over at the World Trade Center program,” Schumer said over the weekend ahead of the reinstatements, according to New York’s Spectrum News NY1. “We hear people are being fired, then we hear they’re being restored; then we hear they’re being fired, then they’re being restored.”

Red-state governor shoots down bill banning this common hospitality industry item

Red-state governor shoots down bill banning this common hospitality industry item

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed legislation that would largely ban Styrofoam containers, dubbing it “textbook government overreach.” House Bill 477 would phase out the use of the containers by 2030, but starting in 2028 for restaurants and the hospitality industry. Introduced by Democrat state Rep. Marilyn Marler, the legislation garnered some bipartisan support in the Republican-majority legislature. WATCH: RED STATE GOV URGES FIREARMS MAKERS TO DITCH COLORADO AMID ITS ANTI-GUN PUSH “Our state should remain a sanctuary for freedom and free enterprise, and let high taxes, high spending, and hyper-regulation remain a feature of deep blue, progressive states,” the Republican wrote in his veto letter, citing how various blue states like California and Washington have imposed similar regulations. “Frankly, I was surprised to receive House Bill 477 which dictates to restaurants, food establishments, bakeries, resorts, hotels, and others what they can and can’t use to package food and drinks,” he continued. Proponents of the legislation argued that the material poses a health and environmental risk, and many places have already stopped using Styrofoam, according to KTVQ.  CUTTING THE ‘GREEN TAPE’: CONSERVATION GROUP OFFERS TOP 10 WAYS FOR DEPT OF INTERIOR TO STREAMLINE The bill stated that polystyrene foam “is a material that causes environmental harm and poses a threat to fish and wildlife; and whereas, styrofoam takes up space in landfills and contributes to the need for costly expansions borne by taxpayers; and whereas, styrofoam threatens the right of each Montanan to a clean and healthful environment.” The proposal included a few exceptions but would require an application for using the foam as it relates to “transportation; construction; health; or safety.” “Finally, if policymakers are trying to get rid of Styrofoam, which I’m not, why only target restaurants and food-service establishments? Why not packaging supplies? Though I’m not advocating such an approach, targeting one industry that uses Styrofoam and not another seems inconsistent with the purported purpose of House Bill 477,” the governor wrote. GOP GOVERNOR RALLIES AROUND HISTORIC PROPOSAL TO SLASH STATE’S INCOME TAX: ‘I AM OPTIMISTIC’ “The state banning Styrofoam is costly government overreach,” Gianforte said, saying it would cost taxpayers an estimated $300,000 through a new Montana Department of Environmental Quality program and could create additional costs for consumers if businesses are forced to make the switch. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I enjoy hot coffee in a Styrofoam cup because it keeps it hot. And this bill is a hot mess,” he said in a video posted to X on Monday.

State Department to merge Palestinian Affairs Office with US Embassy in Jerusalem

State Department to merge Palestinian Affairs Office with US Embassy in Jerusalem

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is planning to merge the responsibilities of the Palestinian Affairs Office into the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in an effort to continue a diplomatic mission in Israel’s capital that was put in place by President Donald Trump during his first term in office. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce announced Rubio’s decision during a press briefing Tuesday. “Secretary Rubio has decided to merge the responsibilities of the office of the Palestinian Affairs Office fully into other sections of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem,” Bruce said. “This decision will restore the first Trump-term framework of a unified U.S. diplomatic mission in Israel’s capital that reports to the U.S. ambassador to Israel.” She added that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will begin to make the necessary changes to implement the merger over the coming weeks. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVERRULES TRUMP POLICY ON PALESTINIANS “The United States remains committed to its historic relationship with Israel, bolstering Israel’s security and securing peace to create a better life for the entire region,” Bruce said. The Biden administration established the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs in 2022 after reversing Trump’s closure of the consulate to the Palestinians in Jerusalem during his first administration. TRUMP OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZES JERUSALEM AS ISRAEL’S CAPITAL CITY, ORDERS EMBASSY MOVE FOR US Biden’s move was viewed by some as rewarding the Palestinian leadership after a wave of terrorism during which two Palestinians wielding an ax and knife murdered three Israelis in the town of Elad in May 2022. The first Trump administration helped to negotiate groundbreaking agreements, called the Abraham Accords, in 2020 to normalize diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. US SERVICE MEMBER SETS HIMSELF ON FIRE OUTSIDE ISRAELI EMBASSY IN DC The Israeli government vehemently opposed a reopening of the Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem because it would undercut the holy city as the undivided capital of Israel. The U.S. Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and calls for it to remain an undivided city.  Trump, in 2017, recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017 and moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the following year. Fox News’ Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.

Lawmakers react to Newark airport chaos: ‘Your family deserves to know you’ll be safe’

Lawmakers react to Newark airport chaos: ‘Your family deserves to know you’ll be safe’

Lawmakers spoke out to Fox News Digital on Tuesday as chaos ensued at one of the nation’s busiest airports. “Our team has reached out to the FAA to get answers on what steps they’re taking to resolve this situation,” said Sen. Andy Kim, a Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee — who also represents the Garden State where the airport is located. “Your family deserves to know that when you fly, you’ll be safe and you’ll get there on time. We’ll keep pressing to make sure it happens,” Kim said. Across the aisle, West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito lamented the “very outdated” air traffic control system and spoke of the shortage of controllers writ large. DUFFY CONFIRMATION HEARING MARKED BY BIPARTISANSHIP, PLEDGE TO VISIT HELENE-DEVASTATED STATES “[That] makes for the turmoil we’re seeing at Newark,” Capito told Fox News Digital. “I would like to see more accountability at FAA, which is why I have proposed to Commerce Committee Chairman Cruz’s team a public facing dashboard to show FAA’s progress in updating their systems as well as hiring more controllers.” While Democrats like DNC Chairman Ken Martin mocked USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy over the latest air-travel-related crisis, Capito countered that the Wisconsin Republican recognizes the challenges America’s skies face. “I support his efforts to finalize a plan that I hope to review soon,” she said. NEW JERSEY DEMS SEEK TO BAR IMPRISONED BOB MENENDEZ FROM PUBLIC FUTURE OFFICE, AS GOP TARGETS HIS PENSION  Martin tweeted that “in case you missed it, Sean Duffy, there were near misses at DCA [Ronald Reagan-Washington National Airport in Crystal City, Va.], air traffic control screens are going dark at Newark, and America’s air travel system is falling apart under your and Donald Trump’s watch.” “Anyway, hope the tacos were good,” he said, apparently referring to a photo Duffy posted on X posing with steak tacos his wife prepared for dinner by his “#LatinaWife.”  Late Tuesday, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., a former Newark mayor himself wrote a lengthy letter to Duffy saying that given, “the serious consequences for our nation’s aviation system, it is critical that the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) take all necessary steps to identify and address the underlying causes of the ongoing flight disruptions.” “I appreciate that the USDOT has already responded to this ongoing situation by identifying the importance of technology upgrades across the entire air traffic control system, and I am committed to supporting these efforts in Congress.” “However, I ask that you also immediately direct additional staff and resources in order to restore regular operations at EWR in the days ahead. This is of particular importance as the busy summer travel season approaches, which will put further pressure on EWR and the region’s airspace. Specifically, I request that you take additional steps to address the staffing shortages at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, which have contributed significantly to the repeated suspension and interruption of flight operations at EWR.” Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., another committee member, told Fox News Digital that maintaining America’s “busiest and most advanced airspace in the world” requires a skilled workforce and dependable tech. “The radar outages at Newark put Air Traffic Controllers in an impossible situation, endangered incoming flights and demonstrate the urgent need for modernization of our systems,” said Moran, who along with Sens. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., also introduced the Air Traffic Control Workforce Development Act to bolster that workforce sector. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., told Fox News Digital later Tuesday that as a “member of the Senate Transportation Committee this is deeply concerning to me. The Biden administration spent years funding anything other than important upgrades and updates to outdated FAA technology.” “I think many of us will be asking questions about how this occurred and how we can work with Secretary Duffy and Chairman Cruz to fix it. The flying public deserves to know that they are safe and secure when flying in American airspace,” Lummis said. On the Democratic side, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said: “The ongoing situation at Newark Airport is yet another example of the tremendous strain our aviation system is under—something I’ve been raising the alarm on for years—and it further underscores the urgent need to invest in updated air traffic control systems and equipment, not cut FAA’s funding and workforce.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “As Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee, I have questions about both Newark and the recent incident near the Pentagon. Congress needs answers. The safety of the flying public depends on it.” In a lengthy statement obtained by Fox News and Fox Business, the FAA acknowledged that “several major airlines are facing ongoing flight disruptions at New Jersey’s Newark-Liberty International Airport as the facility contends with ongoing staffing and technology issues.” “Last week, air traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) facility in Philadelphia lost radar and radio signals while directing planes to Newark for nearly 90 seconds, causing significant delays and flight cancellations that remain ongoing,” the statement continued, going on to reference the longstanding issues cited by Capito. “We are working to ensure the current telecommunications equipment is more reliable in the New York area by establishing a more resilient and redundant configuration with the local exchange carriers. In addition, we are updating our automation system to improve resiliency,” the agency said.