JERUSALEM —U.S. forces destroyed imminent threats to&nbsp;U.S. and Coalition forces near military support site Euphrates.

On Tuesday, U.S. forces successfully destroyed several weapon systems in the vicinity of Military Support Site Euphrates that included three truck mounted Multiple Rocket Launchers, a T-64 tank, an armored personnel carrier and mortars that presented a clear and imminent threat to U.S. and Coalition forces, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

The self-defense strike occurred after the truck mounted Multiple Rocket Launcher, armored personnel carrier and mortars were fired toward U.S. forces.

The U.S. mission in Syria remains unchanged as U.S. and Coalition forces continue to focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS.  The ongoing support of regional partners and operations in Syria are unrelated to recent events in northwest Syria.

U.S. forces continue to monitor the situation and remain in constant communication with our other forces in the region as the situation develops.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728066701383.png" alt="A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor -photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor -photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —U.S. forces destroyed imminent threats to&nbsp;U.S. and Coalition forces near military support site Euphrates.On Tuesday, U.S. forces successfully destroyed several weapon systems in the vicinity of Military Support Site Euphrates that included three truck mounted Multiple Rocket Launchers, a T-64 tank, an armored personnel carrier and mortars that presented a clear and imminent threat to U.S. and Coalition forces, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.The self-defense strike occurred after the truck mounted Multiple Rocket Launcher, armored personnel carrier and mortars were fired toward U.S. forces.The U.S. mission in Syria remains unchanged as U.S. and Coalition forces continue to focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS. The ongoing support of regional partners and operations in Syria are unrelated to recent events in northwest Syria.U.S. forces continue to monitor the situation and remain in constant communication with our other forces in the region as the situation develops.

U.S. military destroys imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces

Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;Today, U.S. Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, along with U.S. Representatives Don Bacon, Mike Flood, and Adrian Smith announced the U.S. Air Force’s selection of Nebraska’s own Offutt Air Force Base as the location of the new 95th Wing.

Today’s announcement confirms the Nebraska delegation's&nbsp; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=243674AD-5EE8-4475-BE02-23833762F246">announcement</a>&nbsp;in August that the Air Force intended to activate the new 95th Wing at Offutt. The 95th Wing, whose mission will be to strengthen strategic command and control, will be a subordinate unit of the Air Force Global Strike Command.&nbsp;Through centralizing nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) at Offutt, the Air Force will streamline its planning and administrative forces. The 95th Wing is expected to be fully operational by January, and it is projected to add 70 personnel to Offutt. “The Air Force’s choice of Offutt as home to the 95th Wing reinforces Nebraska’s status as the center of gravity for NC3 missions,”&nbsp;said Senator Fischer, Ranking Member and incoming Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces Subcommittee.&nbsp;“Nebraska is proud of our leading role in America’s national defense.” “Offutt Air Force Base will continue to play a critical role in ensuring America’s strategic deterrence against existing and emerging threats posed by adversaries like China and Russia. Nebraska is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family,”&nbsp;said Senator Ricketts.&nbsp;“I look forward to welcoming the women and men who will call Omaha, Nebraska home as part of this newly activated unit.”

“This is excellent news for Offutt Air Force Base, the state of Nebraska and the nation,”&nbsp;said Representative Bacon, member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces Subcommittee. “The decision to base the new 95th&nbsp;Wing at Offutt is the culmination of years of hard work by the Air Force and Nebraska’s Congressional delegation.&nbsp;This new wing will strengthen the command control of America’s strategic nuclear deterrent and provide significant economic benefits for the greater Omaha region in the years ahead.”

“As Offutt Air Force Base begins its second century, the 95th Wing will not only grow the base’s role in serving our Armed Forces, but also its footprint, creating great jobs right here in Nebraska’s First District,"&nbsp; &nbsp;said Representative Flood.&nbsp;“Thank you to the Air Force for their ongoing commitment to Offutt and Sarpy County. I am looking forward to welcoming the new 95th Wing to Nebraska as we continue to support the base and the people serving at Offutt and carrying out its critical missions.”

“Nebraska’s longstanding air defense leadership is being appropriately recognized and permanently expanded with the full activation of the 95th Wing,”&nbsp;said Representative Smith.&nbsp;“Global security challenges have brought strategic readiness to the forefront, and the airmen at Offutt have long demonstrated the capacity and willingness to ensure the United States military meets the ever-intensifying demands for command and control. I commend and congratulate the outstanding servicemembers and people of our state for this accomplishment. I am grateful for the work and cooperation of the Nebraska delegation to support this effort.”

Office of U.S. Senator Deb FischerWASHINGTON –&nbsp;Today, U.S. Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, along with U.S. Representatives Don Bacon, Mike Flood, and Adrian Smith announced the U.S. Air Force’s selection of Nebraska’s own Offutt Air Force Base as the location of the new 95th Wing.Today’s announcement confirms the Nebraska delegation's&nbsp; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=243674AD-5EE8-4475-BE02-23833762F246">announcement</a>&nbsp;in August that the Air Force intended to activate the new 95th Wing at Offutt. The 95th Wing, whose mission will be to strengthen strategic command and control, will be a subordinate unit of the Air Force Global Strike Command.&nbsp;Through centralizing nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) at Offutt, the Air Force will streamline its planning and administrative forces. The 95th Wing is expected to be fully operational by January, and it is projected to add 70 personnel to Offutt. “The Air Force’s choice of Offutt as home to the 95th Wing reinforces Nebraska’s status as the center of gravity for NC3 missions,”&nbsp;said Senator Fischer, Ranking Member and incoming Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces Subcommittee.&nbsp;“Nebraska is proud of our leading role in America’s national defense.” “Offutt Air Force Base will continue to play a critical role in ensuring America’s strategic deterrence against existing and emerging threats posed by adversaries like China and Russia. Nebraska is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family,”&nbsp;said Senator Ricketts.&nbsp;“I look forward to welcoming the women and men who will call Omaha, Nebraska home as part of this newly activated unit.”“This is excellent news for Offutt Air Force Base, the state of Nebraska and the nation,”&nbsp;said Representative Bacon, member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces Subcommittee. “The decision to base the new 95th&nbsp;Wing at Offutt is the culmination of years of hard work by the Air Force and Nebraska’s Congressional delegation.&nbsp;This new wing will strengthen the command control of America’s strategic nuclear deterrent and provide significant economic benefits for the greater Omaha region in the years ahead.”“As Offutt Air Force Base begins its second century, the 95th Wing will not only grow the base’s role in serving our Armed Forces, but also its footprint, creating great jobs right here in Nebraska’s First District,"&nbsp; &nbsp;said Representative Flood.&nbsp;“Thank you to the Air Force for their ongoing commitment to Offutt and Sarpy County. I am looking forward to welcoming the new 95th Wing to Nebraska as we continue to support the base and the people serving at Offutt and carrying out its critical missions.”“Nebraska’s longstanding air defense leadership is being appropriately recognized and permanently expanded with the full activation of the 95th Wing,”&nbsp;said Representative Smith.&nbsp;“Global security challenges have brought strategic readiness to the forefront, and the airmen at Offutt have long demonstrated the capacity and willingness to ensure the United States military meets the ever-intensifying demands for command and control. I commend and congratulate the outstanding servicemembers and people of our state for this accomplishment. I am grateful for the work and cooperation of the Nebraska delegation to support this effort.”

Fischer, Ricketts, Bacon, Flood, Smith Announce Selection of Offutt Air Force Base for New 95th Wing

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/attorney-generals-office-preparing-for-nebraska-medical-cannabis-lawsuit-appeal/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office filed a second “amended cross-claim” Friday on behalf of Secretary of State Bob Evnen in a lawsuit against two successful medical cannabis measures.

The brief formally adds allegations of circulator fraud and widespread malfeasance to Evnen’s complaint. However, Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong anticipated those arguments already last Tuesday when she&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/26/district-judge-sides-with-nebraska-medical-cannabis-ballot-sponsors-in-legal-challenge/">dismissed the case and ruled in favor of the ballot sponsors</a>&nbsp;behind Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana.

The AG’s Office has not formally filed an appeal to the Nebraska Supreme Court, but Attorney General Mike Hilgers told the Nebraska Examiner on Monday that his office was “taking advantage” of court rules that allow a party to formally amend a cross-claim, even after a verdict, to conform to the evidence presented at trial.

“It’s just a post-trial motion,” Hilgers said Monday. “We want to make sure our case is fully prepared for an appeal.”

Strong said last week the specific allegations were “not properly before the Court” but were presented at trial. The judge, in her ruling:

“The petitions fulfill all constitutional and statutory requirements and are thus, legally sufficient under Nebraska law,” Strong wrote.

Evnen and Hilgers joined Gov. Jim Pillen, State Treasurer Tom Briese and State Auditor Mike Foley to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/12/02/results-certified-for-nebraskas-2024-general-election/">unanimously certify the November election results</a>&nbsp;Monday, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2024/2024%20General%20Canvass%20Book.pdf" target="_blank">cannabis measures</a>. They are set to take effect&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/26/whats-next-for-nebraska-medical-cannabis-paid-sick-leave-abortion-school-choice/">within 10 days</a>&nbsp;at Pillen’s proclamation.

A virtual hearing on Evnen’s newly filed complaint is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733256521296.jpeg" alt="Attorney General Mike Hilgers speaks during a news conference in Lincoln. May 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General Mike Hilgers speaks during a news conference in Lincoln. May 13, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/attorney-generals-office-preparing-for-nebraska-medical-cannabis-lawsuit-appeal/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office filed a second “amended cross-claim” Friday on behalf of Secretary of State Bob Evnen in a lawsuit against two successful medical cannabis measures.The brief formally adds allegations of circulator fraud and widespread malfeasance to Evnen’s complaint. However, Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong anticipated those arguments already last Tuesday when she&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/26/district-judge-sides-with-nebraska-medical-cannabis-ballot-sponsors-in-legal-challenge/">dismissed the case and ruled in favor of the ballot sponsors</a>&nbsp;behind Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana.The AG’s Office has not formally filed an appeal to the Nebraska Supreme Court, but Attorney General Mike Hilgers told the Nebraska Examiner on Monday that his office was “taking advantage” of court rules that allow a party to formally amend a cross-claim, even after a verdict, to conform to the evidence presented at trial.“It’s just a post-trial motion,” Hilgers said Monday. “We want to make sure our case is fully prepared for an appeal.”Strong said last week the specific allegations were “not properly before the Court” but were presented at trial. The judge, in her ruling:<ul>
 <li>Questioned the specific circulator’s credibility and said she found other witnesses to be more credible. She concluded that some of the circulator’s signatures were notarized outside the circulator’s presence and lost their “presumption of validity.”</li><li>Rejected what she described as Evnen’s “numbers-optional theory” of widespread fraud and questioned whether it was allowed under the Nebraska Constitution. Even if it was, she said, the evidence would be “insufficient to invalidate the petitions.”</li>
 </ul>“The petitions fulfill all constitutional and statutory requirements and are thus, legally sufficient under Nebraska law,” Strong wrote.Evnen and Hilgers joined Gov. Jim Pillen, State Treasurer Tom Briese and State Auditor Mike Foley to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/12/02/results-certified-for-nebraskas-2024-general-election/">unanimously certify the November election results</a>&nbsp;Monday, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2024/2024%20General%20Canvass%20Book.pdf" target="_blank">cannabis measures</a>. They are set to take effect&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/26/whats-next-for-nebraska-medical-cannabis-paid-sick-leave-abortion-school-choice/">within 10 days</a>&nbsp;at Pillen’s proclamation.A virtual hearing on Evnen’s newly filed complaint is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Attorney General’s Office preparing for Nebraska medical cannabis lawsuit appeal

The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic concluded its two-year investigation into the COVID-19 pandemic and released a final report titled “After Action Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Lessons Learned and a Path Forward.” 

<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/12.04.2024-SSCP-FINAL-REPORT.pdf">Click here to read</a> the report

The final report will serve as a road map for Congress, the Executive Branch, and the private sector to prepare for and respond to future pandemics. Since February 2023, the Select Subcommittee has sent more than 100 investigative letters, conducted more than 30 transcribed interviews and depositions, held 25 hearings and meetings, and reviewed more than one million pages of documents. Members and staff have exposed high-level corruption in America’s public health system, confirmed the most likely origin of the pandemic, held COVID-19 bad actors publicly accountable, fostered bipartisan consensus on consequential pandemic-era issues, and more. This 520-page final report details all findings of the Select Subcommittee’s investigation.

“This work will help the United States, and the world, predict the next pandemic, prepare for the next pandemic, protect ourselves from the next pandemic, and hopefully prevent the next pandemic. Members of the 119th Congress should continue and build off this work, there is more information to find and honest actions to be taken,”&nbsp;wrote Chairman Wenstrup in a letter to Congress. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a distrust in leadership. Trust is earned. Accountability, transparency, honesty, and integrity will regain this trust. A future pandemic requires a whole of America response managed by those without personal benefit or bias. We can always do better, and for the sake of future generations of Americans, we must. It can be done.”

On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 10:30am, the Select Subcommittee will hold a markup of the final report and officially submit the report to the Congressional record.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733226536127.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic concluded its two-year investigation into the COVID-19 pandemic and released a final report titled “After Action Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Lessons Learned and a Path Forward.” <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/12.04.2024-SSCP-FINAL-REPORT.pdf">Click here to read</a> the reportThe final report will serve as a road map for Congress, the Executive Branch, and the private sector to prepare for and respond to future pandemics. Since February 2023, the Select Subcommittee has sent more than 100 investigative letters, conducted more than 30 transcribed interviews and depositions, held 25 hearings and meetings, and reviewed more than one million pages of documents. Members and staff have exposed high-level corruption in America’s public health system, confirmed the most likely origin of the pandemic, held COVID-19 bad actors publicly accountable, fostered bipartisan consensus on consequential pandemic-era issues, and more. This 520-page final report details all findings of the Select Subcommittee’s investigation.“This work will help the United States, and the world, predict the next pandemic, prepare for the next pandemic, protect ourselves from the next pandemic, and hopefully prevent the next pandemic. Members of the 119th Congress should continue and build off this work, there is more information to find and honest actions to be taken,”&nbsp;wrote Chairman Wenstrup in a letter to Congress. “The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a distrust in leadership. Trust is earned. Accountability, transparency, honesty, and integrity will regain this trust. A future pandemic requires a whole of America response managed by those without personal benefit or bias. We can always do better, and for the sake of future generations of Americans, we must. It can be done.”On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 10:30am, the Select Subcommittee will hold a markup of the final report and officially submit the report to the Congressional record.&nbsp;

Read the U.S. House COVID-19 pandemic panel’s final report

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/12/02/results-certified-for-nebraskas-2024-general-election/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s state constitutional officers have officially certified the November 2024 general election, which includes the formal approval of five ballot measures.

The State Canvassing Board on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2024/2024%20General%20Canvass%20Book.pdf" target="_blank">unanimously accepted</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://electionresults.nebraska.gov/default.aspx" target="_blank">election results</a>&nbsp;for all but one race —&nbsp;a seat on the Dawson Public Power District, which will head to an automatic recount Wednesday morning.&nbsp;

The Canvassing Board consists of Gov. Jim Pillen, Secretary of State Bob Evnen, Attorney General Mike Hilgers, State Treasurer Tom Briese and State Auditor Mike Foley.

Evnen, whose office oversees and administers Nebraska elections, celebrated the “exemplary work” of election officials and voters, who completed the first general election with voter ID.

Deputy Nebraska Secretary of State Wayne Bena, who oversees the state’s Elections Division, said he spent the majority of the morning on Election Day this Nov. 5 dealing with whether yard signs were too close to polling sites.

“If that’s the biggest part of my day, I know it’s going to be a good day,” Bena told the canvassers.

The official certification will also usher in&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2024/2024%20Ballot%20Measures%20Pamphlet.pdf" target="_blank">new state laws and a new constitutional amendment&nbsp;</a><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/26/whats-next-for-nebraska-medical-cannabis-paid-sick-leave-abortion-school-choice/">within the next 10 days</a>, upon official proclamations from Pillen:

One ballot measure has a delayed implementation date of Oct. 1, 2025:&nbsp;

Initiative Measure 439, an abortion-rights constitutional amendment regarding a “right to abortion” until fetal viability, failed to pass.

Bena said that despite headwinds going into the election, county election officials rose above. He expressed “a great debt of gratitude” for their work validating the most ballot measure petition signatures in state history, getting all ballots out on time and embracing voter ID education.

In total,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/12/02/fewer-voters-turned-away-under-new-nebraska-voter-id-law-than-in-similar-states/">345 ballots were rejected due to voter ID issues</a>, and 654 early voting ballots were rejected because voters did not sign the back of the envelope.

Bena said both issues had little impact on any races.

After each general election, state elections officials manually hand count ballots in 10% of precincts statewide. The precincts are chosen at random with at least one precinct in every county for three races: one federal, one state, and one local race as chosen by the county.

Of 133 precincts audited, in a total of 69,764 ballots (about 7.2% of total ballots cast this fall), there were a total of seven discrepancies, which Bena said were because of “hesitation marks” where voters didn’t fully shade in the oval next to a candidate’s name or because some ballots might have been counted twice.

“What this does show, and as it has shown in our audits after every election, our machines are counting these votes accurately, and our votes are secure,” Bena said.

Three problems were reported during this election cycle, two of which had no impact on the ultimate outcomes.

In Gage County, the race for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lbbnrd.net/board-of-directors" target="_blank">Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District</a>&nbsp;Subdistrict 1 seat did not appear on 32 of the 41 ballot styles in the county, meaning about 2,396 voters didn’t get to vote in the contest. Duane Parde of Pickrell ran unopposed for reelection.

In Johnson County, the race for the State Board of Education District 2 seat between Maggie Douglas and Linda Vermooten, both of Bellevue, was left off of one ballot style in one precinct. That affected about 54 voters. Douglas was elected by a margin of 5,534 votes over Vermooten.

In Dawson County, the race for the Dawson Public Power District, Dawson Subdivision, was mistakenly printed as “Vote for ONE,” instead of “Vote for TWO.”

Election officials identified the mistake Oct. 7 and worked with the state Elections Division to prepare new ballots the next day. Corrected ballots were mailed to the 240 voters who had already received early ballots on Oct. 11.

All four candidates in the race were notified, and news releases were sent to local newspapers, Bena said.

Of the 240 voters, all but one returned their ballot — 178 voters either sent in the corrected ballot or indicated they didn’t need to change their vote.&nbsp;

Bena said that left 61 ballots. The difference between the second and third-place finishers was 20 votes. That is the race headed to an automatic recount.

“This error had the potential of affecting the outcome,” Bena said.

The recount will occur at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the affected counties:&nbsp;Buffalo, Custer, Dawson, Frontier, Gosper and Phelps. The Canvassing Board will meet next Tuesday to finalize the result. Bena said all candidates can observe the process in each of the six counties.

“The losing candidate does have the ability to file an election contest, if they do so choose,” Bena told the Canvassing Board, “but I will point out that the clerk did everything that they were supposed to do if an error like this occurred to be able to correct the wrong and give the voters the opportunity to vote on a corrected ballot.”

Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/12/02/results-certified-for-nebraskas-2024-general-election/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska’s state constitutional officers have officially certified the November 2024 general election, which includes the formal approval of five ballot measures.The State Canvassing Board on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2024/2024%20General%20Canvass%20Book.pdf" target="_blank">unanimously accepted</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://electionresults.nebraska.gov/default.aspx" target="_blank">election results</a>&nbsp;for all but one race —&nbsp;a seat on the Dawson Public Power District, which will head to an automatic recount Wednesday morning.&nbsp;The Canvassing Board consists of Gov. Jim Pillen, Secretary of State Bob Evnen, Attorney General Mike Hilgers, State Treasurer Tom Briese and State Auditor Mike Foley.Evnen, whose office oversees and administers Nebraska elections, celebrated the “exemplary work” of election officials and voters, who completed the first general election with voter ID.Deputy Nebraska Secretary of State Wayne Bena, who oversees the state’s Elections Division, said he spent the majority of the morning on Election Day this Nov. 5 dealing with whether yard signs were too close to polling sites.“If that’s the biggest part of my day, I know it’s going to be a good day,” Bena told the canvassers.<h2>Ballot measure implementation</h2>The official certification will also usher in&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/2024/2024%20Ballot%20Measures%20Pamphlet.pdf" target="_blank">new state laws and a new constitutional amendment&nbsp;</a><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/26/whats-next-for-nebraska-medical-cannabis-paid-sick-leave-abortion-school-choice/">within the next 10 days</a>, upon official proclamations from Pillen:<ul>
 <li>Initiative Measure 434&nbsp;—&nbsp;An amendment to the Nebraska Constitution to officially prohibit most abortions after the first trimester (about 12 weeks gestational age) with exceptions for medical emergency, sexual assault or incest.</li><li>Referendum Measure 435&nbsp;—&nbsp;The repeal of Legislative Bill 1402, a state law passed this spring to appropriate $10 million for “education scholarships” to private schools. Briese said roughly $50,000 in administrative costs and $30,000 in scholarship funds had not been distributed and will return to the state budget after June 30, 2025.</li><li>Initiative Measure 437&nbsp;—&nbsp;A new state law to allow Nebraskans to legally possess up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis, so long as they have a written recommendation from their health care practitioner (valid for two years, or another specified time frame).</li><li>Initiative Measure 438&nbsp;—&nbsp;A new state law to regulate medical cannabis with a new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission, which must establish criteria to license “registered cannabis establishments” by July 1, 2025, and begin granting registrations by Oct. 1, 2025. Commission members will be the three members of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. The governor will have the option of appointing two more members.</li>
 </ul>One ballot measure has a delayed implementation date of Oct. 1, 2025:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Initiative Measure 436&nbsp;—&nbsp;A new state law to offer a minimum level of paid sick leave for workers, up to 40 hours for small businesses and 56 hours in businesses with 20 or more weekly employees.</li>
 </ul>Initiative Measure 439, an abortion-rights constitutional amendment regarding a “right to abortion” until fetal viability, failed to pass.<h2>‘A great debt of gratitude’</h2>Bena said that despite headwinds going into the election, county election officials rose above. He expressed “a great debt of gratitude” for their work validating the most ballot measure petition signatures in state history, getting all ballots out on time and embracing voter ID education.In total,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/12/02/fewer-voters-turned-away-under-new-nebraska-voter-id-law-than-in-similar-states/">345 ballots were rejected due to voter ID issues</a>, and 654 early voting ballots were rejected because voters did not sign the back of the envelope.Bena said both issues had little impact on any races.After each general election, state elections officials manually hand count ballots in 10% of precincts statewide. The precincts are chosen at random with at least one precinct in every county for three races: one federal, one state, and one local race as chosen by the county.Of 133 precincts audited, in a total of 69,764 ballots (about 7.2% of total ballots cast this fall), there were a total of seven discrepancies, which Bena said were because of “hesitation marks” where voters didn’t fully shade in the oval next to a candidate’s name or because some ballots might have been counted twice.“What this does show, and as it has shown in our audits after every election, our machines are counting these votes accurately, and our votes are secure,” Bena said.<h2>Three reported problems</h2>Three problems were reported during this election cycle, two of which had no impact on the ultimate outcomes.In Gage County, the race for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lbbnrd.net/board-of-directors" target="_blank">Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District</a>&nbsp;Subdistrict 1 seat did not appear on 32 of the 41 ballot styles in the county, meaning about 2,396 voters didn’t get to vote in the contest. Duane Parde of Pickrell ran unopposed for reelection.In Johnson County, the race for the State Board of Education District 2 seat between Maggie Douglas and Linda Vermooten, both of Bellevue, was left off of one ballot style in one precinct. That affected about 54 voters. Douglas was elected by a margin of 5,534 votes over Vermooten.In Dawson County, the race for the Dawson Public Power District, Dawson Subdivision, was mistakenly printed as “Vote for ONE,” instead of “Vote for TWO.”Election officials identified the mistake Oct. 7 and worked with the state Elections Division to prepare new ballots the next day. Corrected ballots were mailed to the 240 voters who had already received early ballots on Oct. 11.All four candidates in the race were notified, and news releases were sent to local newspapers, Bena said.Of the 240 voters, all but one returned their ballot — 178 voters either sent in the corrected ballot or indicated they didn’t need to change their vote.&nbsp;Bena said that left 61 ballots. The difference between the second and third-place finishers was 20 votes. That is the race headed to an automatic recount.“This error had the potential of affecting the outcome,” Bena said.The recount will occur at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the affected counties:&nbsp;Buffalo, Custer, Dawson, Frontier, Gosper and Phelps. The Canvassing Board will meet next Tuesday to finalize the result. Bena said all candidates can observe the process in each of the six counties.“The losing candidate does have the ability to file an election contest, if they do so choose,” Bena told the Canvassing Board, “but I will point out that the clerk did everything that they were supposed to do if an error like this occurred to be able to correct the wrong and give the voters the opportunity to vote on a corrected ballot.”

Results certified for Nebraska’s 2024 general election

OMAHA, NE —&nbsp;The Platte Institute is advancing its vision for a more competitive and efficient Nebraska by releasing three new resources aimed at educating on opportunities to modernize the state’s regulatory and occupational licensing systems. Together,
 these resources provide a roadmap for reducing red tape, improving economic opportunities, and empowering Nebraskans to take charge of their regulatory future.&nbsp;

A Vision for a REINS Act in Nebraska Video

The Platte Institute’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lffRuBOMbPY" target="_blank">new
 animated video</a> advocates for a state-level Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act. Similar to laws enacted in Florida, Kansas, and Wisconsin among others, this legislation would require
 legislative approval for high-cost regulations before they could take effect. By placing accountability and oversight at the forefront, the REINS Act would also introduce mechanisms to sunset outdated rules and cap regulatory growth, reducing unnecessary burdens
 on businesses, entrepreneurs, and families alike.&nbsp;

Regulatory Reform Progress and Opportunities

A new paper by Patrick A. McLaughlin, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center,&nbsp;“<a href="https://platteinstitute.org/regulatory-reform-in-nebraska-progress-challenges-and-opportunities/" target="_blank">Regulatory
 Reform in Nebraska: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities,</a>”&nbsp;highlights Nebraska’s notable achievements in cutting regulatory restrictions. Since 2017, the state has reduced regulations by 24.3%,
 positioning itself as a leader in red tape reduction. However, Dr. McLaughlin identifies additional steps Nebraska can take, such as adopting regulatory budgeting, establishing stronger sunset provisions, and implementing a REINS Act to further streamline
 the regulatory landscape.&nbsp;

Occupational Licensing Reform: Past Successes and Future Goals

Platte Institute Senior Fellow Laura Ebke, Ph.D., builds on Nebraska’s accomplishments in occupational licensing reform in her latest report,&nbsp;“<a href="https://platteinstitute.org/2023-2024-nebraska-occupational-licensing-review/" target="_blank">2023-2024
 Nebraska Occupational Licensing Review.</a>”&nbsp;The paper examines the impact of the 2018 Occupational Board Reform Act (OBRA) and subsequent reforms, including universal recognition of licenses and fair
 chance licensing for individuals with criminal records. Dr. Ebke also identifies future opportunities, such as strengthening sunrise reviews for proposed licenses and expanding public membership on licensing boards to enhance transparency and accountability.&nbsp;


&nbsp;“These three resources work together to show what’s possible for Nebraska,” said Platte Institute CEO Jim Vokal. “By tackling outdated regulations, improving oversight, and advancing occupational licensing reform, Nebraska can lead the nation in creating a
 regulatory environment that fosters growth, reduces costs, and puts individual—not bureaucracy—in charge.”&nbsp;


The Platte Institute envisions a regulatory framework where unnecessary rules no longer stand in the way of progress and where new regulations undergo rigorous scrutiny to ensure they serve Nebraskans' best interests. By embracing these reforms, Nebraska can
 unlock its full economic potential, making the state more competitive and resilient for future generations.&nbsp;
The new video and papers are available now at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.platteinstitute.org/" target="_blank">PlatteInstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;

Contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>to
 schedule an interview or learn more about these initiatives.&nbsp;
The Platte Institute works to advance policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.platteinstitute.org/" target="_blank">PlatteInstitute.org</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Platte InstituteOMAHA, NE —&nbsp;The Platte Institute is advancing its vision for a more competitive and efficient Nebraska by releasing three new resources aimed at educating on opportunities to modernize the state’s regulatory and occupational licensing systems. Together,
 these resources provide a roadmap for reducing red tape, improving economic opportunities, and empowering Nebraskans to take charge of their regulatory future.&nbsp;
A Vision for a REINS Act in Nebraska Video
The Platte Institute’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lffRuBOMbPY" target="_blank">new
 animated video</a> advocates for a state-level Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act. Similar to laws enacted in Florida, Kansas, and Wisconsin among others, this legislation would require
 legislative approval for high-cost regulations before they could take effect. By placing accountability and oversight at the forefront, the REINS Act would also introduce mechanisms to sunset outdated rules and cap regulatory growth, reducing unnecessary burdens
 on businesses, entrepreneurs, and families alike.&nbsp;
Regulatory Reform Progress and Opportunities
A new paper by Patrick A. McLaughlin, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center,&nbsp;“<a href="https://platteinstitute.org/regulatory-reform-in-nebraska-progress-challenges-and-opportunities/" target="_blank">Regulatory
 Reform in Nebraska: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities,</a>”&nbsp;highlights Nebraska’s notable achievements in cutting regulatory restrictions. Since 2017, the state has reduced regulations by 24.3%,
 positioning itself as a leader in red tape reduction. However, Dr. McLaughlin identifies additional steps Nebraska can take, such as adopting regulatory budgeting, establishing stronger sunset provisions, and implementing a REINS Act to further streamline
 the regulatory landscape.&nbsp;
Occupational Licensing Reform: Past Successes and Future Goals
Platte Institute Senior Fellow Laura Ebke, Ph.D., builds on Nebraska’s accomplishments in occupational licensing reform in her latest report,&nbsp;“<a href="https://platteinstitute.org/2023-2024-nebraska-occupational-licensing-review/" target="_blank">2023-2024
 Nebraska Occupational Licensing Review.</a>”&nbsp;The paper examines the impact of the 2018 Occupational Board Reform Act (OBRA) and subsequent reforms, including universal recognition of licenses and fair
 chance licensing for individuals with criminal records. Dr. Ebke also identifies future opportunities, such as strengthening sunrise reviews for proposed licenses and expanding public membership on licensing boards to enhance transparency and accountability.&nbsp;
&nbsp;“These three resources work together to show what’s possible for Nebraska,” said Platte Institute CEO Jim Vokal. “By tackling outdated regulations, improving oversight, and advancing occupational licensing reform, Nebraska can lead the nation in creating a
 regulatory environment that fosters growth, reduces costs, and puts individual—not bureaucracy—in charge.”&nbsp;
The Platte Institute envisions a regulatory framework where unnecessary rules no longer stand in the way of progress and where new regulations undergo rigorous scrutiny to ensure they serve Nebraskans' best interests. By embracing these reforms, Nebraska can
 unlock its full economic potential, making the state more competitive and resilient for future generations.&nbsp;
The new video and papers are available now at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.platteinstitute.org/" target="_blank">PlatteInstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;
Contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>to
 schedule an interview or learn more about these initiatives.&nbsp;
The Platte Institute works to advance policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.platteinstitute.org/" target="_blank">PlatteInstitute.org</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Platte Institute Unveils New Resources to Modernize Nebraska’s Regulatory Framework 

WASHINGTON —As part of the surge in security assistance that President Biden announced on September 26 to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, the Department of Defense (DoD) Monday announced additional security assistance to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.

This announcement is the Biden Administration's seventy-first tranche of equipment to be provided from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. &nbsp;

This Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package, which has an estimated value of $725 million, will provide Ukraine additional capabilities to meet its most urgent needs, including: air defense capabilities; munitions for rocket systems and artillery; and anti-tank weapons.

The capabilities in this announcement include:

The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated Capability Coalitions to meet Ukraine's urgently needed battlefield requirements and defend against Russian aggression.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732047530088.png" alt="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —As part of the surge in security assistance that President Biden announced on September 26 to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, the Department of Defense (DoD) Monday announced additional security assistance to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.This announcement is the Biden Administration's seventy-first tranche of equipment to be provided from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. &nbsp;This Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package, which has an estimated value of $725 million, will provide Ukraine additional capabilities to meet its most urgent needs, including: air defense capabilities; munitions for rocket systems and artillery; and anti-tank weapons.The capabilities in this announcement include:<ul>
 <li>Munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS);</li><li>Stinger missiles;</li><li>Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (c-UAS) munitions;</li><li>Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);</li><li>155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition;</li><li>Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS);</li><li>Non-persistent land mines;</li><li>Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) missiles;</li><li>Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems;</li><li>Small arms and ammunition;</li><li>Demolitions equipment and munitions;</li><li>Equipment to protect critical national infrastructure; and</li><li>Spare parts, ancillary equipment, services, training, and transportation.</li>
 </ul>The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated Capability Coalitions to meet Ukraine's urgently needed battlefield requirements and defend against Russian aggression.

U.S. will send Ukraine another $725 million in military assistance

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/29/sentencing-reform-task-force-recommends-deep-dive-into-improving-success-of-inmates-after-release/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A task force seeking a “Nebraska way” to reduce prison overcrowding and avoid repeat crimes by inmates is calling for a “deeper dive” into ways to improve post-release supervision and reduce the number of inmates serving short sentences.

The Nebraska Sentencing Reform Task Force, which was formed by a 2023 criminal justice law, issued its annual report in November, calling for more study of possible reforms with the intention of introducing proposals during the 2026 legislative session.

Members of the task force expressed differing views on whether meaningful reforms will ever be adopted.

State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who is term-limited, said that while task force members have been working together, “now it comes down to the politics, I don’t know if we’ll have strong enough willpower to get something done.”

Wayne, the chairman of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, has long argued that doing nothing will mean the state will need to build not one but two $350 million-plus prisons to handle the anticipated increase in inmates by 2030.

A&nbsp;Facility Master Plan for the Nebraska Department of Corrections, released in 2023, stated that Nebraska would still have 1,300 more inmates than its prisons were designed to hold after a new, 1,500-bed facility is completed north of Lincoln.&nbsp;

A second new prison would be needed by 2030, said Dewberry, the consultant who produced the master plan.

Meanwhile, a report earlier this year by the Center for Justice Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha said the state could avoid building a second new prison if “short-timers” sat out their sentences in county jails or were sentenced to other alternatives rather than going to prison.

In February, the Nebraska Department of Corrections joined a national effort called Reentry 2030 with an aim to reduce the state’s recidivism rate from 28% to 18% by 2030. Goals include increasing participation in educational and rehabilitation programs and ensuring job placement once inmates finish their sentence or are paroled.

Another task force member, Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson, said he’s optimistic that effective reforms can be adopted.

He said he would support looking at how Texas handles inmates with short sentences, in state-run “county jails,” and said providing inmates with marketable job skills is key.

“We’re never going to break that cycle of crime unless we give inmates the skills so they can live a life of dignity,” Hanson said.&nbsp;

“Everybody realizes that what we need are more options, both on the front end (probation and diversion) and the back end (parole and post-release supervision),” he said.

Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney, who co-chairs the task force with Attorney General Mike Hilgers, said he shares Wayne’s concerns but remains hopeful, despite recent setbacks for sentencing reform proposals.

“It’s the only way I can stay sane,” McKinney said of his optimism. “The data (for sentencing reform) has been there, but people didn’t trust it.”

To be sure, Nebraska’s history with sentencing reform has been rocky.&nbsp;

Two nationally recognized authorities on reducing prison overcrowding, the Justice Center of the Council of State Governments and the&nbsp;nonprofit Crime and Justice Institute,&nbsp;have conducted lengthy studies in recent years, leading to recommended changes in sentences to cut costs and prison crowding.&nbsp;

But many of the recommendations were ultimately rejected by state lawmakers as “soft on crime.”

That has led reform advocates such as McKinney and Wayne to state that without changes, Nebraska will be forced to build another expensive new prison like the 1,500-bed facility now rising just north of Lincoln.&nbsp;

As of this summer, state prisons held about 1,800 more inmates than they were designed to house, and Nebraska continues to have one of the most overcrowded prison systems in the nation.&nbsp;

The latest rejected recommendations, in 2023, led to amending a proposal, Legislative Bill 50, to create the sentencing reform task force. It was charged with devising a “Nebraska way” to reduce prison populations and improve outcomes for inmates released back into society.

The task force took testimony in recent months from state corrections, parole and probation officials, as well as corrections staff, former inmates and victims of crime.

Improving reentry success is important because more than 90% of all prison inmates will leave prisons eventually.&nbsp;

Within three years, more than 28% of inmates released will commit new crimes, returning them behind bars, according to the latest state data. This “recidivism rate” has declined from a high of 31% in 2017.

The task force report stated that treating inmates’ mental illnesses remains a huge challenge. The report said approximately 1,709 inmates in Nebraska state prisons — or about 29% of all inmates — have a serious mental health illness, ranging from major depressive disorder and schizophrenia to bipolar disorder.&nbsp;

Improving care, the report said, could help reduce recidivism.&nbsp;

The 16-page task force report recommended a “deep dive” into two areas specifically:

The report recommended looking at alternatives to prison, such as ankle monitors and home confinement, or having people serving their time in county jails.

Hanson said it’s a balancing act: providing rehabilitation for those inmates who truly want to change their lives while protecting the public.

McKinney, who was recently re-elected to a second four-year term in his North Omaha district, said he plans to introduce bills in the 2025 session to “keep alive” a discussion of sentencing reforms.

The task force report stated that once more study is completed, the task force may have proposals to introduce in the 2026 legislative session.&nbsp;

Hanson said sentencing reform is complicated, “with a lot of moving parts,” so it takes time to develop proposals.&nbsp;

McKinney added that extra time may increase understanding of the issues.&nbsp;

“People want to take more time and get to a space where they can understand it,” he said, adding that many of his proposals are “an uphill climb.”

Wayne, who will leave office in January, said he’s not optimistic as he sees the Legislature taking a more “pro-prosecutor” stance.

Lincoln Sen. Carolyn Bosn, a former deputy county attorney, is seen as the probable new chair of the Judiciary Committee, which crafts criminal justice proposals. She would be the first prosecutor to hold that position in recent decades.&nbsp;

Past Judiciary Committee chairs have been defense attorneys, such as Sens. Steve Lathrop, Brad Ashford and Kermit Brashear.

Sen. Bosn did not return phone messages left by the Examiner on Tuesday and Wednesday.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733173849024.jpeg" alt="The Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln. (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/11/29/sentencing-reform-task-force-recommends-deep-dive-into-improving-success-of-inmates-after-release/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A task force seeking a “Nebraska way” to reduce prison overcrowding and avoid repeat crimes by inmates is calling for a “deeper dive” into ways to improve post-release supervision and reduce the number of inmates serving short sentences.The Nebraska Sentencing Reform Task Force, which was formed by a 2023 criminal justice law, issued its annual report in November, calling for more study of possible reforms with the intention of introducing proposals during the 2026 legislative session.Members of the task force expressed differing views on whether meaningful reforms will ever be adopted.State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, who is term-limited, said that while task force members have been working together, “now it comes down to the politics, I don’t know if we’ll have strong enough willpower to get something done.”Wayne, the chairman of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, has long argued that doing nothing will mean the state will need to build not one but two $350 million-plus prisons to handle the anticipated increase in inmates by 2030.<h2>Facility master plan</h2>A&nbsp;Facility Master Plan for the Nebraska Department of Corrections, released in 2023, stated that Nebraska would still have 1,300 more inmates than its prisons were designed to hold after a new, 1,500-bed facility is completed north of Lincoln.&nbsp;A second new prison would be needed by 2030, said Dewberry, the consultant who produced the master plan.Meanwhile, a report earlier this year by the Center for Justice Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha said the state could avoid building a second new prison if “short-timers” sat out their sentences in county jails or were sentenced to other alternatives rather than going to prison.In February, the Nebraska Department of Corrections joined a national effort called Reentry 2030 with an aim to reduce the state’s recidivism rate from 28% to 18% by 2030. Goals include increasing participation in educational and rehabilitation programs and ensuring job placement once inmates finish their sentence or are paroled.Another task force member, Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson, said he’s optimistic that effective reforms can be adopted.He said he would support looking at how Texas handles inmates with short sentences, in state-run “county jails,” and said providing inmates with marketable job skills is key.“We’re never going to break that cycle of crime unless we give inmates the skills so they can live a life of dignity,” Hanson said.&nbsp;“Everybody realizes that what we need are more options, both on the front end (probation and diversion) and the back end (parole and post-release supervision),” he said.<h2>Rocky history with reform</h2>Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney, who co-chairs the task force with Attorney General Mike Hilgers, said he shares Wayne’s concerns but remains hopeful, despite recent setbacks for sentencing reform proposals.“It’s the only way I can stay sane,” McKinney said of his optimism. “The data (for sentencing reform) has been there, but people didn’t trust it.”To be sure, Nebraska’s history with sentencing reform has been rocky.&nbsp;Two nationally recognized authorities on reducing prison overcrowding, the Justice Center of the Council of State Governments and the&nbsp;nonprofit Crime and Justice Institute,&nbsp;have conducted lengthy studies in recent years, leading to recommended changes in sentences to cut costs and prison crowding.&nbsp;But many of the recommendations were ultimately rejected by state lawmakers as “soft on crime.”That has led reform advocates such as McKinney and Wayne to state that without changes, Nebraska will be forced to build another expensive new prison like the 1,500-bed facility now rising just north of Lincoln.&nbsp;As of this summer, state prisons held about 1,800 more inmates than they were designed to house, and Nebraska continues to have one of the most overcrowded prison systems in the nation.&nbsp;The latest rejected recommendations, in 2023, led to amending a proposal, Legislative Bill 50, to create the sentencing reform task force. It was charged with devising a “Nebraska way” to reduce prison populations and improve outcomes for inmates released back into society.The task force took testimony in recent months from state corrections, parole and probation officials, as well as corrections staff, former inmates and victims of crime.<h2>Over 90% will leave prison</h2>Improving reentry success is important because more than 90% of all prison inmates will leave prisons eventually.&nbsp;Within three years, more than 28% of inmates released will commit new crimes, returning them behind bars, according to the latest state data. This “recidivism rate” has declined from a high of 31% in 2017.The task force report stated that treating inmates’ mental illnesses remains a huge challenge. The report said approximately 1,709 inmates in Nebraska state prisons — or about 29% of all inmates — have a serious mental health illness, ranging from major depressive disorder and schizophrenia to bipolar disorder.&nbsp;Improving care, the report said, could help reduce recidivism.&nbsp;The 16-page task force report recommended a “deep dive” into two areas specifically:<ul>
 <li>How to improve success of post-release supervision, such as parole, by providing better quality jobs and housing for departing inmates, as well as preparing them for simple tasks like paying bills and handling leases.</li><li>How to better handle “short-timers,” or inmates serving less than one year in state prison. “This population puts a significant burden” on one of the state’s most overcrowded facilities, the Reception and Treatment Center in Lincoln, where short-sentence inmates are held. The RTC, according to the most recent statistics, was holding about 1,477 inmates a night, far beyond its design capacity of 884.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>The report recommended looking at alternatives to prison, such as ankle monitors and home confinement, or having people serving their time in county jails.Hanson said it’s a balancing act: providing rehabilitation for those inmates who truly want to change their lives while protecting the public.<h2>‘A lot of moving parts’</h2>McKinney, who was recently re-elected to a second four-year term in his North Omaha district, said he plans to introduce bills in the 2025 session to “keep alive” a discussion of sentencing reforms.The task force report stated that once more study is completed, the task force may have proposals to introduce in the 2026 legislative session.&nbsp;Hanson said sentencing reform is complicated, “with a lot of moving parts,” so it takes time to develop proposals.&nbsp;McKinney added that extra time may increase understanding of the issues.&nbsp;“People want to take more time and get to a space where they can understand it,” he said, adding that many of his proposals are “an uphill climb.”Wayne, who will leave office in January, said he’s not optimistic as he sees the Legislature taking a more “pro-prosecutor” stance.Lincoln Sen. Carolyn Bosn, a former deputy county attorney, is seen as the probable new chair of the Judiciary Committee, which crafts criminal justice proposals. She would be the first prosecutor to hold that position in recent decades.&nbsp;Past Judiciary Committee chairs have been defense attorneys, such as Sens. Steve Lathrop, Brad Ashford and Kermit Brashear.Sen. Bosn did not return phone messages left by the Examiner on Tuesday and Wednesday.&nbsp;

Sentencing Reform Task Force wants to Improve Success of Released Inmates

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/12/02/fewer-voters-turned-away-under-new-nebraska-voter-id-law-than-in-similar-states/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The ballots of 345 people weren’t counted in Nebraska’s first presidential general election under a new requirement that voters present a picture ID to participate.

That’s out of more than 965,000 ballots cast statewide, which represents less than four hundredths of one percentage point. Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen has said voter ID implementation went “extremely well.”

“It went very well,” Evnen told the Examiner. “That was a result of the hard work of our county election officials and our elections division. Nebraska is the gold standard in terms of the way we conduct our elections.”

For comparison’s sake, election officials rejected more than 650 early voting ballots statewide because voters failed to sign the envelope. Those signatures are verified against the voter file as an additional identification check.

Local election observers, including some who oppose requiring ID, praised the state’s efforts to educate the public about the new law, work with counties to train local poll workers and respond to problems.&nbsp;

Nebraska this year joined 37 other states now requiring voter ID, according to data compiled by VoteRiders, a national nonprofit group that helps people meet voter ID requirements. Voters passed a state constitutional amendment in 2022 requiring the Legislature to implement voter ID in Nebraska.

Voting rights advocates said it is hard to know how many people chose not to vote because they lacked ID or because they faced pushback at the polls or at county election offices and didn’t complain publicly.

2024 Nebraska voter ID general election, by the numbers

272: provisional ballots cast in person at polling sites without ID

211: rejected for lack of ID provided at county election office by deadline after election

107: ballots returned without ID number on envelope or photocopy of ID or impediment form

76: forms filed seeking exception for reasonable impediment

27: rejected for lack of meeting allowed exceptions

345: total number of ballots rejected&nbsp;

A handful of Nebraskans raised concerns about this year’s voting. One example: A Columbus woman filed a formal complaint with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission about her interactions with a Platte County poll worker.&nbsp;

The woman asked ACLU Nebraska not to share her name publicly, saying she feared for her safety. She went to vote at her Columbus polling place over her lunch break on Election Day, Nov. 5, according to her complaint.&nbsp;

Her driver’s license had expired a month earlier, but that is still an acceptable form of ID under Nebraska’s law, ACLU lawyer Joy Kathurima said. The woman also provided her active U.S. passport as a backup, another valid form of ID.

A Platte County poll worker unfamiliar with the federal citizenship requirements for a U.S. passport, questioned whether the woman, an American of Latino heritage, could prove she was a U.S. citizen.&nbsp;

Eventually, the woman was allowed to vote because another Platte County poll worker corrected the first poll worker and pointed out that passports count as valid voter ID.

The woman told the ACLU, which filed the complaint on her behalf, that she felt “incredibly uncomfortable” at her polling place. She was already an infrequent voter, having not voted in eight years, Kathurima said, so this didn’t help.

“To have that type of experience obviously makes it even harder for someone to be able to want to vote in the future,” Kathurima said.&nbsp;

The Platte County Election Commission did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. State election officials acknowledged a handful of incidents in which poll workers misunderstood the requirements.

Groups such as ACLU Nebraska and Civic Nebraska say having even one voter turned away is too many. They pointed to close races like east Omaha’s Legislative District 13 as an example where every vote matters.

In that race, 151 votes separated Ashlei Spivey, the winner, from second-place finisher Nick Batter. Election officials, however, have said they knew of no result that would have flipped because of voter ID issues.

The most common concern reported to Civic Nebraska’s voter hotline was poll workers not understanding that the picture ID is required only to verify that voters are who they say they are —&nbsp;not to verify their address.

Some poll workers told voters erroneously that the addresses on their driver’s license or state ID needed to match the voter rolls, which is not required, said Heidi Uhing, Civic’s director of public policy.

“You are who you are regardless of where you’re located,” Uhing said. “The benefit of that part of the law is that people move around a lot, and not everyone is speedy about getting their documentation updated.”

The most ballots cast without IDs occurred in Douglas County. There, 146 people who didn’t have ID or lacked a valid ID voted provisionally. Of those 146, 48 were able to fix the problem, officials said. Twenty-three of them visited the election office later and showed acceptable ID, and 25 verified a reasonable impediment.

That means 98 others turned in provisional ballots but did not have their votes counted, including some who filed for impediments but did not meet the standard and did not return verification calls from election officials, Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse said.

Kruse mentioned a would-be voter who had moved to the Omaha area from Chicago but couldn’t get Cook County, Illinois, to send her a copy of her birth certificate in time to get a Nebraska-approved ID.

Nebraska requires in-person voters to take a state-approved photo ID, which could include a driver’s license, a college ID, a nursing home ID, a passport, a military ID, a tribal ID or an ID from a city, county, school district or another political subdivision.

People who forget to take their photo ID but want to cast their ballot can still choose to vote provisionally. However, they will need to take a photo ID to their county election office within a week of Election Day.

People who lack a photo ID can have their ballots counted if they apply for a certificate from their county election office verifying an accepted disability, circumstance or religious objection.&nbsp;

Voters requesting a ballot to vote early by mail must also verify their ID. They can do so by writing down their ID number from a Nebraska driver’s license or state ID card.&nbsp;

Those unwilling or unable to provide one of those ID numbers on the request form can instead enclose a photocopy of a state-approved photo ID, which could be a passport, military ID or Nebraska college ID, among others. People with disabilities, a major illness or religious objections to being photographed can fill out an exception form.

His office saw some voters who moved from Iowa and didn’t know that the Nebraska law only recognizes driver’s licenses from the Cornhusker State. He also heard some confusion about how to verify IDs from nursing homes.&nbsp;

“Honestly it went very, very smooth,” Kruse said. “I was a little worried since this was our first big election. … I guess the good news is honestly it didn’t affect turnout, which was among the biggest we’ve had.”

Statewide turnout was the second-highest in votes cast, with 965,236. Douglas saw 75% turnout. Some counties in rural Nebraska saw turnout of over 80% of registered voters, including Arthur, Hooker and Thomas Counties in the Sandhills.&nbsp;

Only the pandemic-fueled 2020 election had more votes cast, at 966,920. And only the 1968 presidential election had a higher percentage turnout – 81% of registered voters. This year’s statewide turnout was 76%.

Kathurima said Nebraskans won’t know how many people might have voted because “any voter restriction … will always have a chilling effect.”&nbsp;

In other states with voter ID, restrictions have disproportionately reduced voting by people in poverty, the elderly and the infirm. Much depends on the strictness of IDs required.

Voter ID advocates have argued that the requirements help reduce election fraud by making it more difficult to impersonate another voter. Many are particularly interested in requiring ID to vote by mail.

The push drew more attention after the 2020 election, when then-President Donald Trump criticized voting by mail after his loss to President Joe Biden and questioned the verification processes.

Kathurima and Uhing said they would like to see the state tweak the training help offered to poll workers to emphasize which IDs are acceptable. Signs clarifying what IDs are accepted could also be more prominent at polling places, they suggested.

Evnen said his office would take that feedback from stakeholders and work with local election officials to see what they can learn from it and improve.

Several advocates acknowledged the work Nebraska election officials have done educating voters, including tapping into $1.5 million in funding for outreach. They also credited Nebraska for passing a more flexible version of voter ID than some states.

But some said it should matter to Nebraskans that a number of “votes did not count in this election,” as Uhing said.

“If they didn’t come back to resolve that, that’s a real shame,” she said. “We have to go back … and understand how people might be moved to go back (and fix their ballots).”

Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/12/02/fewer-voters-turned-away-under-new-nebraska-voter-id-law-than-in-similar-states/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The ballots of 345 people weren’t counted in Nebraska’s first presidential general election under a new requirement that voters present a picture ID to participate.That’s out of more than 965,000 ballots cast statewide, which represents less than four hundredths of one percentage point. Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen has said voter ID implementation went “extremely well.”“It went very well,” Evnen told the Examiner. “That was a result of the hard work of our county election officials and our elections division. Nebraska is the gold standard in terms of the way we conduct our elections.”For comparison’s sake, election officials rejected more than 650 early voting ballots statewide because voters failed to sign the envelope. Those signatures are verified against the voter file as an additional identification check.Local election observers, including some who oppose requiring ID, praised the state’s efforts to educate the public about the new law, work with counties to train local poll workers and respond to problems.&nbsp;Nebraska this year joined 37 other states now requiring voter ID, according to data compiled by VoteRiders, a national nonprofit group that helps people meet voter ID requirements. Voters passed a state constitutional amendment in 2022 requiring the Legislature to implement voter ID in Nebraska.Voting rights advocates said it is hard to know how many people chose not to vote because they lacked ID or because they faced pushback at the polls or at county election offices and didn’t complain publicly.<h2>2024 Nebraska voter ID general election, by the numbers</h2>In-person voting272: provisional ballots cast in person at polling sites without ID211: rejected for lack of ID provided at county election office by deadline after election61: in-person ballots corrected or curedVoting by mail in all-mail counties107: ballots returned without ID number on envelope or photocopy of ID or impediment formReasonable impediments76: forms filed seeking exception for reasonable impediment27: rejected for lack of meeting allowed exceptionsTotal rejected345: total number of ballots rejected&nbsp;<h2>Some raised concerns</h2>A handful of Nebraskans raised concerns about this year’s voting. One example: A Columbus woman filed a formal complaint with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission about her interactions with a Platte County poll worker.&nbsp;The woman asked ACLU Nebraska not to share her name publicly, saying she feared for her safety. She went to vote at her Columbus polling place over her lunch break on Election Day, Nov. 5, according to her complaint.&nbsp;Her driver’s license had expired a month earlier, but that is still an acceptable form of ID under Nebraska’s law, ACLU lawyer Joy Kathurima said. The woman also provided her active U.S. passport as a backup, another valid form of ID.A Platte County poll worker unfamiliar with the federal citizenship requirements for a U.S. passport, questioned whether the woman, an American of Latino heritage, could prove she was a U.S. citizen.&nbsp;Eventually, the woman was allowed to vote because another Platte County poll worker corrected the first poll worker and pointed out that passports count as valid voter ID.The woman told the ACLU, which filed the complaint on her behalf, that she felt “incredibly uncomfortable” at her polling place. She was already an infrequent voter, having not voted in eight years, Kathurima said, so this didn’t help.“To have that type of experience obviously makes it even harder for someone to be able to want to vote in the future,” Kathurima said.&nbsp;The Platte County Election Commission did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. State election officials acknowledged a handful of incidents in which poll workers misunderstood the requirements.<h2>No results changed, officials say</h2>Groups such as ACLU Nebraska and Civic Nebraska say having even one voter turned away is too many. They pointed to close races like east Omaha’s Legislative District 13 as an example where every vote matters.In that race, 151 votes separated Ashlei Spivey, the winner, from second-place finisher Nick Batter. Election officials, however, have said they knew of no result that would have flipped because of voter ID issues.The most common concern reported to Civic Nebraska’s voter hotline was poll workers not understanding that the picture ID is required only to verify that voters are who they say they are —&nbsp;not to verify their address.Some poll workers told voters erroneously that the addresses on their driver’s license or state ID needed to match the voter rolls, which is not required, said Heidi Uhing, Civic’s director of public policy.“You are who you are regardless of where you’re located,” Uhing said. “The benefit of that part of the law is that people move around a lot, and not everyone is speedy about getting their documentation updated.”The most ballots cast without IDs occurred in Douglas County. There, 146 people who didn’t have ID or lacked a valid ID voted provisionally. Of those 146, 48 were able to fix the problem, officials said. Twenty-three of them visited the election office later and showed acceptable ID, and 25 verified a reasonable impediment.That means 98 others turned in provisional ballots but did not have their votes counted, including some who filed for impediments but did not meet the standard and did not return verification calls from election officials, Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse said.Kruse mentioned a would-be voter who had moved to the Omaha area from Chicago but couldn’t get Cook County, Illinois, to send her a copy of her birth certificate in time to get a Nebraska-approved ID.<h2>How voter ID works in Nebraska</h2>Voting in personNebraska requires in-person voters to take a state-approved photo ID, which could include a driver’s license, a college ID, a nursing home ID, a passport, a military ID, a tribal ID or an ID from a city, county, school district or another political subdivision.People who forget to take their photo ID but want to cast their ballot can still choose to vote provisionally. However, they will need to take a photo ID to their county election office within a week of Election Day.People who lack a photo ID can have their ballots counted if they apply for a certificate from their county election office verifying an accepted disability, circumstance or religious objection.&nbsp;Voting by mailVoters requesting a ballot to vote early by mail must also verify their ID. They can do so by writing down their ID number from a Nebraska driver’s license or state ID card.&nbsp;Those unwilling or unable to provide one of those ID numbers on the request form can instead enclose a photocopy of a state-approved photo ID, which could be a passport, military ID or Nebraska college ID, among others. People with disabilities, a major illness or religious objections to being photographed can fill out an exception form.His office saw some voters who moved from Iowa and didn’t know that the Nebraska law only recognizes driver’s licenses from the Cornhusker State. He also heard some confusion about how to verify IDs from nursing homes.&nbsp;“Honestly it went very, very smooth,” Kruse said. “I was a little worried since this was our first big election. … I guess the good news is honestly it didn’t affect turnout, which was among the biggest we’ve had.”<h2>Turnout high</h2>Statewide turnout was the second-highest in votes cast, with 965,236. Douglas saw 75% turnout. Some counties in rural Nebraska saw turnout of over 80% of registered voters, including Arthur, Hooker and Thomas Counties in the Sandhills.&nbsp;Only the pandemic-fueled 2020 election had more votes cast, at 966,920. And only the 1968 presidential election had a higher percentage turnout – 81% of registered voters. This year’s statewide turnout was 76%.Kathurima said Nebraskans won’t know how many people might have voted because “any voter restriction … will always have a chilling effect.”&nbsp;In other states with voter ID, restrictions have disproportionately reduced voting by people in poverty, the elderly and the infirm. Much depends on the strictness of IDs required.Voter ID advocates have argued that the requirements help reduce election fraud by making it more difficult to impersonate another voter. Many are particularly interested in requiring ID to vote by mail.The push drew more attention after the 2020 election, when then-President Donald Trump criticized voting by mail after his loss to President Joe Biden and questioned the verification processes.Kathurima and Uhing said they would like to see the state tweak the training help offered to poll workers to emphasize which IDs are acceptable. Signs clarifying what IDs are accepted could also be more prominent at polling places, they suggested.Evnen said his office would take that feedback from stakeholders and work with local election officials to see what they can learn from it and improve.Several advocates acknowledged the work Nebraska election officials have done educating voters, including tapping into $1.5 million in funding for outreach. They also credited Nebraska for passing a more flexible version of voter ID than some states.But some said it should matter to Nebraskans that a number of “votes did not count in this election,” as Uhing said.“If they didn’t come back to resolve that, that’s a real shame,” she said. “We have to go back … and understand how people might be moved to go back (and fix their ballots).”

Fewer voters turned away under new Nebraska voter ID law than in similar states

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen is previewing some of his priorities for the 2025 legislative session. These initiatives, and others, align with his administration’s ongoing commitment to kids, taxes, agriculture and values.   

“This is by no means an all-encompassing list, but these items are certainly top of mind as we reflect on our past achievements and acknowledge there is still much to be accomplished,” said Gov. Pillen. “We must continue to build on those foundations, addressing issues that are of greatest concern to Nebraskans.”  

KIDS:   Gov. Pillen is advocating for guidelines around athletic activities, aimed at protecting both kids and women.  Legislation brought by Senator Kathleen Kauth in 2023 proposed guidelines for opposite-sex participation in sports activities and the use of restroom and locker room facilities. It was carried over into 2024 but failed to advance by only two votes. 

Eight months into his administration, Gov. Pillen became the second governor to issue an executive order establishing a Women’s Bill of Rights, which in part, defined terms like “male” and “female” as guidance to agencies, boards and commissions. That order remains in effect, only to expire upon passage of a state law that provides the necessary clarification to these issues.

TAXES:  Legislation passed during the summer special session produced $185 million in new tax relief, and established caps on local tax collections. Recently, Gov. Pillen issued the 2024 School Property Tax Collection Report, which makes the case for reworking the Tax Equity and Equalization Opportunities Support Act (TEEOSA) formula, so that it provides schools a more stable and consistent method of budgeting; thereby, reducing the amount of increase that schools feel they need to offset reductions in state aid.

“We cannot continue down the path of Nebraskan’s paying among the highest property taxes in the nation,” said Gov. Pillen. “It makes us less competitive with other states and less attractive to people who may be looking to move here. This is a situation that we will keep fighting to address.”

AGRICULTURE:   New legislation will be introduced aimed at banning the sale of lab-grown meat. This follows Gov. Pillen’s executive order prohibiting the state from purchasing products defined as lab-grown meat and prohibiting other parties from contracting with the state, which might also procure lab-grown meat.

At a news conference in August, Gov. Pillen pointed to the uncertainty of health impacts arising from consumption of lab-grown meat and that other states and countries have implemented strict labeling requirements and outright bans to best protect consumers. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has drafted rules and regulations to ensure proper labeling and make certain that lab meat is not sold on store shelves next to natural meat products.

At the media event, Gov. Pillen reinforced his commitment to Nebraska farmers and ranchers, who produce products that drive Nebraska’s economy and are highly sought overseas.  “We feed the world and we save the planet more effectively and more efficiently than anybody else and I will defend those practices with my last breath.”

VALUES:  Returning the state’s allocation of electoral votes to winner-take-all is another top priority when the 109th Legislature convenes. Since 1993, Nebraska, has apportioned its electoral college votes in a way that promotes gerrymandering and prioritizes a small minority of voters over a majority of the public. For example, in the 2024 presidential election, 8% of Nebraskans allocated 20% of the electoral college votes. Gov. Pillen seeks to change this unjust system and have Nebraska rejoin the 48 other states that allocate electoral college votes through winner-take-all.

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen is previewing some of his priorities for the 2025 legislative session. These initiatives, and others, align with his administration’s ongoing commitment to kids, taxes, agriculture and values. “This is by no means an all-encompassing list, but these items are certainly top of mind as we reflect on our past achievements and acknowledge there is still much to be accomplished,” said Gov. Pillen. “We must continue to build on those foundations, addressing issues that are of greatest concern to Nebraskans.” KIDS: Gov. Pillen is advocating for guidelines around athletic activities, aimed at protecting both kids and women. Legislation brought by Senator Kathleen Kauth in 2023 proposed guidelines for opposite-sex participation in sports activities and the use of restroom and locker room facilities. It was carried over into 2024 but failed to advance by only two votes. Eight months into his administration, Gov. Pillen became the second governor to issue an executive order establishing a Women’s Bill of Rights, which in part, defined terms like “male” and “female” as guidance to agencies, boards and commissions. That order remains in effect, only to expire upon passage of a state law that provides the necessary clarification to these issues.TAXES: Legislation passed during the summer special session produced $185 million in new tax relief, and established caps on local tax collections. Recently, Gov. Pillen issued the 2024 School Property Tax Collection Report, which makes the case for reworking the Tax Equity and Equalization Opportunities Support Act (TEEOSA) formula, so that it provides schools a more stable and consistent method of budgeting; thereby, reducing the amount of increase that schools feel they need to offset reductions in state aid.“We cannot continue down the path of Nebraskan’s paying among the highest property taxes in the nation,” said Gov. Pillen. “It makes us less competitive with other states and less attractive to people who may be looking to move here. This is a situation that we will keep fighting to address.”AGRICULTURE: New legislation will be introduced aimed at banning the sale of lab-grown meat. This follows Gov. Pillen’s executive order prohibiting the state from purchasing products defined as lab-grown meat and prohibiting other parties from contracting with the state, which might also procure lab-grown meat.At a news conference in August, Gov. Pillen pointed to the uncertainty of health impacts arising from consumption of lab-grown meat and that other states and countries have implemented strict labeling requirements and outright bans to best protect consumers. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has drafted rules and regulations to ensure proper labeling and make certain that lab meat is not sold on store shelves next to natural meat products.At the media event, Gov. Pillen reinforced his commitment to Nebraska farmers and ranchers, who produce products that drive Nebraska’s economy and are highly sought overseas. “We feed the world and we save the planet more effectively and more efficiently than anybody else and I will defend those practices with my last breath.”VALUES: Returning the state’s allocation of electoral votes to winner-take-all is another top priority when the 109th Legislature convenes. Since 1993, Nebraska, has apportioned its electoral college votes in a way that promotes gerrymandering and prioritizes a small minority of voters over a majority of the public. For example, in the 2024 presidential election, 8% of Nebraskans allocated 20% of the electoral college votes. Gov. Pillen seeks to change this unjust system and have Nebraska rejoin the 48 other states that allocate electoral college votes through winner-take-all.

Gov. Pillen Previews 2025 Legislative Priorities

JERUSALEM- U.S. Navy destroyers USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and the USS O’Kane (DDG 77) successfully defeated a range of Iranian-backed Houthi rebel-launched weapons while transiting the Gulf of Aden on Saturday on Sunday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

The destroyers were escorting three U.S. owned, operated, flagged merchant vessels and the reckless attacks resulted in no injuries and no damage to any vessels, civilian or U.S. Naval.

The destroyers successfully engaged and defeated three anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs), three one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems (OWA UAS), and one anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM), ensuring the safety of the ships and their personnel, as well as civilian vessels and their crews.

These actions reflect the ongoing commitment of CENTCOM forces to protect U.S. personnel, regional partners, and international shipping, against attacks by Iran-backed Houthis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703990687604.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM- U.S. Navy destroyers USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and the USS O’Kane (DDG 77) successfully defeated a range of Iranian-backed Houthi rebel-launched weapons while transiting the Gulf of Aden on Saturday on Sunday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.The destroyers were escorting three U.S. owned, operated, flagged merchant vessels and the reckless attacks resulted in no injuries and no damage to any vessels, civilian or U.S. Naval.The destroyers successfully engaged and defeated three anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs), three one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems (OWA UAS), and one anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM), ensuring the safety of the ships and their personnel, as well as civilian vessels and their crews.These actions reflect the ongoing commitment of CENTCOM forces to protect U.S. personnel, regional partners, and international shipping, against attacks by Iran-backed Houthis.

 U.S. forces defeat attack on U.S. Navy and U.S.-flagged ships in Gulf of Aden

President&nbsp;Joe Biden&nbsp;pardoned his son,&nbsp;Hunter, on Sunday, despite a pledge not to do so. The action will allow the younger Biden to avoid possible time in prison.

Below is the full statement on the pardon released by the White House

Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.&nbsp;Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions.&nbsp;It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the court room – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process.&nbsp;Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter – who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution.&nbsp;In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded.&nbsp;Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I&nbsp;hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;Executive Grant of ClemencyJoseph R. Biden, Jr.President of the United States of America&nbsp;

To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:&nbsp;

Be It Known, That This Day, I, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, Pursuant to My Powers Under Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, of the Constitution, Have Granted Unto&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702480298924.png" alt="File photo Hunter Biden courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Hunter Biden courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>President&nbsp;Joe Biden&nbsp;pardoned his son,&nbsp;Hunter, on Sunday, despite a pledge not to do so. The action will allow the younger Biden to avoid possible time in prison.Below is the full statement on the pardon released by the White House--------Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.&nbsp;Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions.&nbsp;It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.&nbsp;&nbsp;The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the court room – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process.&nbsp;Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter – who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution.&nbsp;In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.&nbsp;&nbsp;For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded.&nbsp;Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I&nbsp;hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.&nbsp;&nbsp;###&nbsp;Executive Grant of ClemencyJoseph R. Biden, Jr.President of the United States of America&nbsp;To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:&nbsp;Be It Known, That This Day, I, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, Pursuant to My Powers Under Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, of the Constitution, Have Granted Unto&nbsp;ROBERT HUNTER BIDEN&nbsp;A Full and Unconditional Pardon&nbsp;For those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024, including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted (including any that have resulted in convictions) by Special Counsel David C. Weiss in Docket No. 1:23-cr-00061-MN in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and Docket No. 2:23-CR-00599-MCS-1 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.&nbsp;IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto signed my name and caused the Pardon to be recorded with the Department of Justice.&nbsp;Done at the City of Washington this 1st day of December in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-four and of the Independence of the United States the Two Hundred and Forty-ninth.-------