npr--2020-02-13--Would The U.S. Health System Be Ready For A Surge In Coronavirus Cases?

Would The U.S. Health System Be Ready For A Surge In Coronavirus Cases ?
Another U.S. case of infection with the novel coronavirus was confirmed Thursday , bringing the total number of domestic cases to 15 .
Around the world , cases have reached nearly 60,000 to date .
But if something changes and large numbers of people get infected in the U.S. , is the country 's health system prepared to cope with a surge of patients with this virus , or any future pathogen ?
`` Surge capacity in the health care system is something that we think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. , and not specifically to coronavirus per se , but for a whole host of events that could occur in the United States , '' says Jonathan Greene , director of emergency management and medical operations at the Department of Health and Human Services .
Greene points out that the likelihood of the average American coming down with the virus , if the person has not traveled to China or come into close contact with someone who has , remains `` extremely low . ''
Public health officials have repeatedly cautioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community transmission .
Even so , Greene says the federal agency is working to be able to treat thousands of patients if need be .
But other experts are skeptical about the U.S. capacity to handle a severe epidemic with a sudden surge of thousands of infections .
`` No one is ready for a worst case-scenario for a really bad , lethal , fast-moving pandemic , '' says bioterrorism and biosafety expert Dr. Tara O'Toole , former undersecretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security and now at In-Q-Tel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supports U.S. national security .
For instance , O'Toole thinks that hospitals would have a very hard time handling a lot of critically ill patients who need to be in isolation .
`` That 's why we want to make sure that the people we 're putting in hospitals and keeping isolated are really the ones who need that kind of care , '' she says .
Greene says plans are in place to address this issue .
`` One of the ways we do that is through the expansion of telemedicine or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities to treat patients that do n't need the type of acute care that someone who has severe respiratory distress might require . ''
Plans are also underway to work with emergency medical service systems to transport patients if need be to facilities other than hospital emergency departments .
In Portland , Ore. , Dr .
Dawn Nolt , an infectious disease specialist at Oregon Health & Science University , says her hospital has protocols in place to screen patients for dangerous infectious disease .
`` These protocols have been established since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used them to screen patients who have come in with very many infections , including ones such as SARS and MERS , '' she says .
And today , the hospital follows guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when screening patients for symptoms of the new virus , such as fever and cough .
`` If they have been to China , we would escort them into a private room to remove them from other patients and visitors , '' Nolt says .
They would be evaluated , and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected of being infected with the coronavirus , they would be placed in what 's called `` airborne isolation , '' she says .
This is a precaution used to prevent the spread of germs through the air or dust .
Typically , this is a private room that has an air-exchange system that prevents germs from leaving the room .
The hospital has conducted drills to prepare for patients who have to be isolated , as did the hospital in Washington state where the first patient identified with the new coronavirus was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engaged in similar drills .
Even so , Dr. Amesh Adalja , a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security , questions whether hospitals pay adequate attention to working on emergency preparedness on a routine basis .
`` We 've come a long way , but it 's not fully as good as it should be if this threat were taken seriously all the time , '' he says .
The problem , Adalja says , is that the funding for such preparedness waxes and wanes .
`` People 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of languish , '' he says .
Hospitals plan for new procedures and new drugs with enthusiasm , he says , but `` they do n't plan for pandemics in the same manner . ''
As it is now , Adalja says , the health care system is stressed for capacity .
He notes that hospitals often become overcrowded , and there is pressure to discharge patients because `` there 's no beds , and people are waiting in emergency departments . ''
Rapid and accurate disease testing is another area of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CDC released a diagnostic test for the new coronavirus that it 's distributing to 115 labs around the U.S. , to expand capacity to test for the virus without sending samples to the CDC .
Some problems with the testing emerged Wednesday .
Some labs were getting inconclusive results during quality control testing , so the CDC is working to fix the tests .
In the meantime , labs must still send tests to the CDC in Atlanta .
If there were to be a flood of new possible cases , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local doctor 's offices or even at home could make it far easier to manage an epidemic , O'Toole says .
And the good news , she points out , is that the U.S. already has the capacity to develop such a rapid diagnostic test .
The test could be developed in just a few months , but to do so would require a federal commitment and a greater investment in public health , she says .
And today the need for a rapid diagnostic test is critical , O'Toole says , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age of epidemics . ''
These epidemics are going to keep coming , she says .
`` The frequency and the impact of epidemics has been increasing .
It 's a consequence of trade and travel patterns — we all move around the world all the time very quickly , '' she says .
And she adds , `` Increasingly , people are venturing into once-remote ecosystems where they come in contact with animals who have new pathogens that the human immune system is n't ready to handle . ''
What 's needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an epidemic , says O'Toole , but `` we do n't have a strategy and we have n't built the infrastructure '' to do so .
In large part , of course , this has to do with funding , which is always challenging , says John Auerbach , president of Trust for America 's Health , a nonpartisan health research and advocacy group .
`` Infectious disease outbreaks can accelerate quickly , and you do n't want to wait until you see what that is like and then say , 'Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deliberate planning process . '
You really want to get ahead of it , '' he says .
It 's best to take steps and ensure funding before a crisis looms , he adds .
Take what happened in 2015 when a widespread epidemic of Zika fever , caused by the Zika virus in Brazil , spread to other parts of South America and North America .
`` The CDC identified the need for additional dollars , but it took several months before Congress approved those dollars , and during that time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be as effective as it could have been , '' says Auerbach .
Today , Auerbach says , the public health system is further frayed , in large part because of coping with other disasters , like wildfires in California , flooding in the Midwest and South , the measles outbreak before that and the addiction crisis .
`` Public health in America is generally underfunded and has been cut over the last decade , '' he says .
On the other hand , HHS official Greene argues that the nation 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has been in the past .
`` We 've gone through outbreaks of other diseases , other coronaviruses , SARS and MERS , '' he says .
And each one of those experiences has helped the system develop `` tactics , capabilities , training and education to be able to deal with whatever comes down the road .
This is just one more in a long history of disease outbreaks that we 're being asked to tackle . ''
The strategic national stockpile , says Greene , holds `` millions of face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloves and surgical gowns that could potentially be deployed if state and local supplies are diminished during this current outbreak . ''
Greene says that HHS is working with the health care sector and the supply chain to ensure that any disruptions that may occur or shortages are `` short-lived and that the right amount of material can be provided '' as soon as possible .

Would The U.S. Health System Be Ready For A Surge In Coronavirus Cases?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ted S. Warren/AP Ted S. Warren/AP
Another U.S. case of infection with the novel coronavirus was confirmed Thursday, bringing the total number of domestic cases to 15. Around the world, cases have reached nearly 60,000 to date.
But if something changes and large numbers of people get infected in the U.S., is the country's health system prepared to cope with a surge of patients with this virus, or any future pathogen?
"Surge capacity in the health care system is something that we think a lot about and prepare for in the U.S., and not specifically to coronavirus per se, but for a whole host of events that could occur in the United States," says Jonathan Greene, director of emergency management and medical operations at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Greene points out that the likelihood of the average American coming down with the virus, if the person has not traveled to China or come into close contact with someone who has, remains "extremely low." Public health officials have repeatedly cautioned that there are currently no signs of community transmission.
Even so, Greene says the federal agency is working to be able to treat thousands of patients if need be.
But other experts are skeptical about the U.S. capacity to handle a severe epidemic with a sudden surge of thousands of infections.
"No one is ready for a worst case-scenario for a really bad, lethal, fast-moving pandemic," says bioterrorism and biosafety expert Dr. Tara O'Toole, former undersecretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security and now at In-Q-Tel, a nonprofit strategic investment firm that supports U.S. national security.
For instance, O'Toole thinks that hospitals would have a very hard time handling a lot of critically ill patients who need to be in isolation. "That's why we want to make sure that the people we're putting in hospitals and keeping isolated are really the ones who need that kind of care," she says.
Greene says plans are in place to address this issue. "One of the ways we do that is through the expansion of telemedicine or the ability to utilize other types of facilities to treat patients that don't need the type of acute care that someone who has severe respiratory distress might require."
Plans are also underway to work with emergency medical service systems to transport patients if need be to facilities other than hospital emergency departments.
In Portland, Ore., Dr. Dawn Nolt, an infectious disease specialist at Oregon Health & Science University, says her hospital has protocols in place to screen patients for dangerous infectious disease.
"These protocols have been established since the onset of Ebola, and we have used them to screen patients who have come in with very many infections, including ones such as SARS and MERS," she says. And today, the hospital follows guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when screening patients for symptoms of the new virus, such as fever and cough.
"If they have been to China, we would escort them into a private room to remove them from other patients and visitors," Nolt says. They would be evaluated, and if it's determined patients are infected or suspected of being infected with the coronavirus, they would be placed in what's called "airborne isolation," she says.
This is a precaution used to prevent the spread of germs through the air or dust. Typically, this is a private room that has an air-exchange system that prevents germs from leaving the room.
The hospital has conducted drills to prepare for patients who have to be isolated, as did the hospital in Washington state where the first patient identified with the new coronavirus was taken. Nationwide, many hospitals have engaged in similar drills.
Even so, Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, questions whether hospitals pay adequate attention to working on emergency preparedness on a routine basis. "We've come a long way, but it's not fully as good as it should be if this threat were taken seriously all the time," he says.
The problem, Adalja says, is that the funding for such preparedness waxes and wanes. "People's interest goes away, and then things kind of languish," he says.
Hospitals plan for new procedures and new drugs with enthusiasm, he says, but "they don't plan for pandemics in the same manner."
As it is now, Adalja says, the health care system is stressed for capacity. He notes that hospitals often become overcrowded, and there is pressure to discharge patients because "there's no beds, and people are waiting in emergency departments."
Rapid and accurate disease testing is another area of concern for preparedness. Last week, the CDC released a diagnostic test for the new coronavirus that it's distributing to 115 labs around the U.S., to expand capacity to test for the virus without sending samples to the CDC. Some problems with the testing emerged Wednesday. Some labs were getting inconclusive results during quality control testing, so the CDC is working to fix the tests. In the meantime, labs must still send tests to the CDC in Atlanta.
If there were to be a flood of new possible cases, a diagnostic test that could be done in local doctor's offices or even at home could make it far easier to manage an epidemic, O'Toole says. And the good news, she points out, is that the U.S. already has the capacity to develop such a rapid diagnostic test.
The test could be developed in just a few months, but to do so would require a federal commitment and a greater investment in public health, she says.
And today the need for a rapid diagnostic test is critical, O'Toole says, because today's world has become an "age of epidemics."
These epidemics are going to keep coming, she says. "The frequency and the impact of epidemics has been increasing. It's a consequence of trade and travel patterns — we all move around the world all the time very quickly," she says. And she adds, "Increasingly, people are venturing into once-remote ecosystems where they come in contact with animals who have new pathogens that the human immune system isn't ready to handle."
What's needed is a strategic approach to rapidly deal with an epidemic, says O'Toole, but "we don't have a strategy and we haven't built the infrastructure" to do so.
In large part, of course, this has to do with funding, which is always challenging, says John Auerbach, president of Trust for America's Health, a nonpartisan health research and advocacy group.
"Infectious disease outbreaks can accelerate quickly, and you don't want to wait until you see what that is like and then say, 'Well, now let's begin a slow and deliberate planning process.' You really want to get ahead of it," he says.
It's best to take steps and ensure funding before a crisis looms, he adds. Take what happened in 2015 when a widespread epidemic of Zika fever, caused by the Zika virus in Brazil, spread to other parts of South America and North America.
"The CDC identified the need for additional dollars, but it took several months before Congress approved those dollars, and during that time period, it limited CDC's capacity to be as effective as it could have been," says Auerbach.
Today, Auerbach says, the public health system is further frayed, in large part because of coping with other disasters, like wildfires in California, flooding in the Midwest and South, the measles outbreak before that and the addiction crisis.
"Public health in America is generally underfunded and has been cut over the last decade," he says.
On the other hand, HHS official Greene argues that the nation's health care system is better prepared than it has been in the past. "We've gone through outbreaks of other diseases, other coronaviruses, SARS and MERS," he says. And each one of those experiences has helped the system develop "tactics, capabilities, training and education to be able to deal with whatever comes down the road. This is just one more in a long history of disease outbreaks that we're being asked to tackle."
The strategic national stockpile, says Greene, holds "millions of face masks, and supplies of respirators, gloves and surgical gowns that could potentially be deployed if state and local supplies are diminished during this current outbreak." Greene says that HHS is working with the health care sector and the supply chain to ensure that any disruptions that may occur or shortages are "short-lived and that the right amount of material can be provided" as soon as possible.


npr--2020-02-13--A Big Vote Registration Push Reaches Millions — But Divides Elections Officials

A nonprofit group wants to see more unmarried women , young people and people of color on the nation 's voter rolls , so it recently sent 9 million letters urging those groups to register .
But the mailers have upset some election officials , who say they 've left voters confused .
The mailers clearly state that they 're from the Voter Participation Center or its sister organization , the Center for Voter Information .
But the letter inside looks like it could come from the government .
It says a review of publicly available records shows that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if that 's so , recipients should complete and send in the enclosed official registration form .
A postage-paid envelope addressed to the local election office is also included .
The problem is the mailers do n't just go to unregistered voters .
Sometimes , by mistake , they 're sent to people who 've died , are too young to vote , or are already on the rolls .
`` I myself received one of the letters saying that I was n't registered to vote , '' says Meagan Wolfe , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Wolfe knows better than most that she is , in fact , registered — and has been for years — but she 's concerned that many other voters are n't so sure .
`` A lot of times we 'll hear from our local election officials that they 're hearing from their voters that their voters are confused , '' she says .
`` They do n't know where to send those forms back .
They do n't know who 's sending them .
And one of the things that really confuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why they 're receiving it . ''
The mailings have attracted so much attention because of the sheer volume — it 's probably the largest such registration drive in the country — and because it comes at a time when election officials are fighting a wave of disinformation and a decline in public confidence in elections .
`` We 've actually seen where it 's been sent to pets , '' says Chris Chambliss , supervisor of elections for Clay County , Florida .
He complains that this is especially troubling because some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his office , not an outside group .
`` All of that snowballs because you then start getting into the conversation of 'Well if this is n't accurate , I wonder if my vote 's accurate ? '
'' Chambliss says .
Page Gardner , president of the Voter Participation Center , defends the effort and insists that errors involve only a tiny fraction of letters .
She also says her group is doing important work , registering many eligible voters who are n't registered now , especially those who tend to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters — women , young people and people of color — part of the `` rising American electorate . ''
`` We 're trying to get more and more people participating and we 're trying to make sure that people know how and have the access to participating in our democracy , '' she says .
The campaign has been highly successful so far , registering more than four million voters since the effort began in 2003 .
The group hopes to register another million voters before November .
Its target audience tends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voter Participation Center is nonpartisan , the group has liberal and Democratic ties .
Gardner acknowledges that one problem is there 's no reliable list of unregistered voters in the country .
So her group compiles its lists from multiple commercial and government sources and tries to screen out inaccuracies .
They even have a list of more than three thousand names to avoid , such as `` Darth Vader '' and `` Rip Van Winkle , '' and those commonly used for pets .
`` Some people , when they sign up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something , they 'll use 'Fido , Fido Smith . '
We do n't mail to Fido , '' says Gardner .
`` What we do is use the best data available . ''
Indeed , many election officials say that the Voter Participation Center 's effort is much better than similar registration drives .
It alerts election offices in advance about their mailings and works with some states to clean up their lists .
Judd Choate , Colorado 's election director , calls them `` best in class '' because if there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fix them .
David Becker , executive director of the nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research , says the campaign -- - and the frustrations about it — are a reflection of a sad reality in elections .
Even though many states have made registering to vote a lot easier in recent years , tens of millions of people still are n't on the rolls .
`` So there 's always going to be a need for some third-party registration to fill in the gaps , '' Becker says , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turning too many people off .
Even so , Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap thinks the mailings do more harm than good .
`` The effort itself is laudable .
It 's some of the mechanics I think that cause confusion , '' says Dunlap .
`` And that confusion then results in the exact opposition of what their goal is , which is to get people to participate in the process . ''
Dunlap wants the mailings to stop .
Gardner says more are coming in April , June and September @

A Big Vote Registration Push Reaches Millions — But Divides Elections Officials
Enlarge this image toggle caption LM Otero/AP LM Otero/AP
A nonprofit group wants to see more unmarried women, young people and people of color on the nation's voter rolls, so it recently sent 9 million letters urging those groups to register.
But the mailers have upset some election officials, who say they've left voters confused.
The mailers clearly state that they're from the Voter Participation Center or its sister organization, the Center for Voter Information. But the letter inside looks like it could come from the government.
It says a review of publicly available records shows that the recipient may not be registered, and if that's so, recipients should complete and send in the enclosed official registration form.
A postage-paid envelope addressed to the local election office is also included.
The problem is the mailers don't just go to unregistered voters. Sometimes, by mistake, they're sent to people who've died, are too young to vote, or are already on the rolls.
"I myself received one of the letters saying that I wasn't registered to vote," says Meagan Wolfe, the state of Wisconsin's chief election official.
Wolfe knows better than most that she is, in fact, registered — and has been for years — but she's concerned that many other voters aren't so sure.
"A lot of times we'll hear from our local election officials that they're hearing from their voters that their voters are confused," she says. "They don't know where to send those forms back. They don't know who's sending them. And one of the things that really confuses people is that they don't know why they're receiving it."
The mailings have attracted so much attention because of the sheer volume — it's probably the largest such registration drive in the country — and because it comes at a time when election officials are fighting a wave of disinformation and a decline in public confidence in elections.
"We've actually seen where it's been sent to pets," says Chris Chambliss, supervisor of elections for Clay County, Florida. He complains that this is especially troubling because some voters think the letters have come from his office, not an outside group.
"All of that snowballs because you then start getting into the conversation of 'Well if this isn't accurate, I wonder if my vote's accurate?' " Chambliss says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption NPR NPR
Activists defend their project
Page Gardner, president of the Voter Participation Center, defends the effort and insists that errors involve only a tiny fraction of letters.
She also says her group is doing important work, registering many eligible voters who aren't registered now, especially those who tend to be underrepresented.
Gardner's group calls these voters — women, young people and people of color — part of the "rising American electorate."
"We're trying to get more and more people participating and we're trying to make sure that people know how and have the access to participating in our democracy," she says.
The campaign has been highly successful so far, registering more than 4 million voters since the effort began in 2003. The group hopes to register another million voters before November.
Its target audience tends to vote Democratic and, while the Voter Participation Center is nonpartisan, the group has liberal and Democratic ties.
Gardner acknowledges that one problem is there's no reliable list of unregistered voters in the country. So her group compiles its lists from multiple commercial and government sources and tries to screen out inaccuracies.
They even have a list of more than 3,000 names to avoid, such as "Darth Vader" and "Rip Van Winkle," and those commonly used for pets.
"Some people, when they sign up for a magazine or sign up for something, they'll use 'Fido, Fido Smith.' We don't mail to Fido," says Gardner. "What we do is use the best data available."
Despite confusion, registration
Indeed, many election officials say that the Voter Participation Center's effort is much better than similar registration drives.
It alerts election offices in advance about their mailings and works with some states to clean up their lists. Judd Choate, Colorado's election director, calls them "best in class" because if there are problems with mailings, they try to fix them.
David Becker, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research, says the campaign — and the frustrations about it — are a reflection of a sad reality in elections.
Even though many states have made registering to vote a lot easier in recent years, tens of millions of people still aren't on the rolls.
"So there's always going to be a need for some third-party registration to fill in the gaps," Becker says, adding that the challenge is doing it without turning too many people off.
Even so, Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap thinks the mailings do more harm than good.
"The effort itself is laudable. It's some of the mechanics I think that cause confusion," says Dunlap. "And that confusion then results in the exact opposition of what their goal is, which is to get people to participate in the process."
Dunlap wants the mailings to stop. Gardner says more are coming in April, June and September.


npr--2020-02-13--Senate Approves Legislation To Limit President's War Powers Against Iran

The Senate approved a bipartisan resolution to curb the president 's war powers when it comes to Iran — a rare rebuke and effort to reassert Congress ' authority , The vote was 55-45 — with eight Republicans joining all Democrats to pass the measure .
The tally fell far short of the two-thirds needed to override a presidential veto .
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine led the charge on the resolution , which would ban the president from ordering any new offensive strikes against Iran .
It would still allow the president to order strikes in cases of self-defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the legislation garnered three Republican co-sponsors : Sens .
Susan Collins of Maine , Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah .
And at least one other GOP member , Todd Young of Indiana , said he would support the measure , with other Republicans signaling they would vote yes as well .
`` The resolution just says no war with Iran , unless you come and make that case to Congress .
And if you make the case to Congress , in front of the American people , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tough questions and conclude , sadly , it 's in the national interest , that 's one thing , '' Kaine told NPR .
`` But if we 're not even willing to have that discussion , we should n't be forcing people to risk their lives . ''
The move comes more than a week after the Senate acquitted President Trump in a highly partisan impeachment trial .
The war powers resolution was filed before the trial began , in the wake of escalating tensions with Iran .
The Democratic-led measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on for the measure to reach the simple majority of the Senate needed for passage — 51 votes .
Lee said the measure focuses on an imbalance of power that has given way to the presidency and it 's time for Congress to reclaim its authority .
`` We need congressional authorization .
We 've been lied to by the Pentagon for years regarding a war that has gone on two decades .
That 's long enough .
... We do n't want any more wars without the people 's elected representatives being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Collins said Congress ca n't be sidelined in these `` important decisions . ''
`` It is long overdue , '' the Maine Republican said .
`` It reasserts Congress ' constitutional role and recognizes that the Framers did not vest in the presidency the authority to declare war unilaterally . ''
Tensions remain for U.S. and Iran On Jan. 3 , Trump greenlighted a U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian general , Qassem Soleimani , which led to increased tensions with Tehran .
Iran responded days later by launching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two military bases in Iraq , which left more than 100 service members with brain injuries .
Soon after , the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives approved a resolution mostly along a party-line vote directing Trump to seek consent from Congress before taking new military action against Iran .
However , that resolution was nonbinding .
Supporters say this new Senate version will force the president to make a statement on their concerns .
Some maintain that the issue forces debate about what they call `` perpetual wars '' that need to come to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've been at war too long in too many places , and it 's time to talk about bringing the troops home , '' said Paul , one of the Republican co-sponsors of the legislation .
`` It 's not so much about rebuking the president — it 's rebuking all of us for not giving permission for being at war so long . ''
The House has signaled that it could pass the Senate version of the war powers resolution .
However , Trump has also said he would veto the measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kaine holds out some hope for a change of mind in the president since it 's an election year , and he says the measure is consistent with Trump 's argument that he would end these kinds of foreign entanglements .
`` I mean , he might look at it and say , actually , this is kind of what I promised to people , '' Kaine said .
`` And he could confound expectations and say the bill gives me the ability to defend us against imminent attack , which I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Kaine and other supporters have said that even with a veto , the measure sends a strong message to the president to seek lawmakers ' approval on such actions and could potentially influence future decisions .
They point to Trump 's veto last year of a resolution to end military support of Saudi-led forces in Yemen .
However , a few months later , the president ended the refueling of jets aiding the coalition fighting in Yemen .
`` So when something like this gets on his desk and represents the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not care about Congress , but he cares deeply about what the American public thinks about the prospect of another war , '' Kaine said .
Still , several Senate Republicans spoke against the plan , including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , who voted against it .
He suggested supporters should wait until they garner a two-thirds majority of the Senate , or the 67 votes needed to override a veto .
`` This war powers resolution cuts short that interplay between the branches .
It short-circuits the thoughtful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's a dangerously overbroad resolution that should not pass Congress and is certain to be vetoed if it does . ''
Kaine introduced the first version of his war powers resolution within hours of the Soleimani attack on Jan. 3 .
He revised it with help from a group of Republicans to gain their support and filed an updated resolution days later .
The new version , for example , removed direct references to Trump Young , who is a Marine Corps veteran , says his military background played a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measure .
`` It 's really important that Congress fulfill our constitutional responsibilities , which is to declare war , to authorize the use of military force and to engage in these debates on a consistent basis as long as we have men and women overseas ready to put their life on the line for all of us . ''
The war powers concern is tied to a long-running debate on whether the president should be relying on authorizations issued in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks .
Congress approved the wide-ranging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2001 and 2002 .
And Trump administration officials have maintained that the president already has the authority to take action against Iran under the 2002 authorization .
Kaine said that at minimum , service members deserve a debate on whether the U.S. should enter into new wars .
And this is n't the first time GOP lawmakers have split from the White House to pass a war powers resolution .
Last June , Collins , Lee , Paul and Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas backed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Iran .
However , the effort ultimately failed at that time by a 50-40 vote .
This time Kaine strove to increase support for the plan by working one-on-one with Republicans to tweak the legislation in their favor .
Lee publicly signed on to the measure after a contentious closed-door January briefing on Iran with Trump administration officials .
Lee said he found the briefing , which included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , `` insulting and demeaning '' and an attempt to quash any dissent on the Iran attack that killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he should support the war powers measure , he said .
`` This is one that is neither liberal nor conservative .
It 's neither Democratic nor Republican .
...
This is neither hawkish nor dovish , '' Lee argued this week .
`` This is something that simply focuses not on whether war is ever appropriate , not on whether some action against or involving Iran might at some point become necessary or warranted .
It focuses instead on the fact that moving forward , any action that we take involving Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
But Sen. Marco Rubio , R-Fla. , agreed with other detractors that the measure sends a problematic message that Congress and the administration are n't on the same page .
`` It sends a message to adversaries that the president somehow does n't have support or the power to act defensively if we come under attack , '' Rubio told NPR .
`` They are not going to read the language .
They are just going to view it as a rejection of the president acting forcefully to either prevent an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Senate Approves Legislation To Limit President's War Powers Against Iran
Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Updated at 3:18 p.m. ET
The Senate approved a bipartisan resolution to curb the president's war powers when it comes to Iran — a rare rebuke and effort to reassert Congress' authority,
The vote was 55-45 — with eight Republicans joining all Democrats to pass the measure. The tally fell far short of the two-thirds needed to override a presidential veto.
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine led the charge on the resolution, which would ban the president from ordering any new offensive strikes against Iran. It would still allow the president to order strikes in cases of self-defense against an imminent attack.
Early on, the legislation garnered three Republican co-sponsors: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah. And at least one other GOP member, Todd Young of Indiana, said he would support the measure, with other Republicans signaling they would vote yes as well.
"The resolution just says no war with Iran, unless you come and make that case to Congress. And if you make the case to Congress, in front of the American people, and we all have the discussion, ask the tough questions and conclude, sadly, it's in the national interest, that's one thing," Kaine told NPR. "But if we're not even willing to have that discussion, we shouldn't be forcing people to risk their lives."
The move comes more than a week after the Senate acquitted President Trump in a highly partisan impeachment trial. The war powers resolution was filed before the trial began, in the wake of escalating tensions with Iran.
The Democratic-led measure needed at least four Republicans to sign on for the measure to reach the simple majority of the Senate needed for passage — 51 votes.
Lee said the measure focuses on an imbalance of power that has given way to the presidency and it's time for Congress to reclaim its authority.
"We need congressional authorization. We've been lied to by the Pentagon for years regarding a war that has gone on two decades. That's long enough. ... We don't want any more wars without the people's elected representatives being able to debate," Lee said.
Collins said Congress can't be sidelined in these "important decisions."
"It is long overdue," the Maine Republican said. "It reasserts Congress' constitutional role and recognizes that the Framers did not vest in the presidency the authority to declare war unilaterally."
Tensions remain for U.S. and Iran
On Jan. 3, Trump greenlighted a U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani, which led to increased tensions with Tehran. Iran responded days later by launching more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two military bases in Iraq, which left more than 100 service members with brain injuries.
Soon after, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives approved a resolution mostly along a party-line vote directing Trump to seek consent from Congress before taking new military action against Iran. However, that resolution was nonbinding.
Supporters say this new Senate version will force the president to make a statement on their concerns. Some maintain that the issue forces debate about what they call "perpetual wars" that need to come to an end.
"I think we've been at war too long in too many places, and it's time to talk about bringing the troops home," said Paul, one of the Republican co-sponsors of the legislation. "It's not so much about rebuking the president — it's rebuking all of us for not giving permission for being at war so long."
The House has signaled that it could pass the Senate version of the war powers resolution. However, Trump has also said he would veto the measure and has lobbied against it.
Still, Kaine holds out some hope for a change of mind in the president since it's an election year, and he says the measure is consistent with Trump's argument that he would end these kinds of foreign entanglements.
"I mean, he might look at it and say, actually, this is kind of what I promised to people," Kaine said. "And he could confound expectations and say the bill gives me the ability to defend us against imminent attack, which I need to have as commander in chief."
Kaine and other supporters have said that even with a veto, the measure sends a strong message to the president to seek lawmakers' approval on such actions and could potentially influence future decisions.
They point to Trump's veto last year of a resolution to end military support of Saudi-led forces in Yemen. However, a few months later, the president ended the refueling of jets aiding the coalition fighting in Yemen.
"So when something like this gets on his desk and represents the majority will of both bodies, he may not care about Congress, but he cares deeply about what the American public thinks about the prospect of another war," Kaine said.
Still, several Senate Republicans spoke against the plan, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who voted against it. He suggested supporters should wait until they garner a two-thirds majority of the Senate, or the 67 votes needed to override a veto.
"This war powers resolution cuts short that interplay between the branches. It short-circuits the thoughtful deliberation and debate," he said. "It's a dangerously overbroad resolution that should not pass Congress and is certain to be vetoed if it does."
Gaining bipartisan support for the measure
Kaine introduced the first version of his war powers resolution within hours of the Soleimani attack on Jan. 3. He revised it with help from a group of Republicans to gain their support and filed an updated resolution days later. The new version, for example, removed direct references to Trump
Young, who is a Marine Corps veteran, says his military background played a role in his decision to support the measure. "It's really important that Congress fulfill our constitutional responsibilities, which is to declare war, to authorize the use of military force and to engage in these debates on a consistent basis as long as we have men and women overseas ready to put their life on the line for all of us."
The war powers concern is tied to a long-running debate on whether the president should be relying on authorizations issued in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Congress approved the wide-ranging Authorization for Use of Military Force efforts in 2001 and 2002. And Trump administration officials have maintained that the president already has the authority to take action against Iran under the 2002 authorization.
Kaine said that at minimum, service members deserve a debate on whether the U.S. should enter into new wars. And this isn't the first time GOP lawmakers have split from the White House to pass a war powers resolution.
Last June, Collins, Lee, Paul and Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas backed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to require congressional approval for action against Iran. However, the effort ultimately failed at that time by a 50-40 vote.
This time Kaine strove to increase support for the plan by working one-on-one with Republicans to tweak the legislation in their favor.
Lee publicly signed on to the measure after a contentious closed-door January briefing on Iran with Trump administration officials. Lee said he found the briefing, which included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, "insulting and demeaning" and an attempt to quash any dissent on the Iran attack that killed Soleimani.
It reaffirmed for him that he should support the war powers measure, he said.
"This is one that is neither liberal nor conservative. It's neither Democratic nor Republican. ... This is neither hawkish nor dovish," Lee argued this week. "This is something that simply focuses not on whether war is ever appropriate, not on whether some action against or involving Iran might at some point become necessary or warranted. It focuses instead on the fact that moving forward, any action that we take involving Iran ... needs to be authorized by Congress."
But Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., agreed with other detractors that the measure sends a problematic message that Congress and the administration aren't on the same page.
"It sends a message to adversaries that the president somehow doesn't have support or the power to act defensively if we come under attack," Rubio told NPR. "They are not going to read the language. They are just going to view it as a rejection of the president acting forcefully to either prevent an attack against Americans or respond to one."


npr--2020-02-13--Filmmaker Tracks Bezos' 'Rise And Reign' And How Amazon Became 'Inescapable'

Filmmaker Tracks Bezos ' 'Rise And Reign ' And How Amazon Became 'Inescapable' Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is now the richest man in the world , with an empire that stretches from Hollywood to Whole Foods — and even into outer space .
The new PBS FRONTLINE documentary , Amazon Empire : The Rise And Reign Of Jeff Bezos , investigates how Bezos transformed Amazon from an online bookseller into a trillion-dollar business that 's unprecedented in its size and reach .
Director James Jacoby , who worked with fellow filmmaker Anya Bourg on the project , calls the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives . ''
`` It 's not just how the majority of Americans are shopping online , '' he says .
`` It 's also these devices in our homes .
It 's also the facial recognition software that 's used by police departments .
It 's cloud computing for the government and national security establishment . ''
Jacoby notes that Amazon 's ubiquity — and the fact that `` so much power is pooled into the hands of one company and one man '' — raises a host of issues .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known to record — and occasionally listen to — the conversations of unsuspecting homeowners .
In 2019 , the European Union antitrust arm announced an investigation into Amazon 's use of data collected from third-party sellers .
`` I think that [ Atlantic writer ] Franklin Foer in the film puts it best , which is like everything that 's amazing or awesome about Jeff Bezos and Amazon is also something to be feared about Amazon and Jeff Bezos , '' Jacoby says .
On why , in part , Amazon began as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
... And [ Bezos ] also realized that in the online world , there would be an advantage that no single bookstore could hold all of the books in print .
...
He also , I think , saw an opportunity to learn about customers through what they read .
He recognized very early on the power of data to predict what people would want .
So in many ways , you are what you read and you could glean a lot about a customer from what he or she reads .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ former employees in the reporting process .
The nature of the work has changed a bit over the years .
When Bezos was first building out these fulfillment centers all over the country in order to deliver on the promise of delivering packages quickly , it was almost ad hoc .
They were growing so quickly .
And there were a lot of complaints at the time about things like heat stress .
There would n't be the proper air conditioning in these warehouses , and people would be working like crazy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the packages out .
People would be fainting in these warehouses .
There 'd be injuries .
Over time , the warehouses have become much more systematized , in part because of the automation of the warehouses and buying a robot company that helped to automate things .
But one thing that has n't changed in talking to workers — both current and former — is the pace of work is incredibly grueling .
You have to make rates .
...
The rate essentially measures how quickly you pick and pack items .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ talked about how ] the rates were really high .
They have a way of setting the rates for the whole warehouse — that if you do n't make that rate , then you can get a write up .
And if you get three write ups , then you can be fired .
There 's a lot of anxiety in these warehouses about making rates .
Ring makes these doorbell cameras , that was their first main device .
...
It 's a doorbell that has a camera on it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it , because package theft is a big deal for the company — a lot of people get packages to their door and someone 's stealing that package .
So now you can watch your front step .
Of course , if the camera is watching the front step , it 's also watching the public space on the street as well , which is somewhat problematic .
So there 's now this whole suite of Ring devices and Ring cameras , not just to monitor the outside of your home but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There was a recent hack of indoor Ring cameras , which was rather frightful .
...
There 's a little girl in her room and her parents had installed a Ring camera in that room and all of a sudden there 's a voice coming from the camera that 's basically terrorizing her as she 's alone in her room .
On how facial recognition software and data collection is in Amazon 's hands , and is vulnerable to hacks and bad agents All of this data , all of these networks — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manage this well .
And they say that that 's the thing that holds them accountable , keeps them responsible on a daily basis , is that they ca n't breach customer trust .
For a company that 's built its brand on building customer trust on delivering for customers , on not breaching their trust , these sorts of hacks , these sorts of problems , are devastating to their image , because it gets customers and citizens concerned about whether we should entrust a company like Amazon with all of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are safeguards in place .
But I think some of the larger questions about Amazon are whether there are really any auditing systems , public auditing systems for cases of abuse .
... We 're reliant on a private company to police abuse , and there 's no way to publicly audit whether they 're doing a good job of that .
And that 's something that we asked Amazon executives about — not just about Ring cameras and Echo devices — but certainly facial recognition software , which is a very powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments around the country to experiment with .
On Sen. Elizabeth Warren 's idea of breaking up big tech companies Essentially , what `` break them up '' really means is to try to limit the lines of business that Amazon can engage in .
So , for instance , Amazon is this platform for online commerce that they themselves are competing on as a store against other stores and retailers .
So she has this idea of maybe they should n't be competing on a platform that they own , maybe they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , because they have an unfair advantage .
That 's in part what break them up means .
And so I think it 's certainly something that Congress is going to be considering .
And I think some of the other candidates have been supportive of that idea of breaking them up .
When it comes to Jeff Bezos , he 's got two CEOs that are running Amazon and he has stepped away a bit from the company .
I mean , he 's helping to expand it into India and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , his primary goal is to focus on his company Blue Origin .
And Blue Origin is his space exploration company .
It 's his rocket ship company .
And essentially it 's the fulfillment of something that has been his lifelong goal and plan , which is to , as he puts it , build the infrastructure to go to space and to make it cost-effective for us to figure out what to do in space .
... [ Bezos ] claims — and I think he 's genuine in believing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet Earth , and his whole idea is that he wants there to be dynamism and growth .
He believes in capitalism .
He believes in consumerism .
He believes that ... we 're going to need to look to the heavens , essentially , to figure out how we can continue to live in a world of dynamism and growth .
And that , in Jeff Bezos ' mind , means we may need to move heavy industry into space .
We may need to mine other planets or planetary objects for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to actually build space colonies .
He is really serious about this .
Heidi Saman and Seth Kelley produced and edited this interview for broadcast .
Bridget Bentz , Molly Seavy-Nesper and Meghan Sullivan adapted it for the Web .

Filmmaker Tracks Bezos' 'Rise And Reign' And How Amazon Became 'Inescapable'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Lennihan/AP Mark Lennihan/AP
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is now the richest man in the world, with an empire that stretches from Hollywood to Whole Foods — and even into outer space.
The new PBS Frontline documentary, Amazon Empire: The Rise And Reign Of Jeff Bezos, investigates how Bezos transformed Amazon from an online bookseller into a trillion-dollar business that's unprecedented in its size and reach. Director James Jacoby, who worked with fellow filmmaker Anya Bourg on the project, calls the company an "inescapable part of our modern lives."
"It's not just how the majority of Americans are shopping online," he says. "It's also these devices in our homes. It's also the facial recognition software that's used by police departments. It's cloud computing for the government and national security establishment."
Jacoby notes that Amazon's ubiquity — and the fact that "so much power is pooled into the hands of one company and one man" — raises a host of issues. The company's Echo smart speaker has been known to record — and occasionally listen to — the conversations of unsuspecting homeowners. In 2019, the European Union antitrust arm announced an investigation into Amazon's use of data collected from third-party sellers.
"I think that [Atlantic writer] Franklin Foer in the film puts it best, which is like everything that's amazing or awesome about Jeff Bezos and Amazon is also something to be feared about Amazon and Jeff Bezos," Jacoby says.
Interview highlights
On why, in part, Amazon began as a bookseller
[Bezos] recognized very early on the power of data to predict what people would want.
Books are easy to ship. ... And [Bezos] also realized that in the online world, there would be an advantage that no single bookstore could hold all of the books in print. ... He also, I think, saw an opportunity to learn about customers through what they read. He recognized very early on the power of data to predict what people would want. So in many ways, you are what you read and you could glean a lot about a customer from what he or she reads.
On working conditions in Amazon warehouses
We spoke to dozens of current and former employees in the reporting process. The nature of the work has changed a bit over the years. When Bezos was first building out these fulfillment centers all over the country in order to deliver on the promise of delivering packages quickly, it was almost ad hoc. They were growing so quickly. And there were a lot of complaints at the time about things like heat stress. There wouldn't be the proper air conditioning in these warehouses, and people would be working like crazy to try to meet these quotas to get the packages out. People would be fainting in these warehouses. There'd be injuries.
Over time, the warehouses have become much more systematized, in part because of the automation of the warehouses and buying a robot company that helped to automate things. But one thing that hasn't changed in talking to workers — both current and former — is the pace of work is incredibly grueling. You have to make rates. ... The rate essentially measures how quickly you pick and pack items. ... Every single worker we spoke to [talked about how] the rates were really high. They have a way of setting the rates for the whole warehouse — that if you don't make that rate, then you can get a write up. And if you get three write ups, then you can be fired. There's a lot of anxiety in these warehouses about making rates.
On a recent hack on Amazon's "Ring" cameras
Ring makes these doorbell cameras, that was their first main device. ... It's a doorbell that has a camera on it. In part, Amazon liked the idea of it, because package theft is a big deal for the company — a lot of people get packages to their door and someone's stealing that package. So now you can watch your front step. Of course, if the camera is watching the front step, it's also watching the public space on the street as well, which is somewhat problematic. So there's now this whole suite of Ring devices and Ring cameras, not just to monitor the outside of your home but also the inside of your home.
There was a recent hack of indoor Ring cameras, which was rather frightful. ... There's a little girl in her room and her parents had installed a Ring camera in that room and all of a sudden there's a voice coming from the camera that's basically terrorizing her as she's alone in her room.
On how facial recognition software and data collection is in Amazon's hands, and is vulnerable to hacks and bad agents
All of this data, all of these networks — it's all up to Amazon to manage this well. And they say that that's the thing that holds them accountable, keeps them responsible on a daily basis, is that they can't breach customer trust. For a company that's built its brand on building customer trust on delivering for customers, on not breaching their trust, these sorts of hacks, these sorts of problems, are devastating to their image, because it gets customers and citizens concerned about whether we should entrust a company like Amazon with all of this. And, of course, there are safeguards in place.
... some of the larger questions about Amazon are whether there are really any auditing systems, public auditing systems for cases of abuse.
But I think some of the larger questions about Amazon are whether there are really any auditing systems, public auditing systems for cases of abuse. ... We're reliant on a private company to police abuse, and there's no way to publicly audit whether they're doing a good job of that. And that's something that we asked Amazon executives about — not just about Ring cameras and Echo devices — but certainly facial recognition software, which is a very powerful tool that they have really encouraged police departments around the country to experiment with.
On Sen. Elizabeth Warren's idea of breaking up big tech companies
Essentially, what "break them up" really means is to try to limit the lines of business that Amazon can engage in. So, for instance, Amazon is this platform for online commerce that they themselves are competing on as a store against other stores and retailers. So she has this idea of maybe they shouldn't be competing on a platform that they own, maybe they shouldn't be allowed to be doing that, because they have an unfair advantage. That's in part what break them up means. And so I think it's certainly something that Congress is going to be considering. And I think some of the other candidates have been supportive of that idea of breaking them up.
On Bezos' space exploration company Blue Origin
When it comes to Jeff Bezos, he's got two CEOs that are running Amazon and he has stepped away a bit from the company. I mean, he's helping to expand it into India and other places. But as we understand it, his primary goal is to focus on his company Blue Origin. And Blue Origin is his space exploration company. It's his rocket ship company. And essentially it's the fulfillment of something that has been his lifelong goal and plan, which is to, as he puts it, build the infrastructure to go to space and to make it cost-effective for us to figure out what to do in space. ...
[Bezos] claims — and I think he's genuine in believing this — that he wants to save planet Earth, and his whole idea is that he wants there to be dynamism and growth. He believes in capitalism. He believes in consumerism. He believes that ... we're going to need to look to the heavens, essentially, to figure out how we can continue to live in a world of dynamism and growth. And that, in Jeff Bezos' mind, means we may need to move heavy industry into space. We may need to mine other planets or planetary objects for their resources, or we may need to actually build space colonies. He is really serious about this.
Heidi Saman and Seth Kelley produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Meghan Sullivan adapted it for the Web.


npr--2020-02-13--Houston Astros Apologize For Sign-Stealing, But Provide Fuel For Critics

Houston Astros Apologize For Sign-Stealing , But Provide Fuel For Critics Houston Astros players and coaches offered an apology Thursday in the wake of a sign-stealing scandal that sent shock waves throughout Major League Baseball .
But the apology seemed to further inflame critics of the league 's and team 's response to the sweeping cheating scheme during the 2017 and 2018 seasons .
`` The only thing we can do is sit here and say we 're sorry , we 're going to move forward in a positive way , '' owner Jim Crane said during a news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Florida .
Two players , Alex Bregman and José Altuve , offered brief words of regret .
`` We especially feel remorse for the impact on our fans and the game of baseball , and our team is determined to move forward , to play with intensity and to bring back a championship to Houston , '' Altuve said .
The apology appeared to be an attempt to turn the page for the embattled team amid widespread criticism that the punishment meted out by the league was too light given the scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , following a report from Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred , Crane fired Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J .
Hinch .
The commissioner also fined the team $ 5 million , the maximum allowed by league rules , and penalized its draft for 2020 and 2021 .
The league and the team have declined to punish any players over the scheme , which was described in the commissioner 's report as `` player-driven . ''
Crane said team leadership could have stopped the cheating but failed to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sought to strip the team of its 2017 World Series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers .
`` Listen , the commissioner made it clear that we were n't going to go backwards , the championship would stay intact , and I agree with him , '' Crane said .
But he was met with some skepticism when he said the scheme `` did n't impact the game . ''
`` We had a good team , '' he said .
`` We won the World Series , and we 'll leave it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the news conference about whether he thought the sign-stealing , which told batters which pitch was about to be thrown , offered an advantage , Crane said : `` It could possibly do that ; it could possibly not . ''
The team used several methods to steal signs , including using a center-field camera to decode signs from the opposing team about what pitches were coming .
In the 2017 season , the team would then bang on a dugout trash can in code to alert the batter about the pitch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jimmy Traina were not impressed by the apology : `` Crane insulted everyone by saying his team cheated but it did n't help and Altuve and Bregman read prepared statements like robots for about 30 seconds . ''
ESPN 's Joon Lee said , `` Today made everything significantly worse for Houston , and added even more fuel to the fire . ''
Spring training marks the first time the team has gathered since the scandal became public .
The Astros had a meeting on Wednesday night to discuss the issue .
Outfielder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of remorse and regret was very , very obvious to us in this room . ''
`` I feel horrible for our sport , our game , you know , our fans , our city , our organization — just fans in general , '' Springer said , as NPR 's Tom Goldman reported .
`` I regret everything . ''

Houston Astros Apologize For Sign-Stealing, But Provide Fuel For Critics
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael Reaves/Getty Images Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Updated at 2:20 p.m. ET
Houston Astros players and coaches offered an apology Thursday in the wake of a sign-stealing scandal that sent shock waves throughout Major League Baseball. But the apology seemed to further inflame critics of the league's and team's response to the sweeping cheating scheme during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
"The only thing we can do is sit here and say we're sorry, we're going to move forward in a positive way," owner Jim Crane said during a news conference at the team's spring training facility in Florida.
Two players, Alex Bregman and José Altuve, offered brief words of regret. "We especially feel remorse for the impact on our fans and the game of baseball, and our team is determined to move forward, to play with intensity and to bring back a championship to Houston," Altuve said.
The apology appeared to be an attempt to turn the page for the embattled team amid widespread criticism that the punishment meted out by the league was too light given the scale and longevity of the scheme.
Last month, following a report from Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred, Crane fired Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch. The commissioner also fined the team $5 million, the maximum allowed by league rules, and penalized its draft for 2020 and 2021.
The league and the team have declined to punish any players over the scheme, which was described in the commissioner's report as "player-driven." Crane said team leadership could have stopped the cheating but failed to do so.
The commissioner also has not sought to strip the team of its 2017 World Series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. "Listen, the commissioner made it clear that we weren't going to go backwards, the championship would stay intact, and I agree with him," Crane said.
But he was met with some skepticism when he said the scheme "didn't impact the game."
"We had a good team," he said. "We won the World Series, and we'll leave it at that."
When pressed later in the news conference about whether he thought the sign-stealing, which told batters which pitch was about to be thrown, offered an advantage, Crane said: "It could possibly do that; it could possibly not."
The team used several methods to steal signs, including using a center-field camera to decode signs from the opposing team about what pitches were coming. In the 2017 season, the team would then bang on a dugout trash can in code to alert the batter about the pitch.
Commentators such as Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina were not impressed by the apology: "Crane insulted everyone by saying his team cheated but it didn't help and Altuve and Bregman read prepared statements like robots for about 30 seconds." ESPN's Joon Lee said, "Today made everything significantly worse for Houston, and added even more fuel to the fire."
Spring training marks the first time the team has gathered since the scandal became public. The Astros had a meeting on Wednesday night to discuss the issue. Outfielder George Springer said that "the amount of remorse and regret was very, very obvious to us in this room."
"I feel horrible for our sport, our game, you know, our fans, our city, our organization — just fans in general," Springer said, as NPR's Tom Goldman reported. "I regret everything."


npr--2020-02-13--Officials In Australia's New South Wales Celebrate: 'All Fires Are Now Contained'

Officials In Australia 's New South Wales Celebrate : 'All Fires Are Now Contained' Fire officials in Australia are celebrating a landmark moment , saying that for the first time in what has been a horrendous wildfire season , every fire in hard-hit New South Wales is now under control .
Bushfires have destroyed more than 2,400 homes and burned 5.4 million hectares of land – or about 13.3 million acres — in the country 's most populous state .
More than a week of heavy rain has helped fire crews extinguish or control dangerous fires .
And while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as flooding and mudslides , firefighters welcomed the news that they finally have the upper hand in combating fires and can focus on the recovery process .
`` After what 's been a truly devastating fire season for both firefighters and residents who suffered through so much this season , all fires are now contained in New South Wales , which is great news , '' NSW Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said in a video update Thursday .
`` Not all fires are out , '' Rogers added , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state 's far south .
`` But all fires are contained , so we can really focus on helping people rebuild . ''
In addition to the thousands of homes destroyed , an additional 1,024 were damaged during the record-shattering bushfire season that brought 11,264 bush and grass fires , according to the NSW fire agency .
One of the most stubborn fires declared out this week was the Lindfield Park Road Fire — a 2,000-acre beast that ripped through the Port Macquarie region .
After igniting last July , the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by burning nearly 1,000 acres of under-surface peat soils , the NSW Rural Fire Service says .
`` Months of drought , searing heat and flames have given way to torrents of rain along much of eastern Australia in the last week , '' NPR 's Nathan Rott reports from Bateman 's Bay , Australia .
He adds , `` Flooding and mudslides have been reported in Queensland and New South Wales . ''
The sustained rain has given new hope to areas scorched by flame .
The park service in the southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week of vibrant green shoots of new leaves and stems springing up in landscapes still dominated by blackened trees and plants .
`` While fire is still an issue , mother nature is already slowly starting to regenerate in some areas , '' the agency said .
Fire officials had welcomed the shift in weather from dry and windy conditions to rain – but emergency officials were quickly forced to reconfigure their operations to handle flood-related emergencies , including swift water rescues , after heavy rains began last week .
In one 24-hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fielded about 2,500 calls for help because of the rain .
The rains have also been a boon for dams in the region , which have seen their levels fall dramatically during months of dry weather .
The water agency in New South Wales says the water storage for the greater Sydney area stands at 75.1 % — an increase of 33.4 % since last Thursday , when storage was just under 42 % .
However , Australia 's Bureau of Meteorology is warning of the potential for `` major flooding '' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas on Friday .
And in Victoria , which includes Melbourne , the State Emergency Service warns that a `` large storm is predicted to hit central parts '' of the state by Friday afternoon .

Officials In Australia's New South Wales Celebrate: 'All Fires Are Now Contained'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Loren Elliott/Reuters Loren Elliott/Reuters
Updated at 2:20 p.m. ET
Fire officials in Australia are celebrating a landmark moment, saying that for the first time in what has been a horrendous wildfire season, every fire in hard-hit New South Wales is now under control. Bushfires have destroyed more than 2,400 homes and burned 5.4 million hectares of land – or about 13.3 million acres — in the country's most populous state.
More than a week of heavy rain has helped fire crews extinguish or control dangerous fires. And while the deluge has created its own problems, such as flooding and mudslides, firefighters welcomed the news that they finally have the upper hand in combating fires and can focus on the recovery process.
"After what's been a truly devastating fire season for both firefighters and residents who suffered through so much this season, all fires are now contained in New South Wales, which is great news," NSW Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said in a video update Thursday.
"Not all fires are out," Rogers added, noting that some fires are burning in the state's far south. "But all fires are contained, so we can really focus on helping people rebuild."
In addition to the thousands of homes destroyed, an additional 1,024 were damaged during the record-shattering bushfire season that brought 11,264 bush and grass fires, according to the NSW fire agency.
One of the most stubborn fires declared out this week was the Lindfield Park Road Fire — a 2,000-acre beast that ripped through the Port Macquarie region. After igniting last July, the fire lasted for 210 days, in part by burning nearly 1,000 acres of under-surface peat soils, the NSW Rural Fire Service says.
"Months of drought, searing heat and flames have given way to torrents of rain along much of eastern Australia in the last week," NPR's Nathan Rott reports from Bateman's Bay, Australia. He adds, "Flooding and mudslides have been reported in Queensland and New South Wales."
The sustained rain has given new hope to areas scorched by flame. The park service in the southern state of Victoria tweeted striking images this week of vibrant green shoots of new leaves and stems springing up in landscapes still dominated by blackened trees and plants.
"While fire is still an issue, mother nature is already slowly starting to regenerate in some areas," the agency said.
Fire officials had welcomed the shift in weather from dry and windy conditions to rain – but emergency officials were quickly forced to reconfigure their operations to handle flood-related emergencies, including swift water rescues, after heavy rains began last week. In one 24-hour period, the NSW State Emergency Service fielded about 2,500 calls for help because of the rain.
The rains have also been a boon for dams in the region, which have seen their levels fall dramatically during months of dry weather. The water agency in New South Wales says the water storage for the greater Sydney area stands at 75.1% — an increase of 33.4% since last Thursday, when storage was just under 42%.
However, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology is warning of the potential for "major flooding" in parts of New South Wales and other areas on Friday. And in Victoria, which includes Melbourne, the State Emergency Service warns that a "large storm is predicted to hit central parts" of the state by Friday afternoon.


npr--2020-02-13--Yovanovitch Says State Department 'Is In Trouble' And Leaders Lack 'Moral Clarity'

Yovanovitch Says State Department 'Is In Trouble ' And Leaders Lack 'Moral Clarity' Marie Yovanovitch , the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine removed from her post under orders from President Trump , says the State Department `` is in trouble . ''
`` Senior leaders lack policy vision , moral clarity and leadership skills ... , '' Yovanovitch said Wednesday at Georgetown University .
`` Foreign service officers are wondering if it is safe to express concerns about policy , even behind closed doors . ''
When she was introduced , Yovanovitch received a lengthy standing ovation from an audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was her first public appearance since she retired from the State Department on Jan. 31 — three months after she testified before Congress during the impeachment inquiry into Trump .
Trump recalled Yovanovitch from her post last spring after his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and associates claimed , without evidence , that she was badmouthing the president .
Trump called her `` bad news '' and told Ukraine 's president in their infamous July 25 phone call , `` She 's going to go through some things . ''
Yovanovitch was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for excellence in diplomacy , given by the university 's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy .
She told the gathering that under the Trump administration , `` The policy process has been replaced by decisions emanating from the top , with little discussion . ''
`` To be blunt , an amoral , keep-'em-guessing foreign policy that substitutes threats , fear and confusion for trust can not work over the long haul , '' said Yovanovitch , clearly hinting at Trump while not naming him .
An immigrant and the daughter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe , Yovanovitch began her career during the Cold War .
`` The world that we knew then was shaped by World War II , the rise of Soviet communism and the framework that we put in place to manage all those challenges . ''
After the collapse of communism , she served among the ranks of American diplomats who promoted the promise of democracy and capitalism in the post-Soviet world .
She rose through the foreign service to become ambassador to Kyrgyzstan and Armenia and , finally , the top U.S. diplomat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgetown , the three-time ambassador said the end of communism `` does n't feel like the end of history as some had promised . ''
She cited new challenges , from terrorism to global warming , disinformation and the `` tensions between a globalizing world and a trending nativism . ''
She acknowledged the old certainties no longer hold .
`` The creaking sound we can all hear ?
That 's the sound of institutions of the international order straining under the tremendous pressure they 've been put under , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not the boot , '' she added .
Yovanovitch , a career foreign service officer who did not seek the limelight , became a household name because of her role in the impeachment drama .
In her testimony last fall before the House Intelligence Committee , she traced the smear campaign against her to individuals who , she said , `` apparently felt stymied by our efforts to promote the stated U.S. policy against corruption . ''
Giuliani and other Trump allies had accused Yovanovitch of trying to block investigations into former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hunter .
While acknowledging the staffing problems , budget cuts and low morale at the State Department , Yovanovitch nonetheless urged students in her Georgetown audience to consider a career in the foreign service .
She said she took heart from former Secretary of State Colin Powell , whom she quoted as saying that `` optimism is a force multiplier . ''
`` America , '' she said , `` needs public servants and diplomats when times are great .
We need them even more when there are challenges . ''

Yovanovitch Says State Department 'Is In Trouble' And Leaders Lack 'Moral Clarity'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Susan Walsh/AP Susan Walsh/AP
Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine removed from her post under orders from President Trump, says the State Department "is in trouble."
"Senior leaders lack policy vision, moral clarity and leadership skills ...," Yovanovitch said Wednesday at Georgetown University. "Foreign service officers are wondering if it is safe to express concerns about policy, even behind closed doors."
When she was introduced, Yovanovitch received a lengthy standing ovation from an audience that included students and fellow former diplomats. It was her first public appearance since she retired from the State Department on Jan. 31 — three months after she testified before Congress during the impeachment inquiry into Trump.
Trump recalled Yovanovitch from her post last spring after his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and associates claimed, without evidence, that she was badmouthing the president. Trump called her "bad news" and told Ukraine's president in their infamous July 25 phone call, "She's going to go through some things."
Yovanovitch was at Georgetown to receive the Trainor Award for excellence in diplomacy, given by the university's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy. She told the gathering that under the Trump administration, "The policy process has been replaced by decisions emanating from the top, with little discussion."
"To be blunt, an amoral, keep-'em-guessing foreign policy that substitutes threats, fear and confusion for trust cannot work over the long haul," said Yovanovitch, clearly hinting at Trump while not naming him.
An immigrant and the daughter of refugees who fled the turmoil of postwar Europe, Yovanovitch began her career during the Cold War. "The world that we knew then was shaped by World War II, the rise of Soviet communism and the framework that we put in place to manage all those challenges."
After the collapse of communism, she served among the ranks of American diplomats who promoted the promise of democracy and capitalism in the post-Soviet world. She rose through the foreign service to become ambassador to Kyrgyzstan and Armenia and, finally, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine.
In her remarks at Georgetown, the three-time ambassador said the end of communism "doesn't feel like the end of history as some had promised." She cited new challenges, from terrorism to global warming, disinformation and the "tensions between a globalizing world and a trending nativism."
She acknowledged the old certainties no longer hold.
"The creaking sound we can all hear? That's the sound of institutions of the international order straining under the tremendous pressure they've been put under," she said.
Those institutions need a "reboot, not the boot," she added.
Yovanovitch, a career foreign service officer who did not seek the limelight, became a household name because of her role in the impeachment drama. In her testimony last fall before the House Intelligence Committee, she traced the smear campaign against her to individuals who, she said, "apparently felt stymied by our efforts to promote the stated U.S. policy against corruption."
Giuliani and other Trump allies had accused Yovanovitch of trying to block investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
While acknowledging the staffing problems, budget cuts and low morale at the State Department, Yovanovitch nonetheless urged students in her Georgetown audience to consider a career in the foreign service. She said she took heart from former Secretary of State Colin Powell, whom she quoted as saying that "optimism is a force multiplier."
"America," she said, "needs public servants and diplomats when times are great. We need them even more when there are challenges."


npr--2020-02-13--Senate Democrats Accuse Justice Department Of Politicizing Immigration Courts

Top Senate Democrats warn that the Trump administration is deliberately undermining the independence of immigration courts .
In a bluntly worded letter to the Justice Department , which oversees the immigration courts , the senators accuse the administration of waging an `` ongoing campaign to erode the independence of immigration courts , '' including changing court rules to allow more political influence over decisions and promoting partisan judges to the Board of Immigration Appeals .
`` The administration 's gross mismanagement of these courts , '' they write , threatens to do `` lasting damage to public confidence in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was sent Thursday to Attorney General William Barr .
It was signed by nine Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee , including Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island , Richard Durbin of Illinois , Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota .
They are requesting extensive information about the department 's hiring practices for trial-level and appellate judges , among other documents .
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter .
The senators ' concerns echo those voiced by former and current immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ union representing those judges .
Ashley Tabaddor , the president of the National Association of Immigration Judges , testified at a House Judiciary Committee hearing last month that immigration courts should no longer be overseen by the Justice Department .
`` The only real and lasting solution is the establishment of an independent Immigration Court , '' Tabaddor wrote in her testimony .
She also wrote : `` It must be free from the constantly changing ( often diametrically opposed ) politicized policy directives of the Department of Justice . ''
The judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quotas for immigration judges , which were announced in 2018 .
The union also opposed new Trump administration rules that gave more power to the director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review , a political appointee .
The Trump administration , for its part , has moved to decertify the judges ' union .
Immigration courts face a massive backlog of more than a million cases .
And there 's wide agreement that the court system needs reform .
But not everyone believes that removing immigration courts from the Justice Department is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general and his subordinates are actively working to remedy this problem , by providing the needed resources to the immigration courts , '' wrote Andrew Arthur , a former immigration judge who is now a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies , in his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee last month .
`` Restructuring the immigration courts ... will almost certainly not address the core problems that are facing those courts , '' Arthur added .
At a time when caseloads are surging , some immigration judges are quitting , citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retired from the Philadelphia Immigration Court in January after 24 years on the job .
`` I would want future administrations and the Congress to think of immigration judges as judges , literally , and give them the autonomy and the independence and the confidence to make decisions without political interference or overreach , '' he said in an interview with NPR 's Noel King .
`` The only way to do that is to create an independent court where the judge makes a decision and the judge is n't afraid of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year or whether some political actor is going to be looking over his shoulder and say , ' I do n't agree with that decision .
We 're going to find a way to put pressure on you , ' `` Honeyman said .

Senate Democrats Accuse Justice Department Of Politicizing Immigration Courts
Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Top Senate Democrats warn that the Trump administration is deliberately undermining the independence of immigration courts.
In a bluntly worded letter to the Justice Department, which oversees the immigration courts, the senators accuse the administration of waging an "ongoing campaign to erode the independence of immigration courts," including changing court rules to allow more political influence over decisions and promoting partisan judges to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
"The administration's gross mismanagement of these courts," they write, threatens to do "lasting damage to public confidence in the immigration court system."
The letter was sent Thursday to Attorney General William Barr. It was signed by nine Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, including Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. They are requesting extensive information about the department's hiring practices for trial-level and appellate judges, among other documents.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.
The senators' concerns echo those voiced by former and current immigration judges, including the head of the union representing those judges. Ashley Tabaddor, the president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, testified at a House Judiciary Committee hearing last month that immigration courts should no longer be overseen by the Justice Department.
Politics Judges Call For Independent Immigration Court System Judges Call For Independent Immigration Court System Listen · 9:27 9:27
"The only real and lasting solution is the establishment of an independent Immigration Court," Tabaddor wrote in her testimony. She also wrote: "It must be free from the constantly changing (often diametrically opposed) politicized policy directives of the Department of Justice."
The judge's union has pushed back against productivity quotas for immigration judges, which were announced in 2018. The union also opposed new Trump administration rules that gave more power to the director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, a political appointee.
The Trump administration, for its part, has moved to decertify the judges' union.
Immigration courts face a massive backlog of more than a million cases. And there's wide agreement that the court system needs reform. But not everyone believes that removing immigration courts from the Justice Department is the right approach.
"The attorney general and his subordinates are actively working to remedy this problem, by providing the needed resources to the immigration courts," wrote Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge who is now a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, in his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee last month. "Restructuring the immigration courts ... will almost certainly not address the core problems that are facing those courts," Arthur added.
At a time when caseloads are surging, some immigration judges are quitting, citing frustration and exhaustion. Judge Charles Honeyman retired from the Philadelphia Immigration Court in January after 24 years on the job.
Law Why Immigration Judges Opt To Leave Over Trump Policies Why Immigration Judges Opt To Leave Over Trump Policies Listen · 7:01 7:01
"I would want future administrations and the Congress to think of immigration judges as judges, literally, and give them the autonomy and the independence and the confidence to make decisions without political interference or overreach," he said in an interview with NPR's Noel King.
"The only way to do that is to create an independent court where the judge makes a decision and the judge isn't afraid of how many cases he has to complete for the year or whether some political actor is going to be looking over his shoulder and say, 'I don't agree with that decision. We're going to find a way to put pressure on you,' " Honeyman said.


npr--2020-02-13--House Votes To Revive Equal Rights Amendment, Removing Ratification Deadline

The U.S. House has voted to remove the deadline on ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment in an attempt to revive the amendment .
The 232-183 vote fell largely along party lines with five Republicans supporting the measure and zero Democrats opposing it .
Changing the deadline is a key part of one route that some ERA proponents believe would lead to the amendment becoming a part of the Constitution , but the path forward is uncertain .
The proposed amendment says simply , `` Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex , '' and it has had a renaissance in recent years , with three states ratifying it since 2017 .
However , the bill may well be stymied after this vote .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , said earlier this month that he 's `` personally not a supporter '' of the amendment , and the Trump administration 's Office of Legal Counsel has said that it considers the ERA `` expired . ''
In addition , there is n't legal consensus that Congress can remove the deadline in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1972 , originally had a ratification deadline of 1979 attached to it .
Congress later bumped that out to 1982 , but by then , only 35 states had ratified it .
Thirty-eight states need to ratify in order for a proposal to become an amendment .
Illinois and Nevada ratified the amendment in recent years , and in January , Virginia became the 38th state to ratify .
But the deadline has never been further extended beyond 1982 .
The bill passed by the House on Thursday would retroactively remove that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow the amendment to become a part of the Constitution .
In floor speeches Thursday morning , Democrats framed the amendment as being about fairness and inclusion .
Some also made an economic argument .
`` It 's not just about women ; it 's about America , '' said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. `` The ERA will strengthen America , unleashing the full power of women in our economy and upholding the value of equality in our democracy . ''
Legal experts have argued that the amendment could protect women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equal pay and preventing pregnancy discrimination .
Republicans argued against the bill , saying that the amendment is unconstitutional , but they also particularly stressed the issue of abortion in their arguments .
`` If ratified , the ERA would be used by pro-abortion groups to undo pro-life legislation and lead to more abortions and taxpayer-funded abortions , '' said Arizona Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko .
There are 13 Republican women in the House , and they were heavily represented among those arguing against the ERA .
The amendment could impact abortion-related funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the amendment as a way to bolster abortion rights .
However , as constitutional law expert Martha Davis stressed to NPR in January , it 's not entirely clear what the impact would be .
The so-called three-state strategy to get to 38 states is one strategy that ERA defenders had been hoping for years would result in success .
The other route — starting over with a fresh amendment — could be far more time-consuming .
However , it is one that some proponents have still been working at .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Equal Rights Amendment multiple times .
On Monday Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she thinks that Congress should junk the current amendment and start over from scratch .
`` I would like to see a new beginning , '' Ginsburg told an audience celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the 19th Amendment .
In particular , Ginsburg expressed concern about the validity of the ERA 's post-deadline ratification process .
Ginsburg pointed out that `` if you count a latecomer , '' like Virginia or Illinois , `` how can you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed our minds ? '
`` Indeed , there are five states — Kentucky , Nebraska , Tennessee , South Dakota and Idaho — that originally voted to ratify the ERA but have since rescinded their ratification .
In fact , all five states withdrew before the 1982 deadline .
If these states are allowed to rescind , then even with the addition of the three new states , the ERA would only have 33 ratifiers — well short of the 38 needed to become part of the Constitution .
Though she does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ginsburg still believes an equal rights amendment should be passed .
`` Every constitution in the world written since the year 1950 ... has the equivalent of an equal rights amendment , and we do n't , '' noted Ginsburg .

House Votes To Revive Equal Rights Amendment, Removing Ratification Deadline
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
Updated at 1:33 p.m. ET
The U.S. House has voted to remove the deadline on ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment in an attempt to revive the amendment. The 232-183 vote fell largely along party lines with five Republicans supporting the measure and zero Democrats opposing it.
Changing the deadline is a key part of one route that some ERA proponents believe would lead to the amendment becoming a part of the Constitution, but the path forward is uncertain.
The proposed amendment says simply, "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex," and it has had a renaissance in recent years, with three states ratifying it since 2017.
However, the bill may well be stymied after this vote.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said earlier this month that he's "personally not a supporter" of the amendment, and the Trump administration's Office of Legal Counsel has said that it considers the ERA "expired."
In addition, there isn't legal consensus that Congress can remove the deadline in this way.
The amendment, proposed in 1972, originally had a ratification deadline of 1979 attached to it. Congress later bumped that out to 1982, but by then, only 35 states had ratified it. Thirty-eight states need to ratify in order for a proposal to become an amendment.
Illinois and Nevada ratified the amendment in recent years, and in January, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify.
But the deadline has never been further extended beyond 1982. The bill passed by the House on Thursday would retroactively remove that deadline.
Supporters argue that removal would allow the amendment to become a part of the Constitution.
In floor speeches Thursday morning, Democrats framed the amendment as being about fairness and inclusion. Some also made an economic argument.
"It's not just about women; it's about America," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "The ERA will strengthen America, unleashing the full power of women in our economy and upholding the value of equality in our democracy."
Legal experts have argued that the amendment could protect women economically, like helping them get more equal pay and preventing pregnancy discrimination.
Republicans argued against the bill, saying that the amendment is unconstitutional, but they also particularly stressed the issue of abortion in their arguments.
"If ratified, the ERA would be used by pro-abortion groups to undo pro-life legislation and lead to more abortions and taxpayer-funded abortions," said Arizona Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko.
There are 13 Republican women in the House, and they were heavily represented among those arguing against the ERA.
The amendment could impact abortion-related funding and regulations, and some abortion-rights proponents see the amendment as a way to bolster abortion rights. However, as constitutional law expert Martha Davis stressed to NPR in January, it's not entirely clear what the impact would be.
The so-called three-state strategy to get to 38 states is one strategy that ERA defenders had been hoping for years would result in success. The other route — starting over with a fresh amendment — could be far more time-consuming.
However, it is one that some proponents have still been working at. New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney has reintroduced the Equal Rights Amendment multiple times.
On Monday Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she thinks that Congress should junk the current amendment and start over from scratch.
"I would like to see a new beginning," Ginsburg told an audience celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the 19th Amendment. In particular, Ginsburg expressed concern about the validity of the ERA's post-deadline ratification process.
Ginsburg pointed out that "if you count a latecomer," like Virginia or Illinois, "how can you disregard states that say, 'We've changed our minds?' "
Indeed, there are five states — Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee, South Dakota and Idaho — that originally voted to ratify the ERA but have since rescinded their ratification. In fact, all five states withdrew before the 1982 deadline. If these states are allowed to rescind, then even with the addition of the three new states, the ERA would only have 33 ratifiers — well short of the 38 needed to become part of the Constitution.
Though she doesn't consider the current ratification process viable, Ginsburg still believes an equal rights amendment should be passed. "Every constitution in the world written since the year 1950 ... has the equivalent of an equal rights amendment, and we don't," noted Ginsburg.
NPR intern Christina Peck contributed to this report.