npr--2020-06-24--Late-Night Talk Show Host Jimmy Kimmel Apologizes For Use Of Blackface

Late-Night Talk Show Host Jimmy Kimmel Apologizes For Use Of Blackface Late-night ABC host Jimmy Kimmel issued an apology on Tuesday for his previous use of blackface impressions in comedic sketches .
`` There is nothing more important to me than your respect , and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke , '' Kimmel said in the statement .
The host had previously used blackface , a practice with deep racist roots , in impressions of Black celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Karl Malone in The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which he co-starred .
Footage of Kimmel impersonating Malone , in particular , had been circulating the Internet in recent weeks .
In the video , Kimmel is pictured on a basketball court in full-body black makeup , using an exaggerated dialect to impersonate Malone .
The host has been on break from his ABC show Jimmy Kimmel Live !
this summer .
In the statement , Kimmel called his past use of blackface `` embarrassing . ''
Kimmel , who has been outspokenly progressive on many issues , said that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about his past conduct because he believed it would be `` celebrated as a victory by those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us . ''
He said that waiting this long was a mistake .
Another late-night host , Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show on NBC , has also been under fire for past use of blackface .
Fallon apologized on his show for it .
NBC comedy series 30 Rock also received criticism for using blackface in four of its episodes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services .
`` I believe that I have evolved and matured over the last 20-plus years , and I hope that is evident to anyone who watches my show , '' Kimmel said .
`` I know that this will not be the last I hear of this and that it will be used again to try to quiet me . ''

Late-Night Talk Show Host Jimmy Kimmel Apologizes For Use Of Blackface
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Salangsang/John Salangsang/Invision/AP John Salangsang/John Salangsang/Invision/AP
Late-night ABC host Jimmy Kimmel issued an apology on Tuesday for his previous use of blackface impressions in comedic sketches.
"There is nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke," Kimmel said in the statement.
The host had previously used blackface, a practice with deep racist roots, in impressions of Black celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Karl Malone in The Man Show, a Comedy Central series in which he co-starred.
Footage of Kimmel impersonating Malone, in particular, had been circulating the Internet in recent weeks. In the video, Kimmel is pictured on a basketball court in full-body black makeup, using an exaggerated dialect to impersonate Malone.
The host has been on break from his ABC show Jimmy Kimmel Live! this summer. In the statement, Kimmel called his past use of blackface "embarrassing."
Kimmel, who has been outspokenly progressive on many issues, said that he did not immediately address people's concerns about his past conduct because he believed it would be "celebrated as a victory by those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us."
He said that waiting this long was a mistake.
Another late-night host, Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show on NBC, has also been under fire for past use of blackface. Fallon apologized on his show for it. NBC comedy series 30 Rock also received criticism for using blackface in four of its episodes, which have since been pulled from streaming services.
"I believe that I have evolved and matured over the last 20-plus years, and I hope that is evident to anyone who watches my show," Kimmel said. "I know that this will not be the last I hear of this and that it will be used again to try to quiet me."


npr--2020-06-24--Democrats Vow To Block GOP Police Reform Bill Unless Republicans Agree To Negotiate

Democrats Vow To Block GOP Police Reform Bill Unless Republicans Agree To Negotiate Senate Democrats , emboldened by a national outcry for reform of the country 's law enforcement departments , are poised to thwart Republicans efforts to take up a GOP-drafted police reform bill just hours before a critical vote on Wednesday .
One week ago , with his party 's leadership behind him , South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott , the chamber 's lone Black Republican , unveiled the bill with hopes of voting on the measure ahead of the Fourth of July recess .
Republicans said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country 's law enforcement departments and agencies .
But by Tuesday , Democrats were demanding bipartisan talks before green-lighting floor debate .
The move rankled Republicans , who say they already addressed Democrats ' demands to quickly move a bill addressing police brutality .
`` If we 're all watching the same pictures that we have all found disgusting , and unbelievable , why ca n't we agree to tackle the issues in a substantive way here on the floor of the world 's greatest deliberative body ? ''
Scott said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floor on Tuesday .
`` Because that 's what we 're supposed to do here : We debate the issues .
I want the nation to see .
I want the public to see .
I want the world to see .
I want all of America to see us debating this issue . ''
With both sides struggling to find agreement just hours before the critical Senate procedural vote , it 's the latest reminder of the steep challenges facing Congress to address national protests triggered by the death of George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minneapolis police custody .
Both parties have raced to respond to the political pressure , rolling out dueling plans that each side argued would overhaul the way police officers do their jobs .
But the competing proposals remain far apart and optimism about finding some common ground faded amid sniping about the process .
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin , D-Ill. , compared Democrats ' approach on this legislation to their decision to refuse early attempts to compromise on a GOP coronavirus aid package .
He told reporters that Republicans are miscalculating if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blowback if they refuse to amend the GOP bill on the Senate floor .
On Tuesday , the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund urged the Senate to reject the bill — a move that boosted Democrats .
`` The NAACP Legal Defense Fund ?
Thurgood Marshall 's organization says vote against this ? ''
Durbin told Capitol Hill pool reporters .
`` It 's powerful . ''
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called Democrats demands for bipartisan talks in exchange for a floor vote `` nonsense . ''
He said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open amendment '' process , which would allow Democrats to make counter proposals to the bill .
`` If they do n't feel like they 've had fair treatment , their remedy is to refuse to finish the bill , '' McConnell , R-Ky. , told reporters on Tuesday .
`` So there 's literally no harm done by debating this important topic . ''
On June 8 , Democrats unveiled a bill banning federal police from the use of chokeholds , lowering legal standards to pursue criminal and civil penalties for police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug-related cases .
The Republican proposal , on the other hand , uses incentives , federal reporting requirements and training to diminish the use of choke-holds , other dangerous restraints and no-knock warrants .
It also boosts usage of police body cameras .
The Republican measure also includes some provisions from the Democratic proposal , such as the creation of a national database to track police misconduct and a provision to make lynching a federal crime .
Although Republicans control the Senate chamber , they still need support from seven Democrats to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to proceed .
Only one Democrat , Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama , has publicly said he would support the move so far .
`` Mitch McConnell has put up a bill challenging us to either to comply with his political game that is about obstructing the United States Senate 's ability to actually do something or to play a game with him , '' Sen. Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , told reporters , `` which is only about covering his political concerns and not about the real concerns that the American people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of justice in America .
And we 're not going to play that game .
And we 're not going to be played . ''
Democrats have said the GOP legislation falls far short of what is necessary to fix nation-wide issues with policing , making it impossible to fix through a simple amendment process .
`` We do n't want this political show that will lead to no bill .
No one , no one , no one has detailed a way under McConnell 's plan that we actually get to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. Democratic staffers working on the legislation say they are responding to the calls from the thousands of protesters who have been demonstrating over the past several weeks calling for transformational change .
Those staffers said one example is that the GOP bill does not outlaw choke holds , neck holds , carotid holds or other maneuvers , an area where Democrats are willing to bend .
Durbin , the Senate Minority Whip , also suggested that Republicans could face fierce opposition from President Trump if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All I can think of is , they figure that this is as far as the Trump White House will go on this issue , '' Durbin said , `` and they do n't want their members to go any further . ''
The House is scheduled to vote on Thursday on the legislation crafted by House and Senate Democrats .
That bill is expected to pass mostly along party lines .
But if the Senate is unable to agree to even debate the GOP bill on Wednesday the issue is likely stalled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least through the November election .

Senate Democrats Block GOP Police Reform Bill
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Wong/Getty Images Alex Wong/Getty Images
Updated at 12:58 p.m. ET
Senate Democrats, emboldened by a national outcry for reform of the country's law enforcement departments, blocked debate Wednesday on a Republican police reform bill that they said did not go far enough to address racial inequality.
Republicans needed 60 votes to proceed to begin debate on the legislation. The motion failed 55-45, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell voting against it for procedural reasons to allow the Senate to try again. Two Democrats, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Doug Jones of Alabama, broke with their party, as did independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Democrats.
One week ago, with his party's leadership behind him, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the chamber's lone Black Republican, unveiled the bill with hopes of voting on the measure ahead of the Fourth of July recess. Republicans said the plan addresses a national outcry for reform of the country's law enforcement departments and agencies.
But by Tuesday, Democrats were demanding bipartisan talks before greenlighting floor debate. The move rankled Republicans, who say they already addressed Democrats' demands to move quickly on a bill addressing police brutality.
"If we're all watching the same pictures that we have all found disgusting and unbelievable, why can't we agree to tackle the issues in a substantive way here on the floor of the world's greatest deliberative body?" Scott asked in an impassioned plea on the Senate floor Tuesday. "Because that's what we're supposed to do here: We debate the issues. I want the nation to see. I want the public to see. I want the world to see. I want all of America to see us debating this issue."
The failed procedural vote is the latest reminder of the steep challenges facing Congress to address national protests triggered by the death of George Floyd. Floyd was killed May 25 in Minneapolis police custody.
Both parties have raced to respond to the political pressure, rolling out dueling plans that each side argued would overhaul the way police officers do their jobs. But the competing proposals remain far apart, and optimism about finding some common ground faded amid sniping about the process.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., compared Democrats' approach on this legislation to their decision to refuse early attempts to compromise on a GOP coronavirus aid package. He told reporters that Republicans are miscalculating if they believe that Democrats will see political blowback if they refuse to amend the GOP bill on the Senate floor.
On Tuesday, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund urged the Senate to reject the bill — a move that boosted Democrats.
"The NAACP Legal Defense Fund? Thurgood Marshall's organization says vote against this?" Durbin told Capitol Hill pool reporters. "It's powerful."
But McConnell called Democratic demands for bipartisan talks in exchange for a floor vote "nonsense." He said he's already agreed to a so-called open amendment process, which would allow Democrats to make counterproposals to the bill.
"If they don't feel like they've had fair treatment, their remedy is to refuse to finish the bill," McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters on Tuesday. "So there's literally no harm done by debating this important topic."
On June 8, Democrats unveiled a bill banning federal police from the use of chokeholds, lowering legal standards to pursue criminal and civil penalties for police misconduct, and prohibition of no-knock warrants in drug-related cases.
The Republican proposal, on the other hand, uses incentives, federal reporting requirements and training to diminish the use of chokeholds, other dangerous restraints and no-knock warrants. It also boosts usage of police body cameras.
The Republican measure also includes some provisions from the Democratic proposal, such as the creation of a national database to track police misconduct and a provision to make lynching a federal crime.
"Mitch McConnell has put up a bill challenging us to either to comply with his political game that is about obstructing the United States Senate's ability to actually do something or to play a game with him," Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., told reporters, "which is only about covering his political concerns and not about the real concerns that the American people have about the realities of two systems of justice in America. And we're not going to play that game. And we're not going to be played."
Democrats have said the GOP legislation falls far short of what is necessary to fix nationwide issues with policing, making it impossible to fix through a simple amendment process.
"We don't want this political show that will lead to no bill. No one, no one, no one has detailed a way under McConnell's plan that we actually get to a bill that can pass," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Democratic staffers working on the legislation said they are responding to the calls from thousands of protesters who have been demonstrating over the past several weeks calling for transformational change. Those staffers said one example is that the GOP bill does not outlaw chokeholds, neck holds, carotid holds or other maneuvers, an area where Democrats are not willing to bend.
Durbin, the Senate minority whip, also suggested that Republicans could face fierce opposition from President Trump if they do bend on their plans.
"All I can think of is, they figure that this is as far as the Trump White House will go on this issue," Durbin said, "and they don't want their members to go any further."
The House is scheduled to vote Thursday on the legislation crafted by House and Senate Democrats. That bill is expected to pass mostly along party lines. But with the Senate unable to agree to debate even the GOP bill on Wednesday the issue is likely stalled in the bitterly divided Congress — at least through the November election.


npr--2020-06-24--Pandemic Stalls New Money For 'Opportunity Zones' As Neighborhoods Try To Recover

Pandemic Stalls New Money For 'Opportunity Zones ' As Neighborhoods Try To Recover The economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic is stifling a federal program meant to spur new investment in low-income neighborhoods , according to a new survey from an advocacy group that backs the initiative .
The Economic Innovation Group surveyed more than 100 investors and other people involved in `` opportunity zones , '' designated areas that offer tax incentives for investment .
Created by the 2017 tax cut law , the zones are aimed at attracting money and new businesses to poor communities .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investment activity on hold , according to the survey of investors , opportunity zone fund managers and other people associated with the zones .
The Economic Innovation Group found that 52 % of respondents say the pandemic is having a `` negative impact '' on their activities .
About 71 % said that potential investors are still interested in the areas but are hesitant to commit as a result of the current economic uncertainty .
Opportunity zones are a cornerstone of President Trump 's reelection pitch to African Americans .
In the wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help minority communities that have been disproportionately affected by the virus .
The survey comes as the White House considers seeking an extension of the program , which currently allows investors to defer and lower their capital gains taxes through 2026 .
Some 64 % of the Economic Innovation Group 's survey respondents backed pushing the tax break out beyond 2026 .
`` This is a time for policymakers to strengthen the policy and ensure it can serve as a tool for economic resiliency and recovery , '' the Economic Innovation Group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to act .
Questions remain about the full impact of these zones .
Critics argue the tax incentives have done more to help rich investors than local residents .
There are no federal reporting requirements that would allow the public to track these tax breaks .
A study released last week by the Urban Institute found that while some communities have benefited from the zones , much of the investment is going into real estate and not into operating businesses that would create jobs .
The study concluded that the structure of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not necessarily those that would have greatest social impact .

Pandemic Stalls New Money For 'Opportunity Zones' As Neighborhoods Try To Recover
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julio Cortez/AP Julio Cortez/AP
The economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic is stifling a federal program meant to spur new investment in low-income neighborhoods, according to a new survey from an advocacy group that backs the initiative.
The Economic Innovation Group surveyed more than 100 investors and other people involved in "opportunity zones," designated areas that offer tax incentives for investment. Created by the 2017 tax cut law, the zones are aimed at attracting money and new businesses to poor communities.
But the pandemic is putting some of that investment activity on hold, according to the survey of investors, opportunity zone fund managers and other people associated with the zones.
The Economic Innovation Group found that 52% of respondents say the pandemic is having a "negative impact" on their activities. About 71% said that potential investors are still interested in the areas but are hesitant to commit as a result of the current economic uncertainty.
Opportunity zones are a cornerstone of President Trump's reelection pitch to African Americans. In the wake of the pandemic, Trump has pledged to help minority communities that have been disproportionately affected by the virus.
The survey comes as the White House considers seeking an extension of the program, which currently allows investors to defer and lower their capital gains taxes through 2026.
Some 64% of the Economic Innovation Group's survey respondents backed pushing the tax break out beyond 2026.
"This is a time for policymakers to strengthen the policy and ensure it can serve as a tool for economic resiliency and recovery," the Economic Innovation Group said in a statement, urging Congress to act.
Questions remain about the full impact of these zones. Critics argue the tax incentives have done more to help rich investors than local residents. There are no federal reporting requirements that would allow the public to track these tax breaks.
A study released last week by the Urban Institute found that while some communities have benefited from the zones, much of the investment is going into real estate and not into operating businesses that would create jobs. The study concluded that the structure of the tax break favors the most profitable projects, not necessarily those that would have greatest social impact.


npr--2020-06-24--Citing A Breached 'Firewall,' Media Leaders Sue U.S. Official Over Firings

Citing A Breached 'Firewall , ' Media Leaders Sue U.S. Official Over Firings New U.S. Agency for Global Media CEO Michael Pack swept into office like a man on a mission last week , firing the top executives and advisory boards of federally funded international broadcasters which weekly reach 340 million people abroad .
A new lawsuit alleges he broke federal law in doing so .
On June 9 , according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia , Pack 's aides ordered the international broadcasters under his agency 's supervision to `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promotions and other contractual obligations .
The next day , Pack informed the heads of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty , Radio Free Asia , Middle East Broadcasting Networks , Office of Cuba Broadcasting and the Open Technology Fund that they were fired , effective immediately .
He also disbanded their separate bipartisan advisory boards and replaced them with five Trump administration political appointees and an attorney who works for a Christian legal defense and advocacy group , according to the lawsuit .
The lawsuit was filed by four former members of the advisory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with prominent roles in the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations , Ryan Crocker and Karen Kornbluh .
They contend Pack has broken federal guarantees of the broadcasters ' journalistic independence .
`` Their independence from political interference is protected by a strict 'firewall ' embodied in statutes , regulations , and binding contract provisions , '' the lawsuit states .
`` Mr .
Pack 's actions this past week constitute the most egregious breach of that firewall in history . ''
The two top officials of Voice of America resigned just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they anticipated he would prefer to have his own picks lead the broadcaster .
The agency has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit .
Nor has it answered reporters ' questions about Pack 's intentions .
He sent an email to staffers last Thursday saying he would protect journalists ' editorial independence but that he would also `` examine some of the problems that have surfaced in the media in recent years . ''
The agency also put out a press release , claiming : `` Pack 's message was met with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grantees , who personally reached out and candidly congratulated him . ''
The staffers and grantees were not named .
The press release said Pack 's new leadership team `` is committed to eradicating the known mismanagement and scandals that have plagued the agency for decades . ''
Staffers at VOA and other broadcasters which are overseen by USAGM and Pack — who spoke to NPR on condition they not be named because they feared for their job security in light of the recent dismissals — said they interpret the actions as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out what he calls the `` deep state '' - the unfounded claim that people throughout the government are collaborating to undermine Trump and his policies .
That belief that USAGM is part of a conspiracy has been given full voice by former presidential political adviser Steve Bannon , an associate of Pack who has worked with him on two documentaries .
In April the president and the White House press office condemned Voice of America for publishing `` propaganda '' on its website - in fact , an Associated Press article focusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control warned staffers not to talk to VOA journalists - who work for a fellow federal agency - citing those complaints .
VOA director Amanda Bennett 's resignation followed that revelation from the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University by just a few days .
As a legal matter , the suit contends the specific broadcasters are actually private non-profit corporations that receive federal grants but are not owned by the government .
Pack therefore lacks standing to fire them , they argue .
As he was coming into office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restated the importance of the journalistic firewall of the broadcasters .
It too was then dissolved .
The case , Open Technology Fund et al .
v. Michael Pack , 1:20-cv-1710 , was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia .

Citing A Breached 'Firewall,' Media Leaders Sue U.S. Official Over Firings
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP
New U.S. Agency for Global Media CEO Michael Pack swept into office like a man on a mission last week, firing the top executives and advisory boards of federally funded international broadcasters which weekly reach 340 million people abroad. A new lawsuit alleges he broke federal law in doing so.
On June 9, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Pack's aides ordered the international broadcasters under his agency's supervision to "freeze" all new hiring, staff promotions and other contractual obligations.
Enlarge this image toggle caption U.S. Agency for Global Media U.S. Agency for Global Media
The next day, Pack informed the heads of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Office of Cuba Broadcasting and the Open Technology Fund that they were fired, effective immediately.
He also disbanded their separate bipartisan advisory boards and replaced them with five Trump administration political appointees and an attorney who works for a Christian legal defense and advocacy group, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed by four former members of the advisory boards, including two former U.S. ambassadors with prominent roles in the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, Ryan Crocker and Karen Kornbluh. They contend Pack has broken federal guarantees of the broadcasters' journalistic independence.
"Their independence from political interference is protected by a strict 'firewall' embodied in statutes, regulations, and binding contract provisions," the lawsuit states. "Mr. Pack's actions this past week constitute the most egregious breach of that firewall in history."
The two top officials of Voice of America resigned just before Pack was sworn in, saying they anticipated he would prefer to have his own picks lead the broadcaster.
The agency has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit. Nor has it answered reporters' questions about Pack's intentions. He sent an email to staffers last Thursday saying he would protect journalists' editorial independence but that he would also "examine some of the problems that have surfaced in the media in recent years."
The agency also put out a press release, claiming: "Pack's message was met with an overwhelmingly positive response by staff and grantees, who personally reached out and candidly congratulated him." The staffers and grantees were not named. The press release said Pack's new leadership team "is committed to eradicating the known mismanagement and scandals that have plagued the agency for decades."
Staffers at VOA and other broadcasters which are overseen by USAGM and Pack — who spoke to NPR on condition they not be named because they feared for their job security in light of the recent dismissals — said they interpret the actions as part of President Trump's drive to sweep out what he calls the "deep state" - the unfounded claim that people throughout the government are collaborating to undermine Trump and his policies.
That belief that USAGM is part of a conspiracy has been given full voice by former presidential political adviser Steve Bannon, an associate of Pack who has worked with him on two documentaries.
In April the president and the White House press office condemned Voice of America for publishing "propaganda" on its website - in fact, an Associated Press article focusing on China. And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control warned staffers not to talk to VOA journalists - who work for a fellow federal agency - citing those complaints. VOA director Amanda Bennett's resignation followed that revelation from the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University by just a few days.
As a legal matter, the suit contends the specific broadcasters are actually private non-profit corporations that receive federal grants but are not owned by the government. Pack therefore lacks standing to fire them, they argue. As he was coming into office this month, a key USAGM board restated the importance of the journalistic firewall of the broadcasters. It too was then dissolved.
The case, Open Technology Fund et al. v. Michael Pack, 1:20-cv-1710, was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.


npr--2020-06-23--Trump Appointees Join Census Bureau; Democrats Concerned Over Partisan 'Games'

The Trump administration is adding two new political appointees to the U.S. Census Bureau , raising concerns among some Democrats about partisan interference with the ongoing national head count .
Nathaniel Cogley , a political science professor at Tarleton State University based near Fort Worth , Texas , is joining the federal government 's largest statistical agency in a newly created position of deputy director for policy , while Adam Korzeniewski — a former political consultant to a YouTube personality known for racist pranks — is serving as a senior advisor to Cogley , according to a statement by Census @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release issued Tuesday .
In a separate statement to NPR , the bureau says that both of the new appointees have been working on census-related issues since April as advisors to the deputy secretary at the Commerce Department , which oversees the bureau .
While the bureau says Cogley and Korzeniewski will `` support the director from a policy standpoint , especially in relation to present demands and future innovations , '' it is unclear what kind of authority either will have over the count of every person living in the U.S. that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The results are used to determine each state 's share of congressional seats , Electoral College votes and an estimated $ 1.5 trillion in federal tax dollars for health care , education and other public services .
It is also not clear what qualifies Cogley to help run the Census Bureau , where day-to-day operations have been overseen by Deputy Director Ron Jarmin , an economist and career civil servant who has spent more than a quarter of century at the bureau .
The bureau tells NPR that Cogley 's new role `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jarmin , who also serves as the agency 's chief operating officer .
Dillingham 's statement made no mention of either appointee 's experience in the bureau 's bread-and-butter work , including statistics , demography and survey methodology .
Instead , the press release highlighted the `` distinguished academic background '' of Cogley — who , according to a resume on his personal website , focused on African politics and international relations while studying for a Ph.D at Yale University — as well as Korzeniewski 's `` exemplary military and public service experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Korzeniewski has worked as a lead field manager for the 2020 census in the Queens borough of New York , according to the bureau 's statement to NPR .
The bureau has also confirmed to NPR that the U.S. Marine Corps veteran served as a consultant to the political campaign of Joseph Saladino , a social media personality known as `` Joey Salads '' who gained notoriety for staging prank videos , including racist depictions of Black people , and ended a run for Congress as a Republican last year .
Saladino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` general campaign consulting , '' according to Federal Election Commission filings .
Cogley has not responded to NPR 's requests for comment , and a person who answered a phone number publicly listed under Korzeniewski 's name redirected NPR 's request to the Census Bureau 's public information office .
The bureau declined to comment on who decided to create their new positions and the categories of their political appointments .
Tuesday 's announcement sparked criticism from Rep. Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , the chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to create two new senior positions at the Census Bureau and fill them with political operatives is yet another unprecedented attempt by the Trump Administration to politicize the 2020 Census , '' Maloney said in a written statement .
Terri Ann Lowenthal , a census consultant who once served as the staff director of the former House oversight subcommittee for the census and advised President Barack Obama 's transition team , notes that it is unusual to have a second deputy director at the bureau .
`` It 's hard to draw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House is trying to keep a close eye on the final implementation of the census with the possibility that they could interfere in the Census Bureau 's efforts to take the best census possible , '' Lowenthal says .
The appointments come at a critical moment for the beleaguered 2020 census , which has been upended by the coronavirus pandemic .
The bureau says the outbreak has so delayed its plans that it needs Congress to change legal deadlines for reporting census results so that the bureau has more time to finish counting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of October .
After announcing a shutdown of fieldwork in late March because of stay-at-home orders , the bureau is now preparing to send door knockers to neighborhoods around the U.S. starting next month to try to conduct in-person interviews with households that have not yet filled out forms for the count .
Meanwhile , the bureau is under pressure from an executive order by President Trump to use government records to produce census block-level citizenship data — an alternative to the administration 's failed attempt to add the now-blocked citizenship question to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a GOP strategist concluded , would be `` advantageous to Republicans and Non-Hispanic Whites '' when voting districts are redrawn after detailed demographic data from the 2020 census are released .
With the national self-response rate for the census at close to 62 % as of Monday — leaving roughly four in 10 homes nationwide yet to be counted — one of the major challenges facing the bureau in these final months of counting is declining public trust in the government , especially among historically undercounted groups , including communities of color , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the count on their own .
These new appointments could undermine efforts by the bureau and community groups around the country to boost census participation , warns Vanita Gupta , who heads The Leadership Conference Education Fund , a census advocacy group , and previously served at the Justice Department during the Obama administration .
`` It is concerning that the White House is apparently playing partisan political games again with the 2020 Census , '' Gupta said in a written statement .
John Thompson , a former Census Bureau director who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the agency and left that top post during the Trump administration 's first year , is concerned about how elevating a political appointee focused on policy to the agency 's highest ranks could harm the bureau 's reputation .
`` It raises the specter that the administration will attempt to influence the objective data that the Census Bureau puts out , '' Thompson says , putting extra emphasis on `` attempt '' because he says he has the `` greatest confidence '' that career staffers will not produce biased statistics or make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressured , they would resist to the point of resigning , '' Thompson adds .
NPR researcher Will Chase contributed to this report .

Trump Appointees Join Census Bureau; Democrats Concerned Over Partisan 'Games'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Claire Harbage/NPR Claire Harbage/NPR
Updated June 24 at 10:17 p.m. ET
The Trump administration is adding two new political appointees to the U.S. Census Bureau, raising concerns among some Democrats and the country's largest professional association of statisticians about partisan interference with the ongoing national head count.
Nathaniel Cogley, a political science professor at Tarleton State University based near Fort Worth, Texas, is joining the federal government's largest statistical agency in a newly created position of deputy director for policy, while Adam Korzeniewski — a former political consultant to a YouTube personality known for racist pranks — is serving as a senior advisor to Cogley, according to a statement by Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham in a press release issued Tuesday.
In a separate statement to NPR, the bureau says that both of the new appointees have been working on census-related issues since April as advisors to the deputy secretary at the Commerce Department, which oversees the bureau.
While the bureau says Cogley and Korzeniewski will "support the director from a policy standpoint, especially in relation to present demands and future innovations," it is unclear what kind of authority either will have over the count of every person living in the U.S. that the Constitution requires every 10 years. The results are used to determine each state's share of congressional seats, Electoral College votes and an estimated $1.5 trillion a year in federal tax dollars for health care, education and other public services.
It is also not clear what qualifies Cogley to help run the Census Bureau, where day-to-day operations have been overseen by Deputy Director Ron Jarmin, an economist and career civil servant who has spent more than a quarter of century at the bureau. The bureau tells NPR that Cogley's new role "does not affect the portfolio" of Jarmin, who also serves as the agency's chief operating officer.
Dillingham's statement made no mention of either appointee's experience in the bureau's bread-and-butter work, including statistics, demography and survey methodology. Instead, the press release highlighted the "distinguished academic background" of Cogley — who, according to a resume on his personal website, focused on African politics and international relations while studying for a Ph.D at Yale University — as well as Korzeniewski's "exemplary military and public service experience, including prior Census Bureau fieldwork."
Korzeniewski has worked as a lead field manager for the 2020 census in the Queens borough of New York, according to the bureau's statement to NPR. The bureau has also confirmed to NPR that the U.S. Marine Corps veteran served as a consultant to the political campaign of Joseph Saladino, a social media personality known as "Joey Salads" who gained notoriety for staging prank videos, including racist depictions of Black people, and ended a run for Congress as a Republican last year. Saladino's campaign paid Korzeniewski $30,000 for "general campaign consulting," according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Cogley has not responded to NPR's requests for comment, and a person who answered a phone number publicly listed under Korzeniewski's name redirected NPR's request to the Census Bureau's public information office.
The bureau declined to comment on who decided to create their new positions and the categories of their political appointments.
Tuesday's announcement sparked criticism from Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee that oversees the bureau.
"The decision to create two new senior positions at the Census Bureau and fill them with political operatives is yet another unprecedented attempt by the Trump Administration to politicize the 2020 Census," Maloney said in a written statement.
In a statement released Wednesday, the American Statistical Association's board of directors calls for Dillingham to provide an explanation to U.S. taxpayers that justifies the need for these new political appointments, which the board said are "in direct conflict with the bureau's mission to ensure proper, accurate, and timely delivery of statistical information to the public."
Terri Ann Lowenthal, a census consultant who once served as the staff director of the former House oversight subcommittee for the census and advised President Barack Obama's transition team, notes that it is unusual to have a second deputy director at the bureau.
"It's hard to draw any other conclusion other than the White House is trying to keep a close eye on the final implementation of the census with the possibility that they could interfere in the Census Bureau's efforts to take the best census possible," Lowenthal says.
The appointments come at a critical moment for the beleaguered 2020 census, which has been upended by the coronavirus pandemic. The bureau says the outbreak has so delayed its plans that it needs Congress to change legal deadlines for reporting census results so that the bureau has more time to finish counting the country's residents by the end of October.
After announcing a shutdown of fieldwork in late March because of stay-at-home orders, the bureau is now preparing to send door knockers to neighborhoods around the U.S. starting next month to try to conduct in-person interviews with households that have not yet filled out forms for the count.
Meanwhile, the bureau is under pressure from an executive order by President Trump to use government records to produce census block-level citizenship data — an alternative to the administration's failed attempt to add the now-blocked citizenship question to the 2020 census. That data, a GOP strategist concluded, would be "advantageous to Republicans and Non-Hispanic Whites" when voting districts are redrawn after detailed demographic data from the 2020 census are released.
With the national self-response rate for the census at close to 62% as of Monday — leaving roughly four in 10 homes nationwide yet to be counted — one of the major challenges facing the bureau in these final months of counting is declining public trust in the government, especially among historically undercounted groups, including communities of color, who are less likely to participate in the count on their own.
These new appointments could undermine efforts by the bureau and community groups around the country to boost census participation, warns Vanita Gupta, who heads The Leadership Conference Education Fund, a census advocacy group, and previously served at the Justice Department during the Obama administration.
"It is concerning that the White House is apparently playing partisan political games again with the 2020 Census," Gupta said in a written statement.
John Thompson, a former Census Bureau director who was appointed by Obama after working 27 years at the agency and left that top post during the Trump administration's first year, is concerned about how elevating a political appointee focused on policy to the agency's highest ranks could harm the bureau's reputation.
"It raises the specter that the administration will attempt to influence the objective data that the Census Bureau puts out," Thompson says, putting extra emphasis on "attempt" because he says he has the "greatest confidence" that career staffers will not produce biased statistics or make political decisions.
"If they were pressured, they would resist to the point of resigning," Thompson adds.
NPR researcher Will Chase contributed to this report.


npr--2020-06-23--Deadly Earthquake Rattles Southern Mexico

A powerful earthquake struck Mexico 's southern Oaxaca region on Tuesday , killing at least five people and shaking buildings hundreds of miles away .
The 7.4-magnitude quake struck mid-morning , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
Its epicenter was off the Pacific coast about seven miles southwest of Santa María Zapotitlán , near the beach resort of Huatuco .
Reuters reports that rockfalls blocked the mountain roads in the region , cutting off isolated villages .
The state-run oil company Pemex said one of its workers fell from a refinery structure to his death , and the quake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city of Salina Cruz .
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said 147 aftershocks had been reported by noon .
The quake was felt in several states and triggered seismic alarms in Mexico City , sending residents there onto the streets .
This is not the first large earthquake to jolt the area in recent years .
In September 2017 , an 8.1 magnitude quake struck off the southern coast , killing at least 60 people .
The U.S. Geological Survey said that Tuesday 's earthquake was `` near the northern end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 event .

Deadly Earthquake Rattles Southern Mexico
Enlarge this image toggle caption Luis Alberto Cruz Hernandez/AP Luis Alberto Cruz Hernandez/AP
A powerful earthquake struck Mexico's southern Oaxaca region on Tuesday, killing at least five people and shaking buildings hundreds of miles away.
The 7.4-magnitude quake struck mid-morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its epicenter was off the Pacific coast about seven miles southwest of Santa María Zapotitlán, near the beach resort of Huatulco.
Reuters reports that rockfalls blocked the mountain roads in the region, cutting off isolated villages.
The state-run oil company Pemex said one of its workers fell from a refinery structure to his death, and the quake caused a fire at its facility in the city of Salina Cruz.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said 147 aftershocks had been reported by noon.
The quake was felt in several states and triggered seismic alarms in Mexico City, sending residents there onto the streets.
This is not the first large earthquake to jolt the area in recent years. In September 2017, an 8.1 magnitude quake struck off the southern coast, killing at least 60 people. The U.S. Geological Survey said that Tuesday's earthquake was "near the northern end of the aftershock distribution" of the 2017 event.
NPR's Carrie Kahn contributed to this report.


npr--2020-06-23--Baseball Is Coming Back For A Pandemic-Shortened 2020 Season

Major League Baseball and its Players Association have reached an agreement to play a shortened season this year .
The MLB Players Association made the announcement first via tweet .
In a subsequent news release , MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said players will report to spring training on July 1 and the regular season is to begin either on July 23 or 24 .
Instead of the typical 162-game regular season , teams will play just 60 games .
Major League Baseball halted spring training on March 12 because of the coronavirus – just two weeks before what was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a shorter season because executives fear what would happen if coronavirus cases resurged in the fall and how that might affect the season and playoffs .
The decision to resume playing comes a day after the league 's owners voted to begin a shortened season next month .
Owners , players and MLB officials have been offering proposals and counter-proposals for three months to try to reach an agreement on playing in 2020 .
The biggest sticking points have been money and the health and safety of players and team officials .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked out .
`` MLB has submitted a 60-game regular season schedule for review by the Players Association , '' according to a league statement .
`` The proposed schedule will largely feature divisional play , with the remaining portion of each Club 's games against their opposite league 's corresponding geographical division ( i.e.
, East vs. East , Central vs. Central and West vs. West ) , in order to mitigate travel .
The vast majority of Major League Clubs are expected to conduct training at the ballparks in their primary @ @ @ @

Baseball Is Coming Back For A Pandemic-Shortened 2020 Season
Enlarge this image toggle caption David Zalubowski/AP David Zalubowski/AP
Major League Baseball and its Players Association have reached an agreement to play a shortened season this year. The MLB Players Association made the announcement first via tweet.
In a subsequent news release, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said players will report to spring training on July 1 and the regular season is to begin either on July 23 or 24. Instead of the typical 162-game regular season, teams will play just 60 games.
Major League Baseball halted spring training on March 12 because of the coronavirus – just two weeks before what was to have been opening day. MLB wants a shorter season because executives fear what would happen if coronavirus cases resurged in the fall and how that might affect the season and playoffs.
The decision to resume playing comes a day after the league's owners voted to begin a shortened season next month. Owners, players and MLB officials have been offering proposals and counter-proposals for three months to try to reach an agreement on playing in 2020. The biggest sticking points have been money and the health and safety of players and team officials.
Some of the details still haven't been worked out.
"MLB has submitted a 60-game regular season schedule for review by the Players Association," according to a league statement. "The proposed schedule will largely feature divisional play, with the remaining portion of each Club's games against their opposite league's corresponding geographical division (i.e., East vs. East, Central vs. Central and West vs. West) , in order to mitigate travel. The vast majority of Major League Clubs are expected to conduct training at the ballparks in their primary home cities."


npr--2020-06-24--With COVID-19 Cases Rising, Some States Slow Their Reopening Plans

With COVID-19 Cases Rising , Some States Slow Their Reopening Plans As the number of new coronavirus cases surges each day in many parts of the country , some states are hitting pause on their plans to reopen .
Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said in a Capitol Hill hearing on Tuesday that while states may not need to revert to the strictest possible measures , some may want to consider adjusting their reopening plans .
`` I would n't necessarily say an absolute shutdown , lockdown , but if someone is going from gateway to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get into trouble in phase two , they may need to go back to phase one , '' he said .
Several governors , largely in the South and West , have opted to postpone the next phase of their states ' reopening in light of growing case and hospitalization numbers .
States including Oregon and Nevada announced last week they would temporarily hold off on decisions about moving forward , while North Carolina , Louisiana and Kansas have announced timeline delays in recent days .
`` It is clear that COVID is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we see more people testing positive and admitted to hospitals , we simply are not ready to move to the next phase , and ease restrictions further as businesses open widely , '' Gov .
John Bel Edwards said on Monday , noting the state had surpassed 3,000 deaths and 50,000 positive tests .
He said Louisiana will remain in Phase Two , which it entered on June 5 , for another 28 days .
That same day , Kansas officials urged local communities to stay in Phase Three of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guideline rather than a requirement because in May , Gov .
Laura Kelly transferred reopening decisions to local officials .
Kelly has recommended remaining in Phase Three until at least July 6 — two weeks later than initially planned — because of an `` increase in disease spread . ''
And on Wednesday , North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper announced the state will `` pause and continue '' its Safer at Home Phase 2 for another three weeks , citing an increase in daily case counts and hospitalizations .
`` The numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I 'm concerned , '' he wrote in a tweet .
`` As we have watched and studied and dissected these numbers in recent weeks , that concern has grown . ''
Earlier in June , Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown put all pending county applications for further reopening on hold for seven days .
And in Utah , Gov .
Gary Herbert extended existing health risk guidance from June 5 to 12 , saying case and hospitalization increases `` give us pause . ''
Both governors have since allowed certain areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an NPR analysis , 27 states are seeing a rise in new daily cases .

With COVID-19 Cases Rising, Some States Slow Their Reopening Plans
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rick Bowmer/AP Rick Bowmer/AP
Updated at 10:47 p.m. ET
As the number of new coronavirus cases surges each day in many parts of the country, some states are hitting pause on their plans to reopen.
Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said in a Capitol Hill hearing on Tuesday that while states may not need to revert to the strictest possible measures, some may want to consider adjusting their reopening plans.
"I wouldn't necessarily say an absolute shutdown, lockdown, but if someone is going from gateway to Phase 1 to Phase 2 and they get into trouble in Phase 2, they may need to go back to Phase 1," he said.
Several governors, largely in the South and West, have opted to postpone the next phase of their states' reopening in light of growing case and hospitalization numbers. States including Oregon announced last week they would temporarily hold off on decisions about moving forward, while North Carolina, Louisiana and Kansas have announced timeline delays in recent days.
"The pandemic is not over; we are still in the middle of the first wave of COVID," Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said Wednesday.
"Due to the data and time needed for evaluation of contact tracing and impacts of this new face covering directive, any discussion of entering Phase 3 will be tabled," Sisolak said.
"It is clear that COVID is alive and well in Louisiana, and as we see more people testing positive and admitted to hospitals, we simply are not ready to move to the next phase, and ease restrictions further as businesses open widely," Gov. John Bel Edwards said on Monday, noting that the state had surpassed 3,000 deaths and 50,000 positive tests.
He said Louisiana will remain in Phase 2, which it entered on June 5, for another 28 days.
That same day, Kansas officials urged local communities to stay in Phase 3 of the state's reopening plan. That was a guideline rather than a requirement because in May, Gov. Laura Kelly transferred reopening decisions to local officials. Kelly has recommended remaining in Phase 3 until at least July 6 — two weeks later than initially planned — because of an "increase in disease spread."
And on Wednesday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced that the state will "pause and continue" its Safer at Home Phase 2 for another three weeks, citing an increase in daily case counts and hospitalizations.
"The numbers we see are a stark warning, and I'm concerned," he wrote in a tweet. "As we have watched and studied and dissected these numbers in recent weeks, that concern has grown."
Earlier in June, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown put all pending county applications for further reopening on hold for seven days. And in Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert extended existing health risk guidance from June 5 to June 12, saying case and hospitalization increases "give us pause." Both governors have since allowed certain areas to progress with their reopenings.
According to an NPR analysis, 27 states are seeing a rise in new daily cases.


npr--2020-06-24--Survey: Women Are Rethinking Having Kids As They Face Pandemic Challenges

Survey : Women Are Rethinking Having Kids As They Face Pandemic Challenges Whether it 's online-only consultations , closed pharmacies or having to wonder whether going into an office is safe , the coronavirus has upended access to health care .
And it has presented particular challenges for women and reproductive health .
A new survey released Wednesday by the Guttmacher Institute , a research group that advocates for reproductive rights , finds 34 % of women said the pandemic was causing them to delay getting pregnant , or to have fewer children .
A slightly smaller proportion of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey also said they were struggling to access birth control during the pandemic .
`` What we heard from them very clearly was that due to the COVID-19 pandemic , far fewer women want to get pregnant .
And at the same time , contraception is harder for them to get , '' said Laura Lindberg , the study 's lead researcher , in an interview with NPR 's All Things Considered .
`` Those two opposing forces mean that people are going to have a harder time delaying pregnancies during the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't want to get pregnant right now . ''
The problems highlighted by the survey were especially pronounced among women of color .
While 29 % of white women said they were struggling to access birth control , among Black women and Latinas , the figures were 38 % and 45 % , respectively .
`` Black and Hispanic women were more likely to face delays or were unable to get contraception or other care than were white women , '' says Lindberg .
`` This is what health care inequities look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excerpts from the interview .
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted these existing racial disparities ... Is what we 're seeing in terms of access to contraception , is it different , or worse , than before the pandemic ?
I think it 's certainly worse than before the pandemic .
Couple of things are going on .
So one is cost .
If you 've lost your job right now , you may have lost your health insurance , and that limits the kind of providers you can go to or access .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ your home are all more difficult right now .
That 's for individuals .
For the health care providers side , we know the clinics and pharmacies and health care providers have been closed or have n't been providing as much care because of COVID-19 .
It 's harder to get contraceptive care right now than ever before .
At the same time that many women were having more difficulty accessing contraception , they were also reporting a desire to use birth control more consistently and to delay childbearing in many cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of women said that they wanted to either delay childbearing or even have fewer children than they had prior to the pandemic .
... Women are making decisions in a time of uncertainty .
The pandemic has really been a disruption in our lives .
I mean , imagine , what is September going to look like if schools do n't fully reopen ?
What 's September going to look like for a working woman if infant child care no longer exists or is double the price ?
What is the upshot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year ?
Usually , I 'm not willing to do a crystal ball prediction , but in this case , I think it 's pretty clear we 're going to have a baby bust , not a baby boom .
Women are clearly expressing a desire to delay childbearing right now .
And although we 're only in the first few months of this pandemic , as more time passes , I think the fuller effects are still going to unfold .
...
Overall , there 'll be a decline in fertility , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual women who ca n't get the contraception they need to achieve their own fertility goals .
Listen to the full interview at the audio link above .

Survey: Women Are Rethinking Having Kids As They Face Pandemic Challenges
Enlarge this image toggle caption PeopleImages/Getty Images PeopleImages/Getty Images
Whether it's online-only consultations, closed pharmacies or having to wonder whether going into an office is safe, the coronavirus has upended access to health care. And it has presented particular challenges for women and reproductive health.
A new survey released Wednesday by the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that advocates for reproductive rights, finds 34% of women said the pandemic was causing them to delay getting pregnant, or to have fewer children. A slightly smaller proportion of the roughly 2,000 women who responded to the survey also said they were struggling to access birth control during the pandemic.
"What we heard from them very clearly was that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, far fewer women want to get pregnant. And at the same time, contraception is harder for them to get," said Laura Lindberg, the study's lead researcher, in an interview with NPR's All Things Considered. "Those two opposing forces mean that people are going to have a harder time delaying pregnancies during the crisis, even as more people say they don't want to get pregnant right now."
The problems highlighted by the survey were especially pronounced among women of color. While 29% of white women said they were struggling to access birth control, among Black women and Latinas, the figures were 38% and 45%, respectively.
"Black and Hispanic women were more likely to face delays or were unable to get contraception or other care than were white women," says Lindberg. "This is what health care inequities look like in action."
Here are excerpts from the interview.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted these existing racial disparities ... Is what we're seeing in terms of access to contraception, is it different, or worse, than before the pandemic?
I think it's certainly worse than before the pandemic. Couple of things are going on. So one is cost. If you've lost your job right now, you may have lost your health insurance, and that limits the kind of providers you can go to or access. Transportation, child care, physically leaving your home are all more difficult right now. That's for individuals.
For the health care providers side, we know the clinics and pharmacies and health care providers have been closed or haven't been providing as much care because of COVID-19. It's harder to get contraceptive care right now than ever before.
At the same time that many women were having more difficulty accessing contraception, they were also reporting a desire to use birth control more consistently and to delay childbearing in many cases. Why?
We found that about one-third of women said that they wanted to either delay childbearing or even have fewer children than they had prior to the pandemic. ... Women are making decisions in a time of uncertainty. The pandemic has really been a disruption in our lives. I mean, imagine, what is September going to look like if schools don't fully reopen? What's September going to look like for a working woman if infant child care no longer exists or is double the price?
What is the upshot of this? Fewer children in the next year?
Usually, I'm not willing to do a crystal ball prediction, but in this case, I think it's pretty clear we're going to have a baby bust, not a baby boom. Women are clearly expressing a desire to delay childbearing right now. And although we're only in the first few months of this pandemic, as more time passes, I think the fuller effects are still going to unfold. ... Overall, there'll be a decline in fertility, but we need to be concerned about individual women who can't get the contraception they need to achieve their own fertility goals.
Listen to the full interview at the audio link above.


npr--2020-06-24--Democrats Outline Modified Convention Amid Coronavirus Fears

The in-person Democratic National Convention will be scaled down significantly as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic , with the Milwaukee event now relying heavily on `` live broadcasts and curated content , '' organizers have announced .
`` Convention planners said that host city Milwaukee would anchor the events for the week , '' organizers said in a press release Wednesday , `` and that programming would include both live broadcasts and curated content from Milwaukee and other satellite cities , locations and landmarks across the country . ''
The presumptive Democratic nominee , former Vice President Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party 's nomination in person during the Aug. 17-20 convention , but the convention committee said state delegations should not plan to travel to Milwaukee and should instead plan to conduct convention business remotely .
Additionally , the main venue is changing .
`` With fewer people gathering in person at this year 's event , convention planners are modifying the convention campus .
All convention proceedings will move from Fiserv Forum to the Wisconsin Center , the convention center located in downtown Milwaukee , '' the release said .
`` Leadership means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez said in a statement .
`` That 's exactly what we 've done with our convention .
Unlike this president , Joe Biden and Democrats are committed to protecting the health and safety of the American people . ''
The party 's decision comes as its counterpart , the Republican National Committee , has faced resistance in its quest to hold a mostly normal , in-person convention .
Following a squabble between President Trump and North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper , the party made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech to Jacksonville , Fla. , though some of the convention 's smaller events will remain in Charlotte .

Democrats Outline Modified Convention Amid Coronavirus Fears
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images
The in-person Democratic National Convention will be scaled down significantly as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with the Milwaukee event now relying heavily on "live broadcasts and curated content," organizers have announced.
"Convention planners said that host city Milwaukee would anchor the events for the week," organizers said in a press release Wednesday, "and that programming would include both live broadcasts and curated content from Milwaukee and other satellite cities, locations and landmarks across the country."
The presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, will still formally accept the party's nomination in person during the Aug. 17-20 convention, but the convention committee said state delegations should not plan to travel to Milwaukee and should instead plan to conduct convention business remotely.
Additionally, the main venue is changing. "With fewer people gathering in person at this year's event, convention planners are modifying the convention campus. All convention proceedings will move from Fiserv Forum to the Wisconsin Center, the convention center located in downtown Milwaukee," the release said.
"Leadership means being able to adapt to any situation," Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez said in a statement. "That's exactly what we've done with our convention. Unlike this president, Joe Biden and Democrats are committed to protecting the health and safety of the American people."
The party's decision comes as its counterpart, the Republican National Committee, has faced resistance in its quest to hold a mostly normal, in-person convention.
Following a squabble between President Trump and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, the party made the decision to move Trump's acceptance speech to Jacksonville, Fla., though some of the convention's smaller events will remain in Charlotte.


npr--2020-06-24--Boston Lawmakers Vote To Ban Use Of Facial Recognition Technology By The City

Boston Lawmakers Vote To Ban Use Of Facial Recognition Technology By The City Boston is poised to ban its use of facial surveillance technology , becoming the second-largest community in the world to do so .
The city council unanimously voted on Wednesday to ban the use of the technology and prohibit any city official from obtaining facial surveillance by asking for it through third parties .
The measure will now go to Mayor Marty Walsh with a veto-proof majority .
Walsh 's office said he would review the ban .
Councilor Ricardo Arroyo , who cosponsored the ordinance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people of color .
An MIT study found that for darker skinned women , facial analysis programs had an error rate of up to 35 % .
`` It has an obvious racial bias and that 's dangerous , '' Arroyo said ahead of the hearing .
`` But it also has sort of a chilling effect on civil liberties .
And so , in a time where we 're seeing so much direct action in the form of marches and protests for rights , any kind of surveillance technology that could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... more or less monitor activism or activists is dangerous . ''
Councilor Michelle Wu , who also sponsored the measure , said that Boston should n't use racially discriminatory technology .
She noted the reports of the first known case of a man arrested after being misidentified by facial recognition technology in Michigan .
During a hearing earlier this month , Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said the current technology is n't reliable , and it is n't used by the department .
`` I did n't forget that I 'm African @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well , '' he said .
While the police department is n't using facial recognition technology now , an upgraded version of a video analysis software currently used by the department , called BriefCam , does have facial analysis power .
Boston police said at a recent city council working session that the department would not sign up for that part of the software update .
It 's not clear whether the department has upgraded to the newest version of BriefCam or if the city has a current contract with the company .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions about the contract .
The American Civil Liberties Union says the largest city to ban facial recognition technology is San Francisco .
The Boston ordinance would not affect private companies or federal agencies , like the FBI , from using the technology in the city .
Kade Crockford , with the ACLU , said the state should act now to prevent harm down the line .
`` Let 's just ensure that we put the policy horse before the technology cart and lead with our values so we do n't accidentally wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Crockford said , `` because behind the scenes , police departments and technology companies have created an architecture of oppression that is very difficult to dismantle . ''
The Boston city council ordinance notes governments around the world have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with `` an unprecedented use of surveillance tools , '' despite needing the public trust to effectively respond to the crisis .

Boston Lawmakers Vote To Ban Use Of Facial Recognition Technology By The City
Enlarge this image toggle caption Thomas Peter/Reuters Thomas Peter/Reuters
Boston is poised to ban its use of facial surveillance technology, becoming the second-largest community in the world to do so.
The city council unanimously voted on Wednesday to ban the use of the technology and prohibit any city official from obtaining facial surveillance by asking for it through third parties. The measure will now go to Mayor Marty Walsh with a veto-proof majority. Walsh's office said he would review the ban.
Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, who cosponsored the ordinance, noted the technology is wildly inaccurate for people of color. An MIT study found that for darker skinned women, facial analysis programs had an error rate of up to 35%.
"It has an obvious racial bias and that's dangerous," Arroyo said ahead of the hearing. "But it also has sort of a chilling effect on civil liberties. And so, in a time where we're seeing so much direct action in the form of marches and protests for rights, any kind of surveillance technology that could be used to essentially chill free speech or ... more or less monitor activism or activists is dangerous."
Councilor Michelle Wu, who also sponsored the measure, said that Boston shouldn't use racially discriminatory technology. She noted the reports of the first known case of a man arrested after being misidentified by facial recognition technology in Michigan.
During a hearing earlier this month, Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said the current technology isn't reliable, and it isn't used by the department.
"I didn't forget that I'm African American and I can be misidentified as well," he said.
While the police department isn't using facial recognition technology now, an upgraded version of a video analysis software currently used by the department, called BriefCam, does have facial analysis power. Boston police said at a recent city council working session that the department would not sign up for that part of the software update.
It's not clear whether the department has upgraded to the newest version of BriefCam or if the city has a current contract with the company. Boston police did not yet respond to questions about the contract.
The American Civil Liberties Union says the largest city to ban facial recognition technology is San Francisco.
The Boston ordinance would not affect private companies or federal agencies, like the FBI, from using the technology in the city.
Kade Crockford, with the ACLU, said the state should act now to prevent harm down the line.
"Let's just ensure that we put the policy horse before the technology cart and lead with our values so we don't accidentally wake up someday in a dystopian surveillance state," Crockford said, "because behind the scenes, police departments and technology companies have created an architecture of oppression that is very difficult to dismantle."
The Boston city council ordinance notes governments around the world have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with "an unprecedented use of surveillance tools," despite needing the public trust to effectively respond to the crisis.


npr--2020-06-24--Parts Of Myanmar Unaware Of COVID-19 Due To Internet Ban, Rights Advocates Say

Parts Of Myanmar Unaware Of COVID-19 Due To Internet Ban , Rights Advocates Say An Internet shutdown that began a year ago in parts of Myanmar is keeping some villages unaware of the coronavirus pandemic , humanitarian groups say .
Restrictions on mobile Internet were put in place in eight townships in the state of Rakhine – and one in nearby Chin state — in June of last year amid fighting between the country 's military and an ethnic minority , the Rakhine , and their Arakan Army .
The ban in Maungdaw township was lifted in May .
Still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the war torn area , said Human Rights Watch , which is calling for an immediate lifting of the shutdown in the eight remaining townships .
In a statement on Wednesday , the group , citing local groups and journalists , said the blackout had impeded efforts to coordinate aid distribution and disseminate up-to-date information on fighting in the region .
`` With armed conflict between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army in Rakhine State amid a pandemic , it 's critical for civilians to get the information needed to stay safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adviser at Human Rights Watch said in the statement .
Human Rights Watch adds that the government has also blocked websites of independent and ethnic news sites alleging they were supplying `` fake news . ''
Moreover , the independent rights watchdog notes the role Internet access plays in relaying information about COVID-19 , protocols on self-quarantine and other practices to restrict the spread of the disease .
According to tracking by Johns Hopkins University , at least 293 cases have been reported in Myanmar with six deaths tied to COVID-19 .
CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been found in the Maungdaw and Buthidaung in northern Rakhine state , where more than 100,000 Rohingya Muslims are crowded into camps as a result of a bloody campaign to drive the minority out of the majority Buddhist state .
Major fighting between the military and ethnic Rhakine broke out early last year after a series of attacks by the Arakan army targeted police posts and killed 13 officers .
Fighting between the insurgent group and country 's military has wounded and killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands .
International organizations have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its campaign .
Among the charges are attacks by the military on civilians , extrajudicial killings , and torturing prisoners , noted an Amnesty International report .
On June 21 of last year , the government shut down mobile Internet in the region saying it would maintain order amid the fighting , although human rights advocates contend the measures were to suppress news of human rights abuses by Myanmar , which is also known as Burma .
`` The Burmese military is still operating its scorched earth model .
Civilians are not safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caught in the crossfire and they 're also being targeted indiscriminately by the Burmese military forces , '' Phil Robertson , Deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch , told reporter Michael Sullivan .
In September of last year , Myanmar briefly lifted the restrictions on five townships before reinstating them in February .
Parts of neighboring Bangladesh , where some 700,000 Rohingya fled in 2017 has also shut down mobile internet , according to Sullivan .
Rohingya crammed into refugee camps there have not had Internet access since September , he reports @

Parts Of Myanmar Unaware Of COVID-19 Due To Internet Ban, Rights Advocates Say
Enlarge this image toggle caption Richard Sargent/AFP via Getty Images Richard Sargent/AFP via Getty Images
An Internet shutdown that began a year ago in parts of Myanmar is keeping some villages unaware of the coronavirus pandemic, humanitarian groups say.
Restrictions on mobile Internet were put in place in eight townships in the state of Rakhine – and one in nearby Chin state — in June of last year amid fighting between the country's military and an ethnic minority, the Rakhine, and their Arakan Army.
The ban in Maungdaw township was lifted in May. Still, some 1 million people are affected in the war torn area, said Human Rights Watch, which is calling for an immediate lifting of the shutdown in the eight remaining townships.
In a statement on Wednesday, the group, citing local groups and journalists, said the blackout had impeded efforts to coordinate aid distribution and disseminate up-to-date information on fighting in the region.
"With armed conflict between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army in Rakhine State amid a pandemic, it's critical for civilians to get the information needed to stay safe," Linda Lakhdhir, Asia legal adviser at Human Rights Watch said in the statement.
Human Rights Watch adds that the government has also blocked websites of independent and ethnic news sites alleging they were supplying "fake news."
Moreover, the independent rights watchdog notes the role Internet access plays in relaying information about COVID-19, protocols on self-quarantine and other practices to restrict the spread of the disease.
According to tracking by Johns Hopkins University, at least 293 cases have been reported in Myanmar with six deaths tied to COVID-19. CNN reports that a handful of cases have been found in the Maungdaw and Buthidaung in northern Rakhine state, where more than 100,000 Rohingya Muslims are crowded into camps as a result of a bloody campaign to drive the minority out of the majority Buddhist state.
Major fighting between the military and ethnic Rhakine broke out early last year after a series of attacks by the Arakan army targeted police posts and killed 13 officers. Fighting between the insurgent group and country's military has wounded and killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands.
International organizations have accused Myanmar of human rights violations in its campaign. Among the charges are attacks by the military on civilians, extrajudicial killings, and torturing prisoners, noted an Amnesty International report.
On June 21 of last year, the government shut down mobile Internet in the region saying it would maintain order amid the fighting, although human rights advocates contend the measures were to suppress news of human rights abuses by Myanmar, which is also known as Burma.
"The Burmese military is still operating its scorched earth model. Civilians are not safe from this conflict. They are getting caught in the crossfire and they're also being targeted indiscriminately by the Burmese military forces," Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, told reporter Michael Sullivan.
In September of last year, Myanmar briefly lifted the restrictions on five townships before reinstating them in February.
Parts of neighboring Bangladesh, where some 700,000 Rohingya fled in 2017 has also shut down mobile internet, according to Sullivan. Rohingya crammed into refugee camps there have not had Internet access since September, he reports.
Michael Sullivan contributed to this report.


npr--2020-06-24--3 Men Indicted In Death Of Ahmaud Arbery, Shot While He Jogged In Georgia

3 Men Indicted In Death Of Ahmaud Arbery , Shot While He Jogged In Georgia The three white men accused in the death of Ahmaud Arbery , a Black man who was shot while he was jogging through a Glynn County , Ga. , neighborhood this year , were indicted by a grand jury Wednesday .
Gregory and Travis McMichael , a father and son , as well as William `` Roddie '' Bryan , were charged in May in the Feb. 23 killing of Arbery .
Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes announced the indictment on nine counts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment .
`` This is another step forward in seeking justice for Ahmaud .
Our team from the Cobb Judicial Circuit has been committed to effectively bringing forward the evidence in this case , and today was no exception , '' Holmes said in a statement .
`` We will continue to be intentional in the pursuit of justice for this family and the community at large as the prosecution of this case continues . ''
The coronavirus pandemic has slowed some legal proceedings like these , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday in person .
The three men remain in jail without bond .
The investigation in the death of 25-year-old Arbery was stalled for several weeks following his killing .
However , arrests were made two days after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case from local authorities .
The McMichaels were charged with murder and aggravated assault on May 7 .
Bryan was arrested two weeks later on charges of felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment on May 21 .

3 Men Indicted In Death Of Ahmaud Arbery, Shot While He Jogged In Georgia
Enlarge this image toggle caption Glynn County Detention Center via AP Glynn County Detention Center via AP
The three white men accused in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was shot while he was jogging through a Glynn County, Ga., neighborhood this year, were indicted by a grand jury Wednesday.
Gregory and Travis McMichael, a father and son, as well as William "Roddie" Bryan, were charged in May in the Feb. 23 killing of Arbery.
Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes announced the indictment on nine counts, including malice murder, felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
"This is another step forward in seeking justice for Ahmaud. Our team from the Cobb Judicial Circuit has been committed to effectively bringing forward the evidence in this case, and today was no exception," Holmes said in a statement.
"We will continue to be intentional in the pursuit of justice for this family and the community at large as the prosecution of this case continues."
The coronavirus pandemic has slowed some legal proceedings like these, but the grand jury was able to meet Wednesday in person. The three men remain in jail without bond.
The investigation in the death of 25-year-old Arbery was stalled for several weeks following his killing.
However, arrests were made two days after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case from local authorities.
The McMichaels were charged with murder and aggravated assault on May 7. Bryan was arrested two weeks later on charges of felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment on May 21.


npr--2020-06-24--Trump's Freeze On H-1B Work Visas Disproportionately Affects Indians

The Trump administration 's latest freeze on certain types of work visas , designed to protect American jobs during the COVID-19 crisis , is having a disproportionate effect on workers in India .
The executive order , signed Monday by President Trump , extends a ban on green cards issued outside the United States and adds several types of work visas to the freeze , including the H-1B visa for skilled workers .
Last year , 72 % of those visas were granted to Indians .
The change means tens of thousands of Indians who planned to come to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or delay their plans .
On Tuesday , Sunny Kumar Hirpara awoke in India to news of a temporary ban on his exact type of visa .
`` I woke up at like 5 o'clock in the morning , and I saw the messages .
I almost started crying , '' Hirpara says .
Hirpara , 26 , earned a master 's degree in the U.S. and landed a job as an electrical engineer in Irvine , California .
In March , he returned to India to visit his parents and to convert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sponsored by his company .
Then the pandemic hit .
His paperwork was delayed .
`` I 'm sad that I invested five years studying in the U.S. and preparing for a job there , '' says Hirpara .
Last year , nearly 280,000 Indians were granted H-1B visas or renewed them .
New ones are capped at 85,000 annually .
The process is now frozen through Dec. 31 , 2020 .
In some cases , families separated by the pandemic now face more time apart .
Social media is flooded with pleas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left the U.S. and worry they wo n't be allowed back .
Many have advanced degrees and work for U.S. tech giants .
Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted that he 's `` disappointed '' by Trump 's order .
He was once an H-1B recipient from India .
`` We as a country have been such a vibrant economy and society because of our ability to draw talent from around the world , '' Nisha Biswal , president of the U.S.-India Business Council , tells NPR .
`` If we stop , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be at the top . ''
India 's IT industry association called the freeze `` misguided & harmful '' and urged the U.S. government to shorten restrictions to 90 days .
Some Indian IT companies with employees in the U.S. will also be affected .
Others , though , suggest that the visa freeze could be a boon to Indian companies , and even to the government .
`` This is a fantastic opportunity , '' Vikram Ahuja , co-founder of Talent500 , a recruitment firm in the southern Indian city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said working from home — now common during the pandemic — could change how tech companies hire .
`` The world is changing , and I think as long as great companies seek great talent , then location and physical proximity becomes irrelevant , '' Ahuja said .
He said H-1B visa holders could even still work for U.S. companies , but from home in India — thus paying into Indian tax coffers instead of U.S. ones .

Trump's Freeze On H-1B Work Visas Disproportionately Affects Indians
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pawan Kumar/Reuters Pawan Kumar/Reuters
The Trump administration's latest freeze on certain types of work visas, designed to protect American jobs during the COVID-19 crisis, is having a disproportionate effect on workers in India.
The executive order, signed Monday by President Trump, extends a ban on green cards issued outside the United States and adds several types of work visas to the freeze, including the H-1B visa for skilled workers. Last year, 72% of those visas were granted to Indians.
The change means tens of thousands of Indians who planned to come to the U.S. this year will have to scrap or delay their plans.
On Tuesday, Sunny Kumar Hirpara awoke in India to news of a temporary ban on his exact type of visa.
"I woke up at like 5 o'clock in the morning, and I saw the messages. I almost started crying," Hirpara says.
Hirpara, 26, earned a master's degree in the U.S. and landed a job as an electrical engineer in Irvine, California. In March, he returned to India to visit his parents and to convert his student visa to an H-1B, sponsored by his company. Then the pandemic hit. His paperwork was delayed.
"I'm sad that I invested five years studying in the U.S. and preparing for a job there," says Hirpara.
Last year, nearly 280,000 Indians were granted H-1B visas or renewed them. New ones are capped at 85,000 annually. The process is now frozen through Dec. 31, 2020.
In some cases, families separated by the pandemic now face more time apart. Social media is flooded with pleas to lawmakers from H-1B holders who temporarily left the U.S. and worry they won't be allowed back.
Many have advanced degrees and work for U.S. tech giants. Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted that he's "disappointed" by Trump's order. He was once an H-1B recipient from India.
"We as a country have been such a vibrant economy and society because of our ability to draw talent from around the world," Nisha Biswal, president of the U.S.-India Business Council, tells NPR. "If we stop, I think that will adversely impact our ability to be at the top."
India's IT industry association called the freeze "misguided & harmful" and urged the U.S. government to shorten restrictions to 90 days. Some Indian IT companies with employees in the U.S. will also be affected.
Others, though, suggest that the visa freeze could be a boon to Indian companies, and even to the government.
"This is a fantastic opportunity," Vikram Ahuja, co-founder of Talent500, a recruitment firm in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru, told India's NDTV channel. He said working from home — now common during the pandemic — could change how tech companies hire.
"The world is changing, and I think as long as great companies seek great talent, then location and physical proximity becomes irrelevant," Ahuja said.
He said H-1B visa holders could even still work for U.S. companies, but from home in India — thus paying into Indian tax coffers instead of U.S. ones.


npr--2020-06-24--NYC Could See 22,000 Public Employee Lay-offs Because Of COVID-19

NYC Could See 22,000 Public Employee Lay-offs Because Of COVID-19 New York City could see as many as 22,000 public employees lose their jobs by summer 's end because of the economic hit from COVID-19 , which has largely frozen business activity and decimated tax collections .
Speaking Wednesday , Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city has already lost roughly $ 9 billion in revenue and predicted the toll could rise much higher depending on the lingering impacts of the disease and the pace of the economic recovery .
In the short-term , he said city officials are racing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the spending plan for next year .
`` The only way we can find that kind of money is working with the labor movement , '' de Blasio said .
`` The last resort would be layoffs and furloughs , taking away the jobs of city workers .
But we are running out of options here , that is the blunt truth . ''
In all , de Blasio said 22,000 positions are vulnerable .
`` That is a staggering number , '' he said , noting that the first lay-offs would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of variables are in play that could mean fewer job losses .
Many state and local officials have been lobbying Washington for an additional stimulus package aimed at bailing out governments that have seen tax revenues evaporate .
But de Blasio said it was unrealistic to count on that kind of aid arriving any time soon .
`` We all had the hope there would be a federal stimulus plan by now , '' he said .
`` It 's quite clear that 's not happening .
We do n't know if , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' He noted that state lawmakers in Albany had also declined to expand the city 's borrowing authority .
While the immediate economic hit is enormous to this city of roughly 8.3 million people , de Blasio cautioned that full recovery could take three to four years .
`` This is just the beginning in what will be a prolonged challenge , '' he said .

NYC Could See 22,000 Public Employee Layoffs Because Of COVID-19
Enlarge this image toggle caption Frank Franklin II/AP Frank Franklin II/AP
New York City could see as many as 22,000 public employees lose their jobs by summer's end because of the economic hit from COVID-19, which has largely frozen business activity and decimated tax collections.
Speaking Wednesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city has already lost roughly $9 billion in revenue and predicted the toll could rise much higher depending on the lingering impacts of the disease and the pace of the economic recovery.
In the short-term, he said city officials are racing to cut an additional $1 billion from the spending plan for next year.
"The only way we can find that kind of money is working with the labor movement," de Blasio said.
"The last resort would be layoffs and furloughs, taking away the jobs of city workers. But we are running out of options here, that is the blunt truth."
In all, de Blasio said 22,000 positions are vulnerable. "That is a staggering number," he said, noting that the first lay-offs would come in the fall.
A lot of variables are in play that could mean fewer job losses.
Many state and local officials have been lobbying Washington for an additional stimulus package aimed at bailing out governments that have seen tax revenues evaporate.
But de Blasio said it was unrealistic to count on that kind of aid arriving any time soon.
"We all had the hope there would be a federal stimulus plan by now," he said. "It's quite clear that's not happening. We don't know if, how, when it ever happens."
He noted that state lawmakers in Albany had also declined to expand the city's borrowing authority.
While the immediate economic hit is enormous to this city of roughly 8.3 million people, de Blasio cautioned that full recovery could take three to four years.
"This is just the beginning in what will be a prolonged challenge," he said.