OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha woman faces a slew of charges after police say she sexually assaulted much younger girls on a dance team of which they were all members. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that prosecutors have charged 23-year-old Brittianee Bates with three counts of first-degree sexual assault, three counts of third-degree sexual assault of a child and two counts of intentional child abuse. 

Bates is accused of sexually assaulting three girls who were on the same drill team as Bates and a fourth girl who went to a day care where Bates worked. 

Prosecutors say the abuse dates back to 2015 and that the victims ranged in age from 7 to 12. Bates is being held on $500,000 bail.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha woman faces a slew of charges after police say she sexually assaulted much younger girls on a dance team of which they were all members. The Omaha World-Herald reports that prosecutors have charged 23-year-old Brittianee Bates with three counts of first-degree sexual assault, three counts of third-degree sexual assault of a child and two counts of intentional child abuse. Bates is accused of sexually assaulting three girls who were on the same drill team as Bates and a fourth girl who went to a day care where Bates worked. Prosecutors say the abuse dates back to 2015 and that the victims ranged in age from 7 to 12. Bates is being held on $500,000 bail.

Omaha woman accused of molesting young drill team members

CENTRAL CITY, Neb.-Authorities in Merrick County say three people were injured in a crash on Tuesday.

According to officials, deputies were dispatched to an accident involving multiple vehicles at Highway 30 and 19th Rd., just west of Central City.

Officials said a pickup pulling a stock trailer was eastbound and was slowing down for a turning vehicle when an eastbound semi-truck struck it from behind. The collision forced the pickup into the westbound lane where it was struck by a westbound semi-truck.

Three people were transported by ambulance to Merrick Medical Center before being transferred to Bryan West Hospital in Lincoln.

Officials said seatbelts were not in use by the pickup's occupants.

By Scott Carlson-North Platte PostCENTRAL CITY, Neb.-Authorities in Merrick County say three people were injured in a crash on Tuesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619627523813.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to officials, deputies were dispatched to an accident involving multiple vehicles at Highway 30 and 19th Rd., just west of Central City.Officials said a pickup pulling a stock trailer was eastbound and was slowing down for a turning vehicle when an eastbound semi-truck struck it from behind. The collision forced the pickup into the westbound lane where it was struck by a westbound semi-truck.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619627446291.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Three people were transported by ambulance to Merrick Medical Center before being transferred to Bryan West Hospital in Lincoln.Officials said seatbelts were not in use by the pickup's occupants.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619627504690.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Merrick County crash seriously injures 3

NORTH PLATTE&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a crash near Holdrege that claimed two lives and sent a child to the hospital.

At approximately 7:50 a.m. Tuesday, a Chevrolet Silverado was traveling westbound on Highway 6, four miles west of Holdrege, when it crossed the center line and struck an eastbound Dodge Grand Caravan.

The Silverado’s lone occupant, Dylan Skeen, 29, of Holdrege, was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, where he was pronounced deceased. The driver of the Grand Caravan, Kerri Bernstrauch, 36, Holdrege, was pronounced deceased at the scene. A child passenger in the Grand Caravan was also transported to Good Samaritan Hospital and then flown to Omaha for further treatment of serious injuries.

Seat belts were in use in the Grand Caravan. A seat belt was not in use in the Silverado. The crash remains under investigation.

NORTH PLATTE&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a crash near Holdrege that claimed two lives and sent a child to the hospital.At approximately 7:50 a.m. Tuesday, a Chevrolet Silverado was traveling westbound on Highway 6, four miles west of Holdrege, when it crossed the center line and struck an eastbound Dodge Grand Caravan.The Silverado’s lone occupant, Dylan Skeen, 29, of Holdrege, was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, where he was pronounced deceased. The driver of the Grand Caravan, Kerri Bernstrauch, 36, Holdrege, was pronounced deceased at the scene. A child passenger in the Grand Caravan was also transported to Good Samaritan Hospital and then flown to Omaha for further treatment of serious injuries.Seat belts were in use in the Grand Caravan. A seat belt was not in use in the Silverado. The crash remains under investigation.

Vehicle crash near Holdrege claims two lives

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Apple is following through on its pledge to crack down on Facebook and other snoopy apps that secretly shadow people on their iPhones in order to target more advertising at users.

The new privacy feature, dubbed “App Tracking Transparency,” rolled out this week as part of an update to the operating system powering the iPhone and iPad. The anti-tracking shield included in iOS 14.5 arrives after a seven-month delay during which Apple and Facebook attacked each other’s business models and motives for decisions that affect billions of people around the world.

“What this feud demonstrates more than anything is that Facebook and Apple have tremendous gatekeeping powers over the market,” said Elizabeth Renieris, founding director of the Technology Ethics Lab at the University of Notre Dame.

But Apple says it is just looking out for the best interests of the more than 1 billion people currently using iPhones.

“Now is a good time to bring this out, both because of because of the increasing amount of data they have on their devices, and their sensitivity (about the privacy risks) is increasing, too," Erik Neuenschwander, Apple's chief privacy engineer, told The Associated Press in an interview.

Once the software update is installed -- something most iPhone users do -- even existing apps already on the device will be required to ask and receive consent to track online activities. That’s a shift Facebook fiercely resisted, most prominently in a series of full-page newspaper ads blasting Apple.

Until now, Facebook and other apps have been able to automatically conduct their surveillance on iPhones unless users took the time and trouble to go into their settings to prevent it -- a process that few people bother to navigate.

“This is an important step toward consumers getting the transparency and the controls they have clearly been looking for,” said Daniel Barber, CEO of DataGrail, a firm that helps companies manage personal privacy.

In its attacks on Apple's anti-tracking controls, Facebook blasted the move as an abuse of power designed to force more apps to charge for their services instead of relying on ads. Apple takes a 15% to 30% cut on most payments processed through an iPhone app.

Online tracking has long helped Facebook and thousands of other apps accumulate information about their user’s interests and habits so they can show customized ads. Although Facebook executives initially acknowledged Apple’s changes would probably reduce its revenue by billions of dollars annually, the social networking company has framed most of its public criticism as a defense of small businesses that rely on online ads to stay alive.

Apple, in turn, has pilloried Facebook and other apps for prying so deeply into people's lives that it has created a societal crisis.

In a speech given a few weeks after the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol, Apple CEO Tim Cook pointed out how personal information collected through tracking by Facebook and other social media can sometimes push people toward more misinformation and hate speech as part of the efforts to show more ads.

“What are the consequences of not just tolerating but rewarding content that undermines public trust in life-saving vaccinations?” Cook asked. “What are the consequences of seeing thousands of users join extremist groups and then perpetuating an algorithm that recommends more?”

It’s part of Apple’s attempt to use the privacy issue to its competitive advantage, Barber said, a tactic he now expects more major brands to embrace if the new anti-tracking controls prove popular among most consumers.

In a change of tone, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently suggested that Apple’s new privacy controls could actually help his company in the long run. His rationale: The inability to automatically track iPhone users may prod more companies to sell their products directly on Facebook and affiliated services such as Instagram if they can't collect enough personal information to effectively target ads within their own apps.

“It’s possible that we may even be in a stronger position if Apple’s changes encourage more businesses to conduct more commerce on our platforms by making it harder for them to use their data in order to find the customers that would want to use their products outside of our platforms,” Zuckerberg said last month during a discussion held on the audio chat app Clubhouse.

In the same interview, Zuckerberg also asserted most people realize that advertising is a “time-tested model” that enables them to get more services for free or at extremely low prices.

“People get for the most part that if they are going to see ads, they want them to be relevant ads,” Zuckerberg said. He didn’t say whether he believes most iPhone users will consent to tracking in exchange for ads tailored to their interests.

Google also depends on personal information to fuel a digital ad network even bigger than Facebook’s, but it has said it would be able to adjust to the iPhone’s new privacy controls. Unlike Facebook, Google has close business ties with Apple. Google pays Apple an estimated $9 billion to $12 billion annually to be the preferred search engine on iPhone and iPad. That arrangement is currently one element of an antitrust case filed last year by the U.S. Justice Department.

Facebook is also defending itself against a federal antitrust lawsuit seeking to break the company apart. Meanwhile, Apple is being scrutinized by lawmakers and regulators around the world for the commissions it collects on purchases made through iPhone apps and its ability to shake up markets through new rules that are turning it into a de facto regulator.

“Even if Apple’s business model and side in this battle is more rights protective and better for consumer privacy, there is still a question of whether we want a large corporation like Apple effectively ‘legislating’ through the app store,” Renieris said.

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Technology WriterSAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Apple is following through on its pledge to crack down on Facebook and other snoopy apps that secretly shadow people on their iPhones in order to target more advertising at users.The new privacy feature, dubbed “App Tracking Transparency,” rolled out this week as part of an update to the operating system powering the iPhone and iPad. The anti-tracking shield included in iOS 14.5 arrives after a seven-month delay during which Apple and Facebook attacked each other’s business models and motives for decisions that affect billions of people around the world.“What this feud demonstrates more than anything is that Facebook and Apple have tremendous gatekeeping powers over the market,” said Elizabeth Renieris, founding director of the Technology Ethics Lab at the University of Notre Dame.But Apple says it is just looking out for the best interests of the more than 1 billion people currently using iPhones.“Now is a good time to bring this out, both because of because of the increasing amount of data they have on their devices, and their sensitivity (about the privacy risks) is increasing, too," Erik Neuenschwander, Apple's chief privacy engineer, told The Associated Press in an interview.Once the software update is installed -- something most iPhone users do -- even existing apps already on the device will be required to ask and receive consent to track online activities. That’s a shift Facebook fiercely resisted, most prominently in a series of full-page newspaper ads blasting Apple.Until now, Facebook and other apps have been able to automatically conduct their surveillance on iPhones unless users took the time and trouble to go into their settings to prevent it -- a process that few people bother to navigate.“This is an important step toward consumers getting the transparency and the controls they have clearly been looking for,” said Daniel Barber, CEO of DataGrail, a firm that helps companies manage personal privacy.In its attacks on Apple's anti-tracking controls, Facebook blasted the move as an abuse of power designed to force more apps to charge for their services instead of relying on ads. Apple takes a 15% to 30% cut on most payments processed through an iPhone app.Online tracking has long helped Facebook and thousands of other apps accumulate information about their user’s interests and habits so they can show customized ads. Although Facebook executives initially acknowledged Apple’s changes would probably reduce its revenue by billions of dollars annually, the social networking company has framed most of its public criticism as a defense of small businesses that rely on online ads to stay alive.Apple, in turn, has pilloried Facebook and other apps for prying so deeply into people's lives that it has created a societal crisis.In a speech given a few weeks after the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol, Apple CEO Tim Cook pointed out how personal information collected through tracking by Facebook and other social media can sometimes push people toward more misinformation and hate speech as part of the efforts to show more ads.“What are the consequences of not just tolerating but rewarding content that undermines public trust in life-saving vaccinations?” Cook asked. “What are the consequences of seeing thousands of users join extremist groups and then perpetuating an algorithm that recommends more?”It’s part of Apple’s attempt to use the privacy issue to its competitive advantage, Barber said, a tactic he now expects more major brands to embrace if the new anti-tracking controls prove popular among most consumers.In a change of tone, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently suggested that Apple’s new privacy controls could actually help his company in the long run. His rationale: The inability to automatically track iPhone users may prod more companies to sell their products directly on Facebook and affiliated services such as Instagram if they can't collect enough personal information to effectively target ads within their own apps.“It’s possible that we may even be in a stronger position if Apple’s changes encourage more businesses to conduct more commerce on our platforms by making it harder for them to use their data in order to find the customers that would want to use their products outside of our platforms,” Zuckerberg said last month during a discussion held on the audio chat app Clubhouse.In the same interview, Zuckerberg also asserted most people realize that advertising is a “time-tested model” that enables them to get more services for free or at extremely low prices.“People get for the most part that if they are going to see ads, they want them to be relevant ads,” Zuckerberg said. He didn’t say whether he believes most iPhone users will consent to tracking in exchange for ads tailored to their interests.Google also depends on personal information to fuel a digital ad network even bigger than Facebook’s, but it has said it would be able to adjust to the iPhone’s new privacy controls. Unlike Facebook, Google has close business ties with Apple. Google pays Apple an estimated $9 billion to $12 billion annually to be the preferred search engine on iPhone and iPad. That arrangement is currently one element of an antitrust case filed last year by the U.S. Justice Department.Facebook is also defending itself against a federal antitrust lawsuit seeking to break the company apart. Meanwhile, Apple is being scrutinized by lawmakers and regulators around the world for the commissions it collects on purchases made through iPhone apps and its ability to shake up markets through new rules that are turning it into a de facto regulator.“Even if Apple’s business model and side in this battle is more rights protective and better for consumer privacy, there is still a question of whether we want a large corporation like Apple effectively ‘legislating’ through the app store,” Renieris said.

Apple finally releases anti-tracking feature on iPhone

WASHINGTON (AP) — Marking his first 100 days in office, President Joe Biden will use his first joint address to Congress to pitch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-business-government-and-politics-9e352e3dea44997725edb279751abab3">a $1.8 trillion investment</a>&nbsp;in children, families and education that would fundamentally transform the role government plays in American life.

Biden will make his case Wednesday night before a pared-down gathering of mask-wearing legislators due to coronavirus restrictions and in a U.S. Capitol still surrounded by black fencing after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">insurrectionists protesting his election</a>&nbsp;occupied the very dais where he will stand.

In the nationally televised ritual of a president standing before Congress, Biden will lay out a sweeping proposal for universal preschool, two years of free community college, $225 billion for child care and monthly payments of at least $250 to parents. His ideas reflect the frailties that were uncovered last year by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the pandemic</a>, and he will make the case that economic growth would best come from taxing the rich to help the middle class and the poor.

His speech will also provide an update on progress in combating the COVID-19 crisis he was elected to tame, showcasing hundreds of millions of vaccinations and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-virus-relief-checks-3eed6a4659f1fb7d36b4ced0eba58f86">relief checks</a>&nbsp;delivered to help offset the devastation wrought by a virus that has&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">killed more than 573,000 people in the United States</a>. He will also champion his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-coronavirus-pandemic-pittsburgh-jen-psaki-8865ffc8f5ad3142155a5bd3c3a3e6d3">$2.3 trillion infrastructure plan</a>, a staggering figure to be financed solely by higher taxes on corporations.

Seizing an opportunity born of generational calamity, Biden has embraced momentous action over incremental progress, with the goal of making the economy fairer and stronger. But he will be forced to thread the needle between Republicans who cry government overreach and some Democrats who fear he won’t go big enough.

The Democratic president’s strategy is to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-coronavirus-pandemic-impeachments-barack-obama-4c79ff8d59f8ce19f9dae6b550223bf0">sidestep the polarization</a>&nbsp;and make his appeal directly to voters. His prime-time speech will underscore a trio of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-climate-iran-nuclear-immigration-de7b288aa2b4315b5b7fe38559a6e666">central campaign promises</a>: to manage the deadly pandemic, to turn down the tension in Washington and to restore faith in government as an effective force for good.

“He is a big-government Democrat, and he has not been at all reluctant to propose big initiatives in a response to a national crisis,” said Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University presidential historian.

No American politician has more familiarity with the presidential address to Congress than Biden. He spent three decades in the audience as a senator and another eight years seated behind President Barack Obama during the annual address when he was vice president.

For the first time on Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-vice-president-f86d6be83bf83fe9b823ae7e21f94796">a female vice president</a>, Kamala Harris, will be seated behind the chief executive for the speech.

Biden also knows that most of those seated before him have, like he did, looked at the president and envisioned themselves one day in his place. He has heard the memorable phrases and the long list of promises — often unmet — and seen the partisan reactions intensify as the years have hurried by.

He chose to delay this speech, typically given in the afterglow of a presidential inaugural. In doing so, he gave himself the chance to not simply speak of the pain of the COVID-19 crisis but also to talk about tangible progress in beating it back.

The setting will be unlike for any of his predecessors, with members of Congress spread out and socially distanced and many Republicans citing “scheduling conflicts” to explain their absence. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that Biden’s presidency “can best be described as the Biden bait and switch.”

“President Biden ran as a moderate, but I’m hard pressed to think of anything at all that he’s done so far that would indicate some degree of moderation,” McConnell said.

Yet the desire for swift action is born from political necessity. Biden understands that the time for passing his agenda could be perilously short given that president’s parties historically lose congressional seats in the midterm elections, less than two years away. The Democrats’ margins are already razor-thin.

Biden will talk to Congress amid the start of a potentially booming recovery, one that could determine whether the U.S. economy can once again fire on all cylinders after a morale-crushing pandemic and a humbling financial crisis with shock waves that linger a dozen years later.

In his first three months in office, Biden signed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill — passed without a single GOP vote — and has shepherded direct payments of $1,400 per person to more than 160 million households. Hundreds of billions of dollars in aid will soon arrive for state and local governments, enough money that overall U.S. growth this year could eclipse 6% — a level not seen since 1984. Administration officials are betting that it will be enough to bring back all 8.4 million jobs lost to the pandemic by next year.

Biden’s speech Wednesday is about how to sustain those gains once the debt-financed boost fades. Federal Reserve estimates suggest that the economy will slip to more modest 1.8% growth after at least two years of robust gains, potentially leaving the Biden era with some happy memories but few enduring legacies.

New in his Wednesday speech is a “families” plan that could cement his legacy with $1.8 trillion worth of spending over 10 years.

A significant amount of the proposal would ensure that eligible families receive at least $250 monthly per child through 2025, extending the enhanced tax credit that was part of Biden’s COVID-19 aid. There would be $200 billion for free preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds. Another $225 billion would pay for subsidized child care and invest in child care workers.

A national paid family and medical leave program would be started at a cost of $225 billion. Another $200 billion would go to permanently reduce health insurance premiums for people who receive coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

For $109 billion, people could attend community college tuition-free for two years. There would be $85 billion for Pell Grants to help more people afford higher education. Historically Black and tribal institutions would be eligible to receive $46 billion.

Funding all of this would be a series of tax increases on the wealthy that would raise about $1.5 trillion over a decade.

Biden wants to boost IRS enforcement and require disclosures by financial institutions, specifically targeting the rich. The White House estimates that would bring in $700 billion over 10 years. He would raise the top tax rate on the most affluent families from 37% to 39.6%. People earning in excess of $1 million a year would see their rate on capital gains — the profits from a sale of a stock or home — nearly double from 20% to 39.6%, which would mean the wealthiest Americans could no longer pay at a lower rate than many families who identify as middle class.

The president has drawn a firm red line that no household earning less than $400,000 a year will pay more in taxes, a move that both broadened the definition of the middle class and clearly delineated just how extreme inequality has become.

Economist Owen Zidar, whose research suggested that capital gains tax hikes could raise meaningful revenues, said the programs funded by the proceeds might allow poorer children to become inventors and entrepreneurs, positions that are increasingly reserved for the offspring of wealthy parents.

“There are many missing Einsteins and Elon Musks,” Zidar said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Marking his first 100 days in office, President Joe Biden will use his first joint address to Congress to pitch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-business-government-and-politics-9e352e3dea44997725edb279751abab3">a $1.8 trillion investment</a>&nbsp;in children, families and education that would fundamentally transform the role government plays in American life.Biden will make his case Wednesday night before a pared-down gathering of mask-wearing legislators due to coronavirus restrictions and in a U.S. Capitol still surrounded by black fencing after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">insurrectionists protesting his election</a>&nbsp;occupied the very dais where he will stand.In the nationally televised ritual of a president standing before Congress, Biden will lay out a sweeping proposal for universal preschool, two years of free community college, $225 billion for child care and monthly payments of at least $250 to parents. His ideas reflect the frailties that were uncovered last year by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">the pandemic</a>, and he will make the case that economic growth would best come from taxing the rich to help the middle class and the poor.His speech will also provide an update on progress in combating the COVID-19 crisis he was elected to tame, showcasing hundreds of millions of vaccinations and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-virus-relief-checks-3eed6a4659f1fb7d36b4ced0eba58f86">relief checks</a>&nbsp;delivered to help offset the devastation wrought by a virus that has&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">killed more than 573,000 people in the United States</a>. He will also champion his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-coronavirus-pandemic-pittsburgh-jen-psaki-8865ffc8f5ad3142155a5bd3c3a3e6d3">$2.3 trillion infrastructure plan</a>, a staggering figure to be financed solely by higher taxes on corporations.Seizing an opportunity born of generational calamity, Biden has embraced momentous action over incremental progress, with the goal of making the economy fairer and stronger. But he will be forced to thread the needle between Republicans who cry government overreach and some Democrats who fear he won’t go big enough.The Democratic president’s strategy is to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-coronavirus-pandemic-impeachments-barack-obama-4c79ff8d59f8ce19f9dae6b550223bf0">sidestep the polarization</a>&nbsp;and make his appeal directly to voters. His prime-time speech will underscore a trio of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-climate-iran-nuclear-immigration-de7b288aa2b4315b5b7fe38559a6e666">central campaign promises</a>: to manage the deadly pandemic, to turn down the tension in Washington and to restore faith in government as an effective force for good.“He is a big-government Democrat, and he has not been at all reluctant to propose big initiatives in a response to a national crisis,” said Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University presidential historian.No American politician has more familiarity with the presidential address to Congress than Biden. He spent three decades in the audience as a senator and another eight years seated behind President Barack Obama during the annual address when he was vice president.For the first time on Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-vice-president-f86d6be83bf83fe9b823ae7e21f94796">a female vice president</a>, Kamala Harris, will be seated behind the chief executive for the speech.Biden also knows that most of those seated before him have, like he did, looked at the president and envisioned themselves one day in his place. He has heard the memorable phrases and the long list of promises — often unmet — and seen the partisan reactions intensify as the years have hurried by.He chose to delay this speech, typically given in the afterglow of a presidential inaugural. In doing so, he gave himself the chance to not simply speak of the pain of the COVID-19 crisis but also to talk about tangible progress in beating it back.The setting will be unlike for any of his predecessors, with members of Congress spread out and socially distanced and many Republicans citing “scheduling conflicts” to explain their absence. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that Biden’s presidency “can best be described as the Biden bait and switch.”“President Biden ran as a moderate, but I’m hard pressed to think of anything at all that he’s done so far that would indicate some degree of moderation,” McConnell said.Yet the desire for swift action is born from political necessity. Biden understands that the time for passing his agenda could be perilously short given that president’s parties historically lose congressional seats in the midterm elections, less than two years away. The Democrats’ margins are already razor-thin.Biden will talk to Congress amid the start of a potentially booming recovery, one that could determine whether the U.S. economy can once again fire on all cylinders after a morale-crushing pandemic and a humbling financial crisis with shock waves that linger a dozen years later.In his first three months in office, Biden signed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill — passed without a single GOP vote — and has shepherded direct payments of $1,400 per person to more than 160 million households. Hundreds of billions of dollars in aid will soon arrive for state and local governments, enough money that overall U.S. growth this year could eclipse 6% — a level not seen since 1984. Administration officials are betting that it will be enough to bring back all 8.4 million jobs lost to the pandemic by next year.Biden’s speech Wednesday is about how to sustain those gains once the debt-financed boost fades. Federal Reserve estimates suggest that the economy will slip to more modest 1.8% growth after at least two years of robust gains, potentially leaving the Biden era with some happy memories but few enduring legacies.New in his Wednesday speech is a “families” plan that could cement his legacy with $1.8 trillion worth of spending over 10 years.A significant amount of the proposal would ensure that eligible families receive at least $250 monthly per child through 2025, extending the enhanced tax credit that was part of Biden’s COVID-19 aid. There would be $200 billion for free preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds. Another $225 billion would pay for subsidized child care and invest in child care workers.A national paid family and medical leave program would be started at a cost of $225 billion. Another $200 billion would go to permanently reduce health insurance premiums for people who receive coverage through the Affordable Care Act.For $109 billion, people could attend community college tuition-free for two years. There would be $85 billion for Pell Grants to help more people afford higher education. Historically Black and tribal institutions would be eligible to receive $46 billion.Funding all of this would be a series of tax increases on the wealthy that would raise about $1.5 trillion over a decade.Biden wants to boost IRS enforcement and require disclosures by financial institutions, specifically targeting the rich. The White House estimates that would bring in $700 billion over 10 years. He would raise the top tax rate on the most affluent families from 37% to 39.6%. People earning in excess of $1 million a year would see their rate on capital gains — the profits from a sale of a stock or home — nearly double from 20% to 39.6%, which would mean the wealthiest Americans could no longer pay at a lower rate than many families who identify as middle class.The president has drawn a firm red line that no household earning less than $400,000 a year will pay more in taxes, a move that both broadened the definition of the middle class and clearly delineated just how extreme inequality has become.Economist Owen Zidar, whose research suggested that capital gains tax hikes could raise meaningful revenues, said the programs funded by the proceeds might allow poorer children to become inventors and entrepreneurs, positions that are increasingly reserved for the offspring of wealthy parents.“There are many missing Einsteins and Elon Musks,” Zidar said.___

Biden to propose free preschool, community college in speech to Congress

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department
 of the Treasury, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they 
are disbursing nearly 2 million payments in the seventh batch of 
Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan.

Today's announcement brings the total disbursed so far to 
approximately 163 million payments, with a total value of approximately 
$384 billion, since these payments began rolling out to Americans in 
batches <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-begins-delivering-third-round-of-economic-impact-payments-to-americans">as announced</a> on March 12.

The seventh batch of payments began processing on Friday, April 23, 
with an official payment date of April 28, with some people receiving 
direct payments in their accounts earlier as provisional or pending 
deposits. Here is additional information on this batch of payments:

Additional information is available on the first six batches of 
Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan, which processed 
weekly on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/two-million-more-economic-impact-payments-disbursed-under-the-american-rescue-plan-total-reaches-approximately-161-million-as-payments-continue">April 16</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-2-million-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan-va-beneficiaries-bring-total-to-approximately-159-million-as-payments-continue">April 9</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-25-million-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan">April 2</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan-total-tops-130-million-with-more-to-come">March 26</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-another-37-million-economic-impact-payments-from-the-american-rescue-plan">March 19</a> and <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0063">March 12</a>.

The IRS will continue to make Economic Impact Payments on a weekly 
basis. Ongoing payments will be sent to eligible individuals for whom 
the IRS previously did not have information to issue a payment but who 
recently filed a tax return, as well to people who qualify for "plus-up"
 payments.

Special reminder for those who don't normally file a tax return

Although payments are automatic for most people, the IRS continues to
 urge people who don't normally file a tax return and haven't received 
Economic Impact Payments to file a 2020 tax return to get all the 
benefits they're entitled to under the law, including tax credits such 
as the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>,
 the Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Filing a 2020 
tax return will also assist the IRS in determining whether someone is 
eligible for an advance payment of the 2021 Child Tax Credit, which will
 begin to be disbursed this summer.

For example, some federal benefits recipients may need to file a 2020
 tax return – even if they don't usually file – to provide information 
the IRS needs to send payments for a qualifying dependent. Eligible 
individuals in this group should file a 2020 tax return as quickly as 
possible to be considered for an additional payment for their qualifying
 dependents.

People who don't normally file a tax return and don't receive federal
 benefits may qualify for these Economic Impact Payments. This includes 
those experiencing <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/those-experiencing-homelessness-can-get-economic-impact-payments-and-other-tax-benefits-permanent-address-not-required">homelessness</a>,
 the rural poor, and others. Individuals who didn't get a first or 
second round Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amounts 
may be eligible for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, but they'll need to file a 2020 tax return. See the special section on IRS.gov: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.

Free <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">tax return preparation</a> is available for qualifying people.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this third round 
of Economic Impact Payments have changed. This means that some people 
won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or
 second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000
 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing 
jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for 
married filing jointly); people with Adjusted Gross Incomes above these 
levels are ineligible for a payment.

Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — On Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department
 of the Treasury, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they 
are disbursing nearly 2 million payments in the seventh batch of 
Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan.Today's announcement brings the total disbursed so far to 
approximately 163 million payments, with a total value of approximately 
$384 billion, since these payments began rolling out to Americans in 
batches <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-begins-delivering-third-round-of-economic-impact-payments-to-americans">as announced</a> on March 12.The seventh batch of payments began processing on Friday, April 23, 
with an official payment date of April 28, with some people receiving 
direct payments in their accounts earlier as provisional or pending 
deposits. Here is additional information on this batch of payments:<ul>
 <li>In total, this batch includes nearly 2 million payments with a value of more than $4.3 billion.</li><li>More than 1.2 million payments, with a value of over $3 billion, 
went to eligible individuals for whom the IRS previously did not have 
information to issue an Economic Impact Payment but who recently filed a
 tax return.&nbsp;</li><li>This batch also includes additional ongoing supplemental payments 
for people who earlier this year received payments based on their 2019 
tax returns but are eligible for a new or larger payment based on their 
recently processed 2020 tax returns. This batch included more than 
730,000 of these "plus-up" payments, with a value of over $1.3 billion.</li><li>Overall, this seventh batch of payments contains about 1.1 million 
direct deposit payments (with a total value of $2.5 billion) and about 
850,000 paper check payments (with a total value of more than $1.8 
billion).</li>
 </ul>Additional information is available on the first six batches of 
Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan, which processed 
weekly on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/two-million-more-economic-impact-payments-disbursed-under-the-american-rescue-plan-total-reaches-approximately-161-million-as-payments-continue">April 16</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-2-million-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan-va-beneficiaries-bring-total-to-approximately-159-million-as-payments-continue">April 9</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-25-million-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan">April 2</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-more-economic-impact-payments-under-the-american-rescue-plan-total-tops-130-million-with-more-to-come">March 26</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-treasury-disburse-another-37-million-economic-impact-payments-from-the-american-rescue-plan">March 19</a> and <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0063">March 12</a>.The IRS will continue to make Economic Impact Payments on a weekly 
basis. Ongoing payments will be sent to eligible individuals for whom 
the IRS previously did not have information to issue a payment but who 
recently filed a tax return, as well to people who qualify for "plus-up"
 payments.<h2>Special reminder for those who don't normally file a tax return</h2>Although payments are automatic for most people, the IRS continues to
 urge people who don't normally file a tax return and haven't received 
Economic Impact Payments to file a 2020 tax return to get all the 
benefits they're entitled to under the law, including tax credits such 
as the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>,
 the Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Filing a 2020 
tax return will also assist the IRS in determining whether someone is 
eligible for an advance payment of the 2021 Child Tax Credit, which will
 begin to be disbursed this summer.For example, some federal benefits recipients may need to file a 2020
 tax return – even if they don't usually file – to provide information 
the IRS needs to send payments for a qualifying dependent. Eligible 
individuals in this group should file a 2020 tax return as quickly as 
possible to be considered for an additional payment for their qualifying
 dependents.People who don't normally file a tax return and don't receive federal
 benefits may qualify for these Economic Impact Payments. This includes 
those experiencing <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/those-experiencing-homelessness-can-get-economic-impact-payments-and-other-tax-benefits-permanent-address-not-required">homelessness</a>,
 the rural poor, and others. Individuals who didn't get a first or 
second round Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amounts 
may be eligible for the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, but they'll need to file a 2020 tax return. See the special section on IRS.gov: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.Free <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">tax return preparation</a> is available for qualifying people.The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this third round 
of Economic Impact Payments have changed. This means that some people 
won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or
 second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000
 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing 
jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for 
married filing jointly); people with Adjusted Gross Incomes above these 
levels are ineligible for a payment.Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.

IRS: 2 million more COVID recovery checks sent; 163M paid so far

The Federal Trade Commission is sending full refunds totaling more than $11 million to consumers who lost money to a bogus credit card interest rate reduction scheme operated by E.M. Systems &amp; Services.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUdbOg1oyC3s1BFESJfv1yTTLTfeDJ-2BarGF0Qh0X8jdkfv9AX6pdQUbPwOIbxNJ3lkQL-2FSRM73p7sdjPQ-2Fa2RhuxcOc7r95y5dkNU0bW1RnvieQzA6jbTbK4HZYiW-2FoMYYQ-3D-3Dw2O3_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7DAeMn3JzMWxefIB5LtfKekboS18zd4J7v1CEnb8xTEw0XhLQn0NP3I4cVJ1enQyMVEvPUaFu84h0-2FWq-2BkwXd5mjeIHVoxQoRnSxiqtARtrjbE33JMV-2B-2FHFPIVUNtI5wvr-2F35r3Iic8jH2LP6g0NBmDXjq1PTifMr7F59ZsaMSpf1C4tzT5TQxu88IrPg4tL0bAXWL02ygrAGBEX8jDFKWB53ln-2BdXzvszcKyanFW1yQ69K1ZPHjGA1GR-2BaGpJ8Y0g-3D">FTC and the State of Florida alleged</a>&nbsp;that the company’s owners, Steven D. Short and Karissa L. Dyar, used a variety of phony business names with associated websites, cold-called consumers with credit card debt and falsely promised to save them thousands of dollars by reducing their credit card interest rates. The FTC says that the defendants charged an up-front fee between $695 and $1,495, and falsely promised to provide refunds to consumers if they failed to reduce the interest rates.

According to the complaint, the telemarketers identified themselves as “card services,” “credit services,” and “card member services,” or used one of the defendants’ phony business names. To win consumers’ trust, they said they knew the amount of consumers’ credit card debt, provided the caller’s license or badge number, mentioned the Internet domain name of the phony business, and falsely claimed they had a business relationship with consumers’ lenders.

More than 11,000 consumers are receiving full refunds, averaging $995 each. Consumers who receive checks should deposit or cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check.&nbsp;The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide account information to cash a refund check.

Recipients who have questions about the redress payments, or who did not receive a payment but believe they are eligible should contact the refund administrator, Epiq, at 800-239-6082.

The funds for this refund program come from the FTC’s&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUdbOg1oyC3s1BFESJfv1yTTLTfeDJ-2BarGF0Qh0X8jdkfBxL2XL4hOPBqaNkXOJ4pesUvE8SZNtd7XwaHuxAIkPv8IYCmhzMlhHONY2ByONo7hVV38AsLUXEC1oYkCIinnuiXCi1fHONu-2F1YqMx3acJA-3DkKDD_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7DAeMn3JzMWxefIB5LtfKekboS18zd4J7v1CEnb8xTEw0XhLQn0NP3I4cVJ1enQyMVEvPUaFu84h0-2FWq-2BkwXd5mjeIHVoxQoRnSxiqtARtrjQDvxrSfMk7S8TNFv56hahyTLIv2A2cd1jbE8MH-2BMFH2AvZ8m0ROwBCellwDOoYFZsO8kyHFMjmm7omesnLIjR-2BnLyy25t6Q1CKm-2FuNDAjZ0dFXFiXMXMOJUhmvRMo7yS6XqAC9XW1C46HDEN1QeuK4-3D">case against First Data Merchant Services</a>, the company that processed credit card payments for the defendants in this case. According to the FTC, First Data allegedly ignored repeated warnings from employees, banks, and others that they were processing payments for companies that were breaking the law. First Data agreed to pay $40 million to settle the FTC’s charges. The FTC plans to use the remaining money to provide additional refunds to consumers in two other related cases.

The FTC’s&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUcUmZLSH0xJ2WtBwbqiniakaGlt4YIn0B6CxtRLKddhzP4GoZfisp1lGzNgGgqlRzTDuaaeFlUh8frMSmtxmdTk-2FXAdpnv6Nw6UkQu7dC5YkuPz41qsllLLO5JBfQT1Q8mGVx1W8QCVNHzFqPi9meq4-3D3PTL_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7DAeMn3JzMWxefIB5LtfKekboS18zd4J7v1CEnb8xTEw0XhLQn0NP3I4cVJ1enQyMVEvPUaFu84h0-2FWq-2BkwXd5mjeIHVoxQoRnSxiqtARtrjV2Kfb2tlRFzbvL5FNVBwN-2FQK5PTY7VYwRItNq-2B0xlXRMDvTMe4XEIyL-2Fi7mhchI4OesebOALZy-2BWuEERUGoQDM-2BJgWZbiFvJzwUm4l6JFQC2GvQURRSLDy7GXHcv1aRKIwudMeatc-2F-2B6L9jmnQVgvg-3D">interactive dashboards for refund data(link is external)</a>&nbsp;provide a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds.&nbsp;FTC actions led to more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the country in 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe Federal Trade Commission is sending full refunds totaling more than $11 million to consumers who lost money to a bogus credit card interest rate reduction scheme operated by E.M. Systems &amp; Services.The&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUdbOg1oyC3s1BFESJfv1yTTLTfeDJ-2BarGF0Qh0X8jdkfv9AX6pdQUbPwOIbxNJ3lkQL-2FSRM73p7sdjPQ-2Fa2RhuxcOc7r95y5dkNU0bW1RnvieQzA6jbTbK4HZYiW-2FoMYYQ-3D-3Dw2O3_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7DAeMn3JzMWxefIB5LtfKekboS18zd4J7v1CEnb8xTEw0XhLQn0NP3I4cVJ1enQyMVEvPUaFu84h0-2FWq-2BkwXd5mjeIHVoxQoRnSxiqtARtrjbE33JMV-2B-2FHFPIVUNtI5wvr-2F35r3Iic8jH2LP6g0NBmDXjq1PTifMr7F59ZsaMSpf1C4tzT5TQxu88IrPg4tL0bAXWL02ygrAGBEX8jDFKWB53ln-2BdXzvszcKyanFW1yQ69K1ZPHjGA1GR-2BaGpJ8Y0g-3D">FTC and the State of Florida alleged</a>&nbsp;that the company’s owners, Steven D. Short and Karissa L. Dyar, used a variety of phony business names with associated websites, cold-called consumers with credit card debt and falsely promised to save them thousands of dollars by reducing their credit card interest rates. The FTC says that the defendants charged an up-front fee between $695 and $1,495, and falsely promised to provide refunds to consumers if they failed to reduce the interest rates.According to the complaint, the telemarketers identified themselves as “card services,” “credit services,” and “card member services,” or used one of the defendants’ phony business names. To win consumers’ trust, they said they knew the amount of consumers’ credit card debt, provided the caller’s license or badge number, mentioned the Internet domain name of the phony business, and falsely claimed they had a business relationship with consumers’ lenders.More than 11,000 consumers are receiving full refunds, averaging $995 each. Consumers who receive checks should deposit or cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check.&nbsp;The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide account information to cash a refund check.Recipients who have questions about the redress payments, or who did not receive a payment but believe they are eligible should contact the refund administrator, Epiq, at 800-239-6082.The funds for this refund program come from the FTC’s&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUdbOg1oyC3s1BFESJfv1yTTLTfeDJ-2BarGF0Qh0X8jdkfBxL2XL4hOPBqaNkXOJ4pesUvE8SZNtd7XwaHuxAIkPv8IYCmhzMlhHONY2ByONo7hVV38AsLUXEC1oYkCIinnuiXCi1fHONu-2F1YqMx3acJA-3DkKDD_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7DAeMn3JzMWxefIB5LtfKekboS18zd4J7v1CEnb8xTEw0XhLQn0NP3I4cVJ1enQyMVEvPUaFu84h0-2FWq-2BkwXd5mjeIHVoxQoRnSxiqtARtrjQDvxrSfMk7S8TNFv56hahyTLIv2A2cd1jbE8MH-2BMFH2AvZ8m0ROwBCellwDOoYFZsO8kyHFMjmm7omesnLIjR-2BnLyy25t6Q1CKm-2FuNDAjZ0dFXFiXMXMOJUhmvRMo7yS6XqAC9XW1C46HDEN1QeuK4-3D">case against First Data Merchant Services</a>, the company that processed credit card payments for the defendants in this case. According to the FTC, First Data allegedly ignored repeated warnings from employees, banks, and others that they were processing payments for companies that were breaking the law. First Data agreed to pay $40 million to settle the FTC’s charges. The FTC plans to use the remaining money to provide additional refunds to consumers in two other related cases.The FTC’s&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUcUmZLSH0xJ2WtBwbqiniakaGlt4YIn0B6CxtRLKddhzP4GoZfisp1lGzNgGgqlRzTDuaaeFlUh8frMSmtxmdTk-2FXAdpnv6Nw6UkQu7dC5YkuPz41qsllLLO5JBfQT1Q8mGVx1W8QCVNHzFqPi9meq4-3D3PTL_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lGsZ6LVtPCJH4PgnOZrrTlucqQDHtcRpLi0WBwQJnF17kyiNbMbkJLUImClLNWXo7DAeMn3JzMWxefIB5LtfKekboS18zd4J7v1CEnb8xTEw0XhLQn0NP3I4cVJ1enQyMVEvPUaFu84h0-2FWq-2BkwXd5mjeIHVoxQoRnSxiqtARtrjV2Kfb2tlRFzbvL5FNVBwN-2FQK5PTY7VYwRItNq-2B0xlXRMDvTMe4XEIyL-2Fi7mhchI4OesebOALZy-2BWuEERUGoQDM-2BJgWZbiFvJzwUm4l6JFQC2GvQURRSLDy7GXHcv1aRKIwudMeatc-2F-2B6L9jmnQVgvg-3D">interactive dashboards for refund data(link is external)</a>&nbsp;provide a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds.&nbsp;FTC actions led to more than $483 million in refunds to consumers across the country in 2020.

FTC sends $11M+ in refunds to consumers affected by credit card interest rate scam

The first batch of once-every-decade&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-health-census-2020-business-government-and-politics-7a9a1cb38b0cfeca8b3e9b3bc42ce383">data from the U.S. Census Bureau</a>&nbsp;shows a United States that is growing less quickly but still seeing its population shift to the South and the West.

The data released Monday was relatively basic — containing national and state-level population figures and details of how they affect states’ representation in Congress. Still, it contained some surprises and pointed to some consequential trends.

The U.S. population grew to 331 million, a 7.4% growth rate from the last time the Census Bureau counted every person in the country, in 2010. Those may sound like big numbers, but it’s actually the second slowest rate of population growth the census has ever recorded, just behind the 7.3% growth in the 1930s.

That decade’s slowed growth was rooted in the Great Depression. Our past decade’s sluggish rate had similar beginnings in the long shadow of the Great Recession. The drawn-out recovery saw many young adults struggling to enter the job market, delaying marriage and starting a family. That dealt a blow to the nation’s birthrate. Then the pandemic hit last year and made matters worse.

But while U.S. population growth recovered after the Great Depression, demographers are not optimistic it will pick up anytime soon. Most forecast even slower population growth in the decades to come. Americans are getting older — the median age in the U.S. is 38, up one year from 37 in 2010. Immigration had been dropping even before the pandemic effectively shut it down. And many Republicans have largely turned against the idea of immigration, legal or illegal, a new political barrier to the country adding more population quickly.

“Unlike the Great Depression, it’s part of a process where we’re likely to keep having slow growth,” said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

That has potentially grim consequences for the nation’s future. “The big demographic advantage the U.S. once enjoyed over other rich nations has evaporated,” John Lettieri, president of the Economic Innovation Group, tweeted after the census data release. “Now there are more Americans 80 and older than 2 or younger.”

The U.S. population may be growing more slowly, but it continued its 80-year-long trend of shifting to the South and the West.

Florida, Montana and North Carolina each saw enough growth to add a congressional seat, while booming Texas gained two. Colorado and Oregon also gained new seats, while Michigan, New York and Pennsylvania lost seats.

The snapshot tells a familiar story: Americans have moved out of the industrial Midwest and Northeast, chasing jobs, more affordable housing, growing new suburbs and vibrant cities.

But, strikingly, the longtime symbol of Americans’ search for the new and the next wasn’t part of that story. California’s growth rate wasn’t enough to retain its 53-seat delegation in the House. The nation’s most populous state lost a congressional seat for the first time in its history, a fact that is already forcing debate over whether Democrats’ control of state government is to blame.

Those population changes will be quickly translated into political shifts. The census data officially kicked off the redistricting process, in which states will redraw congressional and statehouse districts to adjust for the new headcounts.

The news Monday was generally good for Republicans. They control the redistricting process in Florida, North Carolina and Texas, which account for four of the seven new seats.

The two Democratic states that gain seats — Colorado and Oregon — won’t give that power to their Democratically controlled legislatures. In Oregon, Democrats have agreed to give GOP lawmakers equal say in exchange for a pledge not to hold up other legislation. And Colorado’s voters took the drawing of district lines away from state lawmakers and gave it to a nonpartisan commission.

The new seats are only part of the often cutthroat redistricting fight. As soon as August, the Census Bureau is expected to release detailed information showing, down to the block, where almost every person lives. New legislative maps will be redrawn in each state to ensure equal representation. But one party can gain advantage by packing rivals into a single district, or spreading them out so that they can never win an election.

Right now, the GOP controls more statehouses overall and has an edge in growing states. Republicans only need to net a handful of seats to win control of the U.S. House.

“I think Republicans, when all this is done, will be in great shape to retake the House majority in 2022,” said Adam Kincaid, executive director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust, which is coordinating the GOP redistricting push.

But there will be limits. Many of the new residents of those states are young and voters of color, groups that lean strongly Democratic. It may be hard for Republicans to maintain their edge for much of the decade, regardless of how they draw their lines.

In fact, the process was expected to go even better for the GOP. Texas had been predicted to gain three seats, Florida two and Arizona one. Those shortfalls were a shocker for demographers, and there were so few details in the data it was hard to understand what happened.

One possibility is that Latinos weren’t properly counted. Latinos make up a large segment of the population in the three states that didn’t gain expected seats. Trump unsuccessfully pushed to add a citizenship question to the census, sparking allegations that he hoped to intimidate immigrants or people in the country illegally from participating in the process. The actual count started during the coronavirus pandemic when it was especially hard to reach certain populations.

It may be that the gap between expected gains and actual ones is the first sign of a Hispanic undercount. But it’s too soon to tell without the more detailed data due out in the fall.

“The initial results are surprising enough that once more details are released, we will be able to better determine to what extent the Latino population was fairly and accurately counted,” said Arturo Vargas, president of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

Thomas Saenz, president of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said he wasn’t ready to “sound the alarm” about an undercount yet, noting that growth among Latinos may have helped New York avoid losing a second House seat.

This census count was a tough one for New York. Growth has been slowing for years and there’s been a particular exodus of people from its upstate region north and west of New York City. But, during a Monday news conference, Census Bureau officials revealed the state was 89 people short of dodging the demographic bullet of losing a congressional seat.

Congressional reapportionment is a zero-sum game, with states divvying up the 435 House seats based on population. Minnesota barely edged out New York to avoid being the last state to lose a seat. If New York had counted 89 more residents, and all other states stayed the same, the state would have kept its seat and Minnesota would have lost one.

Minnesota, which had the nation’s highest self-response rate, also secured the last House seat in 2010.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. population growth has slowed to the lowest rate since the Great Depression, the Census Bureau said, as Americans continued their march to the South and West and one-time engines of growth, New York and California, lost political influence.

Altogether, the U.S. population rose to 331,449,281 last year, the Census Bureau said Monday, a 7.4% increase over the previous decade that was the second slowest ever. Experts say that paltry pace reflects the combination of an aging population, slowing immigration and the scars of the Great Recession more than a decade ago, which led many young adults to delay marriage and families.

The new allocation of congressional seats comes in the first release of data from last year’s headcount. The numbers generally chart familiar American migration patterns: Texas and Florida, two Republican Sunbelt giants, added enough population to gain congressional seats as chillier climes like New York and Ohio saw slow growth and lost political muscle.

The report also confirms one historic marker: For the first time in 170 years of statehood,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-census-2020-government-and-politics-5d518db43b3d53cb9241789628c88521">California is losing a congressional seat</a>, a result of slowed migration to the nation’s most populous state, which was once a symbol of the country’s expansive frontier.

The state population figures, known as the apportionment count, determine distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year. They also mark the official beginning of once-a-decade redistricting battles. The numbers released Monday, along with more detailed data expected later this year, will be used by state legislatures or independent commissions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/electoral-college-census-2020-government-and-politics-politics-86e1a31aeeea02004a3c71abd58097ee">to redraw political maps to account for shifts in population</a>.

It’s been a bumpy road getting this far. The 2020 census faced a once-in-a-century coronavirus pandemic, wildfires, hurricanes, allegations of political interference with the Trump administration’s failed effort to add a citizenship question, fluctuating deadlines and lawsuits.

Texas was the biggest winner — the second-most populous state added two congressional seats, while Florida and North Carolina each gained one. Colorado, Montana and Oregon all added residents and gained a seat each. States losing seats included Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

The new numbers contain some surprises. Though Texas and Florida grew, the final census count had them each gaining one fewer seat than expected. Arizona, another fast-growing state that demographers considered a sure bet to pick up a new seat, failed to get one. All three states have large Latino populations that represent about half their growth, and this could be an early sign that Hispanics shied away from the Trump administration’s count.

Still, Thomas Saenz, president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said he wasn’t ready to “sound the alarm” over the underperformance of states with large Hispanic populations. He noted that he believes Hispanic growth helped states like Colorado and Oregon each gain seats and prevented states like New York and Illinois from losing more.

Congressional reapportionment is a zero sum game, with states divvying up the 435 House seats based on population advantages that can be strikingly small. If New York had counted 89 more residents, the state would have kept its seat and Minnesota would have lost one, officials said. Minnesota, which had the nation’s highest self-response rate, also secured the last House seat in 2010.

The reshuffling of the congressional map moved seats from blue states to red ones, giving Republicans a clear, immediate advantage. The party will have complete control of drawing the congressional maps in Texas, Florida and North Carolina — states that are adding four seats.

In contrast, though Democrats control the process in Oregon, Democratic lawmakers there have agreed to give Republicans an equal say in redistricting in exchange for a commitment to stop blocking bills. In Democratic Colorado, a nonpartisan commission will draw the lines, meaning the party won’t have total control in a single expanding state’s redistricting.

The overall numbers confirm what demographers have long warned — that the country’s growth is stalling. Many had expected growth to come in even below the 1930s levels given the long hangover of the Great Recession and the drying up of immigration, which came to a virtual halt during last year’s pandemic.

William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., warned that even a recovering economy may not change the trend with the population aging rapidly and immigration contentious. “Unlike the Great Depression, it’s part of a process where we’re likely to keep having slow growth,” Frey said.

Meanwhile, Americans continue to move to GOP-run states. For now, that shift provides the Republicans with the opportunity to shape new congressional districts to maximize the influence of their voters and have a major advantage in upcoming elections — possibly enough to win back control of the U.S. House.

But in the long term, it’s not clear the migration is good news for Republicans. Many of the fastest growing states are increasingly competitive political battlegrounds where the new arrivals —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-census-2020-business-government-and-politics-immigration-cbc10b35e47a331515cce18abc9dcddc">including many young people</a>&nbsp;and people of color — could at some point give Democrats an edge.

“What’s happening is growth in Sunbelt states that are trending Democratic or will soon trend Democratic,” Frey said.

That means Republicans may be limited in how many favorable seats they can draw as Democrats move to their territory.

“It’s going to be harder and harder for the Texas Legislature to gerrymander advantageous congressional districts” for Republicans, said William Fulton, director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University in Houston. “Texas hasn’t flipped blue yet as a state, but the blue population centers are growing really fast.”

Fulton, who moved to Texas from California, said his new home has become “the new California — the big state that’s adding a lot of population.” He believes California risks becoming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-redistricting-andrew-cuomo-wrestling-elections-f13d214732a948d88418b005dd9131de">the new Northeast — which he characterized as a stagnant, crowded area</a>&nbsp;that retains wealth and intellectual clout but loses innovators to more promising places.

Despite California’s slow growth, the state still has 10 million more residents than Texas.

North Carolina and Texas, Fulton said, are positioned to become the intellectual powerhouses of the new economy, as the South has snatched away major manufacturing industries like automobiles from the Rust Belt. “We are 10-20 years away from the South and the West being truly dominant in American culture and American society,” Fulton said.

But population booms also bring new burdens, like increased traffic, rising home prices and strains on an infrastructure already grappling with climate change — vividly illustrated when the Texas power grid failed in the winter storms of February.

The pattern outlined in the the Census data was one started in the 1930s with the development of modern air-conditioning and has been steady since then. The change in the pattern this time was California.

Home prices have soared in California, contributing to a stream of residents leaving for other Western states. Those relocations helped turn Colorado and Nevada into Democratic states and made Arizona competitive.

“That’s the California exodus, blue state immigrants,” Frey said. “Californians are taking their votes and moving to other places.”

The power shift is also being driven by Hispanics. Over the decade, Hispanics accounted for around half of the growth in Arizona, Florida and Texas, according to figures from the American Community Survey, a Census Bureau program separate from the decennial census.

The legal deadline for turning in the apportionment numbers was Dec. 31, but the Census Bureau pushed back that date to April because of challenges caused by the pandemic and the need for more time to correct not-unexpected irregularities.

More detailed figures will be released later this year showing populations by race, Hispanic origin, gender and housing at geographic levels as small as neighborhoods. This redistricting data will be used for redrawing precise congressional and legislative districts.

President Joe Biden sent Monday’s numbers to the Capitol, where the House clerk has 15 days to notify governors.

TEXAS — The Longhorn State is the big winner, adding two congressional seats courtesy of 4 million new residents. Demographers say people moving from other states like California have contributed a significant chunk of the growth. The nation’s second most populous state will now have 38 congressional representatives, behind only California.

FLORIDA — The nation’s third most populous state adds one congressional seat because of a population gain of more than 2.7 million. This boosts its House delegation to 28 and Electoral College votes to 30, furthering the Sunshine State’s importance in presidential elections.

COLORADO — Population growth around Denver helped Colorado gain an extra seat, its first new House seat in 20 years. The mostly college-educated transplants have helped Colorado go from being a solidly Republican state to a competitive swing state to, now, a solidly Democratic one — though the state’s districts will be drawn by a nonpartisan commission.

MONTANA — By gaining a congressional seat, Montana goes from having a single House representative to having two. The gain marks a rebound for Montana, which had two congressional seats for most of the 20th century but lost one after the 1990 census.

NORTH CAROLINA — Fueled by retirees and job seekers, North Carolina’s population boom is earning it an extra seat, raising its House count to 14. The gains have been concentrated in the Charlotte and Raleigh areas.

OREGON — Oregon is getting a new congressional seat for the first time in 40 years, going from five House members to six. Although Democrats control state government, they have agreed to give up their advantage in redrawing the state’s political districts for the next 10 years in exchange for a commitment from Republicans to stop blocking bills.

CALIFORNIA — While California is still the nation’s most populous state, its stagnant growth over the past decade causes it to lose a single seat for the first time in 170 years of statehood. Its number of House members goes from 53 to 52 for a state that has been a symbol of limitless growth and endless possibilities since the Gold Rush of the 1800s.

ILLINOIS — Illinois goes from 18 to 17 House members, continuing a 40-year streak of losing congressional seats.

MICHIGAN — The number of House members representing Michigan drops from 14 to 13, particularly because of population losses in the Upper Peninsula.

NEW YORK — There was no question New York was going to lose a congressional seat, but the suspense lay in whether it would be one or two seats. The Census Bureau says New York lost its seat by a mere 89 people. The loss of one seat reduces its House delegation from 27 to 26 members.

OHIO — Sluggish population growth over the past decade causes Ohio to lose a single congressional seat, continuing its streak of losses every decade since 1960. The adjustment reduces the Buckeye State’s House seats from 16 to 15.

PENNSYLVANIA — Although Pennsylvania remains an important presidential battleground, its influence will be diminished by the loss of one Electoral College vote. Its House delegation drops from 18 to 17 members.

WEST VIRGINIA — A decadeslong exodus of residents finally causes West Virginia to lose a congressional seat, reducing its representation in the House from three to two members.

Census: What's behind the slowest US population growth since the Depression

NEW YORK (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its guidelines Tuesday on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?511290-1/president-biden-delivers-remarks-covid-19-pandemic-response&amp;live">Click here to watch</a> President Biden's remarks

And those who are unvaccinated can go outside without masks in some situations, too.

The new guidance represents another carefully calibrated step on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-health-joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-3d38206bc38f012b9598154b59d27d1f">the road back to normal</a>&nbsp;from the coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 570,000 people in U.S.

For most of the past year, the CDC had been advising Americans to wear masks outdoors if they are within 6 feet of one another.

“Today, I hope, is a day when we can take another step back to the normalcy of before,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. “Over the past year, we have spent a lot of time telling Americans what you can’t do. Today, I am going to tell you some of the things you can do, if you are fully vaccinated.”

The change comes as more than half of U.S. adults have gotten at least one dose of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-long-covid-19-vaccine-protection-last-49340b077e271a750ad804128dbb5f53">coronavirus vaccine</a>, and more than a third have been fully vaccinated.

Walensky said the decision was driven by rising vaccination numbers; declines in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths; and research showing that less than 10% of documented instances of transmission of the virus happened outdoors.

Dr. Mike Saag, an infectious disease expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, welcomed the change in guidance.

“It’s the return of freedom,” Saag said. “It’s the return of us being able to do normal activities again. We’re not there yet, but we’re on the exit ramp. And that’s a beautiful thing.”

More people need to be vaccinated, and concerns persist about variants and other possible shifts in the epidemic. But Saag said the new guidance is a sensible reward following the development and distribution of effective vaccines and about 140 million Americans stepping forward to get their shots.

The CDC, which has been cautious in its guidance during the crisis, essentially endorsed what many Americans have already been doing over the past several weeks.

The CDC says that fully vaccinated or not, people do not have to wear masks outdoors when they walk, bike or run alone or with members of their household. They can also go maskless in small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated people.

But from there, the CDC has differing guidance for people who are fully vaccinated and those who are not.

Unvaccinated people — defined by the CDC as those who have yet to receive both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson formula — should wear masks at outdoor gatherings that include other unvaccinated people. They also should keep using masks at outdoor restaurants.

Fully vaccinated people do not need to cover up in those situations, the CDC says.

However, everyone should keep wearing masks at crowded outdoor events such as concerts or sporting events, the CDC says.

And the agency continues to recommend masks at indoor public places, such as hair salons, restaurants, shopping centers, gyms, museums and movie theaters, saying that is still the safer course even for vaccinated people.

“Right now it’s very hard to tease apart who is vaccinated,” Walensky explained.

She said the CDC guidance should be a model for states in setting their mask-wearing requirements.

Dr. Babak Javid, a physician-scientist at the University of California, San Francisco, said the new CDC guidance is sensible.

“In the vast majority of outdoor scenarios, transmission risk is low,” Javid said.

Javid has favored outdoor mask-wearing requirements because he believes they increase indoor mask-wearing, but he said Americans can understand the relative risks and make good decisions.

He added: “I’m looking forward to mask-free existence.”

“The timing is right because we now have a fair amount of data about the scenarios where transmission occurs,” said Mercedes Carnethon, a professor and vice chair of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

What’s more, she said, “the additional freedoms may serve as a motivator” for people to get vaccinated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619546632702.png" alt="President Biden delivered remarks on masks and vaccinations Tuesday afternoon-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden delivered remarks on masks and vaccinations Tuesday afternoon-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its guidelines Tuesday on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?511290-1/president-biden-delivers-remarks-covid-19-pandemic-response&amp;live">Click here to watch</a> President Biden's remarksAnd those who are unvaccinated can go outside without masks in some situations, too.The new guidance represents another carefully calibrated step on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-health-joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-3d38206bc38f012b9598154b59d27d1f">the road back to normal</a>&nbsp;from the coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 570,000 people in U.S.For most of the past year, the CDC had been advising Americans to wear masks outdoors if they are within 6 feet of one another.“Today, I hope, is a day when we can take another step back to the normalcy of before,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. “Over the past year, we have spent a lot of time telling Americans what you can’t do. Today, I am going to tell you some of the things you can do, if you are fully vaccinated.”The change comes as more than half of U.S. adults have gotten at least one dose of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-long-covid-19-vaccine-protection-last-49340b077e271a750ad804128dbb5f53">coronavirus vaccine</a>, and more than a third have been fully vaccinated.Walensky said the decision was driven by rising vaccination numbers; declines in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths; and research showing that less than 10% of documented instances of transmission of the virus happened outdoors.Dr. Mike Saag, an infectious disease expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, welcomed the change in guidance.“It’s the return of freedom,” Saag said. “It’s the return of us being able to do normal activities again. We’re not there yet, but we’re on the exit ramp. And that’s a beautiful thing.”More people need to be vaccinated, and concerns persist about variants and other possible shifts in the epidemic. But Saag said the new guidance is a sensible reward following the development and distribution of effective vaccines and about 140 million Americans stepping forward to get their shots.The CDC, which has been cautious in its guidance during the crisis, essentially endorsed what many Americans have already been doing over the past several weeks.The CDC says that fully vaccinated or not, people do not have to wear masks outdoors when they walk, bike or run alone or with members of their household. They can also go maskless in small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated people.But from there, the CDC has differing guidance for people who are fully vaccinated and those who are not.Unvaccinated people — defined by the CDC as those who have yet to receive both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson formula — should wear masks at outdoor gatherings that include other unvaccinated people. They also should keep using masks at outdoor restaurants.Fully vaccinated people do not need to cover up in those situations, the CDC says.However, everyone should keep wearing masks at crowded outdoor events such as concerts or sporting events, the CDC says.And the agency continues to recommend masks at indoor public places, such as hair salons, restaurants, shopping centers, gyms, museums and movie theaters, saying that is still the safer course even for vaccinated people.“Right now it’s very hard to tease apart who is vaccinated,” Walensky explained.She said the CDC guidance should be a model for states in setting their mask-wearing requirements.Dr. Babak Javid, a physician-scientist at the University of California, San Francisco, said the new CDC guidance is sensible.“In the vast majority of outdoor scenarios, transmission risk is low,” Javid said.Javid has favored outdoor mask-wearing requirements because he believes they increase indoor mask-wearing, but he said Americans can understand the relative risks and make good decisions.He added: “I’m looking forward to mask-free existence.”“The timing is right because we now have a fair amount of data about the scenarios where transmission occurs,” said Mercedes Carnethon, a professor and vice chair of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.What’s more, she said, “the additional freedoms may serve as a motivator” for people to get vaccinated.

🎥 Biden: Many Americans can now go outside without a mask

WASHINGTON —U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. along with a group of Republican doctors and other health care providers in Congress launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7PB1-66ues" target="_blank">public service campaign</a>&nbsp;Tuesday to boost COVID-19 vaccine participation saying in part, “Operation Warp Speed brought us safe and effective vaccines in record time.

The FDA did not skip any steps. Instead, they cut bureaucratic red tape – not corners – and they got the job done in record time… So it’s obvious to me from a medical standpoint, the only way to protect yourself and your loved ones, and to end the government’s restrictions on our freedoms is to take action and get the vaccine. 

The beauty of living in this great nation is however, that we have the option to choose whether or not we get vaccinated. When the time comes for you to make that decision, talk it over with your doctor or your pharmacist and consider their recommendation.

I hope you’ll join me, along with over 100 million Americans, in choosing to receive the vaccine so we can throw away our masks and live life as free as we did before.”

Members participating include Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (KS), John Barrasso, M.D. (WY), John Boozman, O.D. (AR), and Representatives Brian Babin, D.D.S (TX), Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN), Michael Burgess, M.D. (TX), Buddy Carter RPh (GA), Andy Harris, M.D. (MD), John Joyce, M.D. (PA), and Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC).

WASHINGTON —U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. along with a group of Republican doctors and other health care providers in Congress launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7PB1-66ues" target="_blank">public service campaign</a>&nbsp;Tuesday to boost COVID-19 vaccine participation saying in part, “Operation Warp Speed brought us safe and effective vaccines in record time. <div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h7PB1-66ues" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The FDA did not skip any steps. Instead, they cut bureaucratic red tape – not corners – and they got the job done in record time… So it’s obvious to me from a medical standpoint, the only way to protect yourself and your loved ones, and to end the government’s restrictions on our freedoms is to take action and get the vaccine. The beauty of living in this great nation is however, that we have the option to choose whether or not we get vaccinated. When the time comes for you to make that decision, talk it over with your doctor or your pharmacist and consider their recommendation.I hope you’ll join me, along with over 100 million Americans, in choosing to receive the vaccine so we can throw away our masks and live life as free as we did before.”Members participating include Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (KS), John Barrasso, M.D. (WY), John Boozman, O.D. (AR), and Representatives Brian Babin, D.D.S (TX), Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN), Michael Burgess, M.D. (TX), Buddy Carter RPh (GA), Andy Harris, M.D. (MD), John Joyce, M.D. (PA), and Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC).

🎥 Doctors in Congress launch campaign encouraging vaccines 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota’s population increase of 8.9% since 2010 ranked the 16th-highest in the nation. 

The U.S. Census Bureau released its first round of data from a 2020 headcount. 

South Dakota's population increase by 72,487 people since 2010, bringing the total to 886,667. 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota’s population increase of 8.9% since 2010 ranked the 16th-highest in the nation. The U.S. Census Bureau released its first round of data from a 2020 headcount. South Dakota's population increase by 72,487 people since 2010, bringing the total to 886,667. It remained the fifth-least populated state in the United States. South Dakota’s growth rate outpaced neighboring states like Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. Northern neighbor North Dakota recorded the region’s highest percentage growth of 15.8%. In South Dakota, a committee of lawmakers will determine new state legislative districts based on detailed Census data set to be released later this year.