3 Things To Know Today

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1 Biden Administration Waives 26 Federal Laws To Allow Border Wall Construction

The Biden administration made a surprising announcement yesterday afternoon, indicating that they’re going to allow construction to resume on a wall along the Texas-Mexico border. The Department of Homeland Security posted the announcement on the U.S. Federal Registry, indicating the administration is waiving 26 federal laws to allow construction in Starr County, Texas. In the notice, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said, “There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border…to prevent unlawful entries into the United States in the project areas.” Previously released maps of the area show that around 20 miles of wall will be constructed in the area, which has seen around 245,000 illegal entries during the current fiscal year. Among the laws waived by the administration are the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Waiving the laws prevents any challenges or lawsuits over potential environmental law violations. On the day he was sworn into office, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation to end the construction of the border wall, around 450 miles of which was completed during the Trump administration.

2 Trump Trial Day Three: Trump Leaves During Break

Former President Donald Trump only attended part of the third day of hearings in the trial for the $250 million civil lawsuit filed against the Trump Organization, leaving the courthouse during a break in the proceedings. As he left, he took time to address a question about the talk of Republicans wanting him to become the next Speaker of the House, saying that he’s “glad to help” but that his focus is becoming president again. After he left, Attorney General Letitia James briefly talked to reporters and said, “The Donald Trump show is over,” adding that his appearance at the trail was a “political stunt” and a “fundraising stop.” Just before James made those comments, Trump sent a fundraising email that started with “I just left the courthouse for the day for my unjust trial in New York.” James ended her comments by saying “I will not be bullied. Justice will be served.” The day featured testimony and cross-examination of accountant Camron Harris and former Trump accountant Donald Bender, who testified that he neither disputed valuations of assets nor recalled noticing any failure to disclose methods used to value the assets of the Trump Organization.

3 Over 75,000 Health Care Workers In Six States Are Now On Strike

Roughly 75,000 health care workers hit the picket lines yesterday against their employer, Kaiser Permanente, including workers at facilities in several states that serve almost 13 million Americans. The three-day strike was approved by the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions and is the largest healthcare strike in the history of the country. The strikers include licensed vocational nurses, home health aides, ultrasound sonographers, and technicians in the radiology, X-ray, surgical, pharmacy, and emergency departments. The workers are asking for a $25 hourly minimum wage and an increase in hiring to combat staffing shortages. Kaiser said in a statement yesterday that it’s upped its proposal to boost the minimum hourly wages for its employees to between $23 and $25 per hour next year, depending on the location, and had completed hiring 10,000 more people. Union representatives say Kaiser has been negotiating in bad faith. Kaiser Permanente reported a $2.1 billion profit last quarter, attributing it to strong investment income. The workers’ last contract was negotiated in 2019.


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