npr--2020-12-23--Millions Of Christmas Gifts May Arrive Late Due To Overload At The Postal Service

Millions Of Christmas Gifts May Arrive Late Due To Overload At The Postal Service If you 're the type to be disappointed by what 's under the Christmas tree , this year you may find yourself even more dismayed by what 's not under the tree .
Millions of gifts may arrive late , as the U.S .
Postal Service grapples with an unprecedented volume of packages from people shopping online , instead of at stores , and shipping holiday gifts instead of bringing them in person .
`` We 're really busy .
It 's been unbearable , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truck driver who was unloading and reloading crates of mail at a post office outside Boston on Tuesday night .
The main Boston processing center , he says , is overwhelmed .
`` The warehouse is packed , '' Huenchunir said .
`` Boxes from wall to wall and trucks waiting to get into dock for like three hours , waiting in line just to unload . ''
`` We 've been bombed .
It 's been crazy , '' says postal clerk Debbie Aspell , who 's feeling it from both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working 11-hour days , six days a week , for most of the month .
And she 's trying to get Christmas gifts to her own family , including the pajamas she sent to her son in Texas .
`` I sent it by express mail , and I keep tracking it , and it says it 's still in Boston , '' she says .
Her son is 36 , but Aspell says , `` No matter how old your kids are , you still do n't want to see them wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In her living room in Natick , Mass.
, Elizabeth Pruitt , 39 , is also feeling the pressure as she shows off her glimmering Christmas tree , bedecked with ornaments and lights but still bereft of any gifts underneath .
Some are hidden away from her kids , but the big haul she ordered online in November is three weeks late .
When she tracks it online , all she gets is a message saying there is a high volume of packages and no further information is available .
`` Where it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she sighs .
Her 8-year-old daughter , Brooke Dell Orto , is bracing for yet another week of waiting .
`` If it does n't come on time , that would be terrible , '' she says .
`` Then we 'll be celebrating Christmas on New Year 's Eve . ''
The Postal Service 's on-time delivery rate for first-class mail sank to about 75 % , from 95 % last season , according to agency data from early December .
And it 's not just Christmas gifts that are imperiled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handles more than 1 billion prescriptions every year , and many of those are also running dangerously late .
Terri Vacca , a 61-year-old bookkeeper in Cleveland , is waiting on two prescriptions that she ordered nearly three weeks ago for her 81-year-old mother .
She 's tracking the delivery online multiple times a day , but its status has n't been updated since Dec. 9 , so there 's no telling when it will arrive .
`` That 's where the anxiety comes in , because she 's talked about rationing this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of every day , but it is essential , '' Vacca says .
Her Christmas gifts are late too , but she says , `` Those are not a matter of life and death . ''
It 's nerve-wracking , says her mother , Carole Vacca .
`` Not only do you have to worry about this virus going around , but then you 've got to worry about your medications being in limbo . ''
The Postal Service declined to speak to NPR for this report but in an email said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from collections , to processing to delivery , is working around the clock to address the historic volume . ''
This year 's load is estimated to be 40 % over normal , with some days spiking much higher .
Even the 50,000 extra temporary workers hired this season and vast amounts of overtime are n't enough to keep up .
`` It 's a tsunami , '' says Scott Hoffman , president of the American Postal Workers Union , Boston Metro Area .
`` We 're going to do the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopping a tsunami . ''
To make matters worse , just as post offices need all hands on deck , some 19,000 workers are either out sick with COVID-19 or in quarantine , according to the postal workers ' union .
`` We continue to see high rates of absenteeism in hot spots around the country , '' said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in a video to employees last week .
`` This has impact on local and national service performance , and it adds stress throughout the workforce . ''
The Postal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the most hard-hit and understaffed areas , sometimes confounding customers who are tracking their packages online and watching them going in the wrong direction .
But Hoffman says that 's often a better option than standing still .
`` I mean , I hate to say it , but it 's like a giant sewer system , '' he says .
`` Everything has to keep flowing .
If it 's not flowing , then it 's backing up .
And then how are you going to dig out ? ''
Compounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra burden of having to pick up the slack for private carriers — for example , when UPS stopped taking certain packages .
`` The private carriers got overwhelmed and had a safety valve , which is to tell customers to get lost , '' says Mark Diamondstein , president of the American Postal Workers Union .
`` The Postal Service does not have that safety valve .
The post office will never say no . ''
In fact , by law , the Postal Service is not allowed to do that kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gerry Connolly , D-Va. , calls it .
A member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee , Connolly says the Postal Service 's challenges have also been exacerbated by chronic underfunding and cost-cutting initiatives implemented by DeJoy over the summer .
`` The Postal Service is still paying a price for the disastrous reorganizations imposed on it by a postmaster general who was hired essentially to disrupt the ability of the Postal Service to deliver ballots in November , '' Connolly says .
`` I do n't think you can blame any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer , '' says Michael Plunkett , president and CEO of the Association for Postal Commerce , a trade group for commercial mailers .
He blames the holiday rush for `` crashing '' the Postal Service and `` causing cascading impacts throughout various networks .
I 'm observing a level of frustration that I 've never seen before . ''
Steve Hutkins , a retired English professor from New York University 's Gallatin School , who runs a Postal Service advocacy website called SavethePostOffice.com , is hardly a fan of Postmaster General DeJoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer cost-cutting measures is `` murky , '' Hutkins says , `` DeJoy knew this [ holiday rush ] was coming , and it 's ultimately his responsibility to make sure the Postal Service runs right , and now it 's a big mess .
The buck stops with him . ''
Back around the Christmas tree at her home in Massachusetts , Elizabeth Pruitt is still holding out hope for a surprise delivery to come in under the wire .
But as those chances dwindle , she and the kids are making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gifts are n't going to make it by Christmas .
`` I 'm just trying to keep it all in perspective and be grateful that we can spend the day together and we 're healthy , '' she says .
`` It is what it is .
And [ the children ] have to learn that sometimes things do n't always play out as planned . ''
Indeed , that seems to be the recurring lesson of 2020 .

Millions Of Christmas Gifts May Arrive Late Due To Overload At The Postal Service
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tovia Smith/NPR Tovia Smith/NPR
If you're the type to be disappointed by what's under the Christmas tree, this year you may find yourself even more dismayed by what's not under the tree. Millions of gifts may arrive late, as the U.S. Postal Service grapples with an unprecedented volume of packages from people shopping online, instead of at stores, and shipping holiday gifts instead of bringing them in person.
"We're really busy. It's been unbearable," sighed Manny Huenchunir, a Postal Service truck driver who was unloading and reloading crates of mail at a post office outside Boston on Tuesday night. The main Boston processing center, he says, is overwhelmed.
"The warehouse is packed," Huenchunir said. "Boxes from wall to wall and trucks waiting to get into dock for like three hours, waiting in line just to unload."
"We've been bombed. It's been crazy," says postal clerk Debbie Aspell, who's feeling it from both sides of the counter. She has been working 11-hour days, six days a week, for most of the month. And she's trying to get Christmas gifts to her own family, including the pajamas she sent to her son in Texas.
"I sent it by express mail, and I keep tracking it, and it says it's still in Boston," she says. Her son is 36, but Aspell says, "No matter how old your kids are, you still don't want to see them wake up Christmas morning with nothing."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Dell Orto/Courtesy of Elizabeth Pruitt Andrew Dell Orto/Courtesy of Elizabeth Pruitt
In her living room in Natick, Mass., Elizabeth Pruitt, 39, is also feeling the pressure as she shows off her glimmering Christmas tree, bedecked with ornaments and lights but still bereft of any gifts underneath. Some are hidden away from her kids, but the big haul she ordered online in November is three weeks late. When she tracks it online, all she gets is a message saying there is a high volume of packages and no further information is available.
"Where it is, I have no idea," she sighs.
Her 8-year-old daughter, Brooke Dell Orto, is bracing for yet another week of waiting.
"If it doesn't come on time, that would be terrible," she says. "Then we'll be celebrating Christmas on New Year's Eve."
The Postal Service's on-time delivery rate for first-class mail sank to about 75%, from 95% last season, according to agency data from early December. And it's not just Christmas gifts that are imperiled, of course. The Postal Service handles more than 1 billion prescriptions every year, and many of those are also running dangerously late.
Terri Vacca, a 61-year-old bookkeeper in Cleveland, is waiting on two prescriptions that she ordered nearly three weeks ago for her 81-year-old mother. She's tracking the delivery online multiple times a day, but its status hasn't been updated since Dec. 9, so there's no telling when it will arrive.
"That's where the anxiety comes in, because she's talked about rationing this medication by taking it every other day instead of every day, but it is essential," Vacca says. Her Christmas gifts are late too, but she says, "Those are not a matter of life and death."
It's nerve-wracking, says her mother, Carole Vacca. "Not only do you have to worry about this virus going around, but then you've got to worry about your medications being in limbo."
The Postal Service declined to speak to NPR for this report but in an email said the agency's "entire Operations team, from collections, to processing to delivery, is working around the clock to address the historic volume."
This year's load is estimated to be 40% over normal, with some days spiking much higher.
Even the 50,000 extra temporary workers hired this season and vast amounts of overtime aren't enough to keep up.
"It's a tsunami," says Scott Hoffman, president of the American Postal Workers Union, Boston Metro Area. "We're going to do the best we can, but there's no stopping a tsunami."
To make matters worse, just as post offices need all hands on deck, some 19,000 workers are either out sick with COVID-19 or in quarantine, according to the postal workers' union.
"We continue to see high rates of absenteeism in hot spots around the country," said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in a video to employees last week. "This has impact on local and national service performance, and it adds stress throughout the workforce."
The Postal Service has been scrambling to divert packages around the most hard-hit and understaffed areas, sometimes confounding customers who are tracking their packages online and watching them going in the wrong direction. But Hoffman says that's often a better option than standing still.
"I mean, I hate to say it, but it's like a giant sewer system," he says. "Everything has to keep flowing. If it's not flowing, then it's backing up. And then how are you going to dig out?"
Compounding the Postal Service's problems is the extra burden of having to pick up the slack for private carriers — for example, when UPS stopped taking certain packages.
"The private carriers got overwhelmed and had a safety valve, which is to tell customers to get lost," says Mark Diamondstein, president of the American Postal Workers Union. "The Postal Service does not have that safety valve. The post office will never say no."
In fact, by law, the Postal Service is not allowed to do that kind of "cherry-picking," as Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., calls it. A member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Connolly says the Postal Service's challenges have also been exacerbated by chronic underfunding and cost-cutting initiatives implemented by DeJoy over the summer.
"The Postal Service is still paying a price for the disastrous reorganizations imposed on it by a postmaster general who was hired essentially to disrupt the ability of the Postal Service to deliver ballots in November," Connolly says.
Others dispute the notion.
"I don't think you can blame any service outages now on those decisions last summer," says Michael Plunkett, president and CEO of the Association for Postal Commerce, a trade group for commercial mailers. He blames the holiday rush for "crashing" the Postal Service and "causing cascading impacts throughout various networks. I'm observing a level of frustration that I've never seen before."
Steve Hutkins, a retired English professor from New York University's Gallatin School, who runs a Postal Service advocacy website called SavethePostOffice.com, is hardly a fan of Postmaster General DeJoy. But if the impact of his summer cost-cutting measures is "murky," Hutkins says, "DeJoy knew this [holiday rush] was coming, and it's ultimately his responsibility to make sure the Postal Service runs right, and now it's a big mess. The buck stops with him."
Back around the Christmas tree at her home in Massachusetts, Elizabeth Pruitt is still holding out hope for a surprise delivery to come in under the wire. But as those chances dwindle, she and the kids are making peace with the growing likelihood that their gifts aren't going to make it by Christmas.
"I'm just trying to keep it all in perspective and be grateful that we can spend the day together and we're healthy," she says. "It is what it is. And [the children] have to learn that sometimes things don't always play out as planned."
Indeed, that seems to be the recurring lesson of 2020.


npr--2020-12-23--Shock And Dismay After Trump Pardons Blackwater Guards Who Killed 14 Iraqi Civilians

Shock And Dismay After Trump Pardons Blackwater Guards Who Killed 14 Iraqi Civilians Among the pardons made by President Trump this week , the pardon of four former guards for Blackwater has been regarded by some as particularly galling .
Nicholas Slatten , Paul Slough , Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard were convicted six years ago in the killing of 14 Iraqi civilians and the wounding of 17 others .
Witnesses described how the American men ambushed the civilians unprovoked , firing on Baghdad 's Nisour Square with heavy gunfire and grenade launchers .
The massacre took place in 2007 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guards for Blackwater , a private military contractor , on an assignment in Baghdad .
They claimed they were fired on , but prosecutors said the Blackwater guards opened fire first .
Slatten , whom prosecutors said started the shooting , was sentenced to life in prison .
Hassan Salman is among the Iraqis who were shot during the ambush .
He told NPR on Wednesday that he was shocked by Trump 's pardons — he himself had made trips to the U.S. to give testimony in the proceedings against the four .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ American president issued a decision to pardon these criminals , murderers and thugs , '' Salman said , speaking from Baghdad .
`` I 'm really shocked .
...
The American judiciary is fair and equitable .
I had never imagined that Trump or any other politician would affect American justice . ''
The U.N. Human Rights Office says it 's `` deeply concerned '' by the pardons .
`` These four individuals were given sentences ranging from 12 years to life imprisonment , including on charges of first-degree murder , '' spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Pardoning them contributes to impunity and has the effect of emboldening others to commit such crimes in the future . ''
`` By investigating these crimes and completing legal proceedings , the US complied with its obligations under international law , '' she added .
`` Victims of gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law also have the right to a remedy .
This includes the right to see perpetrators serve punishments proportionate to the seriousness of their conduct . ''
Human Rights Watch says the pardons `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` The victims ' families finally saw some measure of justice when these men were convicted in 2014 and sentenced to prison .
Now justice has been undone by the stroke of a pen , '' Sarah Holewinski , the organization 's Washington director , said in a statement .
But supporters of the military contractors , who argued the investigation was tainted and the punishments too severe , cheered the news .
`` Paul Slough and his colleagues did n't deserve to spend one minute in prison , '' Brian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Associated Press .
`` I am overwhelmed with emotion at this fantastic news . ''
`` These are four innocent guys , and it is completely justified , '' Bill Coffield , a lawyer for Evan Liberty , told the AP .
Paul Dickinson is a lawyer who represented six Iraqi families in a civil lawsuit against Blackwater and its founder , Erik Prince ( who is the brother of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos ) .
Among his clients were the parents of a 9-year-old boy who was killed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father 's car .
Dickinson says that the victims ' families are likely to feel let down and abandoned by the U.S. government .
`` This was Baghdad 's Bloody Sunday , '' Dickinson told NPR 's Mary Louise Kelly on Wednesday .
`` This was the slaughter of innocent civilians who were merely going about their day when a Blackwater convoy rolled through a traffic circle after having violated orders to stand down and not exit the Green Zone — and began firing indiscriminately into cars that were carrying people going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the roofs of cars , taxis and buses , he says .
And afterward , Iraqi citizens wanted to ensure that those who had done this were held responsible .
Dickinson says the great expense that the FBI put into the prosecution of the case has now come to nothing .
`` I think what that does is it sends the wrong message to the people of Iraq , who we told we were going to come in and protect , and to the rest of the world , that the pillars of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on has a crack in it , '' he says .
The pardons could damage the United States ' reputation abroad , as they undo the significance of the convictions , which had demonstrated that U.S. military contractors could be held accountable if they conducted criminal actions .
That notion has now been shown to be false , Dickinson says .
`` We showed the world that we were going to hold people accountable , '' he says .
`` We 've backed off that .
The risk is now that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has exposure for how they might be treated — or what people of other countries might think could happen or would happen if war crimes are committed by U.S. citizens abroad . ''

Shock And Dismay After Trump Pardons Blackwater Guards Who Killed 14 Iraqi Civilians
Enlarge this image toggle caption AP AP
Among the pardons made by President Trump this week, the pardon of four former guards for Blackwater has been regarded by some as particularly galling.
Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard were convicted six years ago in the killing of 14 Iraqi civilians and the wounding of 17 others. Witnesses described how the American men ambushed the civilians unprovoked, firing on Baghdad's Nisour Square with heavy gunfire and grenade launchers.
The massacre took place in 2007, when the four were working as guards for Blackwater, a private military contractor, on an assignment in Baghdad. They claimed they were fired on, but prosecutors said the Blackwater guards opened fire first. Slatten, whom prosecutors said started the shooting, was sentenced to life in prison.
Hassan Salman is among the Iraqis who were shot during the ambush. He told NPR on Wednesday that he was shocked by Trump's pardons — he himself had made trips to the U.S. to give testimony in the proceedings against the four.
"Today we were surprised that the American president issued a decision to pardon these criminals, murderers and thugs," Salman said, speaking from Baghdad. "I'm really shocked. ... The American judiciary is fair and equitable. I had never imagined that Trump or any other politician would affect American justice."
The U.N. Human Rights Office says it's "deeply concerned" by the pardons.
"These four individuals were given sentences ranging from 12 years to life imprisonment, including on charges of first-degree murder," spokesperson Marta Hurtado said in a statement. "Pardoning them contributes to impunity and has the effect of emboldening others to commit such crimes in the future."
"By investigating these crimes and completing legal proceedings, the US complied with its obligations under international law," she added. "Victims of gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law also have the right to a remedy. This includes the right to see perpetrators serve punishments proportionate to the seriousness of their conduct."
Human Rights Watch says the pardons "show contempt for the rule of law."
"The victims' families finally saw some measure of justice when these men were convicted in 2014 and sentenced to prison. Now justice has been undone by the stroke of a pen," Sarah Holewinski, the organization's Washington director, said in a statement.
But supporters of the military contractors, who argued the investigation was tainted and the punishments too severe, cheered the news.
"Paul Slough and his colleagues didn't deserve to spend one minute in prison," Brian Heberlig, a lawyer for Slough, told The Associated Press. "I am overwhelmed with emotion at this fantastic news."
"These are four innocent guys, and it is completely justified," Bill Coffield, a lawyer for Evan Liberty, told the AP.
Paul Dickinson is a lawyer who represented six Iraqi families in a civil lawsuit against Blackwater and its founder, Erik Prince (who is the brother of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos). Among his clients were the parents of a 9-year-old boy who was killed as he sat in the back of his father's car.
Dickinson says that the victims' families are likely to feel let down and abandoned by the U.S. government.
"This was Baghdad's Bloody Sunday," Dickinson told NPR's Mary Louise Kelly on Wednesday. "This was the slaughter of innocent civilians who were merely going about their day when a Blackwater convoy rolled through a traffic circle after having violated orders to stand down and not exit the Green Zone — and began firing indiscriminately into cars that were carrying people going to work."
The bullets rained through the roofs of cars, taxis and buses, he says. And afterward, Iraqi citizens wanted to ensure that those who had done this were held responsible.
Dickinson says the great expense that the FBI put into the prosecution of the case has now come to nothing. "I think what that does is it sends the wrong message to the people of Iraq, who we told we were going to come in and protect, and to the rest of the world, that the pillars of justice upon which the United States is based on has a crack in it," he says.
The pardons could damage the United States' reputation abroad, as they undo the significance of the convictions, which had demonstrated that U.S. military contractors could be held accountable if they conducted criminal actions.
That notion has now been shown to be false, Dickinson says.
"We showed the world that we were going to hold people accountable," he says. "We've backed off that. The risk is now that the U.S., who has a presence worldwide, has exposure for how they might be treated — or what people of other countries might think could happen or would happen if war crimes are committed by U.S. citizens abroad."
Awadh Al-Taie contributed from Baghdad.


npr--2020-12-23--Brexit: French Fishermen Worry What A Trade Deal May Mean For Them

Brexit : French Fishermen Worry What A Trade Deal May Mean For Them With just days to go until Great Britain officially leaves the European Union 's single common market and customs union , the two sides appear close to a trade deal .
But there has been particular apprehension along a stretch of French coastline that is home to the massive cross-channel rail and ferry port of Calais , and Europe 's largest seafood processing platform .
A dispute over fishing rights — a small but highly symbolic sector — has been one of the main sticking points to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Kingdom .
Every morning at the English Channel port of Boulogne-sur-Mer , French trawlers pull up to the docks to unload their catch after fishing all night .
Laurent Merlin , a French fisherman , says he gets well over half his catch in British waters , where he says there are more fish .
If there 's no deal and the French are banned from fishing in British waters , Merlin says he wo n't survive .
`` It 's not like we have the Atlantic Ocean to fish in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we 're in the Channel .
In an hour and a half , I 'm in English waters .
If that 's off limits , I 'm dead . ''
The current system is a complex latticework of quotas for each type of fish that can be caught by each country .
If there 's no deal on December 31 , when Britain leaves the Common Fisheries Policy , EU fleets — which , in this area , include those from the Netherlands , Belgium and Germany — will no longer have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Trade Organization rules will take over , with new customs duties , barriers and quotas .
Ben Firmin , who works with the regional fisheries committee in Boulogne-sur-Mer , says there 's always been a partnership : the French and other Europeans fish in British waters .
The British sell more than 70 % of their haul to Europe .
`` If there 's no deal , it 's going to be a lose-lose outcome for both the French fishermen and British fishermen , '' Firmin says .
Jean Paul Mulot , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.K. , says Britain needs the European market .
`` The British themselves are not eating that much fish , '' he says .
`` Yes , fish and chips , as we know , but for the rest , they 're not big consumers . ''
Just 20 miles down the French coast from Boulogne-sur-Mer lies the port of Calais .
For the last few months , the port and the highway leading to it have been clogged with trucks .
British importers are anxious to get goods through before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if there 's no trade deal .
British trucker Leo Warren says he 's never seen anything like it .
`` I 've been driving a truck for 30 years and it 's more crazy now than it has ever been , '' he says .
`` When I go into the dock now , I wo n't be on a boat for another five hours , I expect .
In the past , sometimes I 've gone in and half an hour from here — straight on a boat . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ guaranteed by Britain 's membership in the EU 's single market and customs union .
Thousands of trucks a day rolled on and off ferries and trains on both sides of the English Channel .
Jean-Marc Puissesseau , director of the ports in Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer , says British and French customs officials put in place a border with E-declarations to be filled out before crossing .
He says drivers will simply enter a customs code and there will be no more checks than before .
`` I can tell you that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than they do today , '' says Puissesseau .
`` It 's not possible .
You think that the customs have time to stop the trucks when you have about 4,000 trucks a day ?
They do n't have time ! ''
As for the fishers , Puissesseau says he knows they are nervous .
He says the French government is working hard to find a solution .
`` Britain is our neighbor , '' he says .
`` They are only 20 miles away .
I can not imagine that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 years ago , when it was so difficult to get to England with passports and authorizations . ''
For both Britain and France , Mulot says the fishing industry is emotionally and historically charged .
`` These two countries have got a maritime history and fish is part of it , '' Mulot says .
`` The idea that there are small ports , small fishermen , and they are part of the scenery — they are part of the culture . ''
Brexit supporters have equated fishing rights with British sovereignty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their fish .
Mulot says the truth is British fishing communities depend on exports to Europe .
Back in Boulogne-sur-Mer , fishermen unload crates of flounder , stingray , crabs and whelks , a kind of sea snail .
Mathieu Pinto , a 28-year-old captain , says he bought a boat two years ago and has a huge credit to pay off .
He says he has to fish — and he 'll put up a fight if he 's barred from British waters .
`` They 'll soon realize their mistake , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block their fish coming into Europe .
We 're not stupid .
If we have to wage war , we will . ''

Brexit: French Fishermen Worry What A Trade Deal May Mean For Them
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pete Kiehart for NPR Pete Kiehart for NPR
With just days to go until Great Britain officially leaves the European Union's single common market and customs union, the two sides appear close to a trade deal.
But there has been particular apprehension along a stretch of French coastline that is home to the massive cross-channel rail and ferry port of Calais, and Europe's largest seafood processing platform. A dispute over fishing rights — a small but highly symbolic sector — has been one of the main sticking points to a trade deal between the EU and the United Kingdom.
Every morning at the English Channel port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, French trawlers pull up to the docks to unload their catch after fishing all night.
Laurent Merlin, a French fisherman, says he gets well over half his catch in British waters, where he says there are more fish. If there's no deal and the French are banned from fishing in British waters, Merlin says he won't survive.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pete Kiehart for NPR Pete Kiehart for NPR
"It's not like we have the Atlantic Ocean to fish in," he says. "Here, we're in the Channel. In an hour and a half, I'm in English waters. If that's off limits, I'm dead."
The current system is a complex latticework of quotas for each type of fish that can be caught by each country. If there's no deal on December 31, when Britain leaves the Common Fisheries Policy, EU fleets — which, in this area, include those from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany — will no longer have equal access to U.K. fishing waters. World Trade Organization rules will take over, with new customs duties, barriers and quotas.
Ben Firmin, who works with the regional fisheries committee in Boulogne-sur-Mer, says there's always been a partnership: the French and other Europeans fish in British waters. The British sell more than 70% of their haul to Europe.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pete Kiehart for NPR Pete Kiehart for NPR
"If there's no deal, it's going to be a lose-lose outcome for both the French fishermen and British fishermen," Firmin says.
Jean Paul Mulot, a government representative for northern France to the U.K., says Britain needs the European market.
"The British themselves are not eating that much fish," he says. "Yes, fish and chips, as we know, but for the rest, they're not big consumers."
Just 20 miles down the French coast from Boulogne-sur-Mer lies the port of Calais. For the last few months, the port and the highway leading to it have been clogged with trucks.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pete Kiehart for NPR Pete Kiehart for NPR
British importers are anxious to get goods through before the possible imposition of new taxes and checks, if there's no trade deal.
British trucker Leo Warren says he's never seen anything like it.
"I've been driving a truck for 30 years and it's more crazy now than it has ever been," he says. "When I go into the dock now, I won't be on a boat for another five hours, I expect. In the past, sometimes I've gone in and half an hour from here — straight on a boat."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pete Kiehart for NPR Pete Kiehart for NPR
For decades, that seamless flow was guaranteed by Britain's membership in the EU's single market and customs union. Thousands of trucks a day rolled on and off ferries and trains on both sides of the English Channel.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pete Kiehart for NPR Pete Kiehart for NPR
Jean-Marc Puissesseau, director of the ports in Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer, says British and French customs officials put in place a border with E-declarations to be filled out before crossing. He says drivers will simply enter a customs code and there will be no more checks than before.
"I can tell you that the customs people will not stop the trucks more than they do today," says Puissesseau. "It's not possible. You think that the customs have time to stop the trucks when you have about 4,000 trucks a day? They don't have time!"
As for the fishers, Puissesseau says he knows they are nervous. He says the French government is working hard to find a solution.
"Britain is our neighbor," he says. "They are only 20 miles away. I cannot imagine that we would go back to a situation of 50 years ago, when it was so difficult to get to England with passports and authorizations."
For both Britain and France, Mulot says the fishing industry is emotionally and historically charged.
"These two countries have got a maritime history and fish is part of it," Mulot says. "The idea that there are small ports, small fishermen, and they are part of the scenery — they are part of the culture."
Brexit supporters have equated fishing rights with British sovereignty and claimed Europeans were "stealing" their fish. Mulot says the truth is British fishing communities depend on exports to Europe.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pete Kiehart for NPR Pete Kiehart for NPR
Back in Boulogne-sur-Mer, fishermen unload crates of flounder, stingray, crabs and whelks, a kind of sea snail. Mathieu Pinto, a 28-year-old captain, says he bought a boat two years ago and has a huge credit to pay off. He says he has to fish — and he'll put up a fight if he's barred from British waters.
"They'll soon realize their mistake," he says. "We'll block their fish coming into Europe. We're not stupid. If we have to wage war, we will."


npr--2020-12-23--Trump Vetoes Defense Bill, Setting Up Congressional Vote To Potentially Override Him

Trump Vetoes Defense Bill , Setting Up Congressional Vote To Potentially Override Him President Trump has followed through on his threats to veto the annual defense bill , triggering plans for Congress to return from its holiday break to potentially override him for the first time in his four-year administration .
`` My Administration has taken strong actions to help keep our Nation safe and support our service members , '' Trump wrote in a message to the House of Representatives .
`` I will not approve this bill , which would put the interests of the Washington , D.C. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
This month , the National Defense Authorization Act won annual congressional approval for its 60th straight year .
And the legislation drew overwhelming bipartisan majorities in both chambers , signaling that Congress likely has the support to override Trump 's veto .
Because of Trump 's repeated veto threats , Congress has already scheduled voting sessions to override the move during rare floor votes next week .
The House is now slated to meet on Monday to override the defense bill veto , while the Senate is scheduled to follow suit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we would be able to override the veto , '' Oklahoma Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe , the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee , told a Capitol Hill reporter on Saturday .
He later added , `` I think I have reason to be confident '' that a veto override would be successful .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Trump 's move `` an act of staggering recklessness that harms our troops , endangers our security and undermines the will of the bipartisan Congress . ''
This month , the Senate approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed the bill by a vote of 335-78 .
This signals that both chambers have more than the two-thirds majority of their members needed to overcome Trump 's rejection of the bill .
Supporters had also hoped that backing the plan by a supermajority would send a message to Trump to not veto .
However , starting in June , Trump began to signal he would reject the legislation .
That month , he took aim at Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, who spearheaded a provision in the bill to rename military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Then , this month , Trump doubled down on his threats to veto the bill if it did n't include a last-minute provision to end legal protections for social media companies .
But a bipartisan group of lawmakers , including key Republican leaders , proceeded with the legislation even though it did n't have the repeal Trump demanded .
`` I hope House Republicans will vote against the very weak National Defense Authorization Act ( NDAA ) , which I will VETO , '' Trump tweeted ahead of the Dec. 8 House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undo Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act over his feud with Twitter and other social media companies .
Section 230 provides legal protection for technology companies over content from third parties and users .
Then , after Trump continued to reiterate those demands , he upped the ante on Dec. 13 , saying he 'd also veto the bill because it did n't sufficiently address China .
`` THE BIGGEST WINNER OF OUR NEW DEFENSE BILL IS CHINA !
.
I WILL VETO ! ''
Trump tweeted .

Trump Vetoes Defense Bill, Setting Up Congressional Vote To Potentially Override Him
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Moore/Getty Images John Moore/Getty Images
Updated at 5:03 p.m. ET
President Trump has followed through on his threats to veto the annual defense bill, triggering plans for Congress to return from its holiday break to potentially override him for the first time in his four-year administration.
"My Administration has taken strong actions to help keep our Nation safe and support our service members," Trump wrote in a message to the House of Representatives. "I will not approve this bill, which would put the interests of the Washington, D.C. establishment over those of the American people."
This month, the National Defense Authorization Act won annual congressional approval for its 60th straight year. And the legislation drew overwhelming bipartisan majorities in both chambers, signaling that Congress likely has the support to override Trump's veto.
Because of Trump's repeated veto threats, Congress has already scheduled voting sessions to override the move during rare floor votes next week. The House is now slated to meet on Monday to override the defense bill veto, while the Senate is scheduled to follow suit on Tuesday.
"I would hope we would be able to override the veto," Oklahoma Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told a Capitol Hill reporter on Saturday. He later added, "I think I have reason to be confident" that a veto override would be successful.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Trump's move "an act of staggering recklessness that harms our troops, endangers our security and undermines the will of the bipartisan Congress."
This month, the Senate approved the measure 84-13, while the House passed the bill by a vote of 335-78. This signals that both chambers have more than the two-thirds majority of their members needed to overcome Trump's rejection of the bill.
Supporters had also hoped that backing the plan by a supermajority would send a message to Trump to not veto.
However, starting in June, Trump began to signal he would reject the legislation. That month, he took aim at Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who spearheaded a provision in the bill to rename military installations that honor figures from the Confederacy.
Then, this month, Trump doubled down on his threats to veto the bill if it didn't include a last-minute provision to end legal protections for social media companies. But a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including key Republican leaders, proceeded with the legislation even though it didn't have the repeal Trump demanded.
"I hope House Republicans will vote against the very weak National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which I will VETO," Trump tweeted ahead of the Dec. 8 House vote.
Trump had wanted lawmakers to undo Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act over his feud with Twitter and other social media companies. Section 230 provides legal protection for technology companies over content from third parties and users.
Then, after Trump continued to reiterate those demands, he upped the ante on Dec. 13, saying he'd also veto the bill because it didn't sufficiently address China.
"THE BIGGEST WINNER OF OUR NEW DEFENSE BILL IS CHINA!. I WILL VETO!" Trump tweeted.


npr--2020-12-23--11 Original NPR Comics That Brought Joy, Hope And Help During The Pandemic

11 Original NPR Comics That Brought Joy , Hope And Help During The Pandemic It was a big year for comics journalism at NPR .
During the coronavirus crisis , our team has created and published original comics to offer COVID-19 advice and information and to tell stories about people whose lives have been affected by the pandemic .
One of the most popular was a printable zine targeted to children with tips on how to explain it all to them .
It was translated into many languages , from Chinese to Spanish to Arabic .
Other topics ranged from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best way to wear a mask ( demonstrated by cats , because , well , the internet loves cats ) .
Here are some of our favorite NPR comics of the year .
See all the coronavirus comics from NPR 's science desk here .
We break down the different types of masks , their effectiveness — and the right way to wear and handle them .
Read the comic here .
Just For Kids : How To Stay Safe From The Coronavirus A zine and comic guide on how kids can protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Stay 6 feet apart .
And try not to pick your nose .
Read the comic here .
A Kids ' Guide To Coping With The Pandemic Months of staying at home — and worrying if a loved one catches COVID-19 — are tough on everyone .
But sometimes we forget that kids need help coping just as much as adults too .
Read the comic here .
How To Care For Older People In The Pandemic ( And A Printable Guide ! )
Advice on how to help the older people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , neighbors , relatives , friends — feel comfortable and safe in the pandemic .
Read the comic here .
Grocery Workers Are Essential And Feeling The Strain Visual journalist Sarah Mirk checked in with a sampling of grocery workers to hear more about their experiences on the job during the pandemic and what they say needs to change .
Read the comic here .
Hospitals Turn To Alicia Keys , U2 And The Beatles To Sing Patients Home They 're using a variety of songs to celebrate happy COVID-19 discharges .
Read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : 'Behind Every COVID-19 Case , There Is A Story' A doctor shares his experience tending to a patient who is terribly ill — and how he tries to give comfort to such patients and their family members .
Read the comic here .
A Lost Boy Teaches A Lesson For The Pandemic : How To Be Resilient He 'd been separated from his parents .
He was living in a refugee camp in Sudan .
And then a snake bit him .
Read the comic here .
COMIC : Looking For A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mister Rogers said `` look for the helpers '' in times of crisis .
Here 's the story of Shah Dedar .
He 's 32 , he 's a Tom Hanks fan — and he works to protect the most vulnerable in crowded refugee camps .
Read the comic here .
How do you tell a stranger to be better at physical distancing ?
What do you do when a backyard gathering suddenly has one too many unmasked guests ?
This episode walks through the new rules of etiquette during COVID-19 .
Read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day In Coronavirus Awareness Mode .
Epidemiologists , How Did I Do ?
Can I protect myself from catching the coronavirus ?
That 's a question on everyone 's mind .
Malaka Gharib spend one day trying to do all the right things — then asked epidemiologists to grade her .
Read the comic here .

11 Original NPR Comics That Brought Joy, Hope And Help During The Pandemic
It was a big year for comics journalism at NPR.
During the coronavirus crisis, our team has created and published original comics to offer COVID-19 advice and information and to tell stories about people whose lives have been affected by the pandemic.
One of the most popular was a printable zine targeted to children with tips on how to explain it all to them. It was translated into many languages, from Chinese to Spanish to Arabic.
Other topics ranged from how older people are coping to the best way to wear a mask (demonstrated by cats, because, well, the internet loves cats).
Here are some of our favorite NPR comics of the year. See all the coronavirus comics from NPR's science desk here.
We break down the different types of masks, their effectiveness — and the right way to wear and handle them. Read the comic here.
A zine and comic guide on how kids can protect themselves from COVID-19. Wear a mask. Stay 6 feet apart. And try not to pick your nose. Read the comic here.
Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Months of staying at home — and worrying if a loved one catches COVID-19 — are tough on everyone. But sometimes we forget that kids need help coping just as much as adults too. Read the comic here.
Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Advice on how to help the older people in our lives — parents, grandparents, neighbors, relatives, friends — feel comfortable and safe in the pandemic. Read the comic here.
Enlarge this image Malaka Gharib/ NPR Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Visual journalist Sarah Mirk checked in with a sampling of grocery workers to hear more about their experiences on the job during the pandemic and what they say needs to change. Read the comic here.
Enlarge this image Sarah Mirk for NPR Sarah Mirk for NPR
They're using a variety of songs to celebrate happy COVID-19 discharges. Read the comic here.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Grace Farris for NPR Grace Farris for NPR
A doctor shares his experience tending to a patient who is terribly ill — and how he tries to give comfort to such patients and their family members. Read the comic here.
Enlarge this image Kristen Radtke for NPR Kristen Radtke for NPR
He'd been separated from his parents. He was living in a refugee camp in Sudan. And then a snake bit him. Read the comic here.
Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Mister Rogers said "look for the helpers" in times of crisis. Here's the story of Shah Dedar. He's 32, he's a Tom Hanks fan — and he works to protect the most vulnerable in crowded refugee camps. Read the comic here.
Malaka Gharib/ NPR
How do you tell a stranger to be better at physical distancing? What do you do when a backyard gathering suddenly has one too many unmasked guests? This episode walks through the new rules of etiquette during COVID-19. Read the comic here.
Enlarge this image Malaka Gharib/NPR Malaka Gharib/NPR
Can I protect myself from catching the coronavirus? That's a question on everyone's mind. Malaka Gharib spend one day trying to do all the right things — then asked epidemiologists to grade her. Read the comic here.


npr--2020-12-23--Twitter Will Reset @POTUS Account To 0 Followers After Biden Transition

Twitter Will Reset @ POTUS Account To 0 Followers After Biden Transition How many followers does the U.S. president 's official Twitter account have ?
Right now it 's over 33.2 million , but that number will drop to zero after President-elect Joe Biden takes over the official @ POTUS account on Inauguration Day .
Twitter has confirmed that the institutional White House Twitter accounts will not `` automatically retain their existing followers . ''
Biden 's team is pushing back against Twitter 's decision , which is a reversal from the last presidential transition .
Former President Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new @ POTUS account after President Trump took over .
The White House accounts include @ WhiteHouse , @ POTUS , @ VP , @ FLOTUS , @ PressSec , @ Cabinet and @ LaCasaBlanca , each of which has large a following .
The social network will instead notify followers that they can follow the new account if they choose .
Accounts will be archived — for example , the Trump-era @ WhiteHouse account will be archived as @ WhiteHouse45 .
Biden 's team pushed back against Twitter 's decision in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's digital director , Rob Flaherty , said in a tweet .
He also clarified that the decision was from Twitter , not from the Trump administration .
`` Especially in times of crisis , the American people deserve access to information in a variety of forms including social media , '' Biden-Harris Transition spokesperson Cameron French said in a statement .
`` Twitter 's reluctance to transfer millions of followers from the Trump Administration to the Biden Administration unnecessarily politicizes what otherwise should be a routine transfer of communication from one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Twitter has failed to articulate a reason for why the followers will be wiped .
`` As we did in 2017 , Twitter is actively working with the US government to support the transition of Twitter accounts across administrations , '' Twitter spokesperson Nick Pacilio said in a statement .
Jason Goldman , who was previously Twitter 's head of product and later the White House chief digital officer for Obama , said the @ POTUS account was intended to be used by whoever is in office .
`` Obviously the followers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the value of building up that institutional asset , '' Goldman told The Wall Street Journal .
`` Just like whitehouse.gov — the website — is another asset that remains from administration to administration . ''
Obama was the first U.S. president to use Twitter , but Trump has wielded the platform in a different way , which he once described as `` MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL . ''
The president has used it to candidly express his opinions , to announce hirings and firings , to attack his opponents and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter took unprecedented steps to combat disinformation by adding labels to potentially harmful and misleading tweets .
Trump 's tweets were often the target of these labels as he baselessly promoted the idea that widespread election fraud occurred during the 2020 presidential race .
The social network said that after Inauguration Day , which is on Jan. 20 , Trump will lose the protections afforded to his account for being the leader of the U.S. , the Journal reported .
Once he leaves the White House , future Trump tweets that violate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be removed .
His account could also face suspensions — just like any other private citizen 's account .

Twitter Will Reset @POTUS Account To Zero Followers After Biden Transition
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tom Brenner/Getty Images Tom Brenner/Getty Images
How many followers does the U.S. president's official Twitter account have?
Right now it's over 33.2 million, but that number will drop to zero after President-elect Joe Biden takes over the official @POTUS account on Inauguration Day.
Twitter has confirmed that the institutional White House Twitter accounts will not "automatically retain their existing followers."
Biden's team is pushing back against Twitter's decision, which is a reversal from the last presidential transition. Former President Barack Obama's 13 million followers were moved to the new @POTUS account after President Trump took over.
The White House accounts include @WhiteHouse, @POTUS, @VP, @FLOTUS, @PressSec, @Cabinet and @LaCasaBlanca, each of which has large a following.
The social network will instead notify followers that they can follow the new account if they choose. Accounts will be archived — for example, the Trump-era @WhiteHouse account will be archived as @WhiteHouse45.
Biden's team pushed back against Twitter's decision in an email exchange with the company, Biden's digital director, Rob Flaherty, said in a tweet. He also clarified that the decision was from Twitter, not from the Trump administration.
"Especially in times of crisis, the American people deserve access to information in a variety of forms including social media," Biden-Harris Transition spokesperson Cameron French said in a statement. "Twitter's reluctance to transfer millions of followers from the Trump Administration to the Biden Administration unnecessarily politicizes what otherwise should be a routine transfer of communication from one administration to the next."
French said Twitter has failed to articulate a reason for why the followers will be wiped.
"As we did in 2017, Twitter is actively working with the US government to support the transition of Twitter accounts across administrations," Twitter spokesperson Nick Pacilio said in a statement.
Jason Goldman, who was previously Twitter's head of product and later the White House chief digital officer for Obama, said the @POTUS account was intended to be used by whoever is in office.
"Obviously the followers who are part of that account are part of the value of building up that institutional asset," Goldman told The Wall Street Journal. "Just like whitehouse.gov — the website — is another asset that remains from administration to administration."
Obama was the first U.S. president to use Twitter, but Trump has wielded the platform in a different way, which he once described as "MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL."
The president has used it to candidly express his opinions, to announce hirings and firings, to attack his opponents and to make official statements.
This year, Twitter took unprecedented steps to combat disinformation by adding labels to potentially harmful and misleading tweets. Trump's tweets were often the target of these labels as he baselessly promoted the idea that widespread election fraud occurred during the 2020 presidential race.
The social network said that after Inauguration Day, which is on Jan. 20, Trump will lose the protections afforded to his account for being the leader of the U.S., the Journal reported.
Once he leaves the White House, future Trump tweets that violate the platform's policy will be more likely to be removed.
His account could also face suspensions — just like any other private citizen's account.


npr--2020-12-23--What's At Stake With Trump's Threat: COVID-19 Relief And A Government Shutdown

What 's At Stake With Trump 's Threat : COVID-19 Relief And A Government Shutdown President Trump 's done it again .
The man who threatened to cause a ruckus in Washington — and has done so over his four years in office — introduced a new round of disarray Tuesday night .
• Calling on Congress to send him a new coronavirus relief bill with higher direct payments to people ; • Wanting to strip a larger spending package of foreign aid and items such as funding for new museums ; and • Vetoing the defense authorization act Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for social media outlets he believes to be hostile to conservatives and because the bill gets rid of the names of Confederate generals on several military bases .
In addition to endangering relief to millions of Americans due to the coronavirus pandemic , Trump 's bombshell also brings the country to the brink of yet another government shutdown .
Trump signed a one-week temporary spending measure Monday to keep the lights on as the bill made its way to his desk , but the government will shut down at midnight Tuesday if more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of Trump 's criticism of the bill is n't clear , with the clock running out on this Congress and most members now home for the holidays .
Trump 's move also throws a wrinkle into the crucial Georgia Senate races that will determine control of the Senate during President-elect Joe Biden 's first term .
Both incumbent Republicans , Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler , touted the bill , saying more help was finally on the way — and blamed Democrats for the delay .
On Tuesday , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payments drastically , throwing a big wrench into whether and when people will get needed money because of the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
`` I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $ 600 to $ 2,000 , or $ 4,000 for a couple , '' Trump said in a video .
`` I 'm also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' That came despite months of bitter , bipartisan negotiations to get a bill that finally could pass both chambers , which it did Monday .
The package passed with veto-proof majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate .
Trump did n't say he 'd veto the package , but he did n't say he 'd sign it either .
Trump 's call for direct payments that are more than triple what 's in the final version of the bill is ironic , considering it was Republicans who stood in the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because Trump 's Treasury secretary , Steven Mnuchin , was heavily involved in the negotiations .
Democrats leaped at the president 's suggestion of more money for direct payments .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said they would bring legislation to the floor Thursday to pass it .
The problem , however , is two-fold — ( 1 ) With most members out of town , the legislation would have be approved by voice vote or unanimous consent , and ( 2 ) House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member objects , it would be shut down , and there would not be the ability to have the entire House vote on it with a roll call .
In a letter to her colleagues , Pelosi also revealed that in negotiations , Republicans had floated direct payments as low as $ 500 .
`` In the bipartisan negotiations , [ Senate ] Leader [ Chuck ] Schumer and I repeatedly asked Republicans what would be the highest number the President would accept for direct payments , and they responded with Sphinx-like silence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the negotiations , they would never go above $ 600 and in some cases , proposed $ 500 . ''
Trump 's criticism now puts Republicans on Capitol Hill in a tight spot — they agreed to the current bill .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not responded to Trump 's latest comments .
Given that this Congress 's clock expires at noon Jan. 3 when a new Congress will be sworn in , this was seen as the last likely chance to pass anything through this Congress .
So the $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a larger $ 1.4 trillion spending package that is more than 5,500 pages .
It was the result of months of negotiations between various committees for bipartisan issues important to them , including funding for military pay raises , veterans , border security , water projects , addressing surprise medical billing , creating museums for women 's and Latino history , and providing foreign aid .
In his video statement , Trump objected to the foreign aid and cherry-picked other items , claiming the package `` has almost nothing to do with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of the items , including foreign aid , were in his own administration 's budget sent to Capitol Hill earlier in the year .
Trump on Wednesday also vetoed the $ 740 billion National Defense Authorization Act .
The bill provides pay raises to military service members , approves construction of child care development centers on military bases , expands cyber command authority , provides more training on use of artificial intelligence , adds hundreds of millions for science and technology research , allows victims of sexual harassment and assault to file @ @ @ @ @ @ @ task force and has measures lightening some of the burden of the coronavirus pandemic for federal employees .
But Trump objects because of the social media company protections and the stripping of some facilities with names of Confederate officers .
Even Republicans who negotiated the bill pushed back against Trump on the social media protections , saying they 're not related to defense .
The bill passed both the House and Senate with veto-proof majorities — two-thirds would be needed to overturn a presidential veto .
So both chambers could act when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The House is expected to try and do so Monday and the Senate on Tuesday .
But there 's some question if the override can be upheld , particularly in the House .
It would mean Republican allies of the president would have to oppose him in what would be Trump 's first of nine vetoes that would not be upheld and in what would be one of the final acts of this Congress during this presidency .
Sending Trump out with a loss might not be something Republicans want to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who voted in favor of the defense bill , said he would not support a veto override .

What's At Stake With Trump's Threat: COVID-19 Relief And A Government Shutdown
Enlarge this image toggle caption Julie Bennett/AP Julie Bennett/AP
Updated at 3:26 p.m. ET
President Trump's done it again.
The man who threatened to cause a ruckus in Washington — and has done so over his four years in office — introduced a new round of disarray Tuesday night.
Trump's pre-Christmas chaos includes:
Calling on Congress to send him a new coronavirus relief bill with higher direct payments to people;
Wanting to strip a larger spending package of foreign aid and items such as funding for new museums; and
Vetoing the defense authorization act Wednesday, because it doesn't repeal protections for social media outlets he believes to be hostile to conservatives and because the bill gets rid of the names of Confederate generals on several military bases.
In addition to endangering relief to millions of Americans due to the coronavirus pandemic, Trump's bombshell also brings the country to the brink of yet another government shutdown.
Trump signed a one-week temporary spending measure Monday to keep the lights on as the bill made its way to his desk, but the government will shut down at midnight Tuesday if more funding isn't provided.
The way out of Trump's criticism of the bill isn't clear, with the clock running out on this Congress and most members now home for the holidays.
Trump's move also throws a wrinkle into the crucial Georgia Senate races that will determine control of the Senate during President-elect Joe Biden's first term. Both incumbent Republicans, Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, touted the bill, saying more help was finally on the way — and blamed Democrats for the delay.
COVID-19 relief in jeopardy
On Tuesday, Trump called on Congress to increase the direct payments drastically, throwing a big wrench into whether and when people will get needed money because of the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
"I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000, or $4,000 for a couple," Trump said in a video. "I'm also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package."
That came despite months of bitter, bipartisan negotiations to get a bill that finally could pass both chambers, which it did Monday. The package passed with veto-proof majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate.
Trump didn't say he'd veto the package, but he didn't say he'd sign it either.
Trump's call for direct payments that are more than triple what's in the final version of the bill is ironic, considering it was Republicans who stood in the way of higher payments for months — and because Trump's Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, was heavily involved in the negotiations.
Democrats leaped at the president's suggestion of more money for direct payments. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said they would bring legislation to the floor Thursday to pass it.
The problem, however, is two-fold — (1) With most members out of town, the legislation would have be approved by voice vote or unanimous consent, and (2) House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has to sign onto it. If one member objects, it would be shut down, and there would not be the ability to have the entire House vote on it with a roll call.
In a letter to her colleagues, Pelosi also revealed that in negotiations, Republicans had floated direct payments as low as $500.
"In the bipartisan negotiations, [Senate] Leader [Chuck] Schumer and I repeatedly asked Republicans what would be the highest number the President would accept for direct payments, and they responded with Sphinx-like silence," she wrote. "In the negotiations, they would never go above $600 and in some cases, proposed $500."
Trump's criticism now puts Republicans on Capitol Hill in a tight spot — they agreed to the current bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not responded to Trump's latest comments.
Larger spending package in peril, too
Given that this Congress's clock expires at noon Jan. 3 when a new Congress will be sworn in, this was seen as the last likely chance to pass anything through this Congress.
So the $900 billion in COVID-19 relief was paired with a larger $1.4 trillion spending package that is more than 5,500 pages.
It was the result of months of negotiations between various committees for bipartisan issues important to them, including funding for military pay raises, veterans, border security, water projects, addressing surprise medical billing, creating museums for women's and Latino history, and providing foreign aid.
In his video statement, Trump objected to the foreign aid and cherry-picked other items, claiming the package "has almost nothing to do with COVID." Ironically, though, many of the items, including foreign aid, were in his own administration's budget sent to Capitol Hill earlier in the year.
Defense money at risk
Trump on Wednesday also vetoed the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act.
The bill provides pay raises to military service members, approves construction of child care development centers on military bases, expands cyber command authority, provides more training on use of artificial intelligence, adds hundreds of millions for science and technology research, allows victims of sexual harassment and assault to file anonymous complaints, creates a domestic violence task force and has measures lightening some of the burden of the coronavirus pandemic for federal employees.
But Trump objects because of the social media company protections and the stripping of some facilities with names of Confederate officers. Even Republicans who negotiated the bill pushed back against Trump on the social media protections, saying they're not related to defense.
The bill passed both the House and Senate with veto-proof majorities — two-thirds would be needed to overturn a presidential veto. So both chambers could act when they come back next week to override it.
The House is expected to try and do so Monday and the Senate on Tuesday. But there's some question if the override can be upheld, particularly in the House. It would mean Republican allies of the president would have to oppose him in what would be Trump's first of nine vetoes that would not be upheld and in what would be one of the final acts of this Congress during this presidency.
Sending Trump out with a loss might not be something Republicans want to do. Already, Republican House leader McCarthy, who voted in favor of the defense bill, said he would not support a veto override.


npr--2020-12-23--For Overwhelmed And Burnt Out COVID-19 Contact Tracers, Help Is (Hopefully) Coming

For Overwhelmed And Burnt Out COVID-19 Contact Tracers , Help Is ( Hopefully ) Coming It 's an incredibly difficult time to be a contact tracer in the United States .
Just imagine having to call up a stranger a few days before Christmas to tell them they 've been exposed to COVID-19 and need to quarantine for 14 days .
For public health workers tasked with making contact tracing calls , `` these are very challenging conversations at any time , but the longer the pandemic continues , especially around the holidays , it 's difficult to ask folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who oversees Pennsylvania 's contact tracing program .
But those contact tracing calls must go on .
In fact , according to NPR 's most recent survey , contract tracing programs in many states have grown as agencies push to keep up with mushrooming case numbers .
In Washington state , `` we have gone from an average of 300 case investigations [ per week ] in October to over 5,000 [ a week ] since Thanksgiving , '' health department spokesperson Teresa McCallion says .
`` It 's been crazy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ working across the U.S. , a more than sixfold increase since the pandemic began and NPR first surveyed state and territorial health departments about their contact tracing workforces .
The 33 state and territorial health departments that responded to NPR 's December survey , done in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security , reported that they 've added nearly 20,000 tracers since the last survey in October .
There is an additional reserve workforce of 13,273 .
Because 20 states did not respond to the latest survey , the real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be even higher .
Nearly two-thirds of departments that responded to the survey said they were planning to add still more staff .
These survey results make clear that `` health departments are still invested in contact tracing , '' says Crystal Watson , a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security who oversaw the survey in collaboration with NPR .
`` They 're trying really hard to keep up as best they can with the cases that they 're seeing . ''
And there are glimmers of hope .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ administered , which will hopefully slow the spread enough that the contact tracing can start to keep up .
There is more than $ 22 billion of funding included in the bill that just passed Congress on its way to health departments to fund testing and contact tracing , assuming it ultimately gets signed into law .
Here are six key takeaways from the latest survey results : 1 .
Many states are increasing staff , but most still do n't have enough to match need Twenty-nine states told NPR they have hired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and 20 said they would hire more soon .
But none of the states that responded with updated contact tracing staff numbers currently has enough staff to keep up with case numbers .
The analysis , based on state case counts over the past 14 days , was done using an estimating tool developed by the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at the George Washington University .
As in June , August and October , NPR assumed workers are calling 10 contacts per case and that tracers reach 45 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every other day — a conservative estimate , to reflect the real-world challenges health workers face .
Based on earlier staffing data collected by NPR , Montana , Hawaii and the territory of Guam currently have enough public health workers and reserve staff to investigate every case , according to an NPR analysis .
( The only health department that currently has enough outright is the Northern Mariana Islands , whose 13 contact tracers can easily keep up with case numbers in the single digits . )
2 .
Overwhelmed tracers are having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest survey that in the face of a surge of cases , they have had to change the way they operate to focus on clusters or high-risk populations .
In Alaska , `` we have added workforce but also changed [ our ] practice to focus on persons in congregate settings , high risk , and people who have more recent test results , '' says Tari O'Connor , the state 's deputy director of public health .
Michigan reported moving `` away from formal tracing of household contacts , '' and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` on people younger than 18 or 65 and older . ''
Several departments mentioned focusing on identifying outbreaks .
One significant development was new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to prioritize contact tracing programs in the face of a surge , first published in late November .
Seven states referenced using this guidance to figure out how to keep up with contact tracing despite an overwhelming number of new cases .
`` I think previously states really just did n't have concrete advice about how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelmed in contact tracing , '' says Watson of Johns Hopkins .
`` So that was a big contribution , I think , from the CDC . ''
3 .
Most states ask about what support people need to stay home Contact tracing only works if the people whom you inform they 've been infected or exposed to the coronavirus are able to isolate themselves .
Ideally contact tracing programs would help connect people to the support they need to be able to do that , says Katie Bollbach , director of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the COVID-19 response in the United States .
Contact tracing calls are about more than `` just , 'Hey , you 're infected ' or 'You 've been exposed , ' `` she says .
The conversations include a critical second part with questions such as `` What do you need ?
What is your current situation ?
And what would you require to be able to stay home or to safely quarantine and isolate ? ''
Bollbach says .
For the first time , in collaboration with Partners In Health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this crucial part of contact tracing programs .
More than two-thirds of health departments that responded to the survey do formally screen contacts for their social needs such as space to quarantine or isolate , connection to health care or need for food .
But five respondents said there is no official question in the script to ask about these needs .
`` [ It 's ] very encouraging to see that almost all of the respondents are screening in some way for social support needs , '' Bollbach says .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are hungry and they do n't have food to provide for their kids or housing — those are the two needs that I 've seen , '' says Laura Sofia Ortega-Flores , a contact tracer and investigator for the Utah Department of Health .
She remembers a few weeks ago , on the phone with someone who had tested positive for the coronavirus , she heard a child crying in the background .
`` Her daughter was crying because she was hungry , '' she says .
`` It is heartbreaking to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
She was able to connect that family to a local food bank — and she regularly follows up to make sure people 's needs are met .
Not every state 's program is so hands-on .
In some places , contact tracers simply pass along the number of an outside agency that might help .
In some states , the referral process varies depending on the county or health district .
Overall , Watson of Johns Hopkins says , the results are encouraging .
`` I was surprised just at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on this care coordination component of contact tracing — it seems to be a core component of what states are doing to try and support people through this time , '' she says .
After asking if a person needs social support to isolate or quarantine , Ortega-Flores says Utah 's program includes community health workers who can help provide resources to support them .
Once , the team talked to someone on a Wednesday who had tested positive and was going to be evicted on Friday .
`` We were able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , '' she says .
But of the 33 state and territorial health departments that responded to NPR 's survey , `` less than half the programs reported having a dedicated person or cadre of workers to help connect people to support , '' Bollbach notes .
And several programs described `` only giving someone a number to call and not more actively making a connection , '' she says .
Establishing whether people who need help with child care or medications or rental assistance is important , not just at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level , Bollbach says .
For instance , if many people report they ca n't isolate without help with food , that tells local leaders they need to invest in local food banks or use grocery delivery services to meet this need .
In Pennsylvania , a team of 10 `` social service coordinators '' are part of the contact tracing unit , Mauldin says .
Those workers track the resources that people need , and `` we 're able to then provide some feedback to our teams , '' including at several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says , can help guide `` policy to be able to meet people 's needs during this really challenging time . ''
Bollbach says the survey results highlight the need in the next phase of the response for `` additional dedicated folks within the growing public health workforce dedicated specifically to this set of work . ''
5 .
More federal funding will help contact tracing get back on track Contact tracing programs had been bracing for a funding cliff at the end of the year .
Now , if it gets signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included in the latest congressional funding bill for health departments to do coronavirus testing and contact tracing will be `` an enormous relief , '' Bollbach says .
For the months that lawmakers were at a stalemate , `` it 's been tough , '' for many local health departments , Bollbach says .
There have been volunteer forces and staff reassignments away from other important work .
`` Folks have just been scrappy and creative and trying to make do . ''
Now they 're holding their breath , hoping this funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a substantial sum of money , particularly for state public health departments who have been chronically underfunded , '' says Marcus Plescia , chief medical officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials .
6 .
Contact tracing will be more effective as the vaccine rolls out '' I do think there 's just a little bit more of a sense of optimism and , you know , kind of a can-do attitude now that we have the vaccine on the horizon , '' Plescia says .
`` I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more energy into things like contact tracing because it 's now seen as part of a package — that , together , all of these things can really start to help to bring rates down . ''
The impact of this funding will also be `` conditioned on governors taking action to slow the spread , '' such as targeted business closures , stay-at-home orders , mask mandates and more , says Watson of Johns Hopkins .
`` Right now , contact tracing is so overwhelmed that we really need to take other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she says .
`` Otherwise , contact tracing will never be able to catch up . ''
At the same time , as COVID-19 vaccinations begin , the hope is that the spread of the virus will slow , and `` contact tracing is going to become more useful again once we get cases under better control , '' Watson says .
She says vaccines and contact tracing are both important public health tools and `` we can get back to a sense of normalcy much more quickly if we have both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the same time . ''

For Overwhelmed And Burnt Out COVID-19 Contact Tracers, Help Is (Hopefully) Coming
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Moore/Getty Images John Moore/Getty Images
It's an incredibly difficult time to be a contact tracer in the United States. Just imagine having to call up a stranger a few days before Christmas to tell them they've been exposed to COVID-19 and need to quarantine for 14 days.
For public health workers tasked with making contact tracing calls, "these are very challenging conversations at any time, but the longer the pandemic continues, especially around the holidays, it's difficult to ask folks to quarantine," says Lindsey Mauldin, who oversees Pennsylvania's contact tracing program.
But those contact tracing calls must go on. In fact, according to NPR's most recent survey, contract tracing programs in many states have grown as agencies push to keep up with mushrooming case numbers.
In Washington state, "we have gone from an average of 300 case investigations [per week] in October to over 5,000 [a week] since Thanksgiving," health department spokesperson Teresa McCallion says. "It's been crazy."
There are now 70,538 contact tracers working across the U.S., a more than sixfold increase since the pandemic began and NPR first surveyed state and territorial health departments about their contact tracing workforces.
The 33 state and territorial health departments that responded to NPR's December survey, done in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, reported that they've added nearly 20,000 tracers since the last survey in October. There is an additional reserve workforce of 13,273.
Because 20 states did not respond to the latest survey, the real number of the contact tracing workforce may be even higher. Nearly two-thirds of departments that responded to the survey said they were planning to add still more staff.
These survey results make clear that "health departments are still invested in contact tracing," says Crystal Watson, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security who oversaw the survey in collaboration with NPR. "They're trying really hard to keep up as best they can with the cases that they're seeing."
And there are glimmers of hope. Vaccines are starting to be distributed and administered, which will hopefully slow the spread enough that the contact tracing can start to keep up. There is more than $22 billion of funding included in the bill that just passed Congress on its way to health departments to fund testing and contact tracing, assuming it ultimately gets signed into law.
Here are six key takeaways from the latest survey results:
1. Many states are increasing staff, but most still don't have enough to match need
Twenty-nine states told NPR they have hired more contact tracers to meet rising demand, and 20 said they would hire more soon. But none of the states that responded with updated contact tracing staff numbers currently has enough staff to keep up with case numbers.
The analysis, based on state case counts over the past 14 days, was done using an estimating tool developed by the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at the George Washington University. As in June, August and October, NPR assumed workers are calling 10 contacts per case and that tracers reach 45% of contacts and follow up with them every other day — a conservative estimate, to reflect the real-world challenges health workers face.
Based on earlier staffing data collected by NPR, Montana, Hawaii and the territory of Guam currently have enough public health workers and reserve staff to investigate every case, according to an NPR analysis. (The only health department that currently has enough outright is the Northern Mariana Islands, whose 13 contact tracers can easily keep up with case numbers in the single digits.)
2. Overwhelmed tracers are having to triage
Most states reported in the latest survey that in the face of a surge of cases, they have had to change the way they operate to focus on clusters or high-risk populations.
In Alaska, "we have added workforce but also changed [our] practice to focus on persons in congregate settings, high risk, and people who have more recent test results," says Tari O'Connor, the state's deputy director of public health.
Michigan reported moving "away from formal tracing of household contacts," and in Maine, the department focuses contact tracing "on people younger than 18 or 65 and older." Several departments mentioned focusing on identifying outbreaks.
One significant development was new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to prioritize contact tracing programs in the face of a surge, first published in late November. Seven states referenced using this guidance to figure out how to keep up with contact tracing despite an overwhelming number of new cases.
"I think previously states really just didn't have concrete advice about how to prioritize their resources when they are becoming overwhelmed in contact tracing," says Watson of Johns Hopkins. "So that was a big contribution, I think, from the CDC."
3. Most states ask about what support people need to stay home
Contact tracing only works if the people whom you inform they've been infected or exposed to the coronavirus are able to isolate themselves. Ideally contact tracing programs would help connect people to the support they need to be able to do that, says Katie Bollbach, director of the nonprofit Partners In Health's unit focused on the COVID-19 response in the United States.
Contact tracing calls are about more than "just, 'Hey, you're infected' or 'You've been exposed,' " she says. The conversations include a critical second part with questions such as "What do you need? What is your current situation? And what would you require to be able to stay home or to safely quarantine and isolate?" Bollbach says.
For the first time, in collaboration with Partners In Health, NPR and Johns Hopkins surveyed health departments on this crucial part of contact tracing programs. More than two-thirds of health departments that responded to the survey do formally screen contacts for their social needs such as space to quarantine or isolate, connection to health care or need for food. But five respondents said there is no official question in the script to ask about these needs.
"[It's] very encouraging to see that almost all of the respondents are screening in some way for social support needs," Bollbach says.
In Utah, "a lot of families are hungry and they don't have food to provide for their kids or housing — those are the two needs that I've seen," says Laura Sofia Ortega-Flores, a contact tracer and investigator for the Utah Department of Health.
She remembers a few weeks ago, on the phone with someone who had tested positive for the coronavirus, she heard a child crying in the background. "Her daughter was crying because she was hungry," she says. "It is heartbreaking to see that — it really is affecting families." She was able to connect that family to a local food bank — and she regularly follows up to make sure people's needs are met.
Not every state's program is so hands-on. In some places, contact tracers simply pass along the number of an outside agency that might help. In some states, the referral process varies depending on the county or health district.
Overall, Watson of Johns Hopkins says, the results are encouraging. "I was surprised just at the sheer volume of states that are really focused on this care coordination component of contact tracing — it seems to be a core component of what states are doing to try and support people through this time," she says.
4. Dedicated social support teams aren't common
After asking if a person needs social support to isolate or quarantine, Ortega-Flores says Utah's program includes community health workers who can help provide resources to support them. Once, the team talked to someone on a Wednesday who had tested positive and was going to be evicted on Friday. "We were able to find a home within that same day," she says.
But of the 33 state and territorial health departments that responded to NPR's survey, "less than half the programs reported having a dedicated person or cadre of workers to help connect people to support," Bollbach notes. And several programs described "only giving someone a number to call and not more actively making a connection," she says.
Establishing whether people who need help with child care or medications or rental assistance is important, not just at the individual level, but at the policy level, Bollbach says. For instance, if many people report they can't isolate without help with food, that tells local leaders they need to invest in local food banks or use grocery delivery services to meet this need.
In Pennsylvania, a team of 10 "social service coordinators" are part of the contact tracing unit, Mauldin says. Those workers track the resources that people need, and "we're able to then provide some feedback to our teams," including at several state agencies. That data, she says, can help guide "policy to be able to meet people's needs during this really challenging time."
Bollbach says the survey results highlight the need in the next phase of the response for "additional dedicated folks within the growing public health workforce dedicated specifically to this set of work."
5. More federal funding will help contact tracing get back on track
Contact tracing programs had been bracing for a funding cliff at the end of the year. Now, if it gets signed into law, the $22.4 billion included in the latest congressional funding bill for health departments to do coronavirus testing and contact tracing will be "an enormous relief," Bollbach says.
For the months that lawmakers were at a stalemate, "it's been tough," for many local health departments, Bollbach says. There have been volunteer forces and staff reassignments away from other important work. "Folks have just been scrappy and creative and trying to make do." Now they're holding their breath, hoping this funding gets signed into law.
"That's a substantial sum of money, particularly for state public health departments who have been chronically underfunded," says Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
6. Contact tracing will be more effective as the vaccine rolls out
"I do think there's just a little bit more of a sense of optimism and, you know, kind of a can-do attitude now that we have the vaccine on the horizon," Plescia says. "I think we'll start to see a lot more energy into things like contact tracing because it's now seen as part of a package — that, together, all of these things can really start to help to bring rates down."
The impact of this funding will also be "conditioned on governors taking action to slow the spread," such as targeted business closures, stay-at-home orders, mask mandates and more, says Watson of Johns Hopkins.
"Right now, contact tracing is so overwhelmed that we really need to take other actions to get this under control," she says. "Otherwise, contact tracing will never be able to catch up."
At the same time, as COVID-19 vaccinations begin, the hope is that the spread of the virus will slow, and "contact tracing is going to become more useful again once we get cases under better control," Watson says. She says vaccines and contact tracing are both important public health tools and "we can get back to a sense of normalcy much more quickly if we have both components of the public health response going at the same time."


npr--2020-12-23--Biden Administration: Here's Who Has Been Named So Far

Biden Administration : Here 's Who Has Been Named So Far Updated on Dec. 23 at 1:30 p.m .
ET President-elect Joe Biden is assembling his inner circle of advisers and Cabinet officials as Inauguration Day on Jan. 20 draws closer .
His latest selections include key members of his climate team , one of four top policy areas for the early days of his presidency .
He tapped Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico to lead the Department of the Interior .
If confirmed , Haaland — who was a lawmaker in the energy-producing state before being elected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first Native American secretary for a department that oversees tribal lands and public lands .
She would also become the country 's first Native American Cabinet secretary .
Coordinating the climate agenda from the White House will be Gina McCarthy , Biden 's national climate adviser .
McCarthy led the Environmental Protection Agency during President Barack Obama 's second term .
Biden nominated former Michigan Gov .
Jennifer Granholm to serve as energy secretary .
Granholm is known for her work with the auto sector during the financial crisis .
The president-elect said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental regulator in North Carolina , to lead the Environmental Protection Agency .
And he picked environmental lawyer Brenda Mallory to lead the Council on Environmental Quality .
NPR is providing information on the members of the Biden team as they are announced for the White House , national security , economic policy , additional Cabinet positions and other positions , including CDC director and economic advisers .
As Biden begins to act on some of his early promises , he is naming close advisers and aides to work with him in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations and brief him on top matters of national security , the economy and other key issues .
Most of these officials do not need U.S. Senate confirmation .
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and soon-to-be first lady Jill Biden also are naming their top aides .
As the U.S. continues to fight through a recession brought on by the coronavirus pandemic , increased focus will be on whom Biden picks to lead his economic , financial and trade policies .
Many of these nominees will play crucial roles in determining further coronavirus relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Senate .
Biden will also nominate officials to lead the federal government 's domestic and international security efforts .
These officials will oversee U.S. intelligence and defense as well as spearhead relations with world leaders and international coalitions .
All of these officials must also be confirmed by the Senate .
Biden will overhaul departments to remove Trump appointees and nominate officials who will carry out his policy agenda .
These officials require Senate confirmation .
These officials will work on Biden 's push to roll back Trump administration policies on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the coronavirus response .
Many of these officials for key agencies must also receive Senate confirmation .
This page was originally published on Nov. 17 at 11:49 a.m .
ET .

Biden Administration: Here Are His Cabinet Members And Key Advisers
Enlarge this image Caroline Amenabar/NPR, Stephen Melkisethian/Flickr Caroline Amenabar/NPR, Stephen Melkisethian/Flickr
The U.S. Senate continues to take up President Biden's nominees for key roles.
The top figures in an administration are made up of a combination of Cabinet and high-ranking nominees who require Senate confirmation, and senior advisers tapped by the president, who don't require congressional approval.
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Below, see who Biden's chosen for:
Note that Biden's original nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden, withdrew from consideration on March 2.
National security: These officials oversee U.S. intelligence and defense, and spearhead relations with world leaders and international coalitions.
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Economic policy: These picks direct Biden's economic and trade policies, and the government's financial oversight.
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Additional members of Biden's Cabinet: These nominees, who all require Senate confirmation, help carry out Biden's policy agenda on issues ranging from health care to climate change.
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Other key positions: These top roles include officials who help in the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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White House: These are the top aides Biden counts on to run his White House and advise him on top policy initiatives. Most did not need confirmation by the Senate.
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NPR's Roberta Rampton contributed reporting.