Latest news with #JackJohnson
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tennessee Republican lawmakers urge local police to work with ICE, help with deportations
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Some Tennessee Republicans are urging every local and state law enforcement agency to enter into a 287(g) agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help the federal government in its effort to deport illegal immigrants. A 287(g) agreement gives local law enforcement officers certain federal powers that allow them to detain and investigate undocumented immigrants. 'The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 added Section 287(g) to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) — authorizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency's direction and oversight,' ICE's website reads. Rep. Lee Reeves (R-Franklin) called upon all agencies in Tennessee to enter into the agreement Monday. 'We need more than strong words. We need local action as well, so to every police chief, every sheriff, every mayor, every county commissioner, now is the time to enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE. It's a simple partnership that lets local law officers identify and detain criminal illegal aliens. It's legal, it works, and it will save lives.' According to ICE, eight Tennessee agencies currently have a 287(g) agreement. The majority of the agencies are sheriff's offices, in addition to the TN Dept. of Homeland Security and THP. Three additional state agencies currently have pending 287(g) applications, according to ICE. During a special legislative session in January, lawmakers passed a bill incentivizing departments to participate in the program by offering grants to those who take part. 'This legislation further appropriated $20 million to facilitate participation in the 287g program to make our brave men and women even more effective in that partnership,' Senate Majority Leader, Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) said. Congressman Andy Ogles confirms federal investigation into Nashville mayor's office over illegal immigration A bill that would have required all law enforcement agencies to take part in the program failed during the regular legislative session. Some immigrant rights groups worry that the more departments work with ICE, the more harm it could cause. 'What we have seen time and time again with programs like the 287(g) program is the erroding of trust between our immigrant communities and local law enforcement, the siphoning away of local taxpayer dollars for civil rights lawsuits, racial profiling, and we have seen this not only here in the past in Nashville, but across the state of Tennessee,' Luis Mata with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition said. Davidson County ended its 287(g) agreement with ICE in 2012 following controversy and a lawsuit over the handling of a pregnant woman who gave birth while shackled in county custody. It's unclear if the agency plans to enter into a new contract with ICE. However, Republican lawmakers told reporters the 287(g) agreement saves lives. ⏩ 'This isn't about politics, it's about protecting our families,' Rep. Reeves said. 'It's not about immigration, it's about crime. It's not a border crisis, it is a community crisis.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
On This Day, May 24: 1st telegraph sent in United States
On this date in history: In 1844, the first U.S telegraph line was formally opened -- between Baltimore and Washington. The first message sent was "What hath God wrought?" In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was opened to the public, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan in New York City. In 1935, the first night game in Major League Baseball was played at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. The Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1. In 1943, Josef Mengele, the so-called "Angel of Death" became the new doctor at the Auschwitz death camp in Poland. He fled Germany at the conclusion of World War II and died in 1979 in Brazil. In 1958, United Press and the International News Service merger was announced, forming United Press International. In 1962, Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter became the second American to orbit Earth, circling it three times. John Glenn was the first, earlier in the year. In 1983, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled private religious schools that practice racial discrimination aren't eligible for church-related tax benefits. In 1987, 250,000 people jammed San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge on its 50th anniversary, temporarily flattening the arched span. In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia. In 2007, the U.S. Congress voted to increase the minimum wage for the first time in 10 years -- from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 over a three-year period. In 2018, President Donald Trump posthumously pardoned Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight boxing champion, for his conviction under a Jim Crow-era law. In 2022, a mass shooting at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school left 19 students and two adults dead. Law enforcement officers fatally shot the gunman.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennessee Calls for Replacing the Federal Income Tax with the FAIRtax
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 24, 2025, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed resolution HJR17 to urge the United States Congress to repeal all taxes on income, enact a national retail sales tax as specified in the FAIRtax Act H.R 25, and repeal the 16th Amendment to the United States Constitution. In the passage process, Jack Johnson, Tennessee Senate leader stated, "Keep in mind, our framers never contemplated that the federal government would tax income." He later went on to say, "House Joint Resolution 17 would urge Congress to pass the FAIRtax Act and repeal the 16th Amendment, replacing all federal income-based taxes with national retail sales taxes."The video is at: The following is the substance of the actual resolution that is available at: WHEREAS, Tennessee successfully maintains government functions without a personal income tax; and WHEREAS, Tennessee's reliance on the retail sales tax since 1947 and elimination of the state personal income tax has proven successful in attracting an ever increasing number of businesses moving operations and facilities to Tennessee, creating substantial additional jobs; and WHEREAS, Amendment 3, the Tennessee Income Tax Prohibition Act, which was approved by voters in 2014, amended the State Constitution to prohibit the levying, authorizing, or permitting any state or local tax upon payroll or earned personal income. WHEREAS, Tennessee is a model that demonstrates the success of the consumption tax versus the repressive and suppressive effects on individual production and savings. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE CONCURRING, that the members of this General Assembly do hereby urge the United States Congress to enact H.R. 25, the Fair Tax Act of 2023, which eliminates the personal income tax, the alternative minimum tax, the inheritance tax, the gift tax, the capital gains tax, the corporate income tax, the self-employment tax, and the employee and employer payroll tax, and replaces them with a national retail sales tax. A copy of this resolution will be transmitted to the President of the United States and each member of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation. Learn more about the truth in taxation at View the two-minute videos of The FAIRtax – What is It? and What is the Prebate? Florida Fair Tax Educational Association is a 501(c) (3) to inform and educate the citizens on alternatives to the current system of federal taxation based on the following principles: fairness, simplicity, transparency, pro-economic growth and revenue neutrality. Florida Fair Tax Educational AssociationPO Box 23346Jacksonville, FL 32241 Hand out FAIRtax literature. Get free FAIRtax palm cards and Prebate cards at Printed Materials – FAIRtax Store. References and sources: The Tax Deception by John Gaver The FairTax Book by Neal Boortz and John Linder FairTax: The Truth by Neal Boortz and John Linder Contacts Americans for FAIR Taxation Steve Hayes, President, and Randy Fischer, Marketing, 800-FAIRTAX and 395477@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Florida FAIRtax Educational Association Sign in to access your portfolio
ITV News
23-04-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Children denied access to life-changing drug is 'unfair' and 'frustrating' say families
ITV Granada Reports correspondent Mel Barham speaks with two families campaigning for better access to a 'life-changing' drug. The families of children with a severe genetic muscle-wasting condition say it's 'unfair' and 'completely frustrating' that they're being denied access to free drugs that will slow its progression. Givinostat is a drug that helps treat patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. 17 year old Jack Johnson has been on the drug for the last five years as part of a clinical trial and says it's made a massive difference to his life: "It makes me feel really sad because I want to help every boy with Duchenne, I want them to have the same opportunities I have been given with this drug." Granada Reports first spoke to Jack Johnson over a decade ago, when the famous 'Joining Jack salute' was adopted by sports stars and celebrities, helping the charity raise millions of pounds for research into the condition. They helped fund a clinical trial for a new drug called Givinostat, which was found to be effective at slowing down the disease. But while Jack's been given access to the drug, only six NHS trusts in the country and none in the North West will treat patients with it. That's despite it being approved as a licensed drug in November and the pharmaceutical company offering it for free to the NHS as part of an early access means there are many boys with Duchenne across the country being denied access to a treatment that could potentially help them. Jack's mum, Alex Johnson says: "I'm completely frustrated, I can't believe it. Everything my family and everyone has done in the North West over past 13 years to get this clinical trial up and running and then to get the drug approved... for us now to be in this situation where free medication cannot be given to these boys, is disgusting."One of those, is nine year old Jack Binns. He's been told because of where he lives in Cheshire, he can't get Givinostat. His mum, Jill Binns, says: "It makes me very sad and very angry. It's just so unfair. We're constantly battling. We just want to see them have a prolonged life and he doesn't understand."Jack Johnson says: "It doesn't make any sense why the NHS wouldn't want to help, that's what they're there for, to help people and this medicine is going to do that." Alex says: "At the minute it just feels like the patients are pawns in a big chess game and they are the ones that are suffering." "I really would encourage the management of these trusts to actually remember that these are boys that deserve this medication, they deserve to try a treatment that is going to slow down the progression of this disease for them." The National Institute for Health and Social Care will assess the drug for cost effectiveness in they approve it, it would be made available across the NHS. What is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy? Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is the most common and severe form of muscular dystrophy. It causes muscle degeneration and weakness due to a mutation in the gene that produces dystrophin, a protein that protects muscle fibres from breaking down. The condition usually only affects boys, with many patients unable to walk by the age of 12 and usually only surviving into their 20s and 30s. There are about 2,500 people in the UK living with DMD at any one time, with about 100 new diagnoses each year.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tennessee lawmakers adjourn after passing bans on DEI initiatives
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee's Republican-led Legislature adjourned its monthslong lawmaking session on Tuesday by passing a final flurry of bills, including ones aimed at diversity, equity and inclusion in governments. Lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that would ban local governments or higher education institutions from making employment decisions based on consideration of someone's race, ethnicity, sex, age or other demographic information, rather other metrics such as merit, qualifications, veteran status or lawful eligibility criteria. They passed another bill Tuesday that would unravel offices and programs at various levels of state and local governments that promote DEI, and delete age, gender or race requirements on certain boards. The Tennessee bills follow the lead of President Donald Trump's administration, which has hinged the payout of some federal funding on the deletion of DEI considerations in both public and private organizations. 'We want to make sure that we are not discriminating when it comes delivering services to our constituents,' said Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, the bill's sponsor. Democratic Sen. Jeff Yarbro said the legislation goes further and erodes some provisions of civil rights law that have been in law for decades. 'This is a vast overreach and we shouldn't be going after civil rights laws and pretending like we're only going after DEI,' Yarbro said. Some other prominent bills noticeably didn't cross the finish line during the session that began in January. One of them would have installed a state oversight board for Memphis' public school district, but it got entangled in House and Senate differences. Another that was sent to die off in a committee would have added restrictions for which bathrooms and similar private areas transgender people can use in correctional facilities, juvenile detention centers, public higher education institutions and domestic violence shelters. And most notably, a proposal was halted that would have aimed to challenge the constitutional precedent for children to access a public education regardless of immigration status. The bill sponsor opted to ask for federal guidance on it. Lawmakers passed several other bills that take a hard line on immigration this session, however, including one finalized Tuesday that makes it a crime for someone to intentionally transport, house or conceal someone they know is in the country illegally, if it is done for commercial advantage or private financial gain. The last day of legislative action coincided with the start of jury selection for the criminal corruption trial of former House Speaker Glen Casada and his onetime top aide Cade Cothren, just a few blocks away from the Capitol in Nashville. Some lawmakers will be back downtown in the coming days or weeks to testify, some for federal prosecutors, others for the defense. House Speaker Cameron Sexton, who has assisted federal authorities, is one of them. The legislative year started with a sprint on the most contentious topic on lawmakers' plates. In a special session over a matter of days, in January they approved the governor's universal school voucher expansion program.
