US Senate bill would shrink tax credit for biofuels made from foreign feedstocks
WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans on Monday proposed a tax bill that would extend a clean fuel tax credit through 2031, but trim 20% of the value of the credit for biofuels made from feedstocks produced outside of the United States.
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The Independent
15 minutes ago
- The Independent
Judge extends pause on Trump's efforts to block Harvard from enrolling international students
A federal judge on Monday temporarily delayed issuing a ruling on whether the Trump administration can block international students bound for Harvard University from entering the country. The decision, from Massachusetts federal Judge Allison D. Burroughs, means a previous temporary order barring the Trump administration from taking such a step will remain in place. Burroughs has said she'll issue a ruling by next week. In a Monday hearing, Harvard lawyer Ian Gershengorn argued the administration had subjected the Ivy League university to 'the most irregular and improper treatment that a university has ever suffered at the hands of the government,' comparing it to the Red Scare, The New York Times reports. Justice Department lawyer Tiberius Davis argued the school wasn't being singled out, but rather that Trump's June 4 proclamation trying to block internationals bound for Harvard was because the university hadn't provided the government necessary information on foreign students. 'The power is with Harvard to fix this and make it go away,' Davis said, according to the paper. Burroughs has also temporarily barred the administration from a related step it attempted in May, revoking Harvard's ability to sponsor international students through the Student Exchange and Visitor Program. The university has been battling the administration in court across multiple lawsuits since April, after the White House attempted to pull billions in federal funding from the school when it declined to agree to a series of wide-ranging demands for campus reforms, including a 'viewpoint diversity' audit. The Trump administration accuses the school of not doing enough to crack down on campus antisemitism, violating civil rights law. Earlier this month, Education Secretary Linda McMahon praised the administration for pushing Harvard to make 'progress' on campus antisemitism issues. "I have seen progress. And you know why I think we're seeing progress? Because we are putting these measures in place, and we're saying we're putting teeth behind what we're looking at," McMahon told NBC News. 'They talk a lot about it, but I think we really started to see a lot of their actions once we were taking action," McMahon added. The school was making concerted efforts to address antisemitism on campus before Trump took office, including creating an antisemitism task force in 2024, and working to reform student training practices, disciplinary policies, and protest rules prior to Trump's crackdown on the universities beginning. Harvard also settled a major antisemitism suit from students and adopted a new campus definition of antisemitism in January, right as Trump took office. In May, the Associated Press reported the State Department intends to begin reviewing the social media accounts of visa applicants who plan to attend, work at, or visit Harvard. Since 2023, Harvard has been a prominent center of protest regarding the Israel-Hamas war.
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
40 hours of violence and fear as gunman stalks Minnesota politicians
Violence and fear swept through towns in an arc around Minneapolis for more than 40 hours over the weekend as a man seemingly intent on sowing political devastation killed one Minnesota state lawmaker and left another bleeding from nine bullet wounds. The attacks sparked the largest manhunt in Minnesota history, with heavily armed officers in full combat gear riding armored vehicles through suburban streets and country roads, ending in the arrest of Vance Boelter, a 57-year-old father of five and sometime Christian pastor known for his deeply conservative beliefs — but whose friends never saw him as an extremist. From a state that has long prided itself on political civility, the attacks rippled across the country as frightened political leaders worried that America's divides could cost them their lives. 'This was a political assassination, which is not the word we use very often in the United States, let alone in Minnesota' acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson told reporters Monday. 'It's a chilling attack on our democracy, on our way of life.' Saturday, June 14, 2:06 a.m., Champlin, Minnesota The black SUV's emergency lights were flashing when it pulled up to the brick split-level home in the quiet, middle-class Minneapolis suburb. The maple tree in the front yard was lush with summer leaves. The man got out of the car wearing tactical clothing, body armor and what looked like a police badge. He was carrying a 9 mm Beretta pistol. He knocked loudly and repeatedly shouted, 'This is the police, open the door.' Later, even law enforcement officials said they would have believed he was a police officer. About 2:07 a.m., Champlin The couple who lived at the Champlin home, Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, opened the door to a flashlight shining in their faces. There had been a report of a shooting in the house, Boelter told them. But when he eventually lowered the flashlight, Yvette Hoffman could see he was wearing a realistic mask that covered his entire head. In the confrontation that followed, he shot both repeatedly. The next morning, nine bullet holes could be seen in their front door. Police responded within minutes, after a 911 call from the Hoffman's adult daughter, who also lives in the house. The legislator and his wife were rushed to a nearby hospital. 2:24 a.m., Maple Grove A little more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) away, security camera footage showed Boelter, still in his mask and tactical clothing, holding a flashlight as he rang the doorbell at the home of someone who authorities have so far only identified as 'Public Official 1.' 'This is the police. Open the door,' he said loudly. 'We have a warrant.' Boelter was traveling with a list of about 70 names, including prominent state and federal lawmakers, community leaders and abortion-rights advocates, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation. The federal affidavit says the list was composed of 'mostly or all Democrats.' No one was at the Maple Grove home. Boelter soon left. But he had plenty of other targets. Boelter had carefully planned his attacks in advance, making notes about targets' families and conducting surveillance on their homes, Thompson said. 'Boelter stalked his victims like prey,' he said. About 2:36 a.m., New Hope Roughly 5 miles (8 kilometers) away, in another suburb just north of Minneapolis, Boelter drove to the home of Democratic state Sen. Ann Rest. By then, law enforcement was starting to worry about local legislators and New Hope police dispatched an officer to do a safety check at Rest's home. That officer found what she thought was a police vehicle already doing a check, parked down the street from the house. When the officer tried to speak to Boelter, he stared straight ahead and didn't respond. The officer then drove to Rest's home, and after seeing no trouble waited for backup and returned to where Boelter had been parked. But by then he was gone. Around 3:30 a.m., Brooklyn Park An off-duty sergeant with the Brooklyn Park police was leaving the station when he heard about the shooting at Hoffman's house. ''Hey, drive by Melissa Hortman's house and just check on the house, would you?' he told a pair of officers, the city's police chief, Mark Bruley, told reporters. Hortman, 55, the former house speaker, had long been one of the state's leading Democrats. Minutes later, Brooklyn Park Boelter, his phony police car parked out front with its lights flashing, was standing at the front door of the large brick home when the real Brooklyn Park officers arrived. 'Moments after their arrival on scene, Boelter fired several gunshots as he moved forward, entering the Hortmans' home,' the federal affidavit states. Moments later, he fired a second set of shots. The officers moved to the house and found a gravely injured Mark Hortman in the doorway. Inside the house, they found Melissa Hortman. She had also been badly shot. Both soon died. Left behind, though, was Boelter's car, with the list of targets and at least five weapons. Nearby, police found the mask Boelter had worn along with the pistol he'd carried. Law enforcement believed he was on foot. About 6:18 a.m. 'Dad went to war last night,' said a message Boelter sent on a family group text, which his wife eventually shared with authorities. Police had found her by tracking her cellphone. They found her in a car with her children, along with two handguns, about $10,000 in cash and passports, the affidavit said. Boelter had apparently urged her to leave. 'Words are not going to explain how sorry I am,' he said in another message. 'there's gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don't want you guys around.' He also reached out to two roommates with whom he sometimes stayed in Minneapolis. 'May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn't gone this way,' Boelter wrote, according to Paul Schroeder, who has known Boelter for years. Friends said Boelter had been struggling financially in recent years. In 2023, he began working for a transport service for a funeral home, mostly picking up bodies from assisted-living facilities. That job ended about four months ago. Later Saturday morning, Brooklyn Park Within hours of the Hortman shooting, hundreds of police officers, sheriff deputies and FBI agents were roaming the streets near the scene. Cellphones in the area pinged an alert, urging people near the Hortmans' neighborhood to take shelter. 'Police are still looking for a suspect in multiple targeted shootings who is armed and dangerous," the alert said, giving a description of Boelter. 'Do not approach.' A series of roadblocks was also set up, with law enforcement searching every vehicle as it left, fearing Boelter could try to escape by hiding in a car. About 7 a.m., bus stop in north Minneapolis Carrying two duffel bags, Boelter approached a man he didn't know at a Minneapolis bus stop roughly 7 miles (11 kilometers) from the Hortmans' home and asked to purchase his electric bike. After taking the bus together to the man's home, Boelter agreed to buy the bike and the man's Buick sedan. They then drove the Buick to a bank branch in nearby Robbinsdale, where Boelter, who can be seen in security footage wearing a cowboy hat, withdrew $2,200, emptying his bank account. He paid the man $900. Sunday, June 15, about 2:30 a.m., Green Isle Law enforcement received a report of someone riding an e-bike on a country road outside the small town of Green Isle, about an hour from downtown Minneapolis. The cyclist was not found, but Boelter's family lives not far away, in a sprawling 3,800-square-foot house they bought in 2023 for more than $500,000. Later Sunday morning The Buick was found, abandoned, near where the cyclist had been spotted. Worried about explosives, law enforcement initially used a robot to check the car. Inside, they found the cowboy hat that Boelter appeared to be wearing in the bank. There was also a handwritten letter addressed to the FBI in which Boelter said he was 'the shooter at large in Minnesota involved in the 2 shootings.' Sunday night, Green Isle Law enforcement set up a large perimeter near Green Isle after a police officer thought he'd seen Boelter running into the woods. Twenty tactical teams were called in for an intensive search. For hours, heavily armed men, some with dogs, walked the roads and fields of rural Sibley County. A helicopter was called in to help. Boelter was spotted shortly before nightfall, and officers surrounded him. He soon surrendered, crawling to officers who handcuffed him and took him into custody. Monday, St. Paul Boelter now faces a series of state charges, including murder and attempted murder. Federal prosecutors announced they had charged him with murder and stalking, which could result in a death sentence if he is convicted. At a federal court hearing Monday in St. Paul, Boelter said he could not afford an attorney. A federal defender was appointed to represent him. He was ordered held without bail ahead of a court appearance next week. Across the U.S., local and state politicians rushed to scrub home addresses from websites and began debating whether security should now be provided for politicians like state senators. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar shared a text from Yvette Hoffman, whose recovery came quicker than her husband's. 'John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,' Yvette Hoffman said Saturday in a text that Klobuchar posted on social media. 'He took 9 bullet hits. I took 8 and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark.' ___ Associated Press reporters Alanna Durkin Richer, Michael Biesecker, Mike Balsamo and Eric Tucker in Washington; Jim Mustian in New York; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Rio Yamat in Las Vegas; Giovanna Dell'Orto in Champlin; Obed Lamy in St. Paul and Margery Beck in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed to this report. ___ This story was compiled from federal and state legal documents, interviews with law enforcement officials, political officials and people who knew Boelter and the victims.
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Florida budget puts millions in reserves as economic uncertainty brews. Here's a look by the numbers
On the 105th day of what was supposed to be a 60-day session, Florida lawmakers gave final approval to a leaner state budget totaling $115.1 billion, marking the end of a lawmaking season that was largely defined by inter-party clashes in the Republican-dominated capitol. The new budget lacks some of the top priorities of legislative leaders and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, coming in $500 million less than the governor's proposed budget, and $3.5 billion less than last year's adjusted total, a goal of conservative lawmakers focused on scaling back state spending amid concerns of a broader economic slowdown. The state's legislative leaders had debated for weeks over competing tax cut proposals, initially pushing for broad sales tax relief for everyday Floridians before settling on a package that mostly benefits businesses. 'I don't view this on day 105 as a failure,' Republican Senate President Ben Albritton said. 'We dug in deep.' The budget now goes to the governor, who has the power to veto individual line items and is known for slashing into lawmakers' spending plans. Here's a look at Florida's budget by the numbers. A $115 billion budget While political and tropical storms loom on the horizon, Florida's legislative leaders have largely downplayed concerns about how President Donald Trump's aggressive and unpredictable economic policies could impact the state's budget, even as he pledges to phase out the federal agency that responds to hurricanes and other disasters that batter the state. But lawmakers have taken steps to shore up reserves, as forecasters warn of a busier than usual hurricane season and as economists fret over Trump's trade wars and a sweeping proposal to cut federal taxes and spending. Lawmakers crafted a compromise budget and tax cut package, which would save taxpayers and reduce state revenues by an estimated $1.3 billion a year, according to legislative staff. They've also taken steps to set aside an additional $750 million a year into a reserve fund for emergencies, pending voter approval. Republican House Speaker Daniel Perez said building up the reserves is about "being prepared for the unexpected." 'None of us know what the future holds,' Perez said. $750 million a year The legislature advanced a proposed constitutional amendment that would set aside $750 million a year — or an amount equal to up to 25% of the state's general revenue, whichever is less — into a reserve fund that lawmakers could only use for emergencies. The measure has to be approved by 60% of Florida voters to be implemented. The last time state officials tapped into the budget stabilization fund was in 2008, as the Great Recession blasted through Florida's tourism and development-heavy economy. Boosting the reserves is a prudent move, said Republican House Budget Committee Chair Lawrence McClure, and another way to cut state spending. 'We are doing this so that are we are truly prepared for a break the glass situation,' McClure said. Democrats have called the reserve fund a 'lock box' and said lawmakers should keep the funds on hand to support needy Floridians, at a time when many residents are priced out of their homes and schools and prisons are struggling to keep staff on the job. Tax breaks for families and corporate interests The Florida House had initially called for cutting the state's overall sales tax from 6% to 5.25%. A competing offer in the state Senate called for a tax break on clothing purchases under $75. Instead, the largest tax break lawmakers approved was for companies, by eliminating the state's business rent tax. They also approved tax cuts for a slate of special interests including casinos, airlines and NASCAR. Florida residents will get sales tax relief on hurricane supplies, sunscreen and bug spray, and a tax exemption on clothes and school supplies each August. $4 billion for school vouchers State lawmakers are setting aside $4 billion for scholarships for private and religious education, two years after the Legislature expanded the state's voucher program to make all K-12 students eligible, regardless of family income. Since then, the state's indirect spending on private school tuition and homeschooling costs has risen dramatically, which critics warn is burning through the state's budget. More than 2,200 state jobs eliminated Part of state lawmakers' push to cut back on what they see as government bloat is eliminating 2,238 vacant positions across state agencies from the department of health to the department of children and families. Many of the positions being cut have been vacant for three months. While the number of state jobs shrinks, state workers will receive an across-the-board 2% raise, while state law enforcement officers and firefighters will get a 10% total raise, and a 15% raise if they've been on the job for at least five years. $3 million for immigration detention at local jails The Legislature is also setting aside $3 million in grants for local jails that have contracted with the federal government to support immigration enforcement efforts. Florida has rushed to help the Trump administration carry out its mass deportation agenda and now leads the country in the number of local and state agencies signing on with the federal government to deputize their officers to carry out immigration enforcement. ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
