Preserving VA funding is a better than a military parade
The current administration is considering slashing 83,000 jobs at the Veterans Administration, where veterans hold one-quarter of jobs. Also, cuts to food, health care and help for housing costs may be on the chopping block.
Our veterans deserve so much more than lip service and a birthday celebration. These folks who have put their lives on the line for all of us must not face drastic cuts to their justly earned benefits and services.
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Speak up. Our veterans have protected us. Now let's protect them.
Joyce Janicki
St. Clair Shores
The Trump administration's decision to cut funding for learning disability education in American schools is alarming. As someone who has personally benefited from special education programs, I can attest to their importance.
In elementary school, I struggled with writing and attended a leading disability class. Despite the challenges, I went on to graduate from high school and attend two prestigious colleges, studying political science and theatre, and received a bachelor of science degree.
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I am living proof that individuals with learning disabilities can succeed with the right support. It is unacceptable to suggest that children with learning disabilities are incapable of achieving their goals.
The administration's attacks on special education are a clear example of targeting vulnerable individuals who cannot defend themselves. As my birthday approaches next week, I am reminded of the importance of special education programs in enabling individuals with learning disabilities to lead normal lives.
Before cutting these programs, it is essential to understand their value and the critical role they play in supporting individuals with learning disabilities.
Scott Paul
Royal Oak
I recently ran into a friend who was visibly depressed. She said that the state of the country has taken a toll on her and she didn't know what to do. I said that my own solution is to get involved and do something. She asked what I'm doing and I told her about the small efforts I've made. I told her anecdotally that doing something, no matter how small, makes me feel better.
It turns out that there is solid research that exercise can be as effective as antidepressants. Think about walking at a rally. Just being there with like-minded souls can make a difference.
Norm Howe
Ann Arbor
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump VA cuts, special education cuts, protests and more | Letters
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CBS News
31 minutes ago
- CBS News
House taking key vote on Trump's "big, beautiful bill" as GOP holdouts threaten final passage
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Minutes before the vote began, Mr. Trump said on his Truth Social platform that the GOP caucus is "UNITED." But hours later, as a handful of Republican holdouts didn't appear to be budging, the president's mood seemed to sour. "What are the Republicans waiting for??? What are you trying to prove???" Mr. Trump wrote shortly after midnight. "MAGA IS NOT HAPPY, AND IT'S COSTING YOU VOTES!!!" He followed that up with a post saying, "FOR REPUBLICANS, THIS SHOULD BE AN EASY YES VOTE. RIDICULOUS!!!" While voting on the rule was underway, House Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News' Sean Hannity he plans to keep the vote open "as long as it takes." The Louisiana Republican said he believes some lawmakers who voted no are "open for conversation" and their no votes are "placeholders" while they await answers to some questions about the bill. He said, "We believe we can get everybody to yes." "I'm absolutely confident we are going to land this plane and deliver for the American people," Johnson said. House GOP leaders had aimed to move ahead quickly on the signature legislation of Mr. Trump's second-term agenda, which includes ramped-up spending for border security, defense and energy production and extends trillions of dollars in tax cuts, partially offset by substantial cuts to health care and nutrition programs. But some House Republicans, who voted to pass an earlier version of the bill in May, are unhappy with the Senate's changes. Potential holdouts, including moderates and members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, met with Mr. Trump on Wednesday as the White House put pressure on House Republicans to get the bill across the finish line. One lawmaker called the meetings "very productive." But GOP Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, told reporters earlier Wednesday that he expected the procedural vote to fail in the afternoon. In a possible sign of movement, one key Republican, Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson, announced on X Wednesday evening that he'd support the bill. It "isn't perfect, but it's the best we'll get," he wrote, adding that he would support the rule and final passage. Davidson was one of two Republicans who voted against the bill when the House first voted on the measure in May. The president kept up the pressure, posting on Truth Social about June's low border crossing statistics and adding, "All we need to do is keep it this way, which is exactly why Republicans need to pass "THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL." Several members on both sides of the aisle had their flights canceled or delayed by bad weather as they raced back to Washington for the vote, delaying the process. All the Democrats appeared to be on hand for proceedings by Wednesday afternoon. House hardliners push back against Senate changes The House Rules Committee advanced the Senate's changes to the bill overnight, setting up the action on the floor. GOP Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Chip Roy of Texas joined Democrats on the panel to oppose the rule. Both are among the group of hardliners who are likely to oppose the procedural vote in the full House. "What the Senate did is unconscionable," Norman said. "I'll vote against it here and I'll vote against it on the floor until we get it right." Hours later, Norman returned to the Capitol following a meeting with Mr. Trump and other House Republicans. He described the meeting as "very productive" but didn't say whether he will ultimately vote yes, telling reporters he's still trying to learn more about how the bill will be implemented if it passes. Johnson has spent weeks pleading with his Senate counterparts not to make any major changes to the version of the bill that passed the lower chamber by a single vote in May. He said the Senate bill's changes "went a little further than many of us would've preferred." The Senate-passed bill includes steeper Medicaid cuts, a higher increase in the debt limit and changes to the House bill's green energy policies and the state and local tax deduction. Other controversial provisions that faced pushback in both chambers, including the sale of public lands in nearly a dozen states, a 10-year moratorium on states regulating artificial intelligence and an excise tax on the renewable energy industry, were stripped from the Senate bill before heading back to the House. Johnson said Wednesday, before voting began, that "we are working through everybody's issues and making sure that we can secure this vote" amid the opposition. He added that he and the president are working to "convince everybody that this is the very best product that we can produce." "I feel good about where we are and where we're headed," Johnson added. Harris told reporters Wednesday that that the president should call the Senate back into town to come to an agreement on changes to the bill. GOP leaders, however, said the House would vote on the Senate bill "as-is." Should the House make changes to the bill, the revisions would require the Senate's approval, or force the two chambers to go to conference committee to iron out a final product that the two bodies could agree on, jeopardizing the bill's timely passage. Rep. Dusty Johnson, a South Dakota Republican, seemed optimistic after the White House meetings with holdouts Wednesday, saying "Donald Trump is a closer" and adding that "members are moving to yes." "I know there are some members who think they're going to vote no right now," the South Dakota Republican said. "I think when the choice becomes failure or passage, they're going to understand that passage beats the hell out of failing." GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina likewise urged House Republicans to get the bill to the president's desk Wednesday. "President Trump has his pen in hand and is waiting for the House to complete its work," Foxx said. "We've championed this legislation for months, have guided it through the appropriate processes, and now we're on the one-yard line." Meanwhile, with few levers to combat the bill's passage, House Democrats spoke out forcefully against the legislation. "We will not stand by and watch Trump and his billionaire friends destroy this country without putting up one hell of a fight," Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said, calling the bill a "massive betrayal of the American people." Jeffries said that "every single House Democrat will vote 'hell no' against this one, big ugly bill," while adding that "all we need are four House Republicans to join us in defense of their constituents who will suffer mightily from this bill." Democratic leaders called out some Republicans by name, including Reps. Rob Bresnahan and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Reps. David Valadao and Young Kim of California. "It's unconscionable, it's unacceptable, it's un-American, and House Democrats are committing to you that we're going to do everything in our power to stop it," Jeffries said. "All we need are four Republicans, just four." , , and contributed to this report.
Boston Globe
38 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
US employers likely added 115,000 jobs last month as labor market continues to cool
The U.S. job market has cooled considerably from red-hot days of 2021-2023 when the economy bounced back with unexpected strength from COVID-19 lockdowns and companies were desperate for workers. So far this year employers have added an average 124,000 jobs a month, down from 168,000 in 2024 and an average 400,000 from 2021 through 2023. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Hiring decelerated after the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate 11 times in 2022 and 2023. But the economy did not collapse, defying widespread predictions that the higher borrowing costs would cause a recession. Companies kept hiring, just at a more modest pace. Advertisement But the job market increasingly looks under strain. A survey released Wednesday by the payroll processor ADP found that private companies cut 33,000 jobs last month. 'Though layoffs continue to be rare, a hesitancy to hire and a reluctance to replace departing workers led to job losses last month,' said ADP chief economist Nela Richardson. (The ADP numbers frequently differ from the Labor Department's official job count.) Advertisement Employers are now contending with fallout from Trump's policies, especially his aggressive use of import taxes – tariffs. Mainstream economists say that tariffs raise prices for businesses and consumers alike and make the economy less efficient by reducing competition. They also invite retaliatory tariffs from other countries, hurting U.S. exporters. The erratic way that Trump has rolled out his tariffs – announcing and then suspending them, then coming up with new ones – has left businesses bewildered. Manufacturers responding to a survey released this week by the Institute for Supply Management complained that they and their customers were reluctant to make decisions until they understood where Trump's tariffs would end up. 'That whiplash has to stop and it has to stay stopped,' said Susan Spence, chair of the ISM's manufacturing survey committee. Trump's assault on the federal bureaucracy could also show up in June's job report. Nancy Vanden Houten, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, expects federal jobs dropped by 20,000 last month, 'reflecting a hiring freeze, voluntary quits and retirements.'' For now, she wrote in a commentary Wednesday, court rulings 'have put massive federal layoffs on hold.'' The president's deportations – and the threat of them – also are likely to start having an impact on the job market by driving immigrants out of the job market. In May, the U.S. labor force – those working and looking for work – fell by 625,000, the biggest drop in a year and a half.
News24
42 minutes ago
- News24
Netanyahu vows to destroy Hamas: ‘It will be no more', as ceasefire talks under way
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to defeat Hamas. At least 47 people were killed in Gaza on Wednesday. Hamas is considering the ceasefire proposal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday vowed to eradicate Hamas, even as the Palestinian militant group said it was discussing new proposals from mediators for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Israeli leader had yet to comment on US President Donald Trump's claim that Israel had backed a plan for a 60-day truce in its offensive against Hamas in the war-ravaged territory. But a week ahead of talks scheduled with Trump in Washington, he vowed to 'destroy' Hamas 'down to their very foundation'. Hamas said it was 'conducting national consultations to discuss' the proposals submitted in negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt. Nearly 21 months of war have created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has recently expanded its military operations. 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Our goal is to begin proximity talks as soon as possible. Gideon Saar Out of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants in October 2023, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. A Palestinian source familiar with the mediated negotiations told AFP that 'there are no fundamental changes in the new proposal' under discussion compared to previous terms presented by the US. The source said that the new proposal 'includes a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release half of the living Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip, in exchange for Israel releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees'. In southern Gaza, civil defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP that five members of the same family were killed in an Israeli air strike on Wednesday that hit a tent housing displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area. Despite being declared a safe zone by Israel in December 2023, Al-Mawasi has been hit by repeated Israeli strikes. Hani Alshaer/Anadolu via Getty Images AFP footage from the area showed makeshift tents blown apart as Palestinians picked through the wreckage trying to salvage what was left of their belongings. 'They came here thinking it was a safe area and they were killed. What did they do?' said one resident, Maha Abu Rizq, against a backdrop of destruction. AFP footage from nearby Khan Yunis city showed infants covered in blood being rushed into Nasser Hospital. One man carrying a child whose face was smeared with blood screamed: 'Children, children!' Among other fatalities, Bassal later reported five people killed by Israeli army fire near an aid distribution site close to the southern city of Rafah and a further death following Israeli fire near an aid site in the centre of the territory. They were the latest in a string of deadly incidents that have hit people trying to receive food. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by rescuers. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it 'is operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities' in line with 'international law, and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm'. It said in a statement that a 19-year-old sergeant in its forces 'fell during combat in the northern Gaza Strip'. The military late on Wednesday issued a fresh evacuation warning to residents for three neighbourhoods of Gaza City, urging them to flee south to the Mawasi area. Doaa Albaz/Anadolu via Getty Images Israeli forces are 'operating with extreme intensity in the area and will attack any location being used to launch missiles toward the State of Israel', Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a message on Telegram. 'The destruction of terrorist organisations will continue and expand into the city centre, encompassing all neighbourhoods of the city,' Avichay wrote. The military earlier said that its air force had intercepted two 'projectiles' that crossed from northern Gaza into Israeli territory. Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas' 7 October 2023 attack which resulted in the deaths of 1 219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 57 012 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers its figures reliable.
