Latest news with #TheHill
The Hill
31 minutes ago
- Climate
- The Hill
Heat dome passes, but climate-fueled waves aren't going anywhere
Climate change is making heat waves like the one that lingered over much of the U.S. this week more frequent and intense. The Eastern U.S. sweltered under a heat dome in recent days, with some cities surpassing 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Roads in Delaware, Wisconsin and Missouri buckled, while a Virginia bridge malfunctioned and dozens of people in places including Washington D.C. and North Carolina were reportedly hospitalized. In New Jersey, some 100 people were treated after attending outdoor graduation ceremonies in the extreme heat. And while summer is always hot, man-made climate change is worsening the problem. Temperatures in parts of the country are set to soar again this coming week. Megan Kirchmeier-Young, a research scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada, told The Hill that as the planet warms up in a broader sense, extreme heat events become more likely. 'Warming, from human-caused climate change, means more days when we exceed particular temperature thresholds. Across most of the globe, hot extremes are becoming hotter and occurring more often. And we expect these trends to continue with continued global warming,' Kirchmeier-Young said in an email. 'While we do not yet have results for this week's event, Environment and Climate Change Canada's rapid event attribution system analyzed many heat waves from last summer and found that all were more likely to occur because of human-caused climate change,' she added. And not only is the entire planet warming, the Arctic is warming even faster. Because of this, said Jonathan Overpeck, dean of the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan, the jet stream slows down and becomes curvier. 'This is where you start to get these high-pressure domes that just sit in one place longer,' he said, adding that 'these very hot events are becoming more frequent because of that; they concentrate the heat in one large region.' Michael Mann, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania's earth and environmental science department, said in an email that the heat domes being experienced by the U.S and Europe 'show that this was part of a very large-scale pattern, associated with a very 'wiggly' jet stream where the 'wiggles' stay in place for days on end.' 'It's really a double whammy, the basic effect of warming the planet, plus how the pattern of warming is changing the jet stream, giving us those stuck, weather extremes, like the heat domes,' Mann said. He's one of the authors of a paper published earlier this year that found that there has been a 'threefold increase' in such events over the last 70 years, which has been 'closely tied to amplified Arctic warming.' 'You're potentially looking at that trend simply continuing on toward quadrupling, etc., as long as we continue to warm the planet with carbon emissions,' Mann told The Hill. Kirchmeier-Young provided a different perspective, saying there's some uncertainty in how weather patterns are changing. 'The main factor for increases in the intensity and frequency of hot extremes is increasing temperatures. While specific weather patterns are important for the occurrence of any particular heat wave event, if/how these weather patterns might be changing is much more uncertain,' she said. But it's not just the heat that causes misery during a heat wave, it can also be the humidity — something that Overpeck also said is being exacerbated by climate change. 'The atmosphere, because it's warmer, it holds more moisture. And it's that combination of the higher humidity, the water in the atmosphere and the heat that really makes it bad,' he said. The world's average global temperature has already risen 1.36 degrees Celsius, or about 2.4 degrees Fahrenheit, when compared to preindustrial times, primarily due to manmade activity such as the burning of fossil fuels. But this is just a global average, and what people experience may be significantly hotter than just a few degrees. 'We still have warmer days and cooler days, but we are shifting the baseline, so the warmer days are even hotter than they used to be,' said Kirchmeier-Young. 'It will not take much warming in the global temperature to see notable changes in extremes at the regional scale.' 'The average temperature of the planet is hard to feel, but for comparison, if we cooled the planet by four to five degrees C, we'd have an ice age, and that would be a totally different planet,' said Overpeck. The heat wave came as the Trump administration is rolling back regulations meant to mitigate climate change — and as Congress prepares to repeal climate-friendly policies and incentives as part of Republicans' 'big, beautiful bill.' 'This heat wave that we're just coming out of is a great example of we're going to see more of getting even hotter and longer if we don't slow down our use and stop our use of fossil fuels and replace fossil fuels with … clean, low-carbon energy,' Overpeck said.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
White House unveils video campaign: Workers endorse Donald Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'
The White House on Friday released a video featuring workers giving testimonials about the benefits of President Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill.' The campaign is part of Trump's broader effort to pressure Republicans as Senate votes ahead this weekend, The Hill reported. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The two-minute video includes eight people discussing the impact they believe the bill will have on their lives. Among those featured are a rancher, firefighter, DoorDash driver, pilot and border patrol agent, all praising the legislation. The Abraham family, whose daughter Katie was killed in January in a hit-and-run crash, also appears in the video. The man accused of killing her and another student is a migrant from Guatemala who was arrested on a bus in Texas as he attempted to return to Mexico. 'It's great to see that he is strengthening the border, he is putting some rational processes in, versus what's been going on the last four or five years, which is the Wild West,' Katie's father, Joe Abraham, said. 'Katie would be with us here today if we had this type of strength at the border.' Others in the video praise the bill's tax proposals and other measures. 'The reason I support the 'one big, beautiful bill' is because of the tax provisions,' said Kevin Kester, a California rancher. 'The 'one big, beautiful bill' provides funding to ensure a modernized, safe, and efficient air traffic control system here in the United States,' said Captain Miles Morgan, managing director of flight training for United Airlines. Trump has said he wants to sign the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' on July 4, which marks the 249th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. He has called on Republicans to pass the legislation by that date and warned that he would cancel their break next week if the bill isn't ready for him to sign by that deadline. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'The Great Republicans in the US Senate are working all weekend to finish our 'ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL. The House of Representatives must be ready to send it to my desk before July 4th — We can get it done,' he wrote on Truth Social. What is the 'Big, Beautiful Bill'? The 'One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act' is a proposed legislative package in the US House of Representatives aiming to reshape key areas of American policy. It's a comprehensive measure addressing taxes, federal spending, and border security. According to the White House, the bill will grow the economy by creating jobs, supporting manufacturing and encouraging investment. Officials say it will strengthen American businesses, provide families with lasting tax relief, and ensure that farms and small businesses can stay in family hands for generations. Supporters describe it as fulfilling a major promise to lower taxes for workers and businesses, protect family farms, and deliver strong, long-term economic growth.
The Hill
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Hill
Senate Republicans' new SNAP proposal prompts GOP concern
A GOP-backed proposal that would shift some of the cost of food assistance to states for the first time is drawing renewed concern in the party, as critics argue the effort could lead to states cutting benefits on their own. Republicans are pushing to pass the proposal — which could see states with higher payment error rates covering a greater share of benefit costs — as a part of the broader spending cuts and tax package in the coming days. But that doesn't mean some Republicans aren't concerned about the measure. 'Our big thing is the data to be used, the data to be used on the error rate,' Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska.) told The Hill on Friday. 'So, that's important to make sure that the data is as accurate and reflective of the year you're judging as possible.' Numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed Alaska's payment error rate — which factors in overpayment and underpayment error rates — hit above 60 percent in fiscal year 2023. The national average hit at 11.68 percent. Sullivan noted the state has seen much lower payment error rates prior to the pandemic and is on a path to improving those figures, noting new numbers are expected soon. But he added, 'It's still higher than our traditional error rate, and as you know, the cost share is based in part on that.' According to the Alaska Beacon, the state's error rate hiked after state officials said they violated federal rules in order to continue feeding people amid a significant backlog in applications. Under the initial plan crafted by the Senate Agriculture Committee, Republicans sought to require states to cover some of the cost of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits if they have a payment error rate above 6 percent beginning in fiscal 2028. The proposal in the megabill would also allow states with rates below that level to continue paying zero percent. It also proposes states with higher payment error rates cover a greater share of benefit costs. If the error rate is 6 percent or higher, states would be subject to a sliding scale that could see their share of allotments rise to a range of between 5 percent and 15 percent. However, Senate Republicans tweaked the plan after facing a setback when their 'state cost-share' proposal was rejected by the chamber's rules referee as part of a megabill the party hopes to pass in the coming days. A release from the agriculture committee said the updated plan would allow states to choose the payment error either fiscal year 2025 or 2026 to 'calculate their state match requirement that begins in Fiscal Year 2028.' For the following fiscal year, the 'state match will be calculated using the payment error rate from three fiscal years prior,' the committee said, adding a 'state must contribute a set percentage of the cost of its SNAP benefits if its payment error rate exceeds six percent.' Asked about further potential changes to the plan, Agriculture chairman Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) said Friday that negotiators 'worked really hard to try and get a situation that worked for as many people as we could, and I think we've achieved that.' 'Alaska is a unique state, unique situation, so I know that everybody's trying to work hard to accommodate situations that don't fit,' Boozman said Friday afternoon. 'So, I haven't heard of any changes, and I'm sure that, you know, [Senate Majority Leader John] Thune [(R-S.D.)] will grab me if that comes about.' Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.) also expressed concerns about the proposal, telling reporters earlier on Friday that she's raised them with others in the party, according to Politico. Asked briefly about the party's SNAP proposal later, Murkowski told The Hill, 'We're still in trouble on SNAP.' 'The implementation is still next to impossible for us,' she said. Republicans say the states' cost-share proposal would incentivize states to improve their error rates. But Sullivan and Murkowski aren't the only Republicans who have voiced concerns about the effort in recent weeks. Originally, the House plan called for all states to cover 5 percent of the cost of allotments in its initial version of Trump's megabill, with states that had higher payment error rates having to pay anywhere between 15 percent and 25 percent. However, the proposal was dialed back after concerns from other Republicans, including Sens. Tommy Tuberville (Ala.) and Jim Justice (W. Va.) over the measure. Asked if he's meeting with Boozman or Thune on the matter, Sullivan also told The Hill on Friday evening that he's 'meeting with everybody.' 'For me, it's just important to get the data as close to the date that you're judging,' Sullivan said, adding that he expects Alaska to see a notable drop in its error rate in a coming report.
The Hill
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Bacon not running for reelection: Reports
Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon will not be running for re-election and will retire in 2026, multiple outlets reported on Friday. His district, which includes Omaha, was won by former Vice President Harris in the 2024 election and presents an opportunity for Democrats to pick up the 'blue dot' district Bacon has held since 2016. The five-term lawmaker is expected to hold a press conference on Monday. The Hill has reached out to Bacon's team for comment. Bacon, a long-time critic of President Trump, has signaled his openness to retirement in recent months, per local media. His decision to step aside opens the door for Democrats in the competitive district as it seeks to gain control of the House in 2026. State Sen. John Cavanaugh (D) launched a campaign for the seat earlier this week, arguing he will fight to strengthen Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Republicans in Omaha were already delivered a blow earlier this year when a Democrat ousted the incumbent GOP mayor. Democrats have won the 2nd Congressional District's electoral vote in three of the past presidential elections.
The Hill
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Hill
Trump moves toward mineral deals
The Big Story The Trump administration is announcing they've reached a trade agreement with China that includes mineral provisions — and is seeking further agreements with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. © Greg Nash The Trump administration reached an agreement with China this week focused on rare earth exports to the U.S., building on previous talks between the two nations that eased tariffs on imports from Beijing. 'We had trade talks in Geneva towards moving toward the agreement in London. Part of the agreement was tariffs coming down and rare earth, rare earth magnets starting to flow back to the U.S.— they formed the core of our industrial base. They were not flowing as fast as previously agreed,' Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday on Fox Business's 'Mornings With Maria.' The agreement was then signed earlier this week, which the administration is describing as a de-escalation of the U.S.-China trade war. 'I am confident now that we, as agreed, the magnets will flow. In the meantime, we had put countermeasures versus the Chinese in place. We had held back some, the vital supplies for them. So, what we're seeing here is a de-escalation under President Trump's leadership,' Bessent said. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick later told Bloomberg TV the deal, which was struck in London, was signed earlier this week. 'The China deal, we inked the deal — you remember, we had a trip to Geneva and then that was being slow-played. We got back together in London and that deal was signed and sealed two days ago,' Lutnick said. Lutnick also told Bloomberg that China will 'deliver rare earths to us' and that afterward, the U.S. will 'take down our countermeasures.' Massad Boulous, Trump's senior advisor for Africa and father-in-law to his daughter Tiffany, told reporters that the U.S. was working on mineral agreements with both the DRC and Rwanda. 'We're negotiating a minerals deal with the DRC for critical minerals. Many American companies have shown interest in investing in the DRC,' he said. 'Same thing with Rwanda. Many American companies have shown interest, and not only in mining, but also in the midstream and downstream, which will be the processing of minerals.' Read more about China from Rachel and The Hill's Alex Gangitano here and read more about Africa from Rachel and The Hill's Laura Kelly here. Welcome to The Hill's Energy & Environment newsletter, I'm Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future: DRC and Rwanda call for Trump to 'stay committed' after peace deal The top diplomats from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda urged President Trump to stay committed to enforcing a peace agreement between the two countries signed in Washington on Friday. Record-breaking heat dome disrupts summer school, student activities This week's heat dome put a big hole in summer school. Summer classes and other events for students across the country were disrupted by swelteringly high temperatures, a warning of climate-related education disruptions to come. Environmental groups sue to block 'Alligator Alcatraz' A coalition of environmental groups on Friday sued over the Trump administration's plans to build a detention center in the Everglades that critics have dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz.' What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics: Italy chemical plant execs jailed for pollution (AFP) What Others are Reading Two key stories on The Hill right now: GOP leader sets Saturday vote on Trump 'big, beautiful bill' despite Republican pushback Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told Senate Republicans to expect to see the legislative text of the budget reconciliation package on Friday evening and then to vote at noon Saturday to begin debate on President Trump's tax and spending bill. Read more 5 takeaways from the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship ruling The Supreme Court handed President Trump a clear victory Friday, stopping judges from issuing nationwide injunctions that block his executive order narrowing birthright citizenship. Read more You're all caught up. See you next time! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
