Latest news with #U.S.HealthandHumanServices
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oregon leaders decry, challenge new Head Start immigration restrictions
Kindergarteners at Durham Elementary School in Tigard eat a free lunch on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. Oregon leaders decried a new rule from the federal government barring youth without permanent legal status about to enter Kindergarten from enrolling in the federal Head Start program. (Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Oregon's Head Start programs are in flux after the federal government reversed a decades-long rule that allowed children 5 and younger, regardless of immigration status, to participate in the national early childhood care program that enrolls more than 12,000 Oregon children. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced changes to the Head Start program earlier this month as part of a broader shift in eligibility for benefits that he said had 'diverted hardworking Americans' tax dollars to incentivize illegal immigration.' The rule undoes historical exemptions that allow immigrant families without permanent legal status access to some community-based benefits such as substance abuse programs, certain health care clinics and Title X family planning programs. The human services department estimates these changes will affect 115,000 children and families nationwide, according to a recent analysis. Oregon-specific numbers aren't available because the state's Head Start program doesn't collect information on immigration status. Nancy Perin, executive director of the Wilsonville-based Oregon Head Start Association, said the group is waiting to hear how the regulations will affect different Head Start programs, such as those tied to nonprofits, universities or public schools. Perin's understanding of the National Head Start Act is that it guarantees children enrolled in the program can remain in it until they start kindergarten. One Oregon facility estimated about a third of the children who attend would be kicked out of the program should immigration status restrictions be implemented, Perin said. 'What does that mean now? What do we do about those kiddos?' she said. 'We're just kind of in a flux.' The new federal rules also spurred a multi-state coalition of Head Start providers that includes Oregon to update an April lawsuit it filed against the Health and Human Services Department over the closure of offices and restrictions against using funds for diversity, equity and inclusion. The group argues the most recent directive lacks clarity and guidance around implementation, with their amended complaint calling the new regulation 'yet another step in defendants' attempt to hobble the Head Start program in defiance of Congress.' 'It's going to affect generations to come, not just today's kids, not just tomorrow's 5-year-olds, but there are people right now who are considering having them who are not going to have access to these supports,' said Candice Williams, executive director of the statewide Head Start nonprofit Family Forward Oregon, which is among the lawsuit's plaintiffs. 'That's going to limit their ability to even engage in becoming parents.' The department is challenging an interpretation of exemptions on immigration restrictions for certain benefits provided by the federal government, such as child care, some health care clinics, and preschool that dates to the 1990s. In a July 10 statement, the National Head Start Association said families haven't been required to document their immigration status to enroll in the program in its six-decade history. Oregon's child care shortage has been an issue lawmakers have tried to address for years. A 2023 report for Oregon's Early Learning Division found that most Oregon counties are child care deserts. Of the more than 260,000 Oregon children aged 5 and younger, 63% had all their available parents out working jobs, according to the D.C-based nonprofit First Five Years Fund. A lack of care can lead to parents losing their jobs to take care of their kids, ultimately rippling into the economy by lowering the amount of time they have to work. In the federal lawsuit, Family Forward Oregon says that a child care provider it employs has been forced to take unpaid days off of work and was instructed they would receive reduced wages 'due to funding concerns.' Another of the group's staff members informed them she would not attend a lobbying day in Washington, D.C., because of her family's mixed immigration status, Williams said. 'We're seeing our employees not be able to do their jobs,' Williams said. 'We're seeing the Oregon families who participate in our leadership development not be able to show up for fear of retribution and retaliation.' In a Friday statement, the two chairs of Oregon's Legislative Child Care Caucus acknowledged fears those cuts and changes to Head Start eligibility have caused for families, child care providers and workers. The Oregon Legislature concluded this year's legislative session with a budget that slashed $45 million in early childhood learning programs, a factor that the lawmakers said was 'causing stress in communities across Oregon.' Reps. Hòa Nguyễn, D-Portland, and Jules Walters, D-West Linn, the caucus chairs, said they would continue working to protect access to child care and investing state money in the system. 'Oregon's future depends on the well-being of our youngest learners, and the people who nurture and teach them,' they said. 'We are dedicated to advancing policies that reflect those values.' 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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Major change coming to ice cream recipes by 2028
Ice cream may soon start tasting differently. The U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. intends for the Food and Drug Administration to phase out the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the nation's food supply. As a result, a group of 40 ice cream producers, including Turkey Hill and Schwoeppe Dairy, have pledged to remove Red No. 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 by the end of 2027, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. The group accounts for more than 90 percent of the ice cream sold in the U.S. The pledge to remove food dyes will only be applied to ice creams that are made with dairy milk and are sold at grocery stores, convenience stores, and online retailers. Ice creams made with non-dairy ingredients and small businesses that make their own ice cream will not be included, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. The pledge will only apply to ice creams made with dairy milk and sold at grocery stores, convenience stores, and online retailers (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The Trump administration has led the move to eliminate synthetic dyes from the food supply by the end of next year, saying it could mark a 'major step forward' in the drive to 'Make America Healthy Again.' The ban would impact products such as breakfast cereals, candy, and snacks. The dyes have been tied to neurological problems in some children. 'For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,' Kennedy said in a statement back in February. 'These poisonous compounds offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children's health and development.' He added: 'We're restoring gold-standard science, applying common sense, and beginning to earn back the public's trust. And, we're doing it by working with industry to get these toxic dyes out of the foods our families eat every day.' At a cabinet meeting at the beginning of April, Kennedy claimed the dyes directly affect 'academic performance, violence in the schools, and mental health, as well as physical health.' In addition to ice cream, Kraft Heinz, the maker of Jell-O, Kool-Aid, and boxed macaroni and cheese, also announced last month that it would remove all chemical dyes from its products by the end of 2027. The company stated that, while 90 percent of its U.S. products measured by sales are already free of artificial dyes, it will not use any Food, Drug & Cosmetic colors in any new products moving forward. Kraft Heinz said that for the small number of their products that still contain artificial colors, they plan to remove the dyes where they are not critical, replace them with natural colors, or, in instances where the color isn't critical to the product, they would remove them entirely. While many products will not be impacted, some that may see changes include Crystal Light, Heinz relish, Kool-Aid, Jell-O, and Jet-Puffed, as they contain dyes such as Red No. 40 and Blue No. 1. Solve the daily Crossword
UPI
6 days ago
- Business
- UPI
FDA to end dozens of 'obsolete' rules for U.S. food items
"I'm eliminating outdated food regulations that no longer serve the interests of American families," U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (pictured July 15 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.) said Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 16 (UPI) -- The federal government says its ending a whole slew of "obsolete" U.S. food standards that Trump administration officials say also include "unnecessary" ones. "I'm eliminating outdated food regulations that no longer serve the interests of American families," stated U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it's revoking, or proposing to revoke, 52 federal standards for scores of food products in items such as canned fruit, vegetables, dairy, baked goods and macaroni products. It will also apply to areas of food safety, packaging, manufacturing and production practices and nutrition information, labeling and claims on American-made products. A proposal targets 23 types of product -- bakery, noodle and macaroni products, canned fruit juices, fish and shellfish along with flavoring and food dressings. Kennedy said his new U.S. food policy changes marked a "crucial step in my drive to cut through bureaucratic red tape, increase transparency and remove regulations that have outlived their purpose." In March he had ordered the FDA to revise its rule allowing food companies to "self-affirm" the safety of its own ingredients. FDA officials say Wednesday's unveiling is the first round of results in the ongoing review of its portfolio of over 250 "Standards on Identity," with a goal to "make sure they are useful, relevant and serve consumers." "Antiquated food standards are no longer serving to protect consumers. It is common sense to revoke them and move to a more judicious use of food standards and agency resources," said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. The Food and Drug Administration now contends that additional consumer protections mixed with advances in food science, production and agricultural practices have made it "unnecessary" to keep many of the older "recipe standards." A direct rule, which came with a proposed companion in case of a legal challenge, ends federal guidance and standards on 11 types of canned fruits and vegetables the FDA claimed is "no longer sold in U.S. grocery stores." It included seven rules for artificially-sweetened fruits with saccharin or sodium saccharin. The other proposed revocation of standards looks at 18 dairy product types to included certain milk and cream items, frozen desserts, cheese and cheese-related products. "The removal of these standards is in alignment with broader efforts to ensure that HHS is directing resources to where they're most needed," which federal officials say is in "delivering better outcomes for the American people." For example, an FDA analysis concluded that "little to no market" existed for dairy products like Goat's milk ice cream, acidified milk and acidified sour cream. It also included a plethora of cheese lines: Caciocavallo siliciano, Low sodium cheddar, Low sodium colby, Cook cheese, koch kaese, Gammelost, High-moisture jack, Nuworld, Samsoe, Mellorine and Sap sago cheese. In 1939, the U.S. government created food standards for a multitude of consumer and public health-related reasons part of massive social changes that took place under the administration of then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Kennedy's FDA under HHS argued that "many" of the "outdated and unnecessary" federal standards predate later requirements on American consumer protections on public issues such as ingredient safety and labeling. "Because few products covered by these food standards are currently marketed, revoking these 13 food standards would affect few small businesses," according to government officials. The agency claimed that with these changes, small businesses as a result may see "benefits of additional flexibility in product development."
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kraft Heinz products getting no-dye makeover
Condiment giant Kraft Heinz said it won't add artificial coloring to any new product it launches in the U.S., starting now. And in compliance with plans by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the company hopes to get rid of all artificial dyes in U.S.-sold products before 2028. The announcement was made Tuesday morning in a news release that said nearly 90% of the company's products in the U.S. are already free of artificial colors, which are called 'Food, Drug & Cosmetic' colors by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For the products that do contain artificial coloring, the company said it has 'invested significant resources, mobilizing a team to address this complex challenge with a three-pronged approach': Kraft Heinz is removing colors 'not critical to the consumer experience.' It's replacing artificial colors with natural colors. For its third alternative, the company is 'reinventing new colors and shades where matching natural colors are not available.' Kraft Heinz brands include Jell-O, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Capri Sun, Kool-Aid, Grey Poupon, Honig, Oscar Mayer, Classico, Lunchables and Quero, among others. Pedro Navio, North America president of Kraft Heinz, said in the release that the company is more than 150 years old and its product line and recipes are always 'evolving.' He noted they took the artificial colors, preservatives and flavors out of their Kraft Mac & Cheese in 2016. 'Our iconic Heinz Tomato Ketchup has never had artificial dyes — the red color comes simply from the world's best tomatoes," he said. The company also emphasized how much of its product line comes from U.S. sources. 'Today, Kraft Heinz sources the most tomatoes in the U.S., all grown in California for products like Heinz Tomato Ketchup. Claussen pickles (cucumbers) are grown in Ohio and Michigan; Ore-Ida potatoes are grown in Idaho; the dairy for Philadelphia cream cheese comes from farms in Upstate New York,' per the release. Other companies are also eliminating artificial dyes. Reuters reported those include W.K. Kellogg and Tyson Foods, which 'have been working on reformulating existing products and introducing new items without artificial dyes.' The article added that Walmart-owned Sam's Club announced earlier this month that it was getting rid of 40 ingredients, 'including artificial colors and aspartame,' from its Member's Mark brands by the end of 2025. States are also taking steps. California, West Virginia and Virginia have said no to artificial dyes in food. And the Environmental Working Group has reported that dozens of other states are looking at banning artificial coloring and different additives, as well. Deseret News reported in April that Kennedy was going to ban eight petroleum-based artificial food dyes from use in the American food supply. He said they would be eliminated within the next two years. The announcement, made by video, told food manufacturers to choose natural alternatives. In the video, Kennedy said wryly that if people want to consume petroleum, 'they should add it themselves at home.' Per Deseret News, 'Kennedy is focusing on the other eight artificial food dyes, which the Center for Science in the Public Interest calls 'a rainbow of risks.' Those eight are Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2, Citrus Red No. 2, Green No. 3, Orange B, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6." The FDA had already said to stop using red dye No. 3. Authorization for Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B are soon to be revoked, which will also happen to the remaining six petroleum-based dyes by year's end. The driving force behind the ban has been health risk, with some research linking several of the dyes to possible tumor development and neurotoxicity in animal studies. There have been reported worries that had potential risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as Deseret News reported. There are also concerns the dyes could increase the risk of certain cancers. Food manufacturers have said there's not strong evidence of health risks, but Kennedy's team has countered that any risk isn't worth it. And other countries are also taking steps. Per The New York Times, Froot Loops in Canada are colored by blueberries and carrots, while the U.S. version is colored by Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5 and Blue No. 1. Many artificial dyes in food are banned in the European Union. CNN reported that Kraft Heinz's action 'may push rivals to speed up efforts to phase out artificial coloring.'
Japan Today
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Texas governor says more than 160 people still missing after deadly floods
A Texas flag waves in the wind amongst debris from flash flooding at Cedar Stays RV Park in Marble Falls, Texas, Monday, July 7, 2025. (Mikala Compton /Austin American-Statesman via AP) By NADIA LATHAN and JOHN SEEWER More than 160 people are believed to be missing in Texas in the aftermath of the flash floods that killed more than 100 over the July Fourth weekend, Gov Greg Abbott said Tuesday. Abbot said many of those who are not accounted for were staying in state's Hill Country but did not register at a camp or hotel. He spoke at a news conference after taking a helicopter tour of the affected area. Abbott said President Donald Trump has pledged to provide whatever relief Texas needs to recover from the flooding, and he read what he said was a text from U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr in which Kennedy pledged to declare a public health emergency. Abbott said of Trump: 'He could not stop talking about how sad he was for all the little girls who have lost their lives.' Trump planned to visit the state Friday. Meanwhile, public officials in charge of finding victims of the devastating flooding pushed away intensifying questions about who was monitoring the weather and warning that floodwaters were barreling toward camps and homes. Leaders in Kerr County, where searchers have found 87 bodies, said their first priority is recovering victims, not reviewing what happened in the hours before the flash floods inundated the state's Hill Country. 'Right now, this team up here is focused on bringing people home,' Lt. Col. Ben Baker of the Texas Game Wardens, said during a sometimes tense news conference where officials were questioned about the timing of their response. Hope of finding survivors was increasingly bleak. Four days have passed since anyone was found alive in the aftermath of the floods in Kerr County, officials said Tuesday. Abbott planned to make another visit Tuesday to Camp Mystic, the century-old all-girls Christian summer camp where at least 27 campers and counselors died during the floods. Officials said Tuesday that five campers and one counselor have still not been found. Outside the cabins at Camp Mystic where the girls had slept, mud-splattered blankets and pillows were scattered on a grassy hill that slopes toward the river. Also in the debris were pink, purple and light blue luggage decorated with stickers. Among those who died at the camp were a second grader who loved pink sparkles and bows in her curly hair, a 19-year-old counselor who enjoyed mentoring young girls and the camp's 75-year-old director. The flash floods erupted before daybreak Friday after massive rains sent water speeding down hills into the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise 26 feet (8 meters) in less than an hour. The wall of water overwhelmed people in cabins, tents and trailers along the river's edge, pulling them into the water. Some survivors were found clinging to trees. Some campers had to swim out of cabin windows to safety while others held onto a rope as they made their way to higher ground. Time-lapse videos showed how floodwaters covered roads in a matter of minutes. Although it's difficult to attribute a single weather event to climate change, experts say a warming atmosphere and oceans make catastrophic storms more likely. Questions mounted about what, if any, actions local officials took to warn campers and residents who were spending the July Fourth weekend in the scenic area long known to locals as 'flash flood alley.' Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said that sending out warnings isn't 'as easy as pushing a button.' Answers about who did what and when will come later, public officials said. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the county's chief elected official, said in the hours after the devastation that the county does not have a warning system. Generations of families in the Hill Country have known the dangers. A 1987 flood forced the evacuation of a youth camp in the town of Comfort and swamped buses and vans. Ten teenagers were killed. Local leaders have talked for years about the need for a warning system. Kerr County sought a nearly $1 million grant eight years ago for such a system, but the request was turned down by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Local residents balked at footing the bill themselves, Kelly said. Some camps were aware of the dangers Friday and monitored the weather. At least one moved several hundred campers to higher ground before the floods. But many people didn't move or were caught by surprise. The bodies of 30 children were among those that have been recovered in Kerr County, home to Camp Mystic and several other summer camps, the sheriff said. The devastation spread across several hundred miles in central Texas all the way to just outside the capital city of Austin. Nineteen deaths were reported in Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green and Williamson counties, local officials said. Aidan Duncan escaped just in time after hearing the muffled blare of a megaphone urging residents to evacuate Riverside RV Park in the Hill Country town of Ingram. All of his belongings — a mattress, sports cards, his pet parakeet's bird cage — now sit in caked mud in front of his home. 'What's going on right now, it hurts,' the 17-year-old said. 'I literally cried so hard.' Search-and-rescue teams used heavy equipment to untangle trees and move large rocks as part of the massive search for missing people. Hundreds of volunteers showed up to help with one of the largest search operations in Texas history. Along the banks of the Guadelupe, 91-year-old Charles Hanson, a resident at a senior living center, was sweeping up wood and piling pieces of concrete and stone, remnants from a playground structure. He wanted to help clean up on behalf of his neighbors who can't get out. 'We'll make do with the best we got,' he said. Associated Press writers Joshua A. Bickel in Kerrville, Texas; Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas; and John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this report. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
