npr--2020-10-19--New Law Creates 988 Hotline For Mental Health Emergencies

President Trump has signed into law a bipartisan bill to create a three-digit number for mental health emergencies .
The Federal Communications Commission had already picked 988 as the number for this hotline and aims to have it up and running by July 2022 .
The new law paves the way to make that a reality .
`` We are thrilled , because this is a game changer , '' says Robert Gebbia , CEO of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention .
He and other mental health advocates say this will make it easier for more Americans to access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 10-digit number — 1-800-273-TALK — and it has seen a rise in call volume in recent years .
Still , the number is n't easy to remember or dial in times of crisis , says Gebbia .
`` When you 're in crisis and you 're already emotionally upset , the hardest thing to do is find the number that 's a 10-digit number and call it . ''
A three-digit number makes it a lot easier .
`` When there are other emergencies , we know 911 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's ingrained in our heads — we do n't have to think about it . ''
He and other mental health advocates think the new 988 number will become similarly widely accepted and used .
`` A national three-digit number will make it far easier for millions of Americans to reach out for help and get immediate connection to care when they 're experiencing a mental health or suicidal crisis , '' says Kimberly Williams , president and CEO of Vibrant Emotional Health , the organization that runs the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help save lives . ''
The existing lifeline is a national network of about 170 local crisis centers .
When someone calls the national number , they 're routed to the local crisis center that 's closest to them .
But many crisis centers `` are struggling to stay afloat , '' says Gebbia .
They get very little federal funding and have to raise money on their own .
Some have even closed in recent years .
If a crisis center is unable to respond to all callers at any time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There can be dropped calls along the way or long wait times before callers can speak to a trained counselor .
`` It 's very hard for someone when they 're struggling to make that call , '' says Gebbia .
`` And to be on hold , not have the call go through , not have the call answered in a timely way , can be devastating .
It can be a matter of life and death . ''
The new law helps solve this problem , say Gebbia and Williams , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost the capacity of local crisis centers to handle call volumes , which are expected to go up once 988 is up and running in 2022 .
`` Under 988 , it is anticipated that far more people will be reaching out for help , '' says Williams .
The law also gives states the authority to levy fees on wireless bills , `` similar to how 911 is financed in a lot of states , '' says Lauren Conaboy , vice president of national policy at Centerstone , a behavioral health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adds that the new law will help change how society responds to mental health emergencies .
Right now , many people end up relying on 911 for these emergencies .
And the cases are handled by the police and hospital emergency departments .
`` But often , the person can be helped just by a conversation , '' he adds .
`` We do n't have to dispatch police . ''
Cases that need more intervention can be resolved without sending someone to an emergency department .
`` States will have more funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mobile teams ... with trained mental health personnel , '' says Gebbia .
Call volumes to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline have increased during the coronavirus pandemic , peaking at an increase of 6 % in July , according to Vibrant Emotional Health .
And studies show that the need for mental health care is growing , says Conaboy .
The new law , she says , will help meet that growing need .
`` So that two years down the road , we 're equipped as a nation to provide those emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as possible for someone in that moment of crisis to reach out , '' she says .

New Law Creates 988 Hotline For Mental Health Emergencies
Enlarge this image toggle caption T2 Images/Getty Images/Cultura RF T2 Images/Getty Images/Cultura RF
President Trump has signed into law a bipartisan bill to create a three-digit number for mental health emergencies. The Federal Communications Commission had already picked 988 as the number for this hotline and aims to have it up and running by July 2022. The new law paves the way to make that a reality.
"We are thrilled, because this is a game changer," says Robert Gebbia, CEO of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
He and other mental health advocates say this will make it easier for more Americans to access mental health care.
The existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 10-digit number — 1-800-273-TALK — and it has seen a rise in call volume in recent years.
Still, the number isn't easy to remember or dial in times of crisis, says Gebbia. "When you're in crisis and you're already emotionally upset, the hardest thing to do is find the number that's a 10-digit number and call it."
A three-digit number makes it a lot easier. "When there are other emergencies, we know 911," he says. "It's ingrained in our heads — we don't have to think about it."
He and other mental health advocates think the new 988 number will become similarly widely accepted and used.
"A national three-digit number will make it far easier for millions of Americans to reach out for help and get immediate connection to care when they're experiencing a mental health or suicidal crisis," says Kimberly Williams, president and CEO of Vibrant Emotional Health, the organization that runs the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. "Most importantly, 988 will help save lives."
The existing lifeline is a national network of about 170 local crisis centers. When someone calls the national number, they're routed to the local crisis center that's closest to them.
But many crisis centers "are struggling to stay afloat," says Gebbia. They get very little federal funding and have to raise money on their own. Some have even closed in recent years.
If a crisis center is unable to respond to all callers at any time, calls are diverted to backup centers. There can be dropped calls along the way or long wait times before callers can speak to a trained counselor.
"It's very hard for someone when they're struggling to make that call," says Gebbia. "And to be on hold, not have the call go through, not have the call answered in a timely way, can be devastating. It can be a matter of life and death."
The new law helps solve this problem, say Gebbia and Williams, because it provides funding and resources to boost the capacity of local crisis centers to handle call volumes, which are expected to go up once 988 is up and running in 2022.
"Under 988, it is anticipated that far more people will be reaching out for help," says Williams.
The law also gives states the authority to levy fees on wireless bills, "similar to how 911 is financed in a lot of states," says Lauren Conaboy, vice president of national policy at Centerstone, a behavioral health care provider working in several states.
Gebbia adds that the new law will help change how society responds to mental health emergencies.
Right now, many people end up relying on 911 for these emergencies. And the cases are handled by the police and hospital emergency departments.
"But often, the person can be helped just by a conversation," he adds. "We don't have to dispatch police."
Cases that need more intervention can be resolved without sending someone to an emergency department. "States will have more funding now to invest in things like crisis mobile teams ... with trained mental health personnel," says Gebbia.
Call volumes to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline have increased during the coronavirus pandemic, peaking at an increase of 6% in July, compared with the same period a year ago, according to Vibrant Emotional Health.
And studies show that the need for mental health care is growing, says Conaboy. The new law, she says, will help meet that growing need.
"So that two years down the road, we're equipped as a nation to provide those emergency services and to make it as easy as possible for someone in that moment of crisis to reach out," she says.


npr--2020-10-19--Study: Plastic Baby Bottles Shed Microplastics When Heated. Should You Be Worried?

Study : Plastic Baby Bottles Shed Microplastics When Heated .
Should You Be Worried ?
Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic , often too small for the eye to see .
They 're created as plastic degrades .
They 're in oceans , thanks to plastic garbage .
They 're in fish .
They find their way into the water we drink in various ways , from surface runoff and wastewater effluent to particles deposited from the atmosphere .
And they 're released in huge quantities from plastic baby bottles when they 're used to prepare formula according to standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journal Nature Food finds .
The study suggests that bottle-fed infants around the world may be consuming more than 1.5 million particles of microplastics per day on average .
But the researchers caution that parents should not be alarmed by the findings .
That 's because we still do n't have enough evidence of health risks posed by microplastic consumptions by infants or adults .
For example , last year , the World Health Organization released a report saying that there 's not enough evidence to conclude that microplastics in drinking water pose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it said more research is needed to draw firmer conclusions .
`` At the moment , there is no need to be afraid , '' said Philipp Schwabl , a physician and researcher at the Medical University of Vienna who authored a study that found microplastics in human excrement .
`` But it is an open question and definitely an unmet [ research ] need . ''
`` The last thing we want to do is unduly alarm parents , '' said John Boland , a professor of chemistry and materials science researcher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the authors of the Nature Food study .
Boland said he and his co-authors decided to look at microplastics released by plastic baby bottles in part because there are a small number of products on the market .
Worldwide , baby bottles made of polypropylene represent about 82 % of the market , he said , and a small number of manufacturers dominate sales .
That made it easier to get a `` comprehensive view of the market , and that also allowed us to actually look at the global potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The researchers selected 10 types of plastic baby bottles , representative of nearly 70 % of the global market , and measured the levels of microplastics released when they were used to prepare infant formula according to guidelines set by WHO .
Those guidelines call for mixing powdered formula with water heated to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce bacteria loads .
What they found was that the release of microplastics was highly temperature sensitive , Boland said .
`` What 's happening is that there 's an interaction between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Boland said .
`` It 's almost like a flaking of the surface of the actual plastic itself . ''
Hotter water exacerbates that flaking , and so does shaking the bottle .
When the researchers filled the plastic baby bottles with room temperature water and shook them for about 60 seconds , to simulate normal formula preparations , `` you get hundreds of thousands of microplastics , '' he said .
When they increased that temperature to 158 F , the bottles released anywhere from 1 million to 16 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released trillions of even smaller nanoplastics — tiny bits of plastic ranging in size from 10 nanometers up to 1 micron – so many that `` we stopped counting them , '' he said .
The plastic bottles continued to release microplastic particles over 21 days of testing .
The researchers then used global sales data for plastic baby bottles and information on national breastfeeding rates to estimate the potential exposure to microplastics for infants around the world in the first 12 months of life .
Overall , they estimated that the average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particles per day .
But those estimates varied drastically depending on the region of the world .
Infants in higher-income parts of the world , including North America and Europe , where breastfeeding rates are lower , could potentially be consuming well over 2 million microplastic particles per day , they estimated .
Meanwhile , in China , where glass baby bottles are more popular , the average infant 's consumption of microplastics is estimated to be in the `` tens of thousands '' of particles , Boland said .
Infants and Asia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they estimated .
While the health effects of microplastics are still unknown , parents can significantly reduce their infants ' exposure by adding some steps to their bottle preparation routine , Boland said .
He recommends letting plastic bottles cool completely after sterilization in hot water , then rinsing them out at least three times with water that 's been allowed to cool to room temperature after being sterilized by boiling .
( Make sure to boil it in glass or stainless steel , the researchers advise . )
If using powdered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water in a glass container , then let it cool to room temperature before transferring it to a plastic baby bottle for feeding .
And whether preparing formula or warming breast milk , never use the microwave to heat it up , Boland said , because that can create `` pockets of really superheated water adjacent to the plastic , and that gives rise to copious quantities of microplastics . ''
While the levels of microplastics detected by the new Nature Food study are quite high , they are in line with levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that plastic tea bags – the kind often found in pyramid-shaped bags – can release billions of plastic microparticles when steeped in hot water , noted Schwabl , who wrote a commentary in Nature Food on the findings from Boland and his colleagues .
That further suggests temperature is an important factor in influencing microplastics release , Schwabl said .
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin also found that plastic tea kettles , plastic instant noodle cups and plastic food storage containers all released similarly high levels of microplastics when subjected to heat .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more research into microplastics released from plastic food storage containers , especially when they are subjected to higher temperatures .
As for what those microplastics may be doing in our bodies , the evidence so far is quite limited and unclear , Schwabl said .
He noted some research has found microplastics can cause inflammation in rodents and accumulate in their guts and other organs , while other studies `` show they do not harm . ''
`` The threshold at which they cause problems has not been determined for humans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably excreting most of the microplastics that we ingest , '' said David Love , an associate scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future .
One potential concern is around the ingestion of the much-smaller nanoplastics , he said .
Once in the gut , these extra tiny plastic particles can `` actually make their way into the bloodstream and from there transport throughout the body . ''
What 's needed , Love said , is more research on the potential health effects of chronic long-term exposure .
For now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He 's avoiding plastic containers in his daily life – `` not so much that I am afraid of the ingestion , but I think thereby I may be contributing to [ reducing ] the amount of plastic waste '' that makes its way into the environment .
Added Love , `` What this study and other studies are telling us is that we should be asking this of our regulatory agencies — and they should be exploring — what these risks are and developing guidance for industry in terms of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from high-risk products like baby bottles . ''

Study: Plastic Baby Bottles Shed Microplastics When Heated. Should You Be Worried?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images
Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic, often too small for the eye to see. They're created as plastic degrades.
And they're everywhere.
They're in oceans, thanks to plastic garbage. They're in fish. They find their way into the water we drink in various ways, from surface runoff and wastewater effluent to particles deposited from the atmosphere.
And they're released in huge quantities from plastic baby bottles when they're used to prepare formula according to standard guidelines, a new study in the journal Nature Food finds.
The study suggests that bottle-fed infants around the world may be consuming more than 1.5 million particles of microplastics per day on average. But the researchers caution that parents should not be alarmed by the findings.
That's because we still don't have enough evidence of health risks posed by microplastic consumptions by infants or adults. For example, last year, the World Health Organization released a report saying that there's not enough evidence to conclude that microplastics in drinking water pose a risk to human health, though it said more research is needed to draw firmer conclusions.
"At the moment, there is no need to be afraid," said Philipp Schwabl, a physician and researcher at the Medical University of Vienna who authored a study that found microplastics in human excrement. "But it is an open question and definitely an unmet [research] need."
"The last thing we want to do is unduly alarm parents," said John Boland, a professor of chemistry and materials science researcher at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland and one of the authors of the Nature Food study.
Boland said he and his co-authors decided to look at microplastics released by plastic baby bottles in part because there are a small number of products on the market. Worldwide, baby bottles made of polypropylene represent about 82% of the market, he said, and a small number of manufacturers dominate sales. That made it easier to get a "comprehensive view of the market, and that also allowed us to actually look at the global potential of this issue," he says.
The researchers selected 10 types of plastic baby bottles, representative of nearly 70% of the global market, and measured the levels of microplastics released when they were used to prepare infant formula according to guidelines set by WHO. Those guidelines call for mixing powdered formula with water heated to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce bacteria loads.
What they found was that the release of microplastics was highly temperature sensitive, Boland said. "What's happening is that there's an interaction between the [plastic] polymer and the water," Boland said. "It's almost like a flaking of the surface of the actual plastic itself." Hotter water exacerbates that flaking, and so does shaking the bottle.
When the researchers filled the plastic baby bottles with room temperature water and shook them for about 60 seconds, to simulate normal formula preparations, "you get hundreds of thousands of microplastics," he said. When they increased that temperature to 158 F, the bottles released anywhere from 1 million to 16 million particles per liter. The bottles also released trillions of even smaller nanoplastics — tiny bits of plastic ranging in size from 10 nanometers up to 1 micron – so many that "we stopped counting them," he said.
The plastic bottles continued to release microplastic particles over 21 days of testing.
The researchers then used global sales data for plastic baby bottles and information on national breastfeeding rates to estimate the potential exposure to microplastics for infants around the world in the first 12 months of life. Overall, they estimated that the average infant consumes more than 1.5 million microplastics particles per day.
But those estimates varied drastically depending on the region of the world. Infants in higher-income parts of the world, including North America and Europe, where breastfeeding rates are lower, could potentially be consuming well over 2 million microplastic particles per day, they estimated. Meanwhile, in China, where glass baby bottles are more popular, the average infant's consumption of microplastics is estimated to be in the "tens of thousands" of particles, Boland said.
Infants and Asia and Africa had the lowest potential exposure, they estimated.
While the health effects of microplastics are still unknown, parents can significantly reduce their infants' exposure by adding some steps to their bottle preparation routine, Boland said. He recommends letting plastic bottles cool completely after sterilization in hot water, then rinsing them out at least three times with water that's been allowed to cool to room temperature after being sterilized by boiling. (Make sure to boil it in glass or stainless steel, the researchers advise.)
If using powdered formula, prepare it with 158 F water in a glass container, then let it cool to room temperature before transferring it to a plastic baby bottle for feeding. And whether preparing formula or warming breast milk, never use the microwave to heat it up, Boland said, because that can create "pockets of really superheated water adjacent to the plastic, and that gives rise to copious quantities of microplastics."
While the levels of microplastics detected by the new Nature Food study are quite high, they are in line with levels reported by a 2019 study that found that plastic tea bags – the kind often found in pyramid-shaped bags – can release billions of plastic microparticles when steeped in hot water, noted Schwabl, who wrote a commentary in Nature Food on the findings from Boland and his colleagues. That further suggests temperature is an important factor in influencing microplastics release, Schwabl said.
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin also found that plastic tea kettles, plastic instant noodle cups and plastic food storage containers all released similarly high levels of microplastics when subjected to heat. Schwabl said that points to a need for more research into microplastics released from plastic food storage containers, especially when they are subjected to higher temperatures.
As for what those microplastics may be doing in our bodies, the evidence so far is quite limited and unclear, Schwabl said. He noted some research has found microplastics can cause inflammation in rodents and accumulate in their guts and other organs, while other studies "show they do not harm." "The threshold at which they cause problems has not been determined for humans," Schwabl said.
"We're probably excreting most of the microplastics that we ingest," said David Love, an associate scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future. One potential concern is around the ingestion of the much-smaller nanoplastics, he said. Once in the gut, these extra tiny plastic particles can "actually make their way into the bloodstream and from there transport throughout the body." What's needed, Love said, is more research on the potential health effects of chronic long-term exposure.
For now, Schwabl agrees we shouldn't panic. He's avoiding plastic containers in his daily life – "not so much that I am afraid of the ingestion, but I think thereby I may be contributing to [reducing] the amount of plastic waste" that makes its way into the environment.
Added Love, "What this study and other studies are telling us is that we should be asking this of our regulatory agencies — and they should be exploring — what these risks are and developing guidance for industry in terms of what is the appropriate level of microplastic shedding from high-risk products like baby bottles."


npr--2020-10-19--U.S. Borders With Canada And Mexico Will Stay Closed Another Month

U.S .
Borders With Canada And Mexico Will Stay Closed Another Month The U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico will stay closed to nonessential travel for at least another month .
Bill Blair , Canada 's public safety minister , tweeted on Monday , `` We are extending non-essential travel restrictions with the United States until November 21st , 2020 .
Our decisions will continue to be based on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe . ''
The United States and Mexico have both seen far higher COVID-19 mortality rates than Canada .
Chad Wolf , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homeland Security , confirmed the news .
`` To continue to limit the spread of COVID , the US , Mexico , & Canada will extend the restrictions on non-essential travel through Nov 21 , '' he tweeted .
`` We are working closely with Mexico & Canada to identify safe criteria to ease the restrictions in the future & support our border communities . ''
In an interview Monday with a Canadian radio station , Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau noted that the country 's southern neighbor does not have the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States continues to be of concern .
So we 're going to make sure we 're keeping Canadians safe as best as we can , '' Trudeau told Global News .
`` Canadians can be deeply reassured to know that their various orders of government are always going to work together to keep them safe , unlike some other places we see around the world , '' he said .
The borders have been closed since March 23 .
The U.S. Embassy in Canada explained that the border policy applies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but not air , rail or sea travel .
It also said : In addition to the border regulations , there are additional rules about entering Canada , the United States and Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Last month , President Trump said that Canada wanted the border to reopen and said that `` we 're going to be opening the borders pretty soon . ''
But public opinion surveys have found Canadians support keeping the border closed .

U.S. Borders With Canada And Mexico Will Stay Closed Another Month
Enlarge this image toggle caption Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico will stay closed to nonessential travel for at least another month.
Bill Blair, Canada's public safety minister, tweeted on Monday, "We are extending non-essential travel restrictions with the United States until November 21st, 2020. Our decisions will continue to be based on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe."
The United States and Mexico have both seen far higher COVID-19 mortality rates than Canada.
Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, confirmed the news.
"To continue to limit the spread of COVID, the US, Mexico, & Canada will extend the restrictions on non-essential travel through Nov 21," he tweeted. "We are working closely with Mexico & Canada to identify safe criteria to ease the restrictions in the future & support our border communities."
In an interview Monday with a Canadian radio station, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau noted that the country's southern neighbor does not have the virus under control.
"The situation in the United States continues to be of concern. So we're going to make sure we're keeping Canadians safe as best as we can," Trudeau told Global News.
"Canadians can be deeply reassured to know that their various orders of government are always going to work together to keep them safe, unlike some other places we see around the world," he said.
The borders have been closed since March 23.
The U.S. Embassy in Canada explained that the border policy applies to automotive, commuter rail and ferry travel but not air, rail or sea travel. It also said:
" 'Non-essential' travel includes travel that is considered tourism or recreational in nature. 'Essential travel' still permitted includes: work and study, critical infrastructure support, economic services and supply chains, health, immediate medical care, and safety and security."
In addition to the border regulations, there are additional rules about entering Canada, the United States and Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last month, President Trump said that Canada wanted the border to reopen and said that "we're going to be opening the borders pretty soon." But public opinion surveys have found Canadians support keeping the border closed.


npr--2020-10-19--Court Vacates Trump Administration Rule That Sought To Kick Thousands Off Food Stamps

Court Vacates Trump Administration Rule That Sought To Kick Thousands Off Food Stamps A federal judge has vacated the Trump administration 's rule that would have forced hundreds of thousands of Americans off food stamps .
The U.S. Department of Agriculture 's rule change was capricious and arbitrary , Chief U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said .
The USDA rule `` radically and abruptly alters decades of regulatory practice , '' Howell said in her ruling , adding that it would have `` exponentially '' increased food insecurity for tens of thousands of Americans and imposed significant costs on states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take effect April 1 , but Howell blocked it with a preliminary injunction in March , responding to requests from 19 states , the District of Columbia , the city of New York and other plaintiffs .
The rule change would have put new requirements on able-bodied adults without children , saying they should work at least 20 hours each week if they want to keep getting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , or SNAP , benefits beyond a three-month limit .
`` It would also have limited states ' usual ability to waive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' as NPR 's Maria Godoy reported in March .
A week after Howell 's preliminary ruling , Congress suspended food benefit time limits on recipients who are classified as `` able-bodied adults without dependents '' – or ABAWDs — until after the U.S. public health emergency due to COVID-19 is over .
`` The agency has been icily silent about how many ABAWDs would have been denied SNAP benefits '' if the changes had gone into effect during the pandemic as planned , '' Howell wrote in her 67-page opinion .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wake , as of May 2020 , SNAP rosters have grown by over 17 percent with over 6 million new enrollees . ''
The judge 's tossing out of the USDA rule wo n't have an immediate effect , but she noted that the change in food aid would have taken effect one month after the U.S. public emergency is declared to be over .
The USDA rule 's administrative record runs to 187,464 pages , including a trove of regulations , guidance documents , statistics and reference materials .
But Howell found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its rationale for the abrupt policy shift .
The judge also said that the way the agency handled its public commenting process was so flawed that it alone would have been enough to set aside the new rule .
Despite warnings that the rule change would disparately harm minorities , women and people with disabilities , the USDA `` essentially kicked this problem bucket down the proverbial road '' by citing a lack of evidence , Howell said .
`` That excuse rings hollow given the many comments supported by 'empirical data , @ @ @ @ @ @

Court Vacates Trump Administration Rule That Sought To Kick Thousands Off Food Stamps
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Heins/Getty Images Scott Heins/Getty Images
A federal judge has vacated the Trump administration's rule that would have forced hundreds of thousands of Americans off food stamps. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's rule change was capricious and arbitrary, Chief U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said.
The USDA rule "radically and abruptly alters decades of regulatory practice," Howell said in her ruling, adding that it would have "exponentially" increased food insecurity for tens of thousands of Americans and imposed significant costs on states.
The rule was originally set to take effect April 1, but Howell blocked it with a preliminary injunction in March, responding to requests from 19 states, the District of Columbia, the city of New York and other plaintiffs.
The rule change would have put new requirements on able-bodied adults without children, saying they should work at least 20 hours each week if they want to keep getting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits beyond a three-month limit.
"It would also have limited states' usual ability to waive those requirements depending on economic conditions," as NPR's Maria Godoy reported in March.
A week after Howell's preliminary ruling, Congress suspended food benefit time limits on recipients who are classified as "able-bodied adults without dependents" – or ABAWDs — until after the U.S. public health emergency due to COVID-19 is over.
"The agency has been icily silent about how many ABAWDs would have been denied SNAP benefits" if the changes had gone into effect during the pandemic as planned," Howell wrote in her 67-page opinion. She added, "In the pandemic's wake, as of May 2020, SNAP rosters have grown by over 17 percent with over 6 million new enrollees."
The judge's tossing out of the USDA rule won't have an immediate effect, but she noted that the change in food aid would have taken effect one month after the U.S. public emergency is declared to be over.
The USDA rule's administrative record runs to 187,464 pages, including a trove of regulations, guidance documents, statistics and reference materials. But Howell found that the agency failed to explain adequately its rationale for the abrupt policy shift. The judge also said that the way the agency handled its public commenting process was so flawed that it alone would have been enough to set aside the new rule.
Despite warnings that the rule change would disparately harm minorities, women and people with disabilities, the USDA "essentially kicked this problem bucket down the proverbial road" by citing a lack of evidence, Howell said.
"That excuse rings hollow given the many comments supported by 'empirical data,' " the judge said.


npr--2020-10-19--How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress

How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress Updated on October 19 at 4:15 p.m .
ET The coronavirus pandemic continues to upend the daily work of Congress , which has seen a series of outbreaks .
Most recently , President Trump , First Lady Melania Trump and several others tested positive following a White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce his nominee , Judge Amy Coney Barrett , as Supreme Court justice .
At least nine Republican members of Congress attended , and several individuals tested positive for the coronavirus infection or were sidelined in quarantines in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sens .
Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina , who had attended Senate business the week after the ceremony , then tested positive .
Soon after , Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson , who was n't at the Rose Garden event , also tested positive .
Several more members tested negative , but entered quarantines after exposure at the event , including Sens .
Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Ted Cruz of Texas and Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson .
The new outbreak forced the Senate to recess for two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full chamber vote to allow Republicans to confirm Barrett .
The House was already slated to be away .
This is n't the first spread of the illness for Capitol Hill .
The pandemic sidelined Congress since its March beginnings , as House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members for several weeks in light of public health guidelines recommending social distancing .
The Senate returned in May , but the much larger House still stayed mostly away as a result of advice from the attending physician to Congress .
That same month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing remote voting and hearings .
So far , the virus has infected about 20 lawmakers and forced dozens more to self-quarantine .
More than 100 members of their staffs and Capitol Hill workers have tested positive .
The initial rash of cases began March 8 , when two Republican lawmakers , Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona , were the first members of Congress to announce self-quarantines .
Both had attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor , Md.
, where an attendee at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , the first two members of Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus .
Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 vote on a coronavirus relief package .
By October , more than 120 Capitol workers reported a positive test or were presumed so , including more than 40 members of the U.S. Capitol Police .
Earlier this summer , Gary Tibbetts , a longtime staffer for Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida , died from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers have taken antibody tests to see if they were previously ill .
Among them , Democratic Sens .
Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring .
To stem the flow of new cases , both chambers issued new social distancing guidance .
Also , the U.S. Capitol remains closed to public tours and open only to members , staff , press and official business visitors .
In late July , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also issued a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-Texas , who has often rejected mask protocols , tested positive for the coronavirus .
Gohmert had attended several hearings a day before testing and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection .
Gohmert 's case triggered quarantines for five House members , including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva .
Days later , Grijalva tested positive , but fully recovered symptom free .
Now , members can be forcibly removed by Capitol Police from House hearings and the floor if they are not wearing masks .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 .

Congress and COVID-19: members' cases and quarantines
Enlarge this image toggle caption Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Editor's note: This page is no longer updating as of Dec. 31, 2021.
A number of congressional lawmakers experienced breakthrough COVID-19 infections as coronavirus cases rose nationwide with the spread of the omicron variant.
Earlier in 2021, Congress went months with no coronavirus cases among its members. That came a halt amid a national surge driven by the delta variant, when Republican Reps. Vern Buchanan of Florida and Clay Higgins of Louisiana reported infections in July. Buchanan says he was fully vaccinated, but that was less clear for Higgins.
At least another dozen members followed throughout the fall with news they had also tested positive for coronavirus; many of those infections involving vaccinated Senate and House members.
Before these latest waves, Congress' nearly six-month case pause came after a majority of more than 500 lawmakers were fully vaccinated by January. The Capitol's attending physician then lifted much of the mask mandates that dominated the past year. However, a minority of House Republican members have refused to seek vaccination.
Lawmakers impact by the coronavirus
This new threat arrives after the coronavirus already exacted a large toll on the Capitol.
Last year, the pandemic upended daily work for months, sickening dozens of members and hundreds of workers. A sitting congressman, a member-elect and an aide died.
By February 2021, more than 60 lawmakers and 360 Capitol Hill workers had tested positive, or were presumed so, for the coronavirus, according to NPR's tracker and congressional aides.
Loading...
See a list of all members who tested positive or quarantined.
That same month, Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, became the first sitting member of Congress to die after a more than two-week battle with COVID-19. In December, Rep.-elect Luke Letlow of Louisiana died days before he was due to be sworn in for a seat that was later filled in April by his widow, Rep. Julia Letlow, following a special election.
And last summer, an aide to Buchanan died from COVID-19.
The rash of infections among members continued at a consistent pace since the pandemic began, with the longest stretch without any such cases lasting about three weeks during recess periods away from Washington, D.C.
But this past March, Capitol Hill began its first month-long stretch without any reported cases or quarantines among members. The most recent positive case before July was reported by Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., on Jan. 29, despite his having received his second dose of the vaccine days earlier.
Another member, House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., reported that she quarantined on Feb. 1. It ended Feb. 8 without a report of a positive test.
January 6 insurrection caused spike in cases on Capitol Hill
Up until this summer, the most recent outbreak of cases on Capitol Hill for members was triggered by the Jan. 6 insurrection, which forced members to cluster together in rooms for several hours. Some House Republicans were seen refusing to wear masks during the ordeal.
Later, Monahan told Congress that at least one of these holding rooms for House members included a lawmaker who was already positive.
More than a half-dozen members quarantined as a result, and several tested positive, including Democratic Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey and Brad Schneider of Illinois.
In all, January proved to be one of members' worst month for the coronavirus, with at least 16 lawmakers testing positive. Before the insurrection, the House met to launch a new session before reinstating rules allowing proxy voting.
This, as congressional leaders and lawmakers received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which became available to members in December. The doses were provided to meet long-standing requirements for continuity of government operations, Monahan told members in a Dec. 17 note.
Pandemic impacted congressional operations
Ahead of the vaccinations, both chambers of Congress recessed multiple times last year as the Capitol went largely without a widespread testing program.
The Democratic-controlled House installed emergency proxy voting and remote hearings in May 2020, and Pelosi extended the covered period several times due to the pandemic. It remains in place until at least until mid-August.
In November, Pelosi triggered a broader coronavirus testing program for Congress following new requirement for travelers to the Washington, D.C., area.
Pelosi has previously said with about 75% of House members vaccinated, and several Republicans who refuse to do so, she's unclear when Congress will fully get back to normal.
"One of the most substantial steps that can be taken is that everybody should be vaccinated," Pelosi told reporters in March, later adding, "We need 100% of the members vaccinated, because it just takes one to endanger others."
The pandemic delayed other rituals, such as President Biden's first address before a joint session of Congress, which was held with only 200 socially distanced guests on April 28.
Last year remains a reminder of how quickly outbreaks spiraled out of control among lawmakers.
In December, at least nine House members, including six Republicans, tested positive for the coronavirus. And November proved to be another one of the worst months of the pandemic for Congress, when at least 15 lawmakers said they were infected, including two of the oldest, Republicans Rep. Don Young of Alaska and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
A previous outbreak in September was tied to a White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce Amy Coney Barrett as then-President Donald Trump's Supreme Court justice nominee. Trump, then-first lady Melania Trump and dozens of others in attendance tested positive, including Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
It was one of several instances forcing leaders to change the congressional schedule.
Starting in the first month of the pandemic, in March 2020, House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members in light of public health guidelines recommending social distancing.
The Senate returned in May 2020, but the much larger House remained mostly away under the advice of Monahan, the Capitol's attending physician. That same month, the House approved its historic rule changes to allow remote voting and hearings.
The first spate of cases began March 8, 2020, when two Republican lawmakers, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, were the first members of Congress to announce self-quarantines. Both attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., where another guest fell ill.
The following week, the first two members of Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus. Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and then-Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 floor vote on a coronavirus relief package.
By last summer, dozens of Capitol workers reported a positive test or were presumed so, and Gary Tibbetts, a longtime staffer for Buchanan died from COVID-19 on July 24.
Some lawmakers also took antibody tests to see if they were previously infected. They include Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, who both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring.
To stem the flow of new cases, both chambers early on issued new social distancing guidance. Also, the U.S. Capitol closed to public tours and remained open only to members, staff, the press and official business visitors, and aside from the Jan. 6 breach by pro-Trump extremists, it has remained so.
In late July 2020, Pelosi also issued a temporary, new mask mandate after Texas GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert, who often rejected such protocols, tested positive. Gohmert had attended several hearings a day earlier and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection.
Gohmert's case triggered quarantines for five House members, including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva. Days later, Grijalva tested positive but fully recovered symptom free. Until recent changes lifting the mask mandates, members could be fined or be forcibly removed by Capitol Police if they are not wearing masks.


npr--2020-10-19--Ally Of Socialist Evo Morales On Track To Win Bolivia's Election As Rival Concedes

Ally Of Socialist Evo Morales On Track To Win Bolivia 's Election As Rival Concedes Socialists in Bolivia are celebrating a historic victory after a candidate handpicked by their ousted leader , Evo Morales , was on course to win the country 's most important presidential election in a generation .
Luis Arce — a former economy minister during the Morales era — is poised to be officially confirmed as the winner after his main rival conceded , even before the official count from Sunday 's election was complete .
Hours earlier , Morales , who is in exile in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unprecedented historic triumph '' and proclaimed , `` We recovered our democracy . ''
The election followed the resignation last year of Morales , Bolivia 's first Indigenous president , after nearly 14 years in office .
He left under pressure from Bolivia 's military after seeking a fourth term in an election later annulled following fraud allegations .
A report by the Organization of American States raising questions about the results fueled mass anti-government protests .
Morales and his supporters maintain he was the victim of a right-wing coup .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday 's election , which was held despite the coronavirus pandemic and amid concerns that Bolivia 's deeply polarized political scene could erupt into violence .
Bolivians stocked up on food and other supplies ahead of the ballot .
However , reports said that despite long lines at voting stations , the election went relatively smoothly .
In the runup to the vote , most polls gave Arce a significant lead , although analysts said he would likely fall short of the numbers needed to avoid a second round next month against his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defeat at a news conference Monday , Mesa said initial counts showed a `` strong and clear '' win for Arce .
`` It is up to us , those of us who believe in democracy , to recognize that there has been a winner in this election , '' Mesa said .
The socialists ' victory celebrations began earlier when the country 's unelected interim president , Jeanine Áñez , tweeted congratulations to Arce on his apparent victory while acknowledging the official count was not complete .
Áñez , a right-wing archenemy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his departure .
`` I congratulate the winners and I ask them to govern with Bolivia and democracy in mind , '' she said .
Arce said he would seek to form a government of national unity and appealed for calm .
The British-educated Arce , 57 , served two terms as Bolivia 's economy minister .
He presided over a nationalization program and commodities boom that helped provide funds to lift millions of Indigenous Bolivians out of poverty and delivered a period of sustained growth .
Mesa , 67 , is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Bolivia 's president from 2003 to 2005 , and is widely considered a pragmatic centrist .
A victory for Arce and the socialist party will be seen as a triumph for the Latin American left and for Morales , who is considered one of its heavyweights .
However , the next president faces profound challenges .
As in most of Latin America , COVID-19 has caused havoc within the health system and inflicted severe damage on the economy ; the World Bank has forecast a drop in Bolivia 's gross domestic product @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With more than 8,400 deaths ( and more than 139,000 confirmed cases ) , its 11.7 million population has one of the world 's highest-recorded per capita mortality rates .
`` Arce seems to have tapped most of the undecided vote , '' said Rodrigo Riaza , Bolivia analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit .
`` The pandemic and the recession have taken a toll on people 's trust in the alternative to the MAS , '' he said , referring to the Movimiento al Socialismo party .
`` The key questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an absolute majority in Congress , '' Riaza said .
`` Without it , Arce 's ability to govern will be severely impaired . ''
Votes are still being counted from the congressional races , which were also on the ballot Sunday .

Ally Of Socialist Evo Morales On Track To Win Bolivia's Election As Rival Concedes
Enlarge this image toggle caption Juan Karita/AP Juan Karita/AP
Socialists in Bolivia are celebrating a historic victory after a candidate handpicked by their ousted leader, Evo Morales, was on course to win the country's most important presidential election in a generation.
Luis Arce — a former economy minister during the Morales era — is poised to be officially confirmed as the winner after his main rival conceded, even before the official count from Sunday's election was complete.
Hours earlier, Morales, who is in exile in Argentina, announced what he called "an unprecedented historic triumph" and proclaimed, "We recovered our democracy."
The election followed the resignation last year of Morales, Bolivia's first Indigenous president, after nearly 14 years in office. He left under pressure from Bolivia's military after seeking a fourth term in an election later annulled following fraud allegations.
A report by the Organization of American States raising questions about the results fueled mass anti-government protests. Morales and his supporters maintain he was the victim of a right-wing coup.
His departure in November laid the ground for Sunday's election, which was held despite the coronavirus pandemic and amid concerns that Bolivia's deeply polarized political scene could erupt into violence.
Bolivians stocked up on food and other supplies ahead of the ballot. However, reports said that despite long lines at voting stations, the election went relatively smoothly.
In the runup to the vote, most polls gave Arce a significant lead, although analysts said he would likely fall short of the numbers needed to avoid a second round next month against his main rival, Carlos Mesa.
Conceding defeat at a news conference Monday, Mesa said initial counts showed a "strong and clear" win for Arce. "It is up to us, those of us who believe in democracy, to recognize that there has been a winner in this election," Mesa said.
The socialists' victory celebrations began earlier when the country's unelected interim president, Jeanine Áñez, tweeted congratulations to Arce on his apparent victory while acknowledging the official count was not complete. Áñez, a right-wing archenemy of Morales, controversially took power after his departure.
"I congratulate the winners and I ask them to govern with Bolivia and democracy in mind," she said. Arce said he would seek to form a government of national unity and appealed for calm.
The British-educated Arce, 57, served two terms as Bolivia's economy minister. He presided over a nationalization program and commodities boom that helped provide funds to lift millions of Indigenous Bolivians out of poverty and delivered a period of sustained growth.
Mesa, 67, is a celebrated journalist and historian who served briefly as Bolivia's president from 2003 to 2005, and is widely considered a pragmatic centrist.
A victory for Arce and the socialist party will be seen as a triumph for the Latin American left and for Morales, who is considered one of its heavyweights. However, the next president faces profound challenges.
As in most of Latin America, COVID-19 has caused havoc within the health system and inflicted severe damage on the economy; the World Bank has forecast a drop in Bolivia's gross domestic product of at least 5.9% this year. With more than 8,400 deaths (and more than 139,000 confirmed cases), its 11.7 million population has one of the world's highest-recorded per capita mortality rates.
"Arce seems to have tapped most of the undecided vote," said Rodrigo Riaza, Bolivia analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit. "The pandemic and the recession have taken a toll on people's trust in the alternative to the MAS," he said, referring to the Movimiento al Socialismo party.
"The key questions now is if the MAS will have an absolute majority in Congress," Riaza said. "Without it, Arce's ability to govern will be severely impaired."
Votes are still being counted from the congressional races, which were also on the ballot Sunday.


npr--2020-10-19--Trump Rails Against 'Fauci And These Idiots' In Campaign Call

Trump Rails Against 'Fauci And These Idiots ' In Campaign Call President Trump , who has for months been at loggerheads with public health experts on how best to contain the coronavirus pandemic , on Monday called Dr. Anthony Fauci a `` disaster '' and complained that Americans are tired of hearing from `` these idiots , '' according to media reports of a call between Trump and campaign staff .
`` People are tired of hearing Fauci and these idiots , all these idiots who got it wrong , '' Trump said on the call meant to discuss Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times .
`` He 's been here for 500 years , '' Trump reportedly said of Fauci .
`` Every time he goes on television , there 's always a bomb , but there 's a bigger bomb if you fire him .
This guy 's a disaster . ''
This is not the first time Trump has made apparent his distaste for Fauci , the leading infectious disease expert on the White House coronavirus task force , and the doctor 's handling of the pandemic .
In April , after Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's slow response to the pandemic had cost American lives , Trump retweeted a message from a supporter that read in part : `` Time to # FireFauci . ''
Fauci has also publicly expressed displeasure at Trump 's attitude toward the pandemic that has killed nearly 220,000 people in the United States .
Discussing the president earlier this month contracting the virus , Fauci said on CBS 's 60 Minutes program : `` I was worried that he was going to get sick when I saw him in a completely precarious situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and almost nobody wearing a mask . ''
`` And then sure enough , it turned out to be a superspreader event , '' he said in the interview that aired Sunday , referencing Trump 's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court — a Rose Garden event where few people wore masks and from which several attendees have since tested positive for the coronavirus .
Trump responded Monday on Twitter , saying Fauci `` seems to get more airtime than anybody since the late , great , Bob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has seen a number of polls that show him trailing Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential race , tweeted that he was more confident than ever of being reelected .
Trump 's tweet praised Mark Meadows , the White House chief of staff who has been under fire for mixed messaging about Trump 's health when the president was hospitalized earlier this month .

Trump Rails Against 'Fauci And These Idiots' In Campaign Call
Enlarge this image toggle caption Graeme Jennings/Pool/Getty Images Graeme Jennings/Pool/Getty Images
President Trump, who has for months been at loggerheads with public health experts on how best to contain the coronavirus pandemic, on Monday called Dr. Anthony Fauci a "disaster" and complained that Americans are tired of hearing from "these idiots," according to media reports of a call between Trump and campaign staff.
"People are tired of hearing Fauci and these idiots, all these idiots who got it wrong," Trump said on the call meant to discuss Election Day strategy, according to The New York Times.
"He's been here for 500 years," Trump reportedly said of Fauci.
"Every time he goes on television, there's always a bomb, but there's a bigger bomb if you fire him. This guy's a disaster."
This is not the first time Trump has made apparent his distaste for Fauci, the leading infectious disease expert on the White House coronavirus task force, and the doctor's handling of the pandemic.
In April, after Fauci implied in an interview that the administration's slow response to the pandemic had cost American lives, Trump retweeted a message from a supporter that read in part: "Time to #FireFauci."
Fauci has also publicly expressed displeasure at Trump's attitude toward the pandemic that has killed nearly 220,000 people in the United States.
Discussing the president earlier this month contracting the virus, Fauci said on CBS's 60 Minutes program: "I was worried that he was going to get sick when I saw him in a completely precarious situation of crowded, no separation between people, and almost nobody wearing a mask."
"And then sure enough, it turned out to be a superspreader event," he said in the interview that aired Sunday, referencing Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court — a Rose Garden event where few people wore masks and from which several attendees have since tested positive for the coronavirus.
Trump responded Monday on Twitter, saying Fauci "seems to get more airtime than anybody since the late, great, Bob Hope."
Separately, Trump, who has seen a number of polls that show him trailing Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential race, tweeted that he was more confident than ever of being reelected.
Trump's tweet praised Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff who has been under fire for mixed messaging about Trump's health when the president was hospitalized earlier this month.