npr--2020-01-15--'A Lifeline' For Doctors Helps Them Treat Postpartum Depression

As a young woman , Jennifer Ford struggled with anxiety and depression .
When she got pregnant , her physician advised her to stay on the antidepressant she took to manage her symptoms .
Her first pregnancy and childbirth went smoothly , she says , but things were different after she gave birth the second time .
`` It 's when I hit my wall , '' says Ford .
She remembers feeling overcome by grief , immediately after she got home .
`` I could n't even communicate a full sentence about how I was feeling , '' recalls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was cry . ''
She could n't eat , sleep , or take care of her newborn .
One afternoon , she was in her bedroom trying to take a nap , but could n't fall asleep — she felt overwhelmed by her emotions .
`` I wanted to take all of my pain meds and go to bed , '' she says .
She wanted to put an end to her suffering .
But instead , she went into the kitchen where her husband was , and told him how she felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like 'OK , obviously something needs to change here .
We 're going to get help .
And we 're going to get it now . ''
Her husband made an appointment with her OB-GYN , Dr. Christopher Conlan .
`` She came in and I could immediately see in her face that she was having a very difficult time , '' Conlan remembers .
`` She needed help and did n't know where to turn . ''
Conlan gave Ford a standard depression questionnaire that confirmed that she had postpartum depression .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to how to treat her .
Like most OBs , he was n't trained to provide mental health care .
`` At that point , the tools I have in my everyday practice were used , '' he recalls .
The story could have ended there .
Around the country , an estimated 1 in 7 pregnant women and new mothers become clinically depressed during pregnancy or postpartum .
But their primary point of contact in the medical system — their obstetricians — often lack the skills to address this common problem .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a diagnosis or treatment .
According to one study , less than 20 % of women get treated .
But luckily for Ford , Dr Conlan had another resource to turn to .
Recognizing the importance of the obstetrician 's relationship with pregnant patients and new moms , a statewide program in Massachusetts offers support to obstetricians and gynecologists in screening for and treating depression in pregnant women and new moms .
`` Every time a woman is seen by an obstetrics provider it is an opportunity to detect depression , educate them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in treatment , '' says psychiatrist Nancy Byatt at the University of Massachusetts Medical School , who helped launch the program , called the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms , or MCPAP for Moms .
MCPAP for Moms holds training sessions and provides toolkits for physicians , midwives and nurse practitioners in obstetrics practices across the state to help them identify symptoms of depression in pregnant and new moms .
It also runs a helpline for practitioners to connect with psychiatrists for advice on their patients ' symptoms and treatment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Conlan called the helpline and got connected to an on-call psychiatrist .
Before Ford left his office that day , he had set up help for her .
In the six years since the program launched , `` we 've enrolled 74 % of [ OB ] practices in the state , and that covers 80 % of the deliveries , '' says Byatt .
And the program is now a model for a national plan to address maternal mental health as part of the 21st Century Cures Act .
Seven states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have received funding through the act to develop programs modeled after the one in Massachusetts .
The states of Washington and Wisconsin already have similar programs in place .
Women like Ford , who have a history of depression have a higher risk of depression during pregnancy or after giving birth , what 's known as perinatal depression .
Untreated perinatal depression affects not just the mother 's health , but also her baby 's and her entire family 's social and emotional well-being .
It can increase the risk of premature birth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when a new mom is depressed , it affects her ability to take care of her baby and bond with it .
That in turn can affect the baby 's physical and emotional development and even puts it at a higher risk of having mental health problems later in life .
And there is a cost to not treating perinatal depression , says Dr. Tiffany Moore Simas , an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School , and the director of engagement with MCPAP for Moms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mood disorders cost the state of California $ 2.4 billion for all births in 2017 , when mother-infant pairs were followed for 5 years .
Despite the health care costs associated with untreated perinatal depression , a program like MCPAP for Moms is still rare .
Ideally , pregnant women and new mothers with depression would have access to a psychiatrist , says Byatt .
But there 's a shortage of mental health care providers in the country — finding a provider and getting a timely appointment can be difficult and frustrating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Besides , the stigma around this kind of depression prevents women from seeking help .
For all these reasons , Byatt says medical authorities , including the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommend that OB-GYNs screen their patients for depression and help them get treatment .
When Byatt began her initial research into perinatal depression , she started conversations with OBs in the state to see if they were screening women .
She quickly learned that most doctors did not feel comfortable screening , even though they wanted to help .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We think it 's so important .
We do n't know what to do .
We have n't been trained , we do n't have the resources , ' '' Byatt recalls .
Dr. David Klein , an OB-GYN in Shrewsbury , Mass.
, says he first began screening pregnant and postpartum women for depression about 12 years ago .
`` But it was more sporadic then , '' says Klein .
`` I kind of used it when I thought someone was having an issue [ with depression ] . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't easy , because he was n't trained to provide mental health care .
If one of his patients screened positive for perinatal depression , `` the issue became 'OK , now what do I do ? '
'' he says .
`` To find someone to help me help her was very difficult . ''
Klein would have to make multiple calls to find a psychiatrist who was taking new patients and would accept his patient 's insurance .
`` It became a lot of effort on my part to find someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , over the years I found a small network I could use , but still , it was an effort to connect with those people and make sure the patient is being taken care of . ''
When Byatt spoke to OBs during her initial research , they told her they would be more willing to screen and treat perinatal depression if they had more training and support. ''
'We need a lifeline , ' is essentially what they said , '' says Byatt .
Byatt and her colleagues at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that lifeline .
They launched the helpline for doctors , held training sessions and provided a toolkit to educate physicians and nurse practitioners about perinatal depression and how to treat it .
If a doctor has a patient who screens positive for perinatal depression and they are not sure how to treat her , they can call the helpline at 1-855-Mom-MCPAP ( 1-855-666-6272 ) Monday to Friday , 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. , for a phone consultation with a psychiatrist .
The goal is that `` one of our psychiatrists will call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Byatt .
`` We essentially hold their hand and help them figure out how to help the patient . ''
When necessary , the psychiatrist does one-on-one consultation with the patient within a week or two .
And the program 's resource and referral specialist helps the patient find a longer term mental health care provider — it can be for individual or group therapy sessions — and support groups close to her .
While the helpline was created primarily for obstetrics providers , it is also open to pediatricians , primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Any provider from the state who 's serving a pregnant and postpartum woman can call our program , '' says Byatt .
The program is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health .
However , insurance companies are required by state law to pay part of the annual cost of the program , depending on how many of their clients use it , says Dr. John Straus , the founding director of the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program , which provided the blueprint for MCPAP for Moms and was designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state .
They usually cover about 50 % of annual costs , adds Byatt .
Until recently , the annual budget for MCPAP for Moms was about $ 850,000 , says Byatt .
In 2018 , the program received an additional $ 175,000 annually to expand services for substance abuse disorders among pregnant women and new mothers .
The program currently runs on $ 1 million per year , or about $ 1.16 per month for every woman served , notes Byatt .
The helpline has been a game changer for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obstetrician in Shrewsbury , Mass .
`` I 'll speak to a psychiatrist within two hours .
We 'll talk about the case , make a plan and the patient will be taken care of . ''
These days , he screens his patients regularly for perinatal depression .
`` To me it 's like any other screening we do now , '' says Kelin .
`` I 'm very comfortable talking to women about their mental health . ''
This is true of OB practices across the state , says Moore Simas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are willing to prescribe drugs under the direction of our perinatal psychiatrist , during the time a patient is waiting to get to see a psychiatrist , '' she says .
And they have become increasingly comfortable treating more complex mental health issues in their patients , adds Byatt .
`` We have several practices [ where ] if a patient has bipolar disorder , they 're managing it , because it 's hard to find a psychiatrist , '' she says .
And the change in attitude among physicians has raised awareness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stigma , says Klein .
`` Patients do n't feel embarrassed anymore ... to talk about it , '' he says .
`` They are very comfortable starting medication and they 're very comfortable seeing a counselor . ''
Conlan , too , has noticed a shift in attitudes among his patients .
`` Patients are now realizing that this is a very common issue , that they are not alone .
And that it 's better to speak up and we can help , '' he says .
`` They do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` There were people on my team '' After her second baby was born , Ford did n't even consider the possibility that she might be depressed and needed help , even though she 'd experienced depression before and received treatment for it .
`` It 's very hard to admit that something 's not right ... when you have a new baby in the house , '' she says .
`` It 's supposed to be this wonderful happy time , and that 's not how it was . ''
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her physician , Dr. Conlan , and he got a hold of an on-call psychiatrist , the psychiatrist recommended that Conlan prescribe Ford a different antidepressant and he made an appointment to see her in a couple of weeks .
By the time she left Conlan 's office , Ford says she felt heartened by all the support .
`` I really felt like there were people on my team , '' she says , `` that I was n't alone in my room , feeling like I was a horrible person and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moms also connected her with a social worker , who helped her find a longer term therapist and a local support group for moms with postpartum depression .
The changes in medication , the visit with the psychiatrist , the support group of mothers , all of it helped her manage her depression and eventually recover from it .
She began to feel better within a couple of weeks .
`` I was taking the time to blow dry my hair , simple things , '' she recalls .
`` I was taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or to put my make up or wear something other than pajama pants . ''
And she was starting to take care of her baby girl and bond with her .

'A Lifeline' For Doctors Helps Them Treat Postpartum Depression
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kieran Kesner for NPR Kieran Kesner for NPR
As a young woman, Jennifer Ford struggled with anxiety and depression. When she got pregnant, her physician advised her to stay on the antidepressant she took to manage her symptoms.
Her first pregnancy and childbirth went smoothly, she says, but things were different after she gave birth the second time. "It's when I hit my wall," Ford says.
She remembers feeling overcome by grief immediately after she got home.
"I couldn't even communicate a full sentence about how I was feeling," recalls Ford. "All I could do was cry."
She couldn't eat, sleep or take care of her newborn.
One afternoon, she was in her bedroom trying to take a nap but couldn't fall asleep — she felt overwhelmed by her emotions. "I wanted to take all of my pain meds and go to bed," she says. She wanted to put an end to her suffering.
Instead, she went into the kitchen and told her husband how she felt. "That was when he was like 'OK, obviously something needs to change here. We're going to get help. And we're going to get it now.' "
Her husband made an appointment with her OB-GYN, Dr. Christopher Conlan.
"She came in and I could immediately see in her face that she was having a very difficult time," Conlan remembers. "She needed help and didn't know where to turn."
Conlan gave Ford a standard depression questionnaire that confirmed that she had postpartum depression.
But he was at a loss as to how to treat her. Like most OBs, he wasn't trained to provide mental health care.
"At that point, the tools I have in my everyday practice were used," he recalls.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kieran Kesner for NPR Kieran Kesner for NPR
The story could have ended there. Around the country, an estimated 1 in 7 pregnant women and new mothers becomes clinically depressed during pregnancy or postpartum. But their primary points of contact in the medical system — their obstetricians — often lack the skills to address this common problem. As a result, few women get a diagnosis or treatment. According to one study, less than 20% of women get treated.
Luckily for Ford, her doctor had another resource to turn to. Recognizing the importance of the obstetrician's relationship with pregnant patients and new moms, a statewide program in Massachusetts offers support to obstetricians and gynecologists in screening for and treating depression in pregnant women and new moms.
"Every time a woman is seen by an obstetrics provider it is an opportunity to detect depression, educate them about it and to really engage them in treatment," says psychiatrist Nancy Byatt at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Byatt helped launch a program called the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms, or MCPAP for Moms.
toggle caption Kieran Kesner for NPR
MCPAP for Moms holds training sessions and provides a toolkit for physicians, midwives and nurse practitioners in obstetrics practices across the state to help them identify symptoms of depression in pregnant and new moms. It also runs a helpline for practitioners to connect with psychiatrists for advice on their patients' symptoms and treatment.
So that day when Ford needed help, Conlan called the help line and got connected to an on-call psychiatrist. Before Ford left his office that day, he had set up help for her.
Since the program launched in 2014, "we've enrolled 74% of [OB] practices in the state, and that covers 80% of the deliveries," says Byatt.
And the program is the model for a national plan to address maternal mental health as part of the 21st Century Cures Act. Seven states, including Florida, Kansas and Louisiana, have received funding through the act to develop programs modeled after the one in Massachusetts.
The states of Washington and Wisconsin already have similar programs in place.
A lifeline for doctors
Women like Ford who have a history of depression have a higher risk of depression during pregnancy or after giving birth, what's known as perinatal depression.
Untreated perinatal depression affects not just the mother's health, but also her baby's and her entire family's social and emotional well-being. It can increase the risk of premature birth and low birth weight babies. And when a new mom is depressed, it affects her ability to take care of her baby and bond with it. That in turn can affect the baby's physical and emotional development and even puts the baby at a higher risk of having mental health problems later in life.
And there is a cost to not treating perinatal depression, says Dr. Tiffany Moore Simas, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the director of engagement with MCPAP for Moms.
One study estimated that untreated perinatal anxiety and mood disorders cost the state of California $2.4 billion for all births in 2017, when mother-infant pairs were followed for five years.
Despite the health care costs associated with untreated perinatal depression, a program like MCPAP for Moms is still rare. Ideally, pregnant women and new mothers with depression would have access to a psychiatrist, says Byatt. But there's a shortage of mental health care providers in the country — finding a provider and getting a timely appointment can be difficult and frustrating, especially when someone's depressed. Besides, the stigma around this kind of depression prevents women from seeking help.
For all these reasons, Byatt says medical authorities, including the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, recommend that OB-GYNs screen their patients for depression and help them get treatment.
When Byatt began her initial research into perinatal depression, she started conversations with OBs in the state to see if they were screening women. She quickly learned that most doctors did not feel comfortable screening, even though they wanted to help.
"They said 'We want to address this. We think it's so important. We don't know what to do. We haven't been trained, we don't have the resources,' " Byatt recalls.
Dr. David Klein, an OB-GYN in Shrewsbury, Mass., says he first began screening pregnant and postpartum women for depression about 12 years ago. "But it was more sporadic then," says Klein. "I kind of used it when I thought someone was having an issue [with depression]."
But, he says, it wasn't easy, because he wasn't trained to provide mental health care. If one of his patients screened positive for perinatal depression, "the issue became 'OK, now what do I do?' " he says. "To find someone to help me help her was very difficult."
Klein would have to make multiple calls to find a psychiatrist who was taking new patients and would accept his patient's insurance.
"It became a lot of effort on my part to find someone," says Klein. "Fortunately, over the years I found a small network I could use, but still, it was an effort to connect with those people and make sure the patient is being taken care of."
When Byatt spoke to OBs during her initial research, they told her they would be more willing to screen and treat perinatal depression if they had more training and support.
" 'We need a lifeline' is essentially what they said," says Byatt.
How it works
Byatt and her colleagues at the University of Massachusetts Medical School set out to create that lifeline. They launched the help line for doctors, held training sessions and provided a toolkit to educate physicians and nurse practitioners about perinatal depression and how to treat it.
A doctor who has a patient who screens positive for perinatal depression and who is not sure how to treat her can call the help line at 1-855-Mom-MCPAP (1-855-666-6272) Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for a phone consultation with a psychiatrist. The goal is that "one of our psychiatrists will call them back within 30 minutes," says Byatt. "We essentially hold their hand and help them figure out how to help the patient."
toggle caption Kieran Kesner for NPR.
When necessary, the psychiatrist does one-on-one consultation with the patient within a week or two. And the program's resource and referral specialist helps the patient find a longer-term mental health care provider — it can be for individual or group therapy sessions — and support groups close to her.
While the help line was created primarily for obstetrics providers, it is also open to pediatricians, primary care providers and even other psychiatrists. "Any provider from the state who's serving a pregnant and postpartum woman can call our program," says Byatt.
The program is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. However, insurance companies are required by state law to pay part of the annual cost of the program, depending on how many of their clients use it, says Dr. John Straus, the founding director of the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program, which provided the blueprint for MCPAP for Moms and was designed to increase access to pediatric mental health care in the state.
They usually cover about 50% of annual costs, adds Byatt.
Until recently, the annual budget for MCPAP for Moms was about $850,000, says Byatt. In 2018, the program received an additional $175,000 annually to expand services for substance abuse disorders among pregnant women and new mothers. The program currently runs on $1 million per year, or about $1.16 per month for every woman served, notes Byatt.
A shift in attitudes
The help line has been a game changer for his practice, says Klein, the obstetrician in Shrewsbury, Mass. "I'll speak to a psychiatrist within two hours. We'll talk about the case, make a plan and the patient will be taken care of."
These days, he screens his patients regularly for perinatal depression. "To me it's like any other screening we do now," says Klein. "I'm very comfortable talking to women about their mental health."
This is true of OB practices across the state, says Moore Simas.
"We're finding that OBs are willing to prescribe drugs under the direction of our perinatal psychiatrist, during the time a patient is waiting to get to see a psychiatrist," she says.
toggle caption Kieran Kesner for NPR.
And they have become increasingly comfortable treating more complex mental health issues in their patients, adds Byatt.
"We have several practices [where] if a patient has bipolar disorder, they're managing it, because it's hard to find a psychiatrist," she says.
And the change in attitude among physicians has raised awareness among women and broken down some of the stigma, says Klein.
"Patients don't feel embarrassed anymore ... to talk about it," he says. "They are very comfortable starting medication and they're very comfortable seeing a counselor."
Conlan, too, has noticed a shift in attitudes among his patients.
"Patients are now realizing that this is a very common issue, that they are not alone. And that it's better to speak up and we can help," he says. "They don't need to suffer in silence."
"There were people on my team"
After her second baby was born, Ford didn't even consider the possibility that she might be depressed and needed help, even though she'd experienced depression before and received treatment for it.
"It's very hard to admit that something's not right ... when you have a new baby in the house," she says. "It's supposed to be this wonderful happy time, and that's not how it was."
But when she went in to meet with Conlan, her physician, and he got hold of an on-call psychiatrist, the psychiatrist recommended that Conlan prescribe Ford a different antidepressant, and he made an appointment to see her in a couple of weeks.
By the time she left Conlan's office, Ford says she felt heartened by all the support. "I really felt like there were people on my team," she says, "that I wasn't alone in my room, feeling like I was a horrible person and a horrible mom."
MCPAP for Moms also connected her with a social worker, who helped her find a longer-term therapist and a local support group for moms with postpartum depression.
The changes in medication, the visit with the psychiatrist, the support group of mothers — all of it helped her manage her depression and eventually recover. She began to feel better within a couple of weeks.
"I was taking the time to blow-dry my hair, simple things," she recalls. "I was taking the time to sweep the floor, or to put my makeup or wear something other than pajama pants."
And she was starting to take care of her baby girl and bond with her.


npr--2020-01-15--Convicted Sex Offenders' Ministry Housing Too Close To Playground, City Says

Convicted Sex Offenders ' Ministry Housing Too Close To Playground , City Says A group of registered sex offenders in Aurora , Ill. — about 40 miles outside of Chicago — could face felony charges if they do n't move out of their home .
The city says they live too close to a playground , which has sparked a legal fight over housing , redemption and the definition of a playground .
In downtown Aurora , McCarty Park takes up a full square block .
There are walking paths , a fountain-like splashpad in the center of the park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Wayside Cross Ministries is a couple of blocks away .
The Christian-based group has been around for decades and provides shelter and faith-based rehab services for people who are struggling with all sorts of problems , including transitioning from prison .
Ninety men live at one of the organization 's buildings and 18 of them are registered child sex offenders .
Whether or not they live too close to the park has been a recent source of conflict between the mission and the city .
Marcus Sabo , 48 , is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there since his release from prison five years ago .
Sabo was convicted of possessing child pornography and served a two-year sentence .
As he leads the way into the building , Sabo points out the library , a chapel and some classrooms .
He says the structured program for men with its daily Bible classes , religious services and work assignments transformed him .
`` Therapy did n't help .
Medication did n't help .
Even being locked up in so-called corrections did n't help anything , '' Sabo says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and started reading what the Bible said and seeing what Christ has done for me that my mind started to wake up .
It completely changed my life since I 've been here . ''
But now Sabo may have to move .
Last month , Aurora 's police chief sent letters to Sabo and most of the others telling them they are in violation of the state 's residency law .
In Illinois it 's illegal for convicted child sex offenders to reside within 500 feet of a school , a daycare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city says that includes McCarty Park .
The letter came with a deadline : if the men were n't gone by Jan. 15 , they could face felony charges .
They won a short reprieve during a court hearing this week when a judge issued a temporary restraining order and set a Jan. 21 hearing date on the matter .
Sabo says he was shocked by the city 's notice because he 's never had any problem registering before , and he and the other men fear they will be homeless .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some residents criticized Wayside Cross when it provided housing for an infamous convicted murderer who completed his prison term .
The city says that protest has nothing to do with this latest scrutiny .
Instead it blames faulty measurements .
Police Chief Kristen Ziman says the city realized its old mapping system measured some boundaries incorrectly .
So last Spring they made corrections and took another look at Wayside Cross .
`` That is when we determined that the people living there were actually near a playground , `` Ziman says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the men 's behalf says the city is misrepresenting Illinois ' residency law .
`` I do n't think having two little rocking horses that are used for kids converts an entire broad park with benches and lawns and picnic tables into a playground that 's solely for children 's recreation , '' Nicholas says .
The city says the distance from the men 's housing to McCarty Park 's property line is 500 feet .
Nicholas says any measurement at the park should start where the fountain and rocking horses are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 550 feet .
It 's a mathematical squabble with profound implications , but Nicholas says another Illinois law protecting religious freedom is also at play since the men are part of a community where daily religious services and Bible studies are paramount .
`` Forcing forcing them to move out of that would disrupt those programs , disrupt the progress they are making through their faith , '' Nicholas says .
That 's the argument that Nicholas will present during the Jan. 21 court hearing .
If the men do n't get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to live at Wayside Cross , Kane County State 's Attorney Joe McMahon could charge them with a felony .
But he seems reluctant .
`` People need somewhere to live .
They need a safe place to live , '' McMahon says .
`` The work that they 've done there at the Mission has been remarkable for decades .
We 've got to find a way to resolve this so where the people who use that park on a daily , weekly basis can use it and feel safe and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' That could all become clear when the court decides how distance should be measured and where convicted sex offenders in Aurora can reside .

Convicted Sex Offenders' Ministry Housing Too Close To Playground, City Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cheryl Corley/NPR Cheryl Corley/NPR
A group of registered sex offenders in Aurora, Ill. — about 40 miles outside of Chicago — could face felony charges if they don't move out of their home. The city says they live too close to a playground, which has sparked a legal fight over housing, redemption and the definition of a playground.
National Fight In Aurora, Ill., Over Whether Convicted Sex Offenders' Ministry Housing Too Close To Playground Fight In Aurora, Ill., Over Whether Convicted Sex Offenders' Ministry Housing Is Too Close To Playgr Listen · 4:48 4:48
In downtown Aurora, McCarty Park takes up a full square block. There are walking paths, a fountain-like splashpad in the center of the park and two small rocking horses further back. Wayside Cross Ministries is a couple of blocks away. The Christian-based group has been around for decades and provides shelter and faith-based rehab services for people who are struggling with all sorts of problems, including transitioning from prison.
Ninety men live at one of the organization's buildings and 18 of them are registered child sex offenders. Whether or not they live too close to the park has been a recent source of conflict between the mission and the city.
Marcus Sabo, 48, is a staffer at Wayside Cross and has lived there since his release from prison five years ago. Sabo was convicted of possessing child pornography and served a two-year sentence.
As he leads the way into the building, Sabo points out the library, a chapel and some classrooms. He says the structured program for men with its daily Bible classes, religious services and work assignments transformed him.
"Therapy didn't help. Medication didn't help. Even being locked up in so-called corrections didn't help anything," Sabo says. "It wasn't until I came here and started reading what the Bible said and seeing what Christ has done for me that my mind started to wake up. It completely changed my life since I've been here."
But now Sabo may have to move. Last month, Aurora's police chief sent letters to Sabo and most of the others telling them they are in violation of the state's residency law. In Illinois it's illegal for convicted child sex offenders to reside within 500 feet of a school, a daycare center or a playground, and the city says that includes McCarty Park. The letter came with a deadline: if the men weren't gone by Jan. 15, they could face felony charges. They won a short reprieve during a court hearing this week when a judge issued a temporary restraining order and set a Jan. 21 hearing date on the matter.
Sabo says he was shocked by the city's notice because he's never had any problem registering before, and he and the other men fear they will be homeless.
In recent months, the mayor of Aurora and some residents criticized Wayside Cross when it provided housing for an infamous convicted murderer who completed his prison term. The city says that protest has nothing to do with this latest scrutiny. Instead it blames faulty measurements. Police Chief Kristen Ziman says the city realized its old mapping system measured some boundaries incorrectly. So last Spring they made corrections and took another look at Wayside Cross.
"That is when we determined that the people living there were actually near a playground, " Ziman says.
Attorney Adele Nicholas who filed a lawsuit on the men's behalf says the city is misrepresenting Illinois' residency law.
"I don't think having two little rocking horses that are used for kids converts an entire broad park with benches and lawns and picnic tables into a playground that's solely for children's recreation," Nicholas says.
The city says the distance from the men's housing to McCarty Park's property line is 500 feet. Nicholas says any measurement at the park should start where the fountain and rocking horses are located and the distance would then be 550 feet. It's a mathematical squabble with profound implications, but Nicholas says another Illinois law protecting religious freedom is also at play since the men are part of a community where daily religious services and Bible studies are paramount.
"Forcing forcing them to move out of that would disrupt those programs, disrupt the progress they are making through their faith," Nicholas says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption U.S. District Court U.S. District Court
That's the argument that Nicholas will present during the Jan. 21 court hearing. If the men don't get a permanent injunction which would allow them to continue to live at Wayside Cross, Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon could charge them with a felony. But he seems reluctant.
"People need somewhere to live. They need a safe place to live," McMahon says. "The work that they've done there at the Mission has been remarkable for decades. We've got to find a way to resolve this so where the people who use that park on a daily, weekly basis can use it and feel safe and comply with state law as well."
That could all become clear when the court decides how distance should be measured and where convicted sex offenders in Aurora can reside.


npr--2020-01-15--4 Takeaways From The Final Democratic Debate Before The Iowa Caucuses

4 Takeaways From The Final Democratic Debate Before The Iowa Caucuses There are now no more official debates before Democrats begin voting .
Tuesday night 's was the last before the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 3 , and it featured six of the 12 remaining candidates — the top four of whom , polls show , to be neck and neck .
Democratic primary voters got a substantive debate in which the candidates clashed over what it means to be commander-in-chief , gender politics and , of course , health care .
Here are four takeaways from Tuesday night 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pivot away from the fight over whether a woman can win — for now The big question coming into Tuesday night was how would the alleged disagreement between Sens .
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont on gender politics play out on the debate stage ?
The progressive duo has long observed a nonaggression pact in this race .
That came apart this week when Warren said Sanders told her before this campaign that a woman could n't win the general election .
But neither seemed in a mood to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Well , as a matter of fact , I did n't say it , '' Sanders said , denying that he told Warren in a meeting in late 2018 that a woman could n't win .
He pointed to his record of encouraging women to run , of campaigning for women , and remarked that 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump in the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes .
`` How could anybody in a million years not believe that a woman could become president of the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Abby Phillip followed up not by asking Warren if Sanders was lying .
Instead , Phillip asked how she reacted when Sanders said it to her .
`` I disagreed , '' Warren said , and cleverly added that , combined , the men on stage had lost 10 elections , and the only two to have won every election they 've run in were the women on stage — she and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar .
But Sanders and Warren may not have completely put their differences aside — a video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what appears to be a less-than-friendly exchange .
2 .
Foreign policy became a principal issue for the first time Picking a president means picking a commander-in-chief , and for the first time in this campaign foreign policy became a main issue .
Given last week 's events with Iran , that was inevitable , and the initial 30 minutes of questions and answers were focused on it .
It was the first debate to start with foreign affairs , and as is true on a lot of other issues , it quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Vice President Joe Biden and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg vs. Warren and Sanders on their worldviews and troop deployment .
Asked to define herself as commander-in-chief , Warren interestingly said she 'd fight the `` revolving door '' between defense industry contractors and the Defense Department , and called to `` get our combat troops out '' of the Middle East .
Biden argued that `` there 's a difference between combat troops and leaving special forces in a position . ''
He warned that ISIS will come back if the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's a mistake to pull out the small number of troops that are there now to deal with ISIS , '' Biden said .
If Democrats love debating and getting into the weeds on one policy , it 's health care .
It was the sharpest dividing line in the 2008 primaries , and it 's still the starkest difference among candidates .
Sanders faced tough questions on the cost of his plans ; Biden said it was important to be transparent about cost ; Warren dismissed the Biden and Buttigieg plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Buttigieg said , `` It 's just not true , '' describing his plan as `` a game-changer ... the biggest thing we 've done to American health care in a half-century . ''
Democratic primary voters say health care is their top issue , and candidates have spent so much time on the topic that they really know it in great depth .
You wonder what a debate over health care — or climate change , for that matter — would sound like in a general-election debate with Trump .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detail , and he 'd likely pivot away from having to talk about it in any depth .
4 .
The top four candidates were the focus more than in past debates If it was n't clear that this was a four-person race , all you had to do was watch Tuesday 's debate .
On issue after issue , it was Biden and Buttigieg versus Sanders and Warren , with some crossover of Sanders versus Warren when it came to trade or whether a woman could win the general election .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual notes .
If you like Sanders , you still do ; if you do n't , you do n't .
He also likely did n't win over any Warren voters Tuesday , because Warren was solid .
Biden again stumbled in spots and was n't as crisp or energetic as in the last debate , but he made his case for a forceful foreign policy and national unity .
Buttigieg seemed to shrink from the spotlight some in this debate .
He had some good moments , but in a debate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war , the audience likely remembered Buttigieg not for being the only military veteran on the stage , but for having an operations command center in a small city .
Klobuchar , who has been the candidate who has most gone after Buttigieg 's lack of national experience , did n't stand out in ways that she had in other debates .
Billionaire investor Tom Steyer was left fighting for time , though if climate change is your top issue , you probably liked how Steyer talked about it .
Tuesday night was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hear a real debate among the top-tier candidates .
It 's notable that that 's only happening now , as the big Democratic field finally narrows to something manageable for voters .

4 Takeaways From The Final Democratic Debate Before The Iowa Caucuses
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Olson/Getty Images Scott Olson/Getty Images
There are now no more official debates before Democrats begin voting.
Tuesday night's debate was the last before the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 3, and it featured six of the 12 remaining candidates — the top four of whom polls show to be neck and neck.
Democratic primary voters got a substantive debate in which the candidates clashed over what it means to be commander in chief, gender politics and, of course, health care.
Here are four takeaways from Tuesday night's debate:
Media no longer available
1. Warren, Sanders pivot away from the fight over whether a woman can win — for now
The big question coming into Tuesday night: How would the alleged disagreement between Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont on gender politics play out on the debate stage?
The progressive duo has long observed a nonaggression pact in this race. That came apart this week when Warren said Sanders told her before this campaign that a woman couldn't win the general election. But neither seemed in a mood to pick up the fight Tuesday night.
"Well, as a matter of fact, I didn't say it," Sanders said, denying that he told Warren in a meeting in late 2018 that a woman couldn't win. He pointed to his record of encouraging women to run and of campaigning for women. And he remarked that 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump in the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes.
"How could anybody in a million years not believe that a woman could become president of the United States?" he said.
CNN's Abby Phillip followed up not by asking Warren if Sanders was lying, but instead by asking how she reacted when Sanders said it to her.
"I disagreed," Warren said, and cleverly added that, combined, the men onstage had lost 10 elections, and the only two to have won every election they've run in were the women onstage — Warren herself and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
But Sanders and Warren may not have completely put their differences aside. A video of the candidates after the debate shows what appears to be a less-than-friendly exchange.
2. Foreign policy became a principal issue for the first time
Picking a president means picking a commander in chief, and for the first time in this campaign foreign policy became a main issue. Given last week's events with Iran, that was inevitable, and the initial 30 minutes of questions and answers were focused on it.
It was the first debate to start with foreign affairs, and as is true on a lot of other issues, it quickly became a progressive-versus-moderate tussle. That meant former Vice President Joe Biden and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg vs. Warren and Sanders on their worldviews and troop deployment.
Asked to define herself as commander in chief, Warren interestingly said she'd fight the "revolving door" between defense industry contractors and the Defense Department and called to "get our combat troops out" of the Middle East.
Biden argued that "there's a difference between combat troops and leaving special forces in a position." He warned that ISIS will come back if the U.S. abandons the region.
"I think it's a mistake to pull out the small number of troops that are there now to deal with ISIS," Biden said.
3. Health care is still a sharp dividing line
If Democrats love debating and getting into the weeds on one policy, it's health care. It was the sharpest dividing line in the 2008 primaries, and it's still the starkest difference among candidates.
Sanders faced tough questions on the cost of his plans; Biden said it was important to be transparent about cost; Warren dismissed the Biden and Buttigieg plans as "small improvements," to which Buttigieg said, "It's just not true," describing his plan as "a game-changer ... the biggest thing we've done to American health care in a half-century."
Democratic primary voters say health care is their top issue, and candidates have spent so much time on the topic that they really know it in great depth.
You wonder what a debate over health care — or climate change, for that matter — would sound like in a general election debate with Trump. He doesn't get into this kind of detail, and he'd likely pivot away from having to talk about it in any depth.
4. The top four candidates were the focus more than in past debates
If it wasn't clear that this was a four-person race, all you had to do was watch Tuesday's debate. On issue after issue, it was Biden and Buttigieg versus Sanders and Warren, with some crossover of Sanders versus Warren when it came to trade or whether a woman could win the general election.
Of the top four, Sanders hit his usual notes. If you like Sanders, you still do; if you don't, you don't. He also likely didn't win over any Warren voters Tuesday, because Warren was solid.
toggle caption Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
Biden again stumbled in spots and wasn't as crisp or energetic as in the last debate, but he made his case for a forceful foreign policy and national unity.
Buttigieg seemed to shrink from the spotlight some in this debate. He had some good moments, but in a debate that started off with the grave issue of war, the audience likely remembered Buttigieg not for being the only military veteran on the stage, but for having an operations command center in a small city.
Klobuchar, who has been the candidate who has most gone after Buttigieg's lack of national experience, didn't stand out in ways that she had in other debates.
Billionaire investor Tom Steyer was left fighting for time, though if climate change is your top issue, you probably liked how Steyer talked about it.
Tuesday night was arguably the first time the audience got to hear a real debate among the top-tier candidates. It's notable that that's only happening now, as the big Democratic field finally narrows to something manageable for voters.


npr--2020-01-15--House Set To Vote To Send Trump Impeachment Articles To Senate

House Set To Vote To Send Trump Impeachment Articles To Senate The House holds its long-awaited vote Wednesday to send to the Senate the two articles of impeachment against President Trump that lawmakers approved last month , setting the stage for a Senate trial to begin next week .
The House is also expected to name the impeachment managers who will prosecute the case against Trump in the Senate trial .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , has scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m .
ET to make that announcement .
Watch her remarks live here once she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send the articles to the Senate on Tuesday .
`` The American people deserve the truth , and the Constitution demands a trial , '' she said in a statement .
She added , `` The president and the senators will be held accountable . ''
Following the vote , the House will inform the Senate it is ready to transmit the articles across the Capitol .
The Senate will respond that it is ready to receive them , and a formal procession and reception will take place .
That could occur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , R-Ky. , said the Senate trial is expected to begin next Tuesday , Jan. 21 ; Chief Justice John Roberts could swear in 100 U.S. senators as jurors as early as this week .
The vote comes a month after the House approved two articles of impeachment against the president , charging him with abusing the powers of his office by attempting to pressure the government of Ukraine to investigate potential political opponent Joe Biden and his son 's activities there , and obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate in its investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excoriated the process .
The congressional proceedings mark just the third time in U.S. history that a president will be tried and face potential removal from office by the Senate .
Both previous presidents , Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton , were acquitted by the Senate after impeachment by the House .
The exact ground rules are for Trump 's trial remain unclear .
Democrats have demanded that the Senate call additional witnesses , potentially including former national security adviser John Bolton , who has said he is willing to testify if subpoenaed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday the `` more contentious issue '' of calling witnesses will be addressed later .
The Senate majority leader has sought to adhere to the procedure established in the Clinton impeachment trial in 1998 , which allowed for a vote to dismiss the charges , as well as a vote on hearing additional testimony once opening arguments were made .
Trump has sought to have the Senate dismiss the charges , arguing he did nothing wrong , but McConnell said Tuesday , `` There is little to no sentiment in the Republican conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With Republicans holding a 53-to-47 majority in the Senate , and 67 votes necessary to convict Trump , the president is seen as likely to win acquittal .

House Impeachment Managers Deliver Articles To The Senate
toggle caption Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 6:30 p.m. ET
The House of Representatives has delivered articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate, which is expected to begin a trial next week.
Earlier in the day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi named seven Democratic members of Congress as the managers who will argue the case for impeachment.
Those managers brought the articles to the Senate on Wednesday evening.
"What is at stake here is the Constitution of the United States," Pelosi said in a press conference announcing the managers.
Pelosi appointed Reps. Adam Schiff, Jerry Nadler, Zoe Lofgren, Val Demings, Hakeem Jeffries, Sylvia Garcia and Jason Crow. Pelosi said Schiff will take the lead.
"The emphasis is on litigators. The emphasis is on comfort level in the courtroom. The emphasis is making the strongest possible case to protect and defend our Constitution, to seek the truth for the American people," Pelosi said in a Wednesday press conference.
The House voted earlier in the day on a resolution to transmit the articles and confirm the impeachment managers. It was 228-193, largely along party lines.
"This is as serious as it gets for any of us," Pelosi said on the House floor. But House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., called impeachment "a blunder" and "not a moment this body should be proud of."
The seven managers bring a diverse range of experience. Schiff and Nadler led the impeachment process in the House. Lofgren is taking part in her third impeachment process; she was a staffer when the House Judiciary Committee voted out articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon, and a committee member during President Bill Clinton's and Trump's impeachment. Demings is a former Orlando chief of police and is also a member of the House intelligence committee; Garcia is a former Houston municipal judge; Jeffries is a former corporate lawyer; and Crow is a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was a co-author of a letter making the case for Congress to begin impeachment proceedings.
Read more about the managers here.
Abuse of power, obstruction of Congress
Pelosi accused Trump of using the congressional appropriations process "as his private ATM machine to grant or withhold funds granted by Congress in order to advance his personal and political advantage," referencing the White House's hold on defense aid to Ukraine even though the funds had been appropriated by Congress.
The president's defenders argue the money was held up because of concerns over political corruption in Ukraine.
Wednesday's actions come a month after the House approved two articles of impeachment against the president, charging him with abusing the powers of his office by attempting to pressure the government of Ukraine to investigate potential political opponent Joe Biden and his son's activities there and with obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate in its investigation.
Trump denies any wrongdoing and has excoriated the process. The White House reiterated its position following the House's vote on Wednesday.
"These are the weakest articles of impeachment that have ever been passed," a senior administration official told reporters on a background call. The official said there was no violation of law listed among the articles of impeachment. "We think these articles fail on their face."
Seeking a fair trial
With the formal handover, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell takes the reins from Pelosi. He is establishing rules for the trial that his chamber will vote on.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said on Wednesday that Trump "looks forward to having the due process rights in the Senate that Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats denied to him, and expects to be fully exonerated."
The exact ground rules for Trump's trial remain unclear. Democrats have demanded that the Senate call additional witnesses, potentially including former national security adviser John Bolton, who has said he is willing to testify if subpoenaed. But McConnell has resisted, saying Tuesday that the "more contentious issue" of calling witnesses will be addressed later.
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"The Senate is on trial as well as the president," Nadler said after being named one of the House impeachment managers. "Does the Senate conduct a trial according to the Constitution, to vindicate the republic, or does the Senate participate in the president's crimes by covering them up?"
McConnell has sought to adhere to the procedure established in the Clinton impeachment trial in 1998, which allowed for a vote to dismiss the charges, as well as a vote on hearing additional testimony once opening arguments were made.
Trump has sought to have the Senate dismiss the charges, arguing that he did nothing wrong, but McConnell said Tuesday, "There is little to no sentiment in the Republican conference for a motion to dismiss."
Next steps ahead of the trial
On Thursday, the impeachment managers are expected to read the House resolution that appointed them as well as the articles of impeachment in full – on the Senate floor.
Later in the day, Chief Justice John Roberts, who will preside over the trial, will be sworn in by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa — Senate president pro tempore. Roberts would then swear in all 100 senators as jurors. After this, the president is summoned and given time to respond.
On Tuesday, McConnell plans to have the Senate vote on rules for the trial. Then he says, the trial will begin "in earnest."
The senior administration official told reporters on Wednesday that the trial is unlikely to last longer than two weeks.
With Republicans holding a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and 67 votes necessary to convict Trump, it is almost certain the president will be acquitted.
The congressional proceedings mark just the third time in U.S. history that a president will be tried and face potential removal from office by the Senate. Presidents Andrew Johnson and Clinton were acquitted by the Senate after impeachment by the House.
NPR's Kelsey Snell and Tamara Keith contributed to this report.


npr--2020-01-15--Trump To Sign 'Phase One' China Trade Deal, But Most Tariffs Remain In Place

Trump To Sign 'Phase One ' China Trade Deal , But Most Tariffs Remain In Place A year and a half after launching his trade war against China , President Trump will sign a partial truce on Wednesday .
He 's agreed to relax some of the tariffs he imposed on Chinese imports .
In exchange , Beijing has agreed to buy more American products and make other changes .
`` This is a big win for the president , '' Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Fox News , while conceding the `` phase one '' agreement does not achieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's not everything , '' he acknowledged .
`` There will be a 'phase two . '
But this is the first time we 've had a comprehensive agreement with China . ''
As part of that deal , China has promised to provide more protection for American companies ' intellectual property , and to stop requiring U.S. firms to share their technology as a cost of doing business in China .
Beijing has a history of backsliding on such pledges .
Mnuchin said if China fails to meet its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond .
`` There 's a real enforcement provision , '' Mnuchin said .
`` If they do n't comply with the agreement , the president retains the authority to put on tariffs . ''
The administration agreed not to impose tariffs last month on some $ 160 billion in Chinese imports — including popular consumer items such as cellphones and laptops — as part of the phase one agreement .
It also reduced the tariff rate on another $ 112 billion worth of goods from 15 % to 7.5 % .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on much of what the U.S. buys from China , including components that American factories use to assemble finished products .
While Trump insists that China is paying those tariffs , numerous studies have found the costs are largely borne by American importers .
`` This continues to be a drag on the manufacturing sector , which really has not been doing well in the last couple of quarters , '' said Syracuse University economist Mary Lovely .
Farmers also took a hit during the trade war , as China cut back sharply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's been a long haul , and the lack of certainty is probably the most challenging portion of this , '' said Kristin Duncanson , who raises soybeans , corn and hogs in south central Minnesota .
`` We can weather the weather .
We know how to do that .
It 's weathering the politics that 's the tough part . ''
Duncanson estimates her soybean crop lost 30 % to 40 % of its value during the trade war , thanks to low prices and the lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partially offset by federal aid for affected farmers .
Duncanson is hoping for a rebound once the trade agreement is signed .
`` We 're optimistic that signing the agreement will reopen some opportunities , especially for the Upper Midwest , '' she said .
`` But I 'm also a realist enough to know until those beans are actually shipped to customers that we ca n't count our chickens before they 're hatched . ''
The administration says China has pledged to boost its purchases of U.S. goods and services over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 2017 levels .
That would represent an increase of more than 50 % .
In addition to farm goods , China is expected to buy more manufactured products , energy products and services from the U.S. Lovely said it 's possible for China to increase its purchases by $ 200 billion , but warned it could have a disruptive effect on global trade flows .
`` This should be giving our other trade partners some serious anxiety because one way [ for China ] to achieve those targets is simply to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the U.S. , '' she said .
China 's Vice Premier Liu He is scheduled to join Trump at the White House Wednesday to sign the `` phase one '' deal .
While the agreement leaves many economic disputes between the two countries unresolved , Lovely said the 18-month trade war has allowed both sides to send a message .
`` The U.S. is going to use whatever muscle it can to get what it wants , '' she said .
`` On the other hand , it 's also shown the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be very hard to bully . ''

Trump Signs 'Phase 1' China Trade Deal, But Most Tariffs Remain In Place
Enlarge this image toggle caption Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 2:07 p.m. ET
A year and a half after launching his trade war against China, President Trump signed a partial truce on Wednesday.
"We mark more than just an agreement. We mark a sea change in international trade," Trump said during a White House signing ceremony. "At long last, Americans have a government that puts them first."
The president agreed to relax some of the tariffs he imposed on Chinese imports. In exchange, Beijing has agreed to buy more American products and make other changes.
"This is a big win for the president," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Fox News, while conceding the "Phase 1" agreement does not achieve all of the reforms the administration initially sought.
"It's not everything," he acknowledged. "There will be a 'Phase 2.' But this is the first time we've had a comprehensive agreement with China."
As part of that deal, China has promised to provide more protection for American companies' intellectual property and to stop requiring U.S. companies to share their technology as a cost of doing business in China.
Beijing has a history of backsliding on such pledges. But the administration expressed confidence that the terms of this deal are enforceable.
"This agreement will work if China wants it to work," said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. "They expect and we expect it to be enforced to the letter."
The administration agreed not to impose tariffs last month on some $160 billion in Chinese imports — including popular consumer items such as cellphones and laptops — as part of the Phase 1 agreement. It also reduced the tariff rate on another $112 billion worth of goods from 15% to 7.5%.
But steep 25% tariffs remain in place on much of what the U.S. buys from China, including components that American factories use to assemble finished products. While Trump insists that China is paying those tariffs, numerous studies have found the costs are largely borne by American importers.
"This continues to be a drag on the manufacturing sector, which really has not been doing well in the last couple of quarters," said Syracuse University economist Mary Lovely.
Farmers also took a hit during the trade war, as China cut back sharply on its purchases of U.S. agricultural products.
"It's been a long haul, and the lack of certainty is probably the most challenging portion of this," said Kristin Duncanson, who raises soybeans, corn and hogs in south central Minnesota. "We can weather the weather. We know how to do that. It's weathering the politics that's the tough part."
Duncanson estimates her soybean crop lost 30% to 40% of its value during the trade war, thanks to low prices and the lack of Chinese demand. That loss was only partially offset by federal aid for affected farmers. Duncanson is hoping for a rebound once the trade agreement is signed.
"We're optimistic that signing the agreement will reopen some opportunities, especially for the Upper Midwest," she said. "But I'm also a realist enough to know until those beans are actually shipped to customers that we can't count our chickens before they're hatched."
The administration says China has pledged to boost its purchases of U.S. goods and services over the next two years by $200 billion over 2017 levels. That would represent an increase of more than 50%.
That includes $32 billion in additional agricultural purchases, $78 billion in manufactured goods, $52 billion in energy products, and $38 billion in additional U.S. services.
"We're delighted that the Chinese consumers will now enjoy the greater access to the best products on earth: those made, grown and raised right here in the USA," Trump said.
Lovely said it's possible for China to increase its purchases by $200 billion, but warned it could have a disruptive effect on global trade flows.
"This should be giving our other trade partners some serious anxiety because one way [for China] to achieve those targets is simply to stop buying from other countries and shift purchases to the U.S.," she said.
China's Vice Premier Liu He joined Trump at the White House for the signing ceremony.
While the agreement leaves major economic disputes between the two countries unresolved, Lovely said the 18-month trade war has allowed both sides to send a message.
"The U.S. is going to use whatever muscle it can to get what it wants," she said. "On the other hand, it's also shown the United States that China's going to be very hard to bully."


npr--2020-01-15--Flynn Asks To Withdraw Guilty Plea In Case Stemming From Mueller Probe

Flynn Asks To Withdraw Guilty Plea In Case Stemming From Mueller Probe Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn , who admitted to lying to the FBI about contacts with Russia 's ambassador to the U.S. , wants to withdraw his two-year-old guilty plea , saying federal prosecutors reneged on a promise not to ask for jail time at his upcoming sentencing .
Flynn , who held the post of national security adviser for less than a month , is the only Trump administration official to face criminal charges in connection with special counsel Robert Mueller 's probe into Russian election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Jan. 28 .
`` The government 's stunning and vindictive reversal of its earlier representations to this Court are incredible , vindictive , in bad faith , and breach the plea agreement , '' Sidney Powell and Jesse Binnall , Flynn 's lead counsel , wrote in the motion .
`` Michael T. Flynn is innocent .
Mr. Flynn has cooperated with the government in good faith for two years .
He gave the prosecution his full cooperation , '' they wrote .
The defense asked to delay Flynn 's sentencing by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the government says it has no objection .
U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan has yet to rule on the request .
The U.S. Attorney 's Office in Washington , which took over the case from Mueller , recommended earlier this month that Flynn receive `` 0 to 6 months of incarceration . ''
In the sentencing memo , prosecutors said Flynn had been less than cooperative in an investigation of his former partner , Bijan Rafiekian , at Flynn Intel Group , a lobbying firm .
Rafiekian was found guilty in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undisclosed agent of Turkey .
However , Flynn was not called to testify in the trial .
Prosecutors deemed him unreliable after he changed his account of events , they said .
Flynn 's attorneys have disputed that characterization .
Prosecutors said that since Flynn first began cooperating with investigators there had been `` periods where the defendant has sought to assist and aid the government , and periods where the defendant has sought to thwart the efforts of the government to hold other individuals , principally Bijan Rafiekian , accountable for criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But prosecutors pushed back on the notion that their sentencing memo had changed the terms of their deal with Flynn .
Writing to Flynn 's defense team on Monday , Justice Department attorneys Brandon Van Grack and Jocelyn Ballantine said `` we believe that a sentence within the applicable Guidelines range – which includes a possible sentence of probation – is appropriate in this case . ''
`` [ T ] here appears to be no dispute as to the applicable sentencing range or the fact that a non-incarceratory sentence would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In December 2016 , then-President Barack Obama placed sanctions on Russia in retaliation for Moscow 's interference in the presidential election .
In the same month , Flynn , a senior official on the Trump transition team , contacted then-Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak , urging Moscow not to escalate the situation and offering the prospect of a better relationship under the new president , according to court documents .
Flynn then lied to the FBI about those conversations .
In December 2018 , Judge Sullivan delayed sentencing , calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or , at the very least , [ Flynn 's ] acceptance of responsibility . ''
The case involved `` a high-ranking senior official of the administration making false statements to federal agents while on the premises of the White House , '' the judge said at the time .
`` I 'm not hiding my disgust , my disdain , for this criminal offense . ''
Flynn 's then-attorney , Robert Kelner , described his client as having cooperated fully with Mueller 's investigation and suggested that he still had `` something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Rafiekian .
But that testimony never materialized .
Soon afterward , Flynn fired Kelner and hired Powell , a former federal prosecutor and a critic of Mueller and the FBI , who took a more combative tack , running afoul of Judge Sullivan .
Powell has filed numerous requests with the court to get the Justice Department to turn over what she says are records showing the FBI sought to entrap Flynn while withholding evidence that could exonerate him .
She also argued that prosecutors wanted Flynn to lie in the trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused to testify .
`` Not only was that demanded testimony a lie , but also , the prosecutors knew it was false , and would induce a breach , '' Powell said .
The judge shut down that argument , writing in a ruling last month that : `` The court summarily disposes of Mr. Flynn 's arguments that the FBI conducted an ambush interview for the purpose of trapping him into making false statements and that the government pressured him to enter a guilty plea . ''

Flynn Asks To Withdraw Guilty Plea In Case Stemming From Mueller Probe
Enlarge this image toggle caption Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who admitted to lying to the FBI about contacts with Russia's ambassador to the U.S., wants to withdraw his 2-year-old guilty plea, saying federal prosecutors reneged on a promise to not ask for jail time at his upcoming sentencing.
Flynn, who held the post of national security adviser for less than a month, is the only Trump administration official to face criminal charges in connection with special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian election meddling. He was to be sentenced on Jan. 28.
"The government's stunning and vindictive reversal of its earlier representations to this Court are incredible, vindictive, in bad faith, and breach the plea agreement," Sidney Powell and Jesse Binnall, Flynn's lead counsel, wrote in the motion.
"Michael T. Flynn is innocent. Mr. Flynn has cooperated with the government in good faith for two years. He gave the prosecution his full cooperation," they wrote.
The defense asked to delay Flynn's sentencing by 30 days, to Feb. 27, and the government says it has no objection. U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan has yet to rule on the request.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, which took over the case from Mueller, recommended earlier this month that Flynn receive "0 to 6 months of incarceration."
In the sentencing memo, prosecutors said Flynn had been less than cooperative in an investigation of his former partner, Bijan Rafiekian, at Flynn Intel Group, a lobbying firm.
Rafiekian was found guilty in July of conspiring to act as an undisclosed agent of Turkey. However, Flynn was not called to testify in the trial. Prosecutors deemed him unreliable after he changed his account of events, they said. Flynn's attorneys have disputed that characterization.
Prosecutors said that since Flynn began cooperating with investigators, there had been "periods where the defendant has sought to assist and aid the government, and periods where the defendant has sought to thwart the efforts of the government to hold other individuals, principally Bijan Rafiekian, accountable for criminal wrongdoing," the sentencing memo says.
But prosecutors pushed back on the notion that their sentencing memo had changed the terms of their deal with Flynn.
Writing to Flynn's defense team on Monday, Justice Department attorneys Brandon Van Grack and Jocelyn Ballantine said, "We believe that a sentence within the applicable Guidelines range — which includes a possible sentence of probation — is appropriate in this case."
"[T]here appears to be no dispute as to the applicable sentencing range or the fact that a non-incarceratory sentence would be a reasonable sentence within that range."
The case against Flynn
In December 2016, President Barack Obama placed sanctions on Russia in retaliation for Moscow's interference in the presidential election. In the same month, Flynn, a senior official on the Trump transition team, contacted then-Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, urging Moscow not to escalate the situation and offering the prospect of a better relationship under the new president, according to court documents.
Flynn then lied to the FBI about those conversations.
In December 2018, Sullivan delayed sentencing, calling into question Flynn's guilty plea "or, at the very least, [Flynn's] acceptance of responsibility."
The case involved "a high-ranking senior official of the administration making false statements to federal agents while on the premises of the White House," the judge said at the time. "I'm not hiding my disgust, my disdain, for this criminal offense."
Flynn's then-attorney, Robert Kelner, described his client as having cooperated fully with Mueller's investigation and suggested that he still had "something left to give" in the case against Rafiekian. But that testimony never materialized.
Soon afterward, Flynn fired Kelner and hired Powell, a former federal prosecutor and a critic of Mueller and the FBI who took a more combative tack, running afoul of Sullivan.
Powell has filed numerous requests with the court to get the Justice Department to turn over what she says are records showing the FBI sought to entrap Flynn while withholding evidence that could exonerate him. She also argued that prosecutors wanted Flynn to lie in the trial of Rafiekian and that that is why he refused to testify.
"Not only was that demanded testimony a lie, but also, the prosecutors knew it was false, and would induce a breach," Powell said.
The judge shut down that argument, writing in a ruling last month that: "The court summarily disposes of Mr. Flynn's arguments that the FBI conducted an ambush interview for the purpose of trapping him into making false statements and that the government pressured him to enter a guilty plea."
"The record proves otherwise," Sullivan wrote.


npr--2020-01-14--Red Sox Manager Alex Cora To 'Part Ways' With Boston After Sign-Stealing Scandal

Red Sox Manager Alex Cora To 'Part Ways ' With Boston After Sign-Stealing Scandal Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is the latest casualty of the baseball cheating scheme that has rocked the sports world this week .
Cora , who was bench coach for the 2017 World Series-winning Houston Astros and went on to become manager for the Red Sox , and lead that team to victory in 2018 , announced on Friday he is parting ways with Boston .
A lengthy investigation by Major League Baseball concluded he helped develop the sign-stealing system that was seen as contributing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sox 's devastating back-to-back blows to the Los Angeles Dodgers .
Cora 's departure was widely expected and follows those of Houston Astros manager A.J .
Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow .
The two were first suspended by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Monday , then fired by Astros owner Jim Crane later that day .
`` Given the findings and the commissioner 's ruling , we collectively decided that it would not be possible for Alex to effectively lead the club going forward and we mutually agreed to part ways , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attributed to owner John Henry , chairman Tom Werner , CEO Sam Kennedy and Cora .
The statement said the four of them had agreed `` parting ways was the best thing '' for the team .
`` I do not want to be a distraction to the Red Sox as they move forward , '' he wrote .
`` It was an honor to manage these teams and help bring a World Series Championship back to Boston . ''
Cora moved from the Astros to the Red Sox , which won the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is accused of employing the same sign-stealing scam , according to the The Athletic .
The use of technology is strictly forbidden in baseball but investigators say the Texas team used a combination of high- and low-tech .
Officials say that during all of the Astros 2017 home games , the team used monitors near the dugout to watch live cameras placed in center field that were picking up secret hand signals between the opposing team 's catcher and pitcher .
When the Astros decoded the signs , they relayed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a trash can .

Red Sox Manager Alex Cora To 'Part Ways' With Boston After Sign-Stealing Scandal
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gregory Bull/AP Gregory Bull/AP
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is the latest casualty of the baseball cheating scheme that has rocked the sports world this week.
Cora, who was bench coach for the 2017 World Series-winning Houston Astros and went on to become manager for the Red Sox, and lead that team to victory in 2018, announced on Friday he is parting ways with Boston.
A lengthy investigation by Major League Baseball concluded he helped develop the sign-stealing system that was seen as contributing to the Astros' and the Red Sox's devastating back-to-back blows to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cora's departure was widely expected and follows those of Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. The two were first suspended by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Monday, then fired by Astros owner Jim Crane later that day.
"Given the findings and the commissioner's ruling, we collectively decided that it would not be possible for Alex to effectively lead the club going forward and we mutually agreed to part ways," the team said in a statement attributed to owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner, CEO Sam Kennedy and Cora.
The statement said the four of them had agreed "parting ways was the best thing" for the team.
"I do not want to be a distraction to the Red Sox as they move forward," he wrote. "It was an honor to manage these teams and help bring a World Series Championship back to Boston."
Cora moved from the Astros to the Red Sox, which won the World Series following the Astros' victory. He is accused of employing the same sign-stealing scam, according to the The Athletic.
The use of technology is strictly forbidden in baseball but investigators say the Texas team used a combination of high- and low-tech.
Officials say that during all of the Astros 2017 home games, the team used monitors near the dugout to watch live cameras placed in center field that were picking up secret hand signals between the opposing team's catcher and pitcher. When the Astros decoded the signs, they relayed the information to their hitters by banging on a trash can.
As NPR reported:
"Manfred said the banging method was planned and executed by Cora and players. Using the center field camera to decode signs was 'originated by lower-level baseball operations employees working in conjunction with Astros players and Cora.'


npr--2020-01-14--Live Analysis Of The January Democratic Debate

Eyes are on Iowa as the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates gather there for the seventh debate .
The Iowa caucuses @ @ @ @ @ three weeks .
It 's the first contest of the primary .
Only six candidates @ @ @ @ @ , hosted by CNN and The Des Moines Register : former Vice President Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ Ind.
, Mayor Pete Buttigieg , Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ Steyer and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
The latest polls show mixed results , with @ @ @ @ @ 's more , Tuesday is the first debate that will not have any candidates of @ @ @ @ @ some have attributed to the DNC 's qualification standards .
Since December 's debate , @ @ @ @ @ out : New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker , entrepreneur Marianne Williamson and former housing Secretary @ @ @ @ @ 's a full list of who is still running . )
Follow NPR 's live @ @ @ @ @ with real-time analysis of the candidates ' remarks , above .

Live Analysis Of The January Democratic Debate
Enlarge this image toggle caption Angela Hsieh/NPR Angela Hsieh/NPR
Loading...
Eyes are on Iowa as the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates gather there for the seventh debate. The Iowa caucuses take place in less than three weeks. It's the first contest of the primary.
Only six candidates qualified for Tuesday's debate, hosted by CNN and The Des Moines Register: former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, billionaire business executive Tom Steyer and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
The latest polls show mixed results, with no clear favorite. What's more, Tuesday is the first debate that will not have any candidates of color onstage — a fact some have attributed to the DNC's qualification standards.
Since December's debate, three more candidates have dropped out: New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, entrepreneur Marianne Williamson and former housing Secretary Julián Castro. (Here's a full list of who is still running.)
Follow NPR's live coverage of the debate, with real-time analysis of the candidates' remarks, above.


npr--2020-01-14--New War Powers Resolution Gains Key GOP Support, Boosting Chances Of Senate Passage

A Democratic-led Senate resolution to limit the president 's war powers in the wake of escalated tensions with Iran has won support from several key GOP members to potentially gain passage in the Republican-controlled chamber .
Republican Sens .
Rand Paul of Kentucky , Mike Lee of Utah , Todd Young of Indiana and Susan Collins of Maine have all signed on as co-sponsors to the measure led by Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine .
That would bring the total number of supporters for the measure to 51 , a simple majority of the Senate needed for passage .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional approval before another military-led strike against Iran .
`` The good news is this : We now have a majority of colleagues — Democratic and Republican — who will stand strong with the principle that we should n't be at war without a vote of Congress , and that 's a very positive thing , '' Kaine said .
The move comes after President Trump greenlighted a U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian general earlier this month , which led to increased tensions with Tehran .
Iran responded days later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missiles at two U.S. military bases in Iraq , which resulted in no casualties .
Last week , the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives approved a similar resolution mostly along a party-line vote directing President Trump to seek consent from Congress before taking new military action against Iran .
However , that resolution was nonbinding .
If the House approved the new Senate version , it would carry with it the force of law .
Still , this Senate version faces its own , new obstacles .
It could eventually fail with a veto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supermajority of either chamber .
However , Kaine said even with a veto , the measure could still send a strong message to the president to seek lawmaker approval on such actions and potentially influence future decisions .
Kaine filed an initial version of his war powers resolution on Jan. 3 .
However , he revised it to gain new Republican support and filed an updated version days later .
That second version incorporated suggestions from the new Republican co-sponsors .
Kaine said he is still working to gain additional Republican support .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ others that are thinking about it , '' Kaine said .
Republican Todd Young , a Marine Corps veteran , says his military background led him to support the revised war powers measure .
He said it affirms a provision of the Constitution 's Article I , which gives Congress the power to declare war .
`` Making sure that our men and women in uniform know that me and Congress have their backs , it 's really important to me as someone who served in the U.S. Marine Corps , '' Young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think it 's essential that Congress , from time to time , reaffirms our Article I responsibilities and affirms our support for our men and women in uniform as we contemplate potentially putting them in harm 's way . ''
The war powers concern is also tied to a long-running debate on whether the president should be relying on war powers issued in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks .
Congress approved wide-ranging Authorization for Use of Military Force efforts in 2001 and 2002 .
And Trump administration officials have maintained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take action against Iran under the 2002 authorization .
Kaine said at minimum , service members deserve a debate on whether the U.S. should enter into new wars .
`` What they do n't deserve is blundering , inching towards accidentally escalating into another war in the Middle East .
So we are doing what we ought to do by our troops and their families by taking this more seriously than we have in the past , '' Kaine said .
`` We 've been in autopilot in wars for 18 years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported war powers measures and moved to support Kaine 's newest effort after additional talks with the Virginia senator to adjust the resolution 's language .
`` Over the past decade , Congress has too often abdicated its constitutional responsibilities on authorizing the sustained use of military force , '' Collins said in a statement .
`` Although the President as Commander in Chief has the power to lead and defend our armed forces and to respond to imminent attacks , no President has the authority to commit our military to a war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans who in June supported an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to require congressional approval for action against Iran .
Lee , Paul and Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas also broke ranks to support it , but the effort ultimately failed by a vote of 50 to 40 .
On Tuesday , Collins reiterated that Congress should be involved in such critical military actions , but the resolution still allows the president to respond in cases of self-defense .
`` Congress can not be sidelined on these important decisions , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would continue to allow the President to respond to emergencies created by aggression from any hostile nation , including Iran , and to repel an imminent attack by Iran or its proxy forces . ''
Last week , Paul and Lee jointly said they were on board with the new Kaine war powers measure after a contentious closed-door briefing on Iran with Trump administration officials .
Lee said he found the briefing , which included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper , `` insulting and demeaning , '' forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a joint opinion piece in The Washington Post Tuesday evening , Kaine and Lee said Congress can no longer shirk its responsibility to debate war , and in this case , a potential war with Iran .
`` If the United States is to order our troops into harm 's way again , we should at least have an open debate about whether a war with Iran , or indeed any war , is truly in our national interest , '' they said .
`` Our resolution puts a simple statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be at war with Iran unless Congress authorizes it .
If senators are unwilling to have this debate — because a war vote is hard or opinion polls suggest that their vote might be unpopular — how dare we order our troops to courageously serve and risk all ? ''
Senators on Tuesday were unclear on when the measure could receive a vote .
Kaine suggested that if the measure cleared a major procedural hurdle , it could receive a vote as early as Wednesday , but the effort seemed unlikely .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be brought up for a vote as early as next Tuesday , Jan. 21 .
However , with the Senate weighing the start of a potential impeachment trial of President Trump that day , it has put that timing also in question .
As a result , it 's possible the vote could be shifted to after the Senate trial , which could last several weeks .
Meanwhile , as members continue to raise questions about recent military actions with Iran , several State Department officials on Wednesday morning are slated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Relations Committee .

New War Powers Resolution Gains Key GOP Support, Boosting Chances Of Senate Passage
Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP
A Democratic-led Senate resolution to limit the president's war powers in the wake of escalated tensions with Iran has won support from several key GOP members to potentially gain passage in the Republican-controlled chamber.
Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah, Todd Young of Indiana and Susan Collins of Maine have all signed on as co-sponsors to the measure led by Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine.
That would bring the total number of supporters for the measure to 51, a simple majority of the Senate needed for passage. The resolution would require the president to seek congressional approval before another military-led strike against Iran.
"The good news is this: We now have a majority of colleagues — Democratic and Republican — who will stand strong with the principle that we shouldn't be at war without a vote of Congress, and that's a very positive thing," Kaine said.
The move comes after President Trump greenlighted a U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian general earlier this month, which led to increased tensions with Tehran. Iran responded days later by launching more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two U.S. military bases in Iraq, which resulted in no casualties.
Last week, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives approved a similar resolution mostly along a party-line vote directing President Trump to seek consent from Congress before taking new military action against Iran. However, that resolution was nonbinding. If the House approved the new Senate version, it would carry with it the force of law.
Still, this Senate version faces its own, new obstacles. It could eventually fail with a veto from the president without support of a supermajority of either chamber. However, Kaine said even with a veto, the measure could still send a strong message to the president to seek lawmaker approval on such actions and potentially influence future decisions.
Kaine filed an initial version of his war powers resolution on Jan. 3. However, he revised it to gain new Republican support and filed an updated version days later. That second version incorporated suggestions from the new Republican co-sponsors.
Kaine said he is still working to gain additional Republican support.
"I do have a number of others that are thinking about it," Kaine said.
Republican Todd Young, a Marine Corps veteran, says his military background led him to support the revised war powers measure. He said it affirms a provision of the Constitution's Article I, which gives Congress the power to declare war.
"Making sure that our men and women in uniform know that me and Congress have their backs, it's really important to me as someone who served in the U.S. Marine Corps," Young said. He later added, "I think it's essential that Congress, from time to time, reaffirms our Article I responsibilities and affirms our support for our men and women in uniform as we contemplate potentially putting them in harm's way."
The war powers concern is also tied to a long-running debate on whether the president should be relying on war powers issued in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Congress approved wide-ranging Authorization for Use of Military Force efforts in 2001 and 2002. And Trump administration officials have maintained the president already has the authority to take action against Iran under the 2002 authorization.
Kaine said at minimum, service members deserve a debate on whether the U.S. should enter into new wars.
"What they don't deserve is blundering, inching towards accidentally escalating into another war in the Middle East. So we are doing what we ought to do by our troops and their families by taking this more seriously than we have in the past," Kaine said. "We've been in autopilot in wars for 18 years."
Sen. Collins said she has previously supported war powers measures and moved to support Kaine's newest effort after additional talks with the Virginia senator to adjust the resolution's language.
"Over the past decade, Congress has too often abdicated its constitutional responsibilities on authorizing the sustained use of military force," Collins said in a statement. "Although the President as Commander in Chief has the power to lead and defend our armed forces and to respond to imminent attacks, no President has the authority to commit our military to a war."
Collins was also among the Republicans who in June supported an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to require congressional approval for action against Iran. Lee, Paul and Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas also broke ranks to support it, but the effort ultimately failed by a vote of 50 to 40.
On Tuesday, Collins reiterated that Congress should be involved in such critical military actions, but the resolution still allows the president to respond in cases of self-defense.
"Congress cannot be sidelined on these important decisions," Collins said. "The Kaine resolution would continue to allow the President to respond to emergencies created by aggression from any hostile nation, including Iran, and to repel an imminent attack by Iran or its proxy forces."
Last week, Paul and Lee jointly said they were on board with the new Kaine war powers measure after a contentious closed-door briefing on Iran with Trump administration officials. Lee said he found the briefing, which included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper, "insulting and demeaning," forcing him to support the new Kaine measure.
In a joint opinion piece in The Washington Post Tuesday evening, Kaine and Lee said Congress can no longer shirk its responsibility to debate war, and in this case, a potential war with Iran.
"If the United States is to order our troops into harm's way again, we should at least have an open debate about whether a war with Iran, or indeed any war, is truly in our national interest," they said. "Our resolution puts a simple statement before the Senate. We should not be at war with Iran unless Congress authorizes it. If senators are unwilling to have this debate — because a war vote is hard or opinion polls suggest that their vote might be unpopular — how dare we order our troops to courageously serve and risk all?"
Senators on Tuesday were unclear on when the measure could receive a vote. Kaine suggested that if the measure cleared a major procedural hurdle, it could receive a vote as early as Wednesday, but the effort seemed unlikely.
But under other procedural rules, the measure could be brought up for a vote as early as next Tuesday, Jan. 21. However, with the Senate weighing the start of a potential impeachment trial of President Trump that day, it has put that timing also in question. As a result, it's possible the vote could be shifted to after the Senate trial, which could last several weeks.
Meanwhile, as members continue to raise questions about recent military actions with Iran, several State Department officials on Wednesday morning are slated to meet with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.