By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/04/nebraska-state-senators-elect-new-leaders-on-day-1-put-off-fight-over-secret-ballot-voting/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — State senators put off until 
later a fight over legislative rules, then spent the first day of the 
2023 session on Wednesday electing a new speaker and leaders of 
legislative committees.

The day opened with the possibility of a 
session-paralyzing debate over whether a tradition of electing chairs of
 legislative committees by secret ballot should be changed to an open 
vote.

But lawmakers, without debate, adopted temporary rules that include the voting by secret ballot.

The issue will almost assuredly come up later this month when 
senators will adopt permanent rules, but those rules won’t go into 
effect until the 2025 session.

State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, one of several senators who signed
 a pledge to end secret balloting, was elected chairman of the Rules 
Committee and said that he wants proposals to change the rules by 
Friday.

“Someone will bring it up,” Erdman said of ending secret votes.

A group of veteran senators had been pushing <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/04/things-to-watch-for-as-nebraska-legislature-opens-90-day-session-on-wednesday/">to avoid a divisive floor fight</a>
 on the first day — a fight that could have led to a weeks-long 
filibuster that would have blocked any other legislative action. But it 
might only mean that fur will fly later this month.

Erdman said he thinks there are 28 senators who will vote to end the 
secret ballots. That is enough to pass a rules change, but it’s short of
 the 33 needed to end a filibuster that could block the rule change.

Erdman said he wants the permanent rules adopted by the 12th day of the 90-day session, which would be Jan. 20.

The idea of ending secret ballot votes for committee
 chairs has been&nbsp; pushed in the past by some conservative senators, but 
it got an extra boost this year when Charles Herbster, an unsuccessful 
Republican candidate for governor, elicited pledges from senators to end
 the practice. 

Despite the lack
 of a vote on secret ballots, conservatives in the 49-seat Unicameral 
did chalk up a couple of victories Wednesday.

The vote was 
32-17 for Murman, a Republican, over Walz, a Democrat who was once the 
party’s lieutenant governor candidate. The vote exactly mirrors the 
number of Republicans and Democrats in the officially nonpartisan 
Legislature.&nbsp;&nbsp;

One was the 
election of Sen. Dave Murman, a farmer from Glenvil, to chair the 
Education Committee. He defeated Fremont Sen. Lynne Walz, a former 
teacher, who had held that post the past two years.

Murman, in his nomination speech, cited a Bible passage and said he 
supported school choice and making parents “the foremost decision maker”
 in their child’s education.

Murman has been critical of the Nebraska Department of Education for 
“promoting” comprehensive sex education standards on its website — a 
charge department officials denied.

In recent years, the State Board of Education sparked outrage from 
some parents and Gov. Pete Ricketts for its proposed new sex education 
standards. Critics said that the proposed standards were not 
age-appropriate and that parents should handle that issue, while 
advocates maintained that the standards would better prepare young 
people for the complex realities of life. The effort was recently 
halted.

In another contested leadership race, Lincoln Sen. Suzanne Geist 
easily outdistanced Sens. Tom Brandt of Plymouth and Mike Moser of 
Columbus to head the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee.

Geist, a Republican, is running for mayor of Lincoln against 
incumbent Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, the state’s highest ranking 
Democratic elected official. Chairs of legislative committees get access
 to more political donors and often get more publicity, and both would 
tend to aid Geist in her mayoral race.

The election of Erdman as chairman of the Rules Committee over Omaha 
Sen. John Cavanaugh would also tend to make it easier to adopt rules 
changes, such as ending secret ballot votes.

Wednesday also saw the uncontested election of LaVista Sen. John Arch
 as speaker of the Legislature. He replaces Mike Hilgers, who was 
elected to the post of Nebraska attorney general.

Arch, in his nomination speech, pledged to promote “healthy 
relationships” and “healthy communications” between senators, saying 
that would help attack the growing distrust in governmental 
institutions.

Brandon Metzler, a 29-year-old lawyer from Omaha, was elected Clerk of the Legislature <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/19/metzler-recommended-as-next-clerk-of-the-legislature-on-7-1-vote/">replacing Patrick O’Donnell,</a> who retired after serving 45 years as clerk. O’Donnell was the longest serving clerk of a state legislature in the country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672867958641.png" alt="State senators, elected or re-elected in November, take the oath of office Wednesday from Mike Heavican, the Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State senators, elected or re-elected in November, take the oath of office Wednesday from Mike Heavican, the Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/04/nebraska-state-senators-elect-new-leaders-on-day-1-put-off-fight-over-secret-ballot-voting/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — State senators put off until 
later a fight over legislative rules, then spent the first day of the 
2023 session on Wednesday electing a new speaker and leaders of 
legislative committees.The day opened with the possibility of a 
session-paralyzing debate over whether a tradition of electing chairs of
 legislative committees by secret ballot should be changed to an open 
vote.But lawmakers, without debate, adopted temporary rules that include the voting by secret ballot.The issue will almost assuredly come up later this month when 
senators will adopt permanent rules, but those rules won’t go into 
effect until the 2025 session.State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, one of several senators who signed
 a pledge to end secret balloting, was elected chairman of the Rules 
Committee and said that he wants proposals to change the rules by 
Friday.“Someone will bring it up,” Erdman said of ending secret votes.A group of veteran senators had been pushing <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/04/things-to-watch-for-as-nebraska-legislature-opens-90-day-session-on-wednesday/">to avoid a divisive floor fight</a>
 on the first day — a fight that could have led to a weeks-long 
filibuster that would have blocked any other legislative action. But it 
might only mean that fur will fly later this month.<h2>28 potential votes</h2>Erdman said he thinks there are 28 senators who will vote to end the 
secret ballots. That is enough to pass a rules change, but it’s short of
 the 33 needed to end a filibuster that could block the rule change.Erdman said he wants the permanent rules adopted by the 12th day of the 90-day session, which would be Jan. 20.The idea of ending secret ballot votes for committee
 chairs has been&nbsp; pushed in the past by some conservative senators, but 
it got an extra boost this year when Charles Herbster, an unsuccessful 
Republican candidate for governor, elicited pledges from senators to end
 the practice. Despite the lack
 of a vote on secret ballots, conservatives in the 49-seat Unicameral 
did chalk up a couple of victories Wednesday.The vote was 
32-17 for Murman, a Republican, over Walz, a Democrat who was once the 
party’s lieutenant governor candidate. The vote exactly mirrors the 
number of Republicans and Democrats in the officially nonpartisan 
Legislature.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Murman wins Ed chair</h2>One was the 
election of Sen. Dave Murman, a farmer from Glenvil, to chair the 
Education Committee. He defeated Fremont Sen. Lynne Walz, a former 
teacher, who had held that post the past two years.Murman, in his nomination speech, cited a Bible passage and said he 
supported school choice and making parents “the foremost decision maker”
 in their child’s education.Murman has been critical of the Nebraska Department of Education for 
“promoting” comprehensive sex education standards on its website — a 
charge department officials denied.<h2>Sex ed policy sparked outrage from some</h2>In recent years, the State Board of Education sparked outrage from 
some parents and Gov. Pete Ricketts for its proposed new sex education 
standards. Critics said that the proposed standards were not 
age-appropriate and that parents should handle that issue, while 
advocates maintained that the standards would better prepare young 
people for the complex realities of life. The effort was recently 
halted.In another contested leadership race, Lincoln Sen. Suzanne Geist 
easily outdistanced Sens. Tom Brandt of Plymouth and Mike Moser of 
Columbus to head the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee.Geist, a Republican, is running for mayor of Lincoln against 
incumbent Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, the state’s highest ranking 
Democratic elected official. Chairs of legislative committees get access
 to more political donors and often get more publicity, and both would 
tend to aid Geist in her mayoral race.The election of Erdman as chairman of the Rules Committee over Omaha 
Sen. John Cavanaugh would also tend to make it easier to adopt rules 
changes, such as ending secret ballot votes.Wednesday also saw the uncontested election of LaVista Sen. John Arch
 as speaker of the Legislature. He replaces Mike Hilgers, who was 
elected to the post of Nebraska attorney general.<h2>‘Healthy relationships’</h2>Arch, in his nomination speech, pledged to promote “healthy 
relationships” and “healthy communications” between senators, saying 
that would help attack the growing distrust in governmental 
institutions.Brandon Metzler, a 29-year-old lawyer from Omaha, was elected Clerk of the Legislature <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/19/metzler-recommended-as-next-clerk-of-the-legislature-on-7-1-vote/">replacing Patrick O’Donnell,</a> who retired after serving 45 years as clerk. O’Donnell was the longest serving clerk of a state legislature in the country.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672868046824.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Nebraska state senators elect new leaders on Day 1

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/creighton-universitys-latest-economic-conditions-survey-shows-rising-risk-of-recession/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Creighton University’s latest
 survey of manufacturing supply managers in a region including Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri signals a rising risk this year of a recession.

“Not since April and May of 2020, the
 middle of the 2020 recession, has the overall index fallen below growth
 neutral for two straight months,” said economist Ernie Goss, director 
of Creighton University’s Economic Forecasting Group. “Things are not 
looking good.”

Each month since 1994, the Creighton 
group has surveyed manufacturing supply managers in a nine-state region,
 using findings as the basis of its Mid-America Business Conditions 
Index. The index is considered a barometer of economic health for the 
region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas.

Overall for that area, the December 
business conditions index that was released Tuesday showed a decline in 
seven of the past nine months.

Goss said about 60% of supply managers surveyed expect the economy to slump into a recession this year.

As the economy slows, he expects 
long-term interest rates to drop. Short-term interest rates, on the 
other hand, are being pushed up by Federal Reserve actions, Goss said.

Negative conditions in the regional housing sector are spilling into the manufacturing sector, Goss said. And he predicts gas prices to rise in 2023 as a result of increases in the tax rate on gasoline and refineries going offline for maintenance.&nbsp;

For Nebraska specifically, the 
state’s business conditions index climbed from a score of 42.8 in 
November to 49.9 in December but remained below growth neutral for a 
fourth consecutive month.

Using a range of zero to 100, a reading of 50 represents neutral growth.

Of the Mid-America states, Goss said 
that Nebraska is among four (along with South Dakota, Missouri and 
Arkansas) that saw employment numbers above pre-pandemic levels.

Among other highlights of the 
December report was a 2022 review showing South Dakota as top economic 
performer of the region’s nine states. Minnesota was second, followed by Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota and Arkansas.

Looking forward six months, economic 
optimism as captured by the index’s confidence category sank to a 
reading of 23, compared to 25 for the region in November.

&nbsp;“Confidence indices for each month 
in 2022, all below growth neutral, are the worst sting of readings since
 the 2008-09 recession,” Goss said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672840164248.png" alt="December Mid-America Business Conditions Index “flashing recession warnings” for 2023, says economist Ernie Goss of Creighton University. (Courtesy of Creighton University)" />
 <figcaption>December Mid-America Business Conditions Index “flashing recession warnings” for 2023, says economist Ernie Goss of Creighton University. (Courtesy of Creighton University)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/creighton-universitys-latest-economic-conditions-survey-shows-rising-risk-of-recession/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Creighton University’s latest
 survey of manufacturing supply managers in a region including Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri signals a rising risk this year of a recession.“Not since April and May of 2020, the
 middle of the 2020 recession, has the overall index fallen below growth
 neutral for two straight months,” said economist Ernie Goss, director 
of Creighton University’s Economic Forecasting Group. “Things are not 
looking good.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622642233344.jpeg" alt="Economist Ernie Goss (Courtesy of Creighton University)" />
 <figcaption>Economist Ernie Goss (Courtesy of Creighton University)</figcaption>
 </figure>Each month since 1994, the Creighton 
group has surveyed manufacturing supply managers in a nine-state region,
 using findings as the basis of its Mid-America Business Conditions 
Index. The index is considered a barometer of economic health for the 
region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas.<h2>Housing woes spill into manufacturing</h2>Overall for that area, the December 
business conditions index that was released Tuesday showed a decline in 
seven of the past nine months.Goss said about 60% of supply managers surveyed expect the economy to slump into a recession this year.As the economy slows, he expects 
long-term interest rates to drop. Short-term interest rates, on the 
other hand, are being pushed up by Federal Reserve actions, Goss said.Negative conditions in the regional housing sector are spilling into the manufacturing sector, Goss said. And he predicts gas prices to rise in 2023 as a result of increases in the tax rate on gasoline and refineries going offline for maintenance.&nbsp;For Nebraska specifically, the 
state’s business conditions index climbed from a score of 42.8 in 
November to 49.9 in December but remained below growth neutral for a 
fourth consecutive month.Using a range of zero to 100, a reading of 50 represents neutral growth.<h2>South Dakota shines </h2>Of the Mid-America states, Goss said 
that Nebraska is among four (along with South Dakota, Missouri and 
Arkansas) that saw employment numbers above pre-pandemic levels.Among other highlights of the 
December report was a 2022 review showing South Dakota as top economic 
performer of the region’s nine states. Minnesota was second, followed by Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota and Arkansas.Looking forward six months, economic 
optimism as captured by the index’s confidence category sank to a 
reading of 23, compared to 25 for the region in November.&nbsp;“Confidence indices for each month 
in 2022, all below growth neutral, are the worst sting of readings since
 the 2008-09 recession,” Goss said.

University’s latest survey shows rising risk of recession

DES
 MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Mega Millions jackpot increased to an estimated
 $940 million after another drawing resulted in plenty of losers but not
 a single grand prize winner.

The numbers drawn late Tuesday were: 25, 29, 33, 41, 44 and gold Mega Ball 18.

The next drawing is scheduled to be held Friday night.

The
 new $940 million jackpot is for a winner who chooses to be paid through
 an annuity over 29 years. Nearly all winners opt for a cash payout, 
which for Friday night’s drawing would be an estimated $483.5 million.

In
 Tuesday’s drawing, there were more than 2.9 million winning tickets of 
various amounts including three $4 million tickets sold in Arizona, 
Mississippi and South Dakota, Mega Millions said in a statement.

The
 lack of a winner of an estimated $785 million jackpot Tuesday means 
there have been 23 straight drawings without anyone taking the top 
prize.

The new jackpot will remain <a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-lotteries-490f479fa200c10ceb97547b648f9483">the sixth-largest jackpot in U.S. history</a>.

The jackpot-winning drought isn’t surprising given the daunting odds of one in 302.6 million of winning the top prize.

The jackpot is the largest since someone in California <a href="https://apnews.com/article/lotteries-iowa-36ef3aefbbc37a15e1c5f172129fa6a6">won a record $2.04 billion Powerball prize on Nov. 8</a>. There still has not been an announced winner of that prize.

There
 have been only three larger Mega Millions jackpots than Friday’s 
estimated prize in the game's 20 years, including $1.53 billion in 2018,
 $1.05 billion in 2021 and $1.33 billion in July, Mega Millions said.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

DES
 MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Mega Millions jackpot increased to an estimated
 $940 million after another drawing resulted in plenty of losers but not
 a single grand prize winner.The numbers drawn late Tuesday were: 25, 29, 33, 41, 44 and gold Mega Ball 18.The next drawing is scheduled to be held Friday night.The
 new $940 million jackpot is for a winner who chooses to be paid through
 an annuity over 29 years. Nearly all winners opt for a cash payout, 
which for Friday night’s drawing would be an estimated $483.5 million.In
 Tuesday’s drawing, there were more than 2.9 million winning tickets of 
various amounts including three $4 million tickets sold in Arizona, 
Mississippi and South Dakota, Mega Millions said in a statement.The
 lack of a winner of an estimated $785 million jackpot Tuesday means 
there have been 23 straight drawings without anyone taking the top 
prize.The new jackpot will remain <a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-lotteries-490f479fa200c10ceb97547b648f9483">the sixth-largest jackpot in U.S. history</a>.The jackpot-winning drought isn’t surprising given the daunting odds of one in 302.6 million of winning the top prize.The jackpot is the largest since someone in California <a href="https://apnews.com/article/lotteries-iowa-36ef3aefbbc37a15e1c5f172129fa6a6">won a record $2.04 billion Powerball prize on Nov. 8</a>. There still has not been an announced winner of that prize.There
 have been only three larger Mega Millions jackpots than Friday’s 
estimated prize in the game's 20 years, including $1.53 billion in 2018,
 $1.05 billion in 2021 and $1.33 billion in July, Mega Millions said.Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Mega Millions jackpot climbs to $940M after no winner

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday finalized a rule change that broadens availability of abortion pills to many more pharmacies, including large chains and mail-order companies.

The Biden administration partially implemented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-medication-a6634601a37fb048aecdd9f030e0863a">the change</a>&nbsp;last year, announcing it would no longer enforce a long-standing requirement that women pick up the medicine in person. Tuesday's action formally updates the drug's labeling to allow many more retail pharmacies to dispense the pills, so long as they complete a certification process.

The change could expand access at both brick-and-mortar stores and online pharmacies. Women can get a prescription via telehealth consultation with a health professional, and then receive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">the pills</a>&nbsp;through the mail, where permitted by law.

Still, the rule change’s impact has been blunted by numerous state laws limiting abortion broadly and the pills specifically. Legal experts foresee years of court battles over access to the pills, as abortion-rights proponents bring test cases to challenge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-south-dakota-07c1bcbcb3f6b466100acedb28723069">state restrictions.</a>

For more than 20 years, the FDA labeling had limited dispensing to a subset of specialty offices and clinics, due to safety concerns. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA temporarily suspended the in-person requirement. The agency later said a new scientific review by agency staff supported easing access, concurring with numerous medical societies that had long said the restriction wasn't necessary.

Two drugmakers that make brand-name and generic versions of abortion pills requested the latest FDA label update. Agency rules require a company to file an application before modifying dispensing restrictions on drugs.

Danco Laboratories, which sells branded Mifeprex, said in a statement the change “is critically important to expanding access to medication abortion services and will provide healthcare providers” with another option for prescribing the drug.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists called the update an “important step" forward.

“Although the FDA’s announcement today will not solve access issues for every person seeking abortion care, it will allow more patients who need mifepristone for medication abortion additional options to secure this vital drug,” the group said in a statement.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-56972af9e9b0fc2fc97e06041f6e96ce">More than half</a>&nbsp;of U.S. abortions are now done with pills rather than surgery, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

The FDA in 2000 approved mifepristone to terminate pregnancies of up to 10 weeks, when used with a second drug, misoprostol. Mifepristone is taken first to dilate the cervix and block the hormone progesterone, which is needed to sustain a pregnancy. Misoprostol is taken 24 to 48 hours later, causing the uterus to contract and expel pregnancy tissue.

Bleeding is a common side effect, though serious complications are very rare. The FDA says more than 3.7 million U.S. women have used mifepristone since its approval.

Several FDA-mandated safety requirements remain in effect, including training requirements to certify that prescribers can provide emergency care in the case of excessive bleeding. Pharmacies that dispense the pills also need a certification.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581004285984.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;The change could expand access at both brick-and-mortar stores and online pharmacies. Credit Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;The change could expand access at both brick-and-mortar stores and online pharmacies. Credit Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday finalized a rule change that broadens availability of abortion pills to many more pharmacies, including large chains and mail-order companies.The Biden administration partially implemented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-medication-a6634601a37fb048aecdd9f030e0863a">the change</a>&nbsp;last year, announcing it would no longer enforce a long-standing requirement that women pick up the medicine in person. Tuesday's action formally updates the drug's labeling to allow many more retail pharmacies to dispense the pills, so long as they complete a certification process.The change could expand access at both brick-and-mortar stores and online pharmacies. Women can get a prescription via telehealth consultation with a health professional, and then receive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">the pills</a>&nbsp;through the mail, where permitted by law.Still, the rule change’s impact has been blunted by numerous state laws limiting abortion broadly and the pills specifically. Legal experts foresee years of court battles over access to the pills, as abortion-rights proponents bring test cases to challenge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-south-dakota-07c1bcbcb3f6b466100acedb28723069">state restrictions.</a>For more than 20 years, the FDA labeling had limited dispensing to a subset of specialty offices and clinics, due to safety concerns. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA temporarily suspended the in-person requirement. The agency later said a new scientific review by agency staff supported easing access, concurring with numerous medical societies that had long said the restriction wasn't necessary.Two drugmakers that make brand-name and generic versions of abortion pills requested the latest FDA label update. Agency rules require a company to file an application before modifying dispensing restrictions on drugs.Danco Laboratories, which sells branded Mifeprex, said in a statement the change “is critically important to expanding access to medication abortion services and will provide healthcare providers” with another option for prescribing the drug.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists called the update an “important step" forward.“Although the FDA’s announcement today will not solve access issues for every person seeking abortion care, it will allow more patients who need mifepristone for medication abortion additional options to secure this vital drug,” the group said in a statement.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-56972af9e9b0fc2fc97e06041f6e96ce">More than half</a>&nbsp;of U.S. abortions are now done with pills rather than surgery, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.The FDA in 2000 approved mifepristone to terminate pregnancies of up to 10 weeks, when used with a second drug, misoprostol. Mifepristone is taken first to dilate the cervix and block the hormone progesterone, which is needed to sustain a pregnancy. Misoprostol is taken 24 to 48 hours later, causing the uterus to contract and expel pregnancy tissue.Bleeding is a common side effect, though serious complications are very rare. The FDA says more than 3.7 million U.S. women have used mifepristone since its approval.Several FDA-mandated safety requirements remain in effect, including training requirements to certify that prescribers can provide emergency care in the case of excessive bleeding. Pharmacies that dispense the pills also need a certification.___

FDA to allow abortion pills to be sold at retail pharmacies

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/04/things-to-watch-for-as-nebraska-legislature-opens-90-day-session-on-wednesday/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The 2023 session of the Nebraska Legislature opens 
Wednesday, and Day 1 will set the tone for a 90-day session focused on 
adopting a new, two-year budget and deciding how to use a record-high 
surplus of funds.

Following the swearing-in of 13 newly elected state senators and 11 
re-elected incumbents, lawmakers will dive into a debate over whether 
leaders of&nbsp; legislative committees should be elected via secret ballots,
 as has been the tradition, or via public votes.

There was talk Tuesday of peace breaking out — referred to as 
“kumbaya” after the folk song that evokes harmony — and senators 
sticking with tradition to avoid a divisive start to the session.

But there were also lawmakers predicting a Day 1 donnybrook that 
could devolve into a weekslong fight over the legislative rules. That’s 
what happened in 2017, when senators spent more than a fourth of that 
90-day session fighting over rules.

“Whatever we do, we do not want to 
derail the session like we did six years ago. That turned out to be a 
waste of time,” said State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion.

Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne said he hopes
 that a rules fight can be put off for another day with so many new 
senators and a new speaker of the Legislature coming in. A rules fight 
could block the election of a new speaker and new committee chairs and 
delay work on legislation.

“You don’t want chaos on the first day like that,” Wayne said.

Critics of such a rules change say it would change the nonpartisan 
nature of the Unicameral Legislature, making the races for committee 
chairs a partisan power play, rather than a vote for who’s best 
qualified.

But supporters of making such votes public maintain that constituents
 should know how their representative voted and that the world won’t end
 if the votes are made public.

“I believe people should be able to know every vote I make down there,” said Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman.&nbsp;

There’s been talk in the past of ending the secret ballot voting for 
committee chairs, but the effort got a push this year from Falls City 
businessman Charles Herbster, who ran unsuccessfully for the GOP 
nomination for governor. He elicited pledges from senators to end the 
practice <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/25/new-herbster-backed-nebraska-first-pac-aims-to-bolster-state-local-conservatives/">through his political action committee, Nebraska First PAC</a>.

Here are the state senators who have 
announced as candidates so far for committee chairs and other leadership
 positions in the Nebraska Legislature (*incumbent):

Banking, Commerce and Insurance: Julie Slama, Sterling

Business and Labor: Carol Blood, Bellevue; Merv Riepe, Ralston

Education: *Lynne Walz, Fremont; Dave Murman, Glenvil

Government, Military and Veterans Affairs: *Tom Brewer, Gordon

Health and Human Services: Ben Hansen, Blair

Natural Resources: *Bruce Bostelman, Brainard

Retirement Systems: Mike McDonnell, Omaha

Transportation and Telecommunications: Tom Brandt, Plymouth; Mike Moser, Columbus; Suzanne Geist, Lincoln

&nbsp;Urban Affairs: Terrell McKinney, Omaha

Beyond whether the 2023 session will start with a big fight or relative calm, here are some things to watch:

1. How senators will use a record surplus in state funds.

The state’s cash reserve fund has $1.3 billion more than required 
over the next two fiscal years, and state tax receipts, bolstered by 
stimulus spending, were nearly $2 billion more than required by the end 
of the 2024-25 fiscal year.

That’s a lot of money for big ideas and big tax breaks.

Rebecca Firestone, executive director of the OpenSky Institute, 
cautioned state senators &nbsp;Tuesday to remember that the surplus is likely
 temporary and that the $1.9 billion figure is a projection and could 
change. She also noted that a major tax package passed last session will
 have an impact on future state revenues.

Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who heads the tax-policy-deciding Revenue Committee, said she’ll be pushing <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/17/key-senator-says-rosy-state-finances-call-for-accelerating-tax-breaks/">to accelerate three tax cuts</a> passed last year on a phased-in basis, as well as a reduction in the state’s top personal income tax rate to 4%.

Phased-in reductions in state personal income and corporate taxes, 
along with the gradual elimination of state taxes on Social Security, 
would happen sooner under Linehan’s plan.

Briese, a farmer who has pushed hard for property tax relief, said 
that any tax package has to include property tax relief, either through 
increased state tax credits or via state “foundation” aid for K-12 
schools.

“We have an unprecedented opportunity for tax relief, and it’s incumbent on us to deliver that tax relief,” he said.

Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh, who pushed last year to give taxpayers a 
rebate check from the state’s surplus funds, said any reductions in 
income taxes must provide cuts for the middle class.

“We gave tax cuts to the higher brackets last year,” Cavanaugh said. “We need to spread it around to more folks.”&nbsp;

Linehan predicted that, as in past years, a tax relief package would combine several priorities.

“We just have to keep the ball rolling in the right direction,” she said.

Lawmakers will debate whether to allocate the final $115 million 
towards construction of a new, 1,500-bed state prison in eastern 
Nebraska.

And there will be more discussion of investing $600 million in the 
Perkins County Canal, a recently resurrected project to retain 
Nebraska’s full rights to flows from the South Platte River.

Colorado and the growing Front Range now have designs on flows from 
that river. Nebraska officials say the only way for the state to retain 
enough water for irrigation, cities and wildlife here, is to build the 
canal.

There will be other big ideas. Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon said he and 
Wayne are loading up for a big investment in Nebraska parks and hunting 
opportunities. Nebraska, Brewer said, is missing out on drawing tourists
 and hunters.

Nebraska voters resoundingly approved a constitutional amendment in 
November that requires photo identification to be presented before 
casting a ballot. It gave the Legislature the job of sorting out the 
details.

Brewer, who heads the committee that will screen voter ID proposals, said they should not place obstacles against people being able to vote.

“We need folks voting, and (need to) make sure if they can’t afford to get IDs, that we help them with that cost,” he said.

There’s been much talk about changing the state’s complicated formula
 for distributing state aid to schools over the years, but few 
breakthroughs.

Incoming Gov. Jim Pillen made changing the state’s “broken” system a 
campaign priority, and he has a committee working on a proposal.

There’s been no information so far about what that committee has come
 up with, and Fremont Sen. Lynne Walz, the current chair of the 
Education Committee, said it will be difficult for that group to find a 
consensus in such a short time.

“I don’t know if they realize how hard it is to pass a school funding package,” Walz said.

Briese said any increase in state aid needs to come with some type of
 cap on local school spending so that increased state funding translates
 into lower local property taxes.

But Walz said she can’t support a “hard cap” on schools,because each individual school district can face an unexpected problem.

She said she’ll be pushing for an “education trust fund” — sort of 
like a cash reserve for state aid — to ensure that schools get adequate 
state aid even when Nebraska faces an economic downturn.

5. Criminal justice reforms vs. new prison construction.

Wayne said he’s working on reforms that will help reduce the state’s 
national-worst prison overcrowding. Among the ideas: launching more 
transitional housing for inmates leaving prison that includes job 
training.

The senator, who will likely lead the Judiciary Committee that rules 
over prison and sentencing policies, said he wants to see reforms 
adopted before a new prison is approved.

<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 PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/04/things-to-watch-for-as-nebraska-legislature-opens-90-day-session-on-wednesday/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The 2023 session of the Nebraska Legislature opens 
Wednesday, and Day 1 will set the tone for a 90-day session focused on 
adopting a new, two-year budget and deciding how to use a record-high 
surplus of funds.Following the swearing-in of 13 newly elected state senators and 11 
re-elected incumbents, lawmakers will dive into a debate over whether 
leaders of&nbsp; legislative committees should be elected via secret ballots,
 as has been the tradition, or via public votes.<h2>Kumbaya or chaos</h2>There was talk Tuesday of peace breaking out — referred to as 
“kumbaya” after the folk song that evokes harmony — and senators 
sticking with tradition to avoid a divisive start to the session.But there were also lawmakers predicting a Day 1 donnybrook that 
could devolve into a weekslong fight over the legislative rules. That’s 
what happened in 2017, when senators spent more than a fourth of that 
90-day session fighting over rules.“Whatever we do, we do not want to 
derail the session like we did six years ago. That turned out to be a 
waste of time,” said State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion.Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne said he hopes
 that a rules fight can be put off for another day with so many new 
senators and a new speaker of the Legislature coming in. A rules fight 
could block the election of a new speaker and new committee chairs and 
delay work on legislation.“You don’t want chaos on the first day like that,” Wayne said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672840025929.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Justin Wayne (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Justin Wayne (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Secret vs. public leadership votes</h2>Critics of such a rules change say it would change the nonpartisan 
nature of the Unicameral Legislature, making the races for committee 
chairs a partisan power play, rather than a vote for who’s best 
qualified.But supporters of making such votes public maintain that constituents
 should know how their representative voted and that the world won’t end
 if the votes are made public.“I believe people should be able to know every vote I make down there,” said Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman.&nbsp;There’s been talk in the past of ending the secret ballot voting for 
committee chairs, but the effort got a push this year from Falls City 
businessman Charles Herbster, who ran unsuccessfully for the GOP 
nomination for governor. He elicited pledges from senators to end the 
practice <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/25/new-herbster-backed-nebraska-first-pac-aims-to-bolster-state-local-conservatives/">through his political action committee, Nebraska First PAC</a>.<h2>Committee chair candidates</h2>Here are the state senators who have 
announced as candidates so far for committee chairs and other leadership
 positions in the Nebraska Legislature (*incumbent):Speaker: John Arch, LaVistaExecutive Board: Tom Briese, AlbionAgriculture: *Steve Halloran, HastingsAppropriations: Robert Clements, ElmwoodBanking, Commerce and Insurance: Julie Slama, SterlingBusiness and Labor: Carol Blood, Bellevue; Merv Riepe, RalstonEducation: *Lynne Walz, Fremont; Dave Murman, GlenvilGeneral Affairs: John Lowe, KearneyGovernment, Military and Veterans Affairs: *Tom Brewer, GordonHealth and Human Services: Ben Hansen, BlairJudiciary: Justin Wayne, OmahaNatural Resources: *Bruce Bostelman, BrainardRetirement Systems: Mike McDonnell, OmahaRevenue: *Lou Ann Linehan, ElkhornTransportation and Telecommunications: Tom Brandt, Plymouth; Mike Moser, Columbus; Suzanne Geist, Lincoln&nbsp;Urban Affairs: Terrell McKinney, OmahaBeyond whether the 2023 session will start with a big fight or relative calm, here are some things to watch:1. How senators will use a record surplus in state funds.The state’s cash reserve fund has $1.3 billion more than required 
over the next two fiscal years, and state tax receipts, bolstered by 
stimulus spending, were nearly $2 billion more than required by the end 
of the 2024-25 fiscal year.That’s a lot of money for big ideas and big tax breaks.Rebecca Firestone, executive director of the OpenSky Institute, 
cautioned state senators &nbsp;Tuesday to remember that the surplus is likely
 temporary and that the $1.9 billion figure is a projection and could 
change. She also noted that a major tax package passed last session will
 have an impact on future state revenues.Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, who heads the tax-policy-deciding Revenue Committee, said she’ll be pushing <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/17/key-senator-says-rosy-state-finances-call-for-accelerating-tax-breaks/">to accelerate three tax cuts</a> passed last year on a phased-in basis, as well as a reduction in the state’s top personal income tax rate to 4%.Phased-in reductions in state personal income and corporate taxes, 
along with the gradual elimination of state taxes on Social Security, 
would happen sooner under Linehan’s plan.Briese, a farmer who has pushed hard for property tax relief, said 
that any tax package has to include property tax relief, either through 
increased state tax credits or via state “foundation” aid for K-12 
schools.“We have an unprecedented opportunity for tax relief, and it’s incumbent on us to deliver that tax relief,” he said.Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh, who pushed last year to give taxpayers a 
rebate check from the state’s surplus funds, said any reductions in 
income taxes must provide cuts for the middle class.“We gave tax cuts to the higher brackets last year,” Cavanaugh said. “We need to spread it around to more folks.”&nbsp;Linehan predicted that, as in past years, a tax relief package would combine several priorities.“We just have to keep the ball rolling in the right direction,” she said.2. Some big ideas for spending.Lawmakers will debate whether to allocate the final $115 million 
towards construction of a new, 1,500-bed state prison in eastern 
Nebraska.And there will be more discussion of investing $600 million in the 
Perkins County Canal, a recently resurrected project to retain 
Nebraska’s full rights to flows from the South Platte River.Colorado and the growing Front Range now have designs on flows from 
that river. Nebraska officials say the only way for the state to retain 
enough water for irrigation, cities and wildlife here, is to build the 
canal.There will be other big ideas. Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon said he and 
Wayne are loading up for a big investment in Nebraska parks and hunting 
opportunities. Nebraska, Brewer said, is missing out on drawing tourists
 and hunters.3. Adopting voter ID requirements.Nebraska voters resoundingly approved a constitutional amendment in 
November that requires photo identification to be presented before 
casting a ballot. It gave the Legislature the job of sorting out the 
details.Brewer, who heads the committee that will screen voter ID proposals, said they should not place obstacles against people being able to vote.“We need folks voting, and (need to) make sure if they can’t afford to get IDs, that we help them with that cost,” he said.4. Changes in state aid to K-12 schools.There’s been much talk about changing the state’s complicated formula
 for distributing state aid to schools over the years, but few 
breakthroughs.Incoming Gov. Jim Pillen made changing the state’s “broken” system a 
campaign priority, and he has a committee working on a proposal.There’s been no information so far about what that committee has come
 up with, and Fremont Sen. Lynne Walz, the current chair of the 
Education Committee, said it will be difficult for that group to find a 
consensus in such a short time.“I don’t know if they realize how hard it is to pass a school funding package,” Walz said.Briese said any increase in state aid needs to come with some type of
 cap on local school spending so that increased state funding translates
 into lower local property taxes.But Walz said she can’t support a “hard cap” on schools,because each individual school district can face an unexpected problem.She said she’ll be pushing for an “education trust fund” — sort of 
like a cash reserve for state aid — to ensure that schools get adequate 
state aid even when Nebraska faces an economic downturn.5. Criminal justice reforms vs. new prison construction.Wayne said he’s working on reforms that will help reduce the state’s 
national-worst prison overcrowding. Among the ideas: launching more 
transitional housing for inmates leaving prison that includes job 
training.The senator, who will likely lead the Judiciary Committee that rules 
over prison and sentencing policies, said he wants to see reforms 
adopted before a new prison is approved.

Things to watch for as Neb. Legislature session begins

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans will open the second day of the new Congress much like the first — with leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;trying to become House speaker despite losing in multiple rounds of voting that threw the new GOP majority into chaos.

It was the first time in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kentucky-kevin-mccarthy-e177c4405ef9b8a7b38641a15855764c">100 years</a>&nbsp;that a nominee for House speaker could not take the gavel on the first vote, but McCarthy appeared undeterred. Instead, he vowed to fight to the finish, encouraged, he said, by former President Donald Trump to end the disarray and pull the Republican Party together.

The House is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-house-of-representatives-us-republican-party-0cbb37878b9244d393553f000c332895">scheduled to convene Wednesday</a>&nbsp;after the stalemate essentially forced all other business to a standstill, waiting on Republicans to elect a speaker.

“Today, is that the day I wanted to have? No,” McCarthy told reporters late Tuesday at the Capitol after a series of closed-door meetings.

McCarthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-us-republican-party-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-8b1d6cdf0d75dfc95b195c301f9ae344">said Trump wants him to stay</a>&nbsp;in the race and told him to bring an end to the House Republican chaos and pull the party together.

The former president “wants to see the Republicans united to be able to accomplish the exact things we said we'd do,” McCarthy said.

Asked if he would drop out, McCarthy said, “It’s not going to happen.”

It was a tumultuous start to the new Congress and pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House.

Tensions flared among the new House majority as their campaign promises stalled out. Without a speaker, the House cannot fully form — swearing in its members, naming its committee chairmen, engaging in floor proceedings and launching investigations of the Biden administration. Lawmakers’ families had waited around, as what’s normally a festive day descended into chaos, with kids playing in the aisles or squirming in parents’ arms.

But it was not at all clear how the embattled GOP leader could rebound to win over right-flank conservatives who reject his leadership. It typically takes a majority of the House to become speaker, 218 votes — though the threshold can drop if members are absent or merely vote present, an strategy McCarthy appeared to be considering.

McCarthy won no more than 203 votes in three rounds of voting, losing as many as 20 Republicans from his slim 222-seat majority.&nbsp;

Not since 1923 has a speaker's election gone to multiple ballots, and the longest and most grueling fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged out for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.

“Kevin McCarthy is not going to be a speaker,” declared Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., one of the holdouts.

A new generation of conservative Republicans, many aligned with Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda, want to upend business as usual in Washington, and were committed to stopping McCarthy’s rise without concessions to their priorities.

In many ways, the challenge from the far-right was reminiscent of the last time Republicans seized power in the House, when tea party Republicans brought hardball politics and shutdown government after winning control in the 2010 midterm elections.

As the spectacle of voting dragged on, McCarthy's backers implored the holdouts to fall in line for the California Republican.

“We all came here to get things done,” the second-ranking Republican, Rep. Steve Scalise, said in a speech nominating McCarthy for the vote and urging his colleagues to drop their protest.

Railing against Democratic President Joe Biden's agenda, Scalise, himself a possible GOP compromise choice, said, “We can't start fixing those problems until we elect Kevin McCarthy our next speaker.”

But the holdouts forced a third and final round of voting before Republican leaders quickly adjourned Tuesday evening.

"The American people are watching, and it's a good thing," said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who nominated fellow conservative Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio as an alternative for speaker.

Jordan, the McCarthy rival-turned-ally, was twice pushed forward by conservatives, but he does not seem to want the job. The Ohio Republican is line to become Judiciary Committee chairman, and he rose during the floor debate to urge his colleagues to instead vote for McCarthy.

“We have to rally around him, come together,” Jordan said.

In all, a core group of 19 Republicans — and then 20 — voted for someone other than McCarthy. The first ballot sent votes to Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Jordan and others, while Jordan alone won the votes on the next two ballots.

The standoff over McCarthy has been building since Republicans appeared on track to win the House majority in the midterm elections in November. While the Senate remains in Democratic hands, barely, House Republicans are eager to confront Biden after two years of the Democrats controlling both houses of Congress. The conservative Freedom Caucus led the opposition to McCarthy, believing he’s neither conservative enough nor tough enough to battle Democrats.

To win support, McCarthy has already agreed to many of the demands of the Freedom Caucus, who have been agitating for rules changes and other concessions that give rank-and=file more influence in the legislative process. He has been here before, having bowed out of the speakers race in 2015 when he failed to win over conservatives.

Late Tuesday, pizza, Chick-fil-A and tacos were carried into various meeting rooms at the Capitol after the failed votes as McCarthy supporters and detractors hunkered down to figure out how to elect a speaker.

"Everything’s on the table," said McCarthy ally Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C. — except, he said, having the leader step aside. “Not at all. That is not on the table.”

Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the chairman of the Freedom Caucus and a leader of Trump's effort to challenge the 2020 presidential election had said earlier it was up to McCarthy to meet their demands and change the dynamic.

Democrats enthusiastically nominated Jeffries, who is taking over as party leader, as their choice for speaker — a typically symbolic gesture for the minority but one that took on new importance with Republicans at odds with each other.

While Jeffries won the most votes overall, 212, it was not the majority to become speaker.

McCarthy focused on those numbers late Tuesday. If McCarthy could win 213 votes, and then persuade the remaining naysayers to simply vote present, he would be able to lower the threshold required under the rules to have the majority.

It's a strategy former House speakers, including outgoing Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Speaker John Boehner had used when they confronted opposition, winning the gavel with fewer than 218 votes.

Said McCarthy late Tuesday at the Capitol: “You get 213 votes, and the others don’t say another name, that’s how you can win.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672787266053.png" alt="McCarthy&nbsp;said Trump wants him to stay&nbsp;in the race and told him to bring an end to the House Republican chaos and pull the party together.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>McCarthy&nbsp;said Trump wants him to stay&nbsp;in the race and told him to bring an end to the House Republican chaos and pull the party together.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans will open the second day of the new Congress much like the first — with leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;trying to become House speaker despite losing in multiple rounds of voting that threw the new GOP majority into chaos.It was the first time in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kentucky-kevin-mccarthy-e177c4405ef9b8a7b38641a15855764c">100 years</a>&nbsp;that a nominee for House speaker could not take the gavel on the first vote, but McCarthy appeared undeterred. Instead, he vowed to fight to the finish, encouraged, he said, by former President Donald Trump to end the disarray and pull the Republican Party together.The House is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-house-of-representatives-us-republican-party-0cbb37878b9244d393553f000c332895">scheduled to convene Wednesday</a>&nbsp;after the stalemate essentially forced all other business to a standstill, waiting on Republicans to elect a speaker.“Today, is that the day I wanted to have? No,” McCarthy told reporters late Tuesday at the Capitol after a series of closed-door meetings.McCarthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-us-republican-party-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-8b1d6cdf0d75dfc95b195c301f9ae344">said Trump wants him to stay</a>&nbsp;in the race and told him to bring an end to the House Republican chaos and pull the party together.The former president “wants to see the Republicans united to be able to accomplish the exact things we said we'd do,” McCarthy said.Asked if he would drop out, McCarthy said, “It’s not going to happen.”It was a tumultuous start to the new Congress and pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House.Tensions flared among the new House majority as their campaign promises stalled out. Without a speaker, the House cannot fully form — swearing in its members, naming its committee chairmen, engaging in floor proceedings and launching investigations of the Biden administration. Lawmakers’ families had waited around, as what’s normally a festive day descended into chaos, with kids playing in the aisles or squirming in parents’ arms.But it was not at all clear how the embattled GOP leader could rebound to win over right-flank conservatives who reject his leadership. It typically takes a majority of the House to become speaker, 218 votes — though the threshold can drop if members are absent or merely vote present, an strategy McCarthy appeared to be considering.McCarthy won no more than 203 votes in three rounds of voting, losing as many as 20 Republicans from his slim 222-seat majority.&nbsp;Not since 1923 has a speaker's election gone to multiple ballots, and the longest and most grueling fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged out for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.“Kevin McCarthy is not going to be a speaker,” declared Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., one of the holdouts.A new generation of conservative Republicans, many aligned with Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda, want to upend business as usual in Washington, and were committed to stopping McCarthy’s rise without concessions to their priorities.In many ways, the challenge from the far-right was reminiscent of the last time Republicans seized power in the House, when tea party Republicans brought hardball politics and shutdown government after winning control in the 2010 midterm elections.As the spectacle of voting dragged on, McCarthy's backers implored the holdouts to fall in line for the California Republican.“We all came here to get things done,” the second-ranking Republican, Rep. Steve Scalise, said in a speech nominating McCarthy for the vote and urging his colleagues to drop their protest.Railing against Democratic President Joe Biden's agenda, Scalise, himself a possible GOP compromise choice, said, “We can't start fixing those problems until we elect Kevin McCarthy our next speaker.”But the holdouts forced a third and final round of voting before Republican leaders quickly adjourned Tuesday evening."The American people are watching, and it's a good thing," said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who nominated fellow conservative Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio as an alternative for speaker.Jordan, the McCarthy rival-turned-ally, was twice pushed forward by conservatives, but he does not seem to want the job. The Ohio Republican is line to become Judiciary Committee chairman, and he rose during the floor debate to urge his colleagues to instead vote for McCarthy.“We have to rally around him, come together,” Jordan said.In all, a core group of 19 Republicans — and then 20 — voted for someone other than McCarthy. The first ballot sent votes to Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Jordan and others, while Jordan alone won the votes on the next two ballots.The standoff over McCarthy has been building since Republicans appeared on track to win the House majority in the midterm elections in November. While the Senate remains in Democratic hands, barely, House Republicans are eager to confront Biden after two years of the Democrats controlling both houses of Congress. The conservative Freedom Caucus led the opposition to McCarthy, believing he’s neither conservative enough nor tough enough to battle Democrats.To win support, McCarthy has already agreed to many of the demands of the Freedom Caucus, who have been agitating for rules changes and other concessions that give rank-and=file more influence in the legislative process. He has been here before, having bowed out of the speakers race in 2015 when he failed to win over conservatives.Late Tuesday, pizza, Chick-fil-A and tacos were carried into various meeting rooms at the Capitol after the failed votes as McCarthy supporters and detractors hunkered down to figure out how to elect a speaker."Everything’s on the table," said McCarthy ally Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C. — except, he said, having the leader step aside. “Not at all. That is not on the table.”Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the chairman of the Freedom Caucus and a leader of Trump's effort to challenge the 2020 presidential election had said earlier it was up to McCarthy to meet their demands and change the dynamic.Democrats enthusiastically nominated Jeffries, who is taking over as party leader, as their choice for speaker — a typically symbolic gesture for the minority but one that took on new importance with Republicans at odds with each other.While Jeffries won the most votes overall, 212, it was not the majority to become speaker.McCarthy focused on those numbers late Tuesday. If McCarthy could win 213 votes, and then persuade the remaining naysayers to simply vote present, he would be able to lower the threshold required under the rules to have the majority.It's a strategy former House speakers, including outgoing Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Speaker John Boehner had used when they confronted opposition, winning the gavel with fewer than 218 votes.Said McCarthy late Tuesday at the Capitol: “You get 213 votes, and the others don’t say another name, that’s how you can win.”

McCarthy's bid for speaker to continue, Trump urges support

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/03/crews-will-reroute-mill-creek-after-massive-keystone-pipeline-spill-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Crews will reroute Mill Creek to avoid the site of the Keystone Pipeline’s largest-ever oil spill, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tcenergy.com/incident/milepost-14-incident/">oil pipeline’s parent company announced Tuesday</a>.

The Keystone pipeline, which runs from Canada to Texas and Illinois, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/09/regulators-order-keystone-pipeline-to-investigate-after-14000-barrels-spill-in-kansas/">spilled 14,000 barrels of oil near the Kansas-Nebraska border</a> in early December. The spill —&nbsp;the latest in <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/13/keystone-pipeline-has-history-of-spills-warnings-and-fines-kansas-spill-is-largest-yet/">a number of spills and deficiencies along the pipeline</a> —&nbsp;turned Mill Creek black and deposited oil on farmland near Washington, Kansas.

Within two weeks after the spill, 
more than 400 people were onsite cleaning up the oil, including 
personnel from the pipeline’s owner, TC Energy, the Environmental 
Protection Agency and state and local officials. Crews built dams to 
contain the spill and began vacuuming oil from the creek and surrounding
 areas.

Now, those responders are working to 
“temporarily divert (Mill) Creek from a location upstream of the 
pipeline spill to downstream of the containment dams,” TC Energy said in
 a statement.

“The diversion will assist in the cleanup and reclamation of the creek,” the statement said.

TC Energy did not say in its news release how diverting the creek would assist in cleanup.

The company also has not announced an
 update on how much oil it has removed from the creek. As of Dec. 21, it
 had removed 7,599 barrels of oil from the creek, a little more than 
half of the estimated amount spilled.

TC Energy said it would give $7,500 
to purchase new mobile and radio equipment for the Washington County 
Emergency Management Office. It also pledged to <a target="_blank" href="https://tcenergy.benevity.org/community/fundraiser/56121">match donations to the Washington County Hospital</a>.

The site of the spill on Tuesday was still subject to a <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/20/drone-no-fly-zone-issued-over-keystone-oil-spill-site-in-kansas/">no-fly zone for drones requested by TC Energy</a>.

Following the spill, the federal 
government ordered TC Energy to investigate the cause of the pipeline’s 
spill. It also required the company to submit a plan before resuming 
operations. The Cushing Extension — the part of the pipeline where the 
spill occurred —&nbsp;started operating again on Dec. 29.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672769192181.png" alt="Efforts are underway to clean up the largest spill in the Keystone pipeline’s history, which happened near Washington, Kansas. The pipeline’s owner announced Mill Creek will be temporarily rerouted to help with cleanup. (TC Energy)" />
 <figcaption>Efforts are underway to clean up the largest spill in the Keystone pipeline’s history, which happened near Washington, Kansas. The pipeline’s owner announced Mill Creek will be temporarily rerouted to help with cleanup. (TC Energy)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/03/crews-will-reroute-mill-creek-after-massive-keystone-pipeline-spill-in-kansas/">Kansas Reflector</a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Crews will reroute Mill Creek to avoid the site of the Keystone Pipeline’s largest-ever oil spill, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tcenergy.com/incident/milepost-14-incident/">oil pipeline’s parent company announced Tuesday</a>.The Keystone pipeline, which runs from Canada to Texas and Illinois, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/09/regulators-order-keystone-pipeline-to-investigate-after-14000-barrels-spill-in-kansas/">spilled 14,000 barrels of oil near the Kansas-Nebraska border</a> in early December. The spill —&nbsp;the latest in <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/13/keystone-pipeline-has-history-of-spills-warnings-and-fines-kansas-spill-is-largest-yet/">a number of spills and deficiencies along the pipeline</a> —&nbsp;turned Mill Creek black and deposited oil on farmland near Washington, Kansas.Within two weeks after the spill, 
more than 400 people were onsite cleaning up the oil, including 
personnel from the pipeline’s owner, TC Energy, the Environmental 
Protection Agency and state and local officials. Crews built dams to 
contain the spill and began vacuuming oil from the creek and surrounding
 areas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672769258266.jpeg" alt="The map shows the planned diversion of Mill Creek as crews work to clean up the site of the Keystone oil pipeline spill. (TC Energy)" />
 <figcaption>The map shows the planned diversion of Mill Creek as crews work to clean up the site of the Keystone oil pipeline spill. (TC Energy)</figcaption>
 </figure>Now, those responders are working to 
“temporarily divert (Mill) Creek from a location upstream of the 
pipeline spill to downstream of the containment dams,” TC Energy said in
 a statement.“The diversion will assist in the cleanup and reclamation of the creek,” the statement said.TC Energy did not say in its news release how diverting the creek would assist in cleanup.The company also has not announced an
 update on how much oil it has removed from the creek. As of Dec. 21, it
 had removed 7,599 barrels of oil from the creek, a little more than 
half of the estimated amount spilled.TC Energy said it would give $7,500 
to purchase new mobile and radio equipment for the Washington County 
Emergency Management Office. It also pledged to <a target="_blank" href="https://tcenergy.benevity.org/community/fundraiser/56121">match donations to the Washington County Hospital</a>.The site of the spill on Tuesday was still subject to a <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/20/drone-no-fly-zone-issued-over-keystone-oil-spill-site-in-kansas/">no-fly zone for drones requested by TC Energy</a>.Following the spill, the federal 
government ordered TC Energy to investigate the cause of the pipeline’s 
spill. It also required the company to submit a plan before resuming 
operations. The Cushing Extension — the part of the pipeline where the 
spill occurred —&nbsp;started operating again on Dec. 29.

Crews will reroute creek after massive Kansas pipeline spill 

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/unmc-program-seeks-to-lure-out-of-state-nursing-students-to-nebraskas-rural-areas/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — In Nebraska’s ongoing effort 
to attract health care workers, the University of Nebraska Medical 
Center has announced a new scholarship program for nursing students from
 certain neighboring states to attend its rural campuses.

The “Nebraska Neighbors: UNMC Nursing
 Rural Advantage Scholarship” is open to nursing students entering 
baccalaureate of science traditional or accelerated programs based in 
Scottsbluff, Kearney or Norfolk.

“These scholarships are designed to 
make it easier for students from neighboring states to study on one of 
our rural campuses,” said Juliann Sebastian, dean of the UNMC College of
 Nursing. “In some of these states, there is an overflow of qualified 
individuals interested in nursing, and these scholarships make it easier
 to consider nursing in Nebraska and potentially accepting nursing 
positions after graduation for those who stay in rural areas.”

Students from Wyoming, Colorado and 
South Dakota can apply for the scholarship at the UNMC Scottsbluff 
campus. Students from South Dakota and Iowa can apply for the 
scholarship at the UNMC Norfolk campus. And students from Kansas and 
Colorado can apply to the Kearney campus.

Sebastian said room is available on 
the campuses, and she said the out-of-state students would not be taking
 seats from eligible Nebraska applicants.

The financial aid would reduce the cost of out-of-state tuition to at or near resident tuition rates, Sebastian said.

Said Ken Zeiger, director of students
 services: “We are invested in this opportunity to help impact our 
students’ financial opportunities, which in turn will benefit our rural 
communities and provide patients with the best in care.”&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unmc.edu/nursing/educational-programs/undergraduate-programs/prerequisite-courses.html">Applications are available</a> for fall 2023 and have an initial deadline of Feb. 1.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672770297124.png" alt="Health care students at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. (Courtesy of University of Nebraska at Kearney)" />
 <figcaption>Health care students at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. (Courtesy of University of Nebraska at Kearney)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/unmc-program-seeks-to-lure-out-of-state-nursing-students-to-nebraskas-rural-areas/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — In Nebraska’s ongoing effort 
to attract health care workers, the University of Nebraska Medical 
Center has announced a new scholarship program for nursing students from
 certain neighboring states to attend its rural campuses.The “Nebraska Neighbors: UNMC Nursing
 Rural Advantage Scholarship” is open to nursing students entering 
baccalaureate of science traditional or accelerated programs based in 
Scottsbluff, Kearney or Norfolk.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672770344606.jpeg" alt="Juliann Sebastian, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing (Courtesy of UNMC)" />
 <figcaption>Juliann Sebastian, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing (Courtesy of UNMC)</figcaption>
 </figure>“These scholarships are designed to 
make it easier for students from neighboring states to study on one of 
our rural campuses,” said Juliann Sebastian, dean of the UNMC College of
 Nursing. “In some of these states, there is an overflow of qualified 
individuals interested in nursing, and these scholarships make it easier
 to consider nursing in Nebraska and potentially accepting nursing 
positions after graduation for those who stay in rural areas.”Students from Wyoming, Colorado and 
South Dakota can apply for the scholarship at the UNMC Scottsbluff 
campus. Students from South Dakota and Iowa can apply for the 
scholarship at the UNMC Norfolk campus. And students from Kansas and 
Colorado can apply to the Kearney campus.Sebastian said room is available on 
the campuses, and she said the out-of-state students would not be taking
 seats from eligible Nebraska applicants.The financial aid would reduce the cost of out-of-state tuition to at or near resident tuition rates, Sebastian said.Said Ken Zeiger, director of students
 services: “We are invested in this opportunity to help impact our 
students’ financial opportunities, which in turn will benefit our rural 
communities and provide patients with the best in care.”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unmc.edu/nursing/educational-programs/undergraduate-programs/prerequisite-courses.html">Applications are available</a> for fall 2023 and have an initial deadline of Feb. 1.&nbsp;

Program seeks to lure out-of-state nursing students to rural Neb.

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/03/google-seeks-to-stretch-farther-in-northwest-omaha/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Google wants to expand its 
Nebraska footprint with an additional 187 acres that abuts its roughly 
270-acre data center site already under construction in northwest Omaha.

In all, the developer representing 
Google would control about 460 acres of once rolling agricultural 
hillside northwest of State Street and Blair High Road.

City documents show that Westwood 
Solutions LLC, representing the California-based global tech giant, has 
asked the city to rezone the additional land to allow for more light 
industrial use.

Operations are to be located within 
multiple buildings totaling more than 2.2 million gross square feet in 
floor area, with various equipment yards and parking areas throughout. A
 security entrance and Omaha Public Power District switchyard are to be 
on site.

The data center would operate around 
the clock. Though the plan submitted to the city says skilled, technical
 full-time jobs would be created, it does not detail how many.

A Google spokesman for the Omaha area was unavailable for comment.

Records outlining the growth plan 
also revealed that Google’s developer has agreed to donate $100,000 to 
make up for the destruction of a coveted virgin prairie plot from the 
development site.

The Nebraska Examiner <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/06/prairie-preservationists-mourn-loss-of-virgin-prairie-at-google-data-center-site/">reported in September</a>
 that a 5-acre, never-plowed prairie along State Street had been 
bulldozed away for the initial phase, despite City of Omaha guidelines 
to protect natural features.

City planners said the prairie ecosystem was not flagged prior to grading. The rezoning request to be presented to the Planning Board
 this week states that the developer agreed to mitigate the loss by the 
financial donation, which is to maintain 43 acres of reconstructed 
prairie at Glacier Creek Preserve north of 144th and State Streets.

Glenn Pollock, who for decades has 
managed area prairies, is still miffed about the loss of a piece of the 
area’s natural history and heritage. He said the city should have a 
better system of identifying such features and believes they could be 
preserved as assets on a real estate development site.

Of the mitigation agreed upon by the 
city and Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, Pollock said: 
“It’s the best we can get.”

The latest Google growth would take 
the data center site northward up to Rainwood Road and westward to 120th
 Street, said Eric Englund, assistant city planning director.

City planners recommend the developer
 install sidewalks along all street frontages — along with a 
10-foot-wide concrete trail on the west side of Thomas Creek, which runs
 north to south across the eastern part of the property, parallel to 
Blair High Road.

A visit to the project site this week shows construction in progress at the southeast portion of the broader nearly 460 acres.

Google has been rather quiet in the 
past about data center plans in Nebraska, but representatives offered 
some basic details about its growth trajectory last April during an 
event at its expanding Papillion campus.

It was at that time that officials 
announced the new Google data center to be developed at State Street and
 Blair High Road (Nebraska Highway 133). Then, the project site was 
still the smaller, roughly 260 acres and was said to span 1.4 million 
gross square feet.

Google then also outlined expansion 
of its Papillion data center campus and said the company’s investment in
 Nebraska in 2022 was to reach $750 million.

When adding the Council Bluffs data 
center to the Papillion and northwest Omaha projects, the Google 
representatives said then that the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area would
 have the largest Google operational presence in the country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672770164487.png" alt="Google data center site under construction northwest of State Street and Blair High Road. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Google data center site under construction northwest of State Street and Blair High Road. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/03/google-seeks-to-stretch-farther-in-northwest-omaha/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Google wants to expand its 
Nebraska footprint with an additional 187 acres that abuts its roughly 
270-acre data center site already under construction in northwest Omaha.In all, the developer representing 
Google would control about 460 acres of once rolling agricultural 
hillside northwest of State Street and Blair High Road.City documents show that Westwood 
Solutions LLC, representing the California-based global tech giant, has 
asked the city to rezone the additional land to allow for more light 
industrial use.<h2>Around-the-clock activity </h2>Operations are to be located within 
multiple buildings totaling more than 2.2 million gross square feet in 
floor area, with various equipment yards and parking areas throughout. A
 security entrance and Omaha Public Power District switchyard are to be 
on site.The data center would operate around 
the clock. Though the plan submitted to the city says skilled, technical
 full-time jobs would be created, it does not detail how many.A Google spokesman for the Omaha area was unavailable for comment.Records outlining the growth plan 
also revealed that Google’s developer has agreed to donate $100,000 to 
make up for the destruction of a coveted virgin prairie plot from the 
development site.The Nebraska Examiner <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/06/prairie-preservationists-mourn-loss-of-virgin-prairie-at-google-data-center-site/">reported in September</a>
 that a 5-acre, never-plowed prairie along State Street had been 
bulldozed away for the initial phase, despite City of Omaha guidelines 
to protect natural features.<h2>Piece of natural history lost</h2>City planners said the prairie ecosystem was not flagged prior to grading. The rezoning request to be presented to the Planning Board
 this week states that the developer agreed to mitigate the loss by the 
financial donation, which is to maintain 43 acres of reconstructed 
prairie at Glacier Creek Preserve north of 144th and State Streets.Glenn Pollock, who for decades has 
managed area prairies, is still miffed about the loss of a piece of the 
area’s natural history and heritage. He said the city should have a 
better system of identifying such features and believes they could be 
preserved as assets on a real estate development site.Of the mitigation agreed upon by the 
city and Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, Pollock said: 
“It’s the best we can get.”The latest Google growth would take 
the data center site northward up to Rainwood Road and westward to 120th
 Street, said Eric Englund, assistant city planning director.City planners recommend the developer
 install sidewalks along all street frontages — along with a 
10-foot-wide concrete trail on the west side of Thomas Creek, which runs
 north to south across the eastern part of the property, parallel to 
Blair High Road.<h2>Construction underway</h2>A visit to the project site this week shows construction in progress at the southeast portion of the broader nearly 460 acres.Google has been rather quiet in the 
past about data center plans in Nebraska, but representatives offered 
some basic details about its growth trajectory last April during an 
event at its expanding Papillion campus.It was at that time that officials 
announced the new Google data center to be developed at State Street and
 Blair High Road (Nebraska Highway 133). Then, the project site was 
still the smaller, roughly 260 acres and was said to span 1.4 million 
gross square feet.Google then also outlined expansion 
of its Papillion data center campus and said the company’s investment in
 Nebraska in 2022 was to reach $750 million.When adding the Council Bluffs data 
center to the Papillion and northwest Omaha projects, the Google 
representatives said then that the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area would
 have the largest Google operational presence in the country.