npr--2020-07-14--Trump Dismisses Police Killing Outrage, Saying 'More White People' Killed Than Blacks

Trump Dismisses Police Killing Outrage , Saying 'More White People ' Killed Than Blacks President Trump dismissed outrage over police killings , saying Tuesday that `` more white people '' are killed by police than Blacks .
`` So are white people ! ''
Trump said when asked in an interview with CBS News about why so many African Americans have been killed at the hands of police .
`` So are white people !
What a terrible question to ask . ''
Trump added that `` more white people , by the way '' are killed by police than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be killed by police annually , but Black Americans are killed at a far higher rate .
According to a database of police shootings since 2015 compiled by the Washington Post , 1,301 Black people have been killed by the police in the past five and a half years ; 2,495 white people were killed .
But , importantly , African Americans , who make up a far smaller portion of the total population than whites , are killed at a rate more than twice that of whites .
In another comment also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that `` people love '' the Confederate battle flag and that he considers it a `` freedom of speech '' issue .
He called it `` very simple '' and dismissed the idea that the flag is hurtful to Black Americans and others who see it as a racist symbol .
`` Well , people love it , and I know people that like the Confederate flag , and they 're not thinking about slavery , '' Trump said when asked whether he understood the pain it caused people because of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll last month found that two-thirds of Americans believed Trump had increased tensions after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police .
That poll was conducted after police forcibly removed peaceful protesters near the White House so Trump could pose with a Bible outside a partially burned church .
In an ABC News/Ipsos poll out last Friday , two-thirds of Americans said they disapproved of the way Trump is handling race relations .
That comes as a majority of Americans also say they disapprove of the job he 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
All of this has led to what is perhaps the nadir of Trump 's political power .
Another NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll from late June found that a record 58 % disapprove of the job that Trump is doing overall , with a whopping 49 % strongly disapproving of the job he 's doing .
That is a record level of intense disapproval that has certainly had an effect on his overall political standing against Democrat Joe Biden , Trump 's presumptive opponent this fall as Trump faces reelection .
Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls .
In an average of the polls , Biden leads Trump by 9 percentage points , according to RealClearPolitics .
That 's why Trump has been asking for more debates and has been attacking Biden 's mental capacity and record .
`` He never did anything except make very bad decisions , '' Trump said from the Rose Garden at the White House on Tuesday in what sounded more like a campaign-style event than a news conference .
In other excerpts of the CBS interview , Trump also said that Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deciding to resume school classes in the fall via distance learning rather than reopening classrooms .
`` A decision like that is politics , '' he said , accusing Democrats of wanting to hurt his chances in the November election by keeping schools closed .
California ordered the shutdown of bars , indoor dining and movie theaters as coronavirus cases have started to go back up .
As for the claim of politics , no Republican has won California since 1988 , and Democrat Hillary Clinton won it in 2016 by 30 points @

Trump Downplays Police Violence, Deaths Of Black Americans
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Updated at 5:45 p.m. ET
President Trump dismissed outrage over police killings, saying Tuesday that "more white people" are killed by police than Black people.
"So are white people!" Trump said when asked in an interview with CBS News about why so many African Americans have been killed at the hands of police. "So are white people! What a terrible question to ask."
Trump added that "more white people, by the way" are killed by police than Black people.
More white people may be killed by police annually, but Black Americans are killed at a far higher rate.
According to a database of police shootings since 2015 compiled by the Washington Post, 1,301 Black people have been killed by the police in the past five and a half years; 2,495 white people were killed.
But, importantly, African Americans, who make up a far smaller portion of the total population than whites, are killed at a rate more than twice that of whites.
In another comment also sure to inflame racial tension, Trump said that "people love" the Confederate battle flag and that he considers it a "freedom of speech" issue. He called it "very simple" and dismissed the idea that the flag is hurtful to Black Americans and others who see it as a racist symbol.
"Well, people love it, and I know people that like the Confederate flag, and they're not thinking about slavery," Trump said when asked whether he understood the pain it caused people because of its association with slavery.
An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll last month found that two-thirds of Americans believed Trump had increased tensions after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. That poll was conducted after police forcibly removed peaceful protesters near the White House so Trump could pose with a Bible outside a partially burned church.
In an ABC News/Ipsos poll out last Friday, two-thirds of Americans said they disapproved of the way Trump is handling race relations. That comes as a majority of Americans also say they disapprove of the job he's doing when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic.
All of this has led to what is perhaps the nadir of Trump's political power. Another NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll from late June found that a record 58% disapprove of the job that Trump is doing overall, with a whopping 49% strongly disapproving of the job he's doing.
That is a record level of intense disapproval that has certainly had an effect on his overall political standing against Democrat Joe Biden, Trump's presumptive opponent this fall as Trump faces reelection. Trump is routinely behind Biden in head-to-head general-election match-up polls. In an average of the polls, Biden leads Trump by 9 percentage points, according to RealClearPolitics.
That's why Trump has been asking for more debates and has been attacking Biden's mental capacity and record.
"He never did anything except make very bad decisions," Trump said from the Rose Garden at the White House on Tuesday in what sounded more like a campaign-style event than a news conference.
In other excerpts of the CBS interview, Trump also said that Los Angeles had made a "mistake" by deciding to resume school classes in the fall via distance learning rather than reopening classrooms.
"A decision like that is politics," he said, accusing Democrats of wanting to hurt his chances in the November election by keeping schools closed.
California ordered the shutdown of bars, indoor dining and movie theaters as coronavirus cases have started to go back up. As for the claim of politics, no Republican has won California since 1988, and Democrat Hillary Clinton won it in 2016 by 30 points.


npr--2020-07-14--ICE Agrees To Rescind Policy Barring Foreign Students From Online Study In The U.S.

ICE Agrees To Rescind Policy Barring Foreign Students From Online Study In The U.S .
In a swift reversal , the Trump administration has agreed to rescind a directive that would have barred international college students from the U.S. if their colleges offered classes entirely online in the fall semester .
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement rule change , released last week , would have prohibited foreign students from entering or remaining in the country to take fully online course loads .
A number of colleges and universities had already announced plans to offer online-only classes because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 announcement was met with immediate backlash .
Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued the U.S. government in federal court two days later , calling the directive `` arbitrary and capricious '' and seeking to have it reversed and declared unlawful .
Many colleges , universities , municipalities and tech companies expressed their support for the legal challenge in their own court filings .
In Tuesday 's session at the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts , the universities were expected to make arguments saying that this rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for students .
Instead , Judge Allison Burroughs announced that the schools had reached an agreement with ICE and its parent agency , the Department of Homeland Security .
She said the government will rescind this policy .
`` The Court was informed by the parties that they have come to a resolution to the combined temporary restraining order/preliminary injunction motions , '' read the court docket .
`` The Government has agreed to rescind the July 6 , 2020 Policy Directive and the July 7 , 2020 FAQ , and has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the new directive rescinded `` on a nationwide basis , '' schools will follow ICE guidance from March that allows flexibility regarding student visa eligibility .
ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday afternoon .
The Department of Homeland Security had previously stood by its decision in a legal response on Monday , saying the request for leniency `` subverts the deference afforded administrative agencies in complex and interrelated fields like immigration enforcement . ''
According to the nonprofit Institute of International Education , more than 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — about 5 % of the total student body — come from overseas .
Last week 's rule change left many scrambling to figure out their plans .
In order to remain in lawful status , students already in the country would have needed to transfer to a school with in-person instruction , which presented both logistical and public health challenges .
Sumana Kaluvai , an international student from India who graduated from the University of California , Los Angeles last year , created a Google Doc-turned-website to help international students find in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so relieved , and I think it 's just proof that universities have a lot more power than we realize , and I 'm glad that they took such quick action , '' Kaluvai said .
Many colleges and universities had already begun taking steps to retain their international students .
Some announced or reiterated their fall semester plans for a hybrid model of in-person and remote instruction , under which students could stay in the U.S. Others also began making arrangements for individualized in-person instruction should health conditions require them to convert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Yale Law School Dean Heather Gerken wrote in a July 8 statement that she had talked to most faculty members , and each one had volunteered to offer a one-on-one tutorial to international students to help them avoid deportation .
`` One of my colleagues told me that he would teach outside in the snow if he needed to , '' she added .
Pablo Ortiz , a vice president of Florida International University , oversees the school 's international students and global campuses and welcomed the reversal but said administrators will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to be caught off guard again .
They were in the process of reworking about 3,500 student course schedules for compliance when news of the reversal became public .
`` We were happy to hear that but we are cautiously optimistic that it will remain as such , and we will be ready for any decisions that are made , '' Ortiz said .
International students often pay full tuition , meaning that many of the schools attached to the now-resolved lawsuit would have faced big financial losses .
So would the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities contributed $ 41 billion during the 2018-2019 academic year , and supported more than 458,200 jobs .
Still , Tuesday 's announcement was not universally cheered .
Dan Stein , president of Federation for American Immigration Reform , which advocates for lower levels of immigration , issued a statement denouncing the move as `` caving to the pressure of the business lobby and open borders advocates . ''
NPR 's Elissa Nadworny and Jeffrey Pierre contributed to this report .

ICE Agrees To Rescind Policy Barring Foreign Students From Online Study In The U.S.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Updated at 6:34 p.m. ET
In a swift reversal, the Trump administration has agreed to rescind a directive that would have barred international college students from the U.S. if their colleges offered classes entirely online in the fall semester.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement rule change, released last week, would have prohibited foreign students from entering or remaining in the country to take fully online course loads. A number of colleges and universities had already announced plans to offer online-only classes because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The agency's July 6 announcement was met with immediate backlash.
Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued the U.S. government in federal court two days later, calling the directive "arbitrary and capricious" and seeking to have it reversed and declared unlawful.
Many colleges, universities, municipalities and tech companies expressed their support for the legal challenge in their own court filings.
In Tuesday's session at the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the universities were expected to make arguments saying that this rule was onerous for schools and even dangerous for students.
Instead, Judge Allison Burroughs announced that the schools had reached an agreement with ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security. She said the government will rescind this policy.
"The Court was informed by the parties that they have come to a resolution to the combined temporary restraining order/preliminary injunction motions," read the court docket. "The Government has agreed to rescind the July 6, 2020 Policy Directive and the July 7, 2020 FAQ, and has also agreed to rescind their implementation."
With the new directive rescinded "on a nationwide basis," schools will follow ICE guidance from March that allows flexibility regarding student visa eligibility.
ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday afternoon.
The Department of Homeland Security had previously stood by its decision in a legal response on Monday, saying the request for leniency "subverts the deference afforded administrative agencies in complex and interrelated fields like immigration enforcement."
According to the nonprofit Institute of International Education, more than 1 million higher education students in the U.S. — about 5% of the total student body — come from overseas.
Last week's rule change left many scrambling to figure out their plans.
In order to remain in lawful status, students already in the country would have needed to transfer to a school with in-person instruction, which presented both logistical and public health challenges.
Sumana Kaluvai, an international student from India who graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles last year, created a Google Doc-turned-website to help international students find in-person classes.
She welcomed Tuesday's news.
"It makes me feel so relieved, and I think it's just proof that universities have a lot more power than we realize, and I'm glad that they took such quick action," Kaluvai said.
Many colleges and universities had already begun taking steps to retain their international students.
Some announced or reiterated their fall semester plans for a hybrid model of in-person and remote instruction, under which students could stay in the U.S.
Others also began making arrangements for individualized in-person instruction should health conditions require them to convert to online-only operations.
In one example, Yale Law School Dean Heather Gerken wrote in a July 8 statement that she had talked to most faculty members, and each one had volunteered to offer a one-on-one tutorial to international students to help them avoid deportation.
"One of my colleagues told me that he would teach outside in the snow if he needed to," she added.
Pablo Ortiz, a vice president of Florida International University, oversees the school's international students and global campuses and welcomed the reversal but said administrators will continue planning for multiple scenarios so as not to be caught off guard again.
They were in the process of reworking about 3,500 student course schedules for compliance when news of the reversal became public.
"We were happy to hear that but we are cautiously optimistic that it will remain as such, and we will be ready for any decisions that are made," Ortiz said.
International students often pay full tuition, meaning that many of the schools attached to the now-resolved lawsuit would have faced big financial losses.
So would the economy itself: one analysis showed that international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities contributed $41 billion during the 2018-2019 academic year, and supported more than 458,200 jobs.
Still, Tuesday's announcement was not universally cheered.
Dan Stein, president of Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates for lower levels of immigration, issued a statement denouncing the move as "caving to the pressure of the business lobby and open borders advocates."
NPR's Elissa Nadworny and Jeffrey Pierre contributed to this report.


npr--2020-07-14--Despite Shortfalls And Delays, U.S. Testing Czar Says Efforts Are Mostly 'Sufficient'

Despite Shortfalls And Delays , U.S .
Testing Czar Says Efforts Are Mostly 'Sufficient' Public health experts generally agree that , in spite of improvements , the U.S. still falls short on the testing needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic .
The official who oversees the country 's testing efforts , however , maintains the U.S. is doing well on testing now and will soon be able to expand testing greatly using newer , point-of-care tests that deliver quick results .
In an interview with NPR 's Morning Edition , Adm. Brett Giroir pointed out the U.S. is currently conducting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He argued that some parts of the country are already conducting enough tests to contain outbreaks .
`` We know that in areas of the country right now that have appropriate mitigation , that the testing we have is sufficient .
We know right now that the testing we have is dense enough that we can detect very sensitively where there 's going to be a problem , '' the assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services told NPR .
A recent analysis for NPR by Harvard researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were needed to mitigate , or keep outbreaks from getting worse .
Giroir said the U.S. is well on its way to this target .
`` We 're going to be over a million tests very soon .
That 's not even a question , '' Giroir said .
That same analysis also found some 4.3 million people would have to be tested daily to suppress the U.S. outbreak and begin to let life get back to normal .
The latest numbers from Harvard found 16 states and territories have reached the mitigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing enough testing to suppress the virus .
Giroir pushed back on the notion that the U.S. was behind on reaching those criteria .
`` Yes , we want to have more testing , more testing will be better .
But right now , we 're in a good place to tell us the information we need , '' he said .
Nonetheless , he said , efforts are underway to increase testing : `` We 're going to expand testing probably two or threefold within the next couple of months . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in areas once again hit hard by COVID-19 outbreaks – including Phoenix , Baton Rouge , La.
, and Jacksonville , Fla. – but that in many cases testing is adequate if other mitigation efforts are in place .
He emphasized the need for public health measures in addition to testing , including social distancing and the wearing of masks .
`` We need places that are in hot zones to close bars and to limit restaurants .
And if we do those simple things , we can turn around the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first person involved with the U.S. coronavirus effort to assert testing for the coronavirus is on track .
In April , Vice President Pence , who oversees the White House Coronavirus Task Force , said the U.S. had enough tests to begin reopening .
Since then , testing for the coronavirus has become more widespread .
But there continue to be shortages in the supplies and machines needed to get results .
Since cases started surging in June , labs have reported delays in getting results due to the increased volume .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , recipients of coronavirus tests may be asked to wait up to seven business days for results .
Quest Diagnostics , one of the largest testing companies , said testing volumes have pushed wait times up to nearly a week .
Even Mick Mulvaney , Trump 's former chief of staff , has complained , saying his son waited up to a week for his results .
Giroir acknowledged the growing wait times due to the `` unprecedented demand . ''
`` We want to decrease that time on average between three and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giroir told NPR 's Steve Inskeep .
`` But as you pointed out , some people are waiting five , six or seven days , and we do want to get that down . ''
Delays in testing mean public health workers are not able to notify the contacts of people who test positive , and so people may unwittingly continue to spread the virus .
Giroir was bullish on the potential of newer testing technology to expand the country 's ability to test quickly .
He said fast point-of-care tests can help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could aid in the reopening of schools and businesses in the fall .
`` Certainly by September , we expect to have 15 to 20 million point-of-care tests .
That 's as many tests as we 're doing every month now , '' Giroir said , adding that the administration wants to see 100 million tests per month happening then .
These point-of-care — or antigen tests — do yield a much speedier result , but as NPR has reported , they may miss up to 20 % of infections .
Giroir also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bundling samples from multiple people together .
Pooled testing tends to lose effectiveness in areas with higher coronavirus infection rates .

Despite Shortfalls And Delays, U.S. Testing Czar Says Efforts Are Mostly 'Sufficient'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Lamarque/Pool/Getty Images Kevin Lamarque/Pool/Getty Images
Public health experts generally agree that, in spite of improvements, the U.S. still falls short on the testing needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The official who oversees the country's testing efforts, however, maintains the U.S. is doing well on testing now and will soon be able to expand testing greatly using newer, point-of-care tests that deliver quick results.
In an interview with NPR's Morning Edition, Adm. Brett Giroir pointed out the U.S. is currently conducting more than 700,000 tests a day. He argued that some parts of the country are already conducting enough tests to contain outbreaks.
"We know that in areas of the country right now that have appropriate mitigation, that the testing we have is sufficient. We know right now that the testing we have is dense enough that we can detect very sensitively where there's going to be a problem," the assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services told NPR.
A recent analysis for NPR by Harvard researchers found that more than 1 million tests were needed to mitigate, or keep outbreaks from getting worse. Giroir said the U.S. is well on its way to this target.
"We're going to be over a million tests very soon. That's not even a question," Giroir said.
That same analysis also found some 4.3 million people would have to be tested daily to suppress the U.S. outbreak and begin to let life get back to normal. The latest numbers from Harvard found 16 states and territories have reached the mitigation benchmark, and of those four are doing enough testing to suppress the virus.
Giroir pushed back on the notion that the U.S. was behind on reaching those criteria.
"Yes, we want to have more testing, more testing will be better. But right now, we're in a good place to tell us the information we need," he said.
Nonetheless, he said, efforts are underway to increase testing: "We're going to expand testing probably two or threefold within the next couple of months."
Giroir said the administration is surging testing in areas once again hit hard by COVID-19 outbreaks – including Phoenix, Baton Rouge, La., and Jacksonville, Fla. – but that in many cases testing is adequate if other mitigation efforts are in place.
He emphasized the need for public health measures in addition to testing, including social distancing and the wearing of masks. "We need places that are in hot zones to close bars and to limit restaurants. And if we do those simple things, we can turn around the virus," he said.
Giroir is not the first person involved with the U.S. coronavirus effort to assert testing for the coronavirus is on track. In April, Vice President Pence, who oversees the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said the U.S. had enough tests to begin reopening.
Since then, testing for the coronavirus has become more widespread. But there continue to be shortages in the supplies and machines needed to get results.
Since cases started surging in June, labs have reported delays in getting results due to the increased volume. In Washington, D.C., for example, recipients of coronavirus tests may be asked to wait up to seven business days for results. Quest Diagnostics, one of the largest testing companies, said testing volumes have pushed wait times up to nearly a week.
Even Mick Mulvaney, Trump's former chief of staff, has complained, saying his son waited up to a week for his results.
Giroir acknowledged the growing wait times due to the "unprecedented demand."
"We want to decrease that time on average between three and four days across the country," Giroir told NPR's Steve Inskeep. "But as you pointed out, some people are waiting five, six or seven days, and we do want to get that down."
Delays in testing mean public health workers are not able to notify the contacts of people who test positive, and so people may unwittingly continue to spread the virus.
Giroir was bullish on the potential of newer testing technology to expand the country's ability to test quickly. He said fast point-of-care tests can help solve the problem of overburdened laboratories and could aid in the reopening of schools and businesses in the fall.
"Certainly by September, we expect to have 15 to 20 million point-of-care tests. That's as many tests as we're doing every month now," Giroir said, adding that the administration wants to see 100 million tests per month happening then.
These point-of-care — or antigen tests — do yield a much speedier result, but as NPR has reported, they may miss up to 20% of infections.
Giroir also mentioned pooling, which saves resources by bundling samples from multiple people together. Pooled testing tends to lose effectiveness in areas with higher coronavirus infection rates.


npr--2020-07-14--Judge Denies Bail For Ghislaine Maxwell, Longtime Confidant Of Jeffrey Epstein

A federal judge denied bail Tuesday for Ghislaine Maxwell , a longtime confidant of disgraced financier and convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein , saying she posed a `` substantial '' risk of flight before her trial on sexual exploitation charges .
Maxwell was arrested on July 2 after being indicted in New York over the alleged recruitment and grooming of underage girls in the 1990s to be sexually abused by Epstein .
She entered a plea of not guilty at Tuesday 's hearing , which was held by video conference due to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` The combination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential length of the sentence , the strength of the government 's case at this stage , the defendant 's foreign connections and the defendant 's substantial financial resources all create both the motive and the opportunity to flee , '' U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan said .
The risks of releasing Maxwell on bail , therefore , Nathan concluded , `` are simply too great . ''
The judge ruled at the conclusion of the nearly three-hour hearing during which Maxwell 's attorney argued that his client should be released on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that no combination of factors short of detention could guarantee her appearance for trial .
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Moe called Maxwell `` the very definition of a flight risk . ''
Moe pointed to her substantial financial resources as well as her British and French citizenships , the latter being of particular note , the prosecutor said , because France does not extradite its own citizens .
The court also heard from two of Epstein 's alleged victims , both of whom urged the judge to deny bail .
One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was 16 years old when she met Maxwell .
`` She 's a sexual predator who groomed and abused me and countless other children and young women , '' Farmer told the judge .
`` She has never shown any remorse for her heinous crimes or the devastating , lasting effects her actions caused . ''
Maxwell 's attorney , Mark Cohen , pushed back against the government 's allegations , saying prosecutors were merely trying to throw `` dirt '' at his client .
He said Maxwell is not Epstein , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work with the court to cobble together a bail package that would assuage any concerns about her fleeing .
He rejected the government 's allegations that Maxwell was trying to hide from the authorities by holing up on an estate in New Hampshire .
Cohen said his client was only trying to avoid the vitriol and public spotlight that had followed her since Epstein 's arrest a year ago .
Epstein faced sex trafficking charges over alleged actions in the early 2000s .
He was remanded to custody pending trial , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal lockup in Manhattan .
Almost a year later , Maxwell faces charges of her own .
She was indicted on six counts , including conspiring to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts , and enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts .
She also faces perjury charges over allegedly lying during a deposition in a civil suit related to allegations against Epstein .
According to the indictment , Maxwell recruited and groomed underage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse .
Prosecutors allege Maxwell took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the movies , asking them personal questions about themselves and their families , all in an effort to build a rapport with them and pave the way for later sexual exploitation .
Prosecutors say Maxwell then attempted to normalize sexual abuse , undressing in front the victims or involving them in activities including `` sexualized massages . ''
Maxwell has previously denied those allegations , including in civil cases brought by Epstein 's accusers .

Judge Denies Bail For Ghislaine Maxwell, Longtime Confidant Of Jeffrey Epstein
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
Updated at 5:14 p.m. ET
A federal judge denied bail Tuesday for Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime confidant of disgraced financier and convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying she posed a "substantial" risk of flight before her trial on sexual exploitation charges.
The judge set a tentative trial date of July 12, 2021.
Maxwell was arrested on July 2 after being indicted in New York over the alleged recruitment and grooming of underage girls in the 1990s to be sexually abused by Epstein. She entered a plea of not guilty at Tuesday's hearing, which was held by video conference due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The combination of the seriousness of the crimes, the potential length of the sentence, the strength of the government's case at this stage, the defendant's foreign connections and the defendant's substantial financial resources all create both the motive and the opportunity to flee," U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan said.
The risks of releasing Maxwell on bail, therefore, Nathan concluded, "are simply too great."
The judge ruled at the conclusion of the nearly three-hour hearing during which Maxwell's attorney argued that his client should be released on a strict bail package, while the government said that no combination of factors short of detention could guarantee her appearance for trial.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Moe called Maxwell "the very definition of a flight risk." Moe pointed to her substantial financial resources as well as her British and French citizenships, the latter being of particular note, the prosecutor said, because France does not extradite its own citizens.
The court also heard from two of Epstein's alleged victims, both of whom urged the judge to deny bail. One of the women, Annie Farmer, said she was 16 years old when she met Maxwell.
"She's a sexual predator who groomed and abused me and countless other children and young women," Farmer told the judge. "She has never shown any remorse for her heinous crimes or the devastating, lasting effects her actions caused."
Maxwell's attorney, Mark Cohen, pushed back against the government's allegations, saying prosecutors were merely trying to throw "dirt" at his client. He said Maxwell is not Epstein, and that she is willing and able to work with the court to cobble together a bail package that would assuage any concerns about her fleeing.
He rejected the government's allegations that Maxwell was trying to hide from the authorities by holing up on an estate in New Hampshire. Cohen said his client was only trying to avoid the vitriol and public spotlight that had followed her since Epstein's arrest a year ago.
Epstein faced sex trafficking charges over alleged actions in the early 2000s. He was remanded to custody pending trial, and soon after he killed himself in a federal lockup in Manhattan.
Almost a year later, Maxwell faces charges of her own. She was indicted on six counts, including conspiring to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. She also faces perjury charges over allegedly lying during a deposition in a civil suit related to allegations against Epstein.
According to the indictment, Maxwell recruited and groomed underage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse. Prosecutors allege Maxwell took the underage girls on shopping trips and to the movies, asking them personal questions about themselves and their families, all in an effort to build a rapport with them and pave the way for later sexual exploitation.
Prosecutors say Maxwell then attempted to normalize sexual abuse, undressing in front the victims or involving them in activities including "sexualized massages."
Maxwell has previously denied those allegations, including in civil cases brought by Epstein's accusers.


npr--2020-07-14--In Reversal, U.K. Will Ban Huawei Equipment From Its 5G Network

In Reversal , U.K. Will Ban Huawei Equipment From Its 5G Network Months after approving some limited involvement by the Chinese technology giant Huawei in constructing the U.K. 's next-generation wireless data network , British regulators reversed course Tuesday .
Beginning in January , U.K. regulators will implement a ban on telecom operators buying Huawei equipment .
Existing Huawei 5G equipment will need to be removed from the U.K. 's 5G network by 2027 .
The decision comes after relations between the U.K. and China declined sharply over China 's actions in Hong Kong , and in the face of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.K. 's ruling Conservative party who are concerned about the security implications of Chinese involvement in the 5G rollout .
But it also follows sustained U.S. pressure on the U.K. and other European countries to exclude Huawei from 5G development .
The U.S. says Huawei 's equipment can be used for espionage by Beijing , and it has threatened to withhold intelligence from its allies that continued to use Huawei products .
In a statement Tuesday , U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said , `` With this decision , the UK joins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world that are standing up for their national security by prohibiting the use of untrusted , high-risk vendors . ''
Some Huawei equipment is already integrated into various networks throughout the U.K .
But it wo n't remain for long .
`` It is necessary and indeed prudent to commit to a timetable for the removal of Huawei equipment from our 5G network by 2027 , '' Oliver Dowden , the U.K. Culture Secretary , told the House of Commons on Tuesday , adding that the requirement will be added to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of the next election , we will have implemented in law an irreversible path for the complete removal of Huawei equipment from our 5G networks , '' Dowden said .
The British government says it decided upon the ban in response to new U.S. sanctions imposed on Huawei in May .
As part of those sanctions , companies around the world were blocked from using U.S.-made software or machinery to design Huawei equipment .
That , in turn , makes it harder for Huawei to produce new products , Dowden said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huawei 's supply chain , the U.K. can no longer be confident it will be able to guarantee the security of future Huawei 5G equipment , '' Dowden said .
The ban on Huawei equipment is expected to delay 5G rollout in the U.K. by at least two years , and add up to two billion pounds to the cost of the new network , he added .
In a statement , Huawei said the decision would hurt anyone in the U.K. who uses a mobile phone .
`` It threatens to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push up bills and deepen the digital divide , '' spokesperson Ed Brewster said .
`` Regrettably our future in the UK has become politicized , '' he added , asking the government to reconsider .
`` This is about US trade policy and not security . ''
In January , the U.K. announced it would allow Huawei to build part of its 5G network , despite pressure from the U.S. At the time , a senior Trump administration official told NPR the administration was disappointed by the decision .
`` There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control any part of a 5G network , '' the official said .
`` We look forward to working with the U.K. on a way forward that results in the exclusion of untrusted vendor components from 5G networks . ''
But when the U.S. imposed its sanctions this spring , that made it more difficult for Huawei to obtain chips and semiconductors for use in their products , said Ian Levy , the technical director for Britain 's National Cyber Security Centre .
`` So , it seems that Huawei 's long term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been severely affected , '' Levy said .
`` We think that Huawei products that are adapted to cope with the [ rule ] change are likely to suffer more security and reliability problems because of the massive engineering challenge ahead of them , and it will be harder for us to be confident in their use . ''

In Reversal, U.K. Will Ban Huawei Equipment From Its 5G Network
toggle caption Leon Neal/Getty Images
Updated at 4 p.m. ET
Months after approving some limited involvement by the Chinese technology giant Huawei in constructing the U.K.'s next-generation wireless data network, British regulators reversed course Tuesday.
Beginning in January, U.K. regulators will implement a ban on telecom operators buying Huawei equipment. Existing Huawei 5G equipment will need to be removed from the U.K.'s 5G network by 2027.
The decision comes after relations between the U.K. and China declined sharply over China's actions in Hong Kong, and in the face of a potential rebellion by parliamentarians from the U.K.'s ruling Conservative party who are concerned about the security implications of Chinese involvement in the 5G rollout.
But it also follows sustained U.S. pressure on the U.K. and other European countries to exclude Huawei from 5G development. The U.S. says Huawei's equipment can be used for espionage by Beijing, and it has threatened to withhold intelligence from its allies that continued to use Huawei products.
In a statement Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "With this decision, the UK joins a growing list of countries from around the world that are standing up for their national security by prohibiting the use of untrusted, high-risk vendors."
Some Huawei equipment is already integrated into various networks throughout the U.K. But it won't remain for long. "It is necessary and indeed prudent to commit to a timetable for the removal of Huawei equipment from our 5G network by 2027," Oliver Dowden, the U.K. Culture Secretary, told the House of Commons on Tuesday, adding that the requirement will be added to the Telecoms Security Bill.
"By the time of the next election, we will have implemented in law an irreversible path for the complete removal of Huawei equipment from our 5G networks," Dowden said.
The British government says it decided upon the ban in response to new U.S. sanctions imposed on Huawei in May. As part of those sanctions, companies around the world were blocked from using U.S.-made software or machinery to design Huawei equipment. That, in turn, makes it harder for Huawei to produce new products, Dowden said.
"Given the uncertainty this creates around Huawei's supply chain, the U.K. can no longer be confident it will be able to guarantee the security of future Huawei 5G equipment," Dowden said. The ban on Huawei equipment is expected to delay 5G rollout in the U.K. by at least two years, and add up to two billion pounds to the cost of the new network, he added.
In a statement, Huawei said the decision would hurt anyone in the U.K. who uses a mobile phone. "It threatens to move Britain into the digital slow lane, push up bills and deepen the digital divide," spokesperson Ed Brewster said. "Regrettably our future in the UK has become politicized," he added, asking the government to reconsider. "This is about US trade policy and not security."
In January, the U.K. announced it would allow Huawei to build part of its 5G network, despite pressure from the U.S. At the time, a senior Trump administration official told NPR the administration was disappointed by the decision.
"There is no safe option for untrusted vendors to control any part of a 5G network," the official said. "We look forward to working with the U.K. on a way forward that results in the exclusion of untrusted vendor components from 5G networks."
But when the U.S. imposed its sanctions this spring, that made it more difficult for Huawei to obtain chips and semiconductors for use in their products, said Ian Levy, the technical director for Britain's National Cyber Security Centre.
"So, it seems that Huawei's long term ability to build products using state-of-the-art technology has been severely affected," Levy said. "We think that Huawei products that are adapted to cope with the [rule] change are likely to suffer more security and reliability problems because of the massive engineering challenge ahead of them, and it will be harder for us to be confident in their use."


npr--2020-07-14--Stay-At-Home Improvement: DIY Builders Help Drive Up Lumber Prices

For years , Matt Harris dreamed about building a treehouse out behind his back fence in Knoxville , Tenn .
He never got around to it , though , until the pandemic hit .
`` It was just a matter of finding time , '' Harris says .
`` And that did n't come until everything kind of shut down for a little bit . ''
When the coronavirus canceled youth sports for the season , Harris suddenly found his weekends free .
And his children — ages 8 , 7 and 4 — made a willing construction crew .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the wood , '' Harris says .
`` You do n't let small children use power tools , necessarily .
But in terms of things they could help [ with ] , they were enthusiastic about it . ''
As he set about buying supplies , Harris noticed a lot of other housebound families seemed to be working on their own projects .
`` There were definitely some days when we went to Lowe 's where it looked like a swarm of locusts had come through , '' says Harris , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I think the lumber industry has probably done pretty well . ''
Indeed , since bottoming out in early April , wholesale lumber prices have soared 50 % .
At $ 523 per thousand board feet , they 're now well above last year 's level .
Sawmills , which slashed production in the spring in anticipation of a painful recession , found demand for lumber holding up better than expected , thanks in part to pandemic-inspired projects .
`` With people stuck at home and unable to get out and travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of energy into projects around the house , '' says Shawn Church , editor of Random Lengths , an industry trade journal .
`` This has created quite a strong demand for fencing , decking [ and ] treated lumber that the do-it-yourself sector is known for . ''
Just as food companies accustomed to supplying restaurants have struggled at times to serve home cooks during the pandemic , lumber companies are also making adjustments , since backyard builders have different needs than professional construction crews .
`` The do-it-yourself sector is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church says .
`` With that image in mind , you see a lot of shorter-length lumber — eight- and 10-footers . ''
In other words , whatever fits in the back of a personal pickup or SUV .
The half-empty shelves at Home Depot are n't the only signs of a do-it-yourself boom .
LendingTree says requests for home-improvement loans last month were up nearly 8 % from a year ago .
There 's also been a surge in Google searches such as , `` How to build a deck '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Kevin Slover turned to instructional YouTube videos for help when he decided to build a fire pit and stone patio outside his house in Pullman , Wash. '' I had never worked with rock before this attempt , '' Slover says .
`` But I figured , I 'll give it a shot .
How bad could it be ? ''
The fire pit has become a popular gathering place where neighbors can sit together , six feet apart .
After the inaugural fire last month , Slover posted a kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` Built during the coronavirus pandemic . ''
`` The house is 75 years old , '' he says .
`` Assuming it lasts another 75 years and has a few more owners , it might be a bit of a conversation piece . ''
Matt Harris put the finishing touches on his treehouse on Father 's Day .
It wraps around an old cedar tree , with a high ceiling — to give his kids room to grow .
`` The project was a joy , '' he says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You would n't wish the pandemic on anybody .
But given that it afforded us the opportunity to do some things as a family that we otherwise would n't have done , you 've got to be grateful for that . ''

Stay-At-Home Improvement: DIY Builders Help Drive Up Lumber Prices
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt Harris Matt Harris
For years, Matt Harris dreamed about building a treehouse out behind his back fence in Knoxville, Tenn. He never got around to it, though, until the pandemic hit.
"It was just a matter of finding time," Harris says. "And that didn't come until everything kind of shut down for a little bit."
When the coronavirus canceled youth sports for the season, Harris suddenly found his weekends free. And his children — ages 8, 7 and 4 — made a willing construction crew.
"They were good measurers and markers of the wood," Harris says. "You don't let small children use power tools, necessarily. But in terms of things they could help [with], they were enthusiastic about it."
As he set about buying supplies, Harris noticed a lot of other housebound families seemed to be working on their own projects.
"There were definitely some days when we went to Lowe's where it looked like a swarm of locusts had come through," says Harris, an economist at the University of Tennessee. "I think the lumber industry has probably done pretty well."
Indeed, since bottoming out in early April, wholesale lumber prices have soared 50%. At $523 per thousand board feet, they're now well above last year's level. Sawmills, which slashed production in the spring in anticipation of a painful recession, found demand for lumber holding up better than expected, thanks in part to pandemic-inspired projects.
"With people stuck at home and unable to get out and travel, they've been putting a lot of energy into projects around the house," says Shawn Church, editor of Random Lengths, an industry trade journal. "This has created quite a strong demand for fencing, decking [and] treated lumber that the do-it-yourself sector is known for."
Just as food companies accustomed to supplying restaurants have struggled at times to serve home cooks during the pandemic, lumber companies are also making adjustments, since backyard builders have different needs than professional construction crews.
"The do-it-yourself sector is also called the 'over-the-shoulder' trade," Church says. "With that image in mind, you see a lot of shorter-length lumber — eight- and 10-footers."
In other words, whatever fits in the back of a personal pickup or SUV.
The half-empty shelves at Home Depot aren't the only signs of a do-it-yourself boom. LendingTree says requests for home-improvement loans last month were up nearly 8% from a year ago. There's also been a surge in Google searches such as, "How to build a deck" and "How to build a shed."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Slover Kevin Slover
Kevin Slover turned to instructional YouTube videos for help when he decided to build a fire pit and stone patio outside his house in Pullman, Wash.
"I had never worked with rock before this attempt," Slover says. "But I figured, I'll give it a shot. How bad could it be?"
The fire pit has become a popular gathering place where neighbors can sit together, six feet apart. After the inaugural fire last month, Slover posted a kind of historical marker with the date and notation, "Built during the coronavirus pandemic."
"The house is 75 years old," he says. "Assuming it lasts another 75 years and has a few more owners, it might be a bit of a conversation piece."
Matt Harris put the finishing touches on his treehouse on Father's Day. It wraps around an old cedar tree, with a high ceiling — to give his kids room to grow.
"The project was a joy," he says. "You wouldn't wish 2020 on anybody. You wouldn't wish the pandemic on anybody. But given that it afforded us the opportunity to do some things as a family that we otherwise wouldn't have done, you've got to be grateful for that."


npr--2020-07-14--Excavation Begins For Possible Mass Grave From 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

Excavation Begins For Possible Mass Grave From 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Nearly a century ago , Tulsa , Okla. , was the site of one of the most brutal race massacres in U.S. history .
As many as 300 African American residents were slaughtered by white mobs , and a section of the city known as Black Wall Street was reduced to ash .
For decades , historians have been trying to determine where most of the victims were buried .
This week , officials began a test excavation to determine if a plot of land on city-owned property is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scientists said last year that by using ground-penetrating radar , they found `` anomalies '' there that could indicate the existence of an unmarked burial ground .
`` Our work continues to find the graves of our fellow Tulsans who went missing during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre , '' Mayor G.T .
Bynum said in a Facebook post on Monday , announcing the start of the excavation at the city 's Oaklawn Cemetery .
`` Because the scan is consistent with a mass grave , a team of some of the foremost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tulsa to assess both the presence and the condition of any human remains at the site in question , '' he said .
The test excavation is expected to last three to six days .
The city is providing a live feed on Facebook where viewers can see the earth being removed .
Tulsa officials said the project was slated to start in March but was delayed because of concerns over the spread of the coronavirus .
Now the city is requiring individuals inside the cemetery , including those monitoring the excavation process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
On Tuesday , Oklahoma 's health department announced 993 newly confirmed coronavirus cases , setting a new single-day record for the state .
State officials have said that two other areas , Rolling Oaks Memorial Gardens and The Canes , will be examined for potential unmarked burial sites in the coming months .
As NPR reported last year , a group of scientists led by the Oklahoma Archeological Survey discovered a pit at Oaklawn measuring roughly 30 feet by 25 feet .
They said it was large enough to fit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm as confident as I can be in the results that this is a very big candidate for something associated with the massacre , '' Scott Hammerstedt , a senior researcher with the OAS , said during a public forum in December .
There was renewed interest in the Tulsa Race Massacre recently , when President Trump chose the city to be the site of a campaign rally last month — his first since the coronavirus pandemic forced much of the U.S. economy to shut down .
The rally was originally scheduled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a day that commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States .
Trump changed the date after a torrent of criticism .
Some of those critics saw the location and original date of the rally as another affront by the president amid a torrent of pain and anger over the killing of George Floyd , which sparked nationwide protests .
Trump said he eventually changed the date out of respect for the holiday after hearing from his `` African American friends and supporters . ''
Historians trace the spark of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confrontation between a young man , who was Black , and a white woman in a downtown Tulsa elevator .
The man was accused of assaulting her , a claim that stoked tensions at a time of racial unrest .
Not long afterward , a group of thousands of armed white residents stormed the city 's Greenwood district .
`` Members of the white mob had looted pawn shops and sporting goods stores for guns to take with them as they flooded into Greenwood , '' historian Hannibal Johnson told NPR in December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopping fires , and some eyewitnesses say planes dropped bombs and strafed the community with gunfire . ''
When the smoke cleared , an estimated 150 to 300 Black residents had been killed .

Excavation Begins For Possible Mass Grave From 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
Enlarge this image toggle caption 1921 Graves/City of Tulsa 1921 Graves/City of Tulsa
Nearly a century ago, Tulsa, Okla., was the site of one of the most brutal race massacres in U.S. history. As many as 300 African American residents were slaughtered by white mobs, and a section of the city known as Black Wall Street was reduced to ash.
For decades, historians have been trying to determine where most of the victims were buried.
This week, officials began a test excavation to determine if a plot of land on city-owned property is the site of a mass grave. Scientists said last year that by using ground-penetrating radar, they found "anomalies" there that could indicate the existence of an unmarked burial ground.
"Our work continues to find the graves of our fellow Tulsans who went missing during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre," Mayor G.T. Bynum said in a Facebook post on Monday, announcing the start of the excavation at the city's Oaklawn Cemetery.
"Because the scan is consistent with a mass grave, a team of some of the foremost researchers in the nation have assembled in Tulsa to assess both the presence and the condition of any human remains at the site in question," he said.
The test excavation is expected to last three to six days. The city is providing a live feed on Facebook where viewers can see the earth being removed.
Tulsa officials said the project was slated to start in March but was delayed because of concerns over the spread of the coronavirus. Now the city is requiring individuals inside the cemetery, including those monitoring the excavation process and archaeologists, to test negative for the coronavirus.
On Tuesday, Oklahoma's health department announced 993 newly confirmed coronavirus cases, setting a new single-day record for the state.
State officials have said that two other areas, Rolling Oaks Memorial Gardens and The Canes, will be examined for potential unmarked burial sites in the coming months.
As NPR reported last year, a group of scientists led by the Oklahoma Archeological Survey discovered a pit at Oaklawn measuring roughly 30 feet by 25 feet. They said it was large enough to fit up to 100 bodies.
"I'm as confident as I can be in the results that this is a very big candidate for something associated with the massacre," Scott Hammerstedt, a senior researcher with the OAS, said during a public forum in December.
There was renewed interest in the Tulsa Race Massacre recently, when President Trump chose the city to be the site of a campaign rally last month — his first since the coronavirus pandemic forced much of the U.S. economy to shut down.
The rally was originally scheduled to be held on Juneteenth — June 19 — a day that commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States.
Trump changed the date after a torrent of criticism. Some of those critics saw the location and original date of the rally as another affront by the president amid a torrent of pain and anger over the killing of George Floyd, which sparked nationwide protests.
Trump said he eventually changed the date out of respect for the holiday after hearing from his "African American friends and supporters."
Historians trace the spark of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre to a confrontation between a young man, who was Black, and a white woman in a downtown Tulsa elevator. The man was accused of assaulting her, a claim that stoked tensions at a time of racial unrest.
Not long afterward, a group of thousands of armed white residents stormed the city's Greenwood district.
"Members of the white mob had looted pawn shops and sporting goods stores for guns to take with them as they flooded into Greenwood," historian Hannibal Johnson told NPR in December. "White mobs prevented firefighters from stopping fires, and some eyewitnesses say planes dropped bombs and strafed the community with gunfire."
When the smoke cleared, an estimated 150 to 300 Black residents had been killed.


npr--2020-07-14--Biden Outlines $2 Trillion Climate Plan

Biden Outlines $2 Trillion Climate Plan

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday outlined an updated climate plan , seeking to invest $ 2 trillion to boost clean energy and rebuild infrastructure .
The proposal is the second plank of his new economic agenda called `` Build Back Better , '' which he first detailed last week in Pennsylvania .
Biden 's climate initiative calls to chart the United States on `` an irreversible path '' to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 .
To do that , the plan would aim to achieve a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 .
It would also upgrade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes over four years to increase energy efficiency .
And the proposal , Biden 's campaign said , would seek to shift major cities toward public transportation and `` create millions of good , union jobs rebuilding America 's crumbling infrastructure . ''
The former vice president 's plan comes with a $ 2 trillion price tag , with plans to deploy those resources at an accelerated pace during his first term .
The proposal also includes environmental justice components , such as creating an Environmental and Climate Justice Division within the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinks about climate change , the only word he can muster is 'hoax , ' `` Biden said in prepared remarks Tuesday in Wilmington , Del .
`` When I think of climate change , the word I think about is 'jobs ' — good-paying union jobs that 'll put Americans to work . ''
Biden also compared what he called President Trump 's failed leadership on the climate crisis to the president 's handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
In a statement , Trump 's reelection campaign said Biden 's proposals would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former vice president is also `` drastically underreporting the costs of such a plan . ''
Team Trump also said Biden is `` embracing the far-left climate positions '' of people such as Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee .
Indeed Inslee , who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination on a climate platform , called Biden 's new plan `` visionary '' in a New York Times interview .
The climate initiatives follow the unveiling of lengthy policy recommendations from joint task forces created by Biden and his onetime primary rival , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Biden Outlines $2 Trillion Climate Plan
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Updated at 2:36 p.m. ET
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday outlined an updated climate plan, seeking to invest $2 trillion to boost clean energy and rebuild infrastructure.
The proposal is the second plank of his new economic agenda called "Build Back Better," which he first detailed last week in Pennsylvania.
Biden's climate initiative calls to chart the United States on "an irreversible path" to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
To do that, the plan would aim to achieve a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035. It would also upgrade 4 million buildings and weatherize 2 million homes over four years to increase energy efficiency. And the proposal, Biden's campaign said, would seek to shift major cities toward public transportation and "create millions of good, union jobs rebuilding America's crumbling infrastructure."
The former vice president's plan comes with a $2 trillion price tag, with plans to deploy those resources at an accelerated pace during his first term.
The proposal also includes environmental justice components, such as creating an Environmental and Climate Justice Division within the Department of Justice.
"When Donald Trump thinks about climate change, the only word he can muster is 'hoax,' " Biden said in prepared remarks Tuesday in Wilmington, Del. "When I think of climate change, the word I think about is 'jobs' — good-paying union jobs that'll put Americans to work."
Biden also compared what he called President Trump's failed leadership on the climate crisis to the president's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement, Trump's reelection campaign said Biden's proposals would "destroy jobs," and the former vice president is also "drastically underreporting the costs of such a plan." Team Trump also said Biden is "embracing the far-left climate positions" of people such as Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.
Indeed Inslee, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination on a climate platform, called Biden's new plan "visionary" in a New York Times interview.
The climate initiatives follow the unveiling of lengthy policy recommendations from joint task forces created by Biden and his onetime primary rival, the progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.


npr--2020-07-14--Biden Goes Up With His 1st Ad In Texas, Where Polls Show A Close Race

Biden Goes Up With His 1st Ad In Texas , Where Polls Show A Close Race As polls show a tightening presidential race in traditionally Republican Texas , presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden is launching his first general election ad in the state .
The 60-second TV spot , titled `` Tough , '' is part of a six-figure , multistate ad buy that deals with the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country .
The spot is simultaneously an attempt to comfort anxious Americans , offer an indirect leadership contrast with President Trump and provide simple public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message of advice that flashes across the screen : Stay safe , wear a mask .
This new TV spot is part of a four-state ad buy the Biden campaign announced Tuesday that also includes Arizona , North Carolina and Florida .
In recent weeks , coronavirus cases have soared across the Sun Belt , with both Florida and Texas reporting record daily case numbers .
The campaign also intends to release digital videos of Biden calling families in those four states .
And it plans to air Spanish language-captioned versions of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on YouTube , Facebook and Univision .
Public opinion surveys have shown an unexpectedly close race between Biden and Trump in Texas .
The polling average from FiveThirtyEight now shows a tied contest , and a recent Dallas Morning News survey found Biden leading by 5 points — which , if accurate , would be a game changer for the election .
In 2016 , Trump won Texas by 9 points .
Republicans have long depended on the state to win the White House .
No Democrat has won Texas since Jimmy Carter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ haul of electoral votes , with 38 .
The state has felt politically volatile in recent weeks as the pandemic has spread .
Earlier this month , because cases were rising so rapidly , Republican Gov .
Greg Abbott reversed himself and issued a statewide mask mandate .
This new ad buy is a sign of how Biden is trying to tap into a possibly ambitious political map through the pandemic .
And it 's an indication that after he and Democrats outraised the president and Republicans over the second quarter , Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad investments .
To date , he has been vastly outmatched .
According to an analysis from the Wesleyan Media Project in partnership with OpenSecrets , the Trump campaign has been far more aggressive in inundating the airwaves than Biden has .
Their analysis found that between May 11 and June 28 , of the nearly 85,000 total TV ads about the presidential race , 50,000 came from Trump 's campaign , and another 11,600 were purchased by outside groups supporting the president .
`` Democrats like to pretend Texas is on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary Samantha Zager said in a statement , `` but they know that 's a joke — just ask Governor Wendy Davis , Senator Beto O'Rourke , and President Hillary Clinton . ''
The Trump campaign added that the Biden TV investment is a small amount of money in such a large state and wo n't help the challenger gain traction there .
Tuesday 's announcement of the Biden ad buy comes as Texas holds its statewide primary runoffs .
Among the races , voters will select which Democrat will challenge Republican Sen. @ @ @ @ @

Biden Goes Up With His 1st Ad In Texas, Where Polls Show A Close Race
Enlarge this image toggle caption Richard W. Rodriguez/AP Richard W. Rodriguez/AP
Updated at 2:43 p.m. ET
As polls show a tightening presidential race in traditionally Republican Texas, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden is launching his first general election ad in the state.
The 60-second TV spot, titled "Tough," is part of a six-figure, multistate ad buy that deals with the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country. The spot is simultaneously an attempt to comfort anxious Americans, offer an indirect leadership contrast with President Trump and provide simple public health guidance. The ad ends with a message of advice that flashes across the screen: Stay safe, wear a mask.
This new TV spot is part of a four-state ad buy the Biden campaign announced Tuesday that also includes Arizona, North Carolina and Florida. In recent weeks, coronavirus cases have soared across the Sun Belt, with both Florida and Texas reporting record daily case numbers.
The campaign also intends to release digital videos of Biden calling families in those four states. And it plans to air Spanish language-captioned versions of the ad in Arizona, Florida and Texas on YouTube, Facebook and Univision.
Public opinion surveys have shown an unexpectedly close race between Biden and Trump in Texas. The polling average from FiveThirtyEight now shows a tied contest, and a recent Dallas Morning News survey found Biden leading by 5 points — which, if accurate, would be a game changer for the election. In 2016, Trump won Texas by 9 points. Republicans have long depended on the state to win the White House. No Democrat has won Texas since Jimmy Carter in 1976.
Texas has the second-biggest haul of electoral votes, with 38.
The state has felt politically volatile in recent weeks as the pandemic has spread. Earlier this month, because cases were rising so rapidly, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott reversed himself and issued a statewide mask mandate.
This new ad buy is a sign of how Biden is trying to tap into a possibly ambitious political map through the pandemic. And it's an indication that after he and Democrats outraised the president and Republicans over the second quarter, Biden is beginning to ramp up his TV ad investments. To date, he has been vastly outmatched.
According to an analysis from the Wesleyan Media Project in partnership with OpenSecrets, the Trump campaign has been far more aggressive in inundating the airwaves than Biden has. Their analysis found that between May 11 and June 28, of the nearly 85,000 total TV ads about the presidential race, 50,000 came from Trump's campaign, and another 11,600 were purchased by outside groups supporting the president.
"Democrats like to pretend Texas is on the table," Trump campaign deputy press secretary Samantha Zager said in a statement, "but they know that's a joke — just ask Governor Wendy Davis, Senator Beto O'Rourke, and President Hillary Clinton."
The Trump campaign added that the Biden TV investment is a small amount of money in such a large state and won't help the challenger gain traction there.
Tuesday's announcement of the Biden ad buy comes as Texas holds its statewide primary runoffs. Among the races, voters will select which Democrat will challenge Republican Sen. John Cornyn in November.


npr--2020-07-15--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak Since the new coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan , China , in December , the infectious respiratory disease COVID-19 has spread rapidly within China and to neighboring countries and beyond .
The first confirmed coronavirus cases outside China occurred on Jan. 20 , in Japan , Thailand and South Korea .
On Jan. 21 , the first case in the U.S. was identified in Washington state .
On Jan. 24 , the first two European cases were confirmed in France .
By Feb. 1 , eight European nations had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month later that count had risen to 24 countries with at least 2,200 cases , most of them in Italy .
On March 11 , Italy eclipsed 10,000 cases and the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic — the first since H1N1 in 2009 .
That 's also when China , the original epicenter , began seeing drops in daily counts of new cases .
March also saw exponential spread of the virus throughout the U.S. , with all 50 states reporting cases by March 17 .
This particular virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third strain of coronavirus known to frequently cause severe symptoms in humans .
The other two strains cause Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on March 30 , 2020 .

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.


npr--2020-07-15--Investigation Uncovers Missteps In Washington, D.C.'s Coronavirus Response

In cities across the county , Black people have been more likely than their white neighbors to become ill and die from the novel coronavirus .
Public health experts have blamed this gap on the historic disparities in overall health between Black and white Americans .
Perhaps no city exhibits this trend more starkly than Washington , D.C. , where the coronavirus has killed Black residents at 5.9 times the rate of white people — a disparity that 's worse than any other big city in America with published demographic data .
The unequal toll of the pandemic reflects the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black residents of the nation 's capital have a life expectancy that 's 14.9 years shorter than white people , the largest gap of any of America 's most populous counties .
Under budgetary constraints from Congress , the local government has n't done much to address those racial inequities over the years .
And it was even slower to respond when COVID-19 added another health risk for Black residents .
To date , Black people make up 74 % of the District 's 568 deaths , even though they make up only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An investigation by APM Reports found that Mayor Muriel Bowser 's administration made crucial missteps in the early days of the pandemic .
The investigation found : • In the early weeks of the pandemic , the city did n't set up a site for free coronavirus testing anywhere east of the Anacostia River .
Those neighborhoods are home to 161,500 people , more than one-fifth of the city 's population , nearly all of them are Black .
When they city did finally open one in early April , it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to the Maryland border .
The testing site was open for only four hours a day on Mondays , Wednesdays and Fridays — a limited schedule that one epidemiologist called `` shameful . ''
Two months later , the city closed the site .
The lack of early testing hid just how far and fast the coronavirus was spreading into that part of the city .
• On April 15 , Mayor Bowser ordered the city 's Medicaid administrator to contact all patients with underlying health conditions to provide them with information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the agency did n't solicit bids until more than a month later , on May 21 , around the time that APM Reports asked about the program 's status .
In that lost month , 337 people died from COVID-19 .
A contractor was n't selected until six days before the city began reopening .
• In early April , disability rights advocates expressed `` grave concerns '' about how the city-run psychiatric hospital , St. Elizabeths , would deal with the coronavirus .
They said the hospital had bungled past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legionella bacteria in its water the previous fall that led to a 27-day water outage .
But St. Elizabeths administrators did n't get that onsite help with infection control measures , according to those advocates .
Staff said they had to reuse protective equipment , and patients said clearly sick people kept walking around the units .
Lawyers sued and a federal judge finally had to intervene , saying the hospital had made a `` substantial departure from professional judgement . ''
But it was too late for 13 patients and one staffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they did the best they could under the circumstances .
`` The onset of COVID-19 was swift and unpredictable , '' Alison Reeves , a spokesperson for DC Health , wrote in an email .
Yet other cities , such as Chicago , Detroit and Milwaukee , did far more , including coordinating with local organizations to ensure there was more testing and more outreach in Black neighborhoods .
After repeated requests for comment , Mayor Bowser 's office asked APM Reports to submit a list of questions , which it subsequently did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of Empower D.C. , a group of low-income city residents who advocate for racial and economic justice , said , `` Honestly , I think that this city was not prepared . ''
This story was produced by APM Reports , the investigative reporting unit of American Public Media .

Investigation Uncovers Missteps In Washington, D.C.'s Coronavirus Response
Enlarge this image toggle caption Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
In cities across the county, Black people have been more likely than their white neighbors to become ill and die from the coronavirus. Public health experts have blamed this gap on the historic disparities in overall health between Black and white Americans.
Perhaps no city exhibits this trend more starkly than Washington, D.C., where the coronavirus has killed Black residents at 5.9 times the rate of white people — a disparity that's worse than any other big city in America with published demographic data.
The unequal toll of the pandemic reflects the unequal conditions that divide Washington, D.C. Black residents of the nation's capital have a life expectancy that's 14.9 years shorter than white people, the largest gap of any of America's most populous counties.
Under budgetary constraints from Congress, the local government hasn't done much to address those racial inequities over the years. And it was even slower to respond when COVID-19 added another health risk for Black residents.
To date, Black people make up 74% of the District's 568 deaths, even though they make up only 46% of the city's population, according to an investigation by APM Reports.
The investigation found that Mayor Muriel Bowser's administration made crucial missteps in the early days of the pandemic.
In the early weeks of the pandemic, the city didn't set up a site for free coronavirus testing anywhere east of the Anacostia River. Those neighborhoods are home to 161,500 people, more than one-fifth of the city's population, nearly all of them are Black. When they city did finally open one in early April, it was located at an out-of-the-way public hospital, close to the Maryland border. The testing site was open for only four hours a day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays — a limited schedule that one epidemiologist called "shameful." Two months later, the city closed the site. The lack of early testing hid just how far and fast the coronavirus was spreading into that part of the city.
On April 15, Bowser ordered the city's Medicaid administrator to contact all patients with underlying health conditions to provide them with information on how to avoid contracting the coronavirus. But the agency didn't solicit bids until more than a month later, on May 21, around the time that APM Reports asked about the program's status. In that lost month, 337 people died from COVID-19. A contractor wasn't selected until six days before the city began reopening.
In early April, disability-rights advocates expressed "grave concerns" about how the city-run psychiatric hospital, St. Elizabeths, would deal with the coronavirus. They said the hospital had bungled past health scares, including the discovery of Legionella bacteria in its water the previous fall that led to a 27-day water outage. But St. Elizabeths administrators didn't get that onsite help with infection control measures, according to those advocates. Staff said they had to reuse protective equipment, and patients said clearly sick people kept walking around the units. Lawyers sued and a federal judge finally had to intervene, saying the hospital had made a "substantial departure from professional judgement." But it was too late for the 13 patients and one staffer who died.
City agencies said that they did the best they could under the circumstances.
"The onset of COVID-19 was swift and unpredictable," Alison Reeves, a spokesperson for DC Health, wrote in an email.
Yet other cities, such as Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee, did far more, including coordinating with local organizations to ensure there was more testing and more outreach in Black neighborhoods.
After repeated requests for comment, Bowser's office asked APM Reports to submit a list of questions, which were subsequently not answered.
Parisa Norouzi, the director of Empower D.C., a group of low-income city residents who advocate for racial and economic justice, said, "Honestly, I think that this city was not prepared."
Read the full story from APM Reports.
This story was produced by APM Reports, the investigative reporting unit of American Public Media.


npr--2020-07-15--Texas Democrat MJ Hegar To Face Cornyn; Maine's Sara Gideon Will Challenge Collins

Air Force combat veteran MJ Hegar will face Republican incumbent Sen. John Cornyn after winning her Democratic primary in Texas , while Maine 's Democratic Speaker of the House Sara Gideon has secured the right to challenge her state 's vulnerable Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November .
Meanwhile , Ronny Jackson , President Trump 's former physician , will be the Republican nominee to succeed retiring Republican Rep. Mac Thornberry in northern Texas .
It was a primary night that also resulted in a humiliating defeat for Jeff Sessions , the former attorney general who was forced out by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville , a political neophyte who nonetheless enjoyed Trump 's backing ( see story here ) .
In Texas , Hegar got the nod over Black state senator Royce West in a close race for the Democratic nomination in a state that has long been red , but that analysts say is in a state of political flux due to changing demographics .
Even so , Hegar , a helicopter pilot who was shot down over Afghanistan in 2009 , faces an uphill battle against Cornyn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Senate .
Also in Texas , Jackson , who withdrew his nomination for Veterans Affairs secretary last year amid allegations of alcohol abuse and mishandling of prescription drugs , has secured the Republican nomination in the state 's 13th Congressional district , which includes the cities of Amarillo and Wichita Falls .
The president tweeted his praise , writing : `` Ronny will be a fantastic Congressman - Will represent the wonderful people of the Great State of Texas , and the USA , very well .
Proud of you Ronny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win the November election in what is considered among the most Republican districts in the U.S .
He is hoping to succeed Thornberry , who has held the seat for a quarter-century .
In Maine , Gideon edged out progressive lobbyist Betsy Sweet and lawyer Bre Kidman for the opportunity to challenge Collins in November .
`` After 24 years in Washington , Senator Collins has become part of that broken system , putting special interests and her political party first , and Mainers know it and feel it , '' Gideon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With strong backing from Democratic groups inside and outside the state , Gideon has been able to raise a considerable war chest .
She 's also been edging out Collins in recent opinion polls .
Collins , seen as one of the few moderate Republicans in the Senate , has frequently seemed reluctant to back Trump administration policies , only to ultimately vote with the White House .
Most notably , Collins had been considered a possible swing vote on whether to acquit Trump during his impeachment trial .
Ultimately she voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying she thought that the president had learned `` a pretty big lesson '' over the ordeal .

Texas Democrat MJ Hegar To Face Cornyn; Maine's Sara Gideon Will Challenge Collins
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP
Air Force combat veteran MJ Hegar will face Republican incumbent Sen. John Cornyn after winning her Democratic primary runoff in Texas, while Maine's Democratic speaker of the House, Sara Gideon, has secured the right to challenge her state's vulnerable Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.
Meanwhile, Ronny Jackson, President Trump's former physician, will be the GOP nominee to succeed retiring Republican Rep. Mac Thornberry in northern Texas.
It was a primary night that also resulted in a humiliating defeat for Jeff Sessions, the former attorney general who was forced out by the president in 2018. He lost to former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville, a political neophyte who nonetheless enjoyed Trump's backing.
In Texas, Hegar got the nod over Black state Sen. Royce West in a close race for the Democratic nomination in a state that has long been red, but that analysts say is in a state of political flux due to changing demographics.
Even so, Hegar, a helicopter pilot who was shot down over Afghanistan in 2009, faces an uphill battle against Cornyn, a Republican stalwart and 18-year Senate veteran.
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Also in Texas, Jackson, who withdrew his nomination for Veterans Affairs secretary last year amid allegations of alcohol abuse and mishandling of prescription drugs, has secured the Republican nomination in the state's 13th Congressional District, which includes the cities of Amarillo and Wichita Falls.
The president tweeted his praise, writing: "Ronny will be a fantastic Congressman - Will represent the wonderful people of the Great State of Texas, and the USA, very well. Proud of you Ronny!!!"
Jackson is favored to win the November election in what is considered among the most Republican districts in the U.S. He is hoping to succeed Thornberry, who has held the seat for a quarter-century.
In Maine, Gideon edged out progressive lobbyist Betsy Sweet and lawyer Bre Kidman for the opportunity to challenge Collins in November.
"After 24 years in Washington, Senator Collins has become part of that broken system, putting special interests and her political party first, and Mainers know it and feel it," Gideon said in her acceptance speech on Facebook.
With strong backing from Democratic groups inside and outside the state, Gideon has been able to raise a considerable war chest. She's also been edging out Collins in recent opinion polls.
Collins, seen as one of the few moderate Republicans in the Senate, has frequently seemed reluctant to back Trump administration policies, only to ultimately vote with the White House.
Most notably, Collins had been considered a possible swing vote on whether to acquit Trump during his impeachment trial. Ultimately she voted against the two House articles of impeachment, saying she thought that the president had learned "a pretty big lesson" over the ordeal.


npr--2020-07-15--Congress Is Investigating Contracts Tied To Mask And PPE Shortages

Congress Is Investigating Contracts Tied To Mask And PPE Shortages Congressional investigators are launching an inquiry into a handful of companies that landed government contracts related to COVID-19 , calling the deals `` suspicious '' because the companies lacked experience and , in some cases , had political connections to the Trump administration .
In a letter obtained by NPR , the chairman of the bipartisan Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis , Rep. James E. Clyburn , D-S.C. , asked a roster of administration officials to account for how and why they selected particular companies to provide Personal Protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the contracts were made without competition at the height of the coronavirus crisis .
Seven letters also went out to individual companies asking for information related to those contracts .
`` The Administration awarded contracts to inexperienced suppliers , '' Clyburn wrote in a letter addressed to the heads of the Departments of Health and Human Services , Defense , Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs .
`` More than 445 companies had no prior experience in the federal marketplace before receiving awards related to the pandemic response .
Many of the companies awarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government for the first time this year , some just days before successfully winning a contract . ''
The committee 's letter , which was not signed by Republicans on the bipartisan panel , asked the secretaries to provide complete contract files , solicitations , contracts , task orders , and email traffic from seven companies by July 28 .
Some of the companies they targeted have been in the news before including Zach Fuentes LLC which was led by President Trump 's former Deputy Chief of Staff Zachary Fuentes .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal contract to provide respirator masks to the Navajo Nation .
The Indian Health Service , the letter says , determined that the masks could n't be used .
Two of the companies singled out for investigation had been awarded contracts that were later amended or effectively rescinded or substantially reduced in value .
A reduction in the value of the contract does n't necessarily mean there has been wrongdoing .
A contract can be reduced because equipment was n't delivered as promised or , in some cases , may have no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new investigation is Federal Government Experts LLC.
, a first-time federal contractor .
It had been contracted to provide some 6 million N95 Masks to the Department of Veterans Affairs .
The company , which had no experience selling medical equipment and no supply chain experience , received a $ 34.5 million no-bid contract to secure them .
Among other things , the committee would like to know how the company landed the contract and why the VA agreed to pay nearly $ 5.75 per mask , the letter said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realistic plan to acquire masks '' and charged `` more than three times the manufacturer 's price . ''
NPR has confirmed that the VA 's Inspector General is also looking into how the contract was awarded .
NPR contacted the company by email and a spokesman confirmed that they had received the letter and the subcommittee 's request for documents .
`` Our firm currently has no , nor has ever had a relationship with the Trump administration , either directly or indirectly , '' CEO of Federal Government Experts , Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emailed response , adding that the award was based on regular federal acquisition procedures .
The committee is also asking for more information about a Hyattsville , Md.
, company called Immediate Response Technologies LLC , which is a subsidiary of AirBoss Defense .
It was given a $ 96 million sole-source contract for respirators and filters .
The federal procurement database says the award was `` ordered by the White House '' and was purchased for New York hospital employees .
The company did not return calls from NPR for comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is a subcommittee on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee , is meant to play a central role in the House oversight of the more than $ 2 trillion economic relief package known as the CARES Act .

Congress Is Investigating Contracts Tied To Mask And PPE Shortages
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Congressional investigators are launching an inquiry into a handful of companies that landed government contracts related to COVID-19, calling the deals "suspicious" because the companies lacked experience and, in some cases, had political connections to the Trump administration.
In a letter obtained by NPR, the chairman of the bipartisan Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., asked a roster of administration officials to account for how and why they selected particular companies to provide personal protective equipment, or PPE. Many of the contracts were made without competition at the height of the coronavirus crisis. Seven letters also went out to individual companies asking for information related to those contracts.
"The Administration awarded contracts to inexperienced suppliers," Clyburn wrote in a letter addressed to the heads of the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs. "More than 445 companies had no prior experience in the federal marketplace before receiving awards related to the pandemic response. Many of the companies awarded contracts ... registered to do business with the government for the first time this year, some just days before successfully winning a contract."
The committee's letter, which was not signed by Republicans on the bipartisan panel, asked the secretaries to provide complete contract files, solicitations, contracts, task orders, and email traffic from seven companies by July 28. Some of the companies they targeted have been in the news before including Zach Fuentes LLC, which is led by President Trump's former deputy chief of staff, Zachary Fuentes. The company was awarded a $3 million federal contract to provide respirator masks to the Navajo Nation. The Indian Health Service, the letter says, determined that the masks couldn't be used.
Two of the companies singled out for investigation had been awarded contracts that were later amended, effectively rescinded or substantially reduced in value. A reduction in the value of the contract doesn't necessarily mean there has been wrongdoing. A contract can be reduced because equipment wasn't delivered as promised or, in some cases, may have no longer been necessary.
One company targeted in the new investigation is Federal Government Experts, a first-time federal contractor. It had been contracted to provide some 6 million N95 masks to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The company, which had no experience selling medical equipment and no supply chain experience, received a $34.5 million no-bid contract to secure them. Among other things, the committee would like to know how the company landed the contract and why the VA agreed to pay nearly $5.75 per mask, the letter said.
The letter said the company "lacked a realistic plan to acquire masks" and charged "more than three times the manufacturer's price." NPR has confirmed that the VA's inspector general is also looking into how the contract was awarded. NPR contacted the company by email and a spokesman confirmed that they had received the letter and the subcommittee's request for documents. "Our firm currently has no, nor has ever had, a relationship with the Trump administration, either directly or indirectly," the CEO of Federal Government Experts, Robert S. Stewart Jr., wrote in an emailed response, adding that the award was based on regular federal acquisition procedures.
The committee is also asking for more information about a Hyattsville, Md., company called Immediate Response Technologies, which is a subsidiary of AirBoss Defense. It was given a $96 million sole-source contract for respirators and filters. The federal procurement database says the award was "ordered by the White House" and was purchased for New York hospital employees. The company did not return calls from NPR for comment.
The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, which is under the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is meant to play a central role in the House oversight of the more than $2 trillion economic relief package known as the CARES Act.