Faculty, mostly at the University of Nebraska, lined up to oppose an effort from State Sen. Loren Lippincott that would be the first in the nation

Zach Wendling.&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/12/nebraska-lawmaker-proposes-grant-for-artificial-intelligence-tools-to-combat-dyslexia/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Faculty groups and administrators at the University of Nebraska lined up Tuesday to oppose a legislative proposal to end faculty tenure, with many saying it could handicap NU.

State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, who introduced&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55270">Legislative Bill 1064</a>, said he feels the “pendulum” has swung too far toward protecting professors instead of students and away from merit and performance. His bill would&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/08/senators-seek-to-eliminate-tenure-for-college-professors-do-away-with-state-inheritance-tax/">eliminate tenure</a>&nbsp;as an option for faculty in NU and the Nebraska State College System, as well as community colleges that don’t currently offer it.

Lippincott said his goal is not to stifle academic freedom but to put benchmarks in place and allow for more transparency. He offered a comparison between higher education and a farm.

“A lot of these horses plowed the field very straight when they were young and they were earning their tenure,” Lippincott told the Legislature’s Education Committee. “But then those horses ended up staying in the barn and just simply eating hay.”

Interim NU President Chris Kabourek, the first person to testify in opposition at the hearing, framed tenure as something NU needed in its “toolbox.” He said that while he is a strong supporter of academic freedom and tenure, he does not support lifetime job guarantees; yet, tenure is not an easy feat.

“It takes years of work and a proven record and scholarly performance and productivity, and that’s good news for Nebraska,” Kabourek said.&nbsp;

Should LB 1064 pass, Kabourek added, it would put NU at a “great competitive disadvantage” to peer institutions as he predicted that faculty would look elsewhere for positions.

“Eliminating tenure would tie both hands behind our back at the very time our university is setting high aspirations to go compete with the best of the best throughout the country,” he said.

Luke McDermott, on behalf of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s student government, said it takes the most talented researchers five to six years to obtain tenure and that, without the protections it offers, no professor seeking long-term work would choose Nebraska.

“We’ll be the last choice for the academic job market,” McDermott said.

McDermott said the bill could also worsen brain drain and drive away prospective students.

Lawmakers in other states have unsuccessfully tried to ban tenure through similar measures, Lippincott said, noting that efforts have stalled in South Carolina and Iowa but advanced in at least one chamber of the legislatures in Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Ohio. No states have passed such legislation.&nbsp;

“We can’t afford to become a club of one,” Kabourek said.

Colby Woodson, a UNL graduate student, said the institution of tenure plays into a form of academic caste system and said it’s not necessarily what it used to be.&nbsp;

“It’s not the ‘60s —&nbsp;there’s not necessarily the same level of political tumult there once was,” Woodson said.

Woodson said there’s a question of whether tenure rewards the “best and the brightest” or those well-connected. He also asked whether it can, informally, shield bad actors who may have a reputation for penalizing students, which he said he’s seen at UNL.

“Is it more trouble than it’s worth to call them out?” Woodson asked.

Under LB 1064, the governing boards of affected institutions would create, in lieu of tenure:

“They should have the keys to let loose the weight of those not helping to carry the load,” Lippincott said.

Chancellor Paul Turman of the Nebraska State College System, Kabourek and NU faculty said such measures already exist. An NU spokesperson affirmed that faculty can be eliminated for each reason Lippincott listed.

For example, the Board of Regents voted to eliminate two tenured faculty in just a little over a year last year.

Chris Exstrom, Faculty Senate president at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, testified in opposition to the bill on behalf of his UNK group and similar governing bodies at NU’s other campuses.

Exstrom said that when he applied for tenure, he did so with a six-inch binder that included years of documentation — teaching materials, evaluations, research grants, publications and notes of how he impacted students.

“When I was awarded tenure, I considered that my pinnacle professional achievement,” Exstrom said. “What I would soon learn is that tenure provides incredible ongoing motivation.”

John Bender of the Academic Freedom Coalition of Nebraska said he sat in on multiple annual performance evaluations during his two years as an associate dean of UNL’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications.&nbsp;

“There is accountability in the system already,” he said.&nbsp;

In his 32 years as a professor, Bender added, he saw some tenured professors get fired and others denied tenure. He explained that tenure is not a guarantee that someone can collect a check without working. He said he worried the legislation could lead to policing speech based on content.

State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, Education Committee vice chair, said she appreciated Bender’s insight and his explanation of how tenure works and to learn that faculty members have checks and balances.

“I think that the public needs to know that,” Albrecht said. “This is not for naught, it might take a while. … But just know that we are hearing what you’re saying and we are also understanding where Senator Lippincott may very well be coming from.”

State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, whose district includes UNL, questioned during the hearing whether a 1977 court case —&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://law.justia.com/cases/nebraska/supreme-court/1977/41145-1.html">NU Board of Regents v. former Nebraska Gov. James Exon</a>&nbsp;— would supersede Lippincott’s bill. That case determined the Legislature can’t dictate NU policy, as that remains vested in the NU Board of Regents.

Kabourek testified that the senator had opened an important dialogue about rigor and accountability.

“I think we can find ways to raise the bar while still preserving a valuable tool offered by every other university whose company we want to keep,” Kabourek said.

The committee took no immediate action on LB 1064.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707921409513.png" alt="University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Faculty, mostly at the University of Nebraska, lined up to oppose an effort from State Sen. Loren Lippincott that would be the first in the nation</h2>Zach Wendling.&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/12/nebraska-lawmaker-proposes-grant-for-artificial-intelligence-tools-to-combat-dyslexia/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Faculty groups and administrators at the University of Nebraska lined up Tuesday to oppose a legislative proposal to end faculty tenure, with many saying it could handicap NU.State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, who introduced&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55270">Legislative Bill 1064</a>, said he feels the “pendulum” has swung too far toward protecting professors instead of students and away from merit and performance. His bill would&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/08/senators-seek-to-eliminate-tenure-for-college-professors-do-away-with-state-inheritance-tax/">eliminate tenure</a>&nbsp;as an option for faculty in NU and the Nebraska State College System, as well as community colleges that don’t currently offer it.Lippincott said his goal is not to stifle academic freedom but to put benchmarks in place and allow for more transparency. He offered a comparison between higher education and a farm.“A lot of these horses plowed the field very straight when they were young and they were earning their tenure,” Lippincott told the Legislature’s Education Committee. “But then those horses ended up staying in the barn and just simply eating hay.”<h2>‘A club of one’</h2>Interim NU President Chris Kabourek, the first person to testify in opposition at the hearing, framed tenure as something NU needed in its “toolbox.” He said that while he is a strong supporter of academic freedom and tenure, he does not support lifetime job guarantees; yet, tenure is not an easy feat.“It takes years of work and a proven record and scholarly performance and productivity, and that’s good news for Nebraska,” Kabourek said.&nbsp;Should LB 1064 pass, Kabourek added, it would put NU at a “great competitive disadvantage” to peer institutions as he predicted that faculty would look elsewhere for positions.“Eliminating tenure would tie both hands behind our back at the very time our university is setting high aspirations to go compete with the best of the best throughout the country,” he said.Luke McDermott, on behalf of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s student government, said it takes the most talented researchers five to six years to obtain tenure and that, without the protections it offers, no professor seeking long-term work would choose Nebraska.“We’ll be the last choice for the academic job market,” McDermott said.McDermott said the bill could also worsen brain drain and drive away prospective students.Lawmakers in other states have unsuccessfully tried to ban tenure through similar measures, Lippincott said, noting that efforts have stalled in South Carolina and Iowa but advanced in at least one chamber of the legislatures in Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Ohio. No states have passed such legislation.&nbsp;“We can’t afford to become a club of one,” Kabourek said.<h2>Times have changed</h2>Colby Woodson, a UNL graduate student, said the institution of tenure plays into a form of academic caste system and said it’s not necessarily what it used to be.&nbsp;“It’s not the ‘60s —&nbsp;there’s not necessarily the same level of political tumult there once was,” Woodson said.Woodson said there’s a question of whether tenure rewards the “best and the brightest” or those well-connected. He also asked whether it can, informally, shield bad actors who may have a reputation for penalizing students, which he said he’s seen at UNL.“Is it more trouble than it’s worth to call them out?” Woodson asked.<h2>‘Pinnacle professional achievement’</h2>Under LB 1064, the governing boards of affected institutions would create, in lieu of tenure:<ul>
 <li>Employee agreements.</li><li>Acceptable grounds for termination, including just cause, program discontinuance and financial exigency.</li><li>Annual performance evaluations of all faculty.</li><li>Minimum standards of good practice for faculty.</li><li>Standards for review and discipline of faculty and procedures for termination on acceptable grounds.</li>
 </ul>“They should have the keys to let loose the weight of those not helping to carry the load,” Lippincott said.Chancellor Paul Turman of the Nebraska State College System, Kabourek and NU faculty said such measures already exist. An NU spokesperson affirmed that faculty can be eliminated for each reason Lippincott listed.For example, the Board of Regents voted to eliminate two tenured faculty in just a little over a year last year.Chris Exstrom, Faculty Senate president at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, testified in opposition to the bill on behalf of his UNK group and similar governing bodies at NU’s other campuses.Exstrom said that when he applied for tenure, he did so with a six-inch binder that included years of documentation — teaching materials, evaluations, research grants, publications and notes of how he impacted students.“When I was awarded tenure, I considered that my pinnacle professional achievement,” Exstrom said. “What I would soon learn is that tenure provides incredible ongoing motivation.”John Bender of the Academic Freedom Coalition of Nebraska said he sat in on multiple annual performance evaluations during his two years as an associate dean of UNL’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications.&nbsp;“There is accountability in the system already,” he said.&nbsp;In his 32 years as a professor, Bender added, he saw some tenured professors get fired and others denied tenure. He explained that tenure is not a guarantee that someone can collect a check without working. He said he worried the legislation could lead to policing speech based on content.<h2>‘Raise the bar’</h2>State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, Education Committee vice chair, said she appreciated Bender’s insight and his explanation of how tenure works and to learn that faculty members have checks and balances.“I think that the public needs to know that,” Albrecht said. “This is not for naught, it might take a while. … But just know that we are hearing what you’re saying and we are also understanding where Senator Lippincott may very well be coming from.”State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, whose district includes UNL, questioned during the hearing whether a 1977 court case —&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://law.justia.com/cases/nebraska/supreme-court/1977/41145-1.html">NU Board of Regents v. former Nebraska Gov. James Exon</a>&nbsp;— would supersede Lippincott’s bill. That case determined the Legislature can’t dictate NU policy, as that remains vested in the NU Board of Regents.Kabourek testified that the senator had opened an important dialogue about rigor and accountability.“I think we can find ways to raise the bar while still preserving a valuable tool offered by every other university whose company we want to keep,” Kabourek said.The committee took no immediate action on LB 1064.

‘Club of one’: Nebraska administrators, professors criticize effort to end faculty tenure

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday called for House Republicans to urgently bring a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-china-d7b4846de76a1dfe5d2207b7eb6eeead">$95.3 billion aid package</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan to a vote, warning that refusal to take up the bill, passed by the Senate in the morning, would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-ukraine-nato-congress-b1ae8f4702e430d1995d40f3bc05ea06">“playing into Putin’s hands</a>.”

(click below to watch the statement from President Biden)

“Supporting this bill is standing up to Putin," Biden said, raising his voice in strong comments from the White House as he referred to the Russian leader. “We can't walk away now. That's what Putin is betting on.”

But the package faces a deeply uncertain future in the House, where hardline Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump — the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, and a critic of support for Ukraine — oppose the legislation. Speaker Mike Johnson has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-6970b539025d2de5ade9e3aff165c54f">cast new doubt</a>&nbsp;on the package and made clear that it could be weeks or months before Congress sends the legislation to Biden’s desk — if at all.

The potential impasse comes at a crucial point in the nearly two-year-old war, and supporters warn that abandoning Ukraine could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-ukraine-israel-trump-aid-biden-13d5461154e2755510d7149a5af9b97a">threaten national security across the globe</a>. Yet the months-long push to approve the $60 billion in aid for Kyiv that is included in the package has exposed growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad.

Biden also lashed at Trump, who on Saturday said during a campaign appearance that he once warned he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-foreign-aid-russia-2b8054a9fe185eec34c2c541cece655d">allow Russia</a>&nbsp;to do whatever it wants to NATO member nations that are “delinquent” in devoting 2% of their gross domestic product to defense.

“When America gives its word it means something,” Biden said. “Donald Trump looks at this as if it’s a burden.”

The Senate vote came early Tuesday after a small group of Republicans opposed to the $60 billion for Ukraine held the Senate floor through the night, using the final hours of debate to argue that the U.S. should focus on its own problems before sending more money overseas. Yet 22 Republicans voted with nearly all Democrats to pass the package 70-29.

“With this bill, the Senate declares that American leadership will not waver, will not falter, will not fail,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked closely with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the legislation.

The bill’s passage through the Senate with a flourish of GOP support was a welcome sign for Ukraine amid critical&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-money-congress-weapons-dd5076b30bf8fab5c914a1222186e7f0">shortages on the battlefield</a>.

“Ukrainian soldiers out of artillery shells, Ukrainian units rationing rounds of ammunition to defend themselves, Ukrainian families worried that the next Russian strike will permanently plunge them into darkness, or worse,” Biden said.

The president appealed to House members in stark terms and called on Johnson to let the matter come to a vote. Ukraine supporters were also hoping that the showing of bipartisan support in the Senate would pressure Johnson to advance the bill. McConnell has made the issue his top priority in recent months, and was resolute in the face of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-ukraine-republicans-senate-c5217d686c85837d2b9708aa197843f9">considerable pushback</a>&nbsp;from his own GOP conference.

Speaking directly to his detractors, the longtime Republican leader said in a statement, “History settles every account. And today, on the value of American leadership and strength, history will record that the Senate did not blink.”

Dollars provided by the legislation would purchase U.S.-made defense equipment, including munitions and air defense systems that authorities say are desperately needed as Russia batters the country. It also includes $8 billion for the government in Kyiv and other assistance.

“Putin’s ambitions have never been limited to Ukraine. His goals are far broader. This means that our defense solidarity must be even broader,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media.

In addition, the legislation would provide $14 billion for Israel’s war with Hamas, $8 billion for Taiwan and partners in the Indo-Pacific to counter China, and $9.1 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-gaza-evacuation-palestinians-attack-israel-hamas-90bf78cfca6550dc229e7192f6724dfc">humanitarian assistance for Gaza</a>&nbsp;and the West Bank, Ukraine, and other populations caught in conflict zones across the globe.

Progressive lawmakers have objected to sending offensive weaponry to Israel, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent of Vermont, as well as two Democrats, Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Peter Welch of Vermont, voted against it.

“I cannot in good conscience support sending billions of additional taxpayer dollars for Prime Minister Netanyahu's military campaign in Gaza,” Welch said. “It’s a campaign that has killed and wounded a shocking number of civilians. It’s created a massive humanitarian crisis.”

The bill’s passage followed almost five months of torturous negotiations over an expansive proposal that would have paired the foreign aid with an overhaul of border and asylum policies. Republicans demanded the trade-off, saying the surge of migration into the United States had to be addressed alongside the security of allies.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">a bipartisan deal on border security fell apart</a>&nbsp;just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. Republicans declared the bill insufficient and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">blocked it</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.

After the deal collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended.

While the slimmed-down foreign aid bill eventually won a healthy showing of GOP support, several Republicans who had previously expressed support for Ukraine voted against it. The episode further exposed divisions in the party, made more public as Trump dug in and a handful of lawmakers openly called for McConnell to step down.

Sen. J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican, argued that the U.S. should step back from the conflict and help broker an end to it with Russia's Putin. He questioned the wisdom of continuing to fuel Ukraine’s defense when Putin appears committed to fighting for years.

“I think it deals with the reality that we’re living in, which is they’re a more powerful country, and it’s their region of the world,” he said.

Vance, along with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and other opponents, spent several hours on the floor railing against the aid and complaining about Senate process. They dug in their heels to delay a final vote, speaking on the floor until daybreak.

Supporters of the aid pushed back, warning that bowing to Russia would be a historic mistake with devastating consequences. They pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict — a commitment that Trump has called into question as he seeks another term in the White House.

In the House, many Republicans have opposed the aid and are unlikely to cross Trump, but some key GOP lawmakers have signaled they will push to get it passed.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, traveled to Ukraine last week with a bipartisan delegation and met with Zelenskyy. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”

But Speaker Johnson is in a tough position. A majority of his conference opposes the aid, and he is trying to lead the narrowest of majorities and avoid the fate of his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted in October.

Johnson, R-La., said in a statement Monday that because the foreign aid package lacks border security provisions, it is “silent on the most pressing issue facing our country.” It was the latest — and potentially most consequential — sign of opposition to the Ukraine aid from House GOP leadership, who had rejected the bipartisan border compromise as "dead on arrival,” contributing to its rapid demise.

House Democratic leaders are looking at rarely used procedures to force a vote on the bill, but those represent a long-shot effort without Johnson's support.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a letter to fellow Democrats Tuesday, “The American people deserve an up or down vote, and we will use every available legislative tool to get comprehensive national security legislation over the finish line.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday called for House Republicans to urgently bring a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-china-d7b4846de76a1dfe5d2207b7eb6eeead">$95.3 billion aid package</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan to a vote, warning that refusal to take up the bill, passed by the Senate in the morning, would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-ukraine-nato-congress-b1ae8f4702e430d1995d40f3bc05ea06">“playing into Putin’s hands</a>.”(click below to watch the statement from President Biden)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1328242457881111%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=290" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>“Supporting this bill is standing up to Putin," Biden said, raising his voice in strong comments from the White House as he referred to the Russian leader. “We can't walk away now. That's what Putin is betting on.”But the package faces a deeply uncertain future in the House, where hardline Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump — the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, and a critic of support for Ukraine — oppose the legislation. Speaker Mike Johnson has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-6970b539025d2de5ade9e3aff165c54f">cast new doubt</a>&nbsp;on the package and made clear that it could be weeks or months before Congress sends the legislation to Biden’s desk — if at all.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am grateful to <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderMcConnell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderMcConnell</a>, and every US Senator who has supported continued assistance to Ukraine as we fight for freedom, democracy, and the values we all hold dear. For us in Ukraine, continued US assistance helps to save human lives from Russian terror.…&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1757369670460424603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The potential impasse comes at a crucial point in the nearly two-year-old war, and supporters warn that abandoning Ukraine could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-ukraine-israel-trump-aid-biden-13d5461154e2755510d7149a5af9b97a">threaten national security across the globe</a>. Yet the months-long push to approve the $60 billion in aid for Kyiv that is included in the package has exposed growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad.Biden also lashed at Trump, who on Saturday said during a campaign appearance that he once warned he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-foreign-aid-russia-2b8054a9fe185eec34c2c541cece655d">allow Russia</a>&nbsp;to do whatever it wants to NATO member nations that are “delinquent” in devoting 2% of their gross domestic product to defense.“When America gives its word it means something,” Biden said. “Donald Trump looks at this as if it’s a burden.”The Senate vote came early Tuesday after a small group of Republicans opposed to the $60 billion for Ukraine held the Senate floor through the night, using the final hours of debate to argue that the U.S. should focus on its own problems before sending more money overseas. Yet 22 Republicans voted with nearly all Democrats to pass the package 70-29.“With this bill, the Senate declares that American leadership will not waver, will not falter, will not fail,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked closely with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the legislation.The bill’s passage through the Senate with a flourish of GOP support was a welcome sign for Ukraine amid critical&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-money-congress-weapons-dd5076b30bf8fab5c914a1222186e7f0">shortages on the battlefield</a>.“Ukrainian soldiers out of artillery shells, Ukrainian units rationing rounds of ammunition to defend themselves, Ukrainian families worried that the next Russian strike will permanently plunge them into darkness, or worse,” Biden said.The president appealed to House members in stark terms and called on Johnson to let the matter come to a vote. Ukraine supporters were also hoping that the showing of bipartisan support in the Senate would pressure Johnson to advance the bill. McConnell has made the issue his top priority in recent months, and was resolute in the face of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-ukraine-republicans-senate-c5217d686c85837d2b9708aa197843f9">considerable pushback</a>&nbsp;from his own GOP conference.Speaking directly to his detractors, the longtime Republican leader said in a statement, “History settles every account. And today, on the value of American leadership and strength, history will record that the Senate did not blink.”Dollars provided by the legislation would purchase U.S.-made defense equipment, including munitions and air defense systems that authorities say are desperately needed as Russia batters the country. It also includes $8 billion for the government in Kyiv and other assistance.“Putin’s ambitions have never been limited to Ukraine. His goals are far broader. This means that our defense solidarity must be even broader,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media.In addition, the legislation would provide $14 billion for Israel’s war with Hamas, $8 billion for Taiwan and partners in the Indo-Pacific to counter China, and $9.1 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-gaza-evacuation-palestinians-attack-israel-hamas-90bf78cfca6550dc229e7192f6724dfc">humanitarian assistance for Gaza</a>&nbsp;and the West Bank, Ukraine, and other populations caught in conflict zones across the globe.Progressive lawmakers have objected to sending offensive weaponry to Israel, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent of Vermont, as well as two Democrats, Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Peter Welch of Vermont, voted against it.“I cannot in good conscience support sending billions of additional taxpayer dollars for Prime Minister Netanyahu's military campaign in Gaza,” Welch said. “It’s a campaign that has killed and wounded a shocking number of civilians. It’s created a massive humanitarian crisis.”The bill’s passage followed almost five months of torturous negotiations over an expansive proposal that would have paired the foreign aid with an overhaul of border and asylum policies. Republicans demanded the trade-off, saying the surge of migration into the United States had to be addressed alongside the security of allies.But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">a bipartisan deal on border security fell apart</a>&nbsp;just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. Republicans declared the bill insufficient and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">blocked it</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.After the deal collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended.While the slimmed-down foreign aid bill eventually won a healthy showing of GOP support, several Republicans who had previously expressed support for Ukraine voted against it. The episode further exposed divisions in the party, made more public as Trump dug in and a handful of lawmakers openly called for McConnell to step down.Sen. J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican, argued that the U.S. should step back from the conflict and help broker an end to it with Russia's Putin. He questioned the wisdom of continuing to fuel Ukraine’s defense when Putin appears committed to fighting for years.“I think it deals with the reality that we’re living in, which is they’re a more powerful country, and it’s their region of the world,” he said.Vance, along with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and other opponents, spent several hours on the floor railing against the aid and complaining about Senate process. They dug in their heels to delay a final vote, speaking on the floor until daybreak.Supporters of the aid pushed back, warning that bowing to Russia would be a historic mistake with devastating consequences. They pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict — a commitment that Trump has called into question as he seeks another term in the White House.In the House, many Republicans have opposed the aid and are unlikely to cross Trump, but some key GOP lawmakers have signaled they will push to get it passed.House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, traveled to Ukraine last week with a bipartisan delegation and met with Zelenskyy. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”But Speaker Johnson is in a tough position. A majority of his conference opposes the aid, and he is trying to lead the narrowest of majorities and avoid the fate of his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted in October.Johnson, R-La., said in a statement Monday that because the foreign aid package lacks border security provisions, it is “silent on the most pressing issue facing our country.” It was the latest — and potentially most consequential — sign of opposition to the Ukraine aid from House GOP leadership, who had rejected the bipartisan border compromise as "dead on arrival,” contributing to its rapid demise.House Democratic leaders are looking at rarely used procedures to force a vote on the bill, but those represent a long-shot effort without Johnson's support.House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a letter to fellow Democrats Tuesday, “The American people deserve an up or down vote, and we will use every available legislative tool to get comprehensive national security legislation over the finish line.”___

🎥 Biden threatens House GOP who oppose Ukraine funding

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House voted Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-impeachment-mayorkas-border-congress-homeland-security-33c952f97b12ceffacb20ceaaa531adf">Alejandro Mayorkas</a>, with the Republican majority determined to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S-Mexico border after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-impeach-homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-8209736501ed4fe12e4b164443d6a8a9">failing last week</a>&nbsp;in a politically embarrassing setback.

The evening roll call proved tight, with Speaker Mike Johnson’s threadbare GOP majority unable to handle many defectors or absences in the face of staunch Democratic opposition to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-border-impeachment-immigration-d5f6a7d91ea725768e27b9b2bc5391a4">impeaching Mayorkas</a>, the first Cabinet secretary facing charges in nearly 150 years.

In a historic rebuke, the House impeached Mayorkas 214-213. With the return of Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/steve-scalise">Steve Scalise</a>&nbsp;to bolster the GOP's numbers after being away from Washington for cancer care and a Northeastern storm impacting some others, Republicans recouped — despite dissent from their own ranks.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;called it a "blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship that has targeted an honorable public servant in order to play petty political games.”

The charges against Mayorkas next go to the Senate for a trial, but neither Democratic nor Republican senators have shown interest in the matter and it may be indefinitely shelved to a committee.

In a frantic scene of vote-tallying on the House floor, the GOP effort to impeach Mayorkas over his handling of the southern border took on an air of political desperation as Republicans struggle to make good on their priorities.

Mayorkas faced two articles of impeachment filed by the Homeland Security Committee arguing that he “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce existing immigration laws and that he breached the public trust by lying to Congress and saying the border was secure.

But critics of the impeachment effort said the charges against Mayorkas amount to a policy dispute over Biden's border policy, hardly rising to the Constitution's bar of high crimes and misdemeanors.

The House had initially launched an impeachment inquiry into Biden over his son’s business dealings, but instead turned its attention to Mayorkas after Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, an ally of former President Donald Trump, pushed the debate forward following the panel’s months-long investigation.

Greene, who will serve as an impeachment manager in a potential Senate trial, hugged Scalise afterward and posed for photos with other lawmakers. She said senators “better pay attention to the American people and how they feel and then they need to read our articles of impeachment.”

Border security has shot to the top of campaign issues, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump, the Republican front-runner</a>&nbsp;for the presidential nomination, insisting he will launch “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history” if he retakes the White House.

Various House Republicans have prepared legislation to begin deporting migrants who were temporarily allowed into the U.S. under the Biden administration’s policies, many as they await adjudication of asylum claims.

“We have no choice,” Trump said in stark language at a weekend rally in South Carolina.

At the same time, Johnson rejected a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">bipartisan Senate border security package</a>&nbsp;but has been unable to advance Republicans’ own proposal, which is a nonstarter in the Senate.

Three Republican representatives broke who ranks last week over the Mayorkas impeachment — Ken Buck of Colorado, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin and Tom McClintock of California — all did so again Tuesday. With a 219-212 majority, Johnson had few votes to spare.

Several leading conservative scholars along with former Homeland Secretary secretaries from both Republican and Democratic administrations have dismissed the Mayorkas impeachment as unwarranted or a waste of time.

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said what the Republicans “have succeeded in doing is degrading and tarnishing the constitutional meaning of impeachment.”

Mayorkas is not the only Biden administration official the House Republicans want to impeach. They have filed legislation to impeach a long list including Vice President Kamala Harris, Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Never before has a sitting Cabinet secretary been impeached, and it was nearly 150 years ago that the House voted to impeach President Ulysses S. Grant’s secretary of war, William Belknap, over a kickback scheme in government contracts. He resigned before the vote.

Mayorkas, who did not appear to testify before the impeachment proceedings, put the border crisis squarely on Congress for failing to update immigration laws during a time of global migration.

“There is no question that we have a challenge, a crisis at the border,” Mayorkas said over the weekend on NBC. “And there is no question that Congress needs to fix it.”

Johnson and the Republicans have pushed back, arguing that the Biden administration could take executive actions, as Trump did, to stop the number of crossings — though the courts have questioned and turned back some of those efforts.

“We always explore what options are available to us that are permissible under the law,” Mayorkas said.

Last week's failed vote to impeach Mayorkas — a surprise outcome rarely seen on such a high-profile issue — was a stunning display in the chamber that has been churning through months of GOP chaos since the ouster of the previous House speaker.

At the time, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who had been hospitalized for emergency abdominal surgery, made a surprise arrival, wheeled into the chamber in scrubs and socks to vote against it — leaving the vote tied and leading to its failure.

“Obviously, you feel good when you can make a difference,” said Green, describing his painstaking route from hospital bed to the House floor. “All I did was what I was elected to do, and that was to cast my vote on the issues of our time, using the best judgment available to me.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707870653545.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the final vote count 214-213-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the final vote count 214-213-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House voted Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-impeachment-mayorkas-border-congress-homeland-security-33c952f97b12ceffacb20ceaaa531adf">Alejandro Mayorkas</a>, with the Republican majority determined to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S-Mexico border after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-impeach-homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-8209736501ed4fe12e4b164443d6a8a9">failing last week</a>&nbsp;in a politically embarrassing setback.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My statement on the House voting to impeach Secretary Mayorkas: <a href="https://t.co/CwNdm4XQkU">pic.twitter.com/CwNdm4XQkU</a>&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1757561249183735969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are living in unprecedented times; our sovereignty is at stake, and our security is compromised by the Biden Admin&#39;s historic border crisis. The House has taken the appropriate steps to hold DHS accountable for their failure to do their most basic job: secure our homeland. By…&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1757561474552152482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The evening roll call proved tight, with Speaker Mike Johnson’s threadbare GOP majority unable to handle many defectors or absences in the face of staunch Democratic opposition to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-border-impeachment-immigration-d5f6a7d91ea725768e27b9b2bc5391a4">impeaching Mayorkas</a>, the first Cabinet secretary facing charges in nearly 150 years.In a historic rebuke, the House impeached Mayorkas 214-213. With the return of Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/steve-scalise">Steve Scalise</a>&nbsp;to bolster the GOP's numbers after being away from Washington for cancer care and a Northeastern storm impacting some others, Republicans recouped — despite dissent from their own ranks.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;called it a "blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship that has targeted an honorable public servant in order to play petty political games.”The charges against Mayorkas next go to the Senate for a trial, but neither Democratic nor Republican senators have shown interest in the matter and it may be indefinitely shelved to a committee.In a frantic scene of vote-tallying on the House floor, the GOP effort to impeach Mayorkas over his handling of the southern border took on an air of political desperation as Republicans struggle to make good on their priorities.Mayorkas faced two articles of impeachment filed by the Homeland Security Committee arguing that he “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce existing immigration laws and that he breached the public trust by lying to Congress and saying the border was secure.But critics of the impeachment effort said the charges against Mayorkas amount to a policy dispute over Biden's border policy, hardly rising to the Constitution's bar of high crimes and misdemeanors.The House had initially launched an impeachment inquiry into Biden over his son’s business dealings, but instead turned its attention to Mayorkas after Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, an ally of former President Donald Trump, pushed the debate forward following the panel’s months-long investigation.Greene, who will serve as an impeachment manager in a potential Senate trial, hugged Scalise afterward and posed for photos with other lawmakers. She said senators “better pay attention to the American people and how they feel and then they need to read our articles of impeachment.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690419772316.png" alt="File Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the House Judiciary Committee.&nbsp; He becomes the first cabinet secretary impeached since 1876-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the House Judiciary Committee.&nbsp; He becomes the first cabinet secretary impeached since 1876-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Border security has shot to the top of campaign issues, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump, the Republican front-runner</a>&nbsp;for the presidential nomination, insisting he will launch “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history” if he retakes the White House.Various House Republicans have prepared legislation to begin deporting migrants who were temporarily allowed into the U.S. under the Biden administration’s policies, many as they await adjudication of asylum claims.“We have no choice,” Trump said in stark language at a weekend rally in South Carolina.At the same time, Johnson rejected a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">bipartisan Senate border security package</a>&nbsp;but has been unable to advance Republicans’ own proposal, which is a nonstarter in the Senate.Three Republican representatives broke who ranks last week over the Mayorkas impeachment — Ken Buck of Colorado, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin and Tom McClintock of California — all did so again Tuesday. With a 219-212 majority, Johnson had few votes to spare.Several leading conservative scholars along with former Homeland Secretary secretaries from both Republican and Democratic administrations have dismissed the Mayorkas impeachment as unwarranted or a waste of time.Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said what the Republicans “have succeeded in doing is degrading and tarnishing the constitutional meaning of impeachment.”Mayorkas is not the only Biden administration official the House Republicans want to impeach. They have filed legislation to impeach a long list including Vice President Kamala Harris, Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.Never before has a sitting Cabinet secretary been impeached, and it was nearly 150 years ago that the House voted to impeach President Ulysses S. Grant’s secretary of war, William Belknap, over a kickback scheme in government contracts. He resigned before the vote.Mayorkas, who did not appear to testify before the impeachment proceedings, put the border crisis squarely on Congress for failing to update immigration laws during a time of global migration.“There is no question that we have a challenge, a crisis at the border,” Mayorkas said over the weekend on NBC. “And there is no question that Congress needs to fix it.”Johnson and the Republicans have pushed back, arguing that the Biden administration could take executive actions, as Trump did, to stop the number of crossings — though the courts have questioned and turned back some of those efforts.“We always explore what options are available to us that are permissible under the law,” Mayorkas said.Last week's failed vote to impeach Mayorkas — a surprise outcome rarely seen on such a high-profile issue — was a stunning display in the chamber that has been churning through months of GOP chaos since the ouster of the previous House speaker.At the time, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who had been hospitalized for emergency abdominal surgery, made a surprise arrival, wheeled into the chamber in scrubs and socks to vote against it — leaving the vote tied and leading to its failure.“Obviously, you feel good when you can make a difference,” said Green, describing his painstaking route from hospital bed to the House floor. “All I did was what I was elected to do, and that was to cast my vote on the issues of our time, using the best judgment available to me.”

Historic rebuke: House impeaches DHS Secretary by a single vote

FEBRUARY 13, 2024 (GRAND ISLAND, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a Lincoln man after locating multiple controlled substances during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 near Wood River.

At approximately 5:55 p.m. Monday, a trooper observed an eastbound GMC Terrain speeding on I-80 near mile marker 301. During the traffic stop, the trooper saw a THC product in plain view.

A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 11 pounds of marijuana, approximately 3 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, and nearly 300 grams of THC products. The mushrooms and marijuana were concealed in a suitcase in the rear of the vehicle.

The driver, Avery Wayman, 28, of Lincoln, was arrested for possession of marijuana – more than one pound and possession of a controlled substance. He was lodged in Hall County Jail.

By Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolFEBRUARY 13, 2024 (GRAND ISLAND, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a Lincoln man after locating multiple controlled substances during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 near Wood River.At approximately 5:55 p.m. Monday, a trooper observed an eastbound GMC Terrain speeding on I-80 near mile marker 301. During the traffic stop, the trooper saw a THC product in plain view.A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 11 pounds of marijuana, approximately 3 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms, and nearly 300 grams of THC products. The mushrooms and marijuana were concealed in a suitcase in the rear of the vehicle.The driver, Avery Wayman, 28, of Lincoln, was arrested for possession of marijuana – more than one pound and possession of a controlled substance. He was lodged in Hall County Jail.

14 LBs of Marijuana, Mushrooms Found in I-80 Traffic Stop 

By Deborah Van Fleet Nebraska News Connection

&nbsp; Nebraska saw nine long-term care facility closures in 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/post-acute/128-nursing-homes-closed-in-2022-numbers-by-states.html" target="_blank">second</a>&nbsp;only to 13 in Texas. In the past three years, Nebraska has lost a combined 29 assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Inadequate funding for Medicaid patients, workforce issues and the rising costs of goods and services have all contributed to these closures.

Two bills to be heard in the Unicameral's Appropriations Committee Tuesday would mean substantial increases in state and federal funding for both types of facilities. Jalene Carpenter, Nebraska Health Care Association CEO, says additional funding is crucial to stem the state's long-term care crisis."

In Nebraska, 15 counties do not have a nursing home or an assisted-living [facility], and we are really starting to see a 'care desert' be created. And that causes significant issues for Nebraska seniors, " Carpenter expressed.<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55291" target="_blank">LB-941</a>&nbsp;would increase the daily reimbursement rate for assisted living residents on the Medicaid Waiver program. The new daily rate of just under $79 is based on a Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services study.&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB942.pdf" target="_blank">LB-942</a>&nbsp;would increase the nursing home Medicaid reimbursement rate by about 5% over the next year. Both bills were introduced by state Sen. Myron Dorn, R-Adams.

Carpenter says the COVID-impacted long-term care workforce is improving in the state, but she stresses Medicaid reimbursement rates play a large part."A large portion of the Medicaid rate -- when you look at what it covers -- it's primarily going towards labor and benefits. Nursing-facility and assisted-living care is very hands-on, and we need adequate rates to be able to attract and retain team members," she added.

Carpenter said the state, educational institutions and organizations, including the Nebraska Health Care Association, are also focused on building the long-term care workforce -- including introducing young people to careers in health care and strengthening Certified Nursing Assistant programs." We're trying not only to increase the rates so that our facilities can attract and retain (employees), but then also, as an association, to look at other ways to drive people into the workforce for this profession, " she said. In 2023, Gov. Jim Pillen approved a one-year, 3% increase in the Medicaid reimbursement rate, but&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/sites/governor.nebraska.gov/files/doc/press/VetoMessage.pdf" target="_blank">vetoed</a>&nbsp;the Legislature's 2% increase for the second year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By Deborah Van Fleet Nebraska News Connection&nbsp; Nebraska saw nine long-term care facility closures in 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/post-acute/128-nursing-homes-closed-in-2022-numbers-by-states.html" target="_blank">second</a>&nbsp;only to 13 in Texas. In the past three years, Nebraska has lost a combined 29 assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Inadequate funding for Medicaid patients, workforce issues and the rising costs of goods and services have all contributed to these closures.Two bills to be heard in the Unicameral's Appropriations Committee Tuesday would mean substantial increases in state and federal funding for both types of facilities. Jalene Carpenter, Nebraska Health Care Association CEO, says additional funding is crucial to stem the state's long-term care crisis."In Nebraska, 15 counties do not have a nursing home or an assisted-living [facility], and we are really starting to see a 'care desert' be created. And that causes significant issues for Nebraska seniors, " Carpenter expressed.<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55291" target="_blank">LB-941</a>&nbsp;would increase the daily reimbursement rate for assisted living residents on the Medicaid Waiver program. The new daily rate of just under $79 is based on a Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services study.&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB942.pdf" target="_blank">LB-942</a>&nbsp;would increase the nursing home Medicaid reimbursement rate by about 5% over the next year. Both bills were introduced by state Sen. Myron Dorn, R-Adams.Carpenter says the COVID-impacted long-term care workforce is improving in the state, but she stresses Medicaid reimbursement rates play a large part."A large portion of the Medicaid rate -- when you look at what it covers -- it's primarily going towards labor and benefits. Nursing-facility and assisted-living care is very hands-on, and we need adequate rates to be able to attract and retain team members," she added.Carpenter said the state, educational institutions and organizations, including the Nebraska Health Care Association, are also focused on building the long-term care workforce -- including introducing young people to careers in health care and strengthening Certified Nursing Assistant programs." We're trying not only to increase the rates so that our facilities can attract and retain (employees), but then also, as an association, to look at other ways to drive people into the workforce for this profession, " she said. In 2023, Gov. Jim Pillen approved a one-year, 3% increase in the Medicaid reimbursement rate, but&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/sites/governor.nebraska.gov/files/doc/press/VetoMessage.pdf" target="_blank">vetoed</a>&nbsp;the Legislature's 2% increase for the second year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NE Legislature to hear bills that bolster struggling long-term care industry

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/12/nebraska-lawmaker-proposes-grant-for-artificial-intelligence-tools-to-combat-dyslexia/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;When Millard North High School junior Janae Harris was in second grade, she read to a kindergarten class but kept getting stuck on words.

The teacher continually corrected her, Janae said, and told her she “needed to learn how to read” before she read to another class.

“I was embarrassed, and to this day it is terrifying to read out loud, and I continuously struggle to overcome it,” Janae told the Legislature’s Education Committee on Monday. “This moment will replay in my head forever.”

Janae, who is in Millard’s STEM Academy and is captain of her school’s girl’s lacrosse team, among other involvements, has dyslexia. She testified in support of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55506">Legislative Bill 1253</a>&nbsp;to create a Dyslexia Research Grant Program for new technologies.

“I want to do everything in my power to minimize the struggles of dyslexic students,” Janae said.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, who introduced the bill, also has dyslexia and has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=31661">fought for years</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/31/nebraska-passes-bill-requiring-dyslexia-reports-school-dress-codes-teacher-compact/">support students with dyslexia</a>. The proposed research program would set aside $1 million for Nebraska businesses researching artificial-intelligence-based writing assistance for individuals with dyslexia.

Linehan told the Nebraska Examiner that some educators have long discredited the lifelong disorder or cast it off as having to do with a student’s IQ or intelligence. She herself has struggled with the disorder, recalling how “horrified” she felt before her 1995 interview to work for then-U.S. Senate candidate Chuck Hagel.&nbsp;

She said she worried about whether she could communicate and whether Hagel would understand.

“I finally just told him, and he said, ‘Well, that’s easy. We’ll just get somebody to proof all your stuff,’ which is what we did,” Linehan said. “Then I got to the point where I was proofing things because somebody showed me how to have a tool so that I could become proficient.”

Linehan later served as Hagel’s campaign manager and his chief of staff in the U.S. Senate and said the impact of such research could be “huge.”

“This program could take a student who was afraid to write, afraid to communicate, struggling through college, and turn them into a proficient, capable communicator,” Linehan said.

It’s estimated that as many as 15%-20% of the world’s population has dyslexia, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dyslexiaida.org/dyslexia-basics-2/">International Dyslexia Association</a>.

In the past year, a group of University of Nebraska-Lincoln college students working in this field approached Linehan to discuss their fledgling business, Dyslexico, which they started about two years ago&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://raikes.unl.edu/design-studio/">UNL Raikes School</a>, based on&nbsp;the experiences of one of its co-founders, Grace Clausen.&nbsp;

Clausen, who has dyslexia, grew up in a school system that didn’t always work for her, according to fellow Dyslexico co-founder Bridget Peterkin of Omaha.

Peterkin said corrective writing tools —&nbsp;from Word or Google Docs to Grammarly —&nbsp;do not always work, and other AI-based models, such as ChatGPT, may add words a writer didn’t intend.

In one example Peterkin showed to the Examiner, a student wrote “wondering” when they meant “wandering.” In another, the student wrote “I say a figure” instead of “saw.”

“It was never going to catch that because it was spelled correctly,” Peterkin, a senior computer science major at UNL, said of other spelling or grammar programs.

Unlike other programs, the Dyslexico software is powered through AI but finds a middle ground in not rewriting sentences, as ChatGPT did to grow with users over time and provide analysis that Peterkin and her team said might be able to help educators.

“We want to have a solution for the schools that helps students have the support to get their spelling and grammar correct while they can maintain their original voice and be able to fully partake in the learning process,” Peterkin said.

Another Nebraska-born startup that got its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://raikes.unl.edu/stories/hudl/">start in the Raikes School</a>&nbsp;has grown to international success:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hudl.com/about#:~:text=Our%20team%20features%20more%20than,of%20sports%20video%20and%20data.">Hudl</a>, which has&nbsp; a goal of “building the future of sports” with video and data entry.

Tristan Curd of Omaha, Dyslexico project manager and a senior computer science major at UNL, said Dyslexico has gotten into the hands of students and successfully launched with a public beta version last year. Dyslexico is also&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dyslexi.co/">available online</a>.

In the last year, Dyslexico entered agreements with two schools for test runs, providing developers with some feedback from The Pittsburgh New Church School for Children with Dyslexia and Millard Public Schools, including with Janae Harris.

“There’s always going to be that distinction between us developing it and the actual users using it,” Curd said. “To get that info, it’s big.”

The company is also in talks to partner with Services for Students with Disabilities at UNL. Pablo Rangel, a disability specialist with SSD, testified before the Education Committee Monday in support in his individual capacity.

Rangel, who has dyslexia, said he could have benefited from such a program. He said Dyslexico could better prepare all K-12 students for college.

“The Dyslexico software does for individuals with dyslexia what prosthetics do for people who are missing a part of their body,” Rangel said. “It supports independence and autonomy for a person to move forward where typically they might retreat and give up.”

Colby Coash, on behalf of the Nebraska Association of School Boards and the Educational Service Unit Coordinating Commission, also testified in support of LB 1253.

Nick Lauver of Papillion, a business development associate for Dyslexico and a senior actuarial science and finance double major at UNL, said the company has already heard about some successes from educators, which have been “some of the brightest points” in the software’s development.

Megan Pitrat, a 10-year special education teacher in Syracuse, testified in opposition to LB 1253 on behalf of the Nebraska State Education Association. She said that while dyslexia is a problematic disorder, there are already systems in place to help students.

“I believe that allocating funds to research something that is already being serviced within the functioning system is redundant, unnecessary and a waste of precious funds that could instead be used to support teachers and systems that, as always, do the best with what we are given,” Pitrat testified.

State Sens. Lynne Walz of Fremont and Justin Wayne of Omaha tried to draw a distinction between NSEA’s testimony and LB 1253’s intent, which they said is to research and create but not demand the use of such technology. Pitrat said she would probably not use such technology and did not anticipate it being helpful.

“With all due respect, it’s not about you, it’s about the student,” Wayne said.

“OK, but as a practitioner, I’m determining, based on my experiences and my practice, how to deliver special education services to my students,” Pitrat responded.

After the hearing, the NSEA referred questions to Tim Royers, president of the Millard Education Association, who clarified that the NSEA’s opposition comes in wanting to raise cautions and warn against framing such technologies as a “panacea.”

“We have concerns about digital, especially AI tools, being put in the driver’s seat to try and work on something that is as challenging to work on as dyslexia,” Royers told the Examiner.

He said the amount of time he’s lost by getting trained on tools that ended up being shelved after “two months tops” was a net loss for his time working with students.

Curd said Dyslexico wants to work with the Nebraska Department of Education on a large-scale research study in schools next year and aims to help 295,000 Nebraska students with dyslexia.

“If we can get it in the hands of the youngest people possible and make an impact that lasts throughout their lives, that’d be huge,” Curd said.

Janae Harris said she was part of the Millard district’s trial and described the software as “game changing.” Royers said he was unfamiliar with Dyslexico’s use at Millard.

Janae said her “fervent hope” is that LB 1253 helps get Dyslexico into the hands of more students.

“Without the ability to read and write, Nebraska youth cannot be productive citizens and reach success,” Janae said. “Who knows what others could achieve with the help of this grant.”

The committee took no immediate action on LB 1253.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707840956891.jpeg" alt="Members of the Dyslexico team at the Unviersity of Nebraska-Lincoln that is working to combat dyslexia with AI-based tools. From left: Tristan Curd, Bridget Peterkin and Nick Lauver on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Dyslexico team at the Unviersity of Nebraska-Lincoln that is working to combat dyslexia with AI-based tools. From left: Tristan Curd, Bridget Peterkin and Nick Lauver on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/02/12/nebraska-lawmaker-proposes-grant-for-artificial-intelligence-tools-to-combat-dyslexia/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;When Millard North High School junior Janae Harris was in second grade, she read to a kindergarten class but kept getting stuck on words.The teacher continually corrected her, Janae said, and told her she “needed to learn how to read” before she read to another class.“I was embarrassed, and to this day it is terrifying to read out loud, and I continuously struggle to overcome it,” Janae told the Legislature’s Education Committee on Monday. “This moment will replay in my head forever.”Janae, who is in Millard’s STEM Academy and is captain of her school’s girl’s lacrosse team, among other involvements, has dyslexia. She testified in support of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55506">Legislative Bill 1253</a>&nbsp;to create a Dyslexia Research Grant Program for new technologies.“I want to do everything in my power to minimize the struggles of dyslexic students,” Janae said.<h2>‘Proficient, capable communicator’</h2>State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, who introduced the bill, also has dyslexia and has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=31661">fought for years</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/31/nebraska-passes-bill-requiring-dyslexia-reports-school-dress-codes-teacher-compact/">support students with dyslexia</a>. The proposed research program would set aside $1 million for Nebraska businesses researching artificial-intelligence-based writing assistance for individuals with dyslexia.Linehan told the Nebraska Examiner that some educators have long discredited the lifelong disorder or cast it off as having to do with a student’s IQ or intelligence. She herself has struggled with the disorder, recalling how “horrified” she felt before her 1995 interview to work for then-U.S. Senate candidate Chuck Hagel.&nbsp;She said she worried about whether she could communicate and whether Hagel would understand.“I finally just told him, and he said, ‘Well, that’s easy. We’ll just get somebody to proof all your stuff,’ which is what we did,” Linehan said. “Then I got to the point where I was proofing things because somebody showed me how to have a tool so that I could become proficient.”Linehan later served as Hagel’s campaign manager and his chief of staff in the U.S. Senate and said the impact of such research could be “huge.”“This program could take a student who was afraid to write, afraid to communicate, struggling through college, and turn them into a proficient, capable communicator,” Linehan said.It’s estimated that as many as 15%-20% of the world’s population has dyslexia, according to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dyslexiaida.org/dyslexia-basics-2/">International Dyslexia Association</a>.<h2>‘Fully partake’ in learning</h2>In the past year, a group of University of Nebraska-Lincoln college students working in this field approached Linehan to discuss their fledgling business, Dyslexico, which they started about two years ago&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://raikes.unl.edu/design-studio/">UNL Raikes School</a>, based on&nbsp;the experiences of one of its co-founders, Grace Clausen.&nbsp;Clausen, who has dyslexia, grew up in a school system that didn’t always work for her, according to fellow Dyslexico co-founder Bridget Peterkin of Omaha.Peterkin said corrective writing tools —&nbsp;from Word or Google Docs to Grammarly —&nbsp;do not always work, and other AI-based models, such as ChatGPT, may add words a writer didn’t intend.In one example Peterkin showed to the Examiner, a student wrote “wondering” when they meant “wandering.” In another, the student wrote “I say a figure” instead of “saw.”“It was never going to catch that because it was spelled correctly,” Peterkin, a senior computer science major at UNL, said of other spelling or grammar programs.Unlike other programs, the Dyslexico software is powered through AI but finds a middle ground in not rewriting sentences, as ChatGPT did to grow with users over time and provide analysis that Peterkin and her team said might be able to help educators.“We want to have a solution for the schools that helps students have the support to get their spelling and grammar correct while they can maintain their original voice and be able to fully partake in the learning process,” Peterkin said.Another Nebraska-born startup that got its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://raikes.unl.edu/stories/hudl/">start in the Raikes School</a>&nbsp;has grown to international success:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hudl.com/about#:~:text=Our%20team%20features%20more%20than,of%20sports%20video%20and%20data.">Hudl</a>, which has&nbsp; a goal of “building the future of sports” with video and data entry.<h2>Getting into students’ hands</h2>Tristan Curd of Omaha, Dyslexico project manager and a senior computer science major at UNL, said Dyslexico has gotten into the hands of students and successfully launched with a public beta version last year. Dyslexico is also&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dyslexi.co/">available online</a>.In the last year, Dyslexico entered agreements with two schools for test runs, providing developers with some feedback from The Pittsburgh New Church School for Children with Dyslexia and Millard Public Schools, including with Janae Harris.“There’s always going to be that distinction between us developing it and the actual users using it,” Curd said. “To get that info, it’s big.”The company is also in talks to partner with Services for Students with Disabilities at UNL. Pablo Rangel, a disability specialist with SSD, testified before the Education Committee Monday in support in his individual capacity.<h2>‘Independence and autonomy’</h2>Rangel, who has dyslexia, said he could have benefited from such a program. He said Dyslexico could better prepare all K-12 students for college.“The Dyslexico software does for individuals with dyslexia what prosthetics do for people who are missing a part of their body,” Rangel said. “It supports independence and autonomy for a person to move forward where typically they might retreat and give up.”Colby Coash, on behalf of the Nebraska Association of School Boards and the Educational Service Unit Coordinating Commission, also testified in support of LB 1253.Nick Lauver of Papillion, a business development associate for Dyslexico and a senior actuarial science and finance double major at UNL, said the company has already heard about some successes from educators, which have been “some of the brightest points” in the software’s development.<h2>‘Redundant and unnecessary’</h2>Megan Pitrat, a 10-year special education teacher in Syracuse, testified in opposition to LB 1253 on behalf of the Nebraska State Education Association. She said that while dyslexia is a problematic disorder, there are already systems in place to help students.“I believe that allocating funds to research something that is already being serviced within the functioning system is redundant, unnecessary and a waste of precious funds that could instead be used to support teachers and systems that, as always, do the best with what we are given,” Pitrat testified.State Sens. Lynne Walz of Fremont and Justin Wayne of Omaha tried to draw a distinction between NSEA’s testimony and LB 1253’s intent, which they said is to research and create but not demand the use of such technology. Pitrat said she would probably not use such technology and did not anticipate it being helpful.“With all due respect, it’s not about you, it’s about the student,” Wayne said.“OK, but as a practitioner, I’m determining, based on my experiences and my practice, how to deliver special education services to my students,” Pitrat responded.<h2>‘Panacea’ or ‘game changing’</h2>After the hearing, the NSEA referred questions to Tim Royers, president of the Millard Education Association, who clarified that the NSEA’s opposition comes in wanting to raise cautions and warn against framing such technologies as a “panacea.”“We have concerns about digital, especially AI tools, being put in the driver’s seat to try and work on something that is as challenging to work on as dyslexia,” Royers told the Examiner.He said the amount of time he’s lost by getting trained on tools that ended up being shelved after “two months tops” was a net loss for his time working with students.Curd said Dyslexico wants to work with the Nebraska Department of Education on a large-scale research study in schools next year and aims to help 295,000 Nebraska students with dyslexia.“If we can get it in the hands of the youngest people possible and make an impact that lasts throughout their lives, that’d be huge,” Curd said.Janae Harris said she was part of the Millard district’s trial and described the software as “game changing.” Royers said he was unfamiliar with Dyslexico’s use at Millard.Janae said her “fervent hope” is that LB 1253 helps get Dyslexico into the hands of more students.“Without the ability to read and write, Nebraska youth cannot be productive citizens and reach success,” Janae said. “Who knows what others could achieve with the help of this grant.”The committee took no immediate action on LB 1253.

Nebraska lawmaker proposes grant for artificial intelligence tools to combat dyslexia

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen reversed course on Monday and announced that the state will accept roughly $18 million in federal funding to help feed hungry children over the summer break.

Pillen announced in December that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-summer-ebt-food-program-children-789f2d04bd195086d2e41d0d43b8111c">state would reject the funding</a>, defending his position by stating, “I don’t believe in welfare.” But he came under intense pressure, including from some members of his party, to accept the money.

At a news conference Monday, Pillen said he decided to accept money allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture after meeting with a group of high school students from around Nebraska who visited the state Capitol this month.

“They talked about being hungry, and they talked about the summer USDA program and, depending upon access, when they'd get a sack of food,” Pillen said. “And from my seat, what I saw there, we have to do better in Nebraska.”

The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children — or Summer EBT — program was widely employed as part of federal assistance made available during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then made permanent in 2022. It provides pre-loaded EBT cards to low-income families, those whose children are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches at school, and those who are already on food assistance, Medicaid and other assistance programs. Those families would receive $40 per eligible child for each of three summer months. The cards can be used to buy groceries, similar to how SNAP benefits are used.

Pressure from lawmakers, particular those from rural areas, also played a part in Pillen's about-face. The governor previously argued that Nebraska would continue to help food-insecure children through the Summer Food Service Program, a separate program that provides meals and snacks at various sites when school is not in session. But critics countered that not all families have access to the on-site programs, particularly in Nebraska’s vast rural stretches, where the sites can be far from struggling families.

A bill from state Sen. Jen Day of Omaha, a Democrat in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, would have forced the state to accept the federal funding. The bipartisan support for the program became clear when Republican state Sen. Ray Aguilar, of Grand Island, made Day's bill his priority for the session, giving it a good chance to be debated by the full Legislature.

Aguilar was among two dozen Republican lawmakers who appeared with Pillen at Monday's news conference.

Nebraska was one of 15 states — all with Republican governors — that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ebt-usda-children-food-assistance-6ca5110019a53293ebbf5e0e090485d7">opted out</a>&nbsp;of receiving the funding this year. Those states include neighboring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-summer-ebt-food-assistance-0e878c5c0fc9dd0dd55622cb22a82561">Iowa</a>, where Gov. Kim Reynolds criticized the federal food program as doing “nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic."

Reynolds' office declined to answer questions Monday about whether she is holding to her rejection of the funding.

State Sen. Megan Hunt, of Omaha, thanked Pillen for deciding to accept the funding.

“This goes to show that all voices make a positive difference, and that hard work and building support across the state and across the political spectrum on common ground issues to help Nebraskans and bring our tax dollars home is a win for everyone,” Hunt tweeted.

The deadline for states to declare that they are participating this summer had been Jan. 1, but the USDA extended it to Thursday.

Pillen said Monday that Nebraska officials had already reached out to the USDA to confirm that the state would participate this year.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen reversed course on Monday and announced that the state will accept roughly $18 million in federal funding to help feed hungry children over the summer break.Pillen announced in December that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-summer-ebt-food-program-children-789f2d04bd195086d2e41d0d43b8111c">state would reject the funding</a>, defending his position by stating, “I don’t believe in welfare.” But he came under intense pressure, including from some members of his party, to accept the money.At a news conference Monday, Pillen said he decided to accept money allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture after meeting with a group of high school students from around Nebraska who visited the state Capitol this month.“They talked about being hungry, and they talked about the summer USDA program and, depending upon access, when they'd get a sack of food,” Pillen said. “And from my seat, what I saw there, we have to do better in Nebraska.”The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children — or Summer EBT — program was widely employed as part of federal assistance made available during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then made permanent in 2022. It provides pre-loaded EBT cards to low-income families, those whose children are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches at school, and those who are already on food assistance, Medicaid and other assistance programs. Those families would receive $40 per eligible child for each of three summer months. The cards can be used to buy groceries, similar to how SNAP benefits are used.Pressure from lawmakers, particular those from rural areas, also played a part in Pillen's about-face. The governor previously argued that Nebraska would continue to help food-insecure children through the Summer Food Service Program, a separate program that provides meals and snacks at various sites when school is not in session. But critics countered that not all families have access to the on-site programs, particularly in Nebraska’s vast rural stretches, where the sites can be far from struggling families.A bill from state Sen. Jen Day of Omaha, a Democrat in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, would have forced the state to accept the federal funding. The bipartisan support for the program became clear when Republican state Sen. Ray Aguilar, of Grand Island, made Day's bill his priority for the session, giving it a good chance to be debated by the full Legislature.Aguilar was among two dozen Republican lawmakers who appeared with Pillen at Monday's news conference.Nebraska was one of 15 states — all with Republican governors — that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ebt-usda-children-food-assistance-6ca5110019a53293ebbf5e0e090485d7">opted out</a>&nbsp;of receiving the funding this year. Those states include neighboring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-summer-ebt-food-assistance-0e878c5c0fc9dd0dd55622cb22a82561">Iowa</a>, where Gov. Kim Reynolds criticized the federal food program as doing “nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic."Reynolds' office declined to answer questions Monday about whether she is holding to her rejection of the funding.State Sen. Megan Hunt, of Omaha, thanked Pillen for deciding to accept the funding.“This goes to show that all voices make a positive difference, and that hard work and building support across the state and across the political spectrum on common ground issues to help Nebraskans and bring our tax dollars home is a win for everyone,” Hunt tweeted.The deadline for states to declare that they are participating this summer had been Jan. 1, but the USDA extended it to Thursday.Pillen said Monday that Nebraska officials had already reached out to the USDA to confirm that the state would participate this year.

Nebraska governor reverses course and says state will take federal funding to feed children

On Feb. 9, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved the establishment of the Doctor of Nutrition and Dietetics (DND) program, to be housed within and administered by the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Allied Health Professions.

The clinical doctorate degree is designed to offer practicing registered dietician nutritionists (RDN) “an advanced practice course of study including advanced clinical nutrition and nutrition science, leadership, advocacy, education in higher learning institutions, and scholarly activity,” according to the proposal presented to the regents. UNMC will seek accreditation of the program through the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and approval from the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education.

The program plans to enroll up to eight students in fall 2024, with an incremental annual increase of up to four students per year until maximum enrollment of 20 students per year is achieved.

“As the field of nutrition and dietetics continues to advance nationally, UNMC’s will be one of the first accredited advanced-practice doctorate degrees offered in the U.S.,” said Kendra Schmid, PhD, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs. “We expect the program to be highly marketable in Nebraska and nationwide.”

This continues UNMC’s commitment to offer both entry-level allied health profession education programs as well as emerging degrees that advance allied health professionals and their respective professions. To put it another way, to produce the highest quality allied health workforce to practice at the highest scope of their respective professions.

“To fulfill this mission, the CAHP programs are, and must continue to be, at the ‘cutting edge’ of both health professions education pedagogy and the evolution of the allied health professions,” said Kyle Meyer, PhD, dean of the College of Allied Health Professions.

Corrine Hanson, PhD, director of medical nutrition, agreed: “The advent of nutrition diagnosing, order writing, evidence-based practice, and outcomes research —&nbsp;along with the increasingly recognized role of nutrition and diet in the management of complex medical and surgical conditions —&nbsp;&nbsp;has&nbsp;created a demand for advanced practice dietitians who can assume these expanding roles and responsibilities.”

Effective Jan. 1 of this year, the minimum degree requirement for practicing RDNs is now a master’s degree or higher. But there are currently few choices for doctoral-level training in the field, beyond the traditional PhD path.

“There was clearly a need for a professional practice doctoral degree pathway to fill this gap,” said Tammy Webster, PhD, CAHP’s assistant dean for academic affairs.

UNMC met the opportunity to step up, said Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD: “We are proud that once again our College of Allied Health Professions has taken a position of national leadership that also benefits the health of Nebraskans —&nbsp;&nbsp;both&nbsp;as highly sought after professionals, and as patients who will benefit from their expertise. We cannot wait to see the myriad ways this new program will lead to new collaborations with our colleagues on the University of Nebraska campuses and across the nation.”

Interest for a doctoral-level degree in the field is high among both practitioners and employers, according to national and UNMC surveys. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a nearly 12% increase in demand for registered dieticians in Nebraska from 2020-2030, and a more than 11% increase nationwide over that span.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which offers a PhD in nutrition and dietetics, sent a letter to the regents in support of the new program. UNMC’s DND degree complements UNL’s efforts, the letter said, and opportunities for synergy and partnership already are being brainstormed.

UNMC’s new DND program will accept credentialed RDNs with master’s degrees and three-plus years of post-credential experience, or those without master’s degrees but five-plus years of post-credential experience. The DND program will consist of didactic courses, a scholarly project and residency, for 48 total credit hours. The program will be offered fully online to meet the needs of practicing RDNs in Nebraska and across the U.S.

UNMC’s Office of Academic Affairs championed the proposal for the new degree, offering indispensable support, Dr. Webster said.

Tuition revenue generated by the DND program will be sufficient to cover projected expenses at inception due to existing resources. No state or other public funding is projected to be required.

As Nebraska’s only public academic health science center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center enrolls more than 4,500 students across six colleges, two institutes and a graduate studies program. Its mission is to create a healthier future for Nebraskans through premier education, research&nbsp;and clinical care, but its impact -- rooted in a culture of collaboration,&nbsp;big ideas&nbsp;and public-private partnerships – goes far beyond, in areas that include infectious diseases, rural health, cancer research and treatments, global health security, and&nbsp;simulation and experiential learning technologies.&nbsp;

<a href="https://twitter.com/unmc" target="_blank">Twitter</a>  |  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/unmcedu" target="_blank">Facebook</a>  |  <a href="https://instagram.com/iamunmc" target="_blank">Instagram</a>  |  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/UNMCEDU" target="_blank">YouTube</a>  |  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/unmc/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>&nbsp;

UNMCOn Feb. 9, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved the establishment of the Doctor of Nutrition and Dietetics (DND) program, to be housed within and administered by the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Allied Health Professions.The clinical doctorate degree is designed to offer practicing registered dietician nutritionists (RDN) “an advanced practice course of study including advanced clinical nutrition and nutrition science, leadership, advocacy, education in higher learning institutions, and scholarly activity,” according to the proposal presented to the regents. UNMC will seek accreditation of the program through the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and approval from the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education.The program plans to enroll up to eight students in fall 2024, with an incremental annual increase of up to four students per year until maximum enrollment of 20 students per year is achieved.“As the field of nutrition and dietetics continues to advance nationally, UNMC’s will be one of the first accredited advanced-practice doctorate degrees offered in the U.S.,” said Kendra Schmid, PhD, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs. “We expect the program to be highly marketable in Nebraska and nationwide.”This continues UNMC’s commitment to offer both entry-level allied health profession education programs as well as emerging degrees that advance allied health professionals and their respective professions. To put it another way, to produce the highest quality allied health workforce to practice at the highest scope of their respective professions.“To fulfill this mission, the CAHP programs are, and must continue to be, at the ‘cutting edge’ of both health professions education pedagogy and the evolution of the allied health professions,” said Kyle Meyer, PhD, dean of the College of Allied Health Professions.Corrine Hanson, PhD, director of medical nutrition, agreed: “The advent of nutrition diagnosing, order writing, evidence-based practice, and outcomes research —&nbsp;along with the increasingly recognized role of nutrition and diet in the management of complex medical and surgical conditions —&nbsp;&nbsp;has&nbsp;created a demand for advanced practice dietitians who can assume these expanding roles and responsibilities.”Effective Jan. 1 of this year, the minimum degree requirement for practicing RDNs is now a master’s degree or higher. But there are currently few choices for doctoral-level training in the field, beyond the traditional PhD path.“There was clearly a need for a professional practice doctoral degree pathway to fill this gap,” said Tammy Webster, PhD, CAHP’s assistant dean for academic affairs.UNMC met the opportunity to step up, said Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD: “We are proud that once again our College of Allied Health Professions has taken a position of national leadership that also benefits the health of Nebraskans —&nbsp;&nbsp;both&nbsp;as highly sought after professionals, and as patients who will benefit from their expertise. We cannot wait to see the myriad ways this new program will lead to new collaborations with our colleagues on the University of Nebraska campuses and across the nation.”Interest for a doctoral-level degree in the field is high among both practitioners and employers, according to national and UNMC surveys. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a nearly 12% increase in demand for registered dieticians in Nebraska from 2020-2030, and a more than 11% increase nationwide over that span.The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which offers a PhD in nutrition and dietetics, sent a letter to the regents in support of the new program. UNMC’s DND degree complements UNL’s efforts, the letter said, and opportunities for synergy and partnership already are being brainstormed.UNMC’s new DND program will accept credentialed RDNs with master’s degrees and three-plus years of post-credential experience, or those without master’s degrees but five-plus years of post-credential experience. The DND program will consist of didactic courses, a scholarly project and residency, for 48 total credit hours. The program will be offered fully online to meet the needs of practicing RDNs in Nebraska and across the U.S.UNMC’s Office of Academic Affairs championed the proposal for the new degree, offering indispensable support, Dr. Webster said.Tuition revenue generated by the DND program will be sufficient to cover projected expenses at inception due to existing resources. No state or other public funding is projected to be required.About UNMC&nbsp;As Nebraska’s only public academic health science center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center enrolls more than 4,500 students across six colleges, two institutes and a graduate studies program. Its mission is to create a healthier future for Nebraskans through premier education, research&nbsp;and clinical care, but its impact -- rooted in a culture of collaboration,&nbsp;big ideas&nbsp;and public-private partnerships – goes far beyond, in areas that include infectious diseases, rural health, cancer research and treatments, global health security, and&nbsp;simulation and experiential learning technologies.&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/unmc" target="_blank">Twitter</a>  |  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/unmcedu" target="_blank">Facebook</a>  |  <a href="https://instagram.com/iamunmc" target="_blank">Instagram</a>  |  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/UNMCEDU" target="_blank">YouTube</a>  |  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/unmc/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>&nbsp;

 UNMC to offer Doctor of Nutrition and Dietetics program

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate early Tuesday passed a $95.3 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-military-aid-ukraine-israel-gaza-0b9c866308cc4c8c13c3f54494371f0b">aid package</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, pushing ahead after months of difficult negotiations and amid growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad.

The vote came after a small group of Republicans opposed to the $60 billion for Ukraine held the Senate floor through the night, using the final hours of debate to argue that the U.S. should focus on its own problems before sending more money overseas. But more than a dozen Republicans voted with almost all Democrats to pass the package 70-29, with supporters arguing that abandoning Ukraine could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-ukraine-israel-trump-aid-biden-13d5461154e2755510d7149a5af9b97a">threaten national security across the globe</a>.

“It’s been years, perhaps decades, since the Senate has passed a bill that so greatly impacts not just our national security, not just the security of our allies, but also the security of western democracy,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked closely with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the legislation.

The bill’s passage through the Senate was a welcome sign for Ukraine amid critical&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-money-congress-weapons-dd5076b30bf8fab5c914a1222186e7f0">shortages on the battlefield</a>. The final vote gained 22 Republicans including Kansas Senator Jerry Moran supporting its passage, while two Democrats, Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Peter Welch of Vermont, as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, voted against it. Progressive lawmakers have objected to sending offensive weaponry to Israel. Nebraska Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts voted against the measure.

The other Republicans voting for the bill included Senators Boozman Capito, Cassidy, Collins, Cornyn, Cramer, Crapo, Ernst, Grassley, Hoeven, Kennedy, McConnell, Murkowski, Risch, Romney, Rounds, Sullivan, Thune, Tillis, Wicker, and Young.&nbsp;

Yet the package faces a deeply uncertain future in the House, where hardline Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump — the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, and a critic of support for Ukraine — oppose the legislation.

Speaker Mike Johnson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-6970b539025d2de5ade9e3aff165c54f">cast new doubt</a>&nbsp;on the package in a statement Monday evening, making clear that it could be weeks or months before Congress sends the legislation to President Joe Biden's desk — if at all.

Still, the vote was a win for both Senate leaders. Schumer noted the strong bipartisan support and projected that if the House speaker brings it forward it would have the same strong support in that chamber. McConnell has made Ukraine his top priority in recent months, and was resolute in the face of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-ukraine-republicans-senate-c5217d686c85837d2b9708aa197843f9">considerable pushback</a>&nbsp;from his own GOP conference.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707796196671.png" alt="Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas became emotional as he talked about the drudgery of the Senate and spending time away from his family to get little done. “But every so often there are issues that come before us that seem to be the ones that explain why we are here,” he said, his voice cracking. Moran conceded that the cost of the package was heavy for him, but pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict." />
 <figcaption>Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas became emotional as he talked about the drudgery of the Senate and spending time away from his family to get little done. “But every so often there are issues that come before us that seem to be the ones that explain why we are here,” he said, his voice cracking. Moran conceded that the cost of the package was heavy for him, but pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate early Tuesday passed a $95.3 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-military-aid-ukraine-israel-gaza-0b9c866308cc4c8c13c3f54494371f0b">aid package</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, pushing ahead after months of difficult negotiations and amid growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad.The vote came after a small group of Republicans opposed to the $60 billion for Ukraine held the Senate floor through the night, using the final hours of debate to argue that the U.S. should focus on its own problems before sending more money overseas. But more than a dozen Republicans voted with almost all Democrats to pass the package 70-29, with supporters arguing that abandoning Ukraine could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-ukraine-israel-trump-aid-biden-13d5461154e2755510d7149a5af9b97a">threaten national security across the globe</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;I believe in America First, but unfortunately America First means we have to engage in the world.&quot;-Senator Moran (R-KS) from the Senate floor in support of the $95B foreign aid to Israel, Ukraine &amp; Taiwan bill. <a href="https://t.co/ID6c1qL7MP">pic.twitter.com/ID6c1qL7MP</a>&mdash; Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1757175089731170755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s been years, perhaps decades, since the Senate has passed a bill that so greatly impacts not just our national security, not just the security of our allies, but also the security of western democracy,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked closely with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the legislation.The bill’s passage through the Senate was a welcome sign for Ukraine amid critical&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-money-congress-weapons-dd5076b30bf8fab5c914a1222186e7f0">shortages on the battlefield</a>. The final vote gained 22 Republicans including Kansas Senator Jerry Moran supporting its passage, while two Democrats, Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Peter Welch of Vermont, as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, voted against it. Progressive lawmakers have objected to sending offensive weaponry to Israel. Nebraska Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts voted against the measure.The other Republicans voting for the bill included Senators Boozman Capito, Cassidy, Collins, Cornyn, Cramer, Crapo, Ernst, Grassley, Hoeven, Kennedy, McConnell, Murkowski, Risch, Romney, Rounds, Sullivan, Thune, Tillis, Wicker, and Young.&nbsp;Yet the package faces a deeply uncertain future in the House, where hardline Republicans aligned with former President Donald Trump — the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, and a critic of support for Ukraine — oppose the legislation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My statement on Senate’s failure to address the most critical aspect of national security supplemental legislation: <a href="https://t.co/ENjJ0WzKsK">pic.twitter.com/ENjJ0WzKsK</a>&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1757210505570087039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaker Mike Johnson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-6970b539025d2de5ade9e3aff165c54f">cast new doubt</a>&nbsp;on the package in a statement Monday evening, making clear that it could be weeks or months before Congress sends the legislation to President Joe Biden's desk — if at all.Still, the vote was a win for both Senate leaders. Schumer noted the strong bipartisan support and projected that if the House speaker brings it forward it would have the same strong support in that chamber. McConnell has made Ukraine his top priority in recent months, and was resolute in the face of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-ukraine-republicans-senate-c5217d686c85837d2b9708aa197843f9">considerable pushback</a>&nbsp;from his own GOP conference.Speaking directly to his detractors in a floor speech on Sunday, McConnell said that “the eyes of the world” were on the U.S. Senate.“Will we give those who wish us harm more reason to question our resolve, or will we recommit to exercising American strength?” McConnell asked.Dollars provided by the legislation would purchase U.S.-made defense equipment, including munitions and air defense systems that authorities say are desperately needed as Russia batters the country. It also includes $8 billion for the government in Kyiv and other assistance.In addition, the legislation would provide $14 billion for Israel’s war with Hamas, $8 billion for Taiwan and partners in the Indo-Pacific to counter China, and $9.2 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-gaza-evacuation-palestinians-attack-israel-hamas-90bf78cfca6550dc229e7192f6724dfc">humanitarian assistance for Gaza</a>.The bill’s passage followed almost five months of torturous negotiations over an expansive bill that would have paired the foreign aid with an overhaul of border and asylum policies. Republicans demanded the trade-off, saying the surge of migration into the United States had to be addressed alongside the security of allies.But a bipartisan deal on border security struck by Republican Sen. James Lankford fell apart just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. Republicans declared the bill insufficient and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">blocked it</a>&nbsp;on the Senate floor.After the border bill collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended.While the slimmed-down foreign aid bill eventually won enough Republican support to pass, several GOP senators who had previously expressed support for Ukraine voted against it. The episode further exposed divisions in the party, made more public as Trump dug in and a handful of lawmakers openly called for McConnell to step down.Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., became emotional as he talked about the drudgery of the Senate and spending time away from his family to get little done. “But every so often there are issues that come before us that seem to be the ones that explain why we are here,” he said, his voice cracking.Moran conceded that the cost of the package was heavy for him, but pointed out that if Putin were to attack a NATO member in Europe, the U.S. would be bound by treaty to become directly involved in the conflict — a commitment that Trump has called into question as he seeks another term in the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Democrats&#39; border ‘efforts’ were only ever a charade to find an avenue for more Ukraine funding. It&#39;s never been about helping Israel or addressing the historic border crisis- it&#39;s always been about finding a vessel for more Ukraine funding. <a href="https://t.co/21PH5Qerdf">pic.twitter.com/21PH5Qerdf</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1757190709445042555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Sen. J.D. Vance, an Ohio Republican, argued that the U.S. should step back from the conflict and help broker an end to it with Russia's Putin. He questioned the wisdom of continuing to fuel Ukraine’s defense when Putin appears committed to fighting for years.“I think it deals with the reality that we’re living in, which is they’re a more powerful country, and it’s their region of the world,” he said.Vance, along with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and other opponents, spent several hours on the floor railing against the aid and complaining about Senate process. They dug in their heels to delay a final vote, speaking on the floor until daybreak.Supporters of the aid pushed back, warning that bowing to Russia would be a historic mistake with devastating consequences. In an unusually raw back-and-forth, GOP senators who support the aid challenged some of the opponents directly on the floor.North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis angrily rebutted some of their arguments, noting that the money would only help Ukraine for less than a year and that much of it would go to replenishing U.S. military stocks.“Why am I so focused on this vote?” Tillis said. “Because I don’t want to be on the pages of history that we will regret if we walk away. You will see the alliance that is supporting Ukraine crumble. You will ultimately see China become emboldened. And I am not going to be on that page of history.”At a rally Saturday, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-foreign-aid-russia-2b8054a9fe185eec34c2c541cece655d">said that he had once told</a>&nbsp;a NATO ally he would encourage Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to members that are “delinquent” in their financial and military commitments to the alliance. The former president has&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/pronto/20e902788e8701999ce0424f73d478cc">led his party away</a>&nbsp;from the foreign policy doctrines of aggressive American involvement overseas and toward an “America First” isolationism.Evoking the slogan, Moran said, “I believe in America first, but unfortunately America first means we have to engage in the world.”While the vast majority of House Republicans have opposed the aid and are unlikely to cross Trump, a handful of GOP lawmakers have signaled they will push to get it passed.House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, traveled to Ukraine last week with a bipartisan delegation and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”But Speaker Johnson is in a tough position. A majority of his conference opposes the aid, and he is trying to lead the narrowest of majorities and avoid the fate of his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted in October.Johnson, R-La., said in a statement Monday that because the foreign aid package lacks border security provisions, it is “silent on the most pressing issue facing our country.” It was the latest — and potentially most consequential — sign of opposition to the Ukraine aid from House GOP leadership, who had rejected the bipartisan border plan as a “non-starter,” contributing to its rapid demise.“Now, in the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters,” Johnson said. “America deserves better than the Senate’s status quo.”Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Virginia Democrat, traveled to Kyiv last week with Turner and other House members. She said the trip underscored to her how Ukraine is still in a fight for its very existence.As the group traveled through Kyiv in armored vehicles, she said, they witnessed signs of an active war, from sandbagged shelters to burned-out cars and memorials to those killed. During the meeting with Zelenskyy, she said the U.S. lawmakers tried to offer assurances that the American people still stand with his country.“He was clear that our continued support is critical to their ability to win the war,” Spanberger said. “It’s critical to their own freedom. And importantly, it’s critical to U.S. national security interests.”