VATICAN CITY (AP) — So much for a short pontificate.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;celebrates the 10th anniversary of his election Monday, far outpacing the “two or three” years he once envisioned for his papacy and showing no signs of slowing down.

On the contrary, with an agenda full of problems and plans and no longer encumbered by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">the shadow of Pope Benedict XVI</a>, Francis, 86, has backed off from talking about retiring and recently described the papacy as a job for life.

History’s first Latin American pope already has made his mark and could have even more impact in the years to come. Yet a decade ago, the Argentine Jesuit was so convinced he wouldn’t be elected as pope that he nearly missed the final vote as he chatted with a fellow cardinal outside the Sistine Chapel.

“The master of ceremonies came out and said ‘Are you going in or not?’” Francis recalled in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “I realized afterward that it was my unconscious resistance to going in.”

He was elected the 266th pope on the next ballot.

Francis had a big learning curve on clergy sex abuse, initially downplaying the problem in ways that made survivors question whether he “got it.” He had his wake-up call five years into his pontificate after a problematic visit to Chile.

During the trip, he discovered a serious disconnect between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2018-the-year-in-review-pope-francis-ap-top-news-chile-international-news-1d175bccdb364e5387956fc0e0672bf2">what Chilean bishops had told him</a>&nbsp;about a notorious case and the reality: Hundreds or thousands of Chilean faithful had been raped and molested by Catholic priests over decades.

“That was my conversion,” he told the AP. “That’s when the bomb went off, when I saw the corruption of many bishops in this.”

Francis has passed a series of measures since then aimed at holding the church hierarchy accountable, but the results have been mixed. Benedict removed some 800 priests, but Francis seems far less eager to defrock abusers, reflecting resistance within the hierarchy to efforts to permanently remove predators from the priesthood.

The next frontier in the crisis has already reared its head: the sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse of adults by clergy. Francis is aware of the problem — a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-vatican-city-736fadac67811722f2a33ef94d1e789a">case concerns one of his fellow Jesuits</a>&nbsp;— but there seems to be no will to take firm action

When the history of the Francis pontificate is written, entire chapters might well be devoted to his emphasis on “synodality,” a term that has little meaning outside Catholic circles but could go down as one of Francis’ most important church contributions.

A synod is a gathering of bishops, and Francis’ philosophy that bishops must listen to one another and the laity has come to define his vision for the Catholic Church: He wants it to be a place where the faithful are welcomed, accompanied and heard.

The synods held during his first 10 years produced some of the most significant, and controversial, moments of his papacy.

After listening to the plight of divorced Catholics during a 2014-2015 synod on the family, for instance, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b67e0b339b9d46fab29cb0ef642d5ed7">opened the door</a>&nbsp;to letting divorced and civilly remarried couples receive Communion. Calls to allow married priests marked his 2019 synod on the Amazon, although Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-international-news-pope-francis-latin-america-europe-c7f3dd10f458cb02fa9fa725c096d7db">ultimately rejected the idea</a>.

His October synod has involved an unprecedented canvassing of the Catholic faithful about their hopes for the church and problems they have encountered, eliciting demands from women for greater leadership roles, including ordination.

Catholic traditionalists were wary when Francis emerged as pope for the first time on the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica without the red cape that his predecessors had worn for formal events. Yet they never expected him to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-mass-pope-francis-restrictions-benedict-6f50b9bc219d423f99267fddcdf23cf6">reverse one of Benedict’s signature decisions</a>&nbsp;by reimposing restrictions on the old Latin Mass, including where and who can celebrate it,.

While the decision directly affected only a fraction of Catholic Mass-goers, his crackdown on the Tridentine Rite became the call to arms for the anti-Francis conservative opposition.

Francis justified his move by saying Benedict’s decision to liberalize the celebration of the old Mass had become a source of division in parishes. But traditionalists took the renewed restrictions as an attack on orthodoxy, one that they saw as contradicting Francis’ “all are welcome” mantra.

“Instead of integrating them into parish life, the restriction on the use of parish churches will marginalize and push to the peripheries faithful Catholics who wish only to worship,” lamented Joseph Shaw of the Latin Mass Society’s U.K. branch.

While the short-term prospects for Francis relenting are not great, the traditionalists do have time on their side, knowing that in a 2,000-year-old institution, another pope might come along who is more friendly to the old rite.

Francis’ quips about the “female genius” have long made women cringe. Women theologians are the “strawberries on the cake,” he once said. Nuns shouldn’t be “old maids,” he said. Europe shouldn’t be a barren, infertile “grandmother,” he told European Union lawmakers — a remark that got him an angry phone call from then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

But, it’s also true that Francis has done more to promote women in the church than any pope before him, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-news-voting-rights-pope-francis-f89395f9d9a5e721d6b56af7b7f6116b">naming several women to high-profile positions in the Vatican</a>.

That’s not saying much given only one in four Holy See employees is female, no woman heads a dicastery, or department, and Francis has upheld church doctrine forbidding women from the priesthood.

But the trend is there and “there is no possibility of going back,” said María Lía Zervino, one of the first three women named to the Vatican office that helps the pope select bishops around the world.

Francis' insistence that long-marginalized LGBTQ Catholics can find a welcome home in the church can be summed up by two pronouncements that have book-ended his papacy to date:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/archive-pope-benedict-xvi-pope-francis-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">“Who am I to judge?”</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">“Being homosexual is not a crime.”</a>

In between making those historic statements, Francis made outreach to LGBTQ people a hallmark of his papacy more than any pope before him.

He ministers to members of a transgender community in Rome. He has counseled gay couples seeking to raise their children Catholic. During a 2015 visit to the U.S., he publicized a private meeting with a gay former student and the man's partner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f27eb8dd7bf744aa9fb11572c15748f4">to counter the conservative narrative</a>&nbsp;that he had received an anti-same-sex marriage activist.

“The pope is reminding the church that the way people treat one another in the social world is of much greater moral importance that what people may possibly do in the privacy of a bedroom,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for greater acceptance of LGBTQ Catholics.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603292366279.png" alt="Pope Francis image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pope Francis image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — So much for a short pontificate.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;celebrates the 10th anniversary of his election Monday, far outpacing the “two or three” years he once envisioned for his papacy and showing no signs of slowing down.On the contrary, with an agenda full of problems and plans and no longer encumbered by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">the shadow of Pope Benedict XVI</a>, Francis, 86, has backed off from talking about retiring and recently described the papacy as a job for life.History’s first Latin American pope already has made his mark and could have even more impact in the years to come. Yet a decade ago, the Argentine Jesuit was so convinced he wouldn’t be elected as pope that he nearly missed the final vote as he chatted with a fellow cardinal outside the Sistine Chapel.“The master of ceremonies came out and said ‘Are you going in or not?’” Francis recalled in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “I realized afterward that it was my unconscious resistance to going in.”He was elected the 266th pope on the next ballot.SEX ABUSEFrancis had a big learning curve on clergy sex abuse, initially downplaying the problem in ways that made survivors question whether he “got it.” He had his wake-up call five years into his pontificate after a problematic visit to Chile.During the trip, he discovered a serious disconnect between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2018-the-year-in-review-pope-francis-ap-top-news-chile-international-news-1d175bccdb364e5387956fc0e0672bf2">what Chilean bishops had told him</a>&nbsp;about a notorious case and the reality: Hundreds or thousands of Chilean faithful had been raped and molested by Catholic priests over decades.“That was my conversion,” he told the AP. “That’s when the bomb went off, when I saw the corruption of many bishops in this.”Francis has passed a series of measures since then aimed at holding the church hierarchy accountable, but the results have been mixed. Benedict removed some 800 priests, but Francis seems far less eager to defrock abusers, reflecting resistance within the hierarchy to efforts to permanently remove predators from the priesthood.The next frontier in the crisis has already reared its head: the sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse of adults by clergy. Francis is aware of the problem — a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-vatican-city-736fadac67811722f2a33ef94d1e789a">case concerns one of his fellow Jesuits</a>&nbsp;— but there seems to be no will to take firm actionSIGNIFICANCE OF SYNODSWhen the history of the Francis pontificate is written, entire chapters might well be devoted to his emphasis on “synodality,” a term that has little meaning outside Catholic circles but could go down as one of Francis’ most important church contributions.A synod is a gathering of bishops, and Francis’ philosophy that bishops must listen to one another and the laity has come to define his vision for the Catholic Church: He wants it to be a place where the faithful are welcomed, accompanied and heard.The synods held during his first 10 years produced some of the most significant, and controversial, moments of his papacy.After listening to the plight of divorced Catholics during a 2014-2015 synod on the family, for instance, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b67e0b339b9d46fab29cb0ef642d5ed7">opened the door</a>&nbsp;to letting divorced and civilly remarried couples receive Communion. Calls to allow married priests marked his 2019 synod on the Amazon, although Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-international-news-pope-francis-latin-america-europe-c7f3dd10f458cb02fa9fa725c096d7db">ultimately rejected the idea</a>.His October synod has involved an unprecedented canvassing of the Catholic faithful about their hopes for the church and problems they have encountered, eliciting demands from women for greater leadership roles, including ordination.LATIN MASSCatholic traditionalists were wary when Francis emerged as pope for the first time on the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica without the red cape that his predecessors had worn for formal events. Yet they never expected him to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-mass-pope-francis-restrictions-benedict-6f50b9bc219d423f99267fddcdf23cf6">reverse one of Benedict’s signature decisions</a>&nbsp;by reimposing restrictions on the old Latin Mass, including where and who can celebrate it,.While the decision directly affected only a fraction of Catholic Mass-goers, his crackdown on the Tridentine Rite became the call to arms for the anti-Francis conservative opposition.Francis justified his move by saying Benedict’s decision to liberalize the celebration of the old Mass had become a source of division in parishes. But traditionalists took the renewed restrictions as an attack on orthodoxy, one that they saw as contradicting Francis’ “all are welcome” mantra.“Instead of integrating them into parish life, the restriction on the use of parish churches will marginalize and push to the peripheries faithful Catholics who wish only to worship,” lamented Joseph Shaw of the Latin Mass Society’s U.K. branch.While the short-term prospects for Francis relenting are not great, the traditionalists do have time on their side, knowing that in a 2,000-year-old institution, another pope might come along who is more friendly to the old rite.ROLE OF WOMENFrancis’ quips about the “female genius” have long made women cringe. Women theologians are the “strawberries on the cake,” he once said. Nuns shouldn’t be “old maids,” he said. Europe shouldn’t be a barren, infertile “grandmother,” he told European Union lawmakers — a remark that got him an angry phone call from then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel.But, it’s also true that Francis has done more to promote women in the church than any pope before him, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-news-voting-rights-pope-francis-f89395f9d9a5e721d6b56af7b7f6116b">naming several women to high-profile positions in the Vatican</a>.That’s not saying much given only one in four Holy See employees is female, no woman heads a dicastery, or department, and Francis has upheld church doctrine forbidding women from the priesthood.But the trend is there and “there is no possibility of going back,” said María Lía Zervino, one of the first three women named to the Vatican office that helps the pope select bishops around the world.LGBTQ FAITHFULFrancis' insistence that long-marginalized LGBTQ Catholics can find a welcome home in the church can be summed up by two pronouncements that have book-ended his papacy to date:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/archive-pope-benedict-xvi-pope-francis-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">“Who am I to judge?”</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">“Being homosexual is not a crime.”</a>In between making those historic statements, Francis made outreach to LGBTQ people a hallmark of his papacy more than any pope before him.He ministers to members of a transgender community in Rome. He has counseled gay couples seeking to raise their children Catholic. During a 2015 visit to the U.S., he publicized a private meeting with a gay former student and the man's partner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f27eb8dd7bf744aa9fb11572c15748f4">to counter the conservative narrative</a>&nbsp;that he had received an anti-same-sex marriage activist.“The pope is reminding the church that the way people treat one another in the social world is of much greater moral importance that what people may possibly do in the privacy of a bedroom,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for greater acceptance of LGBTQ Catholics.

Pope Francis at 10 years: A reformer's learning curve, plans

WASHINGTON— As political gridlock puts the government at risk of defaulting, President Joe Biden on Thursday made an opening bid with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-deficit-trillion-republicans-economy-810ff80dcd8812f2138eef571f2444f3">budget plan</a>&nbsp;that he says would cut deficits by $2.9 trillion over the next decade — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-highlights-taxes-deficits-medicare-3f0d64293eb6bf84d114d937627119b8">proposal that Republicans already intend to reject</a>.

The White House released additional specifics on the plan. Lowering Costs and Giving Families More Breathing Room As our economy transitions from a historically strong recovery to stable and steady growth, the President has remained laser-focused on continuing to lower costs for families and giving them more breathing room, without giving up the historic economic gains we’ve made. While more work remains, there are clear signs that the President’s strategy is working. Annual inflation is lower than it was seven months ago, gas prices are down $1.60 per gallon since their peak last summer, and unemployment remains at its lowest level in 54 years, while take home pay has gone up. And the Biden-Harris Administration has taken historic action to lower the costs of health care, clean energy, and prescription drugs, eliminate junk fees that make it harder for families to make ends meet, promote greater competition to lower costs, and address pandemic-driven supply chain bottlenecks. While some Congressional Republicans have proposed repealing the Inflation Reduction Act and taken other actions that would raise costs for working families, the President’s Budget takes a very different approach—proposing a package of policies to continue lowering everyday costs for the American people. Cuts Taxes for Families with Children and American Workers.&nbsp;

The President is calling for the restoration of the full Child Tax Credit enacted in the American Rescue Plan, which cut child poverty in half in 2021, to the lowest level in history. The Budget would expand the credit from $2,000 per child to $3,000 per child for children six years old and above, and to $3,600 per child for children under six. The Budget would also permanently reform the credit to make it fully refundable. The President also calls on the Congress to make the Earned Income Tax Credit expansion for childless workers permanent, which would help pull low-paid workers out of poverty. Lowers Health Care Costs.&nbsp;

The President believes that health care should be a right, not a privilege. With enrollment in affordable health coverage at an all-time high, the Budget builds on the remarkable success of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), by making permanent the average $800 per year premium cuts through expanded premium tax credits that the Inflation Reduction Act extended. It also provides Medicaid-like coverage to individuals in States that have not adopted Medicaid expansion under the ACA, paired with financial incentives to ensure States maintain their existing expansions.&nbsp; Reduces Prescription Drug Costs for All Americans.&nbsp;

The Budget builds upon the Inflation Reduction Act to continue lowering the cost of prescription drugs. For Medicare, this includes further strengthening the newly established negotiation power by extending it to more drugs and bringing drugs into negotiation sooner after they launch. The Budget also proposes to limit Medicare Part D cost-sharing for high-value generic drugs used for certain chronic conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol to no more than $2. For Medicaid, the Budget includes proposals to ensure Medicaid and CHIP programs are prudent purchasers of prescription drugs, authorizing HHS to negotiate supplemental drug rebates on behalf of interested States in order to pool purchasing power. For the commercial market, the Budget includes proposals to curb inflation in prescription drug prices and cap the prices of insulin products at $35 for a monthly prescription.&nbsp; Expands Access to Quality, Affordable Health Care.&nbsp;

The Budget invests $150 billion over 10 years to improve and expand Medicaid home and community-based services, such as personal care services, which would allow seniors and individuals with disabilities to remain in their homes and stay active in their communities as well as improve the quality of jobs for home care workers. And because community health centers—which provide comprehensive services regardless of ability to pay—serve one in three people living in poverty and one in five rural residents, the Budget puts the Health Center Program on a path to double its size and expand its reach. To bolster the health care workforce, the Budget provides a total of $966 million in 2024 to expand the National Health Service Corps, which provides loan repayment and scholarships to health care professionals in exchange for practicing in underserved areas, and a total of $350 million to expand programs that train and support the nursing workforce.&nbsp;&nbsp; Expands Access to Affordable, High-Quality Early Child Care and Learning.&nbsp;

Too many families across America cannot access high-quality, affordable child care—preventing parents from working and holding back our entire economy. The President’s Budget enables states to increase child care options for more than 16 million young children and lowers costs so that parents can afford to send their children to high-quality child care. The Budget also funds a Federal-State partnership that provides high-quality, universal, free preschool to support healthy child development and ensure children enter kindergarten ready to succeed. Lowers Housing Costs by Increasing Affordable Housing Supply and Expanding Access to Homeownership and Affordable Rent.&nbsp;

The President believes that everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to live. To address the critical shortage of affordable housing in communities throughout the country that has exacerbated inflation, the Budget includes $59 billion in mandatory funding and tax incentives aimed at increasing the affordable housing supply, including for extremely low-income households. The Budget also includes $10 billion in mandatory funding to incentivize State, local, and regional jurisdictions to make progress in removing barriers to affordable housing developments, such as restrictive zoning. By expanding the supply of housing, the Budget would help prevent the kind of rapid increases in rental and homeownership costs we have seen in recent years. The Budget also includes $10 billion in mandatory funding for a new First-Generation Down Payment Assistance program to help address racial and ethnic homeownership and wealth gaps—making homeownership more attainable for Americans who have been locked out of the generational wealth building that can come with owning a home. And the Budget expands access to affordable rent through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program to well over 200,000 additional households. In addition to assisting all current voucher recipients and providing new vouchers for tens of thousands of additional families, the Budget includes mandatory funding to support two populations that are particularly vulnerable to homelessness—guaranteed assistance for all 20,000 youth who age out of foster care annually and an incremental expansion to cover the 450,000 extremely low-income (ELI) veteran families nationwide. Improves College Affordability and Expands Free Community College.&nbsp;

The Budget proposes to increase the discretionary maximum Pell Grant by $500—helping more than 6.8 million students pay for college, building on successful bipartisan efforts to increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $900 over the past two years, and laying out a path to double the award by 2029. The Budget also invests mandatory and discretionary funding to expand free community college, and provides mandatory funding for two years of subsidized tuition for students from families earning less than $125,000 enrolled in a participating four-year Historically Black College or University (HBCU), Tribally-Controlled College or University (TCCU), or Minority-Serving Institution (MSI).&nbsp; Lowers Home Energy and Water Costs.&nbsp;

The Budget provides $4.1 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), building on the $13 billion provided in the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce energy bills for families, expand clean energy, transform rural power production, and create thousands of good-paying jobs for people across rural America. Since the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) expires at the end of 2023, the Budget proposes to expand LIHEAP funding and allow States the option to use a portion of their LIHEAP funds to provide water bill assistance to low-income households. Increases Food Security.&nbsp;

As called for in the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, the Budget provides over $15 billion to allow more States and schools to leverage participation in the Community Eligibility Program and provide healthy and free school meals to an additional 9 million children. The Budget also includes $6.3 billion to support the 6.5 million individuals expected to participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Protecting and Strengthening Medicare and Social Security The President has always believed that Medicare and Social Security are a promise—a rock-solid guarantee generations of Americans have counted on to be able to retire with dignity and security. The President will reject any efforts to cut the Medicare or Social Security benefits that seniors and people with disabilities have earned and paid into their entire working lives. The Budget honors that ironclad commitment—not only by rejecting benefit cuts, but by embracing reforms and investments that will protect and strengthen both programs. The President is committed to working with Congress to ensure Medicare and Social Security remain strong for their beneficiaries, now and in the future. Protects and Strengthens Medicare.&nbsp;The Budget strengthens Medicare by extending the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund by at least 25 years, without cutting any benefits or raising costs for beneficiaries. The Budget includes key reforms to the tax code to ensure high-income individuals pay their fair share into the Medicare HI trust fund. It also directs the revenue from the Net Investment Income Tax into the HI trust fund as was originally intended. Finally, the Budget directs the savings from the Budget’s proposed Medicare drug reforms into the HI trust fund.&nbsp; Protects the Social Security Benefits that Americans Have Earned.&nbsp;

The Administration is committed to protecting and strengthening Social Security and opposes any attempt to cut Social Security benefits for current or future recipients. The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to responsibly strengthen Social Security by ensuring that high-income individuals pay their fair share. The Budget also invests in staff, information technology, and other improvements at the Social Security Administration, providing an increase of $1.4 billion, a 10 percent increase, over the 2023 enacted level.&nbsp; These funds would improve customer service at Social Security Administration field offices, State disability determination services, and teleservice centers for retirees, individuals with disabilities, and their families. Growing the Economy from the Bottom up and Middle Out by Investing in America and Its People The Budget proposes smart, targeted investments to grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out, not the top down, by investing in America and its people—investing in the foundations of our country’s economic strength; confronting the climate crisis while creating clean energy jobs; and advancing equity, dignity, and opportunity and strengthening our democracy. Investing in the Foundations of Our Economic Strength Invests in American Manufacturing.&nbsp;The Budget provides $375 million for the National Institutes of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Industrial Technology Services to support the progress of NIST’s existing manufacturing institute, fund a new institute to be launched in 2023, and promote domestic production of institute-developed technologies. The Budget also includes $277 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a public-private partnership that offers advisory services to small and medium enterprises. Makes Historic Investments in Innovation and Cutting-Edge Research.&nbsp;

The Budget provides almost $21 billion in discretionary spending for CHIPS and Science Act-authorized activities. This funding includes $1.2 billion for the CHIPS and Science Act-authorized Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships to help accelerate and translate scientific research into innovations, industries, and jobs, as well as $300 million for NSF’s Regional Innovation Engines program to galvanize use-inspired research, technology translation, and workforce development. Within DOE’s Office of Science, the Budget also supports cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence, quantum information sciences, microelectronics, and isotope production at the national laboratories and universities. In addition, the Budget requests $4 billion in new mandatory funding for the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program at the Economic Development Administration. And the Budget provides $210 billion for Federal research and development, an historic level of investment in American science, technology and innovation. Provides National, Comprehensive Paid Family and Medical Leave and Calls for Paid Sick Leave for All Workers.&nbsp;

Workers power our economy—and when they thrive, our economy thrives. The Budget proposes to establish a national, comprehensive paid family and medical leave program, providing up to 12 weeks of leave to allow eligible workers to take time off to care and bond with a new child; care for a seriously ill loved one; heal from their own serious illness; address circumstances arising from a loved one’s military deployment; or find safety from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The President also calls on Congress to require employers to provide seven job-protected paid sick days each year to all workers. Expands Workforce Training that Provides Pathways to Good Jobs.&nbsp;

The Budget invests in evidence-based training models to ensure all workers—including women, workers of color, and workers in rural areas—have the skills they need for the good jobs being created by the President’s historic legislative accomplishments. The Budget invests $335 million in Registered Apprenticeship, an earn-and-learn model, to provide debt-free pathways to careers in construction, clean energy, semiconductor manufacturing, and other in-demand industries. The Budget also provides $200 million for the new Sectoral Employment through Career Training for Occupational Readiness (SECTOR) program, which will support development and expansion of public-private partnerships to equitably deliver high-quality training in growing industries, and invests $100 million to help community colleges partner with employers and the public workforce system to design and deliver effective training models in communities across the Nation. Invests in High-Poverty Schools.&nbsp;

The Budget provides $20.5 billion for Title I, a $2.2 billion increase above the 2023 enacted level, delivering critical funding to 90 percent of school districts across the Nation and helping them provide students in low-income communities the academic opportunities and support they need to succeed. This increase in funding addresses chronic funding gaps between high-poverty schools—which disproportionately serve students of color—and their wealthier counterparts.&nbsp;&nbsp; Taking Historic Action to Cut Energy Bills for Families and Confront the Climate Crisis While Creating Clean Energy Jobs Across America Cuts Energy Bills for Families and Creates Jobs Building Clean Energy Infrastructure.&nbsp;The Budget invests $4.5 billion in clean energy across America, bringing jobs to rural communities and cities, leaving no one behind. The Budget supports clean energy workforce development and sustainable infrastructure projects across the country, including $1.8 billion to weatherize and retrofit low-income Americans’ homes, and $83 million to electrify Tribal homes and transition Tribal Colleges and universities to renewable energy. Makes Historic Investments in Science &amp; Research to Continue to Cut the Cost of Clean Energy.&nbsp;

To boost American innovation and sustain American leadership in research and scientific discovery, the Budget also provides a historic investment of $16.5 billion in climate science and clean energy innovation. The Budget includes $3.5 billion of the $8.8 billion total for DOE’s Office of Science and $1.6 billion at NSF, and makes advancements toward the CHIPS and Science Act authorizations, including $1 billion for fusion, the largest ever investment in the promise of a clean energy power source. Cuts Global Warming Pollution.&nbsp;

The Budget invests in reducing global warming pollution and achieving the President’s target to cut greenhouse gas emissions 50-52 percent by 2030. These investments include an additional $64.4 million at EPA to implement the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act and continue phasing out potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The Budget supports $1.2 billion in DOE industrial decarbonization activities. Helps Increase Climate Resilience and Bolsters Conservation.&nbsp;

The Budget invests more than $24 billion to help build communities’ resilience to floods, wildfires, storms, extreme heat, and drought brought on by climate change, expand conservation and ecosystem management, strengthen America’s natural disaster response capabilities, increase the resilience of rural housing to the impacts of climate change while reducing rent burdens, and ensure the resilience of our nation’s defense to climate change. Advances Equity and Environmental Justice.&nbsp;

The Administration continues to prioritize efforts to deliver environmental justice in communities across the United States, including meeting the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of Federal investments in climate and clean energy reach disadvantaged communities, including rural and Tribal communities. The Budget bolsters these efforts by investing nearly $1.8 billion at EPA across numerous programs that will support securing environmental justice for communities that bear the brunt of toxic pollution and climate change. The Budget also provides EPA $219 million to help remediate lead contamination in water, an increase of $163 million over the 2023 enacted level. Increases Global Energy Security, Infrastructure, and Resilience.&nbsp;

The Budget supports the President’s pledges to more than quadruple international climate finance and to provide more than $3 billion for the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE). This includes a $1.6 billion contribution to the Green Climate Fund and a $1.2 billion loan to the Clean Technology Fund. The Budget also advances new tools, such as loan guarantees, to re-assert U.S. leadership in the Indo-Pacific to finance energy security and infrastructure projects and reduce reliance on volatile energy supplies and prices. Expanding Access to High-Quality Health Care and Improving Health Outcomes Advances Maternal Health and Health Equity.&nbsp;The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations, and rates are disproportionately high for Black and American Indian and Alaska Native women. The Budget includes $471 million to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity rates; expand maternal health initiatives in rural communities; implement implicit bias training for health care providers; create pregnancy medical home demonstration projects; and address the highest rates of perinatal health disparities, including by supporting the perinatal health workforce. In addition, the Budget requires all States to provide continuous Medicaid coverage for 12 months postpartum, eliminating gaps in health insurance at a critical time. Advances Cancer Moonshot Goals.

&nbsp;The Cancer Moonshot aims to reduce the cancer death rate by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years and improve the experience of people who are living with or have survived cancer, their families, and caregivers. The Budget includes $1.7 billion for dedicated Cancer Moonshot activities across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in addition to targeted investments at the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Agriculture, and other Cancer Cabinet agencies, and a total investment of $7.8 billion at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to drive progress on ways to prevent, detect, and treat cancer. The Budget also provides an increase of $1 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), for a total of $2.5 billion, to drive innovative health research and speed the implementation of breakthroughs that would transform the treatment, prevention, and early detection of cancer and other diseases. Transforms Behavioral Health Care.&nbsp;

The United States is facing a mental health crisis. While recently enacted legislation takes significant steps to address this crisis, much more can be done. For people with private health insurance, the Budget expands coverage of mental health benefits and strengthens the network of behavioral health providers. For people with Medicare, the Budget lowers patients’ costs for mental health services, requires parity in coverage between behavioral health and medical benefits, and expands coverage for behavioral health providers. The Budget provides historic investments in the behavioral health workforce, youth mental health care, Certified Community Based Behavioral Health Clinics, Community Mental Health Centers, and mental health research. Making Our Communities Safer, Advancing Equity and Opportunity, and Strengthening American Democracy Invests in Federal Law Enforcement, Community Violence Interventions, and Prevention to Combat Gun Violence and Other Violent Crime.&nbsp;The Budget continues to fund the President’s comprehensive Safer America Plan, including funding to put 100,000 additional police officers on our streets for accountable, community-oriented policing; $19.4 billion over 10 years for crime prevention strategies; and $5 billion over 10 years for community violence interventions. The Budget also includes $17.8 billion for DOJ law enforcement, including a total of nearly $2 billion for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to expand multijurisdictional gun trafﬁcking strike forces with additional personnel, increase regulation of the ﬁrearms industry, and implement the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The Budget also includes $1.9 billion for the U.S. Marshals Service to support personnel dedicated to ﬁghting violent crime, as well as $51 million to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to support the continued implementation of enhanced background checks required by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Prioritizes Efforts to End Gender-Based Violence.&nbsp;

The Budget proposes $1 billion to support implementation of programs through the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA), which was recently reauthorized and strengthened in 2022. The Budget supports substantial increases for longstanding VAWA programs, including key investments in legal assistance for victims, transitional housing, and sexual assault services. The Budget also includes $519 million for the Family Violence Prevention and Services (FVPSA) program and the National Domestic Violence Hotline to support domestic violence survivors—double the 2023 enacted level. Advances Child and Family Well-Being in the Child Welfare System.&nbsp;The Budget proposes to expand and incentivize the use of evidence-based foster care prevention services to keep families safely together and reduce the number of children entering foster care. The Budget provides States with support to place more foster children with relatives or other adults who have an existing emotional bond with the children, while also providing additional funding to support youth who age out of care without a permanent caregiver. In addition, the Budget proposes to make the adoption tax credit refundable and to extend the credit to legal guardianships. This would reduce the financial burden on low- and moderate-income families wishing to pursue adoption, as well as for families who opt for legal guardianship. Strengthens Our Democracy.&nbsp;

To continue efforts to restore and strengthen American democracy, the Budget proposes $5 billion in new election assistance funding to be allocated over 10 years, $1.5 billion to support increasing the living allowance provided to AmeriCorps members so that national service is a more accessible pathway to success, and $73 million to support American history and civics education programs. Keeping America Safe and Confronting Global Challenges Even as he has taken decisive action to strengthen America at home, the President has worked with allies and partners to confront pressing global challenges. The Budget builds on that progress through proposals to continue addressing threats to global security and strengthening the U.S. military, addressing pressing global challenges, strengthening border security and the U.S. immigration system, and honoring America’s commitment to veterans, servicemembers, families, caregivers, and survivors. Supports Ukraine, European Allies, and Partners.&nbsp;

The Budget continues support for Ukraine, the United States’ strong alliance with the states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and other European partner states by prioritizing funding to enhance the capabilities and readiness of U.S. forces, NATO allies, and regional partners in the face of continued Russian aggression. Invests in New Ways to Out-Compete China and Deepens Alliances and Partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.

&nbsp;China is the United States’ only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it. During these unprecedented and extraordinary times, the Budget requests both discretionary and mandatory resources to out-compete China and advance American prosperity globally. The mandatory proposal will strengthen the U.S. role in the Indo-Pacific, and advance the U.S. economy by investing $2 billion to create a new International Infrastructure Fund to support “hard” critical infrastructure; $2 billion to create a new equity revolving fund at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to support equity investments; and $2 billion to make game-changing investments in the Indo-Pacific to strengthen partner economies and support their efforts in pushing back against predatory efforts. As part of this mandatory proposal, the Budget also requests a total of $7.1 billion over the next 20 years for the Compacts of Free Association with the Freely Associated States of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. Promotes Integrated Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and Globally.&nbsp;

The Budget prioritizes China as America’s pacing challenge in line with the 2022 National Defense Strategy. The Department of Defense’s 2024 Pacific Deterrence Initiative highlights $9.1 billion of targeted investments the Department is making to U.S. force posture, infrastructure, presence, and readiness as well as efforts to bolster the capacity and capabilities of U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Strengthens Democracy and Promotes Human Rights Globally.&nbsp;

The Budget provides more than $3.4 billion to advance democratic governance and foster democratic renewal globally. The Budget would strengthen free and independent media, fight corruption, bolster democratic institutions, advance technology for democracy, promote gender equality and women’s civic and political participation, and defend free and fair elections and political processes. Enhances Border Security and Immigration Enforcement.&nbsp;

Strengthening border security and providing safe, lawful pathways for migration remain top priorities for the Administration. The Budget includes nearly $25 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Budget includes funds for CBP to hire an additional 350 Border Patrol Agents, $535 million for border technology at and between ports of entry, $40 million to combat fentanyl trafficking and disrupt transnational criminal organizations, and funds to hire an additional 460 processing assistants at CBP and ICE. Expands Health Care, Benefits, and Services for Military Environmental Exposures.&nbsp;

The PACT Act represents the most significant expansion of VA health care and disability compensation benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other environmental exposures in more than 30 years. As part of the PACT Act, the Congress authorized the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) to fund increased costs above 2021 funding levels for health care and benefits delivery for veterans exposed to a number of environmental hazards—and ensure there is sufficient funding available to cover these costs without shortchanging other elements of veteran medical care and benefit delivery. The Budget provides $20.3 billion for the TEF in 2024, which is $15.3 billion above the 2023 enacted level. Reducing Deficits by Nearly $3 Trillion by Making the Wealthy and Big Corporations Pay Their Fair Share and Cutting Wasteful Spending on Big Pharma, Big Oil, and Special Interests After inheriting historically high deficits from the previous Administration, President Biden told the American people he would reduce the deficit, pay for his proposals, and ensure that no one making less than $400,000 a year would pay a penny more in new taxes. That’s exactly what he has done—and exactly what he will continue to do. The President’s Budget builds on the record-breaking deficit reduction he achieved during his first two years in office.&nbsp;It more than fully pays for its investments, reduces deficits by nearly $3 trillion over the next decade by making the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share and cutting wasteful spending on Big Pharma, Big Oil, and other special interests, and ensures that no one making less than $400,000 per year will pay a penny more in new taxes. The Budget reflects the President’s ironclad belief that we need a tax system that rewards work, not wealth—and that ensures the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations don’t pay lower tax rates than teachers or firefighters. That’s in sharp contrast with Congressional Republicans, who in recent months have proposed policies that would add $3 trillion to the debt over the next decade while handing out tax giveaways to the wealthy and big corporations. Building on the progress the President has already made to promote a fairer tax code, the Budget proposes additional reforms that would ensure the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share while cutting wasteful spending on Big Pharma, Big Oil, and other special interests. Proposes a Minimum Tax on Billionaires.&nbsp;

The tax code currently offers special treatment for the types of income that wealthy people enjoy. While the wages and salaries that everyday Americans earn are taxed as ordinary income, billionaires make their money in ways that are taxed at lower rates, and sometimes not taxed at all. This special treatment, combined with sophisticated tax planning and giant loopholes, allows many of the wealthiest Americans to pay lower rates on their full income than many middle-class households pay. To finally address this glaring problem, the Budget includes a 25 percent minimum tax on the wealthiest 0.01 percent. Ensures Corporations Pay Their Fair Share.&nbsp;

The Budget includes an increase to the rate that corporations pay in taxes on their profits. Corporations received an enormous tax break in 2017, cutting effective U.S. tax rates for U.S. corporations to a low of less than 10 percent. While their profits soared, their investment in the economy did not. Their shareholders and top executives reaped the benefits, without the promised trickle down to workers, consumers, or communities. The Budget would set the corporate tax rate at 28 percent, still well below the 35 percent rate that prevailed prior to the 2017 tax law. This tax rate change is complemented by other proposals to incentivize job creation and investment in the United States and ensure large corporations pay their fair share. Stops the Race to the Bottom in International Corporate Tax and End Tax Breaks for Offshoring.&nbsp;

For decades, countries have competed for multinational business by slashing tax rates, at the expense of having adequate revenues to finance core services. Thanks in part to the Administration’s leadership, more than 130 nations signed on to a global tax framework to finally address this race to the bottom. Building on that framework, the Budget proposes to reform the international tax system to reduce the incentives to book profits in low-tax jurisdictions, stop corporate inversions to tax havens, and raise the tax rate on U.S. multinationals’ foreign earnings from 10.5 percent to 21 percent. These reforms will ensure that profitable multinational corporations pay their fair share. Quadruples the Stock Buybacks Tax.&nbsp;

Last year, the President signed into law a surcharge on corporate stock buybacks, which reduces the differential tax treatment between buybacks and dividends and encourages businesses to invest and grow as opposed to funneling tax-preferred profits to foreign shareholders. The Budget proposes quadrupling the stock buybacks tax from one percent to four percent to address the continued tax advantage for buybacks and encourage corporations to invest in productivity and the broader economy. Repeals Trump Tax Cuts for the Wealthy and Reform Capital Gains Tax to Ensure the Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share.&nbsp;

The 2017 tax law lowered rates for the wealthiest Americans, delivering massive tax cuts to the top one percent. The Budget repeals the Trump tax cuts for the highest-income Americans, restoring the top tax rate of 39.6 percent for single filers making more than $400,000 a year and married couples making more than $450,000 per year. It also proposes taxing capital gains at the same rate as wage income for those with more than $1 million in income and finally closes the carried interest loophole that allows some wealthy investment fund managers to pay tax at lower rates than their secretaries. Cuts Wasteful Spending on Big Pharma, Big Oil, and Other Special Interests, Combats Fraud, and Makes Programs More Efficient.&nbsp;

The Budget puts forward reforms that cut wasteful spending on Big Pharma, Big Oil, and other special interests, crack down on fraud, and strengthen program integrity—saving taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. For example, the Budget cuts Federal spending by $160 billion—and saves billions of dollars for seniors—by increasing the number of drugs Medicare can select for negotiation and bringing more drugs into the negotiation process sooner, building on the Inflation Reduction Act’s reforms. It also includes a package of reforms to crack down on systemic fraud—combatting identity theft and other fraud in Unemployment Insurance, increasing funding for the Anti-Pandemic Fraud Strike Force, and investing in Inspectors General.

White House details specifics of Biden's $6.8T budget plan

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S rushed to seize the assets of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday after it experienced a run on the bank, the largest failure of a financial institution since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/08aeb5a6c9d542ccb6d6154d4fa1e3a6">Washington Mutual</a>&nbsp;during the height of the financial crisis more than a decade ago.

Silicon Valley, the nation's 16th largest bank, failed after depositors — mostly technology workers and venture capital-backed companies — hurried to withdraw money this week as anxiety over the bank's balance sheet spread. It is the second biggest bank failure in history, behind Washington Mutual.

Silicon Valley was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-amazoncom-inc-europe-software-business-b23cd72310f20ce2320a36eadc26eded">heavily exposed to tech industry</a>&nbsp;and there is little chance of contagion in the banking sector similar to the chaos in the months leading up to the Great Recession more than a decade ago. The biggest banks — those most likely to cause a systemic economic issue — have healthy balance sheets and plenty of capital.

In 2007, the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression rippled across the globe after mortgage-backed securities tied to ill-advised housing loans rippled from the U.S. to Asia and Europe. The panic on Wall Street led to the collapse of the storied Lehman Brothers, founded in 1847. Because major banks had extensive exposure to one another, it led to cascading disruption throughout the global financial system, putting millions out of work.

However, there has been unease in the banking sector all week and the collapse of Silicon Valley pushed shares of almost all financial institutions lower Friday, shares that had already tumbled by double digits since Monday.

Silicon Valley Bank’s failure arrived with incredible speed, with some industry analysts on Friday suggesting it was a good company and still likely a wise investment. Silicon Valley Bank executives were trying to raise capital early Friday and find additional investors. However, trading in the bank’s shares was halted before the opening bell due to extreme volatility.

Shortly before noon eastern, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation moved to shutter the bank. Notably, the FDIC did not wait until the close of business to seize the bank, as is typical in an orderly wind down of a financial institution. The FDIC could not immediately find a buyer for the bank's assets, signaling how fast depositors had cashed out. The bank's remaining uninsured deposits will now be locked up in receivership.

The bank had $209 billion in total assets at the time of failure, the FDIC said. It was unclear how much of its deposits were above the $250,000 insurance limit at the moment, but previous regulatory reports showed that much of Silicon Valley Bank's deposits exceeded that limit.

The FDIC said Friday that deposits below the $250,000 limit would be available Monday morning.

Silicon Valley Bank still appeared stable this year, but on Thursday it announced plans to raise up to $1.75 billion in order to strengthen its capital position. That sent investors scurrying and shares plunged 60%. They rocketed lower again Friday before the open of the Nasdaq where it is traded.

As its name implied, Silicon Valley Bank was a major financial conduit between the technology sector, its founders and startups as well as its workers. Hundreds of companies held their operating capital with the bank, and it was seen as good business sense to develop a relationship with Silicon Valley Bank if a founder wanted to find new investors or go public.

“We saw building a relationship with Silicon Valley Bank as a logical step, given their reach,” said Ashley Tyrner, CEO of FarmboxRx, a company that delivers food as medicine to Medicaid and Medicare recipients. While Tyrner has money in other banks and can make payroll, she said a good portion of her business' profits are now locked up with the bank.

But Silicon Valley's connections to the tech sector became a liability rapidly. Technology stocks have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-amazoncom-inc-europe-software-business-b23cd72310f20ce2320a36eadc26eded">hit hard in the past 18 months</a>&nbsp;after a growth surge during the pandemic and layoffs have spread throughout the industry.

At the same time, the bank was hit hard by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-powell-unemployment-79b7ead4530ab381a17638a6c9df2d90">Federal Reserve's fight against inflation</a>&nbsp;and an aggressive series of interest rate hikes to cool the economy.

As the Fed raises its benchmark interest rate, the value of bonds, typically a stable asset, start to fall. That is not typically a problem as the declines lead to “unrealized losses,” or losses that are not counted against them when calculating the capital cushion than banks can use should there be a downturn in the future.

However, when depositors grow anxious and begin withdrawing their money, banks sometimes have to sell those bonds before they mature to cover that exodus.

That is exactly what happened to Silicon Valley Bank, which had to sell $21 billion in highly liquid assets to cover the exodus of deposits. It took a $1.8 billion loss on that sale.

Tyrner said she's spoken to several friends who are backed by venture capital. She described those friends as being “beside themselves” over the bank's failure. Tyrner's chief operating officer tried to withdraw her company's funds on Thursday, but failed to do so in time.

“One friend said they couldn't make payroll today and cried when they had to inform 200 employees because of this issue,” Tyrner said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678473965518.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S rushed to seize the assets of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday after it experienced a run on the bank, the largest failure of a financial institution since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/08aeb5a6c9d542ccb6d6154d4fa1e3a6">Washington Mutual</a>&nbsp;during the height of the financial crisis more than a decade ago.Silicon Valley, the nation's 16th largest bank, failed after depositors — mostly technology workers and venture capital-backed companies — hurried to withdraw money this week as anxiety over the bank's balance sheet spread. It is the second biggest bank failure in history, behind Washington Mutual.Silicon Valley was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-amazoncom-inc-europe-software-business-b23cd72310f20ce2320a36eadc26eded">heavily exposed to tech industry</a>&nbsp;and there is little chance of contagion in the banking sector similar to the chaos in the months leading up to the Great Recession more than a decade ago. The biggest banks — those most likely to cause a systemic economic issue — have healthy balance sheets and plenty of capital.In 2007, the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression rippled across the globe after mortgage-backed securities tied to ill-advised housing loans rippled from the U.S. to Asia and Europe. The panic on Wall Street led to the collapse of the storied Lehman Brothers, founded in 1847. Because major banks had extensive exposure to one another, it led to cascading disruption throughout the global financial system, putting millions out of work.However, there has been unease in the banking sector all week and the collapse of Silicon Valley pushed shares of almost all financial institutions lower Friday, shares that had already tumbled by double digits since Monday.Silicon Valley Bank’s failure arrived with incredible speed, with some industry analysts on Friday suggesting it was a good company and still likely a wise investment. Silicon Valley Bank executives were trying to raise capital early Friday and find additional investors. However, trading in the bank’s shares was halted before the opening bell due to extreme volatility.Shortly before noon eastern, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation moved to shutter the bank. Notably, the FDIC did not wait until the close of business to seize the bank, as is typical in an orderly wind down of a financial institution. The FDIC could not immediately find a buyer for the bank's assets, signaling how fast depositors had cashed out. The bank's remaining uninsured deposits will now be locked up in receivership.The bank had $209 billion in total assets at the time of failure, the FDIC said. It was unclear how much of its deposits were above the $250,000 insurance limit at the moment, but previous regulatory reports showed that much of Silicon Valley Bank's deposits exceeded that limit.The FDIC said Friday that deposits below the $250,000 limit would be available Monday morning.Silicon Valley Bank still appeared stable this year, but on Thursday it announced plans to raise up to $1.75 billion in order to strengthen its capital position. That sent investors scurrying and shares plunged 60%. They rocketed lower again Friday before the open of the Nasdaq where it is traded.As its name implied, Silicon Valley Bank was a major financial conduit between the technology sector, its founders and startups as well as its workers. Hundreds of companies held their operating capital with the bank, and it was seen as good business sense to develop a relationship with Silicon Valley Bank if a founder wanted to find new investors or go public.“We saw building a relationship with Silicon Valley Bank as a logical step, given their reach,” said Ashley Tyrner, CEO of FarmboxRx, a company that delivers food as medicine to Medicaid and Medicare recipients. While Tyrner has money in other banks and can make payroll, she said a good portion of her business' profits are now locked up with the bank.But Silicon Valley's connections to the tech sector became a liability rapidly. Technology stocks have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-amazoncom-inc-europe-software-business-b23cd72310f20ce2320a36eadc26eded">hit hard in the past 18 months</a>&nbsp;after a growth surge during the pandemic and layoffs have spread throughout the industry.At the same time, the bank was hit hard by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-powell-unemployment-79b7ead4530ab381a17638a6c9df2d90">Federal Reserve's fight against inflation</a>&nbsp;and an aggressive series of interest rate hikes to cool the economy.As the Fed raises its benchmark interest rate, the value of bonds, typically a stable asset, start to fall. That is not typically a problem as the declines lead to “unrealized losses,” or losses that are not counted against them when calculating the capital cushion than banks can use should there be a downturn in the future.However, when depositors grow anxious and begin withdrawing their money, banks sometimes have to sell those bonds before they mature to cover that exodus.That is exactly what happened to Silicon Valley Bank, which had to sell $21 billion in highly liquid assets to cover the exodus of deposits. It took a $1.8 billion loss on that sale.Tyrner said she's spoken to several friends who are backed by venture capital. She described those friends as being “beside themselves” over the bank's failure. Tyrner's chief operating officer tried to withdraw her company's funds on Thursday, but failed to do so in time.“One friend said they couldn't make payroll today and cried when they had to inform 200 employees because of this issue,” Tyrner said.---------------------

Bank seized by FDIC; largest bank failure since Great Recession

WASHINGTON —On Sunday morning, Americans will once again change their clocks, moving from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time (DST).&nbsp;

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) continues to make the case for permanent Daylight Savings Time. This month, Rubio&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=804D6349-084E-45C2-AB86-4DFEFA577378">reintroduced</a>&nbsp;his bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/fe0d7211-57e1-4b89-90dd-0789768e41dc/1055A4494B96C496B17D26F68F852E1C.sunshine-protection-act-of-2023.pdf">legislation</a>&nbsp;to lock the clock.&nbsp; Last year, the legislation was referred to as the Sunshine Protection Act. The United&nbsp; States Senate passed it unanimously.

“We’re one of the few countries on Earth that continues to do this ritual of springing forward and falling back and changing our clock twice a year, said Rubio.

“That makes no sense. It’s time to end it. I think we should pick one and stick with it. “This really began back in 1918 as a practice that was supposed to save energy, and since then we've adjusted it. Today, Daylight Saving Time, which started out as six months, was extended to eight months in 2005, clearly showing you where people's preference [is].&nbsp; “So we're doing this back-and-forth clock changing for about 16 weeks of Standard Time a year. I think the majority of the American people's preference is just to stop the back and forth changing. But beyond that, I think their preference is — certainly at least based on today's vote, and what we've heard — is to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. I'll just tell you a couple of the reasons why I think that's important.&nbsp; “There's some strong science behind it that is now showing and making people aware of the harm that clock switching has. We see an increase in heart attacks and car accidents and pedestrian accidents in the week[s] that follow the changes. “The benefits of Daylight Saving Time have also been accounted for in the research. For example, reduced crime as there's light later in the day. We've seen decreases in child obesity. A decrease in seasonal depression that many feel during Standard Time.&nbsp; “And then the practical one, one that I've witnessed with my own eyes…. We're a country [in which] we desperately want our kids to be outside, to be playing, to be doing sports, not just to be sitting in front of a TV or a computer terminal or playing video games all day. And it gets really tough, in many parts of the country, to be able to do that. Because what ends up happening is, especially for these 16 weeks a year, if you don't have a park or an outdoor facility with lights, you're basically shut down around five p.m. — in some cases as early as four or 4:30 p.m. And these lights in parks and things like that are expensive, and then a lot of communities are resistant to them. It makes it tough to do [activities].&nbsp; “I've seen it with my own eyes. I've watched youth sporting events be called in the middle or near the end of the game, before it's actually concluded, because there's not enough lights.&nbsp; “That's one of the practical reasons why, if you look at the way we live in this country, you want to have the ability to spend more time in the evenings outdoors. Not just to enjoy the outdoors, but to make sporting and outdoor activities available for people at a time when, frankly, we're losing an hour, an hour-and-a-half in some parts of the country, because of [the time change]. &nbsp; “The good news is that we can get this passed. We don't have to keep doing this stupidity anymore. Why we would enshrine this in our laws and keep it for so long is beyond me.&nbsp; “Hopefully, this is the year that this gets done. And pardon the pun, but this is an idea whose time has come.”

WASHINGTON —On Sunday morning, Americans will once again change their clocks, moving from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time (DST).&nbsp;U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) continues to make the case for permanent Daylight Savings Time. This month, Rubio&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=804D6349-084E-45C2-AB86-4DFEFA577378">reintroduced</a>&nbsp;his bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/fe0d7211-57e1-4b89-90dd-0789768e41dc/1055A4494B96C496B17D26F68F852E1C.sunshine-protection-act-of-2023.pdf">legislation</a>&nbsp;to lock the clock.&nbsp; Last year, the legislation was referred to as the Sunshine Protection Act. The United&nbsp; States Senate passed it unanimously.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678458259046.png" alt="In 2022, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sunshine Protection Act" />
 <figcaption>In 2022, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sunshine Protection Act</figcaption>
 </figure>“We’re one of the few countries on Earth that continues to do this ritual of springing forward and falling back and changing our clock twice a year, said Rubio.“That makes no sense. It’s time to end it. I think we should pick one and stick with it. “This really began back in 1918 as a practice that was supposed to save energy, and since then we've adjusted it. Today, Daylight Saving Time, which started out as six months, was extended to eight months in 2005, clearly showing you where people's preference [is].&nbsp; “So we're doing this back-and-forth clock changing for about 16 weeks of Standard Time a year. I think the majority of the American people's preference is just to stop the back and forth changing. But beyond that, I think their preference is — certainly at least based on today's vote, and what we've heard — is to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. I'll just tell you a couple of the reasons why I think that's important.&nbsp; “There's some strong science behind it that is now showing and making people aware of the harm that clock switching has. We see an increase in heart attacks and car accidents and pedestrian accidents in the week[s] that follow the changes. “The benefits of Daylight Saving Time have also been accounted for in the research. For example, reduced crime as there's light later in the day. We've seen decreases in child obesity. A decrease in seasonal depression that many feel during Standard Time.&nbsp; “And then the practical one, one that I've witnessed with my own eyes…. We're a country [in which] we desperately want our kids to be outside, to be playing, to be doing sports, not just to be sitting in front of a TV or a computer terminal or playing video games all day. And it gets really tough, in many parts of the country, to be able to do that. Because what ends up happening is, especially for these 16 weeks a year, if you don't have a park or an outdoor facility with lights, you're basically shut down around five p.m. — in some cases as early as four or 4:30 p.m. And these lights in parks and things like that are expensive, and then a lot of communities are resistant to them. It makes it tough to do [activities].&nbsp; “I've seen it with my own eyes. I've watched youth sporting events be called in the middle or near the end of the game, before it's actually concluded, because there's not enough lights.&nbsp; “That's one of the practical reasons why, if you look at the way we live in this country, you want to have the ability to spend more time in the evenings outdoors. Not just to enjoy the outdoors, but to make sporting and outdoor activities available for people at a time when, frankly, we're losing an hour, an hour-and-a-half in some parts of the country, because of [the time change]. &nbsp; “The good news is that we can get this passed. We don't have to keep doing this stupidity anymore. Why we would enshrine this in our laws and keep it for so long is beyond me.&nbsp; “Hopefully, this is the year that this gets done. And pardon the pun, but this is an idea whose time has come.”

Senator makes case again for permanent Daylight Savings Time

BARTON COUNTY —Just after 2 p.m. Friday, officers located hit-and-run suspect Timothy Chism at a Great Bend residence. Chism has been previously booked into the Barton County jail 52 times and was on Community Corrections at the time of the accident that injured two Thursday night.

BARTON COUNTY, Kan. — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit and run accident and asking for help to locate a Kansas felon who left the scene.

Just before 9p.m. Thursday, sheriff deputies were notified of an injury accident in the 5600 block of Railroad Avenue, just south of the city of Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

 Deputies were advised two individuals were injured, and one driver had fled the scene. Investigation at the scene indicates a blue 2008 Dodge Caravan was westbound, operated by the driver who fled. That driver, later identified as Timothy Chism, crossed left of center and struck a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox operated by Amanda Staub of Hudson.

EMS transported Staub and a passenger in the Chism vehicle, identified as Mary Schlotthauer of Great Bend to the hospital in Great Bend. Staub was later transported to a Wichita area hospital.

The sheriff’s office is currently looking for Chism on requested charges of felony leaving the scene of an accident and other crimes. Chism has been previously booked into the Barton County jail 52 times and was on Community Corrections at the time of the accident. He has previous convictions for Lewd and Lascivious Behavior; Exposure &lt;16, theft, criminal possession of a weapon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

If you have information as to the whereabouts of Chism, call 911 or crime stoppers at 620-792-1300.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678468081836.png" alt="Chism has previous convictions for Lewd and Lascivious Behavior; Exposure &lt;16, theft, criminal possession of a weapon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Chism has previous convictions for Lewd and Lascivious Behavior; Exposure &lt;16, theft, criminal possession of a weapon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Just after 2 p.m. Friday, officers located hit-and-run suspect Timothy Chism at a Great Bend residence. Chism has been previously booked into the Barton County jail 52 times and was on Community Corrections at the time of the accident that injured two Thursday night.---------BARTON COUNTY, Kan. — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit and run accident and asking for help to locate a Kansas felon who left the scene.Just before 9p.m. Thursday, sheriff deputies were notified of an injury accident in the 5600 block of Railroad Avenue, just south of the city of Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678466213556.jpeg" alt="photo Barton County." />
 <figcaption>photo Barton County.</figcaption>
 </figure> Deputies were advised two individuals were injured, and one driver had fled the scene. Investigation at the scene indicates a blue 2008 Dodge Caravan was westbound, operated by the driver who fled. That driver, later identified as Timothy Chism, crossed left of center and struck a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox operated by Amanda Staub of Hudson.EMS transported Staub and a passenger in the Chism vehicle, identified as Mary Schlotthauer of Great Bend to the hospital in Great Bend. Staub was later transported to a Wichita area hospital.The sheriff’s office is currently looking for Chism on requested charges of felony leaving the scene of an accident and other crimes. Chism has been previously booked into the Barton County jail 52 times and was on Community Corrections at the time of the accident. He has previous convictions for Lewd and Lascivious Behavior; Exposure &lt;16, theft, criminal possession of a weapon and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.If you have information as to the whereabouts of Chism, call 911 or crime stoppers at 620-792-1300.

Update: Kan. hit-and-run suspect has been jailed 52 times

By JOSH FUNK Associated Press

OMAHA — U.S. railroads were warned to take certain cars out of 
service Thursday after Norfolk Southern discovered loose wheels on a car
 involved in last weekend's <a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-springfield-train-derailment-1b08c84e0788082dd24a4f4ca447f459">derailment in Ohio</a>.

It's
 not clear that the loose wheels caused the derailment near Springfield 
last Saturday because the National Transportation Safety Board has just 
begun investigating that crash — the latest in a string of high-profile <a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-train-derailment-norfolk-southern-ohio-49e36d8b7f89a8e23ed8cd4e9cf96c55">derailments</a> that have been <a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-ohio-derailment-hazardous-materials-74d7aec638500c52d1eb9fda0acf9f26">grabbing headlines</a>. But the railroad said the loose wheels on the car could cause a derailment.

Norfolk
 Southern said in a statement that after the railroad discovered 
“additional cases of unusual wheel movement,” it acted quickly to notify
 accident investigators and the rest of the industry. The Association of
 American Railroads trade group responded Thursday by issuing an 
advisory about the suspect cars.

The trade group said the problem 
was linked to new wheel sets that were installed on specialized steel 
coil cars beginning in August. The association said all of the cars with
 those wheels should be inspected and have their wheels replaced 
immediately.

It wasn’t immediately clear how many railcars might 
be affected or their location, Association of American Railroads 
spokeswoman Jessica Kahanek said.

Railroad safety has been in the spotlight since a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">fiery Norfolk Southern derailment</a>
 in Ohio last month. Roughly half of the town of East Palestine had to 
be evacuated after several hazardous materials cars caught fire. The 
railroad's CEO was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-ceo-norfolk-southern-railroad-e709db3c9945a35c8b92b99e2ba82b2e">answering questions</a> about that wreck at a Congressional hearing on Thursday.

Besides the Springfield derailment, two <a href="https://apnews.com/article/train-derailment-west-virginia-new-river-666564e6d74d66bf2550da4e1348ccd4">others</a> have been reported across the country in the past week, although none of those involved hazardous materials.

By JOSH FUNK Associated PressOMAHA — U.S. railroads were warned to take certain cars out of 
service Thursday after Norfolk Southern discovered loose wheels on a car
 involved in last weekend's <a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-springfield-train-derailment-1b08c84e0788082dd24a4f4ca447f459">derailment in Ohio</a>.It's
 not clear that the loose wheels caused the derailment near Springfield 
last Saturday because the National Transportation Safety Board has just 
begun investigating that crash — the latest in a string of high-profile <a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-train-derailment-norfolk-southern-ohio-49e36d8b7f89a8e23ed8cd4e9cf96c55">derailments</a> that have been <a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-ohio-derailment-hazardous-materials-74d7aec638500c52d1eb9fda0acf9f26">grabbing headlines</a>. But the railroad said the loose wheels on the car could cause a derailment.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678459913884.jpeg" alt="A view of the scene Feb. 24 as the cleanup continues at the site of of a Norfolk Southern freight train derailment that happened on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio. (AP Photo/Matt Freed, file)" />
 <figcaption>A view of the scene Feb. 24 as the cleanup continues at the site of of a Norfolk Southern freight train derailment that happened on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio. (AP Photo/Matt Freed, file)</figcaption>
 </figure>Norfolk
 Southern said in a statement that after the railroad discovered 
“additional cases of unusual wheel movement,” it acted quickly to notify
 accident investigators and the rest of the industry. The Association of
 American Railroads trade group responded Thursday by issuing an 
advisory about the suspect cars.The trade group said the problem 
was linked to new wheel sets that were installed on specialized steel 
coil cars beginning in August. The association said all of the cars with
 those wheels should be inspected and have their wheels replaced 
immediately.It wasn’t immediately clear how many railcars might 
be affected or their location, Association of American Railroads 
spokeswoman Jessica Kahanek said.Railroad safety has been in the spotlight since a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">fiery Norfolk Southern derailment</a>
 in Ohio last month. Roughly half of the town of East Palestine had to 
be evacuated after several hazardous materials cars caught fire. The 
railroad's CEO was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-ceo-norfolk-southern-railroad-e709db3c9945a35c8b92b99e2ba82b2e">answering questions</a> about that wreck at a Congressional hearing on Thursday.Besides the Springfield derailment, two <a href="https://apnews.com/article/train-derailment-west-virginia-new-river-666564e6d74d66bf2550da4e1348ccd4">others</a> have been reported across the country in the past week, although none of those involved hazardous materials.

Railroad group warns that car flaw could cause derailments

By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/09/nebraskans-voice-concerns-skepticism-of-reverting-to-a-bicameral-legislature/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — A hearing Thursday on a proposal to end Nebraska’s one-house 
legislative system drew all but one opponent, disputing claims it could 
benefit representation.

<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50002">Legislative Resolution 2CA</a>,
 proposed by State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, would return Nebraska to
 a bicameral Legislature, with 63 representatives elected by the people 
and 31 senators, each representing three contiguous counties. He did 
express interest in maintaining 49 representatives based on current 
legislative districts.

Erdman introduced an <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM745.pdf">amendment</a>
 to his resolution Thursday clarifying that senators would be selected 
by senator appointment committees. County boards in each of the senate 
districts would select one board member for the committee.

LR 2CA would also provide that voters
 select legislators in partisan elections and that legislators 
internally select committee chairs and officers via open ballot, a 
long-fought rules change sought by conservatives.

However, much of Thursday’s testimony focused on the bicameral proposal.

“I think a people cannot be long free
 or, nor ever happy, whose government is in one Assembly,” said John 
Adams in 1776, who Erdman quoted to the Executive Board.

“A single Assembly is liable to all 
the vices, follies and frailties of an individual,” Adams continued in 
his “Thoughts on Government” writing. “Subject to fits of humour, starts
 of passion, flights of enthusiasm, partialities of prejudice and 
consequently productive of hasty results and absurd judgments.”

George W. Norris is viewed as the 
father of the Unicameral for encouraging Nebraskans to adopt the 
one-house change in 1934. Nebraska’s Legislature became a Unicameral in 
1937. Norris also supported the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,
 which provided for the direct election of U.S. senators.

Jeanne Greisen was the only person to testify in favor of Erdman’s proposal, although 42 letters were submitted in support.

Greisen said Nebraska has been 
meeting the definition of insanity, repeating a process and expecting 
different results year after year.

“When the government doesn’t work for
 the people, then the people need to do something to take back their 
government,” Greisen said. “And maybe that’ll happen in a different way,
 but, in the meantime, this is a great bill to change things because 
clearly, this is not working.”

Some have criticized Erdman’s 
proposal as unconstitutional, as it would violate one person, one vote. 
The U.S. Supreme Court recognized in a 1964 case that state senate 
districts must have roughly equal populations.

But Erdman is confident his proposal 
would provide voters an opportunity to review the system, adding that 
something is not “generally” unconstitutional until the courts rule that
 way.

Randy Stramel, a representative with 
the Norris Institute in McCook, said the institute approved a resolution
 against Erdman’s proposal.

Stramel said that, contrary to 
Erdman’s contention, the bill would not increase rural representation. 
Instead, he said, the change would increase only the number of 
politicians.&nbsp;

He added that a bicameral body could 
complicate rules, decrease the resources and time available to 
legislators and centralize power in political parties.

Stramel was one of 13 people testifying against the proposal. In addition, 38 letters were submitted opposing the measure.

Bruce McDowell of McCook said Norris 
would likely be “twisting in his grave” at Erdman’s proposal, which is 
not the first attempt to change the one-house structure.

Erdman said only five senators live 
west of Kearney — Brian Hardin, Erdman, Mike Jacobson, Teresa Ibach and 
Tom Brewer — and their districts are composed of 37 counties. Erdman’s 
proposal could add at least 12 legislators west of Kearney.

Adding 31 senators, at an annual 
salary of $12,000, would carry a price tag of $372,000.&nbsp; There would be 
additional costs for legislative staff wages and other administrative 
costs.

More senators could also lead to more legislation for residents to track, McDowell said.

Wes Dodge, president of Represent Us,
 an anti-corruption organization with an Omaha chapter, said the 
discourse in the current session with State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of 
Omaha threatening to filibuster any bill that reaches the floor would be
 duplicated in a two-house Legislature.

Dodge said the “special” system in Nebraska has been effective and reduces redundancy.

“We’re Nebraska nice. I don’t think 
we should be Nebraska compliant and do what other people want us to do,”
 Dodge said. “Let’s do what we can to keep us unique, independent and 
practical.”

Chloe Fowler, associate executive 
director of Nonpartisan Nebraska, said she was a page for the Executive 
Board in the previous session. There, and on the floor of the 
Legislature, she said, she watched unlikely senators work together.

Natalie Hahn, whose family has farms 
in Polk and Merrick Counties, said senators need to remember that 
Nebraska’s system is a “gem” and a “treasure” to the rest of the world. 
She said that when she’d bring international visitors to Nebraska as 
part of her work with the United Nations, they’d be most in awe of the 
Unicameral.

Hahn also called for senators to 
remember the words at the south entrance of the Capitol: “The salvation 
of the state is watchfulness in the citizen.”

“Let us ensure the watchfulness is 
based on local needs, particularly independence and brilliance for all 
Nebraskans,” Hahn said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661523699684.png" alt="The Nebraska State Capitol Building. (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The Nebraska State Capitol Building. (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/09/nebraskans-voice-concerns-skepticism-of-reverting-to-a-bicameral-legislature/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — A hearing Thursday on a proposal to end Nebraska’s one-house 
legislative system drew all but one opponent, disputing claims it could 
benefit representation.<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50002">Legislative Resolution 2CA</a>,
 proposed by State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, would return Nebraska to
 a bicameral Legislature, with 63 representatives elected by the people 
and 31 senators, each representing three contiguous counties. He did 
express interest in maintaining 49 representatives based on current 
legislative districts.Erdman introduced an <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM745.pdf">amendment</a>
 to his resolution Thursday clarifying that senators would be selected 
by senator appointment committees. County boards in each of the senate 
districts would select one board member for the committee.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673544940801.jpeg" alt="tate Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>tate Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>LR 2CA would also provide that voters
 select legislators in partisan elections and that legislators 
internally select committee chairs and officers via open ballot, a 
long-fought rules change sought by conservatives.However, much of Thursday’s testimony focused on the bicameral proposal.“I think a people cannot be long free
 or, nor ever happy, whose government is in one Assembly,” said John 
Adams in 1776, who Erdman quoted to the Executive Board.“A single Assembly is liable to all 
the vices, follies and frailties of an individual,” Adams continued in 
his “Thoughts on Government” writing. “Subject to fits of humour, starts
 of passion, flights of enthusiasm, partialities of prejudice and 
consequently productive of hasty results and absurd judgments.”George W. Norris is viewed as the 
father of the Unicameral for encouraging Nebraskans to adopt the 
one-house change in 1934. Nebraska’s Legislature became a Unicameral in 
1937. Norris also supported the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,
 which provided for the direct election of U.S. senators.<h2>The constitutionality</h2>Jeanne Greisen was the only person to testify in favor of Erdman’s proposal, although 42 letters were submitted in support.Greisen said Nebraska has been 
meeting the definition of insanity, repeating a process and expecting 
different results year after year.“When the government doesn’t work for
 the people, then the people need to do something to take back their 
government,” Greisen said. “And maybe that’ll happen in a different way,
 but, in the meantime, this is a great bill to change things because 
clearly, this is not working.”Some have criticized Erdman’s 
proposal as unconstitutional, as it would violate one person, one vote. 
The U.S. Supreme Court recognized in a 1964 case that state senate 
districts must have roughly equal populations.But Erdman is confident his proposal 
would provide voters an opportunity to review the system, adding that 
something is not “generally” unconstitutional until the courts rule that
 way.<h2>The legacy of George Norris</h2>Randy Stramel, a representative with 
the Norris Institute in McCook, said the institute approved a resolution
 against Erdman’s proposal.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678459008249.jpeg" alt="Senator George Norris is honored with a statue outside the Norris House in McCook, Nebraska. (Nathan Leach/Nonpartisan Nebraska)" />
 <figcaption>Senator George Norris is honored with a statue outside the Norris House in McCook, Nebraska. (Nathan Leach/Nonpartisan Nebraska)</figcaption>
 </figure>Stramel said that, contrary to 
Erdman’s contention, the bill would not increase rural representation. 
Instead, he said, the change would increase only the number of 
politicians.&nbsp;He added that a bicameral body could 
complicate rules, decrease the resources and time available to 
legislators and centralize power in political parties.Stramel was one of 13 people testifying against the proposal. In addition, 38 letters were submitted opposing the measure.Bruce McDowell of McCook said Norris 
would likely be “twisting in his grave” at Erdman’s proposal, which is 
not the first attempt to change the one-house structure.Erdman said only five senators live 
west of Kearney — Brian Hardin, Erdman, Mike Jacobson, Teresa Ibach and 
Tom Brewer — and their districts are composed of 37 counties. Erdman’s 
proposal could add at least 12 legislators west of Kearney.Adding 31 senators, at an annual 
salary of $12,000, would carry a price tag of $372,000.&nbsp; There would be 
additional costs for legislative staff wages and other administrative 
costs.More senators could also lead to more legislation for residents to track, McDowell said.<h2>‘Unique, independent and practical’</h2>Wes Dodge, president of Represent Us,
 an anti-corruption organization with an Omaha chapter, said the 
discourse in the current session with State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of 
Omaha threatening to filibuster any bill that reaches the floor would be
 duplicated in a two-house Legislature.Dodge said the “special” system in Nebraska has been effective and reduces redundancy.“We’re Nebraska nice. I don’t think 
we should be Nebraska compliant and do what other people want us to do,”
 Dodge said. “Let’s do what we can to keep us unique, independent and 
practical.”Chloe Fowler, associate executive 
director of Nonpartisan Nebraska, said she was a page for the Executive 
Board in the previous session. There, and on the floor of the 
Legislature, she said, she watched unlikely senators work together.Natalie Hahn, whose family has farms 
in Polk and Merrick Counties, said senators need to remember that 
Nebraska’s system is a “gem” and a “treasure” to the rest of the world. 
She said that when she’d bring international visitors to Nebraska as 
part of her work with the United Nations, they’d be most in awe of the 
Unicameral.Hahn also called for senators to 
remember the words at the south entrance of the Capitol: “The salvation 
of the state is watchfulness in the citizen.”“Let us ensure the watchfulness is 
based on local needs, particularly independence and brilliance for all 
Nebraskans,” Hahn said.

Nebraskans voice concerns on reverting to bicameral Legislature

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-tourism-slogan-not-for-everyone-as-senator-seeks-more-coordinated-messaging/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska got a lot of 
publicity after it unveiled an edgy state tourism slogan in 2018: 
“Honestly, it’s not for everyone.”

But a state senator proposed Thursday that more unified messaging 
might be accomplished if the state’s economic development director and 
the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce were more involved.

After all, the pitch made by the Nebraska Department of Economic 
Development to recruit workers to the state — “The Good Life is Calling”
 — is a tad different.

State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha originally proposed in his <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB624.pdf">Legislative Bill 624</a>
 that the State Tourism Commission would end its run as an independent 
entity and return to being a division of DED, as it was prior to 2013.

But, McDonnell joked, his initial proposal “was not for everyone.”

Under a <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM688.pdf">compromise amendment</a>
 he offered Thursday, the commission would remain independent, but its 
board of directors would be revamped, with the state DED director 
joining the 12-member board, as well as a representative of the state 
chamber.

That, McDonnell said, would lead to more unified messaging in future campaigns to draw tourists and new residents.

“Singing from the same sheet of music,” is how Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer described it during a hearing on the bill.

Representatives of the state’s lodging and travel associations testified in favor of the amended proposal.

They were the groups that had sought an independent tourism 
commission a decade ago, arguing that tourism promotion would become a 
higher priority for the state if it wasn’t a part of a larger state 
agency.

During a legislative hearing Tuesday on DED’s budget request, 
senators on the Appropriations Committee quizzed DED Director Tony Goins
 about the alignment of the “Good Life is Calling” campaign with the 
“It’s not for everyone” tourism slogan.

“It’s not good when we have two different messages out there,” said Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas.

“As an agency, we don’t feel we should be made a mockery of,” he 
said, noting that the slogan was coined by an advertising firm out of 
Colorado.

The Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
 took no action on the bill after a public hearing Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678458783029.png" alt="The state tourism slogan used self-deprecating humor in an attempt to make Nebraska more desirable for tourists (Courtesy of Nebraska Tourism Commission)" />
 <figcaption>The state tourism slogan used self-deprecating humor in an attempt to make Nebraska more desirable for tourists (Courtesy of Nebraska Tourism Commission)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-tourism-slogan-not-for-everyone-as-senator-seeks-more-coordinated-messaging/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska got a lot of 
publicity after it unveiled an edgy state tourism slogan in 2018: 
“Honestly, it’s not for everyone.”But a state senator proposed Thursday that more unified messaging 
might be accomplished if the state’s economic development director and 
the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce were more involved.After all, the pitch made by the Nebraska Department of Economic 
Development to recruit workers to the state — “The Good Life is Calling”
 — is a tad different.State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha originally proposed in his <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB624.pdf">Legislative Bill 624</a>
 that the State Tourism Commission would end its run as an independent 
entity and return to being a division of DED, as it was prior to 2013.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1674233093146.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Original proposal ‘not for everyone’</h2>But, McDonnell joked, his initial proposal “was not for everyone.”Under a <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM688.pdf">compromise amendment</a>
 he offered Thursday, the commission would remain independent, but its 
board of directors would be revamped, with the state DED director 
joining the 12-member board, as well as a representative of the state 
chamber.That, McDonnell said, would lead to more unified messaging in future campaigns to draw tourists and new residents.“Singing from the same sheet of music,” is how Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer described it during a hearing on the bill.Representatives of the state’s lodging and travel associations testified in favor of the amended proposal.They were the groups that had sought an independent tourism 
commission a decade ago, arguing that tourism promotion would become a 
higher priority for the state if it wasn’t a part of a larger state 
agency.<h2>Slogan makes a ‘mockery’ of state</h2>During a legislative hearing Tuesday on DED’s budget request, 
senators on the Appropriations Committee quizzed DED Director Tony Goins
 about the alignment of the “Good Life is Calling” campaign with the 
“It’s not for everyone” tourism slogan.“It’s not good when we have two different messages out there,” said Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas.Goins said he didn’t disagree.“As an agency, we don’t feel we should be made a mockery of,” he 
said, noting that the slogan was coined by an advertising firm out of 
Colorado.The Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
 took no action on the bill after a public hearing Thursday.

Nebraska senator: Tourism slogan 'not for everyone'

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/09/millions-sought-for-museums-devoted-to-standing-bear-and-history-of-fort-robinson/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A Nebraska museum honoring Ponca Chief Standing Bear.

A more complete telling of the history of Fort Robinson in the state’s Pine Ridge.

And saving the Mayhew Cabin, the last remaining structure on the underground railroad through southeast Nebraska.

Those are three projects State Sens. Justin Wayne of Omaha and Tom 
Brewer of Gordon are aiming to accomplish via a legislative bill seeking
 $35 million in state funds.

<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB474.pdf">Legislative Bill 474</a>
 got a wave of support during a hearing Thursday before the 
Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, as 
well as a pledge by its sponsors to get it passed this year.

Wayne, who described his bill as “preserve the third” (as in the 3rd 
Congressional District), said that Nebraska, Standing Bear’s home,&nbsp; 
deserves to have an appropriate center dedicated to the Native American 
who won a court ruling in 1879 declaring that he was legally “a person.”

Fort Robinson’s vast history as a military fort, POW camp and site of
 the killing of Crazy Horse, could be better developed and told, the 
senator said, enhancing tourism to a site that is now a scenic state 
park.

And the Mayhew Cabin, <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/30/historic-cabin-popular-tourist-stop-remains-closed-maybe-for-good/">closed since 2019 because of a damaging flood</a>, needs to be restored and reopened before its history of serving on the underground railroad from 1855-59 is forgotten.

“We need to start preserving some of our culture and history before we lose it,” Wayne said.

The state is awash in surplus funds, and Wayne, along with Brewer, 
are hoping to replicate what the North Omaha senator has done for his 
district and South Omaha. Wayne led efforts to obtain $335 million in 
redevelopment funds last year for those Omaha neighborhoods and is 
seeking <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/07/north-and-south-omaha-representatives-converge-in-the-legislature-to-push-for-435-million-for-their-communities/">an additional $100 million this year</a>.

He and Brewer admitted Thursday that the exact needs of the three 
history projects have yet to be worked out but said those details are in
 the process of being determined.

During the hearing, Wayne estimated that purchasing and renovating 
the Mayhew Cabin would cost less than $1 million, with his bill 
providing a dollar-for-dollar match of the cost of upgrading historic 
sites at Fort Robinson and establishing a Standing Bear &amp; Ponca 
Cultural Center in Niobrara. He estimated those projects at $27 million 
and $50 million, respectively.

But, he said, “if it’s only $5 million this year, then it’s only $5 million this year.”

Much will depend, Wayne said, on how much money state lawmakers have 
available to spend after the state budget is passed later during the 
2023 session.

Officials from Nebraska City, the Nebraska Commission on Indian 
Affairs and the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska testified in favor of the bill. A
 representative of History Nebraska — which would take ownership of the 
Mayhew Cabin and Fort Robinson enhancements under the bill — took a 
neutral stance and asked for more information on what exact 
responsibilities the historical society would be expected to assume.

Ponca officials said Thursday that they have many artifacts connected
 with Standing Bear and are pursuing the construction of a cultural 
center to display them on tribal land near Niobrara, the chief’s home 
land.

Judi gaiashkibos, executive director of the Indian Affairs 
Commission, said that the story of Standing Bear will soon get a higher 
profile with the production of up to two movies about the famed civil 
rights leader.

Last year, the Legislature appropriated <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/chief-standing-bear-film-receives-green-light-to-begin-production/">$5 million toward the production of a film,</a>
 and gaiashkibos said a second movie director — an award-winning Irish 
director — is now also interested in telling the story in film.

She said that talks are underway to determine whether the two directors will work together on one film, or produce two movies.

The Government Committee took no action on LB 474 after the public 
hearing. Lincoln Sen. Jane Raybould said that options are being 
discussed to get the bill prioritized so it will come up for debate this
 year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678458605077.png" alt="A bust of Chief Standing Bear was unveiled last summer in front of a state office building renamed for the famed Ponca chief. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>A bust of Chief Standing Bear was unveiled last summer in front of a state office building renamed for the famed Ponca chief. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/09/millions-sought-for-museums-devoted-to-standing-bear-and-history-of-fort-robinson/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A Nebraska museum honoring Ponca Chief Standing Bear.A more complete telling of the history of Fort Robinson in the state’s Pine Ridge.And saving the Mayhew Cabin, the last remaining structure on the underground railroad through southeast Nebraska.Those are three projects State Sens. Justin Wayne of Omaha and Tom 
Brewer of Gordon are aiming to accomplish via a legislative bill seeking
 $35 million in state funds.<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB474.pdf">Legislative Bill 474</a>
 got a wave of support during a hearing Thursday before the 
Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, as 
well as a pledge by its sponsors to get it passed this year.Wayne, who described his bill as “preserve the third” (as in the 3rd 
Congressional District), said that Nebraska, Standing Bear’s home,&nbsp; 
deserves to have an appropriate center dedicated to the Native American 
who won a court ruling in 1879 declaring that he was legally “a person.”Fort Robinson’s vast history as a military fort, POW camp and site of
 the killing of Crazy Horse, could be better developed and told, the 
senator said, enhancing tourism to a site that is now a scenic state 
park.And the Mayhew Cabin, <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/30/historic-cabin-popular-tourist-stop-remains-closed-maybe-for-good/">closed since 2019 because of a damaging flood</a>, needs to be restored and reopened before its history of serving on the underground railroad from 1855-59 is forgotten.“We need to start preserving some of our culture and history before we lose it,” Wayne said.The state is awash in surplus funds, and Wayne, along with Brewer, 
are hoping to replicate what the North Omaha senator has done for his 
district and South Omaha. Wayne led efforts to obtain $335 million in 
redevelopment funds last year for those Omaha neighborhoods and is 
seeking <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/07/north-and-south-omaha-representatives-converge-in-the-legislature-to-push-for-435-million-for-their-communities/">an additional $100 million this year</a>.He and Brewer admitted Thursday that the exact needs of the three 
history projects have yet to be worked out but said those details are in
 the process of being determined.During the hearing, Wayne estimated that purchasing and renovating 
the Mayhew Cabin would cost less than $1 million, with his bill 
providing a dollar-for-dollar match of the cost of upgrading historic 
sites at Fort Robinson and establishing a Standing Bear &amp; Ponca 
Cultural Center in Niobrara. He estimated those projects at $27 million 
and $50 million, respectively.But, he said, “if it’s only $5 million this year, then it’s only $5 million this year.”Much will depend, Wayne said, on how much money state lawmakers have 
available to spend after the state budget is passed later during the 
2023 session.Officials from Nebraska City, the Nebraska Commission on Indian 
Affairs and the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska testified in favor of the bill. A
 representative of History Nebraska — which would take ownership of the 
Mayhew Cabin and Fort Robinson enhancements under the bill — took a 
neutral stance and asked for more information on what exact 
responsibilities the historical society would be expected to assume.Ponca officials said Thursday that they have many artifacts connected
 with Standing Bear and are pursuing the construction of a cultural 
center to display them on tribal land near Niobrara, the chief’s home 
land.Judi gaiashkibos, executive director of the Indian Affairs 
Commission, said that the story of Standing Bear will soon get a higher 
profile with the production of up to two movies about the famed civil 
rights leader.Last year, the Legislature appropriated <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/chief-standing-bear-film-receives-green-light-to-begin-production/">$5 million toward the production of a film,</a>
 and gaiashkibos said a second movie director — an award-winning Irish 
director — is now also interested in telling the story in film.She said that talks are underway to determine whether the two directors will work together on one film, or produce two movies.The Government Committee took no action on LB 474 after the public 
hearing. Lincoln Sen. Jane Raybould said that options are being 
discussed to get the bill prioritized so it will come up for debate this
 year.

Millions sought for museums devoted to Standing Bear, Fort Robinson

WASHINGTON (AP) — House leaders say the impact of a hack of a health insurance marketplace used by members of Congress “could be extraordinary,” exposing sensitive personal data of lawmakers, their employees and families. In all, thousands of people could be affected.

DC Health Link, which runs the exchange, said an unspecified number of customers were impacted and it was notifying them and working with law enforcement to quantify the damage. It said it was offering identity theft service to those affected and extending credit monitoring to all customers.

Some 11,000 of the exchange’s more than 100,000 participants work in the House and Senate — in the nation's capital and district offices across the nation — or are relatives.

<a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBednar/status/1633800558539669504?s=20">In a letter to the exchange's director posted on Twitter,</a>&nbsp;House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said the breach “significantly increase the risk that Members, staff and their families will experience identity theft, financial crimes, and physical threats.” The stolen data includes Social Security numbers, phones, addresses, emails and employer names.

The FBI said in a brief statement Wednesday evening it was aware of the incident and was assisting.

In the letter, McCarthy and Jeffries said the FBI had not yet determined the extent of the breach but that thousands of House members, employees and their families have enrolled in health insurance through DC Health Link since 2014. “The size and scope of impacted House customers could be extraordinary.”

They said the FBI told them it was able to purchase the stolen data on the dark web, where it was offered for sale for an unspecified amount Monday on a hacker forum popular with cybercriminals.

It was not clear, though, whether and how the FBI could guarantee that copies of the stolen data were not circulating in the cybercrime underworld. Indeed, on Thursday, a new user on the forum claimed a hacker known as “thekilob” had stolen more than 55,000 records and exclaimed “Glory to Russia” in Cyrillic. Some of the most active cybercriminals are Russian speakers and operate with little interference from the Kremlin.

The user posted 200 records from the hack online and The Associated Press confirmed the sample's authenticity with two of the victims listed.

"This is big. This isn't just like regular folks. This is everyone," said one victim who works in Washington, D.C. In all, 24 people in her office had their records in the dump. The AP is not naming victims or their workplaces to avoid further potential harm.

Sample data posted to the hacker forum by a different account — and removed overnight Thursday — listed data for a dozen DC Link participants. The AP reached one by phone.

“Oh my God,” the man said, when informed the information was public. All 12 people listed work for the same company or are family members.

In an email to all Senate email account holders on Wednesday, the sergeant at arms recommended that anyone registered on the health insurance exchange freeze their credit to prevent identity theft.

An email sent out by the office of the Chief Administrative Office of the House on behalf of McCarthy and Jeffries called the breach “egregious” and urged members to use credit and identity theft monitoring resources.

In an emailed statement on Wednesday, Rep. Joe Morelle of New York said House leadership was informed by Capitol Police that DC Health Link “suffered an extraordinarily large data breach of enrollee information" that posed a “great risk” to members, employees and their family members. He said the FBI was still determining the “cause, size, and scope of the data breach.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — House leaders say the impact of a hack of a health insurance marketplace used by members of Congress “could be extraordinary,” exposing sensitive personal data of lawmakers, their employees and families. In all, thousands of people could be affected.DC Health Link, which runs the exchange, said an unspecified number of customers were impacted and it was notifying them and working with law enforcement to quantify the damage. It said it was offering identity theft service to those affected and extending credit monitoring to all customers.Some 11,000 of the exchange’s more than 100,000 participants work in the House and Senate — in the nation's capital and district offices across the nation — or are relatives.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerMcCarthy</a> &amp; Minority Leader Jeffries&#39; letter regarding the DC Health Link data breach: <a href="https://t.co/v6H3VtdGX4">pic.twitter.com/v6H3VtdGX4</a>&mdash; Mark Bednar (@MarkBednar) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBednar/status/1633800558539669504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBednar/status/1633800558539669504?s=20">In a letter to the exchange's director posted on Twitter,</a>&nbsp;House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said the breach “significantly increase the risk that Members, staff and their families will experience identity theft, financial crimes, and physical threats.” The stolen data includes Social Security numbers, phones, addresses, emails and employer names.The FBI said in a brief statement Wednesday evening it was aware of the incident and was assisting.In the letter, McCarthy and Jeffries said the FBI had not yet determined the extent of the breach but that thousands of House members, employees and their families have enrolled in health insurance through DC Health Link since 2014. “The size and scope of impacted House customers could be extraordinary.”They said the FBI told them it was able to purchase the stolen data on the dark web, where it was offered for sale for an unspecified amount Monday on a hacker forum popular with cybercriminals.It was not clear, though, whether and how the FBI could guarantee that copies of the stolen data were not circulating in the cybercrime underworld. Indeed, on Thursday, a new user on the forum claimed a hacker known as “thekilob” had stolen more than 55,000 records and exclaimed “Glory to Russia” in Cyrillic. Some of the most active cybercriminals are Russian speakers and operate with little interference from the Kremlin.The user posted 200 records from the hack online and The Associated Press confirmed the sample's authenticity with two of the victims listed."This is big. This isn't just like regular folks. This is everyone," said one victim who works in Washington, D.C. In all, 24 people in her office had their records in the dump. The AP is not naming victims or their workplaces to avoid further potential harm.Sample data posted to the hacker forum by a different account — and removed overnight Thursday — listed data for a dozen DC Link participants. The AP reached one by phone.“Oh my God,” the man said, when informed the information was public. All 12 people listed work for the same company or are family members.In an email to all Senate email account holders on Wednesday, the sergeant at arms recommended that anyone registered on the health insurance exchange freeze their credit to prevent identity theft.An email sent out by the office of the Chief Administrative Office of the House on behalf of McCarthy and Jeffries called the breach “egregious” and urged members to use credit and identity theft monitoring resources.In an emailed statement on Wednesday, Rep. Joe Morelle of New York said House leadership was informed by Capitol Police that DC Health Link “suffered an extraordinarily large data breach of enrollee information" that posed a “great risk” to members, employees and their family members. He said the FBI was still determining the “cause, size, and scope of the data breach.”The hack follows several recent breaches affecting U.S. agencies. Hackers broke into a U.S. Marshals Service computer system and activated ransomware on Feb. 17 after stealing personally identifiable data about agency employees and targets of investigations.An FBI computer system was recently breached at the bureau's New York field office, CNN reported in mid-February. Asked about that intrusion, the FBI issued a statement calling it "an isolated incident that has been contained.” It declined further comment, including when it occurred and whether ransomware was involved.There was no indication the DC Health breach was ransomware-related.