npr--2020-11-10--What A Biden Presidency Could Mean For Education

What A Biden Presidency Could Mean For Education With the eyes of the country upon him , Joe Biden shouted out education during his speech Saturday in Wilmington , Del : `` For American educators , this is a great day for you all .
You 're going to have one of your own in the White House . ''
Of course , the president-elect was talking about his wife , Jill Biden , an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College .
She continued her teaching career during Biden 's two terms as vice president , and in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing so as first lady .
Which raises the question as the transition planning moves forward : How has this perspective shaped the president-elect 's education agenda ?
And how much of that agenda can Joe Biden hope to achieve , with the massive challenges of the coronavirus and the economic recession , and with Democratic control of the Senate in doubt ?
Here 's our overview of his policy priorities for K-12 and higher education : Like so much in the country , experts say , the president 's education agenda must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
As of Nov. 9 , according to one national estimate , 63 % of U.S. students were enrolled in districts that offered some in-person learning at least a few days a week .
But even within those districts , many or most students are staying home to avoid the virus .
And education experts still forecast huge amounts of learning loss and negative social and emotional impacts , especially for younger students , those with special needs and lower-income students .
The question of whether , and when , to reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer when President Trump called forcefully for reopening without providing additional funding through Congress .
Biden , by contrast , has publicly noted the estimate by the School Superintendents Association and the Association of Educational Service Agencies that K-12 education needs at least $ 200 billion in emergency funding .
This week the president-elect named a COVID-19 task force , composed of doctors and public health experts .
Some members have spoken cautiously in favor of reopening schools , but only with proper safety measures in place — and the resources to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vivek Murthy , the co-chair of the new task force , wrote on Twitter in September : `` 3 keys to open schools : low community prevalence of virus ( critical ) , safety precautions ( eg reduced class sizes , universal masking ) , and resources for implementation . ''
Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel , another task force member , co-authored an op-ed in The New York Times in July that outlined safe school reopening guidelines .
`` We all want schools to open , even as we recognize the risks attached , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also reinforced the idea , `` Being safe is not free . ''
In other words , following measures such as social distancing and smaller class sizes takes additional funding .
That includes hiring teachers and substitutes to keep schools staffed .
Becky Pringle , president of the National Education Association , told NPR that by the union 's estimates almost 1 million educators have been laid off since the passage of the initial coronavirus relief package in the spring .
Aside from funding , experts told NPR they expect a Biden Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools operate through the pandemic .
Scott Sargrad at the left-leaning Center for American Progress said , `` I think you 'll certainly hear from the Education Department more of an effort to actually provide guidance to school districts on ... how to ensure that , if you 're considering reopening , that they can do that safely , how to improve their remote learning strategies . ''
The urgency of the pandemic — and a closely divided Senate , with control awaiting the outcome of two Georgia runoffs in January — also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end up being this administration 's most significant intervention in public schools .
Michael J. Petrilli of the conservative-leaning Thomas B. Fordham Institute pointed to the Obama-era Race to the Top initiative as a potential model .
In 2009 , tasked with crafting a giant economic rescue package amid the financial crisis , the Obama administration created a funding competition for states .
Race to the Top influenced the adoption of the Common Core State Standards , high-stakes evaluations for teachers , data systems for schools and other innovations .
This time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden folks are likely to be looking very carefully at what goes into this relief bill and try to get [ Senate Majority Leader Mitch ] McConnell and other Republicans to go along with as much as they can , to get some of their larger agenda . ''
The U.S. Education Department controls only around 10 % of the dollars spent on K-12 public education in this country .
A lot of that comes through the $ 16 billion Title I program , which goes to schools serving the most high-poverty students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that funding and , first off , direct states to use it preferentially to bump up teacher pay .
Teachers consistently make about 20 % less than other professionals with the same amount of education — a number that has risen slightly in the wake of teacher walkouts in many states in 2018 .
That 's a lot of money , and the fate of Biden 's Title I proposal is unknown , as is whether the federal government will be successful in telling cash-strapped states how to allocate that money if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the biggest ways in which the incoming administration will signal its support for educators is through the naming of an education secretary .
`` It is a teacher .
A teacher .
Promise , '' Biden told the NEA , the nation 's largest teachers union , back in July 2019 .
`` It seems like something we would take for granted , that the secretary of education would be an educator , '' the NEA 's Pringle said .
`` But no , it is something we have to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` It brings a smile to my face to say it . ''
However , that does n't necessarily mean a K-12 teacher .
`` The most politically savvy thing for them to do , '' the Fordham Institute 's Petrilli said , `` is to pick somebody from the world of higher education who can get around some of the complications with their reform wing versus the union wing within the [ Democratic Party ] . ''
The Education Department wields a much bigger budgetary impact on higher education , through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ K-12 .
So , having someone in charge who 's an expert in higher ed — for example the president of a historically black college or a community college — makes a lot of sense , Petrilli said .
The education secretary commands a bully pulpit , particularly on issues of discrimination , segregation and bias through the Office for Civil Rights .
During her controversial tenure , the current secretary , Betsy DeVos , made headlines for rolling back rights for students who are transgender , and for guidance on racially discriminatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be looking to Biden 's Education Department to be a partner : `` On racial justice .
Social justice .
The work we still have to do for women and girls ... the rights of our LGBTQ students . ''
Sargrad of the Center for American Progress agreed : `` I think we 'll see a real effort to actually enforce our nation 's civil rights laws , and rebuild the Office for Civil Rights and make sure that they are investigating complaints , that they 're pursuing cases , that they 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws seriously . ''
The president-elect has promised a broad expansion of K-12 to include 3- and 4-year-olds in the form of `` high-quality , universal '' prekindergarten .
Publicly funded preschool has been gaining momentum in the states over the past two decades .
Tulsa , Okla. , adopted an influential and high-quality program in 2001 , with promising long-term results .
Washington , D.C. , and New York City have programs , too , and Multnomah County , Ore. , where Portland is located , just passed a preschool initiative of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of thousands of mothers out of the workforce , highlighting the conflict between the needs of small children and the demands of the economy .
At the Democratic National Convention this summer , Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts delivered a remote address from an early childhood classroom , stressing the message that child care is `` infrastructure for families . ''
But , like tripling Title I and increasing teachers ' pay , any major expansion of pre-K is going to be expensive , likely requiring both states and the federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll be looking for action from agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services , which oversees Head Start , and the Department of Labor as well as the Education Department .
For higher education , Biden released an expensive and ambitious plan during the campaign that included free public colleges , loan forgiveness and more money for low-income students to pay for college .
Broadly , the federal government 's approach to higher education seems almost certain to be less confrontational .
In both rhetoric and policy , the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewing them as liberal , elite institutions that were out of touch with the rest of the country .
`` Across most of public and private nonprofit higher ed , there is a sigh of relief , '' said Robert Kelchen , a professor of higher education at Seton Hall University .
`` This will be an administration that cares about the challenges that students are facing , that knows that the cost of college is a significant problem and needs to be addressed both on the front end and the back end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress .
Other experts , though , are less certain how far the Biden administration might go to fight for progressive policy proposals , some of which were borrowed from Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders for the campaign .
`` These plans , they look nothing like what [ Biden ] advocated in 2008 , or really nothing like what he 's advocated for most of his career , '' said Jason Delisle of the American Enterprise Institute , a right-leaning think tank .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But you look at what he 's proposed on higher ed in the past , and you just sort of have to say , 'Do you really believe your own stuff here ?
How hard is he going to fight for this ? '
`` Plus , there is the potential of a Republican-controlled Senate , which will pose a challenge for progressive legislation and funding increases .
The administration will most likely rely on other ways to make policy changes : through executive orders and regulations from the Department of Education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest priority for higher ed is getting through the pandemic .
Just 40 % of colleges are operating fully or primarily in person this fall .
`` The finances are very bad across the board right now , '' Kelchen said .
`` [ Colleges ] have laid off staff members , they 've laid off faculty , they 've cut majors in programs .
They 're doing everything they can to preserve their money so they can get through the length of the pandemic , and quite a few colleges are starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has gone on so long . ''
The American Council on Education , a group representing college presidents , is asking for $ 120 billion to support higher ed .
A relief package will be a major priority for the Biden administration if the Trump administration and Congress ca n't do something in the meantime .
There was a lot of talk during the campaign , especially from Democratic candidates Warren and Sanders , about forgiving some — or all — of the nation 's $ 1.5 trillion in student debt .
Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March when they issued a moratorium on student loan payments because of the pandemic , which Trump later extended through Dec. 31 .
Higher education groups have asked DeVos to extend that suspension of payments until September 2021 .
`` I expect the Biden administration to support that plan , '' Kelchen wrote in an op-ed in The Chronicle of Higher Education .
The pandemic may be good cover for loan forgiveness — Biden has proposed a number of changes to paying back loans , including canceling $ 10,000 in debt for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service .
But it 's unclear exactly how the administration would go about doing that in a more permanent way .
Warren has noted that the education secretary does have the power to cancel loans via an obscure and rarely used provision in a 1958 law .
`` Would Biden 's secretary of education use that authority to enact his loan-forgiveness plans ?
I do n't know , '' Delisle said .
`` Politically speaking , the question is , how far can you take it ?
Trump has pushed the envelope , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Democrats , it 's really , how much can you get away with ? ''
The Trump administration has tightened restrictions on immigration , which often directly affect higher education , notably in a roller coaster two weeks this summer when the administration tried to ban international students from coming to the U.S. if their classes were held online due to the pandemic .
It 's possible the Biden administration will focus on immigration ahead of any policies specific to higher education .
`` Higher education is , in general , very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students to come to , and stay in , the U.S. , '' Kelchen said .
`` International enrollment went down substantially this fall , part of it due to the pandemic and part of it due to changes in immigration policy .
And that 's a big revenue loss . ''
A Biden administration could also push to make protections for DREAMers , young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children , permanent , and to create a path to American citizenship .
That policy has been encouraged by high education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden administration may strengthen or revive that were dismantled or weakened under Trump include `` borrower defense to repayment , '' a policy that allows for the cancellation of debt when students have been misled or defrauded by their colleges and the `` gainful-employment '' rule , a policy that targets programs where debt is high in relation to income .
Another focus point : Title IX , which governs how colleges handle sexual assault and sexual harassment .
As vice president , Biden helped craft federal guidelines around students ' reports of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ famous `` Dear Colleague '' letter that outlined how colleges should handle reports .
Under DeVos , the rule was changed — strengthening protections for accused students and employees .
Advocates for victims ' rights said that made it harder for people to report offenses .
`` I think [ Biden ] will continue prioritizing addressing sexual harassment and safe school climates for students , '' said Shiwali Patel of the National Women 's Law Center , an organization challenging DeVos ' Title IX changes in court .
The Trump administration has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is set to change under a Biden administration .
As the attorney general of California , Vice President-elect Kamala Harris prosecuted Corinthian Colleges , a large chain of for-profit colleges that defrauded students .
`` Harris ' track record prosecuting for-profits and her awareness of the depths of the abuses is really important , '' said Flores of the Center for American Progress .
`` I think that will inform the response in the regulations that come out of this administration . ''
While several large for-profit companies were shut down under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usher in new growth to the sector , she noted .
Already this fall , enrollment is up at for-profit colleges , while all other types of colleges have seen declines .

What A Biden Presidency Could Mean For Education
Enlarge this image toggle caption Carolyn Kaster/AP Carolyn Kaster/AP
With the eyes of the country upon him, Joe Biden shouted out education during his speech Saturday in Wilmington, Del: "For American educators, this is a great day for you all. You're going to have one of your own in the White House."
Of course, the president-elect was talking about his wife, Jill Biden, an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College. She taught throughout Biden's two terms as vice president, and in a break with precedent, intends to continue as first lady.
Which raises the question, as the transition planning moves forward: How has this perspective shaped the president-elect's education agenda? And how much of that agenda can Joe Biden hope to achieve, with the massive challenges of the coronavirus and the economic recession, and with Democratic control of the Senate in doubt?
Here's our overview of his policy priorities for K-12 and higher education:
Reopening schools safely
Like so much in the country, experts say, the president's education agenda must start by confronting the threat of the coronavirus. As of Nov. 9, according to one national estimate, 63% of U.S. students were enrolled in districts that offered some in-person learning at least a few days a week.
But even within those districts, many or most students are staying home to avoid the virus. And education experts still forecast huge amounts of learning loss and negative social and emotional impacts, especially for younger students, those with special needs and lower-income students.
The question of whether, and when, to reopen schools became a political debate over the summer when President Trump called forcefully for reopening without providing additional funding through Congress. Biden, by contrast, has publicly noted the estimate by the School Superintendents Association and the Association of Educational Service Agencies that K-12 education needs at least $200 billion in emergency funding.
This week the president-elect named a COVID-19 task force, composed of doctors and public health experts. Some members have spoken cautiously in favor of reopening schools, but only with proper safety measures in place — and the resources to do it right.
For example, Dr. Vivek Murthy, the co-chair of the new task force, wrote on Twitter in September: "3 keys to open schools: low community prevalence of virus (critical), safety precautions (eg reduced class sizes, universal masking), and resources for implementation."
Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, another task force member, co-authored an op-ed in The New York Times in July that outlined safe school reopening guidelines. "We all want schools to open, even as we recognize the risks attached," the piece noted. But it also reinforced the idea, "Being safe is not free." In other words, following measures such as social distancing and smaller class sizes takes additional funding.
That includes hiring teachers and substitutes to keep schools staffed. Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, told NPR that by the union's estimates almost 1 million educators have been laid off since the passage of the initial coronavirus relief package in the spring.
Aside from funding, experts told NPR they expect a Biden Department of Education to do more to help schools operate through the pandemic. Scott Sargrad at the left-leaning Center for American Progress said, "I think you'll certainly hear from the Education Department more of an effort to actually provide guidance to school districts on ... how to ensure that, if you're considering reopening, that they can do that safely, how to improve their remote learning strategies."
The urgency of the pandemic — and a closely divided Senate, with control awaiting the outcome of two Georgia runoffs in January — also means that a coronavirus relief package could end up being this administration's most significant intervention in public schools.
Michael J. Petrilli of the conservative-leaning Thomas B. Fordham Institute pointed to the Obama-era Race to the Top initiative as a potential model. In 2009, tasked with crafting a giant economic rescue package amid the financial crisis, the Obama administration created a funding competition for states. Race to the Top influenced the adoption of the Common Core State Standards, high-stakes evaluations for teachers, data systems for schools and other innovations.
This time, Petrilli said, "I think the Biden folks are likely to be looking very carefully at what goes into this relief bill and try to get [Senate Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell and other Republicans to go along with as much as they can, to get some of their larger agenda."
Teacher pay and respect
The U.S. Education Department controls only around 10% of the dollars spent on K-12 public education in this country. A lot of that comes through the $16 billion Title I program, which goes to schools serving the most high-poverty students. The Biden campaign pledged to triple that funding and, first off, direct states to use it preferentially to bump up teacher pay. Teachers consistently make about 20% less than other professionals with the same amount of education — a number that has risen slightly in the wake of teacher walkouts in many states in 2018.
That's a lot of money, and the fate of Biden's Title I proposal is unknown, as is whether the federal government will be successful in telling cash-strapped states how to allocate that money if they do pass it.
Of course, one of the biggest ways in which the incoming administration will signal its support for educators is through the naming of an education secretary. "It is a teacher. A teacher. Promise," Biden told the NEA, the nation's largest teachers union, back in July 2019.
"It seems like something we would take for granted, that the secretary of education would be an educator," the NEA's Pringle said. "But no, it is something we have to say out loud." And she added, "It brings a smile to my face to say it."
However, that doesn't necessarily mean a K-12 teacher. "The most politically savvy thing for them to do," the Fordham Institute's Petrilli said, "is to pick somebody from the world of higher education who can get around some of the complications with their reform wing versus the union wing within the [Democratic Party]."
The Education Department wields a much bigger budgetary impact on higher education, through student aid, than it does with K-12. So, having someone in charge who's an expert in higher ed — for example the president of a historically black college or a community college — makes a lot of sense, Petrilli said.
Rights and equity
The education secretary wields oversight on issues of discrimination, segregation and bias through the Office for Civil Rights. During her controversial tenure, the current secretary, Betsy DeVos, made headlines for rolling back rights for students who are transgender, and for guidance on racially discriminatory discipline.
Pringle said her union will be looking to Biden's Education Department to be a partner: "On racial justice. Social justice. The work we still have to do for women and girls ... the rights of our LGBTQ students."
Sargrad of the Center for American Progress agreed: "I think we'll see a real effort to actually enforce our nation's civil rights laws, and rebuild the Office for Civil Rights and make sure that they are investigating complaints, that they're pursuing cases, that they're taking their role as enforcing civil rights laws seriously."
Early childhood education
The president-elect has promised a broad expansion of K-12 to include 3- and 4-year-olds in the form of "high-quality, universal" prekindergarten.
Publicly funded preschool has been gaining momentum in the states over the past two decades. Tulsa, Okla., adopted an influential and high-quality program in 2001, with promising long-term results. Washington, D.C., and New York City have programs, too, and Multnomah County, Ore., where Portland is located, just passed a preschool initiative of its own.
The pandemic has driven hundreds of thousands of mothers out of the workforce, highlighting the conflict between the needs of small children and the demands of the economy. At the Democratic National Convention this summer, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts delivered a remote address from an early childhood classroom, stressing the message that child care is "infrastructure for families."
But, like tripling Title I and increasing teachers' pay, any major expansion of pre-K is going to be expensive, likely requiring both states and the federal government to chip in. Pringle said she'll be looking for action from agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees Head Start, and the Department of Labor as well as the Education Department.
Higher ed
For higher education, Biden released an expensive and ambitious plan during the campaign that included free public colleges, loan forgiveness and more money for low-income students to pay for college.
Broadly, the federal government's approach to higher education seems almost certain to be less confrontational. In both rhetoric and policy, the Trump administration was openly hostile to colleges, viewing them as liberal, elite institutions that were out of touch with the rest of the country.
"Across most of public and private nonprofit higher ed, there is a sigh of relief," said Robert Kelchen, a professor of higher education at Seton Hall University.
"This will be an administration that cares about the challenges that students are facing, that knows that the cost of college is a significant problem and needs to be addressed both on the front end and the back end," said Antoinette Flores, director of postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress.
Other experts, though, are less certain how far the Biden administration might go to fight for progressive policy proposals, some of which were borrowed from Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders for the campaign.
"These plans, they look nothing like what [Biden] advocated in 2008, or really nothing like what he's advocated for most of his career," said Jason Delisle of the American Enterprise Institute, a right-leaning think tank. "We should take him at his word. But you look at what he's proposed on higher ed in the past, and you just sort of have to say, 'Do you really believe your own stuff here? How hard is he going to fight for this?' "
Plus, there is the potential of a Republican-controlled Senate, which will pose a challenge for progressive legislation and funding increases. The administration will most likely rely on other ways to make policy changes: through executive orders and regulations from the Department of Education.
More money
As with K-12 schools, the biggest priority for higher ed is getting through the pandemic. Just 40% of colleges are operating fully or primarily in person this fall.
"The finances are very bad across the board right now," Kelchen said. "[Colleges] have laid off staff members, they've laid off faculty, they've cut majors in programs. They're doing everything they can to preserve their money so they can get through the length of the pandemic, and quite a few colleges are starting to run out of money because this has gone on so long."
The American Council on Education, a group representing college presidents, is asking for $120 billion to support higher ed. A relief package will be a major priority for the Biden administration if the Trump administration and Congress can't do something in the meantime.
Student loans
There was a lot of talk during the campaign, especially from Democratic candidates Warren and Sanders, about forgiving some — or all — of the nation's $1.5 trillion in student debt.
Congress and the Trump administration opened the door in March when they issued a moratorium on student loan payments because of the pandemic, which Trump later extended through Dec. 31. Higher education groups have asked DeVos to extend that suspension of payments until September 2021. "I expect the Biden administration to support that plan," Kelchen wrote in an op-ed in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
The pandemic may be good cover for loan forgiveness — Biden has proposed a number of changes to paying back loans, including canceling $10,000 in debt for students who work in national or community service.
But it's unclear exactly how the administration would go about doing that in a more permanent way. Warren has noted that the education secretary does have the power to cancel loans via an obscure and rarely used provision in a 1958 law.
"Would Biden's secretary of education use that authority to enact his loan-forgiveness plans? I don't know," Delisle said. "Politically speaking, the question is, how far can you take it? Trump has pushed the envelope, in terms of power, and so for Democrats, it's really, how much can you get away with?"
Immigration
The Trump administration has tightened restrictions on immigration, which often directly affect higher education, notably in a roller coaster two weeks this summer when the administration tried to ban international students from coming to the U.S. if their classes were held online due to the pandemic. It's possible the Biden administration will focus on immigration ahead of any policies specific to higher education.
"Higher education is, in general, very supportive of making it easier for international students to come to, and stay in, the U.S.," Kelchen said. "International enrollment went down substantially this fall, part of it due to the pandemic and part of it due to changes in immigration policy. And that's a big revenue loss."
A Biden administration could also push to make protections for DREAMers, young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, permanent, and to create a path to American citizenship. That policy has been encouraged by high education leaders and groups.
Walking back DeVos' policies
Additional policies the Biden administration may strengthen or revive that were dismantled or weakened under Trump include "borrower defense to repayment," a policy that allows for the cancellation of debt when students have been misled or defrauded by their colleges and the "gainful-employment" rule, a policy that targets programs where debt is high in relation to income.
Another focus point: Title IX , which governs how colleges handle sexual assault and sexual harassment. As vice president, Biden helped craft federal guidelines around students' reports of assault — he personally unveiled the now famous "Dear Colleague" letter that outlined how colleges should handle reports.
Under DeVos, the rule was changed — strengthening protections for accused students and employees. Advocates for victims' rights said that made it harder for people to report offenses.
"I think [Biden] will continue prioritizing addressing sexual harassment and safe school climates for students," said Shiwali Patel of the National Women's Law Center, an organization challenging DeVos' Title IX changes in court.
For-profit colleges
The Trump administration has been friendly with the for-profit sector, but that is set to change under a Biden administration. As the attorney general of California, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris prosecuted Corinthian Colleges, a large chain of for-profit colleges that defrauded students.
"Harris' track record prosecuting for-profits and her awareness of the depths of the abuses is really important," said Flores of the Center for American Progress. "I think that will inform the response in the regulations that come out of this administration."
While several large for-profit companies were shut down under the Obama administration, the pandemic may usher in new growth to the sector, she noted. Already this fall, enrollment is up at for-profit colleges, while all other types of colleges have seen declines.


npr--2020-11-10--Troubled 737 Max Nearing Takeoff As FAA Review Of Jetliner Nearly Complete

Troubled 737 Max Nearing Takeoff As FAA Review Of Jetliner Nearly Complete The Federal Aviation Administration is getting closer to allowing Boeing 's troubled 737 Max commercial jetliner to fly passengers again .
FAA chief Stephen Dickson says his agency `` is in the final stages of reviewing the proposed changes to the Boeing 737 Max , '' adding that the agency could complete its evaluation of the fixes `` in coming days '' and allow the plane to return to service .
Reuters is reporting that the plane could be recertified by the FAA as soon as Nov. 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the FAA , grounded the 737 Max in March 2019 , after a 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed , killing all 157 people on board .
It was the second deadly Max crash in less than five months .
A Lion Air max jet crashed in Indonesia on Oct. 29 , 2018 , killing all 189 people on the plane .
Both crashes were blamed on a flawed flight control system that , based on erroneous data , repeatedly forced the planes into nose dives that the pilots could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both been widely criticized for how the 737 Max was developed and initially certified .
A lengthy congressional inquiry found `` a disturbing pattern of technical miscalculations and troubling management misjudgments '' by Boeing and `` grossly insufficient oversight by the FAA . ''
That and other investigations found a `` culture of concealment '' at Boeing , and many critics say the airplane manufacturer rushed the development of the 737 Max , cutting corners along the way as management pressured engineers , putting profits over safety .
Boeing initially downplayed the system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more responsible for the first crash .
An FAA analysis found that additional crashes were probable if nothing were done to fix the flight control system , but nonetheless , the agency allowed the plane to keep flying while the FAA issued an alert to pilots and Boeing tried to come up with fixes .
After the Ethiopian crash , the FAA was among the last aviation safety regulators in the world to ground the aircraft .
Boeing has spent the past two years developing software fixes for the automated system and addressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Administrator Dickson , a former Delta Air Lines pilot and executive , has said repeatedly that he would not sign off on recertifying the Max until he flew the plane himself , reviewed the fixes and felt comfortable putting his own family on the plane .
Dickson piloted Max jet on a test flight out of Boeing Field in Seattle back on Sept. 30 , putting it through a variety of maneuvers and scenarios to test how the flight control system would respond .
He told reporters afterwards : `` I liked what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Regulators in Canada , Europe and elsewhere are conducting their own safety analyses of Boeing 's fixes to the 737 Max and have completed test flights .
Patrick Ky , executive director of the European Union 's Aviation Safety Agency , said last month that he is satisfied with the technical changes Boeing has made to the 737 Max , telling Bloomberg , `` Our analysis is showing that this is safe , and the level of safety reached is high enough for us . ''
European approval for the commercial jetliner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the year .

Troubled 737 Max Nearing Takeoff As FAA Review Of Jetliner Nearly Complete
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elaine Thompson/AP Elaine Thompson/AP
The Federal Aviation Administration is getting closer to allowing Boeing's troubled 737 Max commercial jetliner to fly passengers again.
FAA chief Stephen Dickson says his agency "is in the final stages of reviewing the proposed changes to the Boeing 737 Max," adding that the agency could complete its evaluation of the fixes "in coming days" and allow the plane to return to service. Reuters is reporting that the plane could be recertified by the FAA as soon as Nov. 18.
Aviation authorities around the world, including the FAA, grounded the 737 Max in March 2019, after a 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed, killing all 157 people on board. It was the second deadly Max crash in less than five months. A Lion Air max jet crashed in Indonesia on Oct. 29, 2018, killing all 189 people on the plane.
Both crashes were blamed on a flawed flight control system that, based on erroneous data, repeatedly forced the planes into nose dives that the pilots could not control.
Boeing and the FAA have both been widely criticized for how the 737 Max was developed and initially certified. A lengthy congressional inquiry found "a disturbing pattern of technical miscalculations and troubling management misjudgments" by Boeing and "grossly insufficient oversight by the FAA."
That and other investigations found a "culture of concealment" at Boeing, and many critics say the airplane manufacturer rushed the development of the 737 Max, cutting corners along the way as management pressured engineers, putting profits over safety.
Boeing initially downplayed the system's flaws and suggested pilot error was more responsible for the first crash. An FAA analysis found that additional crashes were probable if nothing were done to fix the flight control system, but nonetheless, the agency allowed the plane to keep flying while the FAA issued an alert to pilots and Boeing tried to come up with fixes. After the Ethiopian crash, the FAA was among the last aviation safety regulators in the world to ground the aircraft.
Boeing has spent the past two years developing software fixes for the automated system and addressing other problems with the 737 Max.
Administrator Dickson, a former Delta Air Lines pilot and executive, has said repeatedly that he would not sign off on recertifying the Max until he flew the plane himself, reviewed the fixes and felt comfortable putting his own family on the plane.
Dickson piloted Max jet on a test flight out of Boeing Field in Seattle back on Sept. 30, putting it through a variety of maneuvers and scenarios to test how the flight control system would respond. He told reporters afterwards: "I liked what I saw ... it responded well."
Regulators in Canada, Europe and elsewhere are conducting their own safety analyses of Boeing's fixes to the 737 Max and have completed test flights. Patrick Ky, executive director of the European Union's Aviation Safety Agency, said last month that he is satisfied with the technical changes Boeing has made to the 737 Max, telling Bloomberg, "Our analysis is showing that this is safe, and the level of safety reached is high enough for us."
European approval for the commercial jetliner to fly passengers again is expected before the end of the year.


npr--2020-11-10--Supreme Court Appears Likely To Uphold Obamacare

The Supreme Court , with a newly constituted and far more conservative majority , took another look at Obamacare on Tuesday .
But at the end of the day , even with three Trump appointees , the Affordable Care Act looked as though it may well survive .
To many , it may have seemed like déjà vu .
Yes , the Supreme Court did uphold Obamacare eight years ago .
It ruled that the so-called individual mandate , requiring people either to have health insurance or pay a penalty , was constitutional because it amounted to a tax .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not need the penalty and zeroed it out .
At the time , not only congressional leaders but also President Trump crowed about `` terminating '' the mandate .
But on Tuesday , the Trump administration and a group of GOP-dominated states , including Texas , were back in the high court with a new challenge .
They contended that because the mandate language is still on the books , and because the mandate was so interwoven with other provisions of the Affordable Care Act , the whole law should be struck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law , California Solicitor General Michael Mongan , representing 20 states that support the ACA , set out the stakes .
`` What 's before the court today is an enormously consequential statute , '' he said .
`` It provides health insurance and other lifesaving benefits and protections to hundreds of millions of Americans . ''
Also defending the law was the House of Representatives , and its lawyer , Donald Verrilli , who eight years ago successfully defended the mandate as the Obama administration 's solicitor general .
Chief Justice John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Eight years ago , those defending the mandate emphasized that it was the key to the whole act , '' Roberts said .
`` But now the representation is that , 'Oh no , everything 's fine without it . '
Why the bait and switch ? ''
Verrilli replied that in 2010 Congress made `` predictive judgments '' that the penalty was needed to get people to buy insurance , but in 2017 the Congressional Budget Office concluded that the market would remain the same even if the penalty were zeroed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learn from empirical evidence ... and adjust its policy choices , '' Verrilli said .
`` And that 's what happened here . ''
Justice Amy Coney Barrett wondered aloud why the court should not strike down the mandate since it raises no revenue now , and thus could no longer be justified under Congress ' taxing power .
But when the lawyers seeking to have the whole law struck down began to argue , they ran into real pushback , and not just from the court 's liberals .
Addressing Texas Solicitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I think it 's hard for you to argue that Congress intended the entire act to fall if the mandate were struck down when the same Congress that lowered the penalty to zero did not even try to repeal the rest of the act . ''
And with a jab at congressional Republicans , Roberts added , `` I think , frankly , that they wanted the court to do that .
But that 's not our job . ''
Moments later , Roberts was even more explicit , pointing to what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severability .
It calls for the court to preserve the rest of a law when it can , even if one provision or another is struck down .
Roberts explained that `` here , Congress left the rest of the law intact when it lowered the penalty to zero .
That seems to be compelling evidence on the question . ''
Justice Brett Kavanaugh echoed the chief justice 's sentiments , saying , `` It does seem fairly clear that the proper remedy would be to sever the mandate provision and leave the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the provisions regarding preexisting conditions and the rest . ''
Justice Clarence Thomas chimed in with this question for the Texas solicitor general : `` The individual mandate now has no enforcement mechanism , so it 's really hard to determine exactly what the threat is ... of action against you . ''
Justice Sonia Sotomayor said that the argument for striking down the whole law , without proof of substantial harm to anyone , including Texas and other conservative states , did not make much sense .
`` At some point , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 'Huh ? '
`` And when the Trump administration 's Jeffrey Wall , the acting solicitor general , weighed in , arguing for the whole law to be struck down , he took incoming flak even from Justice Samuel Alito .
`` At the time of the first case , there was a strong reason to believe that the individual mandate was like a part in an airplane that was essential to keep the plane flying , '' Alito said .
`` But now the part has been taken out , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if we were to decide this case the way you advocate , how would we explain why the individual mandate in its present form is essential to the operation of the act ? ''
A decision in the case is expected later in the term .

Supreme Court Appears Likely To Uphold Obamacare
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
Updated at 4:35 p.m.
The Supreme Court, with a newly constituted and far more conservative majority, took another look at Obamacare on Tuesday. But at the end of the day, even with three Trump appointees, the Affordable Care Act looked as though it may well survive.
To many, it may have seemed like déjà vu.
Yes, the Supreme Court did uphold Obamacare eight years ago. It ruled that the so-called individual mandate, requiring people either to have health insurance or pay a penalty, was constitutional because it amounted to a tax. But in 2017, Congress decided it did not need the penalty and zeroed it out. At the time, not only congressional leaders but also President Trump crowed about "terminating" the mandate.
But on Tuesday, the Trump administration and a group of GOP-dominated states, including Texas, were back in the high court with a new challenge. They contended that because the mandate language is still on the books, and because the mandate was so interwoven with other provisions of the Affordable Care Act, the whole law should be struck down in its entirety.
Defending the law, California Solicitor General Michael Mongan, representing 20 states that support the ACA, set out the stakes.
"What's before the court today is an enormously consequential statute," he said. "It provides health insurance and other lifesaving benefits and protections to hundreds of millions of Americans."
Also defending the law was the House of Representatives, and its lawyer, Donald Verrilli, who eight years ago successfully defended the mandate as the Obama administration's solicitor general. Chief Justice John Roberts reminded Verrilli of that argument.
"Eight years ago, those defending the mandate emphasized that it was the key to the whole act," Roberts said. "But now the representation is that, 'Oh no, everything's fine without it.' Why the bait and switch?"
Verrilli replied that in 2010 Congress made "predictive judgments" that the penalty was needed to get people to buy insurance, but in 2017 the Congressional Budget Office concluded that the market would remain the same even if the penalty were zeroed out.
"Congress is allowed to learn from empirical evidence ... and adjust its policy choices," Verrilli said. "And that's what happened here."
Justice Amy Coney Barrett wondered aloud why the court should not strike down the mandate since it raises no revenue now, and thus could no longer be justified under Congress' taxing power.
But when the lawyers seeking to have the whole law struck down began to argue, they ran into real pushback, and not just from the court's liberals.
Addressing Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins, Roberts said, "I think it's hard for you to argue that Congress intended the entire act to fall if the mandate were struck down when the same Congress that lowered the penalty to zero did not even try to repeal the rest of the act."
And with a jab at congressional Republicans, Roberts added, "I think, frankly, that they wanted the court to do that. But that's not our job."
Moments later, Roberts was even more explicit, pointing to what is called the court's doctrine of severability. It calls for the court to preserve the rest of a law when it can, even if one provision or another is struck down. Roberts explained that "here, Congress left the rest of the law intact when it lowered the penalty to zero. That seems to be compelling evidence on the question."
Justice Brett Kavanaugh echoed the chief justice's sentiments, saying, "It does seem fairly clear that the proper remedy would be to sever the mandate provision and leave the rest of the act in place, the provisions regarding preexisting conditions and the rest."
Justice Clarence Thomas chimed in with this question for the Texas solicitor general: "The individual mandate now has no enforcement mechanism, so it's really hard to determine exactly what the threat is ... of action against you."
Justice Sonia Sotomayor said that the argument for striking down the whole law, without proof of substantial harm to anyone, including Texas and other conservative states, did not make much sense. "At some point, common sense seems to me would say, 'Huh?' "
And when the Trump administration's Jeffrey Wall, the acting solicitor general, weighed in, arguing for the whole law to be struck down, he took incoming flak even from Justice Samuel Alito.
"At the time of the first case, there was a strong reason to believe that the individual mandate was like a part in an airplane that was essential to keep the plane flying," Alito said. "But now the part has been taken out, and the plane has not crashed. So, if we were to decide this case the way you advocate, how would we explain why the individual mandate in its present form is essential to the operation of the act?"
A decision in the case is expected later in the term.


npr--2020-11-10--'The Vaccine Is On Its Way, Folks,' Fauci Says As Brooklyn Names Him A COVID-19 Hero

'The Vaccine Is On Its Way , Folks , ' Fauci Says As Brooklyn Names Him A COVID-19 Hero Dr. Anthony Fauci was recognized as a hero on Tuesday by the New York City borough of Brooklyn , where he was born and raised .
As he accepted the honor , Fauci , the nation 's leading infectious disease expert , shared his optimism that a COVID-19 vaccine is close .
`` The vaccine is on its way , folks , so hang in there , hang tough .
We 're going to get over this together , '' Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crowd gathered outside Brooklyn Borough Hall .
Fauci was recognized as `` a reassuring champion of science and reason who has navigated our nation through turbulent times , '' Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said in a statement .
Brooklyn , which says its population of 2.6 million would make it the fourth-largest city in the U.S. , honored Fauci and others during a ceremony just before noon .
Fauci attended the event virtually .
`` This is really a great thrill for me , '' Fauci said , adding he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honorees , who were standing behind a large video monitor .
In his brief remarks , Fauci recalled his youth in the Bensonhurst neighborhood , saying he carries Brooklyn in his DNA .
`` Whenever people ask me how I put up with all the stuff that goes on in Washington , I have two words for them .
It 's called 'Brooklyn strong , ' `` he said , drawing a loud cheer from the crowd .
Fauci congratulated New Yorkers for getting a deadly coronavirus outbreak under control — and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , predicting that an answer to the devastating coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is close at hand .
His remarks about a potential vaccine comes a day after Pfizer announced promising news about its experimental COVID-19 vaccine , which was found to be more than 90 % effective , according to clinical results .
Also Monday , a leader in the federal COVID-19 vaccine initiative told NPR that the first of millions of Americans could start receiving a vaccine as soon as next month .
Fauci was honored a week after President Trump suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
President-elect Joe Biden has said he would `` immediately reach out to Dr. Fauci and ask him to continue his incredible service to our country . ''
In his statement , Adams said Fauci exemplifies the best of public service as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — a job he has held since 1984 .
`` It is a privilege to recognize a widely admired public health official and a proud son of Brooklyn , Dr. Anthony Fauci , as one of our COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Brooklyn COVID Heroes '' award series has recognized dozens of people who have worked to help others during the pandemic , including 12-year-old Leah Pavlov , who chose to put her own money – saved from her allowance and birthday gifts – toward providing hundreds of lunches to essential front-line workers in the emergency room of a Coney Island hospital .
Other recipients include Hamilton star Javier Muñoz , who worked with Molly Braverman to organize the theater world 's idled costume and set designers to manufacture personal protective equipment for health @ @ @

'The Vaccine Is On Its Way, Folks,' Fauci Says As Brooklyn Names Him A COVID-19 Hero
Enlarge this image toggle caption Spencer Platt/Getty Images Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Dr. Anthony Fauci was recognized as a hero on Tuesday by the New York City borough of Brooklyn, where he was born and raised. As he accepted the honor, Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, shared his optimism that a COVID-19 vaccine is close.
"The vaccine is on its way, folks, so hang in there, hang tough. We're going to get over this together," Fauci said via video link, speaking to a crowd gathered outside Brooklyn Borough Hall.
"Amen!" a woman in the crowd replied.
Fauci was recognized as "a reassuring champion of science and reason who has navigated our nation through turbulent times," Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said in a statement.
Brooklyn, which says its population of 2.6 million would make it the fourth-largest city in the U.S., honored Fauci and others during a ceremony just before noon. Fauci attended the event virtually.
"This is really a great thrill for me," Fauci said, adding he was proud to be recognized along with other honorees, who were standing behind a large video monitor.
In his brief remarks, Fauci recalled his youth in the Bensonhurst neighborhood, saying he carries Brooklyn in his DNA.
"Whenever people ask me how I put up with all the stuff that goes on in Washington, I have two words for them. It's called 'Brooklyn strong,' " he said, drawing a loud cheer from the crowd.
Fauci congratulated New Yorkers for getting a deadly coronavirus outbreak under control — and he ended his speech on an optimistic note, predicting that an answer to the devastating coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is close at hand.
His remarks about a potential vaccine comes a day after Pfizer announced promising news about its experimental COVID-19 vaccine, which was found to be more than 90% effective, according to clinical results. Also Monday, a leader in the federal COVID-19 vaccine initiative told NPR that the first of millions of Americans could start receiving a vaccine as soon as next month.
Fauci was honored a week after President Trump suggested he might fire the disease expert after the election. President-elect Joe Biden has said he would "immediately reach out to Dr. Fauci and ask him to continue his incredible service to our country."
In his statement, Adams said Fauci exemplifies the best of public service as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — a job he has held since 1984.
"It is a privilege to recognize a widely admired public health official and a proud son of Brooklyn, Dr. Anthony Fauci, as one of our COVID heroes," Adams said.
The "Brooklyn COVID Heroes" award series has recognized dozens of people who have worked to help others during the pandemic, including 12-year-old Leah Pavlov, who chose to put her own money – saved from her allowance and birthday gifts – toward providing hundreds of lunches to essential front-line workers in the emergency room of a Coney Island hospital.
Other recipients include Hamilton star Javier Muñoz, who worked with Molly Braverman to organize the theater world's idled costume and set designers to manufacture personal protective equipment for health care workers.


npr--2020-11-10--Author Details 'Living With Death' In Her 20s And Scrambling For Life-Saving Care

Author Details 'Living With Death ' In Her 20s And Scrambling For Life-Saving Care Eleven years ago , when she was 24 , Katherine Standefer was working as a ski instructor and a climbing teacher in Jackson , Wyo.
, when she suddenly passed out in a parking lot .
She later learned that she has long QT syndrome , a genetic heart condition in which the heart can suddenly quiver instead of rhythmically pumping blood .
`` [ The syndrome ] can lead to there not being enough blood in vital organs , which causes someone to pass out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 're lucky , they might wake back up .
If they 're not lucky , they could die of sudden cardiac death . ''
Standefer was lucky to survive the parking lot incident , but she had a problem : She did n't have health insurance .
`` My first thought was , I need to pretend this did n't happen , go find a way to get insurance and then go see a doctor about this — which was just an insane sequence of events after you potentially go into cardiac @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says .
Standefer wound up moving to Colorado , where she had family .
A doctor there offered to waive his fee ; that helped defray some of her health care costs .
Eventually she had a small , mechanical device — an implantable cardiac defibrillator — implanted in her chest .
Now , if her heart stops pumping blood , the ICD counteracts the arrhythmia by sending a shock of electricity , which enables the heart to settle back into its normal rhythm .
Stedefer chronicles the ways her condition and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the book Lightning Flowers .
Looking back , she feels particularly grateful for her present health .
`` One of the greatest gifts is to feel alive while you are alive , '' she says .
`` As someone who 's spent so much of their life living with death as a present threat , it 's really extraordinary right now to feel the health of my body and to feel what it means to have this book going into the world , starting some of the conversations I 've wanted to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establish residency in order to afford her surgery Once I received the medical opinion that I should probably have an ICD implanted , the question of how that would happen was pretty complicated .
And we looked at a bunch of different options , but in the end , my best option was to move to Colorado .
My younger sister 's surgeon offered to donate his fee if I had the procedure at his hospital .
And so , in the space of about five days , I quit my life in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs and different obligations that I had on the calendar .
And I drove to Colorado not knowing how I would exactly establish residency , but knowing that that 's what I needed to do .
I spent the first few nights sleeping on the floor of my sister 's sorority house .
Eventually , I transitioned to a local motel and I was applying for every job I found with insurance and also any service industry job that I thought might just get me residency quickly .
I was looking for houses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become a Colorado resident as quickly as possible ?
Because once I was a Colorado resident , if I went to the hospital that this surgeon practiced at , then I would be able to access social programs that could defray the cost a little bit of an out-of-pocket heart surgery .
On being advised by a nurse to fake a heart attack and go to the E.R .
as a way of gaming the insurance system The time I had spent in Boulder was so distressing , in terms of thinking I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of every day , and hearing politicians talk about why people like me should n't receive health care through health care programs .
The Affordable Care Act debates were raging and I worried I would die all the time .
And I called into my cardiologist 's office at one point and just said , `` You know what , I ca n't do this anymore .
Let 's just schedule the surgery .
I 'll declare bankruptcy afterward . ''
... And [ the nurse ] said , `` You know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most bills is through the E.R .
And I did n't tell you this , but if you were to come in through the E.R.
, if you perhaps passed out , if you forgot to take your medication and went for a run ... '' And her voice just trailed off and it was this moment that really struck me about the way our health care system was actually operating , which is that even the practitioners within it understood that people were not getting the care that they needed , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there were all of these secret trap doors for moving through the health care system .
I 've often asked myself : What if I had n't been a white , upper-middle-class person with a college degree who inspired this particular form of empathy ?
... Would health care providers have stepped up and come to my defense in this way and tried to help me navigate a system that was , in 2009 , unnavigable ?
It was really striking .
And at the time , the combination of the surgeon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurse making herself available to me and offering tips like this , I really felt that they were saving my life .
On the emergency that landed her in the Colorado ER ( without having to fake cardiac arrest ) My partner and I drove from Wyoming with a moving truck on Oct. 25 of 2009 .
We drove to Colorado .
We unloaded it so that we could take the truck back before midnight .
We lay down in bed late at night and as we lay there , I started having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wild is that this was the exact same day that the nurse and I had talked about as being a period in which the surgeon might be available for this procedure .
...
I entered the E.R .
and they kept me overnight .
And the next day the surgeon came to visit with me and he said , `` What would you like me to do ? ''
I told them to put [ an ICD device ] in .
On what it 's like to have a defibrillator in her chest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have in your body .
They 're about the size of an old pager and there 's not naturally room in the body for the device , so they 're placing it under the skin above your pectoral muscle , and that skin has to stretch and the muscle has to learn to hold the device in place with scar tissue .
So when you first wake up from that surgery , not only is there extraordinary pain , but there 's the sense of this metal device that shifts inside you before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down .
Coming out of that surgery , you have a lot of movement restrictions .
I woke up in a sling .
...
There 's a way , when the device has just been placed in you , that if you straighten your shoulder out , you 'll pull on the device and it is very painful .
So those of us who have ICDs are often a little bit hunched over on the left side protectively — for the device .
I woke up in a sling that would keep that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of my body forever .
On how her health issues ended her relationship It marked me more than I knew at the time .
There was this sense I had in my mid-20s , after Sam and I broke up , where I would be on a date with someone , and I would be in some ways , holding a lighter atmosphere , joking around , flirting , able to be very visibly present to them .
And some part of me would be wondering whether or not they could hold this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 , 26 years old and to have felt death in your body the way that I had , I felt like I had an understanding of something that I needed someone to be able to hold with me .
Sam was an extraordinary human and our problem was not love .
But ultimately , I needed more from a partner in a hospital setting than he was able to give , and some of the ways that our life had to change as the result of the things that happened to my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this point , I can say I have been single for over 10 years — 10 and a half years .
I have never stopped really looking at people and paying attention to how they respond to the scar on my chest , how they respond to the stories I carry .
Heidi Saman and Thea Chaloner produced and edited this interview for broadcast .
Bridget Bentz , Molly Seavy-Nesper and Deborah Franklin adapted it for the Web .

Author Details 'Living With Death' In Her 20s And Scrambling For Life-Saving Care
Enlarge this image toggle caption Luke Parsons/Hachette Book Group Luke Parsons/Hachette Book Group
Eleven years ago, when she was 24, Katherine Standefer was working as a ski instructor and a climbing teacher in Jackson, Wyo., when she suddenly passed out in a parking lot. She later learned that she has long QT syndrome, a genetic heart condition in which the heart can suddenly quiver instead of rhythmically pumping blood.
"[The syndrome] can lead to there not being enough blood in vital organs, which causes someone to pass out," Standefer says. "If they're lucky, they might wake back up. If they're not lucky, they could die of sudden cardiac death."
Standefer was lucky to survive the parking lot incident, but she had a problem: She didn't have health insurance.
"My first thought was, I need to pretend this didn't happen, go find a way to get insurance and then go see a doctor about this — which was just an insane sequence of events after you potentially go into cardiac arrest in a parking lot," she says.
Standefer wound up moving to Colorado, where she had family. A doctor there offered to waive his fee; that helped defray some of her health care costs. Eventually she had a small, mechanical device — an implantable cardiac defibrillator — implanted in her chest. Now, if her heart stops pumping blood, the ICD counteracts the arrhythmia by sending a shock of electricity, which enables the heart to settle back into its normal rhythm.
Standefer chronicles the ways her condition and the implanted defibrillator changed her life in the book Lightning Flowers. Looking back, she feels particularly grateful for her present health.
"One of the greatest gifts is to feel alive while you are alive," she says. "As someone who's spent so much of their life living with death as a present threat, it's really extraordinary right now to feel the health of my body and to feel what it means to have this book going into the world, starting some of the conversations I've wanted to have."
Interview Highlights
Enlarge this image Hachette Book Group Hachette Book Group
On moving to Colorado to establish residency in order to afford her surgery
Once I received the medical opinion that I should probably have an ICD implanted, the question of how that would happen was pretty complicated. And we looked at a bunch of different options, but in the end, my best option was to move to Colorado. My younger sister's surgeon offered to donate his fee if I had the procedure at his hospital. And so, in the space of about five days, I quit my life in Wyoming. I walked away from several jobs and different obligations that I had on the calendar. And I drove to Colorado not knowing how I would exactly establish residency, but knowing that that's what I needed to do.
I spent the first few nights sleeping on the floor of my sister's sorority house. Eventually, I transitioned to a local motel and I was applying for every job I found with insurance and also any service industry job that I thought might just get me residency quickly. I was looking for houses. The question was how do I become a Colorado resident as quickly as possible? Because once I was a Colorado resident, if I went to the hospital that this surgeon practiced at, then I would be able to access social programs that could defray the cost a little bit of an out-of-pocket heart surgery.
On being advised by a nurse to fake a heart attack and go to the E.R. as a way of gaming the insurance system
The time I had spent in Boulder was so distressing, in terms of thinking I was going to die at every moment of every day, and hearing politicians talk about why people like me shouldn't receive health care through health care programs. The Affordable Care Act debates were raging and I worried I would die all the time. And I called into my cardiologist's office at one point and just said, "You know what, I can't do this anymore. Let's just schedule the surgery. I'll declare bankruptcy afterward." ... And [the nurse] said, "You know, the place the hospital writes off the most bills is through the E.R. And I didn't tell you this, but if you were to come in through the E.R., if you perhaps passed out, if you forgot to take your medication and went for a run ..." And her voice just trailed off and it was this moment that really struck me about the way our health care system was actually operating, which is that even the practitioners within it understood that people were not getting the care that they needed, that people's lives were at risk, and there were all of these secret trap doors for moving through the health care system.
I've often asked myself: What if I hadn't been a white, upper-middle-class person with a college degree who inspired this particular form of empathy? ... Would health care providers have stepped up and come to my defense in this way and tried to help me navigate a system that was, in 2009, unnavigable? It was really striking. And at the time, the combination of the surgeon offering to donate his fee and the nurse making herself available to me and offering tips like this, I really felt that they were saving my life.
On the emergency that landed her in the Colorado ER (without having to fake cardiac arrest)
My partner and I drove from Wyoming with a moving truck on Oct. 25 of 2009. We drove to Colorado. We unloaded it so that we could take the truck back before midnight. We lay down in bed late at night and as we lay there, I started having these intense chest pains. What was wild is that this was the exact same day that the nurse and I had talked about as being a period in which the surgeon might be available for this procedure. ... I entered the E.R. and they kept me overnight. And the next day the surgeon came to visit with me and he said, "What would you like me to do?" I told them to put [an ICD device] in.
On what it's like to have a defibrillator in her chest
Cardiac defibrillators are really bizarre to suddenly have in your body. They're about the size of an old pager and there's not naturally room in the body for the device, so they're placing it under the skin above your pectoral muscle, and that skin has to stretch and the muscle has to learn to hold the device in place with scar tissue. So when you first wake up from that surgery, not only is there extraordinary pain, but there's the sense of this metal device that shifts inside you before there's scar tissue to hold it down.
Coming out of that surgery, you have a lot of movement restrictions. I woke up in a sling. ... There's a way, when the device has just been placed in you, that if you straighten your shoulder out, you'll pull on the device and it is very painful. So those of us who have ICDs are often a little bit hunched over on the left side protectively — for the device. I woke up in a sling that would keep that side stable and it changed the architecture of my body forever.
On how her health issues ended her relationship
It marked me more than I knew at the time. There was this sense I had in my mid-20s, after Sam and I broke up, where I would be on a date with someone, and I would be in some ways, holding a lighter atmosphere, joking around, flirting, able to be very visibly present to them. And some part of me would be wondering whether or not they could hold this other part of me.
To be 25, 26 years old and to have felt death in your body the way that I had, I felt like I had an understanding of something that I needed someone to be able to hold with me. Sam was an extraordinary human and our problem was not love. But ultimately, I needed more from a partner in a hospital setting than he was able to give, and some of the ways that our life had to change as the result of the things that happened to my body just really disconnected us. At this point, I can say I have been single for over 10 years — 10 and a half years. I have never stopped really looking at people and paying attention to how they respond to the scar on my chest, how they respond to the stories I carry.
Heidi Saman and Thea Chaloner produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Deborah Franklin adapted it for the Web.


npr--2020-11-10--Head Of DOJ's Election Crimes Unit Steps Down After Barr OKs Election Inquiries

Head Of DOJ 's Election Crimes Unit Steps Down After Barr OKs Election Inquiries Richard Pilger resigned as head of the Justice Department 's election crimes branch Monday night , protesting Attorney General William Barr 's memo authorizing federal prosecutors to pursue allegations of voting irregularities .
Barr 's policy is seen as a step toward validating President Trump 's baseless attacks on the integrity of an election in which he has been declared the loser .
Pilger said Barr 's memorandum breaks with the Justice Department 's policy on avoiding interference with elections that has stood for 40 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bar for launching a public investigation into any election that has not yet been certified .
Important deadlines to certify the U.S. presidential election arrive in December .
Pilger announced his resignation from his leadership role in a letter to colleagues and staff .
The letter was shared online by Vanita Gupta , the former head of the Justice Department 's Civil Rights Division .
The department 's longstanding policy urges extreme caution in starting a public investigation before an election has been officially concluded in part because doing so could chill legitimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` runs the significant risk of interjecting the investigation itself as an issue , both in the campaign and in the adjudication of any ensuing election contest , '' according to the government 's guidelines for prosecuting election offenses .
The most recent edition of the Justice Department guide , issued in 2017 , runs nearly 300 pages .
Pilger was its editor .
Because of the sensitive nature of the election process , the policy has long required a U.S. attorney 's office to consult the Justice Department 's Public Integrity Section @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Monday , Barr , one of Trump 's most steadfast allies , authorized federal prosecutors to pursue `` substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities '' in U.S. states .
He criticized the existing guidance , calling it `` a passive and delayed enforcement approach . ''
Barr qualified his stance by requiring any inquiries or reviews to be based on `` clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities '' that could — if proven true — affect the outcome of a federal election in an individual state .
The attorney general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken to suggest the Justice Department has `` concluded that voting irregularities have impacted the outcome of any election . ''
Despite those caveats , Barr 's policy is regarded as contributing to Trump 's `` disinformation campaign about voting , '' as NPR reported Monday night .
And former Justice Department officials were quick to criticize the memo as overtly partisan .

Head Of DOJ's Election Crimes Unit Steps Down After Barr OKs Election Inquiries
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Roberson/Pool/Getty Images Jeff Roberson/Pool/Getty Images
Richard Pilger resigned as head of the Justice Department's election crimes branch Monday night, protesting Attorney General William Barr's memo authorizing federal prosecutors to pursue allegations of voting irregularities.
Barr's policy is seen as a step toward validating President Trump's baseless attacks on the integrity of an election in which he has been declared the loser.
Pilger said Barr's memorandum breaks with the Justice Department's policy on avoiding interference with elections that has stood for 40 years. The policy had set a high bar for launching a public investigation into any election that has not yet been certified. Important deadlines to certify the U.S. presidential election arrive in December.
Pilger announced his resignation from his leadership role in a letter to colleagues and staff. The letter was shared online by Vanita Gupta, the former head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
The letter reads, in part:
"Having familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications, and in accord with the best tradition of the John C. Keeney Award for Exceptional Integrity and Professionalism (my most cherished Departmental recognition), I must regretfully resign from my role as Director of the Election Crimes Branch. I have enjoyed very much working with you for over a decade to aggressively and diligently enforce federal criminal election law, policy and practice without partisan fear or favor. I thank you for your support in that effort."
The department's longstanding policy urges extreme caution in starting a public investigation before an election has been officially concluded in part because doing so could chill legitimate voting and campaign activities. It also "runs the significant risk of interjecting the investigation itself as an issue, both in the campaign and in the adjudication of any ensuing election contest," according to the government's guidelines for prosecuting election offenses.
That document adds:
"Accordingly, overt criminal investigative measures should not ordinarily be taken in matters involving alleged fraud in the manner in which votes were cast or counted until the election in question has been concluded, its results certified, and all recounts and election contests concluded."
The most recent edition of the Justice Department guide, issued in 2017, runs nearly 300 pages. Pilger was its editor.
Because of the sensitive nature of the election process, the policy has long required a U.S. attorney's office to consult the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section before moving beyond a preliminary investigation.
On Monday, Barr, one of Trump's most steadfast allies, authorized federal prosecutors to pursue "substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities" in U.S. states. He criticized the existing guidance, calling it "a passive and delayed enforcement approach."
Barr qualified his stance by requiring any inquiries or reviews to be based on "clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities" that could — if proven true — affect the outcome of a federal election in an individual state. The attorney general also said his memo should not be taken to suggest the Justice Department has "concluded that voting irregularities have impacted the outcome of any election."
Despite those caveats, Barr's policy is regarded as contributing to Trump's "disinformation campaign about voting," as NPR reported Monday night. And former Justice Department officials were quick to criticize the memo as overtly partisan.


npr--2020-11-10--Latest Cease-Fire In Nagorno-Karabakh Leaves Armenians Feeling Betrayed By Government

Some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers are set to arrive in Nagorno-Karabakh to oversee a new cease-fire aimed at halting the heaviest fighting in decades between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians for control of the breakaway region .
The announcement of the new Kremlin-backed deal sparked unrest in Armenia , where protesters poured into the streets and stormed the main government building to oppose an agreement they see as one-sided after thousands were killed in the fighting .
By contrast , there were celebrations in parts of Azerbaijan .
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh `` a truly great tragedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement would create `` a long-term peace '' and `` set up necessary conditions for long-lasting and full-scale settlement of the crisis over Nagorno-Karabakh . ''
That crisis erupted again in late September , when Azerbaijan launched a military push to retake parts of Nagorno-Karabakh , an ethnic Armenian enclave that is located within the borders of Azerbaijan .
The disputed region broke away following the collapse of the Soviet Union , after a conflict that claimed some 30,000 lives .
In the years that followed , there had been sporadic clashes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent weeks .
The Russian-brokered deal is the latest in a series of attempts to end the fighting .
Last month , a deal overseen by the U.S. was one of several that quickly collapsed .
In the past few days , Azerbaijani forces have seized the region 's second-largest town — known as Shusha to Azerbaijanis and Shushi to Armenians — the most significant conquest of the recent fighting and one that gives Azerbaijan the upper hand in negotiations .
The city overlooks the regional capital of Stepanakert and lies along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Associated Press reports that long lines of vehicles jammed the road over the weekend as residents from Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia .
Under the cease-fire , Azerbaijan will keep territory it gained in recent fighting .
Armenia will return control of three districts in Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan over the next few weeks .
Among the regions Armenia is to hand over is Lachin , with its main road linking Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia .
The so-called Lachin Corridor is to be kept open by some of the 1,960 Russian peacekeepers deployed with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The deal also calls for transport links to be established between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan , a landlocked semi-autonomous Azerbaijani exclave surrounded by Armenia , Iran and Turkey .
The cease-fire also provides for an exchange of soldiers captured in the fighting and bodies of the dead .
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan acknowledged in a message on Facebook that agreeing to end the fight was `` extremely painful for me personally and for our people . ''
His announcement was received with anger by many Armenians , thousands of whom poured into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to protest , many shouting `` We wo n't give up our land ! ''
Others stormed and ransacked the main government building , including the office of Pashinyan , who was not present .
In Ganja , one of the largest cities in Azerbaijan , people waved Azerbaijani flag to celebrate the apparent end of the military conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh .
Azerbaijan 's forces on Monday shot down a Russian helicopter near Armenia 's border with Nakhchivan , killing two servicemen in what Azerbaijan 's foreign ministry chalked up to `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increased combat readiness in connection with possible provocations of the Armenian side , '' according to the AP .
A spokesman for the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) , of which Russia and Armenia are members , expressed regret that the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh `` led to sad consequences . ''
NPR 's Lucian Kim in Moscow contributed to this report .

Latest Cease-Fire In Nagorno-Karabakh Leaves Armenians Feeling Betrayed By Government
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex McBride/Getty Images Alex McBride/Getty Images
Some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers are set to arrive in Nagorno-Karabakh to oversee a new cease-fire aimed at halting the heaviest fighting in decades between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians for control of the breakaway region.
The announcement of the new Kremlin-backed deal sparked unrest in Armenia, where protesters poured into the streets and stormed the main government building to oppose an agreement they see as one-sided after thousands were killed in the fighting. By contrast, there were celebrations in parts of Azerbaijan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh "a truly great tragedy" and said he hoped that the agreement would create "a long-term peace" and "set up necessary conditions for long-lasting and full-scale settlement of the crisis over Nagorno-Karabakh."
That crisis erupted again in late September, when Azerbaijan launched a military push to retake parts of Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave that is located within the borders of Azerbaijan.
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The disputed region broke away following the collapse of the Soviet Union, after a conflict that claimed some 30,000 lives. In the years that followed, there had been sporadic clashes, but nothing to rival the fighting in recent weeks.
The Russian-brokered deal is the latest in a series of attempts to end the fighting. Last month, a deal overseen by the U.S. was one of several that quickly collapsed.
Moscow's truce leaves Azerbaijan with significant territorial gains.
In the past few days, Azerbaijani forces have seized the region's second-largest town — known as Shusha to Azerbaijanis and Shushi to Armenians — the most significant conquest of the recent fighting and one that gives Azerbaijan the upper hand in negotiations.
The city overlooks the regional capital of Stepanakert and lies along the main road connecting it with Armenia. The Associated Press reports that long lines of vehicles jammed the road over the weekend as residents from Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia.
Under the cease-fire, Azerbaijan will keep territory it gained in recent fighting. Armenia will return control of three districts in Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan over the next few weeks.
Among the regions Armenia is to hand over is Lachin, with its main road linking Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. The so-called Lachin Corridor is to be kept open by some of the 1,960 Russian peacekeepers deployed with a five-year mandate to oversee the agreement. The deal also calls for transport links to be established between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, a landlocked semi-autonomous Azerbaijani exclave surrounded by Armenia, Iran and Turkey.
The cease-fire also provides for an exchange of soldiers captured in the fighting and bodies of the dead.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan acknowledged in a message on Facebook that agreeing to end the fight was "extremely painful for me personally and for our people."
His announcement was received with anger by many Armenians, thousands of whom poured into the main square in the capital, Yerevan, to protest, many shouting "We won't give up our land!" Others stormed and ransacked the main government building, including the office of Pashinyan, who was not present.
YouTube
In Ganja, one of the largest cities in Azerbaijan, people waved Azerbaijani flag to celebrate the apparent end of the military conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan's forces on Monday shot down a Russian helicopter near Armenia's border with Nakhchivan, killing two servicemen in what Azerbaijan's foreign ministry chalked up to "the tense situation in the region and increased combat readiness in connection with possible provocations of the Armenian side," according to the AP.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gavriil Grigorov/Gavriil Grigorov/TASS Gavriil Grigorov/Gavriil Grigorov/TASS
A spokesman for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), of which Russia and Armenia are members, expressed regret that the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh "led to sad consequences."
NPR's Lucian Kim in Moscow contributed to this report.