WASHINGTON (AP) —The Department of Energy and several other federal agencies were compromised in a Russian cyber-extortion gang's global hack of a file-transfer program popular with corporations and governments, but the impact was not expected to be great, Homeland Security officials said Thursday.

But for others among what could be hundreds of victims from industry to higher education — including patrons of at least two state motor vehicle agencies — the hack was beginning to show some serious impacts.

Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told reporters that unlike the meticulous,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/solarwinds-hack-email-top-dhs-officials-8bcd4a4eb3be1f8f98244766bae70395">stealthy SolarWinds hacking campaign</a>&nbsp;attributed to state-backed Russian intelligence agents that was months in the making, this campaign was short, relatively superficial and caught quickly.

“Based on discussions we have had with industry partners ... these intrusions are not being leveraged to gain broader access, to gain persistence into targeted systems, or to steal specific high value information— in sum, as we understand it, this attack is largely an opportunistic one,” Easterly said.

“Although we are very concerned about this campaign and working on it with urgency, this is not a campaign like SolarWinds that presents a systemic risk to our national security or our nation’s networks,” she added.

A senior CISA official said neither the U.S. military nor intelligence community was affected. Energy Department spokesperson Chad Smith said two agency entities were compromised but did not provide more detail.

Known victims to date include Louisiana’s Office of Motor Vehicles, Oregon's Department of Transportation, the Nova Scotia provincial government, British Airways, the British Broadcasting Company and the U.K. drugstore chain Boots. The exploited program, MOVEit, is widely used by businesses to securely share files. Security experts say that can include sensitive financial and insurance data.

Louisiana officials said Thursday that people with a driver's license or vehicle registration in the state likely had their personal information exposed. That included their name, address, Social Security number and birthdate. They encouraged Louisiana residents to freeze their credit to guard against identity theft.

The Oregon Department of Transportation confirmed Thursday that the attackers accessed personal information, some sensitive, for about 3.5 million people to whom the state issued identity cards or driver’s licenses.

The Cl0p ransomware syndicate behind the hack announced last week on its dark web site that its victims, who it suggested numbered in the hundreds, had until Wednesday to get in touch to negotiate a ransom or risk having sensitive stolen data dumped online.

The gang, among the world’s most prolific cybercrime syndicates, also claimed it would delete any data stolen from governments, cities and police departments.

The senior CISA official told reporters a “small number” of federal agencies were hit — declining to name them — and said “this is not a widespread campaign affecting a large number of federal agencies.” The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the breach, said no federal agencies had received extortion demands and no data from an affected federal agency had been leaked online by Cl0p.

U.S. officials “have no evidence to suggest coordination between Cl0p and the Russian government," the official said.

The parent company of MOVIEit's U.S. maker,&nbsp;<a href="https://community.progress.com/s/article/MOVEit-Transfer-Critical-Vulnerability-31May2023">Progress Software, alerted customers to the breach on May 31</a>&nbsp;and issued a patch. But cybersecurity researchers say scores if not hundreds of companies could by then have had sensitive data quietly exfiltrated.

"At this point, we are seeing industry estimates of several hundred of victims across the country,” the senior CISA official said. Federal officials encouraged victims to come forward, but they often don't. The U.S. lacks a federal data breach law, and disclosure of hacks varies by state. Publicly traded corporations, health care providers and some critical infrastructure purveyors do have regulatory obligations.

The cybersecurity firm SecurityScorecard says it detected 2,500 vulnerable MOVEit servers across 790 organizations, including 200 government agencies. It said it was not able to break down those agencies by country.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in the Treasury Department uses MOVEit, according to federal contracting data. Spokeswoman Stephanie Collins said the agency was aware of the hack and has been monitoring the situation closely. She said it was “conducting detailed forensic analysis of system activity and has not found any indications of a breach of sensitive information.” She would not say how the agency uses the file-transfer program.

The hackers were actively scanning for targets, penetrating them and stealing data at least as far back as March 29, said SecurityScorecard threat analyst Jared Smith.

This is far from the first time Cl0p has breached a file-transfer program to gain access to data it could then use to extort companies. Other instances include GoAnywhere servers in early 2023 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-europe-eastern-europe-new-zealand-f318ba1ffc971eb17371456b015206a5">Accellion File Transfer Application devices in 2020 and 2021</a>.

The Associated Press emailed Cl0p on Thursday asking what government agencies it had hacked. It did not receive a response, but the gang posted a new message on its dark web leak site saying: “We got a lot of emails about government data, we don't have it we have completely deleted this information we are only interested in business."

Cybersecurity experts say the Cl0p criminals are not to be trusted to keep their word. Allan Liska of the firm Recorded Future has said he is aware of at least three cases in which data stolen by ransomware crooks appeared on the dark web six to 10 months after victims paid ransoms.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Department of Energy and several other federal agencies were compromised in a Russian cyber-extortion gang's global hack of a file-transfer program popular with corporations and governments, but the impact was not expected to be great, Homeland Security officials said Thursday.But for others among what could be hundreds of victims from industry to higher education — including patrons of at least two state motor vehicle agencies — the hack was beginning to show some serious impacts.Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told reporters that unlike the meticulous,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/solarwinds-hack-email-top-dhs-officials-8bcd4a4eb3be1f8f98244766bae70395">stealthy SolarWinds hacking campaign</a>&nbsp;attributed to state-backed Russian intelligence agents that was months in the making, this campaign was short, relatively superficial and caught quickly.“Based on discussions we have had with industry partners ... these intrusions are not being leveraged to gain broader access, to gain persistence into targeted systems, or to steal specific high value information— in sum, as we understand it, this attack is largely an opportunistic one,” Easterly said.“Although we are very concerned about this campaign and working on it with urgency, this is not a campaign like SolarWinds that presents a systemic risk to our national security or our nation’s networks,” she added.A senior CISA official said neither the U.S. military nor intelligence community was affected. Energy Department spokesperson Chad Smith said two agency entities were compromised but did not provide more detail.Known victims to date include Louisiana’s Office of Motor Vehicles, Oregon's Department of Transportation, the Nova Scotia provincial government, British Airways, the British Broadcasting Company and the U.K. drugstore chain Boots. The exploited program, MOVEit, is widely used by businesses to securely share files. Security experts say that can include sensitive financial and insurance data.Louisiana officials said Thursday that people with a driver's license or vehicle registration in the state likely had their personal information exposed. That included their name, address, Social Security number and birthdate. They encouraged Louisiana residents to freeze their credit to guard against identity theft.The Oregon Department of Transportation confirmed Thursday that the attackers accessed personal information, some sensitive, for about 3.5 million people to whom the state issued identity cards or driver’s licenses.The Cl0p ransomware syndicate behind the hack announced last week on its dark web site that its victims, who it suggested numbered in the hundreds, had until Wednesday to get in touch to negotiate a ransom or risk having sensitive stolen data dumped online.The gang, among the world’s most prolific cybercrime syndicates, also claimed it would delete any data stolen from governments, cities and police departments.The senior CISA official told reporters a “small number” of federal agencies were hit — declining to name them — and said “this is not a widespread campaign affecting a large number of federal agencies.” The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the breach, said no federal agencies had received extortion demands and no data from an affected federal agency had been leaked online by Cl0p.U.S. officials “have no evidence to suggest coordination between Cl0p and the Russian government," the official said.The parent company of MOVIEit's U.S. maker,&nbsp;<a href="https://community.progress.com/s/article/MOVEit-Transfer-Critical-Vulnerability-31May2023">Progress Software, alerted customers to the breach on May 31</a>&nbsp;and issued a patch. But cybersecurity researchers say scores if not hundreds of companies could by then have had sensitive data quietly exfiltrated."At this point, we are seeing industry estimates of several hundred of victims across the country,” the senior CISA official said. Federal officials encouraged victims to come forward, but they often don't. The U.S. lacks a federal data breach law, and disclosure of hacks varies by state. Publicly traded corporations, health care providers and some critical infrastructure purveyors do have regulatory obligations.The cybersecurity firm SecurityScorecard says it detected 2,500 vulnerable MOVEit servers across 790 organizations, including 200 government agencies. It said it was not able to break down those agencies by country.The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in the Treasury Department uses MOVEit, according to federal contracting data. Spokeswoman Stephanie Collins said the agency was aware of the hack and has been monitoring the situation closely. She said it was “conducting detailed forensic analysis of system activity and has not found any indications of a breach of sensitive information.” She would not say how the agency uses the file-transfer program.The hackers were actively scanning for targets, penetrating them and stealing data at least as far back as March 29, said SecurityScorecard threat analyst Jared Smith.This is far from the first time Cl0p has breached a file-transfer program to gain access to data it could then use to extort companies. Other instances include GoAnywhere servers in early 2023 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-europe-eastern-europe-new-zealand-f318ba1ffc971eb17371456b015206a5">Accellion File Transfer Application devices in 2020 and 2021</a>.The Associated Press emailed Cl0p on Thursday asking what government agencies it had hacked. It did not receive a response, but the gang posted a new message on its dark web leak site saying: “We got a lot of emails about government data, we don't have it we have completely deleted this information we are only interested in business."Cybersecurity experts say the Cl0p criminals are not to be trusted to keep their word. Allan Liska of the firm Recorded Future has said he is aware of at least three cases in which data stolen by ransomware crooks appeared on the dark web six to 10 months after victims paid ransoms.

U.S. government agency networks hit in global cyberattack 

ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;on Friday was discharged from the Rome hospital where he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">abdominal surgery</a>&nbsp;nine days earlier to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-surgery-bowel-96b9ed94ed0dcb8c3eec6aa718202196">repair a hernia and remove painful scarring</a>, with his surgeon saying the pontiff is now “better than before” the hospitalization.

Francis, 86, left through Gemelli Polyclinic's main exit in a wheelchair, smiling and waving and saying “thanks” to a crowd of well-wishers, then stood up so he could get into the small Vatican car awaiting him. In the brief distance before he could reach the white Fiat 500, reporters thrust microphones practically at his face, and the pontiff seemed to bat them away, good-naturedly.

"Still alive,'' the pope quipped when a reporter asked how he was.

"The pope is well. He's better than before,'' Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the surgeon who did the three-hour operation on June 7 told reporters after he said goodbye to Francis as the pontiff got into the car.

Following the surgery, Francis will be a "strong pope,'' said Alfieri, who was outside along with the surging crowd as the pontiff exited.

Right after the pontiff returned home, the Vatican press office announced that Francis would make his traditional Sunday noon appearance at an Apostolic window overlooking St. Peter's Square to greet the public, an appointment that lasts about 10 minutes.

But his customary Wednesday general audience with thousands of faithful in the square "has been canceled to safeguard the post-surgical recovery of the Holy Father,'' the announcement said. The general audience lasts about an hour and includes a speech by the pontiff.

When asked by a reporter outside the hospital for a comment about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greece-missing-migrants-kalamata-8d9e8284e27880468d524eb934bb3f2a">migrant disaster off Greece</a>&nbsp;that has claimed dozens of lives and left hundreds missing, Francis replied: “So much sorrow.”

Instead of going straight back to the Vatican, Francis stopped to pray for 10 minutes before an icon of the Virgin Mary at the famous St. Mary Major Basilica, where he often stops by after trips abroad to give thanks. Francis stayed in his wheelchair as he prayed. He also went there after his discharge from the same hospital following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-released-hospital-53e6a136fe9f7b64da551e749a44930a">treatment for bronchitis</a>.

Tourists in the basilica excitedly snapped photos of the pontiff in the basilica, and several people in the crowd outside wept as he left and headed for the Holy See hotel, where he lives on Vatican City grounds.

But before he arrived back home, Francis made two more stops — first at a convent adjacent to the Vatican to greet nuns, and then outside one of the walled city's gates to get out of his car so he could shake hands with and thank police officers who provided a motorcycle escort.

Hours after the surgery, Alfieri said that the scarring, which had resulted from previous abdominal surgeries, had been increasingly causing the pope pain. There was also risk of an intestinal blockage, if adhesions, or scar tissue, weren’t removed, according to the doctors.

No complications occurred during the surgery or while the pope was convalescing in Gemelli’s 10th-floor apartment reserved exclusively for hospitalization of pontiffs, according to the pope’s medical staff.

Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal. “He has confirmed all” his trips, the surgeon said.

“Actually, he’ll be able to tackle them better than before, because now he won’t have the discomfort he had,″ Alfieri said, referring to the scarring known medically as adhesions. The surgeon had said that if the pope hadn’t had the surgery, there would have been a risk of an intestinal blockage.

“He’ll be a stronger pope,″ the surgeon added.

Right after the surgery, the Vatican said all of the pope’s audiences would be canceled through June 18. Among the high-profile appointments Francis is expected to have next week at the Vatican are audiences with the presidents of Cuba and Brazil, although the meetings haven't been officially announced yet by the Vatican.

Commitments that have officially been announced include pilgrimages to Portugal in early August for a Catholic youth jamboree and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-russia-china-mongolia-fbd2cb3b9b8e68ed0e46122ec2ba5129">a trip to Mongolia</a>&nbsp;beginning on Aug. 31, a first-ever visit by a pontiff to that Asian country.

In just under two years, Francis had been hospitalized three times at Gemelli Polyclinic. In July 2021, he underwent surgery to remove a 33-centimeter (13-inch) section of his bowel removed because of narrowing of his intestinal. That, as well as abdominal surgeries years back in his native Argentina before he became pontiff, had contributed to the painful scarring, according to Alfieri. Then in early spring of this year, Francis was back in the hospital to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment for bronchitis, an illness Francis later said caused him pain and fever.

As a young man in his native Argentina, Francis had a portion of one lung removed following infection.

The latest hospitalization came just as Francis seemed to be walking better, with the aid of a cane, following months of often using a wheelchair because of a painful knee problem. He also has suffered from sciatica, a painful inflammation of a nerve that runs down from back to leg.

Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal.

On Friday, the surgeon expressed confidence that the pontiff will pace himself as he resumes his appointment-packed days at the Vatican.

“He'll listen a little more to us, because he has important commitments that he has confirmed, including the trips," Alfieri said.

ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;on Friday was discharged from the Rome hospital where he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">abdominal surgery</a>&nbsp;nine days earlier to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-surgery-bowel-96b9ed94ed0dcb8c3eec6aa718202196">repair a hernia and remove painful scarring</a>, with his surgeon saying the pontiff is now “better than before” the hospitalization.Francis, 86, left through Gemelli Polyclinic's main exit in a wheelchair, smiling and waving and saying “thanks” to a crowd of well-wishers, then stood up so he could get into the small Vatican car awaiting him. In the brief distance before he could reach the white Fiat 500, reporters thrust microphones practically at his face, and the pontiff seemed to bat them away, good-naturedly."Still alive,'' the pope quipped when a reporter asked how he was."The pope is well. He's better than before,'' Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the surgeon who did the three-hour operation on June 7 told reporters after he said goodbye to Francis as the pontiff got into the car.Following the surgery, Francis will be a "strong pope,'' said Alfieri, who was outside along with the surging crowd as the pontiff exited.Right after the pontiff returned home, the Vatican press office announced that Francis would make his traditional Sunday noon appearance at an Apostolic window overlooking St. Peter's Square to greet the public, an appointment that lasts about 10 minutes.But his customary Wednesday general audience with thousands of faithful in the square "has been canceled to safeguard the post-surgical recovery of the Holy Father,'' the announcement said. The general audience lasts about an hour and includes a speech by the pontiff.When asked by a reporter outside the hospital for a comment about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greece-missing-migrants-kalamata-8d9e8284e27880468d524eb934bb3f2a">migrant disaster off Greece</a>&nbsp;that has claimed dozens of lives and left hundreds missing, Francis replied: “So much sorrow.”Instead of going straight back to the Vatican, Francis stopped to pray for 10 minutes before an icon of the Virgin Mary at the famous St. Mary Major Basilica, where he often stops by after trips abroad to give thanks. Francis stayed in his wheelchair as he prayed. He also went there after his discharge from the same hospital following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-released-hospital-53e6a136fe9f7b64da551e749a44930a">treatment for bronchitis</a>.Tourists in the basilica excitedly snapped photos of the pontiff in the basilica, and several people in the crowd outside wept as he left and headed for the Holy See hotel, where he lives on Vatican City grounds.But before he arrived back home, Francis made two more stops — first at a convent adjacent to the Vatican to greet nuns, and then outside one of the walled city's gates to get out of his car so he could shake hands with and thank police officers who provided a motorcycle escort.Hours after the surgery, Alfieri said that the scarring, which had resulted from previous abdominal surgeries, had been increasingly causing the pope pain. There was also risk of an intestinal blockage, if adhesions, or scar tissue, weren’t removed, according to the doctors.No complications occurred during the surgery or while the pope was convalescing in Gemelli’s 10th-floor apartment reserved exclusively for hospitalization of pontiffs, according to the pope’s medical staff.Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal. “He has confirmed all” his trips, the surgeon said.“Actually, he’ll be able to tackle them better than before, because now he won’t have the discomfort he had,″ Alfieri said, referring to the scarring known medically as adhesions. The surgeon had said that if the pope hadn’t had the surgery, there would have been a risk of an intestinal blockage.“He’ll be a stronger pope,″ the surgeon added.Right after the surgery, the Vatican said all of the pope’s audiences would be canceled through June 18. Among the high-profile appointments Francis is expected to have next week at the Vatican are audiences with the presidents of Cuba and Brazil, although the meetings haven't been officially announced yet by the Vatican.Commitments that have officially been announced include pilgrimages to Portugal in early August for a Catholic youth jamboree and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-russia-china-mongolia-fbd2cb3b9b8e68ed0e46122ec2ba5129">a trip to Mongolia</a>&nbsp;beginning on Aug. 31, a first-ever visit by a pontiff to that Asian country.In just under two years, Francis had been hospitalized three times at Gemelli Polyclinic. In July 2021, he underwent surgery to remove a 33-centimeter (13-inch) section of his bowel removed because of narrowing of his intestinal. That, as well as abdominal surgeries years back in his native Argentina before he became pontiff, had contributed to the painful scarring, according to Alfieri. Then in early spring of this year, Francis was back in the hospital to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment for bronchitis, an illness Francis later said caused him pain and fever.As a young man in his native Argentina, Francis had a portion of one lung removed following infection.The latest hospitalization came just as Francis seemed to be walking better, with the aid of a cane, following months of often using a wheelchair because of a painful knee problem. He also has suffered from sciatica, a painful inflammation of a nerve that runs down from back to leg.Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal.On Friday, the surgeon expressed confidence that the pontiff will pace himself as he resumes his appointment-packed days at the Vatican.“He'll listen a little more to us, because he has important commitments that he has confirmed, including the trips," Alfieri said.

Pope Francis leaves Rome hospital 9 days after surgery

PERRYTON, Texas (AP) — A tornado tore through the Texas Panhandle town of Perryton on Thursday, killing three people, injuring dozens more and causing widespread damage as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-texas-georgia-alabama-7db6ee2cb28cca3794a7f074d3129071">another series of fierce storms</a>&nbsp;carved its way through Southern states.

The National Weather Service in Amarillo confirmed that a tornado hit the area shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday. Local officials said Thursday night that two people were missing.

Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said three people were killed, including at least one person who died in a mobile home park that took a “direct hit” from a tornado. Dutcher said at least 30 trailers were damaged or destroyed.

First responders from surrounding towns and cities and from neighboring Oklahoma descended on the town, which is home to more than 8,000 people and about 115 miles northeast of Amarillo, just south of the Oklahoma line.

Mobile homes were ripped apart and pickup trucks with shattered windshield were slammed against mounds of rubble in residential areas.

Perryton’s downtown also was walloped. About two blocks of businesses were heavily damaged, including an office supply store, a floral shop and a hair salon along the town's Main Street. A minivan was shoved into the outer wall of a theater.

With a few hours of daylight left after the storm passed through, broken windows were being boarded up.

The Ochiltree County Sheriff’s Department said it would enforce a curfew from midnight to 6 a.m. Friday because of downed power lines and other dangers that might not be visible in the dark.

Storm chaser Brian Emfinger told Fox Weather that he watched the twister move through a mobile home park, mangling trailers and uprooting trees.

“I had seen the tornado do some pretty serious destruction to the industrial part of town,” he said. “Unfortunately, just west of there, there is just mobile home, after mobile home, after mobile home that is completely destroyed."

There was no immediate word on the tornado's size or wind speeds, meteorologist Luigi Meccariello said.

Nearly 50,000 customers were without electricity in Texas and Oklahoma, according to the&nbsp;<a href="http://poweroutage.us/">poweroutage.us</a>&nbsp;website.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OchiltreeHospital?__cft__[0]=AZWx8iuXtpK7JE9vYv_PS3ZU2MCP5f3pY1wFQRHZXZChnNMSAPjonU188fVxWFxe9Oolm7aJPgSoVgKwg8KUSkqalbnO9hTg4su9Tyb7p4IWdsa8iKj-rjcat8Yjy3RWwVS71X2qycFA1KpQIOy2ojw5nu99smRx5Gk3tGYe8ZfH0g&amp;__tn__=-UC%2CP-R">Ochiltree General Hospital</a>&nbsp;in Perryton on Facebook said “Walking/wounded please go to the clinic. All others to the hospital ER.”

“We have seen somewhere between 50 and 100 patients,” said Kelly Judice, the hospital’s interim CEO. Those include about 10 people in critical condition who were transferred to other hospitals.

Patients had minor to major trauma, ranging from “head injuries to collapsed lungs, lacerations, broken bones,” she said.

The hospital also said an American Red Cross shelter had been set up at the Ochiltree County Expo Center.

Chris Samples of local radio station KXDJ-FM said the station was running on auxiliary power.

“The whole city is out of power,” he said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday he had directed the state Division of Emergency Management to help with everything from traffic control to restoring water and other utilities, if needed.

By evening, the weather front was moving southeast across Oklahoma. The weather service said a second round of storms would continue to move through that state and parts of Texas through the evening while the risk of severe weather, including tornados, remained for the metropolitan Oklahoma City area.

Elsewhere in Texas and other Southern states stretching to Florida, heat advisories were in effect Thursday and were forecast into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-juneteenth-f77ddd12436ad02d8124e7d48abe9db4">Juneteenth holiday</a>&nbsp;weekend with temperatures reaching toward 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). It was expected to feel as hot as 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius).

The storm system also brought hail and possible tornados to northwestern Ohio.

A barn was smashed and trees toppled in Sandusky County, Ohio, and power lines were downed in northern Toledo, leaving thousands without power. The weather service reported “a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado” over Bellevue and storms showing “signs of rotation” in other areas.

It was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-texas-georgia-alabama-7db6ee2cb28cca3794a7f074d3129071">second day in a row that powerful storms struck the U.S.</a>&nbsp;On Wednesday, strong winds toppled trees, damaged buildings and blew cars off a highway from the eastern part of Texas to Georgia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686912045291.png" alt="Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said three people were killed, including at least one person who died in a mobile home park that took a “direct hit” from a tornado.-photo courtesy KVII TV" />
 <figcaption>Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said three people were killed, including at least one person who died in a mobile home park that took a “direct hit” from a tornado.-photo courtesy KVII TV</figcaption>
 </figure>PERRYTON, Texas (AP) — A tornado tore through the Texas Panhandle town of Perryton on Thursday, killing three people, injuring dozens more and causing widespread damage as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-texas-georgia-alabama-7db6ee2cb28cca3794a7f074d3129071">another series of fierce storms</a>&nbsp;carved its way through Southern states.The National Weather Service in Amarillo confirmed that a tornado hit the area shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday. Local officials said Thursday night that two people were missing.Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said three people were killed, including at least one person who died in a mobile home park that took a “direct hit” from a tornado. Dutcher said at least 30 trailers were damaged or destroyed.First responders from surrounding towns and cities and from neighboring Oklahoma descended on the town, which is home to more than 8,000 people and about 115 miles northeast of Amarillo, just south of the Oklahoma line.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686912022758.png" alt="Photo courtesy KVII TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KVII TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Mobile homes were ripped apart and pickup trucks with shattered windshield were slammed against mounds of rubble in residential areas.Perryton’s downtown also was walloped. About two blocks of businesses were heavily damaged, including an office supply store, a floral shop and a hair salon along the town's Main Street. A minivan was shoved into the outer wall of a theater.With a few hours of daylight left after the storm passed through, broken windows were being boarded up.The Ochiltree County Sheriff’s Department said it would enforce a curfew from midnight to 6 a.m. Friday because of downed power lines and other dangers that might not be visible in the dark.Storm chaser Brian Emfinger told Fox Weather that he watched the twister move through a mobile home park, mangling trailers and uprooting trees.“I had seen the tornado do some pretty serious destruction to the industrial part of town,” he said. “Unfortunately, just west of there, there is just mobile home, after mobile home, after mobile home that is completely destroyed."There was no immediate word on the tornado's size or wind speeds, meteorologist Luigi Meccariello said.Nearly 50,000 customers were without electricity in Texas and Oklahoma, according to the&nbsp;<a href="http://poweroutage.us/">poweroutage.us</a>&nbsp;website.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OchiltreeHospital?__cft__[0]=AZWx8iuXtpK7JE9vYv_PS3ZU2MCP5f3pY1wFQRHZXZChnNMSAPjonU188fVxWFxe9Oolm7aJPgSoVgKwg8KUSkqalbnO9hTg4su9Tyb7p4IWdsa8iKj-rjcat8Yjy3RWwVS71X2qycFA1KpQIOy2ojw5nu99smRx5Gk3tGYe8ZfH0g&amp;__tn__=-UC%2CP-R">Ochiltree General Hospital</a>&nbsp;in Perryton on Facebook said “Walking/wounded please go to the clinic. All others to the hospital ER.”“We have seen somewhere between 50 and 100 patients,” said Kelly Judice, the hospital’s interim CEO. Those include about 10 people in critical condition who were transferred to other hospitals.Patients had minor to major trauma, ranging from “head injuries to collapsed lungs, lacerations, broken bones,” she said.The hospital also said an American Red Cross shelter had been set up at the Ochiltree County Expo Center.Chris Samples of local radio station KXDJ-FM said the station was running on auxiliary power.“The whole city is out of power,” he said.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday he had directed the state Division of Emergency Management to help with everything from traffic control to restoring water and other utilities, if needed.By evening, the weather front was moving southeast across Oklahoma. The weather service said a second round of storms would continue to move through that state and parts of Texas through the evening while the risk of severe weather, including tornados, remained for the metropolitan Oklahoma City area.Elsewhere in Texas and other Southern states stretching to Florida, heat advisories were in effect Thursday and were forecast into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-juneteenth-f77ddd12436ad02d8124e7d48abe9db4">Juneteenth holiday</a>&nbsp;weekend with temperatures reaching toward 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). It was expected to feel as hot as 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius).The storm system also brought hail and possible tornados to northwestern Ohio.A barn was smashed and trees toppled in Sandusky County, Ohio, and power lines were downed in northern Toledo, leaving thousands without power. The weather service reported “a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado” over Bellevue and storms showing “signs of rotation” in other areas.It was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-tornadoes-damage-texas-georgia-alabama-7db6ee2cb28cca3794a7f074d3129071">second day in a row that powerful storms struck the U.S.</a>&nbsp;On Wednesday, strong winds toppled trees, damaged buildings and blew cars off a highway from the eastern part of Texas to Georgia.

Tornado devastates Texas Panhandle town, killing 3

&nbsp;LINCOLN — The recruits of the Nebraska State Patrol’s 67th&nbsp;Basic Recruit Class will graduate during a ceremony at the Nebraska State Capitol this Friday, June 16, 2023. The ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the Rotunda of the Capitol, 1445 K Street, in Lincoln.

Remarks will be provided by Governor Jim Pillen, Lt. Governor Joe Kelly, and Colonel John Bolduc. The recruits will receive their badges and take the oath office, which will be administered by Secretary of State Robert Evnen.

The class includes recruits from several communities across Nebraska, as well as other states. The twelve graduates will begin their careers as Nebraska State Troopers serving in a variety of communities across the state.

The graduation ceremony will be live-streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NEStatePatrol/" target="_blank">NSP’s Facebook Page.</a>

&nbsp;LINCOLN — The recruits of the Nebraska State Patrol’s 67th&nbsp;Basic Recruit Class will graduate during a ceremony at the Nebraska State Capitol this Friday, June 16, 2023. The ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the Rotunda of the Capitol, 1445 K Street, in Lincoln.Remarks will be provided by Governor Jim Pillen, Lt. Governor Joe Kelly, and Colonel John Bolduc. The recruits will receive their badges and take the oath office, which will be administered by Secretary of State Robert Evnen.The class includes recruits from several communities across Nebraska, as well as other states. The twelve graduates will begin their careers as Nebraska State Troopers serving in a variety of communities across the state.The graduation ceremony will be live-streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NEStatePatrol/" target="_blank">NSP’s Facebook Page.</a>

Nebraska State Patrol 67th Basic Recruit Camp to Graduate Friday

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Thursday marks the 11th anniversary of a program that was created during the Obama administration to temporarily protect undocumented children from deportation.

But congressional inaction and legal challenges have led to more than a decade of limbo for the 600,000 people enrolled, with no end in sight. They are often called “Dreamers,” based on never-passed legislation in Congress called the Dream Act.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that was meant to be a temporary stopgap is now the only tool that protects those brought to the U.S. as children from deportation. A pending court case out of Texas will determine whether DACA is legal — and what happens next.

“It’s a little bit of a kick in the gut,” Salma Vizcaino Garcia, a 25-year-old DACA recipient who lives in Ellenwood, Georgia, said of the court case.

Vizcaino Garcia, who is preparing to apply to medical school, said she and many DACA recipients aren’t hopeful about the outcome of the Texas case. She said she’s focusing her efforts on advocacy, and educating people about the program.

She said she hopes that through collective action, enough people will urge state and federal lawmakers to create a permanent pathway to citizenship.

“I genuinely am of the opinion, if I was able to talk to every person that was against us, that I could change their minds,” she said. “We’re just regular people. We’re just trying to live our lives.”

For more than two decades, Congress has tried and failed to pass immigration reform.

With the current divided Congress, the only&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/05/24/new-bipartisan-immigration-legislation-proposed-in-u-s-house/">recent bipartisan piece</a>&nbsp;of legislation is from six U.S. House lawmakers called the Dignity Act. The bill doesn’t specifically address DACA recipients, but is aimed at creating a legal pathway to citizenship for the estimated more than 11 million undocumented people in the country.

If the bill manages to clear the House on a bipartisan vote, it would still need to reach the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. The last time Congress passed major immigration legislation was during the Reagan administration in 1986.

A case in Texas threatens the legality of the DACA program, prompting immigration advocates and attorneys to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6160a38f44d6a328d59c3e3d/t/64186a9dc39bcd4b2608d743/1679321759261/2023.03.20.PUBLISHED.DED4DACA.LawProf_Letter.pdf">lobby</a>&nbsp;the Biden administration to exert its authority to use&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/deferred-enforced-departure">Deferred Enforced Departure</a>, which is not a specific immigration status, but allows those covered to be exempt from deportation for a certain period of time.

The Texas challenge is likely to reach the Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority. A decision likely would come in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://newjerseymonitor.com/2023/01/29/lengthy-timeline-for-daca-legal-fight-puts-lives-on-hold-for-years/">spring of 2024, or later.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>

President Joe Biden issued a DACA statement on Thursday urging Congress to act.

“While Vice President Harris and I will continue fighting to pass legislation to protect Dreamers and create a path to citizenship, only Congress can provide permanent and lasting stability for these young people and their families,” Biden said. “Congress must act to protect our Dreamers.”

On Thursday evening, the White House is hosting a screening with DACA recipients and immigration advocates of the movie “Flamin’ Hot,” a directorial debut from Latina actress Eva Longoria that tells the legendary origin story of “Flamin’ Hot Cheetos,” a popular snack in the Latino community. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-05-16/flamin-hot-cheetos-richard-montanez">L.A. Times has debunked the tale</a>, but it’s still a popular rags-to-riches story.

“The Biden-Harris administration continues its effort to lift up and engage the Latino community by showcasing their stories and celebrating their contributions to our country,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday during a press briefing.

Jaime Rangel was part of the first wave of DACA applicants when the program was created. There was a lot of apprehension about applying, but eventually he submitted his high school transcript and went through a background check to enroll.

“There was just a lot of unknowns and uncertainty, but we went for it because it provided me an opportunity to have some lawful presence in the country,” Rangel said. “It was better than being in the shadows.”

Rangel, who is the regional government relations director for a pro-immigration lobbying group called FWD.us, argues that DACA recipients are in every industry across the U.S. and the nation would feel the effect of an immediate loss of hundreds of thousands of employees.

In his home state of Georgia, there are about 20,000 DACA recipients who contribute $100 million in state and local taxes. DACA recipients contribute more than $1.2 billion a year in federal, state and local taxes,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://itep.org/state-local-tax-contributions-of-young-undocumented-immigrants/">according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy</a>, a nonpartisan tax policy organization.

A DACA recipient for more than a decade, Rangel is now 32 and married to another DACA recipient. They have a 3-year-old son.

“It’s great that we can celebrate 11 years, as DACA recipients, of celebrating our contributions to this country, celebrating all that we have achieved in 11 years. But at the same time, we cannot just stick to celebrating on a program that’s ultimately is going to end and go away,” he said of the Texas court case. “We need Congress to act.”

The closest Congress came to bipartisan immigration reform was in 2013, when the “Gang of Eight,” made up of four Republican and four Democratic senators, crafted a bill that would create a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented people. It cleared the Senate, but Republican House Speaker John Boehner never brought it to the floor for a vote.

Despite the fight to keep DACA in place, many immigration policy experts have called the program outdated because there are now thousands of undocumented youth who are not eligible for the program, some because they were not even born yet. To qualify, an undocumented youth needs to have continuingly resided in the U.S. since 2007.

“Congress’ continued inaction has led to multiple court challenges to DACA, which put DACA recipients and DACA-eligible youth in limbo,” Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, the deputy director of federal advocacy for United We Dream, said in a statement.

United We Dream is one of the largest youth immigrant-led advocacy groups.

Macedo do Nascimento said that because the program is outdated, it’s led to more than 100,000 undocumented high school graduates who will not be able to qualify for DACA.

The same federal judge who ruled in 2021 that the program the Obama administration created was illegal — preventing any new applications — continues to preside over the case.

It’s estimated that there are 95,000 applicants that are blocked due to a judge’s order blocking new applicants from being accepted,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/DACA_performancedata_fy2022_qtr4.pdf">according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data.&nbsp;</a>

In addition, it’s estimated that there are 400,000 eligible undocumented youth who are unable to meet DACA eligibility requirements because they came to the U.S. too recently,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fwd.us/news/daca-anniversary/">according to FWD.us research.</a>

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen initially determined that the program was illegal because the Obama administration failed to follow proper rulemaking procedures when it created the program in 2012 through a memorandum.

The Department of Justice appealed the case, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sided with Hanen. But because the Biden administration was putting forth a new DACA regulation to replace the Obama-era memo that was set to go into effect in October, the appeals court decided that the case&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2022/10/06/daca-ruled-unlawful-by-federal-appeals-court-but-program-continues-for-now/">should be returned to Hanen.&nbsp;</a>

Hanen on June 1 heard oral arguments about whether the Biden administration’s new rule, which is nearly identical to the memo creating DACA, is lawful.

The Obama-era memo is being challenged by nine Republican-led states who argue the White House overreached in creating a program that should have been left to Congress. Those nine states also argue that under the Biden administration, they were harmed financially by incurring costs for DACA recipients’ health care and education.

Those states are Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia.

This Texas case is not the first time the DACA program has been challenged. In 2017, the Trump administration also tried to end the program. Three years later, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the White House inappropriately ended DACA, keeping it in place.

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Thursday marks the 11th anniversary of a program that was created during the Obama administration to temporarily protect undocumented children from deportation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, on the 11th Anniversary of DACA, I celebrate the Dreamers who enrich our nation every day, and who deserve lasting stability in the only home they have ever known. Dreamers are Americans — and I want them to know they have an advocate and ally with me in the White House.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1669333352053088256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But congressional inaction and legal challenges have led to more than a decade of limbo for the 600,000 people enrolled, with no end in sight. They are often called “Dreamers,” based on never-passed legislation in Congress called the Dream Act.The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that was meant to be a temporary stopgap is now the only tool that protects those brought to the U.S. as children from deportation. A pending court case out of Texas will determine whether DACA is legal — and what happens next.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I believe wholeheartedly in the American Dream. And I believe in our Dreamers. Today, on the 11th anniversary of DACA, I join Byron, Rex, Juana, and Norma in calling on Congress to provide all Dreamers with permanent protections including a pathway to citizenship. <a href="https://t.co/2MxTvzZzmU">pic.twitter.com/2MxTvzZzmU</a>&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1669343317145051137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s a little bit of a kick in the gut,” Salma Vizcaino Garcia, a 25-year-old DACA recipient who lives in Ellenwood, Georgia, said of the court case.Vizcaino Garcia, who is preparing to apply to medical school, said she and many DACA recipients aren’t hopeful about the outcome of the Texas case. She said she’s focusing her efforts on advocacy, and educating people about the program.She said she hopes that through collective action, enough people will urge state and federal lawmakers to create a permanent pathway to citizenship.“I genuinely am of the opinion, if I was able to talk to every person that was against us, that I could change their minds,” she said. “We’re just regular people. We’re just trying to live our lives.”<h2>Stalled in Congress</h2>For more than two decades, Congress has tried and failed to pass immigration reform.With the current divided Congress, the only&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/05/24/new-bipartisan-immigration-legislation-proposed-in-u-s-house/">recent bipartisan piece</a>&nbsp;of legislation is from six U.S. House lawmakers called the Dignity Act. The bill doesn’t specifically address DACA recipients, but is aimed at creating a legal pathway to citizenship for the estimated more than 11 million undocumented people in the country.If the bill manages to clear the House on a bipartisan vote, it would still need to reach the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. The last time Congress passed major immigration legislation was during the Reagan administration in 1986.A case in Texas threatens the legality of the DACA program, prompting immigration advocates and attorneys to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6160a38f44d6a328d59c3e3d/t/64186a9dc39bcd4b2608d743/1679321759261/2023.03.20.PUBLISHED.DED4DACA.LawProf_Letter.pdf">lobby</a>&nbsp;the Biden administration to exert its authority to use&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/deferred-enforced-departure">Deferred Enforced Departure</a>, which is not a specific immigration status, but allows those covered to be exempt from deportation for a certain period of time.The Texas challenge is likely to reach the Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority. A decision likely would come in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://newjerseymonitor.com/2023/01/29/lengthy-timeline-for-daca-legal-fight-puts-lives-on-hold-for-years/">spring of 2024, or later.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>President Joe Biden issued a DACA statement on Thursday urging Congress to act.“While Vice President Harris and I will continue fighting to pass legislation to protect Dreamers and create a path to citizenship, only Congress can provide permanent and lasting stability for these young people and their families,” Biden said. “Congress must act to protect our Dreamers.”On Thursday evening, the White House is hosting a screening with DACA recipients and immigration advocates of the movie “Flamin’ Hot,” a directorial debut from Latina actress Eva Longoria that tells the legendary origin story of “Flamin’ Hot Cheetos,” a popular snack in the Latino community. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-05-16/flamin-hot-cheetos-richard-montanez">L.A. Times has debunked the tale</a>, but it’s still a popular rags-to-riches story.“The Biden-Harris administration continues its effort to lift up and engage the Latino community by showcasing their stories and celebrating their contributions to our country,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday during a press briefing.<h2>‘Unknowns and uncertainty’</h2>Jaime Rangel was part of the first wave of DACA applicants when the program was created. There was a lot of apprehension about applying, but eventually he submitted his high school transcript and went through a background check to enroll.“There was just a lot of unknowns and uncertainty, but we went for it because it provided me an opportunity to have some lawful presence in the country,” Rangel said. “It was better than being in the shadows.”Rangel, who is the regional government relations director for a pro-immigration lobbying group called FWD.us, argues that DACA recipients are in every industry across the U.S. and the nation would feel the effect of an immediate loss of hundreds of thousands of employees.In his home state of Georgia, there are about 20,000 DACA recipients who contribute $100 million in state and local taxes. DACA recipients contribute more than $1.2 billion a year in federal, state and local taxes,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://itep.org/state-local-tax-contributions-of-young-undocumented-immigrants/">according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy</a>, a nonpartisan tax policy organization.A DACA recipient for more than a decade, Rangel is now 32 and married to another DACA recipient. They have a 3-year-old son.“It’s great that we can celebrate 11 years, as DACA recipients, of celebrating our contributions to this country, celebrating all that we have achieved in 11 years. But at the same time, we cannot just stick to celebrating on a program that’s ultimately is going to end and go away,” he said of the Texas court case. “We need Congress to act.”The closest Congress came to bipartisan immigration reform was in 2013, when the “Gang of Eight,” made up of four Republican and four Democratic senators, crafted a bill that would create a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented people. It cleared the Senate, but Republican House Speaker John Boehner never brought it to the floor for a vote.Despite the fight to keep DACA in place, many immigration policy experts have called the program outdated because there are now thousands of undocumented youth who are not eligible for the program, some because they were not even born yet. To qualify, an undocumented youth needs to have continuingly resided in the U.S. since 2007.“Congress’ continued inaction has led to multiple court challenges to DACA, which put DACA recipients and DACA-eligible youth in limbo,” Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, the deputy director of federal advocacy for United We Dream, said in a statement.United We Dream is one of the largest youth immigrant-led advocacy groups.Macedo do Nascimento said that because the program is outdated, it’s led to more than 100,000 undocumented high school graduates who will not be able to qualify for DACA.<h2>Texas case</h2>The same federal judge who ruled in 2021 that the program the Obama administration created was illegal — preventing any new applications — continues to preside over the case.It’s estimated that there are 95,000 applicants that are blocked due to a judge’s order blocking new applicants from being accepted,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/data/DACA_performancedata_fy2022_qtr4.pdf">according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data.&nbsp;</a>In addition, it’s estimated that there are 400,000 eligible undocumented youth who are unable to meet DACA eligibility requirements because they came to the U.S. too recently,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fwd.us/news/daca-anniversary/">according to FWD.us research.</a>U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen initially determined that the program was illegal because the Obama administration failed to follow proper rulemaking procedures when it created the program in 2012 through a memorandum.The Department of Justice appealed the case, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans sided with Hanen. But because the Biden administration was putting forth a new DACA regulation to replace the Obama-era memo that was set to go into effect in October, the appeals court decided that the case&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2022/10/06/daca-ruled-unlawful-by-federal-appeals-court-but-program-continues-for-now/">should be returned to Hanen.&nbsp;</a>Hanen on June 1 heard oral arguments about whether the Biden administration’s new rule, which is nearly identical to the memo creating DACA, is lawful.The Obama-era memo is being challenged by nine Republican-led states who argue the White House overreached in creating a program that should have been left to Congress. Those nine states also argue that under the Biden administration, they were harmed financially by incurring costs for DACA recipients’ health care and education.Those states are Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia.This Texas case is not the first time the DACA program has been challenged. In 2017, the Trump administration also tried to end the program. Three years later, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the White House inappropriately ended DACA, keeping it in place.

‘We’re just trying to live our lives’: DACA hits 11-year mark still mired in the courts

WASHINGTON -&nbsp;U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors deployed to U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility as part of a multifaceted show of U.S. support and capability in the wake of increasingly unsafe and unprofessional behavior by Russian aircraft in the region, according to a media release.

The Raptors, from Langley Air Force Base, Va.'s 94th Fighter Squadron, are demonstrating the U.S.' ability to re-posture forces and deliver overwhelming power at a moment's notice.

The F-22's combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and mission systems make it the best fifth-generation fighter in the world.

While in the CENTCOM area, the 94th Fighter Squadron will integrate with coalition forces on the ground and in the air.

"Russian Forces' unsafe and unprofessional behavior is not what we expect from a professional air force. Their regular violation of agreed upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation," said Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command. "Alongside our partners and allies, we are committed to improving the security and stability in the region."

This rapid deployment and integration into coalition operations is a clear demonstration of the commitment shared by partners, allies, and the U.S. to long-term peace and stability in the region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686857402741.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON -&nbsp;U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors deployed to U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility as part of a multifaceted show of U.S. support and capability in the wake of increasingly unsafe and unprofessional behavior by Russian aircraft in the region, according to a media release.The Raptors, from Langley Air Force Base, Va.'s 94th Fighter Squadron, are demonstrating the U.S.' ability to re-posture forces and deliver overwhelming power at a moment's notice.The F-22's combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and mission systems make it the best fifth-generation fighter in the world.While in the CENTCOM area, the 94th Fighter Squadron will integrate with coalition forces on the ground and in the air."Russian Forces' unsafe and unprofessional behavior is not what we expect from a professional air force. Their regular violation of agreed upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation," said Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command. "Alongside our partners and allies, we are committed to improving the security and stability in the region."This rapid deployment and integration into coalition operations is a clear demonstration of the commitment shared by partners, allies, and the U.S. to long-term peace and stability in the region.

American fighter jets deployed to Middle East amid Russian aircraft activity

WASHINGTON (AP) — Moments after Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-indictment-miami-court-e9412bb71b63ab1b7cfb8e8b122e9809">pleaded not guilty to federal charges</a>&nbsp;that he hoarded classified documents and then conspired to obstruct an investigation about it, the Republicans in Congress had his back.

Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;dashed off a fundraising email decrying the “witch hunt" against the former president and urging donors to sign up and “stand with Trump.”

The Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell steered clear of criticizing the former president or assuring the nation justice will be impartial, refusing to engage in questions about the unprecedented indictment.

And at a public meeting in the Capitol basement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-congress-ed7fb114dbe45d0cd703d8800c21bfa3">Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>&nbsp;compared the case against Trump to the federal prosecution of people at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection</a>, suggesting in both instances it was the Justice Department, not the defendants, under scrutiny.

The mounting legal jeopardy Trump finds himself in has quickly become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-republicans-weaponization-23fc661b7c4c1d4070538232f4653f2b">a political rallying cry</a>&nbsp;for the Republicans, many of whom acknowledged they had not fully read the 49-page federal indictment but are rushing to stand by the indicted former president, adopting his grievances against the federal justice system as their own.

It’s an unparalleled example of how Trump has transformed the Republican Party that once embraced “law and order” but is now defending, justifying and explaining away the grave charges he faces with multiple counts of violating the Espionage Act involving some of the country's most sensitive national security secrets.

At the same time, Trump is rewriting the job description of what it means to lead a major American political party. Making another run for the White House, Trump is attacking the bedrock system of U.S. justice that is foundational to democracy and molding an emboldened generation of Republican members of Congress to follow along.

“Stand with Trump,” tweeted Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the fourth-ranking House GOP leader.

“I will be standing right next to President Trump tonight in total support,” tweeted Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama before he dashed to join the former president at his private Bedminster golf club for a campaign event after the federal court hearing.

“I stand by him right now,” said Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., outside the Capitol. “Ten toes down.”

Despite two impeachment trials, state charges of hush money payments to porn star, a pair of probes into Trump's efforts to undo the 2020 election and now the deepening federal case over his classified documents, Trump has shown an exaggerated ability to not just withstand legal scrutiny but to thrive off it.

As Trump's defenders in Congress see it, he will be rising politically, precisely because of all the investigations against him. Republicans in Congress are working strenuously to reframe the historic indictment of a former president as an unfair political persecution rather than stark federal charges of wrongdoing.

“I’ve been pretty clear on this all the way through: I think the country is very frustrated, when you don’t feel like there’s equal justice.” McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol.

“This president hasn’t even been out of office for four years, but you’re holding him to a standard you’ve never held anybody else to.”

It's an approach that echoed through the halls.

Republican Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida said the case smacks of a “two-tier” justice system, adding that constituents tell her they “never in a million years would have voted for Trump, but this is insane.”

“A bogus investigation,” said Donalds.

“Political hit job,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, who said he did read the whole indictment.

Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio said Trump is merely the “latest victim” of the Justice Department. He announced he would be blocking all DOJ nominees unless the attorney general changes course.

“If Merrick Garland wants to use these officials to harass Joe Biden’s political opponents, we will grind his department to a halt,” Vance said in a statement.

Republicans also see the federal case against Trump as a winning political strategy — a way to motivate aggrieved voters to the polls in 2024 elections, when the House and one-third of the Senate will be up for another term alongside the presidential nominees.

House Republicans were fundraising off the indictment, and the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Rep. Richard Hudson, joined Trump on the plane from a campaign rally in Georgia to one in North Carolina over the weekend where the congressman introduced the former president on stage.

“A lot of people are going to vote,” Trump told the Bedminster crowd later Wednesday evening. “They know what we’ve gone through.”

The details of 37 counts against Trump in indictment are vivid. The prosecutors laid out explicit evidence how they allege Trump knowingly stored highly sensitive national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and then schemed to provide false information to investigators who tried to retrieve the government papers.

Trump could face a potentially lengthy prison sentence, if convicted of the charges.

Some Republicans acknowledge that Trump’s hoarding of the documents — in dozens of boxes in the bathroom, on a ballroom stage and spilled in a storage room – was problematic. Prosecutors said the papers included material about nuclear programs, defense and weapons capabilities, among others, some of the most secret information the U.S. government owns.

Sen. Marco Rubio, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Trump should have never stored the documents at his home, but said he suggested there was no real harm done since Trump didn’t appear to give away the documents to China, Saudi Arabia or other countries.

Rubio was more worried the indictment of Trump will “release a fury” across a politically divided nation.

Few voices in Congress dared to publicly raise serious questions, concerns or criticism about Trump’s behavior.

“The real question is, why did he do it?” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the only Republican senator who voted twice to convict Trump in the impeachment trials. “Why should the country go through all this angst and turmoil when all he had to do is turn in the documents when asked?”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said of what she’s seen in the indictment, “it looks pretty damning to me.”

About the same time Trump was pleading not guilty to the charges, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was leading a panel discussion with Greene and others about the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by a mob of pro-Trump supporters trying to challenge and overturn Biden’s election.

Greene opened her remarks saying it was “heavy on my heart that we’re doing this today."

She compared the two historic moments in U.S. history — "when President Trump was being arraigned all because of the weaponized government that has been weaponized against each of you.”

Trump had encouraged the mob to go to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and fight for his presidency as Congress was certifying the election won by Biden. Some 1,000 people have been charged by the Justice Department in the Capitol riot, including members of extremist groups convicted of sedition.

Many of those defendants were backing Trump’s claims of a stolen election. But the states certified the results, and experts and judges said the election wasn’t rigged – he just lost. Five people died in the siege of the Capitol, including Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt who was shot and killed by Capitol Police.

Greene and the others draw a through-line between the prosecutions of Jan. 6 attendees and the case against Trump as evidence of a “weaponization” of the justice system.

“It all started on the day, on Jan. 6, when we were just doing our constitutional duty to object” to Biden’s election, the congresswoman said.

Asked afterward if they were trying to rewrite Jan. 6 history, Gaetz a top Trump ally said: “We’re trying to correct history.”

Across the Capitol at his weekly press conference, McConnell, the Republican leader of the Senate, declined to use his position to take sides.

Questioned about Trump’s indictment he said: “I’m not going to start commenting on the various candidates we have for president.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Moments after Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-indictment-miami-court-e9412bb71b63ab1b7cfb8e8b122e9809">pleaded not guilty to federal charges</a>&nbsp;that he hoarded classified documents and then conspired to obstruct an investigation about it, the Republicans in Congress had his back.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">There is corruption happening at the highest levels within the FBI and DOJ. The law should be applied equally to everyone. <a href="https://t.co/h5hnk4tBDm">pic.twitter.com/h5hnk4tBDm</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1669346676799307778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;dashed off a fundraising email decrying the “witch hunt" against the former president and urging donors to sign up and “stand with Trump.”The Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell steered clear of criticizing the former president or assuring the nation justice will be impartial, refusing to engage in questions about the unprecedented indictment.And at a public meeting in the Capitol basement,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-congress-ed7fb114dbe45d0cd703d8800c21bfa3">Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>&nbsp;compared the case against Trump to the federal prosecution of people at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection</a>, suggesting in both instances it was the Justice Department, not the defendants, under scrutiny.The mounting legal jeopardy Trump finds himself in has quickly become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-republicans-weaponization-23fc661b7c4c1d4070538232f4653f2b">a political rallying cry</a>&nbsp;for the Republicans, many of whom acknowledged they had not fully read the 49-page federal indictment but are rushing to stand by the indicted former president, adopting his grievances against the federal justice system as their own.It’s an unparalleled example of how Trump has transformed the Republican Party that once embraced “law and order” but is now defending, justifying and explaining away the grave charges he faces with multiple counts of violating the Espionage Act involving some of the country's most sensitive national security secrets.At the same time, Trump is rewriting the job description of what it means to lead a major American political party. Making another run for the White House, Trump is attacking the bedrock system of U.S. justice that is foundational to democracy and molding an emboldened generation of Republican members of Congress to follow along.“Stand with Trump,” tweeted Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the fourth-ranking House GOP leader.“I will be standing right next to President Trump tonight in total support,” tweeted Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama before he dashed to join the former president at his private Bedminster golf club for a campaign event after the federal court hearing.“I stand by him right now,” said Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., outside the Capitol. “Ten toes down.”Despite two impeachment trials, state charges of hush money payments to porn star, a pair of probes into Trump's efforts to undo the 2020 election and now the deepening federal case over his classified documents, Trump has shown an exaggerated ability to not just withstand legal scrutiny but to thrive off it.As Trump's defenders in Congress see it, he will be rising politically, precisely because of all the investigations against him. Republicans in Congress are working strenuously to reframe the historic indictment of a former president as an unfair political persecution rather than stark federal charges of wrongdoing.“I’ve been pretty clear on this all the way through: I think the country is very frustrated, when you don’t feel like there’s equal justice.” McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol.“This president hasn’t even been out of office for four years, but you’re holding him to a standard you’ve never held anybody else to.”It's an approach that echoed through the halls.Republican Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida said the case smacks of a “two-tier” justice system, adding that constituents tell her they “never in a million years would have voted for Trump, but this is insane.”“A bogus investigation,” said Donalds.“Political hit job,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, who said he did read the whole indictment.Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio said Trump is merely the “latest victim” of the Justice Department. He announced he would be blocking all DOJ nominees unless the attorney general changes course.“If Merrick Garland wants to use these officials to harass Joe Biden’s political opponents, we will grind his department to a halt,” Vance said in a statement.Republicans also see the federal case against Trump as a winning political strategy — a way to motivate aggrieved voters to the polls in 2024 elections, when the House and one-third of the Senate will be up for another term alongside the presidential nominees.House Republicans were fundraising off the indictment, and the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Rep. Richard Hudson, joined Trump on the plane from a campaign rally in Georgia to one in North Carolina over the weekend where the congressman introduced the former president on stage.“A lot of people are going to vote,” Trump told the Bedminster crowd later Wednesday evening. “They know what we’ve gone through.”The details of 37 counts against Trump in indictment are vivid. The prosecutors laid out explicit evidence how they allege Trump knowingly stored highly sensitive national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and then schemed to provide false information to investigators who tried to retrieve the government papers.Trump could face a potentially lengthy prison sentence, if convicted of the charges.Some Republicans acknowledge that Trump’s hoarding of the documents — in dozens of boxes in the bathroom, on a ballroom stage and spilled in a storage room – was problematic. Prosecutors said the papers included material about nuclear programs, defense and weapons capabilities, among others, some of the most secret information the U.S. government owns.Sen. Marco Rubio, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Trump should have never stored the documents at his home, but said he suggested there was no real harm done since Trump didn’t appear to give away the documents to China, Saudi Arabia or other countries.Rubio was more worried the indictment of Trump will “release a fury” across a politically divided nation.Few voices in Congress dared to publicly raise serious questions, concerns or criticism about Trump’s behavior.“The real question is, why did he do it?” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the only Republican senator who voted twice to convict Trump in the impeachment trials. “Why should the country go through all this angst and turmoil when all he had to do is turn in the documents when asked?”Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said of what she’s seen in the indictment, “it looks pretty damning to me.”About the same time Trump was pleading not guilty to the charges, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was leading a panel discussion with Greene and others about the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by a mob of pro-Trump supporters trying to challenge and overturn Biden’s election.Greene opened her remarks saying it was “heavy on my heart that we’re doing this today."She compared the two historic moments in U.S. history — "when President Trump was being arraigned all because of the weaponized government that has been weaponized against each of you.”Trump had encouraged the mob to go to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and fight for his presidency as Congress was certifying the election won by Biden. Some 1,000 people have been charged by the Justice Department in the Capitol riot, including members of extremist groups convicted of sedition.Many of those defendants were backing Trump’s claims of a stolen election. But the states certified the results, and experts and judges said the election wasn’t rigged – he just lost. Five people died in the siege of the Capitol, including Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt who was shot and killed by Capitol Police.Greene and the others draw a through-line between the prosecutions of Jan. 6 attendees and the case against Trump as evidence of a “weaponization” of the justice system.“It all started on the day, on Jan. 6, when we were just doing our constitutional duty to object” to Biden’s election, the congresswoman said.Asked afterward if they were trying to rewrite Jan. 6 history, Gaetz a top Trump ally said: “We’re trying to correct history.”Across the Capitol at his weekly press conference, McConnell, the Republican leader of the Senate, declined to use his position to take sides.Questioned about Trump’s indictment he said: “I’m not going to start commenting on the various candidates we have for president.”___

🎥'Stand with Trump': Republicans amplify attacks on US justice system

COFFEY COUNTY —Two people died during in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday during a pursuit of a stolen vehicle.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Trooper initiated a traffic stop on a 2004 Ford F150 northbound U.S. 75 Highway north of Kansas 58 exit.

The pickup was reported stolen as a result of an aggravated robbery carjacking in Texas.

The vehicle driven by Trevell D. Moore, 24, Omaha, fled and a pursuit was initiated. At 11:24am, the F150 drove onto the right shoulder, and attempted to pass a northbound semi five miles south of the Interstate 35 exit.

A 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Keith L. Coffey, 52, Vale, North Carolina, struck the pickup. The pickup continued into the southbound lanes of U.S. 75 and a 2015 Peterbilt semi driven by Logan T.&nbsp;Perrodin, 26, El Dorado Springs, Missouri also struck the pickup and caught fire.

Moore and a passenger in the pickup identified as Gale Wright, Jr., 20, Omaha, were pronounced dead at the scene.

EMS transported Coffey to the hospital in Burlington.&nbsp;Perrodin was not injured.

COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal crash during a pursuit of a stolen vehicle.

Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, a Trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol initiated a traffic stop on northbound U.S. 75 Highway north of Kansas 58 exit.

The vehicle, a red Ford F-150, was stolen as a result of an aggravated robbery carjacking in Texas.

The vehicle fled and a pursuit was initiated. At 11:24am, the F150 drove onto the right shoulder, and attempted to pass a northbound commercial vehicle five miles south of the Interstate 35 exit.

While passing, the Ford truck was involved in a crash with two commercial vehicles.

As a result of the collision, the driver and passenger of the Ford F-150 were pronounced deceased. There were no injuries reported to either commercial vehicle driver.

The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene. Authorities released no additional details including names of those who died.

COFFEY COUNTY —Two people died during in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday during a pursuit of a stolen vehicle.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Trooper initiated a traffic stop on a 2004 Ford F150 northbound U.S. 75 Highway north of Kansas 58 exit.The pickup was reported stolen as a result of an aggravated robbery carjacking in Texas.The vehicle driven by Trevell D. Moore, 24, Omaha, fled and a pursuit was initiated. At 11:24am, the F150 drove onto the right shoulder, and attempted to pass a northbound semi five miles south of the Interstate 35 exit.A 2018 Freightliner semi driven by Keith L. Coffey, 52, Vale, North Carolina, struck the pickup. The pickup continued into the southbound lanes of U.S. 75 and a 2015 Peterbilt semi driven by Logan T.&nbsp;Perrodin, 26, El Dorado Springs, Missouri also struck the pickup and caught fire.Moore and a passenger in the pickup identified as Gale Wright, Jr., 20, Omaha, were pronounced dead at the scene.EMS transported Coffey to the hospital in Burlington.&nbsp;Perrodin was not injured.-------------COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal crash during a pursuit of a stolen vehicle.Just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday, a Trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol initiated a traffic stop on northbound U.S. 75 Highway north of Kansas 58 exit.The vehicle, a red Ford F-150, was stolen as a result of an aggravated robbery carjacking in Texas.The vehicle fled and a pursuit was initiated. At 11:24am, the F150 drove onto the right shoulder, and attempted to pass a northbound commercial vehicle five miles south of the Interstate 35 exit.While passing, the Ford truck was involved in a crash with two commercial vehicles.As a result of the collision, the driver and passenger of the Ford F-150 were pronounced deceased. There were no injuries reported to either commercial vehicle driver.The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene. Authorities released no additional details including names of those who died.

KHP IDs Nebraska suspects who died in pursuit crash, fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans passed a resolution that would repeal a Biden administration rule tightening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">federal regulations</a>&nbsp;on stabilizing braces for firearms, an accessory that has been used in several mass shootings in the U.S. over the last decade.

The resolution passed 219-210 nearly on party lines and after a contentious floor debate where Republicans accused the administration of “executive overreach” and Democrats condemned a bill they said would “help kill people.” Two Democrats voted in support and two Republicans voted against it.

The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. Should it pass, President Joe Biden has promised a veto. Overriding a presidential veto would require two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate.

The new rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in January treats guns with the accessories like short-barreled rifles, a weapon that is like a sawed-off shotgun and has been heavily regulated since the 1930s.

The regulation, which went into effect June 1, was one of several steps Biden announced in 2021 after a man using a stabilizing brace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boulder-supermarket-shooting">killed 10 people at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado</a>. A stabilizing brace was also used in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-el-paso-texas-mass-shooting-us-news-ap-top-news-health-165d6dd66e1b46628a0ffdcc4d27c58b">shooting in Dayton, Ohio</a>, that left nine people dead in 2019 and most recently in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee</a>.

Stabilizing braces transform a pistol into a weapon that’s powerful and easy to conceal, Attorney General Merrick Garland said when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">he announced the rule</a>. Originally developed for disabled veterans, gun-control groups have said the accessories have became a loophole exploited by gunmakers to make weapons more deadly.

Since taking effect earlier this month, the rule requires anyone who has a gun with an arm-stabilizing brace to register the weapon with the federal government and pay a fee, or remove the brace from their weapons.

Republicans employed the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recently enacted executive branch regulations, to try and nullify the new rule that they claim has turned millions of gun owners into felons.

“This rule doesn’t just infringe upon Americans' Second Amendment liberties. It represents a dangerous government overreach by the administration,” Clyde said during debate Tuesday. “Congress maintains sole legislative authority, not government agencies, not the executive branch.”

Several lawsuits have been filed against the regulations by gun owners and state attorneys general. They say it violates Second Amendment protections by requiring millions of people to alter or register their weapons. In some cases, judges have recently agreed to temporarily block enforcement of the rule for the plaintiffs in a setback for the Biden administration.

House Democrats defended the rule on Tuesday, saying it could save lives.

“How many more mass shootings need to happen, how many more kids need to die before my Republican colleagues pull their heads out of the sand and realize that the NRA money is not worth the damage that’s been done to our country,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

The main sponsor for the measure, Clyde, is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and the owner of a gun store in his district in Georgia. His proposal to overturn the ATF rule first came to the House Judiciary Committee in late March for markup. But House Republicans postponed debate of the measure after a gunman used a weapon with a stabilizing brace to fatally shoot three children and three adults at an elementary school in Nashville, Tenn.

Last week, Clyde claimed GOP leadership had blocked his resolution from reaching the floor as retribution for his no vote on a bipartisan agreement to lift the debt ceiling, which leaders denied.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686790900641.png" alt="The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans passed a resolution that would repeal a Biden administration rule tightening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">federal regulations</a>&nbsp;on stabilizing braces for firearms, an accessory that has been used in several mass shootings in the U.S. over the last decade.The resolution passed 219-210 nearly on party lines and after a contentious floor debate where Republicans accused the administration of “executive overreach” and Democrats condemned a bill they said would “help kill people.” Two Democrats voted in support and two Republicans voted against it.The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. Should it pass, President Joe Biden has promised a veto. Overriding a presidential veto would require two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate.The new rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in January treats guns with the accessories like short-barreled rifles, a weapon that is like a sawed-off shotgun and has been heavily regulated since the 1930s.The regulation, which went into effect June 1, was one of several steps Biden announced in 2021 after a man using a stabilizing brace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boulder-supermarket-shooting">killed 10 people at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado</a>. A stabilizing brace was also used in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-el-paso-texas-mass-shooting-us-news-ap-top-news-health-165d6dd66e1b46628a0ffdcc4d27c58b">shooting in Dayton, Ohio</a>, that left nine people dead in 2019 and most recently in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee</a>.Stabilizing braces transform a pistol into a weapon that’s powerful and easy to conceal, Attorney General Merrick Garland said when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">he announced the rule</a>. Originally developed for disabled veterans, gun-control groups have said the accessories have became a loophole exploited by gunmakers to make weapons more deadly.Since taking effect earlier this month, the rule requires anyone who has a gun with an arm-stabilizing brace to register the weapon with the federal government and pay a fee, or remove the brace from their weapons.Republicans employed the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recently enacted executive branch regulations, to try and nullify the new rule that they claim has turned millions of gun owners into felons.“This rule doesn’t just infringe upon Americans' Second Amendment liberties. It represents a dangerous government overreach by the administration,” Clyde said during debate Tuesday. “Congress maintains sole legislative authority, not government agencies, not the executive branch.”Several lawsuits have been filed against the regulations by gun owners and state attorneys general. They say it violates Second Amendment protections by requiring millions of people to alter or register their weapons. In some cases, judges have recently agreed to temporarily block enforcement of the rule for the plaintiffs in a setback for the Biden administration.House Democrats defended the rule on Tuesday, saying it could save lives.“How many more mass shootings need to happen, how many more kids need to die before my Republican colleagues pull their heads out of the sand and realize that the NRA money is not worth the damage that’s been done to our country,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.The main sponsor for the measure, Clyde, is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and the owner of a gun store in his district in Georgia. His proposal to overturn the ATF rule first came to the House Judiciary Committee in late March for markup. But House Republicans postponed debate of the measure after a gunman used a weapon with a stabilizing brace to fatally shoot three children and three adults at an elementary school in Nashville, Tenn.Last week, Clyde claimed GOP leadership had blocked his resolution from reaching the floor as retribution for his no vote on a bipartisan agreement to lift the debt ceiling, which leaders denied.House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said he and Rep. Tom Emmer, the GOP's chief vote-counter, had been working intensely to ensure enough support to pass the legislation in the narrowly divided House.“We’ve been moving people every week on this bill,” Scalise said. “It has not been easy.”