Archive by Author

Helping to ensure everyone has access to electric vehicles to meet critical needs

Americans are hurt by high prices at the pump and the cost of energy continues to rise and contributes to inflation, while the global addiction to fossil fuels also helps to fund Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Eliminating our dependence on oil and gas, while reducing air and climate pollution, is critical not just for the environment, but for national and global security.  

In the United States, we can invest in electric vehicles (EVs) and create good paying green jobs to be a global leader in the transition away from fossil fuels. That’s why we support President Biden’s commitment to prioritizing investments and clean vehicle standards to accelerate deployment of EVs and charging infrastructure.  

EVs are significantly cheaper to maintain and power compared to filling up cars with gasoline, and they produce zero emissions. However, too many low-income Americans who need use of a car–for needs that often can’t be met by many public transit systems –are unable to access an EV. These same communities, predominantly communities of color, face some of our nation’s worst air quality as cars and trucks pollute neighborhoods divided by freeways.  

To invest in EV infrastructure in disadvantaged communities that experience disproportionate air pollution, and to help ensure everyone can access zero-emission cars, we have worked together to develop the EVs For All Act, introduced in February in the United States House of Representatives. This bill will establish a $50 million annual grant program at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support EV car sharing and charging for public housing residents. The program would provide up to $1 million to eligible housing authorities across the United States, enabling investments in EV charging station infrastructure at or near public-housing, while supporting community education, outreach, and funding to make EVs accessible for residents. 

The investments in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 provide $7.5 billion for EV charging and additional funds for EV buses. However, we also need to address the needs of low-income communities where charging stations do not exist, and many families need occasional access to a car. Providing access to EVs and installing charging stations in low-income communities will also help reduce the number of polluting gas-powered cars on our roads and highways. EVs for All can help meet President Biden’s pledge to deliver at least 40 percent of the overall benefits from federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities.  

We know this program is needed and can work. Why? Because the EVs for All bill is based on the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)’s innovative and successful EV car share pilot at the Rancho San Pedro public housing complex near the Port of Los Angeles. LACI, in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, launched the pilot program to provide a clean mobility option for the more than 1,400 residents of the public-housing complex. Residents who subscribe to the car-sharing service are mostly transit-dependent. Providing access to subsidized shareable EVs makes it easier for these residents to get to job interviews, take family members to medical appointments, take trips to the store for groceries and visit family in communities throughout the LA Metro area. EV car sharing provides essential mobility while relieving financial stress for low-income residents.  

Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, sustainable communities program director at GreenLatinos warned in a recent The Hill op-ed “charging deserts disproportionately impact majority non-white and lower income neighborhoods,” creating barriers to EV acceptance in wide swaths of urban America. This legislation will bring greater equity to the distribution of EV charging infrastructure.  

Creating economic opportunity and accelerating the zero-emissions future requires that every family, regardless of income, is included in the EV transformation. The EVs for All Act would provide resources for low-income community members in public housing across the country who are often left without access to climate and clean air solutions.  

Congress and the Biden Administration need to increase investments in EV charging, electric school and transit buses, and public transit. Prioritizing initiatives like EVs for All will help ensure everyone has access to EVs to meet critical needs while reducing pollution, whether or not they can afford to own a car. Environmental justice is about fairness and is an essential ingredient to sustainable economic progress and the goals we all share: Cleaning the air, fighting the climate crisis, and providing opportunities for communities to be self-sufficient. 

Nanette Barragán represents the 44th District of California. Matt Petersen is president and CEO of Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator. 

Source: TEST FEED1

CNN's Chris Wallace 'skeptical' of Jan. 6 hearing

CNN anchor Chris Wallace said during the network’s coverage of the first hearing of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, that he is “skeptical” of what the committee might produce during the primetime proceeding.

“I’m kind of skeptical about what we’re going to see tonight and over the next couple of weeks,” Wallace said on CNN minutes before the hearing was set to begin.

Wallace said the committee had put itself in danger of falling victim to too much “hype” about its findings and “over-selling” what they have to tell the American people about the attack.

“You’ve got Jamie Raskin, one of the members of the committee, saying ‘this is going to blow the roof off the House,’ you’ve got Adam Kinzinger saying ‘It’s going to change history,” Wallace said.

The former Fox News anchor, who recently left that network for CNN to join its now-shuttered streaming service, said news of the committee hiring a former top executive at ABC News as an advisor on media and messaging may not work in the panel’s favor.

“I think that’s a bad look both for the committee and the mainstream media to seem that they are hand in glove with each other,” Wallace said.

Wallace, the longtime host of Fox News Sunday, has said he left the conservative cable channel after working there had become “unsustainable” particularly as it related to its primetime opinion programming.

Fox has taken criticism from Democrats and media pundits this week for its decision not to air continuous live coverage of Thursday night’s hearing on its primary cable channel, opting instead to allow its primetime opinion anchors to cover the hearings “as news warrants.”

Fox has said it will air live coverage of the hearing on Fox Business Network and its other digital platforms.

Source: TEST FEED1

White House selects Marine general as next head of US forces in Africa

President Biden has nominated Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael Langley to command all U.S. forces in Africa, a choice that, if confirmed, would make him the first Black four-star general in the service’s history, the Pentagon revealed Thursday.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the nomination decision on Langley, who has served as head of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command and Marine Corps Forces North as well as commanding general of Fleet Marine Force Atlantic since November 2021. 

If confirmed by the Senate, he would lead U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany and tasked with all U.S. military operations on the African continent.

The continent is currently experiencing a rash of economic and security interests from China and Russia — the latter controlling the private military company Wagner Group, whose mercenaries operate in Libya and the Central African Republic. 

Africa also struggles with terrorism and violence in the Sahel region, and military coups in Chad, Mali, Guinea, Sudan and Burkina Faso. 

Langley would take over for current Africom leader Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, who has headed the command since July 2019. 

Commissioned in 1985, he has commanded at every level from platoon to regiment and has deployed to Japan, Afghanistan and Somalia, the latter where Biden recently decided to return up to 500 troops for counterterrorism operations.  

Langley has also worked at the Pentagon and U.S. Central Command, the military arm which oversees American forces in the Middle East, according to his Marine Corps biography. 

In May, The New York Times first reported on Langley’s impending nomination, with former Defense Secretary James Matties praising him, telling the paper: “He’s a Marine’s Marine.” 

The Marines have a complicated history with Black Americans. The service was the last military arm to admit Black troops when it did in 1942. 

Since then, fewer than 30 individuals have reached the rank of general in any form, with none making it to the four-star rank, according to the Times. 

Source: TEST FEED1

Energy & Environment — Biden admin proposes regs for EV charging stations

The Biden administration is proposing regulations for electric vehicle chargers, and by one count, gasoline reaches an average price of $5 per gallon.  

This is Overnight Energy & Environment, your source for the latest news focused on energy, the environment and beyond. For The Hill, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk. Someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Biden officials propose EV charging regulations

The Biden administration on Wednesday evening announced new standards for federally funded electric vehicle chargers as it seeks to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure throughout the U.S.  

The standards will be laid out formally in a proposed rule from the Federal Highway Administration, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters on a press call Wednesday. 

The rule will require EV charging stations every 50 miles and no more than a mile off the highway, emphasizing the interstate highway system and alternative fuel corridors, according to Buttigieg.   

“The proposed rule requires at least four 150-kilowatt DC fast-charging ports per station so that the station can serve multiple customers, and it ensures safe installation and maintenance by qualified technicians, creating new jobs in this EV infrastructure sector,” Buttigieg said.   

Buttigieg said the proposal will also bar any EV charging station receiving federal funds from requiring memberships in a club or loyalty program to use the chargers, which “ensures that charging stations funded under these programs can serve a broad range of vehicles … and it sends a market signal toward a standard charging port for stations to accommodate the widest possible set of vehicles and accommodate adapters for all vehicles.” 

Read more about the proposed standards here.

BIDEN TALKS ENERGY ON KIMMEL

President Biden late Wednesday said that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) disagrees with other Democrats on climate policy as Democrats try to advance their policies in Congress.  

President Biden late Wednesday noted some of the policy differences among Senate Democrats as the party struggles to advance several of its priorities.

In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, the TV host asked Biden what he would say to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).

“They agree on a lot of these proposals,” Biden said. “The place where they’re not there is — Joe’s not there on a lot of the things having to do with the climate and the environment because he comes from coal country and he has a different view.” 

The background: His comments come as Democrats are hoping to hammer out a spending deal with Manchin on legislation that would fight climate change and advance the president’s economic agenda.

Average gasoline price surpasses $5: GasBuddy

The average price of gasoline in the U.S. surpassed $5 per gallon for the first time ever on Thursday, according to gas price site GasBuddy.  

The latest high price comes after months of rising prices and is likely to add to a political headache from the Biden administration even though presidents only have limited control over the price of the fuel.  

GasBuddy, in a statement, attributed price increases to high seasonal demand — people tend to drive more in the summer — and pandemic-related supply constraints.  

The site, and other experts, have also cited Russia’s War in Ukraine and lowered U.S. capacity to refine oil into gasoline as additional factors.  

Over the past few years, a handful of North American refiners have shuttered because of a fire, flooding and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“All of these factors have created an environment ripe for a surge in gas prices, while Americans balk at prices but continue filling up as demand has seen little decline,” the group said in a statement. 

Read more about gasoline prices here.

HOUSE PASSES WATER BILL

The House late Wednesday passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), a bipartisan water infrastructure bill.  

The legislation passed 384-37, with only Republicans opposing it.  

WRDA passes every other year and seeks to invest in ports and waterways and improve resilience.

US seeks to compete on batteries

As battery-powered electric vehicles become a mainstay on the nation’s highways — and a key piece of President Biden’s environmental policy — the U.S. is facing a formidable challenge in its efforts to compete in the global battery race. 

“The problem is, we’re just pretty far behind here,” Ethan Elkind, director of the climate program at Berkeley Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment, told The Hill.   

“We should have been planning for this a decade ago,” he added. “But I think we can get things moving, now that there’s bipartisan support for it.” 

Some of that support was evident in November’s passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which allocated $7.5 billion toward a national network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers — and followed the Biden administration’s August declaration that half of new cars sold in the U.S. would be zero-emission by 2030.  

Just last month, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it would be allocating $3.16 billion in funding from the infrastructure bill to produce more batteries and associated components in America, while bolstering related supply chains.  

Despite the fact that lithium-ion battery technology was invented in the U.S. in the 1970s, China has been able to control the supply chain thus far. 

“The Chinese Communist Party for over 30 years has been thinking very strategically about, as we shift from a fossil fuel-based economy to a minerals, clean energy-based economy, how can they leapfrog ahead of the rest of the world, I think, and become sort of the global powerhouse in this new energy economy,” said Abigail Wulf, director of critical minerals strategy at the think tank Securing America’s Energy Future.  

Wulf called the announcement of the $3 billion for batteries under the bipartisan infrastructure law a “huge” step toward addressing the imbalance.

“Is it going to solve all our problems? No,” she said. “But it’s the first time that our government has ever really gotten to this in any major way, which I think is really exciting.”  

George Crabtree, a senior scientist at the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, noted the U.S. is also “way behind” Europe in battery production. He said that China’s dominance went beyond the mining of materials.  

“They traveled the world and made deals with the foreign suppliers. And they dominate a lot of the refining of the materials that they don’t mine themselves. So there’s really a two-level lock on the supply chain,” he said. 

Read more here from Zack, Sharon Udasin and Caitlin McLean.

SPECIAL FEATURE

This week The Hill is exploring what’s next for electric and autonomous vehicles in the series “Driving Into the Future.“ Articles from Hill reporters and opinion contributors will be posted throughout the week here.

WHAT WE’RE READING

• Proposed deal could slash toxic emissions in America’s ‘Cancer Alley’ (The Guardian) 
• How a battery shortage is hampering the U.S. switch to wind, solar power (Reuters) 
• Illinois governor signs bill banning burning of PFAS (ABC7) 
• California tells San Francisco, Valley farmers to halt water diversions as drought worsens (Sacramento Bee) 
• Lake Mead falls below 30% capacity (8NewsNow)

ICYMI

• Bipartisan bill targets entities doing business with Russian energy industry  
• White House climate adviser says misinformation ‘absolutely’ a public health issue  
• Biden administration seeks additional funding for energy transition in Latin America

That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Check out The Hill’s Energy & Environment page for the latest news and coverage. We’ll see you tomorrow.

VIEW FULL VERSION HERE

Source: TEST FEED1

Defense & National Security — Gearing up for prime-time Jan. 6 hearing

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol will hold its first public hearing in months tonight at 8 p.m. EST. 

We’ll look ahead to what to expect. Plus, we’ll talk about the Senate’s vote to advance legislation expanding care to veterans who were exposed to toxins during their military service.  

This is Defense & National Security, your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. For The Hill, I’m Jordan Williams. A friend forward this newsletter to you? Subscribe here.

First Jan. 6 hearing kicks off

The House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol is holding the first in a series of public hearings on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.

The panel has spent months conducting dozens of interviews and issuing multiple subpoenas as they examine what happened before, during and after the attack.  

The witnesses: Testifying before the panel will be Nick Quested, a filmmaker who recorded the first moments when rioters first entered the Capitol.  

The committee will also hear from Caroline Edwards, a U.S. Capitol Police Officer who was seriously injured as rioters forced their way into the building.  

Trump in the middle: The panel will try to put former President Trump in the middle of the hearing, relying on recorded testimony from former Trump officials and his family members.  

“We will be revealing new details showing that Jan. 6 was the result of a coordinated, multistep effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election and stop the transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden,” a select committee aide said on a call with reporters on the eve of Thursday’s prime-time hearing.  

“And indeed, that former President Donald Trump was at the center of that effort,” the aide added. 

Some of the videotaped depositions shared will be those with “Trump White House officials, senior Trump administration officials, Trump campaign officials and indeed Trump family members,” the aide said. 

Drawing GOP Ire: Hours before the hearing, House Republicans announced their intent to conduct their own investigation into the Jan. 6 committee should they overtake leadership of the chamber. 

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that members will seek information on the Capitol’s security council from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who at that time was the majority leader.  

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) criticized the hearing, calling it “Hollywood-paid political advertisement” during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

TRUMP RAILS AGAINST JAN. 6 PANEL

Former President Trump blasted Thursday’s prime-time Jan. 6 committee public hearing and continued to push unsubstantiated claims that the election was “rigged.” 

In a statement released via Save America PAC, Trump referred to the committee as the “unselect committee of political thugs.” 

He referred to the Capitol riot as the “greatest movement” in the history of the U.S., adding that it was aimed at “making America great again.” 

“The Unselect Committee didn’t spend one minute studying the reason that people went to Washington, D.C., in massive numbers, far greater than the Fake News Media is willing to report…” Trump said. 

Read more here.  

And check out other coverage ahead of the hearing:

• Here’s how to watch the Jan. 6 hearings 
• What does Jan. 6 hearing victory look like for Democrats? 
• DeVos says she talked 25th amendment, resigned after Trump crossed ‘line in the sand’ on Jan. 6

Zelensky: Fate being decided in Severodonetsk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that the fate of the eastern part of the country is being decided in the city of Severodonetsk as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine still rages on.  

In his daily presidential address, Zelensky said that Severodonetsk remains the epicenter of the ongoing conflict with Russia in the Donbas region, adding that Ukraine has defended its positions in the region and caused mass casualties among Russian forces. 

The ‘epicenter’ of Donbas: “According to the results of this day, the 105th day of the full-scale war, Severodonetsk remains the epicenter of the confrontation in Donbas,” Zelensky said in his address. “We defend our positions, inflict significant losses on the enemy.”  

Zelensky also said that the battle of Severodonetsk will be the most difficult throughout the ongoing conflict, expressing his gratitude toward those who have defended the battle-torn region. 

Gaining new ground: The comments come as Ukraine’s defense ministry said on Thursday that it has captured new ground in the southern part of the country after a counterattack in the Kherson province, according to Reuters.  

The battle of Severodonetsk, a small industrial city in eastern Ukraine, has been one of the bloodiest of the conflict, leading to mass causalities on both sides, Reuters reported. 

Read the story here.

Biden makes nomination for US Africa Command

President Biden has nominated Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael E. Langley to serve as commander of U.S. Africa Command, the Pentagon announced Thursday.  

As The New York Times points out, Langley would be the first Black four-star Marine Corps officer if he is confirmed to the role  

Langley currently serves as commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command; commanding general, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic; and commander, Marine Corps Forces North, Norfolk, Virginia. 

He assumed all three roles on Nov. 3, 2021, according to his biography.

ON TAP TOMORROW

• The House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on National Security will hold a hearing on “The U.S. and International Humanitarian Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine” at 9 a.m. 
• The Centers for Strategic and International Studies will host a discussion “Addressing Rising Tensions Between the DRC and Rwanda” at 10 a.m. 
• The Atlantic Council will host a discussion entitled “Are Russia Sanctions Working” at 11 a.m. 
• The Brookings Institution will hold a discussion on “The global rise of white supremacist terrorism” at 12 p.m. 
• The International Institute for Strategic Studies is hosting the “Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2022 launch” at 4 p.m.

WHAT WE’RE READING

• Jordan again rebuffs Jan. 6 panel as subpoena deadline looms 
• Five Republicans, one Democrat buck parties on red flag gun legislation  
• FBI arrests GOP candidate for Michigan governor in connection with Jan. 6 
• Pelosi: House will vote next week to boost security for SCOTUS families

That’s it for today. Check out The Hill’s Defense and National Security pages for the latest coverage. See you tomorrow!

VIEW FULL VERSION HERE

Source: TEST FEED1

Latin American leaders criticize Biden over summit invite list

Two Latin American leaders expressed frustration that the Biden administration excluded Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles this week, arguing all countries in the hemisphere should have been included.

John Briceño, the prime minister of Belize, called it “inexcusable” that some countries were not present.

“It is incomprehensible that we would isolate countries of the Americas that have provided strong leadership and contributed to the hemisphere on the critical issues of our times,” Briceño said.

“I am sorry, but all of us who should have been here are not present in this forum that is so conducive to debate,” Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez said in remarks at a plenary opening session with President Biden and Vice President Harris seated nearby.

Fernandez argued that the host country should not be allowed to set the invitation list at future summits, saying “dialogue and diversity is the best tool to promote democracy modernization and the fight against inequality.”

After his remarks, Biden shook hands with Fernandez and the two spoke briefly offstage.

The Biden administration’s decision to leave Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela off the invite list was a point of contention leading up to the 9th Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador declined to attend over disagreements with the invite list, though he sent a Cabinet official in his place.

Biden officials said they did not want to extend invitations to dictatorships, though Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó was also not invited to attend.

“I think this doesn’t have to do with the fundamental question of democracy,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Wednesday. “I think it has to do with a difference of opinion… across the hemisphere — frankly, across our Congress, across the American public sphere — as to what the right way to approach the invitation of a dictator or a non-invitation of a dictator is.
 
“And that’s really, kind of, more of a question about the role and purpose of participation in a summit like this,” Sullivan continued. “It’s not a question about whether democracy is a good form of government or a bad form of government.”

Source: TEST FEED1

Hillicon Valley — FTC's Khan plans ambitious year

Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan outlined her priorities for the year in an interview with The Hill, highlighting the agency’s work on education technology, health care consolidation and merger guidelines. 

In other technology news, White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy sounded the alarm during a hearing Thursday on the risks of climate misinformation. 

This is Hillicon Valley, detailing all you need to know about tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Send tips to The Hill’s Rebecca Klar, Chris Mills Rodrigo and Ines Kagubare. Someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Khan eyes expansive agenda  

Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan has a busy year ahead of her. 

With the panel’s newly restored Democratic majority, the agency tasked with enforcing antitrust laws and protecting consumers is poised to tackle a diverse set of issues across the economy. 

“As a general matter, we have a very active year ahead that’s planned,” Khan, who was picked by President Biden to lead the agency early in his term, told The Hill in an interview Wednesday. 

“There are a whole set of major policy initiatives that we have underway that we’re expecting will come to fruition over this next year.” 

Khan, 33, will be able to pursue those goals without necessarily having to win over Republicans on the panel, following the much-delayed confirmation of Alvaro Bedoya to the commission. 

Read about her plans on privacy and competition. 

Climate misinfo alarm

White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy on Thursday said that the spread of false information about climate change is “absolutely” a threat to public health.  

McCarthy made the comments as part of an interview for Axios’s event “The Infodemic Age” on Thursday. 

Asked whether climate misinformation disseminated on social media represents a public health threat, McCarthy responded, “Absolutely,” adding “it’s not just an island, there’s also greenwashing,” referencing the practice of companies or institutions misrepresenting their work as environmentally friendly.  

“The public health issue [is] one of the big challenges that we face, fossil fuel companies and climate change, posing a significant threat to public health,” McCarthy added. “Fossil fuels have actually created significant health challenges on our country, not just climate change, but we’re talking about pollution that’s impacting people’s lives. … We are talking about, really, risks that no longer need to be tolerated in our communities.” 

Read more.

CEOS PRESS SENATE ON GUNS

CEOs of more than 220 U.S. companies are pressing the Senate in a new letter to take action on gun violence.  

The letter, first obtained by Axios, calls for the senators to “take bold urgent action to address our gun violence epidemic.” 

Citing recent deadly mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, N.Y., as well the 14 mass shootings that took place in between those incidents, the business leaders said the violence has “highlighted the lack of action” from the Senate.  

“Among the affected are our employees, our customers, and the communities we work in” the CEOs wrote. 

“We urge the Senate to take immediate action. Gun violence can be prevented. Our families, our communities, and our places of business are depending on you,” they added.  

Signatories on the letter included leaders from tech companies such as Lyft, Yelp, Vimeo and Twilio. 

Read more here.

UBER TEAMS UP WITH UN FOR UKRAINE

The World Food Programme (WFP) and Uber on Wednesday announced a partnership to deliver food and emergency assistance to people in urban areas in Ukraine.  

“With larger vehicles facing issues reaching those in need in built-up areas, collaboration with Uber allows WFP to better coordinate, dispatch and track a fleet of smaller vehicles delivering relief items from warehouses to people in need in densely populated areas of Ukraine,” Uber said in a release announcing the partnership with the U.N. agency.  

The partnership is already in effect as WFP has delivered food from a Dnipro warehouse to other areas using Uber. Now, the program also has a presence in Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kyiv and Chernivtsi. 

“This technology helps WFP facilitate its response and improves how we serve communities in Ukraine that rely on us,” Matthew Hollingworth, a WFP emergency coordinator in Ukraine, said. 

Read more here.

BITS & PIECES

An op-ed to chew on: Congress can prevent an over-regulated US digital economy. Here’s how 

Lighter click: Word to the wise 

Notable links from around the web: 

Larry Elison’s Lanai Isn’t for You—or the People Who Live There (Bloomberg / Sophie Alexander) 

Big Tech legislation sparks infighting at top U.S. legal organization (Politico / Emily Birnbaum) 

Group aiming to defund disinformation tries to drain Fox News of online advertising (NPR / Bobby Allyn) 

An Amazon Warehouse Worker’s Life Was Turned Upside Down After She Was Hospitalized for COVID (The Markup / Dara Kerr)

One more thing: Twitter agrees to give data

Twitter’s board will yield to Elon Musk’s demands that the company provide information on the number of fake accounts on the platform as his purchase of Twitter remains pending, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.  

The agreement could help put Musk’s deal to acquire Twitter for $44 million back on track after the billionaire threatened to put the process “on hold” unless the company could prove that bot accounts make up less than 5 percent of all users. 

The board will provide Musk its full data “firehose” of more than 500 million tweets posted daily, the Post reported, citing a person “familiar with the company’s thinking.” Axios also confirmed the data agreement.

That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Check out The Hill’s Technology and Cybersecurity pages for the latest news and coverage. We’ll see you tomorrow.

VIEW FULL VERSION HERE

Source: TEST FEED1

NotedDC — Dems seek 'sanity check' with Jan. 6 hearings

Democrats hope new findings from the Jan. 6 Capitol riot probe break through to the public, even as both parties put their primary focus on other issues like the economy heading into the November elections.

Thursday’s prime-time hearing before the House select committee will be carried live by most major news channels, giving millions of Americans a front-row seat to hear material uncovered in an investigation that’s mostly taken place behind closed doors.

Democrats view the national attention surrounding the hearings as an opportunity for the party to not only energize its base but “speak truth to power” and sway voters who may be on the fence, says strategist Adam Parkhomenko.

“It’s a sanity check,” Parkhomenko told NotedDC. “It’s a chance to reset and remember why we care so much.”

“If we’re talking the next couple of weeks about the irresponsibility of Republicans and what they tried to do, I think it could help Democrats,” another Democratic strategist said.  

But Democrats are also struggling to maintain the public’s interest on the topic 519 days later, with soaring gas prices and creeping inflation gobbling up much airtime.

A recent NBC News poll suggested that some Americans have changed their minds about what happened on the day of the riot, with fewer now believing that former President Trump is responsible for the attack.

Republicans, for their part, have sought to shift attention to rising prices while Trump on Thursday attempted to preempt the hearing and recast Jan. 6 as part of “the greatest movement in the history of our Country.”

Welcome to NotedDC: Your guide to politics, policy and people of consequence in D.C. Have some news, juicy gossip, insight or other insider info? Send us tips: Elizabeth Crisp and Kelsey Carolan. 

📨 Encourage your friends to sign up here: thehill.com/noted.

Republicans threaten counter-probe

Republicans vowed Thursday to investigate the Jan. 6 House select committee and Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) handling of Capitol security if they take back the House in November.

GOP members of the House Committee on Administration sent a letter asking the Jan. 6 panel to preserve its records, The Hill’s Rebecca Beitsch reports.

“When Republicans once again hold the gavel and I am Chairman of the House Administration Committee, one of our first priorities is going to be launching a full investigation into Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Select Committee’s circus,” Ranking Member Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) wrote.

Meanwhile: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) doubled down pushing the committee to share what information it has on his role in the attack before he complies with a subpoena from the panel ahead of a Saturday deadline.

Democrats take on LA

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) will return to her home state of California on Friday to join President Biden and Vice President Harris at the Summit of the Americas.  

Other Democrats who will stand alongside Pelosi at a press conference Friday include Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.), Reps. Gregory Meeks (N.Y.), Maxine Waters (Calif.), Raul Ruiz (Calif.), Joyce Beatty (Ohio) and Barbara Lee (Calif.). 

So far, the notable absence of Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has overshadowed the event, emphasizing the growing hostilities between the U.S. and some Latin American counties.

The fallout of Obrador’s absence: Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) accused the Mexican president of “blackmailing” Biden to include nondemocratic countries in the summit, after Biden excluded Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the guest list.  

The public rift is rare, as the The Hill’s Rafael Bernal points out, since Mexico is an important trading partner and ally. A torn relationship could have potential economic consequences.

BIDEN DOES LATE NIGHT 

President Biden sat for his first late-night appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in L.A. See what he predicted could cause a “mini revolution” at the ballot box this fall.

MEDIA BUZZ

The Washington Post has reportedly fired national political reporter Felicia Sonmez, who has vocally criticized the newspaper’s management over the past week.

Lawmakers push for Equality Act during Pride Month

House Democrats are urging the Senate to take up the Equality Act during Pride Month as GOP-led states advance transgender sports bans and other measures.

The bill, which would codify protections for members of the LGBTQ community, passed the House in early 2021 but has been stalled in the evenly split Senate.

“We need federal protections nationwide that recognize the full humanity of members of the LGBTQ community,” Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) said during The Hill’s An LGBTQ+ Summit on Thursday. “We cannot rely on individual states.” 

Several states have recently advanced measures decried by the LGBTQ community, including Louisiana’s ban on trans athletes in women’s sports and Texas’ directive to investigate parents who help their children get gender-affirming care.

“We have to vote out these GOP senators so these bills get to the floor and we enshrine our rights,” Rep. Marie Newman (D-Ill.) told NotedDC.  

Watch the rest of Thursday’s event here

PRIDE AROUND THE DISTRICT

The Capital Pride Parade will take place Saturday from 3-7 p.m. in northwest D.C.’s Logan Circle and Dupont Circle neighborhoods. List of participating groups is here.

Coming up on the Hill

Here’s what we have our eye on next week:

• The House will wait until at least Monday to vote on a bill to increase security for families of Supreme Court justices following the arrest of an armed man outside of Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home Wednesday. The bill passed the Senate in May in the wake of protests outside of justices’ homes.  
• A bipartisan group of nine senators will likely bring a gun control bill to the floor next week. The Hill’s Alex Bolton reported that there was “expressed optimism” about agreeing to the framework by the end of this week. 
• The Jan. 6 committee will hold its second live hearing Monday at 10 a.m.

And finally…THEATER IS BACK!

“Will on the Hill” is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a return to an in-person event at Sidney Harman Hall! The Shakespeare Theatre Company is also having a silent auction to mark the occasion. 

You might spot them: Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.); Reps. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), James Clyburn (D-S.C.), Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Debbie Wasserman Shultz (D-Fla.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.) with Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.). The cast will also include CNN’s Dana Bash.

The Hill is a media sponsor of the event. 

That’s it for today. Stay with TheHill.com for the latest and recommend NotedDC to others: thehill.com/noted. See you next week.

VIEW THE FULL EDITION HERE

Source: TEST FEED1

Man shot dead near Alabama elementary school after allegedly trying to enter

A 32-year-old man was fatally shot by police near an elementary school in Alabama on Thursday morning, with school district officials claiming he tried to enter the building. 

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) said in a statement that the man, identified as Bunnlevel, N.C., resident Robert Tyler White, was shot near Walnut Park Elementary School. 

A “suspected intruder” had tried to enter the school, leading its principal to notify a school resource officer, Gadsden City Schools Superintendent Tony Reddick told The Hill. Reddick said officials had verified the individual was not a parent of any of the students in the building, of which there were 34 attending a summer literacy camp that day.

Reddick said that the children were in a different part of the building at the time of the incident and none were hurt. Ten to 12 staff members were also in the building at the time.

The ALEA said in their statement that the man “was attempting to make forcible entry into a marked Rainbow City patrol vehicle at which point a School Resource Officer (SRO) with the Rainbow City Police Department attempted to stop the subject” and where he “resisted and attempted to take the officer’s firearm.”

“White was injured by gunfire and was pronounced deceased,” the ALEA added.

Reddick told The Hill he believes the incident was a random occurrence.

Source: TEST FEED1