By JENNIFER SHUTT <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/covid-vaccine-for-kids-under-5-could-be-available-as-soon-as-june-21/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — The Biden 
administration is preparing to ship out to the states millions of 
COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 in the coming weeks, likely 
ending months of waiting for parents and caregivers.

White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha said Thursday 
that if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizes emergency use 
of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young kids after its June 15 
meeting, the federal government would immediately begin shipping the 
specialty doses.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would need to 
recommend emergency use of the vaccines before health care providers 
could begin administering them, but Jha said he expects vaccinations for
 children under 5 could begin as soon as Tuesday, June 21.

Jha said he wasn’t making the announcement as a pre-judgment of what 
the FDA or CDC would decide on the vaccines, but to detail how the Biden
 administration has been planning for eventual approval.

“We have asked states to distribute the initial tranche of doses to 
their highest priority sites, including those serving the highest-risk 
children and hardest-to-reach areas,” Jha said. “We’ve also asked them 
to prioritize sites that can handle large volumes, such as children’s 
hospitals.”

Jha said state governments can begin ordering from the initial 10 million doses on Friday, June 3.

While some vaccinations for children under 5 would begin the week of 
June 21, Jha said, it would take “some time to ramp up the program and 
for vaccinations to be more widely available.”

The “good news,” Jha said, is that the federal government has plenty of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young kids.

Approval of a vaccines for young children would come more than seven 
months after the FDA authorized emergency use of a Pfizer vaccine for 
children between 5 and 11 years old.

Pfizer originally&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-ok-sought-two-dose-covid-vaccine-kids-under-5">asked</a>&nbsp;the federal government in early February to begin the approval process for a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5.

The very next day, then-White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/white-house-plans-speedy-delivery-states-covid-vaccine-littlest-kids">detailed</a>&nbsp;how
 the federal government would ship out vaccines for young kids, saying 
it would likely take several days or a week before the first shots could
 begin.

About a week later, the White House&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/covid-vaccine-kids-under-5-delayed-until-least-april">announced</a>&nbsp;that
 the earliest a COVID-19 vaccine for young kids would be available was 
in April, giving ​​Pfizer additional time to gather information on a 
three-dose regimen.

The approval process for the Moderna vaccine for young kids has also had several starts and stops along the way.

At the moment, the Biden administration seems optimistic that it 
could begin shipping doses of both vaccines for young kids within three 
weeks, as long as the FDA authorizes the vaccines and the CDC issues a 
recommendation.

Once that happens, Jha said, ​​the White House expects “that within 
weeks every parent who wants their child to get vaccinated will be able 
to get an appointment.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635537216378.png" alt="COVID vaccine for children photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>COVID vaccine for children photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>By JENNIFER SHUTT <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/covid-vaccine-for-kids-under-5-could-be-available-as-soon-as-june-21/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The Biden 
administration is preparing to ship out to the states millions of 
COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 in the coming weeks, likely 
ending months of waiting for parents and caregivers.White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha said Thursday 
that if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizes emergency use 
of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young kids after its June 15 
meeting, the federal government would immediately begin shipping the 
specialty doses.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would need to 
recommend emergency use of the vaccines before health care providers 
could begin administering them, but Jha said he expects vaccinations for
 children under 5 could begin as soon as Tuesday, June 21.Jha said he wasn’t making the announcement as a pre-judgment of what 
the FDA or CDC would decide on the vaccines, but to detail how the Biden
 administration has been planning for eventual approval.“We have asked states to distribute the initial tranche of doses to 
their highest priority sites, including those serving the highest-risk 
children and hardest-to-reach areas,” Jha said. “We’ve also asked them 
to prioritize sites that can handle large volumes, such as children’s 
hospitals.”Jha said state governments can begin ordering from the initial 10 million doses on Friday, June 3.While some vaccinations for children under 5 would begin the week of 
June 21, Jha said, it would take “some time to ramp up the program and 
for vaccinations to be more widely available.”The “good news,” Jha said, is that the federal government has plenty of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young kids.Approval of a vaccines for young children would come more than seven 
months after the FDA authorized emergency use of a Pfizer vaccine for 
children between 5 and 11 years old.Pfizer originally&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-ok-sought-two-dose-covid-vaccine-kids-under-5">asked</a>&nbsp;the federal government in early February to begin the approval process for a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5.The very next day, then-White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/white-house-plans-speedy-delivery-states-covid-vaccine-littlest-kids">detailed</a>&nbsp;how
 the federal government would ship out vaccines for young kids, saying 
it would likely take several days or a week before the first shots could
 begin.About a week later, the White House&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/covid-vaccine-kids-under-5-delayed-until-least-april">announced</a>&nbsp;that
 the earliest a COVID-19 vaccine for young kids would be available was 
in April, giving ​​Pfizer additional time to gather information on a 
three-dose regimen.The approval process for the Moderna vaccine for young kids has also had several starts and stops along the way.At the moment, the Biden administration seems optimistic that it 
could begin shipping doses of both vaccines for young kids within three 
weeks, as long as the FDA authorizes the vaccines and the CDC issues a 
recommendation.Once that happens, Jha said, ​​the White House expects “that within 
weeks every parent who wants their child to get vaccinated will be able 
to get an appointment.”

COVID vaccine for kids under 5 could be available this month

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/02/omahas-111-year-old-keeline-building-poised-for-6-8-million-revamp/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

When
 the historic Keeline Building rose more than a century ago in downtown 
Omaha, it proved pivotal to the area’s shift from a residential to a 
commercial and public center.

In
 fact, the home of a famous Omahan sat on the property at 319 S. 17th 
St. before the seven-story Keeline was built and opened just east of the
 then-new Douglas County Courthouse.

It was a turning point, according to the nomination that boosted the Keeline to national historic status:

“This
 effectually changed the face of the area surrounding the Douglas County
 Courthouse,” the application said, “to a commerce and public center 
ridding downtown Omaha of what was left of the early residential 
settlement.”&nbsp;

Fast
 forward to today, as a $6.8 million rehabilitation project aims to 
prepare the structure for its next chapter — continued use as a 
commercial and office center.

The
 plan, poised to receive $1.53 million in public tax-increment 
financing, stands in contrast with many other recent downtown projects 
that have repurposed or replaced older buildings with new and trendy 
housing.

Mike Moylan of <a target="_blank" href="https://shamrockdevelopment.com/portfolio/">Shamrock Development</a>
 said that while conversion to residential use was tempting and 
explored, his team decided that the Keeline’s proximity to other 
redevelopment projects made commercial use more alluring.

He
 pointed to the new Douglas County Juvenile Justice Center, which will 
house offices, courts, programming and a detention center nearby.

“At this particular location, we feel the office market can be sustained,” said Moylan.&nbsp;

The
 61,000-square-foot Keeline has just lost one of its major tenants, as 
the Douglas County Juvenile Probation Office left its 15,000 square feet
 to move to the new and adjacent justice center.

But
 Moylan predicts also that as downtown revs up with the riverfront 
tri-park revamp, the Steelhouse music venue and more, small businesses 
will look to the refurbished Keeline that is just off the future modern 
streetcar line.

Ground-level
 retailers currently at the Keeline are expected to continue operations,
 he said, including longtime Bob’s Grill and Cafe, Oasis Falafel and the
 Backline Comedy Theatre.

Takechi’s Jewelers was a mainstay but has been listed for a long while as “permanently closed.”&nbsp;

Shamrock
 Development, which has the Keeline property under contract to buy, is 
planning renovations that include replacing the roof and the heating and
 air mechanical systems, and making improvements to first-floor 
storefronts and the brick exterior.

Construction is to begin as soon as possible, with completion anticipated in spring 2023.

Wednesday,
 the Omaha Planning Board recommended approval of the $1.53 million in 
tax-increment financing support. That was higher than the $1.4 million 
requested, but city planner Don Seten said the TIF committee wanted to 
include an additional amount to help finance the proposed Omaha 
streetcar.

The City Council has yet to approve the subsidy.

Under
 the Legislature-approved TIF economic development tool, property tax 
revenue generated on new or improved development goes toward paying off 
the developer’s loan, generally for 20 years. Normally property tax 
revenue goes to schools and local governments.

Property taxes paid on the value of the structure before the proposed rehab continues to go to the traditional coffers.

City
 officials said uncertainties often encountered at such physically 
constrained and “highly built out” sites such as downtown reinforce the 
need for TIF.&nbsp;

The
 Keeline, northeast of 17th and Harney Streets, earned its place on the 
National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The nomination said the 
building is architecturally significant to Omaha as an exceptional 
example of Georgian Revival architecture.

It
 was designed by John Latenser, who also was the local architect behind 
other civic and commercial buildings including the neighboring Douglas 
County Courthouse, the J.L. Brandeis and Sons Building, the Scottish 
Rite Cathedral and Central High School.

According
 to the nomination prepared by Martin Kluck, formerly of Alley Poyner 
Macchietto Architecture, the flat-roofed, square building also 
represents Omaha’s prosperous commercial development of the era.

Many
 major structures were built during the “Golden Years” after the 1893 
depression and through World War I, including the county courthouse.

The
 Keeline was a result of that growth, the nomination said. Before it was
 razed, the residence of Capt. Charles B. Ruston, vice president of the 
Omaha Street Railway Company and of Omaha Smelting Works, was originally
 on the site. It eventually sold to a man named Oscar Keeline, who 
demolished the house and erected the building known originally as 
Keeline Brick.&nbsp;

Moylan
 said his team had been looking for a new project and was intrigued by 
the Keeline location. Shamrock has renovated several other downtown 
landmarks, including the historic Barker Building and the Paxton.

“The
 supply of downtown office space has diminished with many buildings 
converted to residential,” Moylan said. “We have confidence that demand 
will be strong for smaller offices.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654195770304.png" alt="Keeline Building, 319 S. 17th St., set for rehab (Courtesy of Baron Commercial Real Estate) " />
 <figcaption>Keeline Building, 319 S. 17th St., set for rehab (Courtesy of Baron Commercial Real Estate) </figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/02/omahas-111-year-old-keeline-building-poised-for-6-8-million-revamp/">Nebraska Examiner</a>When
 the historic Keeline Building rose more than a century ago in downtown 
Omaha, it proved pivotal to the area’s shift from a residential to a 
commercial and public center.In
 fact, the home of a famous Omahan sat on the property at 319 S. 17th 
St. before the seven-story Keeline was built and opened just east of the
 then-new Douglas County Courthouse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654195856825.jpeg" alt="Courtesy of Baron Commercial Real Estate" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Baron Commercial Real Estate</figcaption>
 </figure>It was a turning point, according to the nomination that boosted the Keeline to national historic status:“This
 effectually changed the face of the area surrounding the Douglas County
 Courthouse,” the application said, “to a commerce and public center 
ridding downtown Omaha of what was left of the early residential 
settlement.”&nbsp;<h2>Fast forward</h2>Fast
 forward to today, as a $6.8 million rehabilitation project aims to 
prepare the structure for its next chapter — continued use as a 
commercial and office center.The
 plan, poised to receive $1.53 million in public tax-increment 
financing, stands in contrast with many other recent downtown projects 
that have repurposed or replaced older buildings with new and trendy 
housing.Mike Moylan of <a target="_blank" href="https://shamrockdevelopment.com/portfolio/">Shamrock Development</a>
 said that while conversion to residential use was tempting and 
explored, his team decided that the Keeline’s proximity to other 
redevelopment projects made commercial use more alluring.He
 pointed to the new Douglas County Juvenile Justice Center, which will 
house offices, courts, programming and a detention center nearby.“At this particular location, we feel the office market can be sustained,” said Moylan.&nbsp;<h2>Popular ground-floor retailers</h2>The
 61,000-square-foot Keeline has just lost one of its major tenants, as 
the Douglas County Juvenile Probation Office left its 15,000 square feet
 to move to the new and adjacent justice center.But
 Moylan predicts also that as downtown revs up with the riverfront 
tri-park revamp, the Steelhouse music venue and more, small businesses 
will look to the refurbished Keeline that is just off the future modern 
streetcar line.Ground-level
 retailers currently at the Keeline are expected to continue operations,
 he said, including longtime Bob’s Grill and Cafe, Oasis Falafel and the
 Backline Comedy Theatre.Takechi’s Jewelers was a mainstay but has been listed for a long while as “permanently closed.”&nbsp;Shamrock
 Development, which has the Keeline property under contract to buy, is 
planning renovations that include replacing the roof and the heating and
 air mechanical systems, and making improvements to first-floor 
storefronts and the brick exterior.<h2>TIF subsidy</h2>Construction is to begin as soon as possible, with completion anticipated in spring 2023.Wednesday,
 the Omaha Planning Board recommended approval of the $1.53 million in 
tax-increment financing support. That was higher than the $1.4 million 
requested, but city planner Don Seten said the TIF committee wanted to 
include an additional amount to help finance the proposed Omaha 
streetcar.The City Council has yet to approve the subsidy.Under
 the Legislature-approved TIF economic development tool, property tax 
revenue generated on new or improved development goes toward paying off 
the developer’s loan, generally for 20 years. Normally property tax 
revenue goes to schools and local governments.Property taxes paid on the value of the structure before the proposed rehab continues to go to the traditional coffers.City
 officials said uncertainties often encountered at such physically 
constrained and “highly built out” sites such as downtown reinforce the 
need for TIF.&nbsp;<h2>National Register of Historic Places</h2>The
 Keeline, northeast of 17th and Harney Streets, earned its place on the 
National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The nomination said the 
building is architecturally significant to Omaha as an exceptional 
example of Georgian Revival architecture.It
 was designed by John Latenser, who also was the local architect behind 
other civic and commercial buildings including the neighboring Douglas 
County Courthouse, the J.L. Brandeis and Sons Building, the Scottish 
Rite Cathedral and Central High School.According
 to the nomination prepared by Martin Kluck, formerly of Alley Poyner 
Macchietto Architecture, the flat-roofed, square building also 
represents Omaha’s prosperous commercial development of the era.Many
 major structures were built during the “Golden Years” after the 1893 
depression and through World War I, including the county courthouse.<h2>Once the site of a house</h2>The
 Keeline was a result of that growth, the nomination said. Before it was
 razed, the residence of Capt. Charles B. Ruston, vice president of the 
Omaha Street Railway Company and of Omaha Smelting Works, was originally
 on the site. It eventually sold to a man named Oscar Keeline, who 
demolished the house and erected the building known originally as 
Keeline Brick.&nbsp;Moylan
 said his team had been looking for a new project and was intrigued by 
the Keeline location. Shamrock has renovated several other downtown 
landmarks, including the historic Barker Building and the Paxton.“The
 supply of downtown office space has diminished with many buildings 
converted to residential,” Moylan said. “We have confidence that demand 
will be strong for smaller offices.”

111-year-old Omaha building poised for $6.8 million revamp

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is planning for “dire” contingencies that could include rationing supplies of vaccines and treatments this fall if Congress doesn’t approve more money for fighting COVID-19.

In public comments and private meetings on Capitol Hill, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus coordinator,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-congress-a05afb7ebfa102992c354c99619fa944">has painted a dark picture in which the U.S. could be forced to cede many of the advances made against the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;over the last two years and even the most vulnerable could face supply shortages.

Biden administration officials have been warning for weeks that the country has spent nearly all the money in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that was dedicated directly to COVID-19 response.

A small pool of money remains, and the administration faces critical decisions about how to spend it. That means tough decisions, like weighing whether to use it to secure the next generation of vaccines to protect the highest risk populations or giving priority to a supply of highly effective therapies that dramatically reduce the risks of severe illness and death.

That decision may be made in the coming week, according to the administration, as the White House faces imminent deadlines to begin placing orders for vaccines and treatments before other nations jump ahead of the U.S. in accessing supply.

Jha has warned that without more money, vaccines will be harder to come by, tests will once again be scarce, and the therapeutics that are helping the country weather the current omicron-driven surge in cases without a commensurate increase in deaths could be sold overseas before Americans can access them.

“I think we would see a lot of unnecessary loss of life if that were to happen,” Jha said this past week. “But we’re looking at all the scenarios and planning for all of them.”

He said the administration was “getting much more into the scenario-planning business to make sure that we know what may be ahead of us so we can plan for it and obviously also lay those out in front of Congress.”

Jha, who declined to put a specific projection on potential loss of life, has become the face of the Biden administration’s efforts to persuade Congress to approve an additional $22.5 billion for COVID-19 response.

“The scenarios that we’re planning for are for things like what if Congress gives us no money and we don’t have adequate vaccines,” Jha told the AP in a May 12 interview. “We run out of therapies. We don’t have enough tests. What might things look like? Obviously, that’s a pretty dire situation.”

Already, the domestic production of at-home testing is slowing, with workers beginning to be laid off. In the coming weeks, Jha said, manufacturers will sell off equipment and “get out of this business,” leaving the U.S. once again dependent on overseas suppliers for rapid test.

Drug manufactures and the Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, are working on evaluating the next generation of vaccines, potentially including ones that are targeted at the dominant omicron strain. But getting them ready before the predicted case surge in the fall means placing orders now, since they take two to three months to produce.

Jha said this week that the U.S. has yet to start negotiations with drugmakers because of the lack of money.

“We’ve had some very preliminary conversations with the manufacturers,” he said. “But the negotiations around it have not yet begun, partly because we’re waiting for resources.” He added: “The truth is that other countries are in conversations with the manufacturers and starting to kind of advance their negotiations.”

The U.S., he said, doesn’t have enough money to purchase additional booster vaccines for anyone who wants one. Instead, the supplies of those vaccines may be restricted to just the most vulnerable — not unlike the chaotic early days of the COVID-10 vaccine roll-out.

“Without additional funding from Congress, we will not be able to buy enough vaccines for every American who wants one once these new generation of vaccines come out in the fall and winter,” he said.

And while the U.S. has built up a stockpile of the antiviral pill Paxlovid, which has been widely effective at reducing severe disease and death, it’s running out of money to purchase new doses — or other, even more effective therapies that are in the final stages of development.

“If we don’t get more resources from Congress, what we will find in the fall and winter is we will find a period of time where Americans can look around and see their friends in other countries — in Europe and Canada — with access to these treatments that Americans will not have,” Jha said.

A congressional deal for a slimmed-down COVID-19 response package of about $10 billion fell apart in March over the Biden administration’s plans to lift virus-related restrictions on migration at U.S. borders. But a federal judge on Friday put that plan on hold, just days before it was to take effect on Monday.

There is no guarantee of swift action on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers — particularly Republicans — have grown newly wary of deficit spending. On Thursday, a $40 billion measure to assist restaurants that struggled during the pandemic failed on those grounds. GOP lawmakers have also objected to additional funding for the global pandemic response, and called for any new virus response funding to come from unspent economic relief money in the $1.9 trillion rescue plan.

The administration is preparing to lay the blame on lawmakers if there are tough consequences this fall due to lack of money. Still, it could be perilous for Biden, who has struggled to fulfill his promise to voters to get control of the pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654192646776.png" alt="In public comments and private meetings on Capitol Hill, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus coordinator,&nbsp;has painted a dark picture in which the U.S. could be forced to cede many of the advances made against the coronavirus&nbsp;over the last two years and even the most vulnerable could face supply shortages.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>In public comments and private meetings on Capitol Hill, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus coordinator,&nbsp;has painted a dark picture in which the U.S. could be forced to cede many of the advances made against the coronavirus&nbsp;over the last two years and even the most vulnerable could face supply shortages.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is planning for “dire” contingencies that could include rationing supplies of vaccines and treatments this fall if Congress doesn’t approve more money for fighting COVID-19.In public comments and private meetings on Capitol Hill, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus coordinator,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-congress-a05afb7ebfa102992c354c99619fa944">has painted a dark picture in which the U.S. could be forced to cede many of the advances made against the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;over the last two years and even the most vulnerable could face supply shortages.Biden administration officials have been warning for weeks that the country has spent nearly all the money in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that was dedicated directly to COVID-19 response.A small pool of money remains, and the administration faces critical decisions about how to spend it. That means tough decisions, like weighing whether to use it to secure the next generation of vaccines to protect the highest risk populations or giving priority to a supply of highly effective therapies that dramatically reduce the risks of severe illness and death.That decision may be made in the coming week, according to the administration, as the White House faces imminent deadlines to begin placing orders for vaccines and treatments before other nations jump ahead of the U.S. in accessing supply.Jha has warned that without more money, vaccines will be harder to come by, tests will once again be scarce, and the therapeutics that are helping the country weather the current omicron-driven surge in cases without a commensurate increase in deaths could be sold overseas before Americans can access them.“I think we would see a lot of unnecessary loss of life if that were to happen,” Jha said this past week. “But we’re looking at all the scenarios and planning for all of them.”He said the administration was “getting much more into the scenario-planning business to make sure that we know what may be ahead of us so we can plan for it and obviously also lay those out in front of Congress.”Jha, who declined to put a specific projection on potential loss of life, has become the face of the Biden administration’s efforts to persuade Congress to approve an additional $22.5 billion for COVID-19 response.“The scenarios that we’re planning for are for things like what if Congress gives us no money and we don’t have adequate vaccines,” Jha told the AP in a May 12 interview. “We run out of therapies. We don’t have enough tests. What might things look like? Obviously, that’s a pretty dire situation.”Already, the domestic production of at-home testing is slowing, with workers beginning to be laid off. In the coming weeks, Jha said, manufacturers will sell off equipment and “get out of this business,” leaving the U.S. once again dependent on overseas suppliers for rapid test.Drug manufactures and the Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, are working on evaluating the next generation of vaccines, potentially including ones that are targeted at the dominant omicron strain. But getting them ready before the predicted case surge in the fall means placing orders now, since they take two to three months to produce.Jha said this week that the U.S. has yet to start negotiations with drugmakers because of the lack of money.“We’ve had some very preliminary conversations with the manufacturers,” he said. “But the negotiations around it have not yet begun, partly because we’re waiting for resources.” He added: “The truth is that other countries are in conversations with the manufacturers and starting to kind of advance their negotiations.”The U.S., he said, doesn’t have enough money to purchase additional booster vaccines for anyone who wants one. Instead, the supplies of those vaccines may be restricted to just the most vulnerable — not unlike the chaotic early days of the COVID-10 vaccine roll-out.“Without additional funding from Congress, we will not be able to buy enough vaccines for every American who wants one once these new generation of vaccines come out in the fall and winter,” he said.And while the U.S. has built up a stockpile of the antiviral pill Paxlovid, which has been widely effective at reducing severe disease and death, it’s running out of money to purchase new doses — or other, even more effective therapies that are in the final stages of development.“If we don’t get more resources from Congress, what we will find in the fall and winter is we will find a period of time where Americans can look around and see their friends in other countries — in Europe and Canada — with access to these treatments that Americans will not have,” Jha said.A congressional deal for a slimmed-down COVID-19 response package of about $10 billion fell apart in March over the Biden administration’s plans to lift virus-related restrictions on migration at U.S. borders. But a federal judge on Friday put that plan on hold, just days before it was to take effect on Monday.There is no guarantee of swift action on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers — particularly Republicans — have grown newly wary of deficit spending. On Thursday, a $40 billion measure to assist restaurants that struggled during the pandemic failed on those grounds. GOP lawmakers have also objected to additional funding for the global pandemic response, and called for any new virus response funding to come from unspent economic relief money in the $1.9 trillion rescue plan.The administration is preparing to lay the blame on lawmakers if there are tough consequences this fall due to lack of money. Still, it could be perilous for Biden, who has struggled to fulfill his promise to voters to get control of the pandemic.

US sees risk of COVID supply rationing without more funds

A gunman carrying a rifle and a handgun killed four people Wednesday at a Tulsa medical building on a hospital campus, police said, the latest in a series of deadly mass shootings across the country in recent weeks.

Tulsa Police Department Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish confirmed the number of dead and said the shooter also was dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The spate of recent gun violence across the country, including the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-shootings-texas-education-a5b21cface8837e830ed2f9bb4bbcf3c">19 children and two teachers</a>&nbsp;at a Texas elementary school eight days ago by an 18-year-old gunman carrying an AR-style semi-automatic rifle, has led to Democratic leaders amplifying their calls for greater restrictions on guns, while Republicans are emphasizing more security at schools.

The divide mirrors a partisan split that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-jay-inslee-washington-texas-congress-448a508380a3810a013347b10286b7cb">stymied action in Congress and many state capitols</a>&nbsp;over how best to respond to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/02/03/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank">record-high number of gun-related deaths</a>&nbsp;in the U.S.

It was unclear what prompted the deadly assault in Tulsa, Dalgleish said.

“It appears both weapons at one point or another were fired on the scene,” Dalgleish said. “The officers who arrived were hearing shots in the building, and that’s what led them to the second floor.”

Police responded to the call about three minutes after dispatchers received the report at 4:52 p.m. and made contact with the gunman roughly five minutes later, at 5:01 p.m. Dalgleish said.

“I was very happy with what we know so far regarding the response of our officers,” Dalgleish said.

The length of time it took police officers in Uvalde, Texas, to engage the gunman during last week’s deadly shooting at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">Robb Elementary School</a>&nbsp;has become a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-430b975bbaacce445451e4026cedc171">key focus of that investigation</a>. Officers waited over an hour to breach the classroom where the gunman attacked.

Police Capt. Richard Meulenberg also said multiple people were wounded and that the medical complex was a “catastrophic scene.” The exact number of wounded was not immediately available.

Police and hospital officials said they were not ready to identify the dead.

St. Francis Health System locked down its campus Wednesday afternoon because of the situation at the Natalie Medical Building. The Natalie building houses an outpatient surgery center and a breast health center. Dalgleish said an orthopedic clinic also is located on the second floor where officers discovered the shooter and several victims.

“This campus is sacred ground for our community,” said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum. “For decades, this campus has been a place where heroes come to work every day to save the lives of people in our community.”

Bynum added: “Right now, my thoughts are with the victims. If we want to have a policy discussion, that is something to be had in the future, but not tonight.”

Philip Tankersley, 27, was leaving his father’s room at nearby Saint Francis Hospital around 5 p.m., when hospital staff said there was an active shooter in the building across the street, locked the doors and warned them to stay away from the windows.

Tankersley said he and his mother sheltered in his father’s hospital room for more than an hour, trying to learn scraps of information from the TV news and passing nurses. He said they heard “code silver” and “level 1 trauma” announced on the hospital speakers and wondered if they were safe in the room.

“I wasn’t particularly worried because the two people that I need to look out for were in that same room as me,” he said. “But it was definitely a ‘this is happening here’ moment.”

Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also at the scene, a spokesperson said. A reunification center for families to find their loved ones was set up at a nearby high school.

The shooting Wednesday also comes just more than two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-442c6d97a073f39f99d006dbba40f64b">shooting at a Buffalo supermarket</a>&nbsp;by a white man who is accused of killing 10 Black people in a racist attack. The recent Memorial Day weekend saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-police-shootings-texas-chicago-81941b12a2cf4cb9acfb05bc0f61eaf0">multiple mass shootings nationwide</a>, including at an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-tulsa-oklahoma-muskogee-0d1df0798130da47cc1030478b1f9505">outdoor festival in Taft</a>, Oklahoma, 45 miles from Tulsa, even as single-death incidents accounted for most gun fatalities.

Since January, there have been 12 shootings where four or more people have been killed, according to The Associated Press/USA TODAY/Northeastern University mass killing database. Those shootings have left 76 dead, including 31 adults and children in Buffalo and Texas, the database says. The death toll does not include the suspects in the shootings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1560127290802.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSA gunman carrying a rifle and a handgun killed four people Wednesday at a Tulsa medical building on a hospital campus, police said, the latest in a series of deadly mass shootings across the country in recent weeks.Tulsa Police Department Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish confirmed the number of dead and said the shooter also was dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.The spate of recent gun violence across the country, including the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-shootings-texas-education-a5b21cface8837e830ed2f9bb4bbcf3c">19 children and two teachers</a>&nbsp;at a Texas elementary school eight days ago by an 18-year-old gunman carrying an AR-style semi-automatic rifle, has led to Democratic leaders amplifying their calls for greater restrictions on guns, while Republicans are emphasizing more security at schools.The divide mirrors a partisan split that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-jay-inslee-washington-texas-congress-448a508380a3810a013347b10286b7cb">stymied action in Congress and many state capitols</a>&nbsp;over how best to respond to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/02/03/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank">record-high number of gun-related deaths</a>&nbsp;in the U.S.It was unclear what prompted the deadly assault in Tulsa, Dalgleish said.“It appears both weapons at one point or another were fired on the scene,” Dalgleish said. “The officers who arrived were hearing shots in the building, and that’s what led them to the second floor.”Police responded to the call about three minutes after dispatchers received the report at 4:52 p.m. and made contact with the gunman roughly five minutes later, at 5:01 p.m. Dalgleish said.“I was very happy with what we know so far regarding the response of our officers,” Dalgleish said.The length of time it took police officers in Uvalde, Texas, to engage the gunman during last week’s deadly shooting at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">Robb Elementary School</a>&nbsp;has become a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-430b975bbaacce445451e4026cedc171">key focus of that investigation</a>. Officers waited over an hour to breach the classroom where the gunman attacked.Police Capt. Richard Meulenberg also said multiple people were wounded and that the medical complex was a “catastrophic scene.” The exact number of wounded was not immediately available.Police and hospital officials said they were not ready to identify the dead.St. Francis Health System locked down its campus Wednesday afternoon because of the situation at the Natalie Medical Building. The Natalie building houses an outpatient surgery center and a breast health center. Dalgleish said an orthopedic clinic also is located on the second floor where officers discovered the shooter and several victims.“This campus is sacred ground for our community,” said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum. “For decades, this campus has been a place where heroes come to work every day to save the lives of people in our community.”Bynum added: “Right now, my thoughts are with the victims. If we want to have a policy discussion, that is something to be had in the future, but not tonight.”Philip Tankersley, 27, was leaving his father’s room at nearby Saint Francis Hospital around 5 p.m., when hospital staff said there was an active shooter in the building across the street, locked the doors and warned them to stay away from the windows.Tankersley said he and his mother sheltered in his father’s hospital room for more than an hour, trying to learn scraps of information from the TV news and passing nurses. He said they heard “code silver” and “level 1 trauma” announced on the hospital speakers and wondered if they were safe in the room.“I wasn’t particularly worried because the two people that I need to look out for were in that same room as me,” he said. “But it was definitely a ‘this is happening here’ moment.”Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also at the scene, a spokesperson said. A reunification center for families to find their loved ones was set up at a nearby high school.The shooting Wednesday also comes just more than two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-442c6d97a073f39f99d006dbba40f64b">shooting at a Buffalo supermarket</a>&nbsp;by a white man who is accused of killing 10 Black people in a racist attack. The recent Memorial Day weekend saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-police-shootings-texas-chicago-81941b12a2cf4cb9acfb05bc0f61eaf0">multiple mass shootings nationwide</a>, including at an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-tulsa-oklahoma-muskogee-0d1df0798130da47cc1030478b1f9505">outdoor festival in Taft</a>, Oklahoma, 45 miles from Tulsa, even as single-death incidents accounted for most gun fatalities.Since January, there have been 12 shootings where four or more people have been killed, according to The Associated Press/USA TODAY/Northeastern University mass killing database. Those shootings have left 76 dead, including 31 adults and children in Buffalo and Texas, the database says. The death toll does not include the suspects in the shootings.

Gunman kills 4 in mass shooting at Tulsa medical building

By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/what-gun-control-proposals-will-the-u-s-house-consider-heres-the-list/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Democrats on the 
U.S. House Judiciary Committee have unveiled a gun control legislative 
package that they plan to mark up Thursday morning.

&nbsp;(Watch the House Judiciary markup&nbsp;9a.m. CDT)

The package, named the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20220602/114852/BILLS-117HRih.pdf">Protecting Our Kids Act</a>,
 is made up of eight bills related to gun control, all first introduced 
in 2021 by Democratic lawmakers. Only one had any Republican 
co-sponsors, and it’s unlikely the package will find much GOP support.

Horrific mass shootings this month in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, 
Texas have propelled the White House and Democrats to push for some type
 of gun control legislation. While this package will likely pass the 
House, it’s expected to go nowhere in the evenly divided Senate.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/06/01/gun-control-bills-to-be-taken-up-by-u-s-house-panel-in-emergency-meeting/">A small group of bipartisan senators</a>&nbsp;is working on some type of gun control legislation, but no bill has been unveiled.

None of the bills to be debated in the House would ban assault-style 
weapons, which were used in the New York and Texas shootings. One 
measure does bar the purchase of certain semiautomatic rifles by anyone 
under the age of 21. Others deal with gun trafficking, gun storage and 
so-called ghost guns.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/LeaderHoyer/status/1529541327930773506">said</a>&nbsp;on Twitter that the House separately will take up Georgia Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mcbath.house.gov/2021/10/legislation-led-by-mcbath-to-enact-federal-red-flag-laws-passes-house-committee">“red flag” bill</a>&nbsp;this
 month.&nbsp;Red flag laws allow the courts or law enforcement to temporarily
 remove a firearm from an individual who is adjudged to pose a threat to
 themselves or others.

Here are the eight bills combined in the House Judiciary package:

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr3015/BILLS-117hr3015ih.pdf">H.R.3015:&nbsp;Raise&nbsp;the&nbsp;Age&nbsp;Act</a>

Introduced by Rep. Anthony Brown, Democrat of Maryland.

This bill would prohibit the sale of certain semiautomatic rifles to 
anyone under 21. Currently, a person needs to be 18 to purchase one.

There are exceptions under the bill. They would include members of 
the armed forces or a full-time employee of the U.S. government who is 
authorized to carry a firearm.

This bill had two Republican co-sponsors, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr2280/BILLS-117hr2280ih.pdf">H.R. 2280: Prevent Gun Trafficking Act</a>

Introduced by Rep. Robin Kelly, Democrat of Illinois.

This bill would establish a new federal penalty for gun trafficking, 
which could range from a fine to up to 10 years in prison. The bill also
 allows for the seizure of firearms and ammunition involved in the 
offense.

It would also be “unlawful to sell or dispose of a firearm or 
ammunition to any person knowing or having reason to believe that the 
person intends to sell or dispose of the firearm in violation of a 
federal law, or to sell or dispose of the firearm to a person in another
 state in violation of that state’s law.”

This measure had no Republican co-sponsors.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr3088/BILLS-117hr3088ih.pdf">Bill: H.R. 3088: The Untraceable Firearms Act</a>

Introduced by Rep. David Cicilline, Democrat of Rhode Island.

This bill aims to curb ghost guns, which are&nbsp;homemade guns that lack a
 serial number, making it difficult for law enforcement to trace the 
owner of the weapon if it’s found at a crime scene.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/04/11/doj-rule-cracks-down-on-untraceable-firearms-known-as-ghost-guns/">The Biden administration directed the Justice Department</a>&nbsp;to issue a final rule to ban manufacturers from making ghost gun kits.

The measure would require that all firearms need to be traceable, 
including guns that are made with a 3D printer. Only gun manufacturers 
are allowed to issue a serial number for a firearm, according to the 
bill.

In terms of penalties, a first violation of this law would result in a
 fine, no more than a year in prison, or both. If there is a repeat 
offense, a person would be fined, serve up to five years in prison, or 
both.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr748/BILLS-117hr748ih.pdf">H.R. 748: Ethan’s Law&nbsp;</a>

Introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Democrat of Connecticut.

This bill aims to regulate the storage of firearms, particularly in 
homes with children, by setting federal, state and tribal requirements. 
The bill establishes “requirements for firearms on residential premises 
to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access without 
permission or if a resident is ineligible to possess a firearm.”

A person could be fined up to $500, per violation, and if a minor or 
someone who does not possess a firearm obtains a firearm in the home and
 is injured or causes injury, the person to whom the firearm belongs can
 be fined, imprisoned for up to five years, or both.

There were no Republican co-sponsors to this bill.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr748/BILLS-117hr748ih.pdf">H.R. 6370: The Safe Guns, Safe Kids Act&nbsp;</a>

Introduced by Rep. Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan.

This bill would establish federal requirements for the storage of 
firearms on residential properties. The bill would make it unlawful if a
 person who has a firearm “knows, or reasonably should know, that a 
minor is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of 
the parent or guardian,” and if “a minor obtains the firearm and uses 
the firearm in the commission of a crime or causes injury or death to 
such minor, or any other individual.”

There were no Democratic or Republican co-sponsors for this bill.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/130/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22H.R.+130%22%2C%22H.R.%22%2C%22130%22%5D%7D&amp;r=1&amp;s=3&amp;format=txt">H.R. 130: The Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act&nbsp;</a>

Introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat of Texas.

This bill would establish federal requirements for firearms and 
ammunition on residential properties by requiring firearms and 
ammunition to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access 
without permission to the firearm.

The firearms would need to be secured, unloaded and separated in a 
safe and locked, or the firearms would need to be off the residential 
property and stored at a storage facility or gun range. The bill would 
also require those safes and storage facilities to be certified by the 
Department of Justice.

If someone violates this law in connection with a civil charge, and 
there is no discharge of the firearm, they can be fined up to $5,000.

If someone violates this law in a criminal action, and there is a 
discharge of the firearm, they would be fined a minimum of $50,000 and 
no more than $100,000, imprisoned for no more than 20 years, or both.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr5427/BILLS-117hr5427ih.pdf">H.R. 5427: Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act&nbsp;</a>

Introduced by Rep. Dina Titus, Democrat of Nevada.

This bill would classify bump stocks as machine guns and require them
 to be registered under the National Firearms Act and prevents the 
manufacture, sale, or possession of new bump stocks for civilian use.

A bump stock&nbsp;allows “a semiautomatic firearm to shoot more than one 
shot with a single pull of the trigger by harnessing the recoil energy 
of the semiautomatic firearm to which it is affixed so that the trigger 
resets and continues firing without additional physical manipulation of 
the trigger by the shooter,” according to the Bureau of Alcohol, 
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr2510/BILLS-117hr2510ih.pdf">H.R. 2510: The Keep Americans Safe Act&nbsp;</a>

Introduced by Rep. Ted Deutch, Democrat of Florida.

This bill would make it unlawful for the import, sale, manufacture, 
transfer or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, 
which can be a&nbsp;magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that 
has a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammunition. However, the bill 
allows existing magazines to be “grandfathered” in, so they can still be
 held in possession, but prohibits the sale or transfer of 
“grandfathered” large capacity ammunition feeding devices.

This bill also allows for the use of&nbsp;&nbsp;funds from the Edward Byrne 
Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program&nbsp;for buy-back programs for such
 devices.&nbsp;Individuals who surrender a LCAFD under a buy-back program 
receive compensation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654174364797.png" alt="The House Judiciary Committee debates and votes on a package of gun control proposal Thursday -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The House Judiciary Committee debates and votes on a package of gun control proposal Thursday -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/what-gun-control-proposals-will-the-u-s-house-consider-heres-the-list/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Democrats on the 
U.S. House Judiciary Committee have unveiled a gun control legislative 
package that they plan to mark up Thursday morning.&nbsp;(Watch the House Judiciary markup&nbsp;9a.m. CDT)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ImbwUgI7Ad4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The package, named the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20220602/114852/BILLS-117HRih.pdf">Protecting Our Kids Act</a>,
 is made up of eight bills related to gun control, all first introduced 
in 2021 by Democratic lawmakers. Only one had any Republican 
co-sponsors, and it’s unlikely the package will find much GOP support.Horrific mass shootings this month in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, 
Texas have propelled the White House and Democrats to push for some type
 of gun control legislation. While this package will likely pass the 
House, it’s expected to go nowhere in the evenly divided Senate.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/06/01/gun-control-bills-to-be-taken-up-by-u-s-house-panel-in-emergency-meeting/">A small group of bipartisan senators</a>&nbsp;is working on some type of gun control legislation, but no bill has been unveiled.None of the bills to be debated in the House would ban assault-style 
weapons, which were used in the New York and Texas shootings. One 
measure does bar the purchase of certain semiautomatic rifles by anyone 
under the age of 21. Others deal with gun trafficking, gun storage and 
so-called ghost guns.House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/LeaderHoyer/status/1529541327930773506">said</a>&nbsp;on Twitter that the House separately will take up Georgia Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mcbath.house.gov/2021/10/legislation-led-by-mcbath-to-enact-federal-red-flag-laws-passes-house-committee">“red flag” bill</a>&nbsp;this
 month.&nbsp;Red flag laws allow the courts or law enforcement to temporarily
 remove a firearm from an individual who is adjudged to pose a threat to
 themselves or others.<h2>Here are the eight bills combined in the House Judiciary package:</h2>Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr3015/BILLS-117hr3015ih.pdf">H.R.3015:&nbsp;Raise&nbsp;the&nbsp;Age&nbsp;Act</a>Introduced by Rep. Anthony Brown, Democrat of Maryland.This bill would prohibit the sale of certain semiautomatic rifles to 
anyone under 21. Currently, a person needs to be 18 to purchase one.There are exceptions under the bill. They would include members of 
the armed forces or a full-time employee of the U.S. government who is 
authorized to carry a firearm.This bill had two Republican co-sponsors, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr2280/BILLS-117hr2280ih.pdf">H.R. 2280: Prevent Gun Trafficking Act</a>Introduced by Rep. Robin Kelly, Democrat of Illinois.This bill would establish a new federal penalty for gun trafficking, 
which could range from a fine to up to 10 years in prison. The bill also
 allows for the seizure of firearms and ammunition involved in the 
offense.It would also be “unlawful to sell or dispose of a firearm or 
ammunition to any person knowing or having reason to believe that the 
person intends to sell or dispose of the firearm in violation of a 
federal law, or to sell or dispose of the firearm to a person in another
 state in violation of that state’s law.”This measure had no Republican co-sponsors.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr3088/BILLS-117hr3088ih.pdf">Bill: H.R. 3088: The Untraceable Firearms Act</a>Introduced by Rep. David Cicilline, Democrat of Rhode Island.This bill aims to curb ghost guns, which are&nbsp;homemade guns that lack a
 serial number, making it difficult for law enforcement to trace the 
owner of the weapon if it’s found at a crime scene.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/04/11/doj-rule-cracks-down-on-untraceable-firearms-known-as-ghost-guns/">The Biden administration directed the Justice Department</a>&nbsp;to issue a final rule to ban manufacturers from making ghost gun kits.The measure would require that all firearms need to be traceable, 
including guns that are made with a 3D printer. Only gun manufacturers 
are allowed to issue a serial number for a firearm, according to the 
bill.In terms of penalties, a first violation of this law would result in a
 fine, no more than a year in prison, or both. If there is a repeat 
offense, a person would be fined, serve up to five years in prison, or 
both.This bill had no Republican co-sponsors.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr748/BILLS-117hr748ih.pdf">H.R. 748: Ethan’s Law&nbsp;</a>Introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Democrat of Connecticut.This bill aims to regulate the storage of firearms, particularly in 
homes with children, by setting federal, state and tribal requirements. 
The bill establishes “requirements for firearms on residential premises 
to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access without 
permission or if a resident is ineligible to possess a firearm.”A person could be fined up to $500, per violation, and if a minor or 
someone who does not possess a firearm obtains a firearm in the home and
 is injured or causes injury, the person to whom the firearm belongs can
 be fined, imprisoned for up to five years, or both.There were no Republican co-sponsors to this bill.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr748/BILLS-117hr748ih.pdf">H.R. 6370: The Safe Guns, Safe Kids Act&nbsp;</a>Introduced by Rep. Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan.This bill would establish federal requirements for the storage of 
firearms on residential properties. The bill would make it unlawful if a
 person who has a firearm “knows, or reasonably should know, that a 
minor is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of 
the parent or guardian,” and if “a minor obtains the firearm and uses 
the firearm in the commission of a crime or causes injury or death to 
such minor, or any other individual.”There were no Democratic or Republican co-sponsors for this bill.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/130/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22H.R.+130%22%2C%22H.R.%22%2C%22130%22%5D%7D&amp;r=1&amp;s=3&amp;format=txt">H.R. 130: The Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act&nbsp;</a>Introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat of Texas.This bill would establish federal requirements for firearms and 
ammunition on residential properties by requiring firearms and 
ammunition to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access 
without permission to the firearm.The firearms would need to be secured, unloaded and separated in a 
safe and locked, or the firearms would need to be off the residential 
property and stored at a storage facility or gun range. The bill would 
also require those safes and storage facilities to be certified by the 
Department of Justice.If someone violates this law in connection with a civil charge, and 
there is no discharge of the firearm, they can be fined up to $5,000.If someone violates this law in a criminal action, and there is a 
discharge of the firearm, they would be fined a minimum of $50,000 and 
no more than $100,000, imprisoned for no more than 20 years, or both.There were no Republican co-sponsors to this bill.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr5427/BILLS-117hr5427ih.pdf">H.R. 5427: Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act&nbsp;</a>Introduced by Rep. Dina Titus, Democrat of Nevada.This bill would classify bump stocks as machine guns and require them
 to be registered under the National Firearms Act and prevents the 
manufacture, sale, or possession of new bump stocks for civilian use.A bump stock&nbsp;allows “a semiautomatic firearm to shoot more than one 
shot with a single pull of the trigger by harnessing the recoil energy 
of the semiautomatic firearm to which it is affixed so that the trigger 
resets and continues firing without additional physical manipulation of 
the trigger by the shooter,” according to the Bureau of Alcohol, 
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.There were no Republican co-sponsors to this bill.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr2510/BILLS-117hr2510ih.pdf">H.R. 2510: The Keep Americans Safe Act&nbsp;</a>Introduced by Rep. Ted Deutch, Democrat of Florida.This bill would make it unlawful for the import, sale, manufacture, 
transfer or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, 
which can be a&nbsp;magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that 
has a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammunition. However, the bill 
allows existing magazines to be “grandfathered” in, so they can still be
 held in possession, but prohibits the sale or transfer of 
“grandfathered” large capacity ammunition feeding devices.This bill also allows for the use of&nbsp;&nbsp;funds from the Edward Byrne 
Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program&nbsp;for buy-back programs for such
 devices.&nbsp;Individuals who surrender a LCAFD under a buy-back program 
receive compensation.There were no Republican co-sponsors to this bill.

🎥 The gun control proposals the U.S. House will consider 

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/staffing-emergency-soon-to-end-at-nebraska-state-penitentiary/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A staffing emergency in place since October 2019 at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln will soon be lifted.

Nebraska Corrections Director&nbsp;Scott Frakes 
announced Wednesday that normal work schedules, and normal inmate 
activities, will return July 18.

Due to a shortage of staff, the State Pen 
has been on a modified, seven-day, 12-hour operational schedule, which 
also included cutbacks in visitation time for inmates, bag breakfasts 
delivered the night before and limits on inmate recreation and 
rehabilitation programs.

Frakes said that an influx 
of new hires, prompted by salary increases adopted last year and hiring 
bonuses, has allowed the emergency to end.

He said the department has 
hired&nbsp; 472 new employees in recent months, 410 of those in protective 
service positions such as corporal, sergeant and caseworker.

At the penitentiary, there are just 18 job vacancies in protective services now, compared to 76 in December.

The staffing emergency 
lasted longer than anticipated, Frakes said, “but throughout the 
pandemic, the schedule served us well while dealing with the challenges 
brought by COVID.”

Staffing emergencies remain 
in place at two other prisons, the Tecumseh State Prison in Tecumseh and
 the Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln.

Frakes said the agency is 
planning to take RTC from a four-day work schedule to seven days 
sometime this summer, though that prison will probably remain on 
emergency staffing for a while longer. He has said that ending the 
staffing problems at the rural Tecumseh facility may take longer.

Thirty-four jobs at the 
State Pen will remain on 12-hour shifts permanently at NSP. Frakes said 
the agency learned there is a benefit of having key posts remain at 12 
hours, allowing a crossover between shifts.

Returning to a 16-hour 
operational day for inmates means four more hours a day for volunteer 
programs, recreation and other pro-social activities, which improves 
conditions for inmates, Frakes said. Returning to 40-hour work weeks for
 most employees helps with their work-life balance, he said.

The agency now has 167 open protective service positions compared to a high of 427 vacant positions in October.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654176633781.png" alt="Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln. Nebraska prisons are the most overcrowded in the nation. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln. Nebraska prisons are the most overcrowded in the nation. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/staffing-emergency-soon-to-end-at-nebraska-state-penitentiary/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A staffing emergency in place since October 2019 at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln will soon be lifted.Nebraska Corrections Director&nbsp;Scott Frakes 
announced Wednesday that normal work schedules, and normal inmate 
activities, will return July 18.Due to a shortage of staff, the State Pen 
has been on a modified, seven-day, 12-hour operational schedule, which 
also included cutbacks in visitation time for inmates, bag breakfasts 
delivered the night before and limits on inmate recreation and 
rehabilitation programs.Frakes said that an influx 
of new hires, prompted by salary increases adopted last year and hiring 
bonuses, has allowed the emergency to end.He said the department has 
hired&nbsp; 472 new employees in recent months, 410 of those in protective 
service positions such as corporal, sergeant and caseworker.At the penitentiary, there are just 18 job vacancies in protective services now, compared to 76 in December.The staffing emergency 
lasted longer than anticipated, Frakes said, “but throughout the 
pandemic, the schedule served us well while dealing with the challenges 
brought by COVID.”Staffing emergencies remain 
in place at two other prisons, the Tecumseh State Prison in Tecumseh and
 the Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln.Frakes said the agency is 
planning to take RTC from a four-day work schedule to seven days 
sometime this summer, though that prison will probably remain on 
emergency staffing for a while longer. He has said that ending the 
staffing problems at the rural Tecumseh facility may take longer.Thirty-four jobs at the 
State Pen will remain on 12-hour shifts permanently at NSP. Frakes said 
the agency learned there is a benefit of having key posts remain at 12 
hours, allowing a crossover between shifts.Returning to a 16-hour 
operational day for inmates means four more hours a day for volunteer 
programs, recreation and other pro-social activities, which improves 
conditions for inmates, Frakes said. Returning to 40-hour work weeks for
 most employees helps with their work-life balance, he said.The agency now has 167 open protective service positions compared to a high of 427 vacant positions in October.

‘Staffing emergency’ soon to end at Nebraska State Penitentiary

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he was not briefed on the prospect of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">nationwide shortages</a>&nbsp;of infant formula for about two months, and he acknowledged the strain on families as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/formula/index.html" target="_blank">his administration struggles to address the situation.</a>

Yet company executives at a meeting Biden hosted from the White House told the president that they knew the substantial impact that the shutdown of a major production plant in February would have on the U.S. supply almost immediately.

“They did, but I didn’t,” Biden told reporters later, saying he was not made aware of the severity until early April.

The delay, unexplained by Biden or White House aides, undercut the administration’s efforts to demonstrate that he has been on top of a problem that has compounded stress and economic difficulties for families with young children at a time when Americans are already struggling with Inflation.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted that the administration began working to address the crisis within days of the plant’s closure, but could not explain the delay in raising the issue to Biden. She acknowledged that he is “frustrated” by the situation.

“We have been doing this whole of government approach since the recall,” she said. “We have been working on this for months, for months. We have been taking this incredibly seriously.”

In recent weeks the government has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">imported foreign supplies</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80">used the Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to speed domestic production of infant formula. But those steps did not begin until mid-May, once retailers began rationing supplies and store shelves were emptying.

“There’s nothing more stressful than feeling you can’t get what your child needs,” Biden said, adding that as a “father and a grandfather,” he understands how difficult the shortages have been for parents and their children.

Jean-Pierre said Biden was satisfied with how the Food and Drug Administration has handled the response, though the agency itself has promised to conduct and after-action review of what it described as a deficient effort.

The agency’s response was “too slow and there were decisions that were suboptimal along the way,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-robert-califf-cce94aeeb3b53af5617d32086df01410">FDA Commissioner Robert Califf told lawmakers last week.</a>

Biden hosted the roundtable with leaders of manufacturers ByHeart, Bubs Australia, Reckitt, Perrigo Co. and Gerber. Notably absence was Abbott Nutrition, whose Michigan plant was shut down in February over safety concerns, leading to the domestic shortage. The White House did not explain why Abbott was not included.

The meeting Wednesday was a chance to provide an update on what the administration is calling “Operation Fly Formula” to import formula and to use the Korean War-era production law to require suppliers to prioritize their orders in a bid to ease bottlenecks.

The White House announced the third and fourth round of formula shipments from overseas would begin next week, from producer Kendamil in Britain and from Bubs Australia.

The shipments would bring Kendamil formula from Heathrow Airport in London to U.S. airports over a three-week period, starting June. 9. The flights will carry about 3.7 million 8-ounce bottle equivalents, shipped free of charge by United Airlines.

The first shipments will include Kendamil Classic Stage 1 and Kendamil Organic formulas, which will be available at Target stores across the United States.

And Bubs Australia will ship the equivalent of 4.6 million 8-ounce bottles of its infant formula on Defense Department-contracted commercial aircraft from its hub in Melbourne, Australia, to Pennsylvania and California on June 9 and June 11, respectively.

The imports will help but will not immediately bring an end to supply shortages that have left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">people who depend on formula</a>&nbsp;facing empty shelves or limits on purchases.

The Food and Drug Administration began focusing on Abbott’s plant last fall while tracking several bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the facility. The four cases occurred between September and January, causing hospitalizations and two deaths.

After detecting positive samples of rare but dangerous bacteria in multiple parts of the plant, the FDA closed the facility and Abbott announced a massive recall of its formula on Feb. 17.

U.S. regulators and Abbott announced an agreement last month that would help pave the way for reopening the plant, though production has not restarted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654109759921.png" alt="President Biden hosted a roundtable with leaders of formula manufacturers ByHeart, Bubs Australia, Reckitt, Perrigo Co. and Gerber. Notably absence was Abbott Nutrition, whose Michigan plant was shut down in February over safety concerns, leading to the domestic shortage. The White House did not explain why Abbott was not included-photo White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden hosted a roundtable with leaders of formula manufacturers ByHeart, Bubs Australia, Reckitt, Perrigo Co. and Gerber. Notably absence was Abbott Nutrition, whose Michigan plant was shut down in February over safety concerns, leading to the domestic shortage. The White House did not explain why Abbott was not included-photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he was not briefed on the prospect of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">nationwide shortages</a>&nbsp;of infant formula for about two months, and he acknowledged the strain on families as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/formula/index.html" target="_blank">his administration struggles to address the situation.</a><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F744922236547305%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=58" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Yet company executives at a meeting Biden hosted from the White House told the president that they knew the substantial impact that the shutdown of a major production plant in February would have on the U.S. supply almost immediately.“They did, but I didn’t,” Biden told reporters later, saying he was not made aware of the severity until early April.The delay, unexplained by Biden or White House aides, undercut the administration’s efforts to demonstrate that he has been on top of a problem that has compounded stress and economic difficulties for families with young children at a time when Americans are already struggling with Inflation.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted that the administration began working to address the crisis within days of the plant’s closure, but could not explain the delay in raising the issue to Biden. She acknowledged that he is “frustrated” by the situation.“We have been doing this whole of government approach since the recall,” she said. “We have been working on this for months, for months. We have been taking this incredibly seriously.”In recent weeks the government has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">imported foreign supplies</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-df586c2e52b5e5865ea9f8091d4d1f80">used the Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to speed domestic production of infant formula. But those steps did not begin until mid-May, once retailers began rationing supplies and store shelves were emptying.“There’s nothing more stressful than feeling you can’t get what your child needs,” Biden said, adding that as a “father and a grandfather,” he understands how difficult the shortages have been for parents and their children.Jean-Pierre said Biden was satisfied with how the Food and Drug Administration has handled the response, though the agency itself has promised to conduct and after-action review of what it described as a deficient effort.The agency’s response was “too slow and there were decisions that were suboptimal along the way,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-robert-califf-cce94aeeb3b53af5617d32086df01410">FDA Commissioner Robert Califf told lawmakers last week.</a>Biden hosted the roundtable with leaders of manufacturers ByHeart, Bubs Australia, Reckitt, Perrigo Co. and Gerber. Notably absence was Abbott Nutrition, whose Michigan plant was shut down in February over safety concerns, leading to the domestic shortage. The White House did not explain why Abbott was not included.The meeting Wednesday was a chance to provide an update on what the administration is calling “Operation Fly Formula” to import formula and to use the Korean War-era production law to require suppliers to prioritize their orders in a bid to ease bottlenecks.The White House announced the third and fourth round of formula shipments from overseas would begin next week, from producer Kendamil in Britain and from Bubs Australia.The shipments would bring Kendamil formula from Heathrow Airport in London to U.S. airports over a three-week period, starting June. 9. The flights will carry about 3.7 million 8-ounce bottle equivalents, shipped free of charge by United Airlines.The first shipments will include Kendamil Classic Stage 1 and Kendamil Organic formulas, which will be available at Target stores across the United States.And Bubs Australia will ship the equivalent of 4.6 million 8-ounce bottles of its infant formula on Defense Department-contracted commercial aircraft from its hub in Melbourne, Australia, to Pennsylvania and California on June 9 and June 11, respectively.The imports will help but will not immediately bring an end to supply shortages that have left&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-business-health-d3e32ba9e2381f77c299391e762abe21">people who depend on formula</a>&nbsp;facing empty shelves or limits on purchases.The Food and Drug Administration began focusing on Abbott’s plant last fall while tracking several bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the facility. The four cases occurred between September and January, causing hospitalizations and two deaths.After detecting positive samples of rare but dangerous bacteria in multiple parts of the plant, the FDA closed the facility and Abbott announced a massive recall of its formula on Feb. 17.U.S. regulators and Abbott announced an agreement last month that would help pave the way for reopening the plant, though production has not restarted.

🎥 Baby formula crisis growing; Biden says he wasn't informed early on 

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A jury has ruled in favor of Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by Heard before and during their brief marriage. 

The jury also found in favor of Heard, who said she was defamed by Depp’s lawyer when he called her abuse allegations a hoax. Jury members found Depp should be awarded $15 million in damages, while Heard should receive $2 million. 

Depp sued Heard for libel in Virginia over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654111819095.png" alt="Outside the Fairfax, Virginia County courthouse as the jury released the verdict&nbsp; -photo courtesy WJLA TV" />
 <figcaption>Outside the Fairfax, Virginia County courthouse as the jury released the verdict&nbsp; -photo courtesy WJLA TV</figcaption>
 </figure>FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A jury has ruled in favor of Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, vindicating his stance that Heard fabricated claims that she was abused by Heard before and during their brief marriage. The jury also found in favor of Heard, who said she was defamed by Depp’s lawyer when he called her abuse allegations a hoax. Jury members found Depp should be awarded $15 million in damages, while Heard should receive $2 million. Depp sued Heard for libel in Virginia over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

Johnny Depp wins libel lawsuit against ex-wife; $15M in damages

By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/gun-control-bills-to-be-taken-up-by-u-s-house-panel-in-emergency-meeting/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Following mass 
shootings in New York and Texas, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is 
holding an emergency meeting on Thursday to mark up gun control 
legislation — though it’s likely doomed.

The package includes eight gun-related bills, known as the “<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20220602/114852/BILLS-117HRih.pdf">Protecting Our Kids Act</a>,”
 and they are expected to pass the Democratic-controlled House. But the 
legislation has little chance of making it through the evenly divided 
Senate, where 60 votes would be required for any bill to advance. 
Assuming every Democrat was in favor, they would need 10 Republicans to 
join.

The House package would raise the age of purchasing semiautomatic 
rifles from 18 to 21, create new requirements for storing guns in a home
 with children, prevent gun trafficking, require all firearms to be 
traceable, and close the loophole on bump stocks, among other things.

The meeting was scheduled by Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a New 
York Democrat, after a white supremacist killed 10 Black people at a 
supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, 
on May 14. Ten days later, an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, was 
attacked by an 18-year-old man&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2022/05/26/what-gun-used-texas-school-shooting-ar-15/9940849002/">armed with a rifle</a>, and 19 children and two teachers were killed.

Meanwhile, with both the House and Senate in recess this week, a 
small bipartisan group of senators is also holding virtual talks to see 
if it is possible to develop any legislation on guns.

Last week, hours after the Uvalde slaughter,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/05/25/frustrated-democrats-call-for-gop-help-on-federal-gun-laws-after-mass-school-shooting/">Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, did not commit</a>&nbsp;to working on any gun control legislation with Democrats.

However, a few Senate Republicans seemed open to the idea of red flag
 laws, which&nbsp;allow the courts or law enforcement to temporarily remove a
 firearm from an individual who is distressed.

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut 
Democrat who’s worked for years to attempt to pass gun reform laws, 
tweeted that he’s been talking with senators of both parties about 
putting together a bipartisan gun violence bill.

“Senator Schumer has given us just over a week to find a compromise,” he wrote. “This time, failure cannot be an option.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said that 
if Republicans do not work with Democrats to come to an agreement, the 
Senate will still hold a vote on gun control legislation, even if it 
fails, when the chamber returns from recess.

After the Uvalde massacre, the nation’s second-deadliest mass school 
shooting since Sandy Hook Elementary a decade ago, Schumer took a 
procedural step to begin debate on two background check bills, with the 
possibility of calling for votes on them.

The House-passed bills are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8">H.R. 8</a>, which “establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties,” and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1446">H.R. 1446</a>,
 which “increases the amount of time… that a federal firearms’ licensee 
must wait to receive a completed background check prior to transferring a
 firearm to an unlicensed person.”

On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress 
to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.

Gun rights groups, such as the National Rifle Association and Gun 
Owners of America, spent a record of nearly $16 million in lobbying in 
2021, campaign finance records show.

“I will meet with Congress on guns, I promise you,” Biden told reporters Tuesday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hold a hearing on gun violence June 15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654108949705.png" alt="On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/gun-control-bills-to-be-taken-up-by-u-s-house-panel-in-emergency-meeting/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Following mass 
shootings in New York and Texas, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee is 
holding an emergency meeting on Thursday to mark up gun control 
legislation — though it’s likely doomed.The package includes eight gun-related bills, known as the “<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20220602/114852/BILLS-117HRih.pdf">Protecting Our Kids Act</a>,”
 and they are expected to pass the Democratic-controlled House. But the 
legislation has little chance of making it through the evenly divided 
Senate, where 60 votes would be required for any bill to advance. 
Assuming every Democrat was in favor, they would need 10 Republicans to 
join.The House package would raise the age of purchasing semiautomatic 
rifles from 18 to 21, create new requirements for storing guns in a home
 with children, prevent gun trafficking, require all firearms to be 
traceable, and close the loophole on bump stocks, among other things.The meeting was scheduled by Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a New 
York Democrat, after a white supremacist killed 10 Black people at a 
supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, 
on May 14. Ten days later, an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, was 
attacked by an 18-year-old man&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2022/05/26/what-gun-used-texas-school-shooting-ar-15/9940849002/">armed with a rifle</a>, and 19 children and two teachers were killed.Meanwhile, with both the House and Senate in recess this week, a 
small bipartisan group of senators is also holding virtual talks to see 
if it is possible to develop any legislation on guns.Last week, hours after the Uvalde slaughter,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/05/25/frustrated-democrats-call-for-gop-help-on-federal-gun-laws-after-mass-school-shooting/">Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, did not commit</a>&nbsp;to working on any gun control legislation with Democrats.However, a few Senate Republicans seemed open to the idea of red flag
 laws, which&nbsp;allow the courts or law enforcement to temporarily remove a
 firearm from an individual who is distressed.Over the Memorial Day weekend, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut 
Democrat who’s worked for years to attempt to pass gun reform laws, 
tweeted that he’s been talking with senators of both parties about 
putting together a bipartisan gun violence bill.“Senator Schumer has given us just over a week to find a compromise,” he wrote. “This time, failure cannot be an option.”Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said that 
if Republicans do not work with Democrats to come to an agreement, the 
Senate will still hold a vote on gun control legislation, even if it 
fails, when the chamber returns from recess.After the Uvalde massacre, the nation’s second-deadliest mass school 
shooting since Sandy Hook Elementary a decade ago, Schumer took a 
procedural step to begin debate on two background check bills, with the 
possibility of calling for votes on them.The House-passed bills are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8">H.R. 8</a>, which “establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties,” and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1446">H.R. 1446</a>,
 which “increases the amount of time… that a federal firearms’ licensee 
must wait to receive a completed background check prior to transferring a
 firearm to an unlicensed person.”On Sunday, President Joe Biden visited Uvalde and called on Congress 
to stand up against the gun lobby and send a bill to his desk.Gun rights groups, such as the National Rifle Association and Gun 
Owners of America, spent a record of nearly $16 million in lobbying in 
2021, campaign finance records show.“I will meet with Congress on guns, I promise you,” Biden told reporters Tuesday.The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hold a hearing on gun violence June 15.