By SCOTT McFETRIDGE Associated Press

GENOA, Neb. (AP) — The bodies of more than 80 Native American children are buried at the former Genoa Indian Industrial School in central Nebraska.

But for decades, the location of the student cemetery has been a mystery, lost over time after the school closed in 1931 and memories faded of the once-busy campus that sprawled over 640 acres in the tiny community of Genoa.

That mystery may soon be solved thanks to efforts by researchers who pored over century-old documents and maps, examined land with specially trained dogs and made use of ground-penetrating radar in search of the lost graves.

"These children, in my opinion, were disrespected, and they were throwaway children that no one talked about," said Judi gaiashkibos, the executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs whose mother attended the school in the late 1920s. "They were hidden, buried under the ground, and it's time to take the darkness away. Until we do that, we have not honored those children."

The search for the graves comes as the federal government is in the midst of a first-ever comprehensive examination of the national system of more than 400 Native American boarding schools. The schools and additional privately funded institutions were part of an attempt to integrate Indigenous people into the white culture by separating children forcibly or by coercion from their families and cutting them off from their heritage.

The U.S. Interior Department, led by Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico and the first Native American Cabinet secretary, released a report last spring that detailed the boarding school program and noted more than 500 deaths. That number is expected to increase significantly in a second Interior Department report, which will explore boarding school deaths and how the forced removal of children to the schools damaged Indigenous communities.

The federal investigation didn't prompt the work in Genoa but it has added new urgency to the effort.

If the Genoa graves are found, decisions about whether to commemorate them or consider disinterring the remains will be left to representatives of Native American tribes, but simply finding the cemetery will be an accomplishment for individuals who for years have sought to gain a greater understanding of the Nebraska school.

The Genoa Indian Industrial School opened in 1884 and at its height was home to nearly 600 students. In the decades it was open, more than 4,300 children lived there, making it one of the largest Native American schools in the country. The students were given a basic academic education and spent much of their time learning hands-on skills such as horse bridle-making for boys and sewing for girls that had limited value for a country in the midst of an industrial transformation.

The children typically spent long, exhausting days, rising as early as 4 a.m. for chores, followed by several hours of school before working the rest of the day in kitchens, workshops or out in the fields, said gaiashkibos. Discipline could be harsh, with even young children facing beatings for breaking rules.

"Absolutely, we know the children were living in fear," gaiashkibos said. "There were no hugs from mom or grandma. There were no songs sung. Everything was foreign to them."

Children from over 40 tribes were brought from as far away as Idaho and Maine to the school. The were forbidden from speaking their Native languages, their hair was cut — a traumatic experience given the cultural significance for many Native Americans of long hair — and they were required to wear uniforms.

This "forced incarceration" of children at a school hundreds an even thousands of miles away from their homes had a two-fold goal of crushing Native American cultures and aiding in the stealing of Native land, said Farina King, an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma who focuses on Native American studies.

"More than anything there was a clear agenda to cut the ties between their people, their homeland, their culture," said King, a member of the Navajo Nation whose father attended one of the boarding schools. "They wanted to get them away as far as they could."

At Genoa, that typically meant taking a train that would stop at the school grounds, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of Omaha.

After the school closed, most of the larger buildings were demolished and the land sold for other uses. A two-story brick workshop that has been turned into a museum remains, as does a smokestack that towers over the community, but the gymnasium, multi-story classroom buildings and dormitories are long gone and it's hard to imagine a large school once existed in the small community.

The cemetery would have been forgotten too, if not for residents who for 30 years had been searching documents and the land around their community for the burial site. Their effort was given a boost about six years ago by the Genoa Indian School Digital Reconciliation Project, which included advisers from some of the tribes whose ancestors attended the school and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Based off newspaper clippings, superintendent's records, one student's letter that described a cemetery and other documents, they determined at least 86 students died at the school. It's unclear whether close living conditions contributed to the deaths, but records indicate students most commonly died of diseases such as tuberculosis, typhoid and measles. There also was at least one death by accidental shooting and another due to a neck injury.

Researchers identified 49 of the children who died but have not been able to find names for 37 students. It's believed the bodies of a few children were returned to their families.

But while the researchers accounted for the deaths, they couldn't find where the children were buried.

Interest in bringing more professionals to help in Genoa grew after Canada announced in 2021 the discovery of mass graves of Indigenous children at residential schools, said Dave Williams, Nebraska's state archeologist.

"We've heard from residents knowing there were burials nearby, knowing this was the Genoa school cemetery, but that precise location has been lost to time," Williams said. "We've heard it's in a few different locations but so far that hasn't panned out."

There were plenty of theories from residents and even former students, but it took study of maps and aerial photos to narrow down a few options. An initial effort to find remains using ground-penetrating radar wasn't successful, but last summer an Iowa man volunteered to come to the site with dogs that are trained to detect the faint odor of decaying remains.

Two dogs separately signaled they smelled remains on a narrow piece of land sandwiched between railroad tracks, a cornfield and a canal that was dug soon after the boarding school closed. In late October and early November, a team affiliated with the National Park Service made two trips to the site and used different kinds of ground-penetrating radar in hopes of detecting what was beneath the soil.

The results of their examination should be available later in November.

To gaiashkibos, a member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, thinking of the boarding school and searching for the cemetery brings an overwhelming sense of sadness. But she said finding the cemetery is an essential step in honoring the children and recognizing what they had to endure.

"To heal, we have to have answers and bring closure," she said. "We need to know, where are those children?"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669833868119.jpeg" alt="A member of a team affiliated with the National Park Service uses ground-penetrating radar in hopes of detecting what is beneath the soil while searching for over 80 Native American children buried at the former Genoa Indian Industrial School, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, in Genoa, Neb. For decades the location of the student cemetery has been a mystery, lost over time after the school closed in 1931 and memories faded of the once-busy campus that sprawled over 640 acres in the tiny community of Genoa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)" />
 <figcaption>A member of a team affiliated with the National Park Service uses ground-penetrating radar in hopes of detecting what is beneath the soil while searching for over 80 Native American children buried at the former Genoa Indian Industrial School, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, in Genoa, Neb. For decades the location of the student cemetery has been a mystery, lost over time after the school closed in 1931 and memories faded of the once-busy campus that sprawled over 640 acres in the tiny community of Genoa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SCOTT McFETRIDGE Associated PressGENOA, Neb. (AP) — The bodies of more than 80 Native American children are buried at the former Genoa Indian Industrial School in central Nebraska.But for decades, the location of the student cemetery has been a mystery, lost over time after the school closed in 1931 and memories faded of the once-busy campus that sprawled over 640 acres in the tiny community of Genoa.That mystery may soon be solved thanks to efforts by researchers who pored over century-old documents and maps, examined land with specially trained dogs and made use of ground-penetrating radar in search of the lost graves."These children, in my opinion, were disrespected, and they were throwaway children that no one talked about," said Judi gaiashkibos, the executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs whose mother attended the school in the late 1920s. "They were hidden, buried under the ground, and it's time to take the darkness away. Until we do that, we have not honored those children."The search for the graves comes as the federal government is in the midst of a first-ever comprehensive examination of the national system of more than 400 Native American boarding schools. The schools and additional privately funded institutions were part of an attempt to integrate Indigenous people into the white culture by separating children forcibly or by coercion from their families and cutting them off from their heritage.The U.S. Interior Department, led by Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico and the first Native American Cabinet secretary, released a report last spring that detailed the boarding school program and noted more than 500 deaths. That number is expected to increase significantly in a second Interior Department report, which will explore boarding school deaths and how the forced removal of children to the schools damaged Indigenous communities.The federal investigation didn't prompt the work in Genoa but it has added new urgency to the effort.If the Genoa graves are found, decisions about whether to commemorate them or consider disinterring the remains will be left to representatives of Native American tribes, but simply finding the cemetery will be an accomplishment for individuals who for years have sought to gain a greater understanding of the Nebraska school.The Genoa Indian Industrial School opened in 1884 and at its height was home to nearly 600 students. In the decades it was open, more than 4,300 children lived there, making it one of the largest Native American schools in the country. The students were given a basic academic education and spent much of their time learning hands-on skills such as horse bridle-making for boys and sewing for girls that had limited value for a country in the midst of an industrial transformation.The children typically spent long, exhausting days, rising as early as 4 a.m. for chores, followed by several hours of school before working the rest of the day in kitchens, workshops or out in the fields, said gaiashkibos. Discipline could be harsh, with even young children facing beatings for breaking rules."Absolutely, we know the children were living in fear," gaiashkibos said. "There were no hugs from mom or grandma. There were no songs sung. Everything was foreign to them."Children from over 40 tribes were brought from as far away as Idaho and Maine to the school. The were forbidden from speaking their Native languages, their hair was cut — a traumatic experience given the cultural significance for many Native Americans of long hair — and they were required to wear uniforms.This "forced incarceration" of children at a school hundreds an even thousands of miles away from their homes had a two-fold goal of crushing Native American cultures and aiding in the stealing of Native land, said Farina King, an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma who focuses on Native American studies."More than anything there was a clear agenda to cut the ties between their people, their homeland, their culture," said King, a member of the Navajo Nation whose father attended one of the boarding schools. "They wanted to get them away as far as they could."At Genoa, that typically meant taking a train that would stop at the school grounds, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of Omaha.After the school closed, most of the larger buildings were demolished and the land sold for other uses. A two-story brick workshop that has been turned into a museum remains, as does a smokestack that towers over the community, but the gymnasium, multi-story classroom buildings and dormitories are long gone and it's hard to imagine a large school once existed in the small community.The cemetery would have been forgotten too, if not for residents who for 30 years had been searching documents and the land around their community for the burial site. Their effort was given a boost about six years ago by the Genoa Indian School Digital Reconciliation Project, which included advisers from some of the tribes whose ancestors attended the school and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.Based off newspaper clippings, superintendent's records, one student's letter that described a cemetery and other documents, they determined at least 86 students died at the school. It's unclear whether close living conditions contributed to the deaths, but records indicate students most commonly died of diseases such as tuberculosis, typhoid and measles. There also was at least one death by accidental shooting and another due to a neck injury.Researchers identified 49 of the children who died but have not been able to find names for 37 students. It's believed the bodies of a few children were returned to their families.But while the researchers accounted for the deaths, they couldn't find where the children were buried.Interest in bringing more professionals to help in Genoa grew after Canada announced in 2021 the discovery of mass graves of Indigenous children at residential schools, said Dave Williams, Nebraska's state archeologist."We've heard from residents knowing there were burials nearby, knowing this was the Genoa school cemetery, but that precise location has been lost to time," Williams said. "We've heard it's in a few different locations but so far that hasn't panned out."There were plenty of theories from residents and even former students, but it took study of maps and aerial photos to narrow down a few options. An initial effort to find remains using ground-penetrating radar wasn't successful, but last summer an Iowa man volunteered to come to the site with dogs that are trained to detect the faint odor of decaying remains.Two dogs separately signaled they smelled remains on a narrow piece of land sandwiched between railroad tracks, a cornfield and a canal that was dug soon after the boarding school closed. In late October and early November, a team affiliated with the National Park Service made two trips to the site and used different kinds of ground-penetrating radar in hopes of detecting what was beneath the soil.The results of their examination should be available later in November.To gaiashkibos, a member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, thinking of the boarding school and searching for the cemetery brings an overwhelming sense of sadness. But she said finding the cemetery is an essential step in honoring the children and recognizing what they had to endure."To heal, we have to have answers and bring closure," she said. "We need to know, where are those children?"

Researchers seek lost Native American boarding school graves

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House moved urgently to head off the looming nationwide rail strike on Wednesday, passing a bill that would bind companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached in September but rejected by some of the 12 unions involved.

The measure passed by a vote of 290-137 and now heads to the Senate. If approved there, it will be signed by President Joe Biden, who urged the Senate to act swiftly.

“Without the certainty of a final vote to avoid a shutdown this week, railroads will begin to halt the movement of critical materials like chemicals to clean our drinking water as soon as this weekend," Biden said. “Let me say that again: without action this week, disruptions to our auto supply chains, our ability to move food to tables, and our ability to remove hazardous waste from gasoline refineries will begin."

Business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Farm Bureau Federation have warned that halting rail service would cause a $2 billion per day hit to the economy.

The bill would impose a compromise labor agreement brokered by the Biden administration that was ultimately voted down by four of the 12 unions representing more than 100,000 employees at large freight rail carriers. The unions have threatened to strike if an agreement can’t be reached before a Dec. 9 deadline.

Lawmakers from both parties expressed reservations about overriding the negotiations. And the intervention was particularly difficult for Democratic lawmakers who have traditionally sought to align themselves with the politically powerful labor unions that criticized Biden’s move to intervene in the contract dispute and block a strike.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to that concern by adding a second vote Wednesday that would add seven days of paid sick leave per year for rail workers covered under the agreement. However, it will take effect only if the Senate goes along and passes both measures. The House passed the sick leave measure as well, but by a much narrower margin, 221-207, as Republicans overwhelmingly opposed it, indicating that prospects for passage of that add-on are slim in the evenly divided Senate.

The call for more paid sick leave was a major sticking point in the talks. The railroads say the unions have agreed in negotiations over the decades to forgo paid sick time in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits.

The head of the Association of American Railroads trade group said Tuesday that railroads would consider adding paid sick time in the future, but said that change should wait for a new round of negotiations instead of being added now, near the end of three years of contract talks.

The unions maintain that railroads can easily afford to add paid sick time at a time when they are recording record profits. Several of the big railroads involved in these contract talks reported more than $1 billion profit in the third quarter.

“Quite frankly, the fact that paid leave is not part of the final agreement between railroads and labor is, in my opinion, obscene," said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. “It should be there and I hope it will be there at the end of this process."

Most rail workers don’t receive any paid sick time but they do have short-term disability benefits that kick in after as little as four days and can replace some of their income for a year or more. Rail workers do receive vacation and personal leave days, but workers say it’s difficult to use those for illnesses because they must typically be approved far ahead of time.

Republicans also voiced support for the measure to block the strike, but criticized the Biden administration for turning to Congress to “step in to fix the mess.”

“They've retreated in failure and they kicked this problem to Congress for us to decide,” said Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo.

Republicans criticized Pelosi's decision to add the sick leave bill to the mix. They said the Biden administration's own special board of arbitrators recommended higher wages to compensate the unions for not including sick time in its recommendations.

“Why do we even have the system set up the way it is if Congress is going to come in and make changes to all of the recommendations?" Graves said.

Pelosi sought to position Democrats and the Biden administration as defenders of unions and slammed the rail companies, saying they've slashed jobs, increased worker hours and cut corners on safety. But she said Congress needed to intervene.

“Families wouldn't be able to buy groceries or life-saving medications because it would be even more expensive and perishable goods would spoil before reaching shelves," Pelosi said.

The compromise agreement that was supported by the railroads and a majority of the unions provides for 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses retroactive to 2020 along with one additional paid leave day. The raises would be the biggest rail workers have received in more than four decades. Workers would have to pay a larger share of their health insurance costs, but their premiums would be capped at 15% of the total cost of the insurance plan. The agreement did not resolve workers’ concerns about schedules that make it hard to take a day off and the lack of more paid sick time.

On several past occasions, Congress has intervened in labor disputes by enacting legislation to delay or prohibit railway and airline strike

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669823879261.png" alt="The measure passed by a vote of 290-137 and now heads to the Senate- photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The measure passed by a vote of 290-137 and now heads to the Senate- photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House moved urgently to head off the looming nationwide rail strike on Wednesday, passing a bill that would bind companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached in September but rejected by some of the 12 unions involved.The measure passed by a vote of 290-137 and now heads to the Senate. If approved there, it will be signed by President Joe Biden, who urged the Senate to act swiftly.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I&#39;m grateful to Speaker Pelosi and bipartisan House members for acting to prevent a rail shutdown, making clear it would devastate our economy and families everywhere. But without more action, supply chain disruptions will begin. The Senate must urgently send a bill to my desk.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1598028626154463233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Without the certainty of a final vote to avoid a shutdown this week, railroads will begin to halt the movement of critical materials like chemicals to clean our drinking water as soon as this weekend," Biden said. “Let me say that again: without action this week, disruptions to our auto supply chains, our ability to move food to tables, and our ability to remove hazardous waste from gasoline refineries will begin."Business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Farm Bureau Federation have warned that halting rail service would cause a $2 billion per day hit to the economy.The bill would impose a compromise labor agreement brokered by the Biden administration that was ultimately voted down by four of the 12 unions representing more than 100,000 employees at large freight rail carriers. The unions have threatened to strike if an agreement can’t be reached before a Dec. 9 deadline.Lawmakers from both parties expressed reservations about overriding the negotiations. And the intervention was particularly difficult for Democratic lawmakers who have traditionally sought to align themselves with the politically powerful labor unions that criticized Biden’s move to intervene in the contract dispute and block a strike.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to that concern by adding a second vote Wednesday that would add seven days of paid sick leave per year for rail workers covered under the agreement. However, it will take effect only if the Senate goes along and passes both measures. The House passed the sick leave measure as well, but by a much narrower margin, 221-207, as Republicans overwhelmingly opposed it, indicating that prospects for passage of that add-on are slim in the evenly divided Senate.The call for more paid sick leave was a major sticking point in the talks. The railroads say the unions have agreed in negotiations over the decades to forgo paid sick time in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits.The head of the Association of American Railroads trade group said Tuesday that railroads would consider adding paid sick time in the future, but said that change should wait for a new round of negotiations instead of being added now, near the end of three years of contract talks.The unions maintain that railroads can easily afford to add paid sick time at a time when they are recording record profits. Several of the big railroads involved in these contract talks reported more than $1 billion profit in the third quarter.“Quite frankly, the fact that paid leave is not part of the final agreement between railroads and labor is, in my opinion, obscene," said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. “It should be there and I hope it will be there at the end of this process."Most rail workers don’t receive any paid sick time but they do have short-term disability benefits that kick in after as little as four days and can replace some of their income for a year or more. Rail workers do receive vacation and personal leave days, but workers say it’s difficult to use those for illnesses because they must typically be approved far ahead of time.Republicans also voiced support for the measure to block the strike, but criticized the Biden administration for turning to Congress to “step in to fix the mess.”“They've retreated in failure and they kicked this problem to Congress for us to decide,” said Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo.Republicans criticized Pelosi's decision to add the sick leave bill to the mix. They said the Biden administration's own special board of arbitrators recommended higher wages to compensate the unions for not including sick time in its recommendations.“Why do we even have the system set up the way it is if Congress is going to come in and make changes to all of the recommendations?" Graves said.Pelosi sought to position Democrats and the Biden administration as defenders of unions and slammed the rail companies, saying they've slashed jobs, increased worker hours and cut corners on safety. But she said Congress needed to intervene.“Families wouldn't be able to buy groceries or life-saving medications because it would be even more expensive and perishable goods would spoil before reaching shelves," Pelosi said.The compromise agreement that was supported by the railroads and a majority of the unions provides for 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses retroactive to 2020 along with one additional paid leave day. The raises would be the biggest rail workers have received in more than four decades. Workers would have to pay a larger share of their health insurance costs, but their premiums would be capped at 15% of the total cost of the insurance plan. The agreement did not resolve workers’ concerns about schedules that make it hard to take a day off and the lack of more paid sick time.On several past occasions, Congress has intervened in labor disputes by enacting legislation to delay or prohibit railway and airline strike

House OKs bill forcing rail unions to accept deal to avert a strike

WASHINGTON (AP) — Emboldened House Democrats ushered in a new generation of leaders on Wednesday with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-f898cc1a7c59c8f42f669b5f0f167385">Rep. Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;elected to be the first Black American to head a major political party in Congress as long-serving Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her team step aside next year.

Showing rare party unity after their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm election losses</a>, the House Democrats moved seamlessly from one history-making leader to another, choosing the 52-year-old New Yorker, who has vowed to “get things done,” even after Republicans won control of the chamber. The closed-door vote was unanimous, by acclamation.

“It’s a solemn responsibility that we are all inheriting,” Jeffries told reporters on the eve of the party meeting. “And the best thing that we can do as a result of the seriousness and solemnity of the moment is lean in hard and do the best damn job that we can for the people.”

It’s rare that a party that lost the midterm elections would so easily regroup and stands in stark contrast with the upheaval among Republicans, who are struggling to unite around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-congress-government-and-politics-dbad6367bdeb3545f81584e339a4480a">GOP leader Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;as the new House speaker as they prepare to take control when the new Congress convenes in January.

Wednesday’s internal Democratic caucus votes of Jeffries and the other top leaders came without challengers.

The trio led by Jeffries, who will become the Democratic minority leader in the new Congress, includes 59-year-old Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts as the Democratic whip and 43-year-old Rep. Pete Aguilar of California as caucus chairman. The new team of Democratic leaders is expected to slide into the slots held by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Pelosi and her top lieutenants</a>&nbsp;— Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Democratic Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina — as the 80-something leaders make way for the next generation.

But in many ways, the trio has been transitioning in plain sight, as one aide put it — Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar working with Pelosi’s nod these past several years in lower-rung leadership roles as the first woman to have the speaker’s gavel prepared to step down. Pelosi, of California, has led the House Democrats for the past 20 years, and colleagues late Tuesday granted her the honorific title of “speaker emerita.”

“It an important moment for the caucus — that there’s a new generation of leadership,” said Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., ahead of voting.

While Democrats will be relegated to the House minority in the new year, they will have a certain amount of leverage because the Republican majority is expected to be so slim and McCarthy’s hold on his party fragile.

The House's two new potential leaders, Jeffries and McCarthy, are of the same generation but have almost no real relationship to speak of — in fact the Democrat is known for leveling political barbs at the Republican from afar, particularly over the GOP’s embrace of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-updates-cd5339d48064a149527e8f9a1aa7614e">former President Donald Trump</a>. Jeffries served as a House manager during Trump’s first impeachment.

“We’re still working through the implications of Trumpism,” Jeffries said, “and what it has meant, as a very destabilizing force for American democracy.”

Jeffries said he hopes to find “common ground when possible” with Republicans but will “oppose their extremism when we must.”

On the other side of the Capitol, Jeffries will have a partner in Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as two New Yorkers are poised to helm the Democratic leadership in Congress. They live about a mile (1.6 kilometers) apart in Brooklyn.

“There are going to be a group, in my judgment, of mainstream Republicans who are not going to want to go in the MAGA direction, and Hakeem’s the ideal type guy to work with them,” Schumer said in an interview, referencing Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan.

Jeffries has sometimes been met with skepticism from party progressives, viewed as a more centrist figure among House Democrats.

But Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a progressive and part of the “squad” of liberal lawmakers, said she has been heartened by the way Jeffries and his team are reaching out, even though they face no challengers.

“There’s a genuine sense that he wants to develop relationships and working partnerships with many of us,” she said.

Clark, in the No. 2 spot, is seen as a coalition builder on the leadership team, while Aguilar, as the third-ranking leader, is known as a behind-the-scenes conduit to centrists and even Republicans.

Clyburn, now the highest-ranking Black American in Congress, will seek to become the assistant democratic leader, helping the new generation to transition.

The election for Clyburn's post and several others are expected to be held Thursday.

Jeffries’ ascent comes as a milestone for Black Americans, the Capitol built with the labor of enslaved people and its dome later expanded during Abraham Lincoln’s presidency as a symbol the nation would stand during the Civil War.

“The thing about Pete, Katherine and myself is that we embrace what the House represents," Jeffries said, calling it “the institution closest to the people.”

While the House Democrats are often a big, diverse, “noisy family,” he said, “it’s a good thing." He said, "At the end of the day, we’re always committed to finding the highest common denominator in order to get big things done for everyday Americans.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668779053785.png" alt="Hakeem Jeffries-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Hakeem Jeffries-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Emboldened House Democrats ushered in a new generation of leaders on Wednesday with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-f898cc1a7c59c8f42f669b5f0f167385">Rep. Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;elected to be the first Black American to head a major political party in Congress as long-serving Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her team step aside next year.Showing rare party unity after their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm election losses</a>, the House Democrats moved seamlessly from one history-making leader to another, choosing the 52-year-old New Yorker, who has vowed to “get things done,” even after Republicans won control of the chamber. The closed-door vote was unanimous, by acclamation.“It’s a solemn responsibility that we are all inheriting,” Jeffries told reporters on the eve of the party meeting. “And the best thing that we can do as a result of the seriousness and solemnity of the moment is lean in hard and do the best damn job that we can for the people.”It’s rare that a party that lost the midterm elections would so easily regroup and stands in stark contrast with the upheaval among Republicans, who are struggling to unite around&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-congress-government-and-politics-dbad6367bdeb3545f81584e339a4480a">GOP leader Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;as the new House speaker as they prepare to take control when the new Congress convenes in January.Wednesday’s internal Democratic caucus votes of Jeffries and the other top leaders came without challengers.The trio led by Jeffries, who will become the Democratic minority leader in the new Congress, includes 59-year-old Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts as the Democratic whip and 43-year-old Rep. Pete Aguilar of California as caucus chairman. The new team of Democratic leaders is expected to slide into the slots held by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Pelosi and her top lieutenants</a>&nbsp;— Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland and Democratic Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina — as the 80-something leaders make way for the next generation.But in many ways, the trio has been transitioning in plain sight, as one aide put it — Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar working with Pelosi’s nod these past several years in lower-rung leadership roles as the first woman to have the speaker’s gavel prepared to step down. Pelosi, of California, has led the House Democrats for the past 20 years, and colleagues late Tuesday granted her the honorific title of “speaker emerita.”“It an important moment for the caucus — that there’s a new generation of leadership,” said Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., ahead of voting.While Democrats will be relegated to the House minority in the new year, they will have a certain amount of leverage because the Republican majority is expected to be so slim and McCarthy’s hold on his party fragile.The House's two new potential leaders, Jeffries and McCarthy, are of the same generation but have almost no real relationship to speak of — in fact the Democrat is known for leveling political barbs at the Republican from afar, particularly over the GOP’s embrace of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-updates-cd5339d48064a149527e8f9a1aa7614e">former President Donald Trump</a>. Jeffries served as a House manager during Trump’s first impeachment.“We’re still working through the implications of Trumpism,” Jeffries said, “and what it has meant, as a very destabilizing force for American democracy.”Jeffries said he hopes to find “common ground when possible” with Republicans but will “oppose their extremism when we must.”On the other side of the Capitol, Jeffries will have a partner in Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as two New Yorkers are poised to helm the Democratic leadership in Congress. They live about a mile (1.6 kilometers) apart in Brooklyn.“There are going to be a group, in my judgment, of mainstream Republicans who are not going to want to go in the MAGA direction, and Hakeem’s the ideal type guy to work with them,” Schumer said in an interview, referencing Trump's “Make America Great Again” slogan.Jeffries has sometimes been met with skepticism from party progressives, viewed as a more centrist figure among House Democrats.But Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a progressive and part of the “squad” of liberal lawmakers, said she has been heartened by the way Jeffries and his team are reaching out, even though they face no challengers.“There’s a genuine sense that he wants to develop relationships and working partnerships with many of us,” she said.Clark, in the No. 2 spot, is seen as a coalition builder on the leadership team, while Aguilar, as the third-ranking leader, is known as a behind-the-scenes conduit to centrists and even Republicans.Clyburn, now the highest-ranking Black American in Congress, will seek to become the assistant democratic leader, helping the new generation to transition.The election for Clyburn's post and several others are expected to be held Thursday.Jeffries’ ascent comes as a milestone for Black Americans, the Capitol built with the labor of enslaved people and its dome later expanded during Abraham Lincoln’s presidency as a symbol the nation would stand during the Civil War.“The thing about Pete, Katherine and myself is that we embrace what the House represents," Jeffries said, calling it “the institution closest to the people.”While the House Democrats are often a big, diverse, “noisy family,” he said, “it’s a good thing." He said, "At the end of the day, we’re always committed to finding the highest common denominator in order to get big things done for everyday Americans.”___

Hakeem Jeffries unanimously elected to lead House Democrats

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Railroad unions on Tuesday decried President Joe Biden's call for Congress to intervene in their contract dispute, saying it undercuts their efforts to address workers'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life concerns</a>, but businesses stressed that it is crucial to avoid a strike next week that would devastate the economy.

Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that lawmakers will be asked to vote this week to impose the terms of the deals the 12 unions agreed to before an original strike deadline in September, even though four of those unions representing more than half of the 115,000 rail workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-congress-government-and-politics-79d2e2c2779598b0a14396464ee4f7e9">rejected them</a>. Eight other unions ratified the five-year deals that include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses.

Biden said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-government-and-politics-44c88740ed57ba96a20c4fc6fffb230b">reluctantly agreed</a>&nbsp;that it would be best to override the union votes because the potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-climate-and-environment-government-politics-92ea7632a29f807ccc0e2658c50d731e">damage to the economy</a>&nbsp;would be too great.

“Congress I think has to act to prevent it,” Biden said Tuesday. "It’s not an easy call but I think we have to do it. The economy’s at risk.”

Unions and worker groups have been pushing to improve the demanding schedules they say make it hard for workers to ever take a day off and persuade railroads to add paid sick time. They have threatened to strike if new agreements can't be reached before a Dec. 9 deadline.

“It is not enough to ‘share workers’ concerns'," said the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union said in a statement. “A call to Congress to act immediately to pass legislation that adopts tentative agreements that exclude paid sick leave ignores the railroad workers’ concerns.” The union is one of the four that rejected their deal.

The railroads that include BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX, Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">refused</a>&nbsp;to consider adding sick time because they didn't want to spend any more on the labor deals than they agreed to in September. They have also argued that rail unions have agreed over the decades to forego paid sick time in favor of higher wages and stronger short-term disability benefits.

Conductor Gabe Christenson, who is co chairman of the Railroad Workers United coalition that includes workers from all the rail unions, said Biden and the Democrats are siding with the railroads over workers.

“The ’most labor-friendly president in history' has proven that he and the Democratic Party are not the friends of labor they have touted themselves to be," said Christenson, whose group encouraged workers to reject these deals. “These wolves in sheep’s clothing have for decades been in bed with corporate America and have allowed them to continue chipping away at the American middle class and organized labor.”

Paul Lindsey, a longtime Union Pacific engineer based in Pocatello, Idaho, who is active with Railroad Workers United, said Congress and Biden seem to be sending the message that “your quality of life, your time off, your days, your standard of living doesn't matter if you getting a pay increase is going to hurt business.”

But business groups that have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">pressuring Congress and Biden</a>&nbsp;to intervene in the talks praised the president's decision and said they hope Republicans and Democrats can work together to resolve this quickly.

“Truly, the only thing standing in the way of ensuring the American economy doesn’t take a major hit as a consequence of a catastrophic rail strike is the United States Congress," said Mike Sommers, president and chief executive officer of the American Petroleum Institute. “We need to make sure that the United States Congress acts on this as quickly as possible.”

A rail strike would affect nearly every industry because so many businesses rely on railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products. The railroads have estimated that a strike would cost the economy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-congress-government-and-politics-a53abd85fa6f8b3ccd622222ea9a4c46">$2 billion a day</a>&nbsp;and could force many manufacturers to shut down and lay off workers. Plus, commuter railroads and Amtrak would be disrupted because many of them rely on tracks owned by the freight railroads.

Mike Seyfert, CEO of the National Grain and Feed Association, said the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-strike-impact-5eb6747b3e4b4e39d764644d6377121d">widespread severe impact</a>&nbsp;that's expected if there is a rail strike should inspire bipartisan agreement among lawmakers. The impact of a strike would begin to be felt up to a week before the deadline because railroads would begin halting shipments of hazardous chemicals and perishable products ahead of time to ensure they wouldn't be stranded along the tracks.

“Last time I checked, every constituent of every member of the House and Senate has to eat,” Seyfert said. “And so I would think that when you look at potential impacts to the food and ag supply chain hopefully that would help to move this agreement along.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669762218251.png" alt="Biden on Tuesday said he&nbsp;reluctantly agreed&nbsp;that it would be best to override the union votes because the potential&nbsp;damage to the economy&nbsp;would be too great-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden on Tuesday said he&nbsp;reluctantly agreed&nbsp;that it would be best to override the union votes because the potential&nbsp;damage to the economy&nbsp;would be too great-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Railroad unions on Tuesday decried President Joe Biden's call for Congress to intervene in their contract dispute, saying it undercuts their efforts to address workers'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life concerns</a>, but businesses stressed that it is crucial to avoid a strike next week that would devastate the economy.Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that lawmakers will be asked to vote this week to impose the terms of the deals the 12 unions agreed to before an original strike deadline in September, even though four of those unions representing more than half of the 115,000 rail workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-congress-government-and-politics-79d2e2c2779598b0a14396464ee4f7e9">rejected them</a>. Eight other unions ratified the five-year deals that include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The corporate greed never ends. Last year, the rail industry made a record-breaking $20 billion in profits after cutting their workforce by 30% over the last 6 years. Meanwhile, rail workers have ZERO guaranteed paid sick days. Congress must stand with rail workers.&mdash; Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) <a href="https://twitter.com/BernieSanders/status/1596955898832130048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-congress-government-and-politics-44c88740ed57ba96a20c4fc6fffb230b">reluctantly agreed</a>&nbsp;that it would be best to override the union votes because the potential&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-climate-and-environment-government-politics-92ea7632a29f807ccc0e2658c50d731e">damage to the economy</a>&nbsp;would be too great.“Congress I think has to act to prevent it,” Biden said Tuesday. "It’s not an easy call but I think we have to do it. The economy’s at risk.”Unions and worker groups have been pushing to improve the demanding schedules they say make it hard for workers to ever take a day off and persuade railroads to add paid sick time. They have threatened to strike if new agreements can't be reached before a Dec. 9 deadline.“It is not enough to ‘share workers’ concerns'," said the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union said in a statement. “A call to Congress to act immediately to pass legislation that adopts tentative agreements that exclude paid sick leave ignores the railroad workers’ concerns.” The union is one of the four that rejected their deal.The railroads that include BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX, Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">refused</a>&nbsp;to consider adding sick time because they didn't want to spend any more on the labor deals than they agreed to in September. They have also argued that rail unions have agreed over the decades to forego paid sick time in favor of higher wages and stronger short-term disability benefits.Conductor Gabe Christenson, who is co chairman of the Railroad Workers United coalition that includes workers from all the rail unions, said Biden and the Democrats are siding with the railroads over workers.“The ’most labor-friendly president in history' has proven that he and the Democratic Party are not the friends of labor they have touted themselves to be," said Christenson, whose group encouraged workers to reject these deals. “These wolves in sheep’s clothing have for decades been in bed with corporate America and have allowed them to continue chipping away at the American middle class and organized labor.”Paul Lindsey, a longtime Union Pacific engineer based in Pocatello, Idaho, who is active with Railroad Workers United, said Congress and Biden seem to be sending the message that “your quality of life, your time off, your days, your standard of living doesn't matter if you getting a pay increase is going to hurt business.”But business groups that have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">pressuring Congress and Biden</a>&nbsp;to intervene in the talks praised the president's decision and said they hope Republicans and Democrats can work together to resolve this quickly.“Truly, the only thing standing in the way of ensuring the American economy doesn’t take a major hit as a consequence of a catastrophic rail strike is the United States Congress," said Mike Sommers, president and chief executive officer of the American Petroleum Institute. “We need to make sure that the United States Congress acts on this as quickly as possible.”A rail strike would affect nearly every industry because so many businesses rely on railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products. The railroads have estimated that a strike would cost the economy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-congress-government-and-politics-a53abd85fa6f8b3ccd622222ea9a4c46">$2 billion a day</a>&nbsp;and could force many manufacturers to shut down and lay off workers. Plus, commuter railroads and Amtrak would be disrupted because many of them rely on tracks owned by the freight railroads.Mike Seyfert, CEO of the National Grain and Feed Association, said the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-strike-impact-5eb6747b3e4b4e39d764644d6377121d">widespread severe impact</a>&nbsp;that's expected if there is a rail strike should inspire bipartisan agreement among lawmakers. The impact of a strike would begin to be felt up to a week before the deadline because railroads would begin halting shipments of hazardous chemicals and perishable products ahead of time to ensure they wouldn't be stranded along the tracks.“Last time I checked, every constituent of every member of the House and Senate has to eat,” Seyfert said. “And so I would think that when you look at potential impacts to the food and ag supply chain hopefully that would help to move this agreement along.”

Railroad unions decry Biden's plan to block possible strike

<a href="https://www.congress.gov/117/crec/2022/11/17/168/178/CREC-2022-11-17-pt1-PgS6770-3.pdf">Click here to read </a>the text of the Respect for Marriage Act

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed bipartisan legislation Tuesday to protect same-sex marriages, an extraordinary sign of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-relationships-gay-rights-marriage-a6d9a92c4a5cda6e4b977f516a9a71a7">shifting national politics</a>&nbsp;on the issue and a measure of relief for the hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples who have married since the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision that legalized gay marriage nationwide.

The bill, which would ensure that same-sex and interracial marriages are enshrined in federal law, was approved 61-36 on Tuesday. Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the measure. Missouri Senator Roy Blunt voted in favor.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the legislation was “a long time coming” and part of America’s “difficult but inexorable march towards greater equality.”

Democrats are moving quickly, while the party still holds the majority in both chambers of Congress, to send the bill to the House and then — they hope — to President Joe Biden’s desk. The bill has gained steady momentum since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court’s June decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion</a>, a ruling that included a concurring opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas that suggested same-sex marriage could also come under threat. Bipartisan Senate negotiations got a kick-start this summer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-race-and-ethnicity-gay-rights-marriage-social-issues-77ec6e2a60b5990ceaf7c396fee42016">when 47 Republicans unexpectedly voted for a House bill</a>&nbsp;and gave supporters new optimism.

The legislation would not force any state to allow same-sex couples to marry. But it would require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed, and protect current same-sex unions, if the court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision were to be overturned.

That's a stunning bipartisan endorsement, and evidence of societal change, after years of bitter divisiveness on the issue.

The bill would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.”

A new law protecting same-sex marriages would be a major victory for Democrats as they relinquish their two years of consolidated power in Washington, and a massive win for advocates who have been pushing for decades for federal legislation. It comes as the LGBTQ community has faced violent attacks, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-crime-shootings-colorado-springs-774c94125cbad7cf05af2c99b81d42cc">shooting last weekend at a gay nightclub in Colorado</a>&nbsp;that killed five people and injured at least 17.

“Our community really needs a win, we have been through a lot,” said Kelley Robinson, the incoming president of Human Rights Campaign, which advocates on LGBTQ issues. “As a queer person who is married, I feel a sense of relief right now. I know my family is safe.”

The vote was personal for many senators, too. Schumer said on Tuesday that he was wearing the tie he wore at his daughter's wedding, “one of the happiest moments of my life.” He also recalled the “harrowing conversation” he had with his daughter and her wife in September 2020 when they heard that liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had passed away. “Could our right to marry be undone?” they asked at the time.

With conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett replacing Ginsburg, the court has now overturned Roe v. Wade and the federal right to an abortion, stoking fears about Obergefell and other rights protected by the court. But sentiment has shifted on same-sex marriage, with more than two-thirds of the public now in support.

Still, Schumer said it was notable that the Senate was even having the debate after years of Republican opposition. “A decade ago, it would have strained all of our imaginations to envision both sides talking about protecting the rights of same-sex married couples,” he said.

Passage came after the Senate rejected three Republican amendments to protect the rights of religious institutions and others to still oppose such marriages. Supporters of the legislation argued those amendments were unnecessary because the bill had already been amended to clarify that it does not affect rights of private individuals or businesses that are currently enshrined in law. The bill would also make clear that a marriage is between two people, an effort to ward off some far-right criticism that the legislation could endorse polygamy.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who has been lobbying his fellow GOP senators to support the legislation for months, pointed to the number of religious groups supporting the bill, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some of those groups were part of negotiations on the bipartisan amendment.

“They see this as a step forward for religious freedom,” Tillis says.

The nearly 17-million member, Utah-based faith said in a statement this month that church doctrine would continue to consider same-sex relationships to be against God’s commandments. Yet it said it would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn’t infringe upon religious groups’ right to believe as they choose.

Most Republicans still oppose the legislation, saying it is unnecessary and citing concerns about religious liberty. And some conservative groups stepped up opposition in recent weeks, lobbying Republican supporters to switch their votes.

“As I and others have argued for years, marriage is the exclusive, lifelong, conjugal union between one man and one woman, and any departure from that design hurts the indispensable goal of having every child raised in a stable home by the mom and dad who conceived him,” the Heritage Foundation's Roger Severino, vice president of domestic policy, wrote in a recent blog post arguing against the bill.

In an effort to win the 10 Republican votes necessary to overcome a filibuster in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats delayed consideration until after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm elections</a>, hoping that would relieve political pressure on GOP senators who might be wavering.

Eventual support from 12 Republicans gave Democrats the votes they needed.

Along with Tillis, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Ohio Sen. Rob Portman supported the bill early on and have lobbied their GOP colleagues to support it. Also voting for the legislation in two test votes ahead of passage were Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Todd Young of Indiana, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Mitt Romney of Utah, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska.

Lummis, one of the more conservative members of the Senate, spoke ahead of the final vote about her “fairly brutal self soul searching” before supporting the bill. She said that she accepts her church's beliefs that a marriage is between a man and a woman, but noted that the country was founded on the separation of church and state.

“We do well by taking this step, not embracing or validating each other’s devoutly held views, but by the simple act of tolerating them,” Lummis said.

The growing GOP support for the issue is a sharp contrast from even a decade ago, when many Republicans vocally opposed same-sex marriages.

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat who is the first openly gay senator and has been working on gay rights issues for almost four decades, said this month that the newfound openness from many Republicans on the subject reminds her “of the arc of the LBGTQ movement to begin with, in the early days when people weren’t out and people knew gay people by myths and stereotypes.”

Baldwin, the lead Senate negotiator on the legislation, said that as more individuals and families have become visible, hearts and minds have changed.

“And slowly laws have followed,” she said. “It is history.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669739137328.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.congress.gov/117/crec/2022/11/17/168/178/CREC-2022-11-17-pt1-PgS6770-3.pdf">Click here to read </a>the text of the Respect for Marriage ActWASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed bipartisan legislation Tuesday to protect same-sex marriages, an extraordinary sign of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-relationships-gay-rights-marriage-a6d9a92c4a5cda6e4b977f516a9a71a7">shifting national politics</a>&nbsp;on the issue and a measure of relief for the hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples who have married since the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision that legalized gay marriage nationwide.The bill, which would ensure that same-sex and interracial marriages are enshrined in federal law, was approved 61-36 on Tuesday. Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the measure. Missouri Senator Roy Blunt voted in favor.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the legislation was “a long time coming” and part of America’s “difficult but inexorable march towards greater equality.”Democrats are moving quickly, while the party still holds the majority in both chambers of Congress, to send the bill to the House and then — they hope — to President Joe Biden’s desk. The bill has gained steady momentum since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court’s June decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion</a>, a ruling that included a concurring opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas that suggested same-sex marriage could also come under threat. Bipartisan Senate negotiations got a kick-start this summer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-race-and-ethnicity-gay-rights-marriage-social-issues-77ec6e2a60b5990ceaf7c396fee42016">when 47 Republicans unexpectedly voted for a House bill</a>&nbsp;and gave supporters new optimism.The legislation would not force any state to allow same-sex couples to marry. But it would require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed, and protect current same-sex unions, if the court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision were to be overturned.That's a stunning bipartisan endorsement, and evidence of societal change, after years of bitter divisiveness on the issue.The bill would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.”A new law protecting same-sex marriages would be a major victory for Democrats as they relinquish their two years of consolidated power in Washington, and a massive win for advocates who have been pushing for decades for federal legislation. It comes as the LGBTQ community has faced violent attacks, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-crime-shootings-colorado-springs-774c94125cbad7cf05af2c99b81d42cc">shooting last weekend at a gay nightclub in Colorado</a>&nbsp;that killed five people and injured at least 17.“Our community really needs a win, we have been through a lot,” said Kelley Robinson, the incoming president of Human Rights Campaign, which advocates on LGBTQ issues. “As a queer person who is married, I feel a sense of relief right now. I know my family is safe.”The vote was personal for many senators, too. Schumer said on Tuesday that he was wearing the tie he wore at his daughter's wedding, “one of the happiest moments of my life.” He also recalled the “harrowing conversation” he had with his daughter and her wife in September 2020 when they heard that liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had passed away. “Could our right to marry be undone?” they asked at the time.With conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett replacing Ginsburg, the court has now overturned Roe v. Wade and the federal right to an abortion, stoking fears about Obergefell and other rights protected by the court. But sentiment has shifted on same-sex marriage, with more than two-thirds of the public now in support.Still, Schumer said it was notable that the Senate was even having the debate after years of Republican opposition. “A decade ago, it would have strained all of our imaginations to envision both sides talking about protecting the rights of same-sex married couples,” he said.Passage came after the Senate rejected three Republican amendments to protect the rights of religious institutions and others to still oppose such marriages. Supporters of the legislation argued those amendments were unnecessary because the bill had already been amended to clarify that it does not affect rights of private individuals or businesses that are currently enshrined in law. The bill would also make clear that a marriage is between two people, an effort to ward off some far-right criticism that the legislation could endorse polygamy.Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who has been lobbying his fellow GOP senators to support the legislation for months, pointed to the number of religious groups supporting the bill, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some of those groups were part of negotiations on the bipartisan amendment.“They see this as a step forward for religious freedom,” Tillis says.The nearly 17-million member, Utah-based faith said in a statement this month that church doctrine would continue to consider same-sex relationships to be against God’s commandments. Yet it said it would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn’t infringe upon religious groups’ right to believe as they choose.Most Republicans still oppose the legislation, saying it is unnecessary and citing concerns about religious liberty. And some conservative groups stepped up opposition in recent weeks, lobbying Republican supporters to switch their votes.“As I and others have argued for years, marriage is the exclusive, lifelong, conjugal union between one man and one woman, and any departure from that design hurts the indispensable goal of having every child raised in a stable home by the mom and dad who conceived him,” the Heritage Foundation's Roger Severino, vice president of domestic policy, wrote in a recent blog post arguing against the bill.In an effort to win the 10 Republican votes necessary to overcome a filibuster in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats delayed consideration until after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm elections</a>, hoping that would relieve political pressure on GOP senators who might be wavering.Eventual support from 12 Republicans gave Democrats the votes they needed.Along with Tillis, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Ohio Sen. Rob Portman supported the bill early on and have lobbied their GOP colleagues to support it. Also voting for the legislation in two test votes ahead of passage were Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Todd Young of Indiana, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Mitt Romney of Utah, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska.Lummis, one of the more conservative members of the Senate, spoke ahead of the final vote about her “fairly brutal self soul searching” before supporting the bill. She said that she accepts her church's beliefs that a marriage is between a man and a woman, but noted that the country was founded on the separation of church and state.“We do well by taking this step, not embracing or validating each other’s devoutly held views, but by the simple act of tolerating them,” Lummis said.The growing GOP support for the issue is a sharp contrast from even a decade ago, when many Republicans vocally opposed same-sex marriages.Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat who is the first openly gay senator and has been working on gay rights issues for almost four decades, said this month that the newfound openness from many Republicans on the subject reminds her “of the arc of the LBGTQ movement to begin with, in the early days when people weren’t out and people knew gay people by myths and stereotypes.”Baldwin, the lead Senate negotiator on the legislation, said that as more individuals and families have become visible, hearts and minds have changed.“And slowly laws have followed,” she said. “It is history.”-------------

Landmark same-sex marriage bill wins Senate passage

WASHINGTON (AP) — Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes was convicted Tuesday of seditious conspiracy for a violent plot to overturn President Joe Biden’s election, handing the Justice Department a major victory in its massive prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection

A Washington, D.C., jury found Rhodes guilty of sedition after three days of deliberations in the nearly two-month-long trial that showcased the far-right extremist group’s efforts to keep Republican Donald Trump in the White House at all costs. Rhodes was acquitted of two other conspiracy charges.

Using dozens of encrypted messages, recordings and surveillance video, prosecutors made the case that Rhodes began shortly after the 2020 election to prepare an armed rebellion to stop the transfer of presidential power.

Over seven weeks of testimony, jurors heard how Rhodes rallied his followers to fight to defend Trump, discussed the prospect of a “bloody” civil war and warned the Oath Keepers may have to “rise up in insurrection” to defeat Biden if Trump didn’t act.

One of Rhodes' co-defendants — Kelly Meggs, the leader of the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers — was also convicted of the sedition charge, while three other co-defendants were cleared of the charge. Jurors found all five defendants guilty of obstruction of an official proceeding: Congress' certification of Biden's electoral victory.

Rhodes and Meggs are the first people in nearly three decades to be found guilty of the rarely used Civil War-era charge at trial. The trial was the biggest test yet for the Justice Department in its efforts to hold accountable those responsible for attack that shook the foundations of American democracy.

Seditious conspiracy calls for up to 20 years behind bars.

On trial alongside Rhodes, of Granbury, Texas, and Meggs, were Kenneth Harrelson, another Florida Oath Keeper; Thomas Caldwell, a retired Navy intelligence officer from Virginia; and Jessica Watkins, who led an Ohio militia group.

Defense attorneys accused prosecutors of twisting their clients' words and insisted the Oath Keepers came to Washington only to provide security for figures such as Roger Stone, a longtime Trump ally. The defense focused heavily on seeking to show that Rhodes’ rhetoric was just bluster and that the Oath Keepers had no plan before Jan. 6 to attack the Capitol.

Rhodes testified that he had no idea that his followers were going to join the mob and storm the Capitol and said he was upset after he found out that some did. Rhodes said they were acting “stupid” and outside their mission for the day.

Prosecutors said the Oath Keepers saw an opportunity to advance their plot to stop the transfer of power and sprang into action when the mob started storming the Capitol. The Capitol attack was a “means to an end” for the Oath Keepers, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy told jurors in her closing argument.

Jurors heard how Rhodes spent thousands of dollars on an AR-platform rifle, magazines, mounts, sights and other equipment on his way to Washington ahead of the riot. They watched surveillance footage from the Virginia hotel where some Oath Keepers stashed weapons for “quick reaction force” teams prosecutors said were ready to get weapons into the city quickly if they were needed. The weapons were never deployed.

On Jan. 6, Oath Keepers wearing combat gear were seen on camera shouldering their way through the crowd and into the Capitol. Rhodes remained outside like a “general surveying his troops on the battlefield,” a prosecutor said. After the riot, Rhodes and other Oath Keepers went to an Olive Garden restaurant to celebrate, according to prosecutors.

The trial revealed new details about Rhodes’ efforts to pressure Trump to fight to stay in White House in the weeks leading up to Jan. 6. Shortly after the election, in a group chat that included Stone called “FOS” or “Friends of Stone,” Rhodes wrote, “So will you step up and push Trump to FINALLY take decisive action?”

Another man testified that after the riot, Rhodes tried to persuade him to pass along a message to Trump that urged the president not to give up his fight to hold onto power. The intermediary — a man who told jurors he had an indirect way to reach the president — recorded his meeting with Rhodes and went to the FBI instead of giving the message to Trump.

“If he’s not going to do the right thing and he’s just gonna let himself be removed illegally then we should have brought rifles,” Rhodes said during that meeting, according to a recording played for jurors. “We should have fixed it right then and there. I’d hang (expletive) Pelosi from the lamppost,” Rhodes said, referring to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Three other Oath Keepers previously pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy. The last time the Justice Department had secured such a conviction at trial, though, was in the 1995 prosecution of Islamic militants who plotted to bomb New York City landmarks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669760612209.png" alt="Rhodes from his Jan. 2022 arrest-photo Collin County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Rhodes from his Jan. 2022 arrest-photo Collin County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes was convicted Tuesday of seditious conspiracy for a violent plot to overturn President Joe Biden’s election, handing the Justice Department a major victory in its massive prosecution of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrectionA Washington, D.C., jury found Rhodes guilty of sedition after three days of deliberations in the nearly two-month-long trial that showcased the far-right extremist group’s efforts to keep Republican Donald Trump in the White House at all costs. Rhodes was acquitted of two other conspiracy charges.Using dozens of encrypted messages, recordings and surveillance video, prosecutors made the case that Rhodes began shortly after the 2020 election to prepare an armed rebellion to stop the transfer of presidential power.Over seven weeks of testimony, jurors heard how Rhodes rallied his followers to fight to defend Trump, discussed the prospect of a “bloody” civil war and warned the Oath Keepers may have to “rise up in insurrection” to defeat Biden if Trump didn’t act.One of Rhodes' co-defendants — Kelly Meggs, the leader of the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers — was also convicted of the sedition charge, while three other co-defendants were cleared of the charge. Jurors found all five defendants guilty of obstruction of an official proceeding: Congress' certification of Biden's electoral victory.Rhodes and Meggs are the first people in nearly three decades to be found guilty of the rarely used Civil War-era charge at trial. The trial was the biggest test yet for the Justice Department in its efforts to hold accountable those responsible for attack that shook the foundations of American democracy.Seditious conspiracy calls for up to 20 years behind bars.On trial alongside Rhodes, of Granbury, Texas, and Meggs, were Kenneth Harrelson, another Florida Oath Keeper; Thomas Caldwell, a retired Navy intelligence officer from Virginia; and Jessica Watkins, who led an Ohio militia group.Defense attorneys accused prosecutors of twisting their clients' words and insisted the Oath Keepers came to Washington only to provide security for figures such as Roger Stone, a longtime Trump ally. The defense focused heavily on seeking to show that Rhodes’ rhetoric was just bluster and that the Oath Keepers had no plan before Jan. 6 to attack the Capitol.Rhodes testified that he had no idea that his followers were going to join the mob and storm the Capitol and said he was upset after he found out that some did. Rhodes said they were acting “stupid” and outside their mission for the day.Prosecutors said the Oath Keepers saw an opportunity to advance their plot to stop the transfer of power and sprang into action when the mob started storming the Capitol. The Capitol attack was a “means to an end” for the Oath Keepers, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy told jurors in her closing argument.Jurors heard how Rhodes spent thousands of dollars on an AR-platform rifle, magazines, mounts, sights and other equipment on his way to Washington ahead of the riot. They watched surveillance footage from the Virginia hotel where some Oath Keepers stashed weapons for “quick reaction force” teams prosecutors said were ready to get weapons into the city quickly if they were needed. The weapons were never deployed.On Jan. 6, Oath Keepers wearing combat gear were seen on camera shouldering their way through the crowd and into the Capitol. Rhodes remained outside like a “general surveying his troops on the battlefield,” a prosecutor said. After the riot, Rhodes and other Oath Keepers went to an Olive Garden restaurant to celebrate, according to prosecutors.The trial revealed new details about Rhodes’ efforts to pressure Trump to fight to stay in White House in the weeks leading up to Jan. 6. Shortly after the election, in a group chat that included Stone called “FOS” or “Friends of Stone,” Rhodes wrote, “So will you step up and push Trump to FINALLY take decisive action?”Another man testified that after the riot, Rhodes tried to persuade him to pass along a message to Trump that urged the president not to give up his fight to hold onto power. The intermediary — a man who told jurors he had an indirect way to reach the president — recorded his meeting with Rhodes and went to the FBI instead of giving the message to Trump.“If he’s not going to do the right thing and he’s just gonna let himself be removed illegally then we should have brought rifles,” Rhodes said during that meeting, according to a recording played for jurors. “We should have fixed it right then and there. I’d hang (expletive) Pelosi from the lamppost,” Rhodes said, referring to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.Three other Oath Keepers previously pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy. The last time the Justice Department had secured such a conviction at trial, though, was in the 1995 prosecution of Islamic militants who plotted to bomb New York City landmarks.

Oath Keepers boss guilty of Civil War-era charge in 1/6 case

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A woman who family members believe was the toddler who was kidnapped by a babysitter 51 years ago has been reunited with her family in Fort Worth, in a meeting filled with long-overdue hugs and joyful tears.

Melissa Highsmith was 22 months old when she was abducted by a purported babysitter in 1971. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article269292702.html">Fort Worth Star-Telegram</a>&nbsp;reported that she lived in Fort Worth most of her life as Melanie Brown and didn’t know she was kidnapped until her biological father, Jeffrie Highsmith, submitted DNA to 23andMe and learned that he was a match to Brown's children.

The family said in a news release that they worked with an amateur genealogist to help interpret the DNA results and mine public records to find Melissa, who reunited with her parents and two of her siblings this weekend.

“It was just a mixture of joy and terrifying. Being terrified and excited and just trying to understand, you know, make sense of everything,” Melissa Highsmith told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fox4news.com/news/fort-worth-woman-reunited-with-family-51-years-after-being-kidnapped-by-babysitter">KDFW-TV</a>.

In a statement Monday, the Fort Worth Police Department said it’s “overjoyed” to hear that 23andMe led the Highsmiths to Melissa, and they will conduct official DNA testing to confirm her identity. The investigation into her kidnapping will continue.

“I couldn’t stop crying,” Melissa’s sister, Victoria Garner, wrote on Facebook. “I was overjoyed and I’m still walking around in a fog trying to comprehend that my sister is right in front of me and that we found her.”

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Melissa Highsmith’s biological mother, Alta Apantenco, had recently separated from the girl's father and moved to Fort Worth when she placed an ad for a babysitter in the newspaper. A woman who answered the ad said she wanted to watch the girl at her own house, and Apantenco agreed. The babysitter picked up the baby from Apantenco's roommate on Aug. 23, 1971 and never brought her back.

The family said they never forgot about Melissa.

“It’s overwhelming and incredible to me,” said Sharon Highsmith, Melissa’s younger sister. “For 50 years, my mom has lived with the guilt of losing Melissa. She’s also lived with community and nationwide accusations that she hurt or killed her own baby. I’m so glad we have Melissa back. I’m also grateful we have vindication for my mom."

Jeffrie Highsmith told KDFW that the family never gave up the hope of finding Melissa.

"We had several tips, we would go off to other states. We would go off and talk to different girls, have DNA made, and our hopes were dashed," he said. “It was hard.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669755710504.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A woman who family members believe was the toddler who was kidnapped by a babysitter 51 years ago has been reunited with her family in Fort Worth, in a meeting filled with long-overdue hugs and joyful tears.Melissa Highsmith was 22 months old when she was abducted by a purported babysitter in 1971. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article269292702.html">Fort Worth Star-Telegram</a>&nbsp;reported that she lived in Fort Worth most of her life as Melanie Brown and didn’t know she was kidnapped until her biological father, Jeffrie Highsmith, submitted DNA to 23andMe and learned that he was a match to Brown's children.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmissingkids%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02Fcxs3kxB6kqiXKCNebybR35exZyhbGPz8Anb6snMvcecg2WQ2ryhLBMGXgMgvYGkl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="907" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The family said in a news release that they worked with an amateur genealogist to help interpret the DNA results and mine public records to find Melissa, who reunited with her parents and two of her siblings this weekend.“It was just a mixture of joy and terrifying. Being terrified and excited and just trying to understand, you know, make sense of everything,” Melissa Highsmith told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fox4news.com/news/fort-worth-woman-reunited-with-family-51-years-after-being-kidnapped-by-babysitter">KDFW-TV</a>.In a statement Monday, the Fort Worth Police Department said it’s “overjoyed” to hear that 23andMe led the Highsmiths to Melissa, and they will conduct official DNA testing to confirm her identity. The investigation into her kidnapping will continue.“I couldn’t stop crying,” Melissa’s sister, Victoria Garner, wrote on Facebook. “I was overjoyed and I’m still walking around in a fog trying to comprehend that my sister is right in front of me and that we found her.”According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Melissa Highsmith’s biological mother, Alta Apantenco, had recently separated from the girl's father and moved to Fort Worth when she placed an ad for a babysitter in the newspaper. A woman who answered the ad said she wanted to watch the girl at her own house, and Apantenco agreed. The babysitter picked up the baby from Apantenco's roommate on Aug. 23, 1971 and never brought her back.The family said they never forgot about Melissa.“It’s overwhelming and incredible to me,” said Sharon Highsmith, Melissa’s younger sister. “For 50 years, my mom has lived with the guilt of losing Melissa. She’s also lived with community and nationwide accusations that she hurt or killed her own baby. I’m so glad we have Melissa back. I’m also grateful we have vindication for my mom."Jeffrie Highsmith told KDFW that the family never gave up the hope of finding Melissa."We had several tips, we would go off to other states. We would go off and talk to different girls, have DNA made, and our hopes were dashed," he said. “It was hard.”

Woman believed to be 1971 kidnap victim reunites with family

Rural sightings down 45% over past 15 years

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/29/state-hopes-unl-study-will-help-explain-wild-turkey-population-decline/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Hunters and conservationists 
hope a new study of Nebraska’s declining number of wild turkeys will 
help determine how to help the roaming gobblers rebound.

The Nebraska Game and Parks 
Commission is funding the study with $1.8 million in fees from gun, ammo
 and hunting permit sales, said Luke Meduna, who heads the agency’s big 
game program.

Game and Parks intends to better 
understand how wild turkeys are faring in Nebraska, what problems they 
are facing and what steps, if any, might help their population bounce 
back.

“We’ve never actually done a study 
like this where we’ve collared birds and looked at mortality,” Meduna 
said. “We aren’t alone in seeing this boom and bust of turkeys.”

Nebraska has seen a 45% decline in 
sightings of wild turkeys by rural mail carriers over the past 15 years,
 a key statistic that state wildlife experts use to set limits on 
hunting.

Officials acknowledge that the 
decline could be a return to the smaller number that turkey habitats in 
northwest and southwest Nebraska can support after a population boomlet 
from 2008-2010. Drought could be another factor.

Researchers from the University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Georgia will spend the next 
several years studying Merriam’s turkeys in western Nebraska for 
baseline numbers.

Teams will catalog how many turkeys 
lay eggs, how many eggs in a clutch survive and where adult turkeys 
acquire food and choose to shelter.

They will also track the turkeys’ 
movements to figure out what kind of cover they seek out at what times 
of year and how their choices affect their survival.

The state uses information like this 
to decide limits on hunting each year and hunting seasons, to keep 
populations from going too low.

For 2023, the state dropped the 
number of turkeys hunters can bag in the spring to two birds apiece and a
 single bird in the fall season.

Nebraska has become a national 
destination for turkey hunters. Game and Parks sells 9,000 to 13,000 
turkey hunting permits to out-of-state hunters each spring.&nbsp;

Deer hunting, by contrast, draws between 13,000 to 15,000 out-of-state permits each fall, officials said.

It’s big business, too. Hunting and 
fishing bring about $1 billion in economic activity to Nebraska each 
year, Gov. Pete Ricketts has said it.&nbsp;

Hunting has also impacted the state’s
 turkey population, officials said. But the wild turkey population 
appears to be declining faster than hunting can explain.&nbsp;

The National Wild Turkey Federation <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/largest-wild-turkey-research-underway-in-nebraska">applauded the study</a> as a step toward learning what’s happening in other states seeing similar declines, including Oklahoma and Kansas.

The federation’s Nebraska chapter did not immediately return a message Monday seeking comment.

Among the targets for study: habitat 
loss to farming, housing and industrial developments; whether too many 
males have been lost to breed; and whether predators are picking off 
more turkeys.

“Similar to pheasants and bobwhite 
quail, wild turkeys face various challenges as a ground nesting 
gamebird,” said Andrew Little of the School of Natural Resources at UNL.
 “So it’s usually not one specific factor that is affecting their 
decline but a combination of factors.”

He said the timing is right “to improve our understanding of wild turkey populations.”&nbsp;

<h2>Rural sightings down 45% over past 15 years</h2>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/29/state-hopes-unl-study-will-help-explain-wild-turkey-population-decline/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Hunters and conservationists 
hope a new study of Nebraska’s declining number of wild turkeys will 
help determine how to help the roaming gobblers rebound.The Nebraska Game and Parks 
Commission is funding the study with $1.8 million in fees from gun, ammo
 and hunting permit sales, said Luke Meduna, who heads the agency’s big 
game program.Game and Parks intends to better 
understand how wild turkeys are faring in Nebraska, what problems they 
are facing and what steps, if any, might help their population bounce 
back.“We’ve never actually done a study 
like this where we’ve collared birds and looked at mortality,” Meduna 
said. “We aren’t alone in seeing this boom and bust of turkeys.”Nebraska has seen a 45% decline in 
sightings of wild turkeys by rural mail carriers over the past 15 years,
 a key statistic that state wildlife experts use to set limits on 
hunting.Officials acknowledge that the 
decline could be a return to the smaller number that turkey habitats in 
northwest and southwest Nebraska can support after a population boomlet 
from 2008-2010. Drought could be another factor.Researchers from the University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Georgia will spend the next 
several years studying Merriam’s turkeys in western Nebraska for 
baseline numbers.Teams will catalog how many turkeys 
lay eggs, how many eggs in a clutch survive and where adult turkeys 
acquire food and choose to shelter.They will also track the turkeys’ 
movements to figure out what kind of cover they seek out at what times 
of year and how their choices affect their survival.The state uses information like this 
to decide limits on hunting each year and hunting seasons, to keep 
populations from going too low.For 2023, the state dropped the 
number of turkeys hunters can bag in the spring to two birds apiece and a
 single bird in the fall season.Nebraska has become a national 
destination for turkey hunters. Game and Parks sells 9,000 to 13,000 
turkey hunting permits to out-of-state hunters each spring.&nbsp;Deer hunting, by contrast, draws between 13,000 to 15,000 out-of-state permits each fall, officials said.It’s big business, too. Hunting and 
fishing bring about $1 billion in economic activity to Nebraska each 
year, Gov. Pete Ricketts has said it.&nbsp;Hunting has also impacted the state’s
 turkey population, officials said. But the wild turkey population 
appears to be declining faster than hunting can explain.&nbsp;The National Wild Turkey Federation <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/largest-wild-turkey-research-underway-in-nebraska">applauded the study</a> as a step toward learning what’s happening in other states seeing similar declines, including Oklahoma and Kansas.The federation’s Nebraska chapter did not immediately return a message Monday seeking comment.Among the targets for study: habitat 
loss to farming, housing and industrial developments; whether too many 
males have been lost to breed; and whether predators are picking off 
more turkeys.“Similar to pheasants and bobwhite 
quail, wild turkeys face various challenges as a ground nesting 
gamebird,” said Andrew Little of the School of Natural Resources at UNL.
 “So it’s usually not one specific factor that is affecting their 
decline but a combination of factors.”He said the timing is right “to improve our understanding of wild turkey populations.”&nbsp;

Nebraska study hopes to explain wild turkey population decline

ATLANTA (AP) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization say measles immunization has dropped significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in a record high of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose last year.

In a report issued this month, the CDC and the WHO said millions of children were now susceptible to measles, among the world’s most contagious diseases. In 2021, officials said there were about 9 million measles infections and 128,000 deaths worldwide.

The WHO and CDC said continued drops in vaccination, weak disease surveillance and delayed response plans due to COVID-19, in addition to ongoing outbreaks in more than 20 countries, mean that “measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world.”

Scientists estimate that at least 95% of a population needs to be immunized to protect against epidemics; the WHO and the CDC reported that only about 81% of children receive their first dose of measles vaccine while 71% get their second dose, marking the lowest global coverage rates of the first measles dose since 2008.

“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.

Measles is mostly spread through direct contact or in the air and causes symptoms including fever, muscle pain and a skin rash on the face and upper neck. Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications including swelling of the brain and dehydration. The WHO says serious complications are most serious in children under five and adults over 30.

More than 95% of measles deaths occur in developing countries, mostly in Africa and Asia. There is no specific treatment for measles, but the two-dose vaccine against it is about 97% effective in preventing severe illness and death.

In July, the U.N. said 25 million children have missed out on routine immunizations against diseases including diphtheria, largely because the coronavirus disrupted routine health services or triggered vaccine misinformation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652901529032.png" alt="“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement." />
 <figcaption>“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization say measles immunization has dropped significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in a record high of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose last year.In a report issued this month, the CDC and the WHO said millions of children were now susceptible to measles, among the world’s most contagious diseases. In 2021, officials said there were about 9 million measles infections and 128,000 deaths worldwide.The WHO and CDC said continued drops in vaccination, weak disease surveillance and delayed response plans due to COVID-19, in addition to ongoing outbreaks in more than 20 countries, mean that “measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world.”Scientists estimate that at least 95% of a population needs to be immunized to protect against epidemics; the WHO and the CDC reported that only about 81% of children receive their first dose of measles vaccine while 71% get their second dose, marking the lowest global coverage rates of the first measles dose since 2008.“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.Measles is mostly spread through direct contact or in the air and causes symptoms including fever, muscle pain and a skin rash on the face and upper neck. Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications including swelling of the brain and dehydration. The WHO says serious complications are most serious in children under five and adults over 30.More than 95% of measles deaths occur in developing countries, mostly in Africa and Asia. There is no specific treatment for measles, but the two-dose vaccine against it is about 97% effective in preventing severe illness and death.In July, the U.N. said 25 million children have missed out on routine immunizations against diseases including diphtheria, largely because the coronavirus disrupted routine health services or triggered vaccine misinformation.

CDC: A record 40 million kids miss measles vaccine dose

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a dispute over a blocked Biden administration policy that would prioritize deportation of people in the country illegally who pose the greatest public safety risk.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen </a>to the debate

Republican-led states sued and won a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-louisiana-immigration-government-and-politics-ca4a8bc99794bd46beb88f0a2d347cd5">nationwide court order</a>&nbsp;that is meant to limit immigration officers’ discretion in deciding whom to deport. The justices are hearing arguments in the case Tuesday.

It's the latest example of a Republican litigation strategy that has succeeded in slowing Biden administration initiatives by going to GOP-friendly courts.

In a separate ongoing legal dispute, three judges chosen by President Donald Trump are among the four Republican-appointed judges who have so far prevented the administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">student loan cancellation program</a>&nbsp;from taking effect.

At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”

The guidance, issued after Joe Biden became president, updated a Trump-era policy that removed people in the country illegally regardless of criminal history or community ties.

The administration said in a written high-court filing that the “decision to prioritize threats to national security, public safety, and border security was both reasonable and reasonably explained,” especially since Congress has not given DHS enough money to vastly increase the number of people it holds and deports.

Texas and Louisiana, which sued over the directive, responded that the administration’s guidance violates federal law that requires the detention of people who are in the U.S. illegally and who have been convicted of serious crimes.

The states said they would face added costs of having to detain people the federal government might allow to remain free inside the United States, despite their criminal records.

Federal appeals courts had reached conflicting decisions over DHS guidance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317716965.png" alt="At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a dispute over a blocked Biden administration policy that would prioritize deportation of people in the country illegally who pose the greatest public safety risk.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen </a>to the debateRepublican-led states sued and won a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-louisiana-immigration-government-and-politics-ca4a8bc99794bd46beb88f0a2d347cd5">nationwide court order</a>&nbsp;that is meant to limit immigration officers’ discretion in deciding whom to deport. The justices are hearing arguments in the case Tuesday.It's the latest example of a Republican litigation strategy that has succeeded in slowing Biden administration initiatives by going to GOP-friendly courts.In a separate ongoing legal dispute, three judges chosen by President Donald Trump are among the four Republican-appointed judges who have so far prevented the administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">student loan cancellation program</a>&nbsp;from taking effect.At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”The guidance, issued after Joe Biden became president, updated a Trump-era policy that removed people in the country illegally regardless of criminal history or community ties.The administration said in a written high-court filing that the “decision to prioritize threats to national security, public safety, and border security was both reasonable and reasonably explained,” especially since Congress has not given DHS enough money to vastly increase the number of people it holds and deports.Texas and Louisiana, which sued over the directive, responded that the administration’s guidance violates federal law that requires the detention of people who are in the U.S. illegally and who have been convicted of serious crimes.The states said they would face added costs of having to detain people the federal government might allow to remain free inside the United States, despite their criminal records.Federal appeals courts had reached conflicting decisions over DHS guidance.The federal appeals court in Cincinnati earlier overturned a district judge’s order that put the policy on hold in a lawsuit filed by Arizona, Ohio and Montana.But in a separate suit filed by Texas and Louisiana, a federal judge in Texas ordered a nationwide halt to the guidance and a federal appellate panel in New Orleans declined to step in.In July, the court voted 5-4 to leave the immigration policy frozen nationwide. Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberals in saying they would have allowed the Biden administration to put in place the guidance.At the same time, the court said it would hear arguments in the case in late November.