NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is decreasing in many parts of the U.S. after an alarmingly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-pandemics-covid-flu-7c784678637e51d4a8508f5dde70cded">early and strong start</a>&nbsp;to the season.

The number of flu hospital admissions fell for the second week in a row, according to a national surveillance system run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the percentage of doctor’s office visits due to fever and other flu-like symptoms has dropped for three weeks in a row.

“It looks like for this first wave of (flu) activity, maybe we’ve seen the worst of that,” said the CDC’s Lynnette Brammer, who leads the government agency’s tracking of flu in the United States.

But she added there is still a lot flu spreading out there. CDC data indicates flu activity last week was high or very high in 45 states.

And the current decline doesn’t mean flu will recede for the rest of the winter — second surges are common, said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University infectious diseases expert.

“Viruses love to make you look foolish when you’re predicting what they’re going to do,” he said.

The annual winter flu season usually doesn’t get going until December or January, but this one took off in early November. It has been complicated by the simultaneous spread of other viruses, including COVID-19&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-pandemics-072e11e5e3af77aac19fe95773a69610">and RSV</a>.

The measure of traffic in doctor’s offices is based on reports of symptoms like fever, coughs and sore throats, not on lab-confirmed diagnoses, so it captures all respiratory illnesses together.

Whatever the current mix, the overall impact is waning. Health officials said Friday that 6.3% of outpatient medical visits last week were due to flu-like illnesses. It was as high as 7.5% but has been falling since the week of Thanksgiving.

Though flu activity remains high, officials said they’ve seen some decline in most parts of the country — including in the Southeast, where flu hit early and hard.

The CDC estimates there have been at least 190,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths from flu so far this season. The deaths include at least 17 children.

Flu shots are recommended for nearly all Americans who are at least 6 months old or older. Health officials say it’s not too late to get vaccinated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671924986160.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is decreasing in many parts of the U.S. after an alarmingly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-pandemics-covid-flu-7c784678637e51d4a8508f5dde70cded">early and strong start</a>&nbsp;to the season.The number of flu hospital admissions fell for the second week in a row, according to a national surveillance system run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the percentage of doctor’s office visits due to fever and other flu-like symptoms has dropped for three weeks in a row.“It looks like for this first wave of (flu) activity, maybe we’ve seen the worst of that,” said the CDC’s Lynnette Brammer, who leads the government agency’s tracking of flu in the United States.But she added there is still a lot flu spreading out there. CDC data indicates flu activity last week was high or very high in 45 states.And the current decline doesn’t mean flu will recede for the rest of the winter — second surges are common, said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University infectious diseases expert.“Viruses love to make you look foolish when you’re predicting what they’re going to do,” he said.The annual winter flu season usually doesn’t get going until December or January, but this one took off in early November. It has been complicated by the simultaneous spread of other viruses, including COVID-19&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-pandemics-072e11e5e3af77aac19fe95773a69610">and RSV</a>.The measure of traffic in doctor’s offices is based on reports of symptoms like fever, coughs and sore throats, not on lab-confirmed diagnoses, so it captures all respiratory illnesses together.Whatever the current mix, the overall impact is waning. Health officials said Friday that 6.3% of outpatient medical visits last week were due to flu-like illnesses. It was as high as 7.5% but has been falling since the week of Thanksgiving.Though flu activity remains high, officials said they’ve seen some decline in most parts of the country — including in the Southeast, where flu hit early and hard.The CDC estimates there have been at least 190,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths from flu so far this season. The deaths include at least 17 children.Flu shots are recommended for nearly all Americans who are at least 6 months old or older. Health officials say it’s not too late to get vaccinated.“It’s not over,” Brammer said.

Flu starting to wane in US after brutal start to season

By KAYLA HARRIS and NEOMI DE ANDA <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-is-at-the-manger-nativity-sets-around-the-world-show-each-cultures-take-on-the-christmas-story-195536">The Conversation</a>

For many Christians around the world, celebrating the Nativity, or 
the birth of Jesus Christ, is the most important part of the Christmas 
season. 

Among the most common Christmas traditions are <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-st-francis-created-the-nativity-scene-with-a-miraculous-event-in-1223-124742">small sets of figures</a>
 depicting Joseph, Mary and Jesus that are displayed in individual 
homes, and live reenactments of the manger scene in communities and 
churches. While Nativity sets focus on the holy family, they can also 
include an angel, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-were-the-3-wise-men-who-visited-jesus-195159">three wise men</a> bringing gifts, shepherds or some barnyard animals.

Around the world, it is common to see particular cultural and 
religious traditions incorporated through the materials used, the types 
of gifts presented to Jesus, or the people and animals present at the 
manger.

The Marian Library at the University of Dayton has over <a href="https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/c/creche-collection-of-the-marian-library/index.php">3,600 Nativity sets</a>,
 also known as “crèches,” the French word for cribs. These Nativities 
are used to promote the study of culture and religion. Since one of us 
is a <a href="https://udayton.edu/directory/libraries/harriskayla.php">curator</a> for this collection and the other is a <a href="https://udayton.edu/directory/artssciences/religiousstudies/deanda_neomi.php">religious studies scholar</a>, we often notice how Nativities can be used to both depict the birth of Jesus and convey unique cultural beliefs.

In Nordic folklore, “<a href="https://www.patheos.com/blogs/matauryn/2018/12/07/the-mischievous-tomte-spirits-of-yule/">the tomte</a>,”
 or “nisse,” is a small creature that looks rather like a garden gnome 
figurine. These long-bearded, red-capped little lads are associated with
 <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yule-festival">Yule</a>, the celebration of the winter solstice in pre-Christian northern Europe.

While these folklore figures were often believed to be quite helpful 
around a farm, even doing chores in secret at night, they also have a 
mischievous or sometimes even scary side. For example, in one <a href="https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/scandinavian-folk-belief-and-legend">legend</a>
 a young farm girl decides to put butter at the bottom of the porridge 
bowl left out for the nisse, instead of on top. The nisse was so angry 
he immediately went and killed the farm’s best cow. Once he discovered 
the butter at the bottom, he felt remorse, and to remedy the situation 
he stole a cow from the neighboring farm.

In Iceland, the mythical creatures are called <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-thirteen-yule-lads-icelands-own-mischievous-santa-clauses-180948162/">Yule Lads</a>,
 and they visit children’s homes in the lead-up to Christmas. A 2003 
Nativity scene by Icelandic crafter and artisan Kristin Karolina <a href="https://ecommons.udayton.edu/imri_creches/94/">blends the two holiday traditions</a>,
 depicting the birth of Jesus with a band of troublemakers. Made of 
knitted wool and sheepskin, the mischief-makers are licking the porridge
 spoon and stealing the Christmas meal through the chimney with a 
fishing pole.

Across the Atlantic, a different type of troublemaker can be found in
 Nativities: Devils are a common feature in Christmas rituals across 
Latin America.

Devils at the Nativity are a physical representation of evil in the 
world, even in the presence of the Christ child. They sometimes 
specifically represent what Catholic teachings consider “<a href="https://artuk.org/discover/stories/a-brief-art-history-of-the-seven-deadly-sins">the seven deadly sins</a>”: lust, greed, pride, envy, gluttony, sloth and wrath.

The devil can be found in other popular religious traditions of the 
Advent and Christmas seasons. One of these practices is the appearance 
of the devil as a character in a “pastorela,” a popular Mexican <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5-QxRZGcRA&amp;t=25s">dramatic portrayal</a> of the shepherds making their way to visit Jesus. In these <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/0beea9d3fac0789a/1.pdf?pq-origsite=gscholar&amp;cbl=54559">Nativity plays</a>, a devil character plays tricks and sets obstacles in the shepherds’ path, trying to keep them from Bethlehem.

Some pastorelas are set in modern times, with the devil role 
highlighting human sinfulness. But these plays end with a hopeful 
message: the love, peace and joy in the church’s teaching that God 
became human.

Another practice called “<a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/spanish/2018/12/09/guatemaltecos-quema-diablo-virgen-inmaculada-concepcion-tradiciones-cnnee-mirador-mundial.cnn">la quema del diablo</a>,” or “<a href="https://money.yahoo.com/devil-goes-flames-guatemala-christmas-000645414.html">burning of the devil</a>,”
 is held in Guatemala. Individuals and groups set fires in front of 
their homes and around their communities to symbolize cleansing the 
world of all evil. It is held on Dec. 7, in anticipation of the <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/liturgical-holidays/solemnity-of-the-immaculate-conception-of-the-blessed-virgin-mar.html">Feast of the Immaculate Conception</a>
 on Dec. 8. This feast celebrates the church’s teaching that the Virgin 
Mary herself was conceived without sin, preparing her to become the 
mother of God.

Contrasted against the vivid colors and expressions in the Latin American depictions, Nativities representing <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-History-of-the-Amish/Steven-M-Nolt/9781680990652">the Amish culture</a>
 in the United States often feature faceless figures in plain clothing. 
Amish teachings highly value humility and simplicity – many churches, 
for example, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/top-ten-faq/">forbid individuals to pose for a face-on photograph</a>, as this can be seen as a form of pride. Even Amish dolls for children are often created without individual faces.

While each Nativity set incorporates a different set of values and beliefs surrounding the birth of Christ, they are all examples of taking tenets of faith, which can often be abstract ideas, and representing them physically. And for many Christians, such traditions help represent their beliefs in a particularly powerful way: by picturing Jesus within their own culture.

Kayla Harris is a Librarian/Archivist at the Marian Library and Associate Professor, University of Dayton.

Neomi De Anda is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Dayton.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671574698331.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAYLA HARRIS and NEOMI DE ANDA <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-is-at-the-manger-nativity-sets-around-the-world-show-each-cultures-take-on-the-christmas-story-195536">The Conversation</a>For many Christians around the world, celebrating the Nativity, or 
the birth of Jesus Christ, is the most important part of the Christmas 
season. Among the most common Christmas traditions are <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-st-francis-created-the-nativity-scene-with-a-miraculous-event-in-1223-124742">small sets of figures</a>
 depicting Joseph, Mary and Jesus that are displayed in individual 
homes, and live reenactments of the manger scene in communities and 
churches. While Nativity sets focus on the holy family, they can also 
include an angel, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-were-the-3-wise-men-who-visited-jesus-195159">three wise men</a> bringing gifts, shepherds or some barnyard animals. Around the world, it is common to see particular cultural and 
religious traditions incorporated through the materials used, the types 
of gifts presented to Jesus, or the people and animals present at the 
manger.The Marian Library at the University of Dayton has over <a href="https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/c/creche-collection-of-the-marian-library/index.php">3,600 Nativity sets</a>,
 also known as “crèches,” the French word for cribs. These Nativities 
are used to promote the study of culture and religion. Since one of us 
is a <a href="https://udayton.edu/directory/libraries/harriskayla.php">curator</a> for this collection and the other is a <a href="https://udayton.edu/directory/artssciences/religiousstudies/deanda_neomi.php">religious studies scholar</a>, we often notice how Nativities can be used to both depict the birth of Jesus and convey unique cultural beliefs. <h2>Troublemakers in Scandinavia</h2>In Nordic folklore, “<a href="https://www.patheos.com/blogs/matauryn/2018/12/07/the-mischievous-tomte-spirits-of-yule/">the tomte</a>,”
 or “nisse,” is a small creature that looks rather like a garden gnome 
figurine. These long-bearded, red-capped little lads are associated with
 <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yule-festival">Yule</a>, the celebration of the winter solstice in pre-Christian northern Europe.While these folklore figures were often believed to be quite helpful 
around a farm, even doing chores in secret at night, they also have a 
mischievous or sometimes even scary side. For example, in one <a href="https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/scandinavian-folk-belief-and-legend">legend</a>
 a young farm girl decides to put butter at the bottom of the porridge 
bowl left out for the nisse, instead of on top. The nisse was so angry 
he immediately went and killed the farm’s best cow. Once he discovered 
the butter at the bottom, he felt remorse, and to remedy the situation 
he stole a cow from the neighboring farm. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671574786755.png" alt="Yuletide Lads,’ a Nativity set created by Icelandic artist Kristin Karolina.
 The Marian Library, University of Dayton., <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a>" />
 <figcaption>Yuletide Lads,’ a Nativity set created by Icelandic artist Kristin Karolina.
 The Marian Library, University of Dayton., <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></figcaption>
 </figure>In Iceland, the mythical creatures are called <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-thirteen-yule-lads-icelands-own-mischievous-santa-clauses-180948162/">Yule Lads</a>,
 and they visit children’s homes in the lead-up to Christmas. A 2003 
Nativity scene by Icelandic crafter and artisan Kristin Karolina <a href="https://ecommons.udayton.edu/imri_creches/94/">blends the two holiday traditions</a>,
 depicting the birth of Jesus with a band of troublemakers. Made of 
knitted wool and sheepskin, the mischief-makers are licking the porridge
 spoon and stealing the Christmas meal through the chimney with a 
fishing pole. <h2>The devil is in the details</h2>Across the Atlantic, a different type of troublemaker can be found in
 Nativities: Devils are a common feature in Christmas rituals across 
Latin America.Devils at the Nativity are a physical representation of evil in the 
world, even in the presence of the Christ child. They sometimes 
specifically represent what Catholic teachings consider “<a href="https://artuk.org/discover/stories/a-brief-art-history-of-the-seven-deadly-sins">the seven deadly sins</a>”: lust, greed, pride, envy, gluttony, sloth and wrath.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671574844154.png" alt=" ‘The Devil Never Far,’ a Nativity set by Sotero Lemus Gervasio of Mexico. The Marian Library, University of Dayton, CC BY-NC-SA " />
 <figcaption> ‘The Devil Never Far,’ a Nativity set by Sotero Lemus Gervasio of Mexico. The Marian Library, University of Dayton, CC BY-NC-SA </figcaption>
 </figure>The devil can be found in other popular religious traditions of the 
Advent and Christmas seasons. One of these practices is the appearance 
of the devil as a character in a “pastorela,” a popular Mexican <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5-QxRZGcRA&amp;t=25s">dramatic portrayal</a> of the shepherds making their way to visit Jesus. In these <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/0beea9d3fac0789a/1.pdf?pq-origsite=gscholar&amp;cbl=54559">Nativity plays</a>, a devil character plays tricks and sets obstacles in the shepherds’ path, trying to keep them from Bethlehem. Some pastorelas are set in modern times, with the devil role 
highlighting human sinfulness. But these plays end with a hopeful 
message: the love, peace and joy in the church’s teaching that God 
became human.Another practice called “<a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/spanish/2018/12/09/guatemaltecos-quema-diablo-virgen-inmaculada-concepcion-tradiciones-cnnee-mirador-mundial.cnn">la quema del diablo</a>,” or “<a href="https://money.yahoo.com/devil-goes-flames-guatemala-christmas-000645414.html">burning of the devil</a>,”
 is held in Guatemala. Individuals and groups set fires in front of 
their homes and around their communities to symbolize cleansing the 
world of all evil. It is held on Dec. 7, in anticipation of the <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/liturgical-holidays/solemnity-of-the-immaculate-conception-of-the-blessed-virgin-mar.html">Feast of the Immaculate Conception</a>
 on Dec. 8. This feast celebrates the church’s teaching that the Virgin 
Mary herself was conceived without sin, preparing her to become the 
mother of God.<h2>Alike in the eyes of God</h2>Contrasted against the vivid colors and expressions in the Latin American depictions, Nativities representing <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-History-of-the-Amish/Steven-M-Nolt/9781680990652">the Amish culture</a>
 in the United States often feature faceless figures in plain clothing. 
Amish teachings highly value humility and simplicity – many churches, 
for example, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/top-ten-faq/">forbid individuals to pose for a face-on photograph</a>, as this can be seen as a form of pride. Even Amish dolls for children are often created without individual faces.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671574888217.png" alt=" ‘Amish Christmas,’ a Nativity set by U.S.-based artist Esther Glock O'Hara. The Marian Library, University of Dayton, CC BY-NC-SA " />
 <figcaption> ‘Amish Christmas,’ a Nativity set by U.S.-based artist Esther Glock O'Hara. The Marian Library, University of Dayton, CC BY-NC-SA </figcaption>
 </figure>While each Nativity set incorporates a different set of values and beliefs surrounding the birth of Christ, they are all examples of taking tenets of faith, which can often be abstract ideas, and representing them physically. And for many Christians, such traditions help represent their beliefs in a particularly powerful way: by picturing Jesus within their own culture.Kayla Harris is a Librarian/Archivist at the Marian Library and Associate Professor, University of Dayton.Neomi De Anda is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Dayton.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195536/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>

Nativity sets offer cultural takes on the Christmas story

WASHINGTON—President Biden delivered a Christmas address to the nation. Click below to watch or read the transcript below the video.

THE PRESIDENT:&nbsp; Good afternoon.&nbsp; “How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given.” There is a certain stillness at the center of the Christmas story.&nbsp; A silent night when all the world goes quiet and all the glamour, all the noise, everything that divides us, everything that pits us against one another, everything — everything that seems so important but really isn’t, this all fades away in stillness of the winter’s evening.&nbsp; And we look to the sky, to a lone star, shining brighter than all the rest, guiding us to the birth of a child — a child Christians believe to be the son of God; miraculously now, here among us on Earth, bringing hope, love and peace and joy to the world.

Yes, it’s a story that’s 2,000 years old, but it’s still very much alive today.&nbsp; Just look into the eyes of a child on Christmas morning, or listen to the laughter of a family together this holiday season after years — after years of being apart.&nbsp; Just feel the hope rising in your chest as you sing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” even though you’ve sung the countless times before. Yes, even after 2,000 years, Christmas still has the power to lift us up, to bring us together, to change lives, to change the world. The Christmas story is at the heart of the Christmas — Christian faith.&nbsp; But the message of hope, love, peace, and joy, they’re also universal. It speaks to all of us, whether we’re Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, or any other faith, or no faith at all.&nbsp; It speaks to all of us as human beings who are here on this Earth to care for one another, to look out for one another, to love one another. The message of Christmas is always important, but it’s especially important through tough times, like the ones we’ve been through the past few years. The pandemic has taken so much from us.&nbsp; We’ve lost so much time with one another.&nbsp; We’ve lost so many people — people we loved.&nbsp; Over a million lives lost in America alone.&nbsp; That’s a million empty chairs breaking hearts in homes all across the country. Our politics has gotten so angry, so mean, so partisan.&nbsp; And too often we see each other as enemies, not as neighbors; as Democrats or Republicans, not as fellow Americans.&nbsp; We’ve become too divided. But as tough as these times have been, if we look a little closer, we see bright spots all across the country: the strength, the determination, the resilience that’s long defined America. We’re surely making progress.&nbsp; Things are getting better.&nbsp; COVID lon- — no longer controls our lives.&nbsp; Our kids are back in school.&nbsp; People are back to work.&nbsp; In fact, more people are working than ever before. Americans are building again, innovating again, dreaming again. So my hope this Christmas season is that we take a few moments of quiet reflection and find that stillness in the heart of Christmas — that’s at the heart of Christmas, and look — really look at each other, not as Democrats or Republicans, not as members of “Team Red” or “Team Blue,” but as who we really are: fellow Americans.&nbsp; Fellow human beings worthy of being treated with dignity and respect. I sincerely hope this holiway [sic] se- — this holiday season will drain the poison that has infected our politics and set us against one another. I hope this Christmas season marks a fresh start for our nation, because there is so much that unites us as Americans, so much more that unites us than divides us. We’re truly blessed to live in this nation.&nbsp; And I truly hope we take the time to look out — look out for one another.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not at one — for one another. So many people struggle at Christmas.&nbsp; It can be a time of great pain and terrible loneliness.&nbsp; I know, like many of you know.&nbsp; It was 50 years ago this week that I lost my first wife and my infant daughter in a car accident, and my two sons were badly injured, when they were out shopping for a Christmas tree.&nbsp; I know how hard this time of year can be. But here’s what I learned long ago: No one — no one can ever know what someone else is going through, what’s really going on in their life, what they’re struggling with, what they’re trying to overcome. That’s why sometimes the smallest act of kindness can mean so much.&nbsp; A simple smile.&nbsp; A hug.&nbsp; An unexpected phone call.&nbsp; A quiet cup of coffee.&nbsp; Simple acts of kindness that can lift a spirit, provide compo- — comfort, and perhaps maybe even save a life. So, this Christmas, let’s spread a little kindness. This Christmas, let’s be that — that helping hand, that strong shoulder, that friendly voice when no one else seems to care for those who are struggling, in trouble, in need.&nbsp; It just might be the best gift you can ever give. And let’s be sure to remember the brave women and men in uniform who defend and protect our nation.&nbsp; Many of them — many of them are away from their families at this time of year.&nbsp; Let’s keep them in our prayers. You know, and I believe Christmas is a season of hope.&nbsp; And throughout the life of this country, it’s been during the weeks of December — even in the midst of some of our toughest days — that some of the best chapters of our story have been written. It was during these weeks back in 1862 that President Lincoln prepared the Emancipation Proclamation, which he issued on New Year’s Day. At Christmas 1941, in the week — weeks after Pearl Harbor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt hosted Winston Churchill in this White House.&nbsp; Together, they planned the Allied strategy to defeat fascism and autocracy. And it was 1968 that the most terrible year — of years — a year of assassination and riot, of war and chaos — that the astronauts of Apollo 8 circled the Moon and spoke to us here on Earth. From the silence of space, on a silent night on a Christmas Eve, they read the story of Christmas — Creation from the King James Bible.&nbsp; It went: “In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth.&nbsp; And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” That light is still with us, illuminating our way forward as Americans and as citizens of the world.&nbsp; A light that burned in the beginning and at Bethlehem.&nbsp; A light that shines still today in our own time, our own lives. As we sing “O’ Holy Night” — “His law is love, and His Gospel is peace” — may I wish you and for you, and for our nation, now and always, is that we’ll live in the light — the light of liberty and hope, of love and generosity, of kindness and compassion, of dignity and decency. So, from the Biden family, we wish you and your family peace, joy, health, and happiness. Merry Christmas.&nbsp; Happy Holidays.&nbsp; And all the best in the New Year. God bless you all.&nbsp; And may God protect our troops.&nbsp; Thank you.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671757062612.png" alt="White House photo" />
 <figcaption>White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON—President Biden delivered a Christmas address to the nation. Click below to watch or read the transcript below the video.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F588586266408213%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=5" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>THE PRESIDENT:&nbsp; Good afternoon.&nbsp; “How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given.” There is a certain stillness at the center of the Christmas story.&nbsp; A silent night when all the world goes quiet and all the glamour, all the noise, everything that divides us, everything that pits us against one another, everything — everything that seems so important but really isn’t, this all fades away in stillness of the winter’s evening.&nbsp; And we look to the sky, to a lone star, shining brighter than all the rest, guiding us to the birth of a child — a child Christians believe to be the son of God; miraculously now, here among us on Earth, bringing hope, love and peace and joy to the world.Yes, it’s a story that’s 2,000 years old, but it’s still very much alive today.&nbsp; Just look into the eyes of a child on Christmas morning, or listen to the laughter of a family together this holiday season after years — after years of being apart.&nbsp; Just feel the hope rising in your chest as you sing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” even though you’ve sung the countless times before. Yes, even after 2,000 years, Christmas still has the power to lift us up, to bring us together, to change lives, to change the world. The Christmas story is at the heart of the Christmas — Christian faith.&nbsp; But the message of hope, love, peace, and joy, they’re also universal. It speaks to all of us, whether we’re Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, or any other faith, or no faith at all.&nbsp; It speaks to all of us as human beings who are here on this Earth to care for one another, to look out for one another, to love one another. The message of Christmas is always important, but it’s especially important through tough times, like the ones we’ve been through the past few years. The pandemic has taken so much from us.&nbsp; We’ve lost so much time with one another.&nbsp; We’ve lost so many people — people we loved.&nbsp; Over a million lives lost in America alone.&nbsp; That’s a million empty chairs breaking hearts in homes all across the country. Our politics has gotten so angry, so mean, so partisan.&nbsp; And too often we see each other as enemies, not as neighbors; as Democrats or Republicans, not as fellow Americans.&nbsp; We’ve become too divided. But as tough as these times have been, if we look a little closer, we see bright spots all across the country: the strength, the determination, the resilience that’s long defined America. We’re surely making progress.&nbsp; Things are getting better.&nbsp; COVID lon- — no longer controls our lives.&nbsp; Our kids are back in school.&nbsp; People are back to work.&nbsp; In fact, more people are working than ever before. Americans are building again, innovating again, dreaming again. So my hope this Christmas season is that we take a few moments of quiet reflection and find that stillness in the heart of Christmas — that’s at the heart of Christmas, and look — really look at each other, not as Democrats or Republicans, not as members of “Team Red” or “Team Blue,” but as who we really are: fellow Americans.&nbsp; Fellow human beings worthy of being treated with dignity and respect. I sincerely hope this holiway [sic] se- — this holiday season will drain the poison that has infected our politics and set us against one another. I hope this Christmas season marks a fresh start for our nation, because there is so much that unites us as Americans, so much more that unites us than divides us. We’re truly blessed to live in this nation.&nbsp; And I truly hope we take the time to look out — look out for one another.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not at one — for one another. So many people struggle at Christmas.&nbsp; It can be a time of great pain and terrible loneliness.&nbsp; I know, like many of you know.&nbsp; It was 50 years ago this week that I lost my first wife and my infant daughter in a car accident, and my two sons were badly injured, when they were out shopping for a Christmas tree.&nbsp; I know how hard this time of year can be. But here’s what I learned long ago: No one — no one can ever know what someone else is going through, what’s really going on in their life, what they’re struggling with, what they’re trying to overcome. That’s why sometimes the smallest act of kindness can mean so much.&nbsp; A simple smile.&nbsp; A hug.&nbsp; An unexpected phone call.&nbsp; A quiet cup of coffee.&nbsp; Simple acts of kindness that can lift a spirit, provide compo- — comfort, and perhaps maybe even save a life. So, this Christmas, let’s spread a little kindness. This Christmas, let’s be that — that helping hand, that strong shoulder, that friendly voice when no one else seems to care for those who are struggling, in trouble, in need.&nbsp; It just might be the best gift you can ever give. And let’s be sure to remember the brave women and men in uniform who defend and protect our nation.&nbsp; Many of them — many of them are away from their families at this time of year.&nbsp; Let’s keep them in our prayers. You know, and I believe Christmas is a season of hope.&nbsp; And throughout the life of this country, it’s been during the weeks of December — even in the midst of some of our toughest days — that some of the best chapters of our story have been written. It was during these weeks back in 1862 that President Lincoln prepared the Emancipation Proclamation, which he issued on New Year’s Day. At Christmas 1941, in the week — weeks after Pearl Harbor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt hosted Winston Churchill in this White House.&nbsp; Together, they planned the Allied strategy to defeat fascism and autocracy. And it was 1968 that the most terrible year — of years — a year of assassination and riot, of war and chaos — that the astronauts of Apollo 8 circled the Moon and spoke to us here on Earth. From the silence of space, on a silent night on a Christmas Eve, they read the story of Christmas — Creation from the King James Bible.&nbsp; It went: “In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth.&nbsp; And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” That light is still with us, illuminating our way forward as Americans and as citizens of the world.&nbsp; A light that burned in the beginning and at Bethlehem.&nbsp; A light that shines still today in our own time, our own lives. As we sing “O’ Holy Night” — “His law is love, and His Gospel is peace” — may I wish you and for you, and for our nation, now and always, is that we’ll live in the light — the light of liberty and hope, of love and generosity, of kindness and compassion, of dignity and decency. So, from the Biden family, we wish you and your family peace, joy, health, and happiness. Merry Christmas.&nbsp; Happy Holidays.&nbsp; And all the best in the New Year. God bless you all.&nbsp; And may God protect our troops.&nbsp; Thank you.

🎥President Biden urges unity in Christmas address

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a body found in rural Shawnee County have confirmed the identity as 43-year-old Cari Allen, according to the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's office.&nbsp;She was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 p.m.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, officials with the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's office contacted the Shawnee County Kansas Sheriff's Office for assistance in the case, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Just before 3p.m. Wednesday, law enforcement officers with the Shawnee County Criminal Investigations Division began an investigation in the 2200 block of SW 57th Street.

 A search warrant was executed after a human body was discovered.&nbsp;

On December 6, authorities in Caye Caulker, an island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean, arrested 47-year-old Aldrick Scott of Topeka, according to the Douglas County Nebraska sheriff's office in connection with Allen's disappearance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671675110683.png" alt="Photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a body found in rural Shawnee County have confirmed the identity as 43-year-old Cari Allen, according to the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's office.&nbsp;She was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 p.m.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669587276863.png" alt="Cari Allen-photo Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Cari Allen-photo Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, officials with the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's office contacted the Shawnee County Kansas Sheriff's Office for assistance in the case, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Just before 3p.m. Wednesday, law enforcement officers with the Shawnee County Criminal Investigations Division began an investigation in the 2200 block of SW 57th Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671675092235.png" alt="Photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure> A search warrant was executed after a human body was discovered.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652492930.png" alt="Scott-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Scott-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>On December 6, authorities in Caye Caulker, an island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean, arrested 47-year-old Aldrick Scott of Topeka, according to the Douglas County Nebraska sheriff's office in connection with Allen's disappearance.

Sheriff confirms body of missing Nebraska woman found

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The operator of a pipeline that spilled about 14,000 bathtubs' worth of heavy crude oil into a northeastern Kansas creek said Friday that it has permission from U.S. government regulators to reopen the repaired segment where the rupture occurred.

Canada-based TC Energy did not say exactly when it would reopen the section of its Keystone pipeline system from Steele City near the Nebraska-Kansas border to Cushing in northern Oklahoma. The company said it will have crews working through the Christmas holiday and also conducting “rigorous testing and inspections.”

“This will take several days,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize the safety of people and the environment.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">The Dec. 7 spill</a>&nbsp;forced the company to shut down the Keystone system and dumped about 14,000 barrels of crude into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.

The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected, and no one was evacuated. However, Kansas City's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-22/pipeline-company-says-kansas-oil-spill-contained-but-chemicals-found-downstream">KCUR-FM reported</a>&nbsp;this week that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment found chemicals from the spill downstream past two earthen dams constructed to contain the oil, potentially endangering animals that ingest it.

TC Energy reopened most of the 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system last week. The system carries crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast, with a spur also moving crude to south-central Illinois.

The Kansas spill was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">the largest onshore in nine years</a>&nbsp;and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The company received permission to reopen the pipeline across Kansas and into northern Oklahoma from the Department of Transportation's pipeline safety arm.

Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pull the plug last year.</a>

The company has not identified the Kansas spill's cause. Zack Pistora, who lobbies at the Kansas Statehouse for the Sierra Club, said the pipeline segment shouldn't reopen until the cause is known.

“Isn't the next spill just an accident waiting to happen?” he said in an interview Friday.

The company said it has removed the ruptured pipeline section and sent it to an independent lab for analysis. It also said it had recovered almost 7,600 barrels of oil, a little more than half of what was leaked.

Meanwhile, some Democrats in the Republican-controlled Legislature want to reconsider the state's policy of exempting companies from local property taxes for 10 years if they build pipelines through Kansas to spur energy development. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2022/12/23/kansas-could-revisit-pipeline-tax-exemption-after-keystone-oil-spill/69745205007/">told The Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;in an interview this week that the policy was “a big mistake” and should have been reconsidered “a long time ago.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670881926358.png" alt="photo courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The operator of a pipeline that spilled about 14,000 bathtubs' worth of heavy crude oil into a northeastern Kansas creek said Friday that it has permission from U.S. government regulators to reopen the repaired segment where the rupture occurred.Canada-based TC Energy did not say exactly when it would reopen the section of its Keystone pipeline system from Steele City near the Nebraska-Kansas border to Cushing in northern Oklahoma. The company said it will have crews working through the Christmas holiday and also conducting “rigorous testing and inspections.”“This will take several days,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize the safety of people and the environment.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">The Dec. 7 spill</a>&nbsp;forced the company to shut down the Keystone system and dumped about 14,000 barrels of crude into a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington County, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. Each barrel is 42 gallons, the size of a household bathtub.The company and government officials have said drinking water supplies were not affected, and no one was evacuated. However, Kansas City's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-12-22/pipeline-company-says-kansas-oil-spill-contained-but-chemicals-found-downstream">KCUR-FM reported</a>&nbsp;this week that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment found chemicals from the spill downstream past two earthen dams constructed to contain the oil, potentially endangering animals that ingest it.TC Energy reopened most of the 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system last week. The system carries crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast, with a spur also moving crude to south-central Illinois.The Kansas spill was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">the largest onshore in nine years</a>&nbsp;and larger than 22 previous spills on the Keystone system combined, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. The company received permission to reopen the pipeline across Kansas and into northern Oklahoma from the Department of Transportation's pipeline safety arm.Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit for the project led the company to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pull the plug last year.</a>The company has not identified the Kansas spill's cause. Zack Pistora, who lobbies at the Kansas Statehouse for the Sierra Club, said the pipeline segment shouldn't reopen until the cause is known.“Isn't the next spill just an accident waiting to happen?” he said in an interview Friday.The company said it has removed the ruptured pipeline section and sent it to an independent lab for analysis. It also said it had recovered almost 7,600 barrels of oil, a little more than half of what was leaked.Meanwhile, some Democrats in the Republican-controlled Legislature want to reconsider the state's policy of exempting companies from local property taxes for 10 years if they build pipelines through Kansas to spur energy development. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2022/12/23/kansas-could-revisit-pipeline-tax-exemption-after-keystone-oil-spill/69745205007/">told The Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;in an interview this week that the policy was “a big mistake” and should have been reconsidered “a long time ago.”

Company: Regulators OK reopening of Kansas pipeline segment

WASHINGTON (AP) — A $1.7 trillion spending bill financing federal agencies through September and providing more aid to a devastated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine</a>&nbsp;cleared the House on Friday as lawmakers race to finish their work for the year and avoid a partial government shutdown.

The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

Passage of the bill represented a closing act for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Rep. Nancy Pelosi's</a>&nbsp;second stint as House speaker, and for the Democratic majority she led back to power in the 2018 election. Republicans will take control of the House next year and Rep. Kevin McCarthy is campaigning to replace her.

He is appealing for support from staunch conservatives in his caucus who have largely trashed the size of the bill and many of the priorities it contains. He spoke with a raised voice for about 25 minutes, assailing the bill for spending too much and doing too little to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.

“This is a monstrosity that is one of the most shameful acts I've ever seen in this body," McCarthy said of the legislation.

The speech prompted a quick quip from Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who said “after listening to that, it's clear he doesn't have the votes yet," a reference to McCarthy's campaign to become speaker.

Pelosi said “we have a big bill here because we had big needs for the country," then turned her focus to McCarthy:

“It was sad to hear the minority leader say that this legislation is the most shameful thing to be seen on the House floor in this Congress," Pelosi said. “I can't help but wonder, had he forgotten January 6th?”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-4ce3cf1ee887747b13fe8d007b8ffd75">Senate passed the defense-heavy measure</a>&nbsp;with significant bipartisan support on Thursday, but the vote was much more split in the House. Some 30 GOP lawmakers promised to block any legislative priority that comes from those Republican senators who voted for the bill and leadership urged a no vote.

The bill runs for 4,155 pages, not including amendments the Senate added. It contains about a 6% percent increase in spending for domestic initiatives, to $772.5 billion. Spending on defense programs will increase by about 10% to $858 billion.

The bill's passage came only hours before financing for federal agencies expires. Lawmakers have passed two stopgap spending measures to keep the government operating so far for this budget year and a third was set to pass Friday as well to ensure services continue until Biden could sign the full-year measure, called an omnibus, into law.

The massive bill wraps together 12 appropriations bills, aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities recovering from hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains scores of policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill being considered by the current Congress.

Lawmakers provided roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies, more than even Biden requested, an acknowledgment that future rounds of funding are not guaranteed with a new GOP-led House.

In a dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;told lawmakers that the aid was not charity, but an investment in global security and democracy.

Though Ukraine aid has largely had bipartisan support, some House Republicans have been critical of the effort, arguing the money is better spent on priorities in the U.S.

“How can we send an additional $47 BILLION to Ukraine for security while terrorists, drugs, and criminals flood our southern border?” tweeted Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.

“$100 billion to Ukraine. Let’s put that in perspective,” tweeted Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who included past rounds of aid in his count. “That’s more than $200 million this year from each Congressional district. What could your congressman have done for your district with $200 million?”

McCarthy has warned that Republicans would not write a “blank check” for Ukraine in the next Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after Thursday's vote he’s having trouble understanding the concerns.

“I’m just befuddled by some of these right-wing Republicans who don’t want to help Ukraine,” Schumer said. “It’s always been, the more hard right you were, the more anti-Soviet you were, but all of a sudden, they’re pro. I hope it’s not a residue of Trump.”

The Senate passed the funding package Thursday by a vote of 68-29 but it takes time for the Senate clerk's office to review the bill and include amendments that were added that day. As a result, the bill ended up passing with a half-empty House chamber. More than 220 lawmakers sought the option to vote by proxy, and many raced to get out of town before risking canceled flights and spending Christmas in Washington.

Republicans have vowed that abolishing the practice of remote voting will be among their first acts in the majority next year.

The funding bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

And it has scores of policy changes largely unrelated to spending that lawmakers worked furiously behind the scenes to include, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.

One of the most notable examples was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-susan-collins-west-virginia-c9c15562ad910bbc0ba6ef1eecbfc158">historic revision</a>&nbsp;to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election.

The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.

Among the spending increases Democrats emphasized: a $500 increase in the maximum size of Pell grants for low-income college students, a $100 million increase in block grants to states for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, a 22% increase in spending on VA medical care and $3.7 billion to provide emergency relief to farmers and ranchers hit by natural disasters, just to name a few.

The bill also provides roughly $15.3 billion for more than 7,200 projects that lawmakers sought for their home states and districts. Under revamped rules for community project funding, also referred to as earmarks, lawmakers must post their requests online and attest they have no financial interest in the projects. Still, many fiscal conservatives criticize the earmarking as leading to unnecessary spending.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671663729826.png" alt="The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.-photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol" />
 <figcaption>The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.-photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A $1.7 trillion spending bill financing federal agencies through September and providing more aid to a devastated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine</a>&nbsp;cleared the House on Friday as lawmakers race to finish their work for the year and avoid a partial government shutdown.The bill passed mostly along party lines, 225-201. It now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.Passage of the bill represented a closing act for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Rep. Nancy Pelosi's</a>&nbsp;second stint as House speaker, and for the Democratic majority she led back to power in the 2018 election. Republicans will take control of the House next year and Rep. Kevin McCarthy is campaigning to replace her.He is appealing for support from staunch conservatives in his caucus who have largely trashed the size of the bill and many of the priorities it contains. He spoke with a raised voice for about 25 minutes, assailing the bill for spending too much and doing too little to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.“This is a monstrosity that is one of the most shameful acts I've ever seen in this body," McCarthy said of the legislation.The speech prompted a quick quip from Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., who said “after listening to that, it's clear he doesn't have the votes yet," a reference to McCarthy's campaign to become speaker.Pelosi said “we have a big bill here because we had big needs for the country," then turned her focus to McCarthy:“It was sad to hear the minority leader say that this legislation is the most shameful thing to be seen on the House floor in this Congress," Pelosi said. “I can't help but wonder, had he forgotten January 6th?”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-4ce3cf1ee887747b13fe8d007b8ffd75">Senate passed the defense-heavy measure</a>&nbsp;with significant bipartisan support on Thursday, but the vote was much more split in the House. Some 30 GOP lawmakers promised to block any legislative priority that comes from those Republican senators who voted for the bill and leadership urged a no vote.The bill runs for 4,155 pages, not including amendments the Senate added. It contains about a 6% percent increase in spending for domestic initiatives, to $772.5 billion. Spending on defense programs will increase by about 10% to $858 billion.The bill's passage came only hours before financing for federal agencies expires. Lawmakers have passed two stopgap spending measures to keep the government operating so far for this budget year and a third was set to pass Friday as well to ensure services continue until Biden could sign the full-year measure, called an omnibus, into law.The massive bill wraps together 12 appropriations bills, aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities recovering from hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. It also contains scores of policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill being considered by the current Congress.Lawmakers provided roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies, more than even Biden requested, an acknowledgment that future rounds of funding are not guaranteed with a new GOP-led House.In a dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday night,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;told lawmakers that the aid was not charity, but an investment in global security and democracy.Though Ukraine aid has largely had bipartisan support, some House Republicans have been critical of the effort, arguing the money is better spent on priorities in the U.S.“How can we send an additional $47 BILLION to Ukraine for security while terrorists, drugs, and criminals flood our southern border?” tweeted Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.“$100 billion to Ukraine. Let’s put that in perspective,” tweeted Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who included past rounds of aid in his count. “That’s more than $200 million this year from each Congressional district. What could your congressman have done for your district with $200 million?”McCarthy has warned that Republicans would not write a “blank check” for Ukraine in the next Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after Thursday's vote he’s having trouble understanding the concerns.“I’m just befuddled by some of these right-wing Republicans who don’t want to help Ukraine,” Schumer said. “It’s always been, the more hard right you were, the more anti-Soviet you were, but all of a sudden, they’re pro. I hope it’s not a residue of Trump.”The Senate passed the funding package Thursday by a vote of 68-29 but it takes time for the Senate clerk's office to review the bill and include amendments that were added that day. As a result, the bill ended up passing with a half-empty House chamber. More than 220 lawmakers sought the option to vote by proxy, and many raced to get out of town before risking canceled flights and spending Christmas in Washington.Republicans have vowed that abolishing the practice of remote voting will be among their first acts in the majority next year.The funding bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.And it has scores of policy changes largely unrelated to spending that lawmakers worked furiously behind the scenes to include, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.One of the most notable examples was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-susan-collins-west-virginia-c9c15562ad910bbc0ba6ef1eecbfc158">historic revision</a>&nbsp;to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election.The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.Among the spending increases Democrats emphasized: a $500 increase in the maximum size of Pell grants for low-income college students, a $100 million increase in block grants to states for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, a 22% increase in spending on VA medical care and $3.7 billion to provide emergency relief to farmers and ranchers hit by natural disasters, just to name a few.The bill also provides roughly $15.3 billion for more than 7,200 projects that lawmakers sought for their home states and districts. Under revamped rules for community project funding, also referred to as earmarks, lawmakers must post their requests online and attest they have no financial interest in the projects. Still, many fiscal conservatives criticize the earmarking as leading to unnecessary spending.

Christmas: House OKs $1.7 trillion spending bill; $45 billion for Ukraine 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The drawn-out saga of Title 42, the set of emergency powers that allows border officials to quickly turn away migrants, has been chaotic at the U.S.-Mexico border. In Washington, it hasn't unfolded much better.

The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles brought on by Republican-led states after President Joe Biden's administration moved to end the Trump-era policy, which was set to lapse this week until the court agreed to take it up.

The administration has yet to lay out any systemic changes to manage an expected surge of migrants if the restrictions end. And a bipartisan immigration bill in Congress has been buried just as Republicans are set to take control of the House.

In short, America is right back where it has been. A divided nation is unable to agree on what a longer-term fix to the immigration system should look like. Basic questions — for example, should more immigrants be allowed in, or fewer? — are unanswered. Meantime the asylum system continues to strain under increasing numbers of migrants.

The Biden administration has been reluctant to take hardline measures that would resemble those of his predecessor. That's resulted in a barrage of criticism from Republicans who are using Title 42 to hammer the president as ineffective on border security. The rules were introduced as an emergency health measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The Democrats have lost the messaging war on this," said Charles Foster, a longtime immigration attorney in Texas who served as an immigration policy adviser to Republican George W. Bush but now considers himself independent. "The tragedy is, Democrats more than anyone should focus on this issue, because unless and until it can be fixed, and the perception changes, we’ll get nothing ever through Congress."

Anyone who comes to the U.S. has the right to ask for asylum, but laws are narrow on who actually gets it. Under Biden, migrants arriving at the border are often let into the country and allowed to work while their cases progress. That process takes years because of a 2-million-case backlog in the immigration court system that was exacerbated by Trump-era rules.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mexico-2d6872921b9d21347175b50f30d31539">Title 42 allows border officials</a>&nbsp;to deny people the right to seek asylum, and they have done so 2.5 million times since March 2020. The emergency health authority has been applied disproportionately to those from countries that Mexico agreed to take back: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and more recently Venezuela, in addition to Mexico.

“There is not going to be a good moment, politically speaking,” to end the restrictions, said Jorge Loweree of the American Immigration Council. The administration should have been preparing all along to create a better system for asylum seekers," Loweree said.

“It has allowed the other side to weaponize this issue. And the longer it remains in place, the longer the weapon will remain effective.”

The authority was first invoked at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic by President Donald Trump, whose immigration policies were aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-f106b3351f6148a98f8f24c536f464ed">keeping out as many migrants as possible</a>. He also drastically reduced the number of refugees allowed into the country, added restrictions to the asylum process&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-az-state-wire-tx-state-wire-ma-state-wire-ut-state-wire-7851364613cf0afbf67cf7930949f7d3">that clogged the system and kept migrants in detention</a>, and reduced legal immigration pathways.

Biden has been working to expand legal immigration and has undone some of the most restrictive Trump policies. But the administration kept the policy in place until this spring, and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-venezuela-donald-trump-mexico-409a67bb33d547bc5438a4d7160576f6">expanded its use</a>&nbsp;after announcing it would end.

Republican say there will be even more chaos if it's lifted. But even with Title 42 in place, border officials have been encountering more migrants than ever before. In the budget year that ended Sept. 30, migrants were stopped 2.38 million times, up 37% from 1.73 million times the year before.

“I don’t know why it’s taking them so long to get serious about deterrence,” Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said of the Biden administration. Capito is an incoming member of the Senate Republican leadership and the top GOP senator on the committee that oversees money for Homeland Security, the federal agency that manages border security.

Border officials have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-28ce8e9b1cb7b99d73c8043badbbe270">braced for an expected increase</a>, and migrants who have arrived are unsure of how asylum processes will work when the policy ends. Homeland Security officials have reported faster processing for migrants in custody on the border, more temporary detention tents, staffing increases and more criminal prosecutions of smugglers.

They say progress has been made on a plan announced in April but large-scale changes are needed. Meanwhile, the Senate's Republican leadership killed a bipartisan immigration bill that would have addressed some of these issues.

The split isn't just inside Congress.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-2022-midterm-elections-covid-health-media-2ebbd3849ca35ec76f0f91120639d9d4">One in 3 U.S. adults believes</a>&nbsp;an effort is underway to replace native-born Americans with immigrants for electoral gains, according to an AP-NORC survey.

Biden and his aides have said they are working to divert migrants coming out of Central America and helping provide aid to poorer nations that are bleeding people headed for the U.S. But the president is limited without action from Congress.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration is surging assistance to the border and will continue to do so. But “the removal of Title 42 does not mean the border is open,” she said. "Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply doing the work of these smugglers who again are spreading misinformation, which is very dangerous.”

A year-long appropriations bill passed the Senate on Thursday that would give the Border Patrol 17% more money, as well as 13% more for the Justice Department to develop an electronic case management system for immigration courts.

But Citizenship and Immigration Services, central in the asylum process, only got one third of what Biden had proposed to speed up the system.

Democrats, for their part, say they want policies that reflect America's reputation as a haven for those fleeing persecution. But they can’t agree on what that looks like.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has been working on the issue for 20 years. This week, he stood on the Senate floor, sounding dejected as he talked about how Congress couldn't push through reform.

“It is a humanitarian and security nightmare that is only getting worse,” he said. “We're being flooded at the border by people who want to be in the United States, safely in the United States.”

Why, he asked, can't Washington figure out a better way?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317817548.png" alt="The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The drawn-out saga of Title 42, the set of emergency powers that allows border officials to quickly turn away migrants, has been chaotic at the U.S.-Mexico border. In Washington, it hasn't unfolded much better.The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep the powers in place following months of legal battles brought on by Republican-led states after President Joe Biden's administration moved to end the Trump-era policy, which was set to lapse this week until the court agreed to take it up.The administration has yet to lay out any systemic changes to manage an expected surge of migrants if the restrictions end. And a bipartisan immigration bill in Congress has been buried just as Republicans are set to take control of the House.In short, America is right back where it has been. A divided nation is unable to agree on what a longer-term fix to the immigration system should look like. Basic questions — for example, should more immigrants be allowed in, or fewer? — are unanswered. Meantime the asylum system continues to strain under increasing numbers of migrants.The Biden administration has been reluctant to take hardline measures that would resemble those of his predecessor. That's resulted in a barrage of criticism from Republicans who are using Title 42 to hammer the president as ineffective on border security. The rules were introduced as an emergency health measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.“The Democrats have lost the messaging war on this," said Charles Foster, a longtime immigration attorney in Texas who served as an immigration policy adviser to Republican George W. Bush but now considers himself independent. "The tragedy is, Democrats more than anyone should focus on this issue, because unless and until it can be fixed, and the perception changes, we’ll get nothing ever through Congress."Anyone who comes to the U.S. has the right to ask for asylum, but laws are narrow on who actually gets it. Under Biden, migrants arriving at the border are often let into the country and allowed to work while their cases progress. That process takes years because of a 2-million-case backlog in the immigration court system that was exacerbated by Trump-era rules.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-mexico-2d6872921b9d21347175b50f30d31539">Title 42 allows border officials</a>&nbsp;to deny people the right to seek asylum, and they have done so 2.5 million times since March 2020. The emergency health authority has been applied disproportionately to those from countries that Mexico agreed to take back: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and more recently Venezuela, in addition to Mexico.“There is not going to be a good moment, politically speaking,” to end the restrictions, said Jorge Loweree of the American Immigration Council. The administration should have been preparing all along to create a better system for asylum seekers," Loweree said.“It has allowed the other side to weaponize this issue. And the longer it remains in place, the longer the weapon will remain effective.”The authority was first invoked at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic by President Donald Trump, whose immigration policies were aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-f106b3351f6148a98f8f24c536f464ed">keeping out as many migrants as possible</a>. He also drastically reduced the number of refugees allowed into the country, added restrictions to the asylum process&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/courts-az-state-wire-tx-state-wire-ma-state-wire-ut-state-wire-7851364613cf0afbf67cf7930949f7d3">that clogged the system and kept migrants in detention</a>, and reduced legal immigration pathways.Biden has been working to expand legal immigration and has undone some of the most restrictive Trump policies. But the administration kept the policy in place until this spring, and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-venezuela-donald-trump-mexico-409a67bb33d547bc5438a4d7160576f6">expanded its use</a>&nbsp;after announcing it would end.Republican say there will be even more chaos if it's lifted. But even with Title 42 in place, border officials have been encountering more migrants than ever before. In the budget year that ended Sept. 30, migrants were stopped 2.38 million times, up 37% from 1.73 million times the year before.“I don’t know why it’s taking them so long to get serious about deterrence,” Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said of the Biden administration. Capito is an incoming member of the Senate Republican leadership and the top GOP senator on the committee that oversees money for Homeland Security, the federal agency that manages border security.Border officials have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-28ce8e9b1cb7b99d73c8043badbbe270">braced for an expected increase</a>, and migrants who have arrived are unsure of how asylum processes will work when the policy ends. Homeland Security officials have reported faster processing for migrants in custody on the border, more temporary detention tents, staffing increases and more criminal prosecutions of smugglers.They say progress has been made on a plan announced in April but large-scale changes are needed. Meanwhile, the Senate's Republican leadership killed a bipartisan immigration bill that would have addressed some of these issues.The split isn't just inside Congress.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-2022-midterm-elections-covid-health-media-2ebbd3849ca35ec76f0f91120639d9d4">One in 3 U.S. adults believes</a>&nbsp;an effort is underway to replace native-born Americans with immigrants for electoral gains, according to an AP-NORC survey.Biden and his aides have said they are working to divert migrants coming out of Central America and helping provide aid to poorer nations that are bleeding people headed for the U.S. But the president is limited without action from Congress.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration is surging assistance to the border and will continue to do so. But “the removal of Title 42 does not mean the border is open,” she said. "Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply doing the work of these smugglers who again are spreading misinformation, which is very dangerous.”A year-long appropriations bill passed the Senate on Thursday that would give the Border Patrol 17% more money, as well as 13% more for the Justice Department to develop an electronic case management system for immigration courts.But Citizenship and Immigration Services, central in the asylum process, only got one third of what Biden had proposed to speed up the system.Democrats, for their part, say they want policies that reflect America's reputation as a haven for those fleeing persecution. But they can’t agree on what that looks like.Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has been working on the issue for 20 years. This week, he stood on the Senate floor, sounding dejected as he talked about how Congress couldn't push through reform.“It is a humanitarian and security nightmare that is only getting worse,” he said. “We're being flooded at the border by people who want to be in the United States, safely in the United States.”Why, he asked, can't Washington figure out a better way?

Title 42 border rules confound Washington, migrants alike

WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of inflation closely watched by the Federal Reserve slowed last month, another sign that a long surge in consumer prices seems to be easing.

Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that prices rose 5.5% in November from a year earlier, down from a revise 6.1% increase in October. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core inflation was up 4.7% over the previous year.

On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.

The Fed is believed to monitor the Commerce Department's inflation gauge that was issued Friday, called the personal consumption expenditures price index, even more closely than it does the Labor Department's better-known consumer price index. CPI rose 7.1% in November from 12 months earlier, down from June’s 9.1% year-over-year increase, which had been the biggest such jump in four decades.

The PCE index tends to show a lower inflation rate than CPI. In part, that is because rents, which have soared, carry double the weight in the CPI that they do in the PCE.

The PCE price index also seeks to account for changes in how people shop when inflation jumps. As a result, it can capture, for example, when consumers switch from pricey national brands to cheaper store brands.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671814441174.png" alt="On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of inflation closely watched by the Federal Reserve slowed last month, another sign that a long surge in consumer prices seems to be easing.Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that prices rose 5.5% in November from a year earlier, down from a revise 6.1% increase in October. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core inflation was up 4.7% over the previous year.On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.1% from October to November after rising 0.4% the previous month. Core prices rose 0.2%.The Fed is believed to monitor the Commerce Department's inflation gauge that was issued Friday, called the personal consumption expenditures price index, even more closely than it does the Labor Department's better-known consumer price index. CPI rose 7.1% in November from 12 months earlier, down from June’s 9.1% year-over-year increase, which had been the biggest such jump in four decades.The PCE index tends to show a lower inflation rate than CPI. In part, that is because rents, which have soared, carry double the weight in the CPI that they do in the PCE.The PCE price index also seeks to account for changes in how people shop when inflation jumps. As a result, it can capture, for example, when consumers switch from pricey national brands to cheaper store brands.

Report: Inflation is slowing according Fed's preferred measure

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Jan. 6 committee's final report asserts that Donald Trump criminally engaged in a "multi-part conspiracy" to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol, concluding an extraordinary 18-month investigation into the former president and the violent insurrection two years ago.

<a href="https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf">Click here to read</a> the report

Trump "lit that fire," the committee's chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, writes.

The 814-page report released Thursday comes after the panel interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, held 10 hearings and obtained more than a million pages of documents. The witnesses — ranging from many of Trump's closest aides to law enforcement to some of the rioters themselves — detailed Trump's "premeditated" actions in the weeks ahead of the attack and how his wide-ranging efforts to overturn his defeat directly influenced those who brutally pushed past the police and smashed through the windows and doors of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The central cause was "one man," the report says: Trump.

The insurrection gravely threatened democracy and "put the lives of American lawmakers at risk," the bipartisan nine-member panel concluded, offering so far the most definitive account of a dark chapter in modern American history. It functions not only as a compendium of the most dramatic moments of testimony from months of hearings, but also as a document meant to be preserved for future generations.

In a foreword to the report, outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the findings should be a "clarion call to all Americans: to vigilantly guard our Democracy and to give our vote only to those dutiful in their defense of our Constitution."

The report's eight chapters tell the story largely as the panel's hearings did this summer — describing the many facets of the remarkable plan that Trump and his advisers devised to try and void President Joe Biden's victory. The lawmakers describe the former president's pressure on states, federal officials, lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence to game the system or break the law.

In the two months between the election and the insurrection, the report says, "President Trump or his inner circle engaged in at least 200 apparent acts of public or private outreach, pressure, or condemnation, targeting either State legislators or State or local election administrators, to overturn State election results."

Trump's repeated, false claims of widespread voter fraud resonated with his supporters, the committee said, and were amplified on social media, building on the distrust of government he had fostered for his four years in office. And he did little to stop them when they resorted to violence and stormed the Capitol, interrupting the certification of Biden's victory.

The massive, damning report comes as Trump is running again for the presidency and also facing multiple federal investigations, including probes of his role in the insurrection and the presence of classified documents at his Florida estate. This week is particularly fraught for him, as a House committee said it will release his tax returns after he has fought for years to keep them private. And Trump has been blamed by Republicans for a worse-than-expected showing in the midterm elections, leaving him in his most politically vulnerable state since he was elected in 2016.

In a series of policy recommendations, the seven Democrats and two Republicans on the committee suggest that Trump should be barred from future office, noting that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution holds that anyone who has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution can be prevented from holding office for engaging in insurrection or rebellion.

"He is unfit for any office," writes the committee's vice chairwoman, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

Posting on his social media site, Trump called the report "highly partisan" and falsely claimed it didn't include his statement on Jan. 6 that his supporters should protest "peacefully and patriotically." The committee did include that statement, though, and noted that he followed that comment with election falsehoods and charged language exhorting the crowd to "fight like hell."

The report details a multitude of failings by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, noting that many of the rioters came with weapons and had openly planned for violence online. "The failure to sufficiently share and act upon that intelligence jeopardized the lives of the police officers defending the Capitol and everyone in it," the report says.

At the same time, the committee makes an emphatic point that security failures are not the primary cause for the insurrection.

"The President of the United States inciting a mob to march on the Capitol and impede the work of Congress is not a scenario our intelligence and law enforcement communities envisioned for this country," Thompson wrote.

"Donald Trump lit that fire," Thompson writes. "But in the weeks beforehand, the kindling he ultimately ignited was amassed in plain sight."

The report details Trump's inaction as his loyalists were storming the building, detailing the hours when he watched the violence on television but did nothing to stop it.

A White House photographer snapped a picture of Trump at 1:21 p.m., learning of the riot from the employee after he returned to the White House after his speech — and after his own security officials had rebuffed his efforts to go to the Capitol himself. "By that time, if not sooner, he had been made aware of the violent riot," the report states.

In total, 187 minutes elapsed between the time Trump finished his speech at the Ellipse and his first effort to get the rioters to disperse, through an eventual video message in which he asked his supporters to go home even as he reassured them, "We love you, you're very special."

That inaction was a "dereliction of duty," the report says, noting that Trump had more power than any other person as the nation's commander-in-chief. "He willfully remained idle even as others, including his own Vice President, acted."

During those hours, Pence huddled in the Capitol, begging security officials for a quicker National Guard response as rioters outside called for his hanging because he would not illegally try to thwart Biden's win. And inside the White House, dozens of staffers and associates pleaded with Trump to make a forceful statement.

"We all look like domestic terrorists now," longtime aide Hope Hicks texted Julie Radford, who served as Ivanka Trump's chief of staff, in the aftermath.

The report says "virtually everyone on the White House staff" interviewed by the committee condemned a tweet by Trump at 2:24 p.m. that day — just as the rioters were first breaking into the Capitol — that Vice President Mike Pence "didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution."

"Attacking the VP? Wtf is wrong with him," Hicks texted another colleague that evening.

The investigation's release is a final act for House Democrats who are ceding power to Republicans in less than two weeks, and have spent much of their four years in power investigating Trump. Democrats impeached Trump twice, the second time a week after the insurrection. He was acquitted by the Senate both times. Other Democratic-led probes investigated his finances, his businesses, his foreign ties and his family.

On Monday, the panel officially passed their investigation to the Justice Department, recommending the department investigate the former president on four crimes, including aiding an insurrection. While the criminal referrals have no legal standing, they are a final statement from the committee after its extensive, year-and-a-half-long probe.

The committee has also begun to release hundreds of transcripts of its interviews. On Thursday, the panel released transcripts of two closed-door interviews with former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who testified in person at one of the televised hearings over the summer and described in vivid detail Trump's actions and inaction inside the White House.

In the two interviews, both conducted after her June appearance at the hearing, Hutchinson described how many of Trump's allies, including her lawyer, pressured her not to say too much in her committee interviews.

Follow the AP's coverage of the Capitol insurrection at https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671793065512.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Jan. 6 committee's final report asserts that Donald Trump criminally engaged in a "multi-part conspiracy" to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol, concluding an extraordinary 18-month investigation into the former president and the violent insurrection two years ago.<a href="https://january6th.house.gov/sites/democrats.january6th.house.gov/files/Report_FinalReport_Jan6SelectCommittee.pdf">Click here to read</a> the reportTrump "lit that fire," the committee's chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, writes.The 814-page report released Thursday comes after the panel interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, held 10 hearings and obtained more than a million pages of documents. The witnesses — ranging from many of Trump's closest aides to law enforcement to some of the rioters themselves — detailed Trump's "premeditated" actions in the weeks ahead of the attack and how his wide-ranging efforts to overturn his defeat directly influenced those who brutally pushed past the police and smashed through the windows and doors of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.The central cause was "one man," the report says: Trump.The insurrection gravely threatened democracy and "put the lives of American lawmakers at risk," the bipartisan nine-member panel concluded, offering so far the most definitive account of a dark chapter in modern American history. It functions not only as a compendium of the most dramatic moments of testimony from months of hearings, but also as a document meant to be preserved for future generations.In a foreword to the report, outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the findings should be a "clarion call to all Americans: to vigilantly guard our Democracy and to give our vote only to those dutiful in their defense of our Constitution."The report's eight chapters tell the story largely as the panel's hearings did this summer — describing the many facets of the remarkable plan that Trump and his advisers devised to try and void President Joe Biden's victory. The lawmakers describe the former president's pressure on states, federal officials, lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence to game the system or break the law.In the two months between the election and the insurrection, the report says, "President Trump or his inner circle engaged in at least 200 apparent acts of public or private outreach, pressure, or condemnation, targeting either State legislators or State or local election administrators, to overturn State election results."Trump's repeated, false claims of widespread voter fraud resonated with his supporters, the committee said, and were amplified on social media, building on the distrust of government he had fostered for his four years in office. And he did little to stop them when they resorted to violence and stormed the Capitol, interrupting the certification of Biden's victory.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614042711157.png" alt="photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The massive, damning report comes as Trump is running again for the presidency and also facing multiple federal investigations, including probes of his role in the insurrection and the presence of classified documents at his Florida estate. This week is particularly fraught for him, as a House committee said it will release his tax returns after he has fought for years to keep them private. And Trump has been blamed by Republicans for a worse-than-expected showing in the midterm elections, leaving him in his most politically vulnerable state since he was elected in 2016.In a series of policy recommendations, the seven Democrats and two Republicans on the committee suggest that Trump should be barred from future office, noting that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution holds that anyone who has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution can be prevented from holding office for engaging in insurrection or rebellion."He is unfit for any office," writes the committee's vice chairwoman, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.Posting on his social media site, Trump called the report "highly partisan" and falsely claimed it didn't include his statement on Jan. 6 that his supporters should protest "peacefully and patriotically." The committee did include that statement, though, and noted that he followed that comment with election falsehoods and charged language exhorting the crowd to "fight like hell."The report details a multitude of failings by law enforcement and intelligence agencies, noting that many of the rioters came with weapons and had openly planned for violence online. "The failure to sufficiently share and act upon that intelligence jeopardized the lives of the police officers defending the Capitol and everyone in it," the report says.At the same time, the committee makes an emphatic point that security failures are not the primary cause for the insurrection."The President of the United States inciting a mob to march on the Capitol and impede the work of Congress is not a scenario our intelligence and law enforcement communities envisioned for this country," Thompson wrote."Donald Trump lit that fire," Thompson writes. "But in the weeks beforehand, the kindling he ultimately ignited was amassed in plain sight."The report details Trump's inaction as his loyalists were storming the building, detailing the hours when he watched the violence on television but did nothing to stop it.A White House photographer snapped a picture of Trump at 1:21 p.m., learning of the riot from the employee after he returned to the White House after his speech — and after his own security officials had rebuffed his efforts to go to the Capitol himself. "By that time, if not sooner, he had been made aware of the violent riot," the report states.In total, 187 minutes elapsed between the time Trump finished his speech at the Ellipse and his first effort to get the rioters to disperse, through an eventual video message in which he asked his supporters to go home even as he reassured them, "We love you, you're very special."That inaction was a "dereliction of duty," the report says, noting that Trump had more power than any other person as the nation's commander-in-chief. "He willfully remained idle even as others, including his own Vice President, acted."During those hours, Pence huddled in the Capitol, begging security officials for a quicker National Guard response as rioters outside called for his hanging because he would not illegally try to thwart Biden's win. And inside the White House, dozens of staffers and associates pleaded with Trump to make a forceful statement.But he did not."We all look like domestic terrorists now," longtime aide Hope Hicks texted Julie Radford, who served as Ivanka Trump's chief of staff, in the aftermath.The report says "virtually everyone on the White House staff" interviewed by the committee condemned a tweet by Trump at 2:24 p.m. that day — just as the rioters were first breaking into the Capitol — that Vice President Mike Pence "didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.""Attacking the VP? Wtf is wrong with him," Hicks texted another colleague that evening.The investigation's release is a final act for House Democrats who are ceding power to Republicans in less than two weeks, and have spent much of their four years in power investigating Trump. Democrats impeached Trump twice, the second time a week after the insurrection. He was acquitted by the Senate both times. Other Democratic-led probes investigated his finances, his businesses, his foreign ties and his family.On Monday, the panel officially passed their investigation to the Justice Department, recommending the department investigate the former president on four crimes, including aiding an insurrection. While the criminal referrals have no legal standing, they are a final statement from the committee after its extensive, year-and-a-half-long probe.The committee has also begun to release hundreds of transcripts of its interviews. On Thursday, the panel released transcripts of two closed-door interviews with former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who testified in person at one of the televised hearings over the summer and described in vivid detail Trump's actions and inaction inside the White House.In the two interviews, both conducted after her June appearance at the hearing, Hutchinson described how many of Trump's allies, including her lawyer, pressured her not to say too much in her committee interviews.___Follow the AP's coverage of the Capitol insurrection at https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege

Read the Jan. 6 panel's final report on the Capitol insurrection

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a massive $1.7 trillion spending bill Thursday that finances federal agencies through September and provides another large round of aid to Ukraine one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress.

The bill, which runs for 4,155 pages, includes about $772.5 billion for domestic programs and $858 billion for defense and would finance federal agencies through the fiscal year at the end of September.

The bill passed by a vote of 68-29. Eighteen Republicans voted for the bill including Kansas Senator Jerry Moran and Missouri Senator Roy Blunt. Nebraska Senators Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer, Kansas Senator Roger Marshall and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley voted no.

The measure&nbsp;now goes to the House for a final vote before it can be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

“This is one of the most significant appropriations packages we have done in a very long time,” Schumer said. “The range of people it helps is large and deep," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said moments before the vote.

Lawmakers were racing to get the bill approved before a partial government shutdown would occur at midnight Friday, and many were anxious to complete the task before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-weather-storm-updates-c0d9d7a04fa48359a0a40a7b9ff1b970">a deep freeze and wintry conditions</a>&nbsp;left them stranded in Washington for the holidays. Many also want to lock in government funding before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">a new GOP-controlled House</a>&nbsp;next year could make it harder to find compromise on spending.

Senators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">heard from Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;about the importance of U.S. aid to his country for its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war with Russia</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday night. The measure provides about $45 billion in military, economic and humanitarian assistance for the devastated nation and NATO allies, more than Biden even requested, raising total assistance so far to more than $100 billion.

“Your money is not charity,” Zelenskyy told lawmakers and Americans watching from home. “It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”

Lawmakers were in disagreement over which amendments were to be voted upon to lock in a final vote on an expedited basis. The impasses had the potential to prevent passage of the bill before the midnight Friday deadline. But negotiations overnight led to a breakthrough and senators gathered early Thursday morning to work through more than a dozen amendments before getting to a final vote.

The spending bill is supported by Schumer and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, though for different reasons.

McConnell cited the bill's 10% boost in defense spending, which he says will give America's Armed Forces the funding and certainty needed to ensure the country's security.

“The world’s greatest military will get the funding increase that it needs, outpacing inflation," McConnell said. “Meanwhile, non-defense, non-veterans spending will come in below the rate of inflation, for a real-dollar cut."

McConnell faced pushback from many Republicans who don’t support the spending bill and resent being forced to vote on such a massive package with so little time before a potential shutdown and the Christmas holiday.

“There has not been enough time for a single person to have read this entire bill. The bill and process ignores soaring inflation, rising interest rates and our ballooning debt of $31 trillion," said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. “Enough is enough."

For two senators, the bill puts the finishing touches on their work in Washington. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is retiring after serving some 48 years in the Senate and as the current chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He negotiated the bill for months with Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the committee's ranking Republican, who was elected to the Senate in 1986 and is also retiring.

“What a capstone to a brilliant career," Schumer said.

The bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

And, of course, it includes scores of policy changes unrelated to spending that lawmakers sought to include in what is going to be the last major bill of the Congress, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.

One of the most notable examples was a historic revision to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election. The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to convince Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671738424869.png" alt="Lawmakers were racing to get the bill approved before a partial government shutdown would occur at midnight Friday. -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Lawmakers were racing to get the bill approved before a partial government shutdown would occur at midnight Friday. -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a massive $1.7 trillion spending bill Thursday that finances federal agencies through September and provides another large round of aid to Ukraine one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's dramatic address to a joint meeting of Congress.The bill, which runs for 4,155 pages, includes about $772.5 billion for domestic programs and $858 billion for defense and would finance federal agencies through the fiscal year at the end of September.The bill passed by a vote of 68-29. Eighteen Republicans voted for the bill including Kansas Senator Jerry Moran and Missouri Senator Roy Blunt. Nebraska Senators Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer, Kansas Senator Roger Marshall and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley voted no.The measure&nbsp;now goes to the House for a final vote before it can be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.“This is one of the most significant appropriations packages we have done in a very long time,” Schumer said. “The range of people it helps is large and deep," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said moments before the vote.Lawmakers were racing to get the bill approved before a partial government shutdown would occur at midnight Friday, and many were anxious to complete the task before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-weather-storm-updates-c0d9d7a04fa48359a0a40a7b9ff1b970">a deep freeze and wintry conditions</a>&nbsp;left them stranded in Washington for the holidays. Many also want to lock in government funding before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">a new GOP-controlled House</a>&nbsp;next year could make it harder to find compromise on spending.Senators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-biden-68c65b3274e552f36f16853f24fedbb9">heard from Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;about the importance of U.S. aid to his country for its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war with Russia</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday night. The measure provides about $45 billion in military, economic and humanitarian assistance for the devastated nation and NATO allies, more than Biden even requested, raising total assistance so far to more than $100 billion.“Your money is not charity,” Zelenskyy told lawmakers and Americans watching from home. “It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”Lawmakers were in disagreement over which amendments were to be voted upon to lock in a final vote on an expedited basis. The impasses had the potential to prevent passage of the bill before the midnight Friday deadline. But negotiations overnight led to a breakthrough and senators gathered early Thursday morning to work through more than a dozen amendments before getting to a final vote.The spending bill is supported by Schumer and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, though for different reasons.McConnell cited the bill's 10% boost in defense spending, which he says will give America's Armed Forces the funding and certainty needed to ensure the country's security.“The world’s greatest military will get the funding increase that it needs, outpacing inflation," McConnell said. “Meanwhile, non-defense, non-veterans spending will come in below the rate of inflation, for a real-dollar cut."McConnell faced pushback from many Republicans who don’t support the spending bill and resent being forced to vote on such a massive package with so little time before a potential shutdown and the Christmas holiday.“There has not been enough time for a single person to have read this entire bill. The bill and process ignores soaring inflation, rising interest rates and our ballooning debt of $31 trillion," said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. “Enough is enough."For two senators, the bill puts the finishing touches on their work in Washington. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is retiring after serving some 48 years in the Senate and as the current chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He negotiated the bill for months with Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the committee's ranking Republican, who was elected to the Senate in 1986 and is also retiring.“What a capstone to a brilliant career," Schumer said.The bill also contains roughly $40 billion in emergency spending in the U.S., mostly to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters.And, of course, it includes scores of policy changes unrelated to spending that lawmakers sought to include in what is going to be the last major bill of the Congress, else they start from scratch next year in a divided Congress where Republicans will be returning to the majority in the House.One of the most notable examples was a historic revision to federal election law that aims to prevent any future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election. The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is in direct response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to convince Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021.

Sasse, Fisher vote no; Senate OKs $1.7T spending bill

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government’s road safety agency says it is investigating allegations that Hertz rented vehicles to customers without getting required recall repairs.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in a document posted Tuesday on its website that it has information indicating Hertz rented Nissan and Ford vehicles with unrepaired safety recalls.

The agency says that would violate the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act. It has opened an investigation to audit Hertz’s recall record.

Hertz said that it’s reviewing NHTSA’s request for information. “We are committed to providing safe rentals for our customers,” the Florida company said.

NHTSA said Tuesday that it began getting information late last year that Hertz may have rented vehicles with open recalls. “Information gathered by the agency to date, including from vehicle manufacturers, suggests repairs required under multiple NHTSA safety recalls were not made prior to the rental of such affected vehicles to Hertz customers,” the agency said in a prepared statement.

NHTSA says the vehicles are from the 2018 through 2020 model years.

In 2016, Congress passed a transportation bill with a provision that stops companies from renting vehicles unless recall repairs have been made.

The measure was originally named the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act. The sisters were killed in a 2004 head-on crash when a power steering hose defect in a rented Chrysler PT Cruiser caused a fire and the car went out of control.

The vehicle was rented from Enterprise and had an open safety recall that had not been repaired.

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government’s road safety agency says it is investigating allegations that Hertz rented vehicles to customers without getting required recall repairs.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in a document posted Tuesday on its website that it has information indicating Hertz rented Nissan and Ford vehicles with unrepaired safety recalls.The agency says that would violate the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act. It has opened an investigation to audit Hertz’s recall record.Hertz said that it’s reviewing NHTSA’s request for information. “We are committed to providing safe rentals for our customers,” the Florida company said.NHTSA said Tuesday that it began getting information late last year that Hertz may have rented vehicles with open recalls. “Information gathered by the agency to date, including from vehicle manufacturers, suggests repairs required under multiple NHTSA safety recalls were not made prior to the rental of such affected vehicles to Hertz customers,” the agency said in a prepared statement.NHTSA says the vehicles are from the 2018 through 2020 model years.In 2016, Congress passed a transportation bill with a provision that stops companies from renting vehicles unless recall repairs have been made.The measure was originally named the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act. The sisters were killed in a 2004 head-on crash when a power steering hose defect in a rented Chrysler PT Cruiser caused a fire and the car went out of control.The vehicle was rented from Enterprise and had an open safety recall that had not been repaired.

US probes reports that Hertz rented cars with open recalls

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/22/aududon-decries-state-ruling-denying-it-standing-to-object-to-diversion-from-platte-river/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Audubon Nebraska is condemning a decision to deny it and 
several other parties legal standing to object to an interbasin transfer
 of water from the Platte River to the Republican Basin.

One Audubon official called the ruling a “dishonor” to a state 
treasure — the annual migration of tourists to view hundreds of 
thousands of Sandhill cranes roosting in and around the central Platte 
River.

The Lower Republican and Tri-Basin natural resources districts have 
applied to divert 150 cubic feet per second of water from the Platte to a
 tributary of the Republican River so the water can help Nebraska comply
 with a compact requirement to deliver flows to Kansas.

But Audubon has objected, saying that reducing flows in the Platte 
would harm its Rowe Sanctuary and damage habitat used by Sandhill cranes
 and endangered Whooping Cranes.

Also objecting were the North Platte, Central Platte and Lower Loup 
natural resources districts, the Nebraska and Loup River public power 
districts, and a Cozad ditch irrigation district. They worry that lower 
flows in the Platte River would damage power generation and other users 
of the water.

But on Dec. 12, Tom Riley, director of the Nebraska Department of 
Natural Resources, ruled that the objectors had not proven that such an 
interbasin transfer would harm them, and that merely speculating about 
potential damage wasn’t enough.

Riley, in a 30-page ruling made 17 months after a hearing on the 
issue, said that the interbasin transfer would not impact so-called 
“target” flows already designated for wildlife because it only targets 
excess, unappropriated flows from the Platte.

Thus, he dismissed the objections, and ruled that Audubon and the 
other objectors would not be granted legal “standing” to argue against 
the water transfer when it finally gets to a hearing before the DNR.

Officials with Audubon and the other objectors said this week that 
they are considering whether to appeal the ruling. That could delay a 
hearing on whether to grant the interbasin transfer.

Such an interbasin transfer — diverting water from one river drainage to another — would be a first for Nebraska.

And an official with Audubon Nebraska said it would result in diverting water from “one overused river to another,” while failing to provide long-term benefits to either basin.

 Melissa Mosier, Audubon Nebraska’s 
Platte River program manager, said that such a diversion would damage 
wildlife habitat developed by the organization for the hundreds of 
thousands of cranes that visit central Nebraska each spring.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671722945763.png" alt="The many-braided channels of the Platte River. ( Cody Wagner/Audubon)" />
 <figcaption>The many-braided channels of the Platte River. ( Cody Wagner/Audubon)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/22/aududon-decries-state-ruling-denying-it-standing-to-object-to-diversion-from-platte-river/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Audubon Nebraska is condemning a decision to deny it and 
several other parties legal standing to object to an interbasin transfer
 of water from the Platte River to the Republican Basin.One Audubon official called the ruling a “dishonor” to a state 
treasure — the annual migration of tourists to view hundreds of 
thousands of Sandhill cranes roosting in and around the central Platte 
River.The Lower Republican and Tri-Basin natural resources districts have 
applied to divert 150 cubic feet per second of water from the Platte to a
 tributary of the Republican River so the water can help Nebraska comply
 with a compact requirement to deliver flows to Kansas.<h2>Diversion would harm crane sanctuary</h2>But Audubon has objected, saying that reducing flows in the Platte 
would harm its Rowe Sanctuary and damage habitat used by Sandhill cranes
 and endangered Whooping Cranes.Also objecting were the North Platte, Central Platte and Lower Loup 
natural resources districts, the Nebraska and Loup River public power 
districts, and a Cozad ditch irrigation district. They worry that lower 
flows in the Platte River would damage power generation and other users 
of the water.But on Dec. 12, Tom Riley, director of the Nebraska Department of 
Natural Resources, ruled that the objectors had not proven that such an 
interbasin transfer would harm them, and that merely speculating about 
potential damage wasn’t enough.<h2>30-page ruling</h2>Riley, in a 30-page ruling made 17 months after a hearing on the 
issue, said that the interbasin transfer would not impact so-called 
“target” flows already designated for wildlife because it only targets 
excess, unappropriated flows from the Platte.Thus, he dismissed the objections, and ruled that Audubon and the 
other objectors would not be granted legal “standing” to argue against 
the water transfer when it finally gets to a hearing before the DNR.Officials with Audubon and the other objectors said this week that 
they are considering whether to appeal the ruling. That could delay a 
hearing on whether to grant the interbasin transfer.Such an interbasin transfer — diverting water from one river drainage to another — would be a first for Nebraska.<h2>‘One overused river to another’</h2>And an official with Audubon Nebraska said it would result in diverting water from “one overused river to another,” while failing to provide long-term benefits to either basin. Melissa Mosier, Audubon Nebraska’s 
Platte River program manager, said that such a diversion would damage 
wildlife habitat developed by the organization for the hundreds of 
thousands of cranes that visit central Nebraska each spring. “This decision is a dishonor to one of Nebraska’s natural gems and a huge driver of ecotourism in the state,” Mosier said.<h2>$14.3 million impact of cranes</h2>A 2017 report estimated the annual economic impact to central 
Nebraska by crane watching was $14.3 million, and that it sustained more
 than 180 full-time jobs.Mosier said the proposed diversion 
would also strain water resources that communities, power companies and 
irrigators along the Platte rely on.But an official with the Lower Republican Natural Resources District,
 one of the two NRDs seeking the interbasin transfer, said that such 
transfers, while new to Nebraska, aren’t uncommon in states like 
Colorado.Nick Simonson, assistant
 general manager of the Lower Republican NRD, said the right to transfer
 water from the Platte, if granted, would always be junior to other 
water rights on the river, so it’s hard to say how it would harm others.
 And getting more water into the Republican River would help Nebraska 
comply with its compact obligations with Kansas in dry years, he said.<h2>Need to harness water</h2>“We have way more water going out of 
the state than coming in,” Simonson said. “We need to harness that water
 for the good of the state.”But Mosier said that any excess flows in the Platte are beneficial, 
by sustaining habitat along the river and recharging aquifers.More than 70% of the historic flows 
of the Platte are diverted before they reach central Nebraska, she said,
 which has meant that target flows for endangered species are falling 
short.&nbsp;Mosier said that granting such an interbasin diversion of water from the Platte would be “a
 giant step backward” after decades of work with the federal government,
 Colorado, and Wyoming to restore flows to the Platte River.&nbsp;