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U.S. Senate turns aside Bernie Sanders measure to order human rights inquiry of Israel

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The U.S. Senate voted 72-11 Tuesday night to reject a proposal to require a State Department report on Israel’s human rights record amid the U.S. ally’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders brought the resolution under a little-known provision in federal law that allows Congress to order a State Department investigation of any foreign country receiving U.S. military aid. A simple majority vote in the Senate would have forced a State Department report within 30 days. Before the vote, Sanders said Israel was within its right to retaliate against Hamas after its terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, but that the counteroffensive by Israel has created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, affecting nearly 2 million civilians. Israel’s military campaign has been aided by U.S. supplies, he said, making congressional oversight necessary. The resolution would only order a report, he said. Any further action would have to be approved by both chambers of Congress a
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Members of U.S. Senate, advocates discuss problems in states that limit abortion access

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WASHINGTON — Abortion rights advocates and Democrats in the U.S. Senate pressed for a return to legal, safe access throughout the country during a briefing Wednesday. The nearly three-hour conversation, held in the Capitol Visitors Center, featured doctors speaking about the challenges they and their patients face in states that have implemented restrictions on abortion since the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion. “As an OB-GYN I know firsthand that everyone’s reason for needing an abortion is valid and personal,” said Dr. Austin Dennard, a Texas physician who is one of the women suing the state over its abortion laws. “Even planned, prayed-for pregnancies can end in abortion.” Dennard said she’s heard from patients who are fearful about starting a family or growing the size of their family over concerns that if something goes wrong and they need an abortion, they’ll have to travel out of state. Others worry they wouldn’t have the resources or time
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GOP lawmakers: Flying a Pride flag, a BLM flag, ‘has no place inside of our government buildings’

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Legislation that would erase the pro-LGBTQ Pride flags from state or local government property in Florida sparked passionate defenses of that community and the Black Lives Matter movement on Wednesday. “A governmental entity may not erect or display a flag that represent a political viewpoint, including, but not limited to, a politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint,” the measure says, adding: “The governmental entity must remain neutral when representing political viewpoints in displaying or erecting a flag.” State Rep. David Borrero. Credit: Florida House The language would apply to any state or local government entity including public schools, colleges, and universities and would protect kids against being “subliminally indoctrinated with critical race theory, Marxism, transgender ideology,” its Republican co-sponsor, David Borrero of Miami-Dade County, said during a committee hearing Wednesday. “Public classrooms sho
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Mamografías que usan inteligencia artificial cuestan dinero extra… pero, ¿vale la pena?

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Cuando fui a hacerme mi mamografía anual en noviembre, el asistente del centro radiológico en Manhattan me hizo una pregunta inesperada: ¿querría pagar $40 para que un programa de inteligencia artificial (IA) la analizara? “El seguro no lo cubre”, aclaró. No tenía idea de cómo evaluar la propuesta. Sentí que me estaban tratando de convencer de gastar más dinero y dije que no. Pero me pregunté: ¿Debería agregar esta tecnología a mis pruebas de detección de rutina? ¿La mamografía que me hago siempre no es suficientemente precisa? Si el análisis de IA es tan bueno, ¿por qué el seguro no lo cubre? No soy la única que se está planteando estas preguntas. La madre de una colega tuvo una experiencia similar hace poco, cuando fue a hacerse una mamografía en una clínica en los suburbios de Baltimore. Le entregaron un folleto rosa que decía: “Te mereces más. Más precisión. Más confianza. Más poder con la inteligencia artificial detrás de tu mamografía”. El precio era el mismo: $40. Tamb
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With GOP pushing hard on immigration, parole emerges as a make-or-break issue in Congress

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WASHINGTON — Passage of a multibillion-dollar supplemental package hinges on curbing an executive authority used to grant immigration protection, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said during a Wednesday press conference. “If we don’t fix parole, there will be no deal,” Graham said alongside Senate Republican Whip John Thune of South Dakota. Graham said parole is a “red line” for Senate Republicans, and his comments came as President Joe Biden met with congressional leaders to advocate for more than $100 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and U.S. border security. Republicans have tied changes in immigration policy to their support for the supplemental, which the White House has said is essential to aid countries the U.S. supports. “As these negotiations, we hope, conclude soon, there have been some significant gains made in terms of policies that are real,” Thune said, adding that some of those policies include “dealing with asylum, dealing with border security mea
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More background checks for FL healthcare workers? A physician lawmaker calls them humiliating

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Republican Rep. Joel Rudman, a family medicine physician in the Panhandle, voted against a proposal to expand background checks to all healthcare workers, calling his experience going through the process humiliating. He was the only one who voted against the bipartisan bill. Some healthcare workers such as physicians, nurses and massage therapists have to undergo a criminal background screening to get their license. But Republican Rep. Dana Trabulsy, representing part of St. Lucie County, and Democratic Rep. Allison Tant, or North Florida, want to make that a requirement for all healthcare workers before licensure, including dietitians, dentists and optometrists. Those workers, and more, relate to legislation called HB 975 . List of healthcare workers who currently undergo background screenings to get a license. (Screenshot from Health Regulation Subcommittee Staff Analysis) In the Senate, Republican Erin Grall is sponsoring the bill, SB 1008 . The background screening w
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With Haley and Trump out, last two Republican debates canceled ahead of NH primary

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The last two Republican debates scheduled ahead of the New Hampshire primary have been canceled. With Nikki Haley’s announced departure from the debate stage, Ron DeSantis was the only remaining candidate. ABC News and WMUR first announced the Thursday night debate at Saint Anselm College was called off. CNN followed, canceling its Sunday night debate at New England College. On Tuesday, Haley  said she would not partake in the last two Republican debates  scheduled in New Hampshire unless former President Donald Trump takes the stage as well. In  a statement , she said: “We’ve had five great debates in this campaign. Unfortunately, Donald Trump has ducked all of them. He has nowhere left to hide. The next debate I do will either be with Donald Trump or with Joe Biden. I look forward to it.” Trump and Haley will, however, be on the ground in the Granite State through the weekend and into the Tuesday primary. The events are as follows: Donald Trump Friday, Jan. 19, at P
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