US NATIONAL NEWS
AP: COVID Relief Bill Could Permanently Alter Social Safety Net
Published
5 years agoon
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package is being hailed by Democrats and progressive policy advocates as a generational expansion of the social safety net, providing food and housing assistance, greater access to health care and direct aid to families in what amounts to a broad-based attack on the cycle of poverty.
With more than $6 billion for food security-related programs, more than $25 billion in emergency rental assistance, nearly $10 billion in emergency mortgage aid for homeowners, and extensions of already-expanded unemployment payments through early September, the package is full of provisions designed to help families and individuals survive and recover from pandemic-induced economic hardships.
“When you stand back and look at it, that’s when you really can appreciate the sheer scope of it,” said Ellen Vollinger, legal director for the Food Research & Action Center, a food-security advocacy group. “The scope is both impressive and much needed.”
Several aspects seem targeted at restructuring the country’s social safety net and actually lifting people out of poverty. It’s the kind of ambition and somewhat old school Democratic Party ideal that has observers referencing former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the New Deal.
“We haven’t seen a shift like this seen since FDR. It’s saying families are too big to fail, children are too big to fail, the elderly are too big to fail,” said Andre Perry, senior fellow in the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution. “It’s a recognition that the social safety net is not working and was not working prior to the pandemic.”
Biden himself, when signing the package into law Thursday, referenced it as an overt attempt to redraw the country’s economic fault lines in a way that’s bigger than the pandemic. “This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country and giving people in this nation, working people and middle-class folks, the people who built the country — a fighting chance,” Biden said.
And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called it “one of the most transformative and historic bills any of us will ever have the opportunity to support.”
Perry in particular pointed to the expansion of the child tax credit system as a potentially foundational change. The legislation provides families with up to $3,600 this year for each child and also expands the credit to millions of families currently making too little to qualify for the full benefits.
“That is really going to put a dent in child poverty,” Perry said.
In promoting the child tax credit expansion, Democrats rallied around an analysis that predicted it would cut nationwide child poverty by 45%.
The legislation extends through September last year’s 15% increase in benefits offered by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program, commonly known as food stamps. It also provides extra funds to administer the expanded SNAP program and to expand access to SNAP online purchasing.
The package also includes what amounts to the biggest expansion of federal help for health insurance since the Obama-era Affordable Care Act more than 10 years ago. Several million people could see their health insurance costs reduced, and there’s also an incentive for states to expand Medicaid coverage, if they haven’t already done so.
Those changes, however, won’t be as immediate as the direct cash injections in other areas.
Housing advocates give generally positive reviews, saying the massive relief packages for both renters and home owners should be enough to stave off the debts incurred so far. “This is an appropriate response for an unprecedented time. Clearly there’s a tremendous need to avoid an eviction tsunami,” said Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
But she also warned that the economic hardships, and need for assistance, will extend past the end of the pandemic.
“Many of the jobs that low-income workers have lost won’t come back right away,” she said.
Yentel called on Biden to extend the national moratorium on evictions via executive order. The current moratorium, imposed by the Centers for Disease Control as part of the national health emergency, is being challenged in multiple court cases and expires at the end of March.
Many of the legislation’s changes are temporary, but advocates and Democratic legislators are talking openly about making some of them permanent.
“Getting something out of the code is often times harder than getting something into the code,” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., told reporters Tuesday, referring to the relief bill’s expansion of the child tax credit.
He added, “What we did is unlikely to go away.”
At this point, the child tax credit expansion would expire at the end of the year without some sort of congressional intervention. But permanently enshrining those changes into law could be a battle. Congress’ nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation has estimated the child tax credit’s cost at $110 billion, making it one of the single most expensive items in the whole package. Extending that over multiple years would be extremely costly, and would likely draw serious opposition, especially from Republicans.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, called Democrats’ expansion of those credits “sweeping new government benefits with no work requirements whatsoever,” suggesting the shape of the GOP opposition strategy ahead. But the provision is projected to lift millions of families out of poverty, and progressives believe there will be tremendous pressure on Republicans to allow the change.
Many also want to preserve the bill’s temporarily beefed up earned income tax credit, and its improved tax breaks for caring for children and dependents and for paid sick and family leave.
A study by the Tax Policy Center concluded that the relief package would reduce federal taxes in 2021 by an average of $3,000 per household. Low- and moderate-income households (making $91,000 or less) would receive nearly 70 percent of the tax benefits, the study concluded.
“The question will be do they want child poverty to go back up again” by letting that credit expire, said Steve Wamhoff, director of federal tax policy for the liberal Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.
___
Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed to this report.
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US NATIONAL NEWS
Trump Cabinet Officials Take America First Agenda Across the Nation
Published
2 days agoon
August 21, 2026
WASHINGTON (FNN) – From the heartland to the coasts, members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet have fanned out across the country in recent weeks, visiting factories, farms, airports, universities, veterans facilities and community health centers to promote the administration’s policy priorities.
The visits have focused on a broad range of issues, including domestic manufacturing, energy production, infrastructure, small-business growth, veterans’ care, agriculture, border security and workforce development.
The appearances also have given Cabinet officials an opportunity to point to specific projects and investments they say demonstrate the impact of the administration’s America First agenda.
Manufacturing and Economic Growth
Economic policy has been a recurring theme.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visited Vermeer Corp. in Pella, Iowa, where he promoted federal tax cuts as a catalyst for new manufacturing investment. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick likewise highlighted domestic manufacturing during a visit to Apple’s advanced manufacturing center in Houston.
In Indiana, Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler toured a manufacturer and met with farmers and other small-business owners. In Virginia, she visited another small manufacturer to discuss federal lending programs and tax provisions affecting small businesses.
Loeffler and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also toured Titan Tire in Des Moines, Iowa, where they discussed trade policy and the administration’s economic agenda with workers and company officials.
Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling made manufacturing and workforce development another focus, visiting facilities in Texas, Iowa and Ohio to discuss labor shortages, advanced manufacturing and workforce preparation.
Infrastructure and Transportation
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has used several stops to highlight federal infrastructure investments.
During a visit to Michigan, Duffy toured Gerald R. Ford International Airport and discussed modernization of air traffic control systems. In Tampa, he announced federal funding for transportation and maritime projects, including a $16.5 million Federal Transit Administration award for a passenger ferry connecting Tampa and St. Petersburg.
Duffy also highlighted infrastructure improvements planned at Tampa International Airport and a federal shipyard grant intended to support infrastructure upgrades and welder training.
In Cincinnati, Duffy announced a multibillion-dollar investment in the nation’s rail system, describing the effort as part of what he called a new era of American rail development.
Energy and Natural Resources
Energy Secretary Chris Wright traveled to Texas’ Permian Basin to promote increased domestic oil and gas production.
Wright’s visit included a stop at an ExxonMobil oil rig and was part of the Energy Department’s Great American Energy Comeback Tour, underscoring the administration’s emphasis on expanding domestic energy production.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum also traveled to Wisconsin, where he announced 111 new hunting and fishing opportunities across the national wildlife refuge system.
The announcement reflected another administration priority: expanding public access to federal lands while promoting outdoor recreation.
Health Care and Veterans
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made several stops focused on health care and public health.
In California, Kennedy visited Castle Family Health Centers in Atwater to announce a $102 million investment in rural health care centers. In Iowa, he promoted a new presidential fitness test during a visit to a YMCA, where he watched children participate in exercises including push-ups and planks.
Kennedy also appeared in California alongside Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner to promote the administration’s approach to homelessness and addiction, including a greater emphasis on treatment and faith-based organizations.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins has similarly traveled to local communities to discuss veterans’ services. During a visit to the Omaha VA, Collins highlighted women’s health and the expansion of care for younger veterans. He later participated in the Iowa State Fair’s annual Veterans Day Parade.
Agriculture and Border Security
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has focused on issues affecting farmers, food assistance and agricultural security.
In Texas, Rollins joined federal officials to discuss efforts to combat the New World screwworm, including plans to use drones to help identify infected animals and prevent their movement across the U.S.-Mexico border.
In Colorado, Rollins met with farmers and agricultural producers to discuss federal support for the industry and defended changes to federal food assistance programs, including new work requirements.
Commerce Secretary Lutnick also met with farmers in California to discuss challenges facing agriculture and the administration’s push to expand U.S. agricultural exports.
Homeland Security and National Security
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin traveled to Alaska for stops in Anchorage and Kodiak.
In Anchorage, Mullin toured a U.S. Customs and Border Protection cargo screening facility and met with Transportation Security Administration workers at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. He later traveled to Kodiak, where he toured the Coast Guard base and received briefings on homeland security and federal investments in the service.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also made a public appearance at the Iowa State Fair, where he spoke about U.S. troops and national security.
Education and Workforce Development
Education Secretary Linda McMahon has continued a national tour of colleges and universities, with a stop at Kansas State University marking her 40th campus visit.
Her visit included a focus on the university’s veterinary programs, research and extension work.
Labor Department officials have similarly emphasized the connection between education and employment. Sonderling’s visit to Ohio State University’s Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence highlighted advanced manufacturing research and efforts to prepare students for the modern workforce.
A Nationwide Message
Taken together, the visits illustrate a deliberate effort by the Trump administration to bring Cabinet officials directly into communities and connect federal policy with local businesses, workers, farmers, veterans and public institutions.
The events have varied widely in subject matter — from oil production in Texas and manufacturing in Iowa to transportation projects in Florida and health care investments in California — but administration officials have presented them as parts of a broader economic and national policy agenda.
The strategy also puts local lawmakers and community leaders alongside Cabinet officials, giving federal initiatives a visible connection to individual states and congressional districts.
For the administration, the message is straightforward: America First policies are intended not simply to be announced in Washington, but demonstrated through investments, projects and policy changes taking place in communities across the country.
Crimes and Courts
Ben Crump Joins Nolan Wells Family, Dr. Jamal Bryant for Prayer Rally on What Would Have Been His 19th Birthday
Published
4 days agoon
August 20, 2026
Family calls for release of official autopsy findings, transparency and answers surrounding death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells
BILOXI, Miss. (FNN NEWS) — National civil rights attorney Ben Crump joined the family of Nolan Xavier Wells and prominent faith leader Dr. Jamal Bryant on Wednesday for a prayer rally marking what would have been Wells’ 19th birthday.
The gathering at Greater St. John AME Church in Biloxi honored Wells’ life while amplifying his family’s continuing demands for answers, transparency and accountability surrounding his death.
FAMILY CONTINUES FIGHT FOR ANSWERS
Rather than celebrating Nolan’s 19th birthday with him, his family gathered with community members, faith leaders and advocates to remember his life and continue their pursuit of the truth about what happened to him.
The Wells family is calling for the release of the official autopsy findings and greater transparency from state investigators.
The rally provided the family with a public platform to keep attention focused on unanswered questions surrounding Nolan’s death while seeking support from the broader community.
BEN CRUMP JOINS FAMILY’S CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY
Crump’s participation brings national attention to the family’s search for answers.
The civil rights and personal injury attorney has represented families in numerous high-profile cases involving deaths, civil rights and allegations of government or institutional misconduct.
His appearance alongside the Wells family underscored their demand that authorities provide information needed to establish a clearer account of the circumstances surrounding Nolan’s death.
The family’s requests for transparency remain allegations and demands for information; authorities’ findings should be distinguished from claims that have not yet been independently established.
DR. JAMAL BRYANT LEADS FAITH COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT
Bryant joined Crump, the Wells family and community members as the gathering combined remembrance with prayer and calls for accountability.
The prominent pastor and civil rights advocate has frequently used his national platform to address social justice issues affecting Black communities.
The Biloxi gathering brought the legal, faith and local communities together around the Wells family’s effort to obtain answers.
A 19TH BIRTHDAY MARKED BY PRAYER
The timing of the rally carried particular significance for Nolan’s family.
Wednesday would have marked his 19th birthday.
Instead, family members and supporters gathered at the church to celebrate his memory and reinforce their commitment to finding out what happened.
The rally began at 7 p.m. CDT at Greater St. John AME Church, 551 Division St. in Biloxi.
CALL FOR AUTOPSY FINDINGS AND INVESTIGATIVE TRANSPARENCY
Central to the family’s demands is the release of Nolan’s official autopsy findings.
The family also wants state investigators to provide greater transparency regarding the investigation and the circumstances surrounding his death.
Until official findings are released, significant questions surrounding the case remain unresolved.
For Nolan’s family, Wednesday night’s gathering was both a memorial and a public declaration that their search for answers will continue.
What would have been a milestone birthday instead became a call for truth, transparency and accountability.
Sports
U.S. U-19 Men’s National Team Advances to Fifth Straight Concacaf U-20 Championship Final With 2-0 Win Over Costa Rica
Published
2 weeks agoon
August 10, 2026By
FNN SPORTS
MEXICO CITY (FNN SPORTS) — The U.S. Under-19 Men’s National Team advanced to its fifth consecutive Concacaf U-20 Championship final with a 2-0 semifinal victory over Costa Rica on Friday at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City.
Ruben Ramos scored in the 36th minute and captain Christopher Applewhite added the insurance goal in the 76th as the United States continued its run of championship-game appearances dating to 2017.
The Americans finished with a 17-8 advantage in total shots and put seven attempts on goal while limiting Costa Rica to two shots on target.
Ramos Breaks Through in First Half
The United States controlled much of the early action and created several opportunities during the opening 20 minutes.
Forward Jaidyn Contreras repeatedly challenged the Costa Rican defense and delivered dangerous service into the penalty area, helping the Americans generate multiple set-piece opportunities.
The breakthrough finally came in the 36th minute.
Costa Rica defender Emmanuel Brenes attempted to play the ball out of his own half, but U.S. midfielder Alexander Shaw intercepted the pass and directed the ball forward to Ramos.
Ramos advanced into space before firing a right-footed shot from distance. The attempt took a slight deflection off a Costa Rican defender, changing its path and beating goalkeeper Ian O’Rourke to give the United States a 1-0 lead.
The goal was Ramos’ fourth in five tournament matches.
U.S. Defense Protects Lead
The United States continued pressing after halftime.
Ramos nearly scored again in the 59th minute, unleashing a powerful left-footed shot that forced O’Rourke into a two-handed save.
Costa Rica attempted to find an equalizer as the second half progressed, but the American defense held firm.
Colin Guske helped clear a dangerous opportunity before Braden Dunham made a sliding defensive play to eliminate another Costa Rican attack.
Applewhite Adds Insurance Goal
The United States doubled its advantage in the 76th minute following a free kick.
Tristan Brown sent the service into the six-yard box, where Applewhite slid into position and redirected the ball into the net for a 2-0 lead.
The Americans protected the advantage through the final whistle to secure another appearance in the Concacaf championship match.
U.S. Dominates Statistical Battle
The United States finished with seven shots on goal compared with Costa Rica’s two and held a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks.
U.S. goalkeeper William Lodmell made two saves to complete the clean sheet.
Costa Rica goalkeeper O’Rourke finished with five saves.
Both teams were called for nine fouls.
Match Summary
2026 Concacaf U-20 Men’s Championship Semifinal
United States 2, Costa Rica 0
Scoring
- USA — Ruben Ramos (Alexander Shaw), 36th minute
- USA — Christopher Applewhite (Tristan Brown), 76th minute
Shots: USA 17, Costa Rica 8
Shots on goal: USA 7, Costa Rica 2
Corner kicks: USA 7, Costa Rica 2
Saves: USA 2, Costa Rica 5
Fouls: USA 9, Costa Rica 9
U.S. Reaches Fifth Consecutive Final
The victory sent the Americans to their fifth consecutive Concacaf U-20 Championship final and put them in position to compete for another regional title.
The United States entered the championship match seeking its fourth Concacaf U-20 title during its recent run of tournament success.
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