Latest news with #fundingCuts
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Advocates worry federal library cuts could have major impact in Michigan
Livingston County has just six public libraries, and advocates say they're concerned to hear about funding cuts that could strain well-loved resources. Judy Daubenmier, who attended and helped organize a protest over the weekend, said libraries are essential for democracy. "Democracy is supported by things like libraries; libraries are really one of the pillars of democracy," said Daubenmier, who also serves as the chair of the Livingston County Democrats. Back in March, President Trump issued an executive order to dissolve the Institute of Museum and Library Services, "to the maximum extent of the law." The Institute of Museum and Library Services allocates federal funding for local public libraries. "Every penny matters, so to say, 'Hey, come up with $1,000 and pay for these resources,' that might be their entire book budget for a year," said Randy Riley, the State Librarian of Michigan. For the moment, the effort to gut the Institute of Museum and Library Services is on pause after a federal judge granted a restraining order in early May. Holly Ward Lamb, who serves as the director of the Howell Carnegie District Library, says cuts like the ones Mr. Trump has proposed would have a major impact on our state's inter-library loan system. "Libraries are all about resource sharing, whether it's very much at the community level and the idea of we have all these amazing things available; books, audios, e-materials, library of things, but it's all about sharing those resources with our community," Ward Lamb said. Ward Lamb said in Livingston County, library users borrowed more than 19,000 books, e-readers, audio and other library materials in 2024 through the inter-library loan. "That's 19,000 books, or audios or DVDs that would not be available to our patrons," she said. Riley said things like public school field trips to local libraries could probably still function, at least for a while, depending on the cuts. But those losses would strain other programs. "I don't know of any Michigan library that's sitting around saying, 'Hey, we have so much funding, we don't know what to do with it.' They're already stretched pretty thin, so to make up for a hole would be challenging," he said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Guthrie Job Corps closing its doors due to federal budget cuts
GUTHRIE, Okla. (KFOR) — The Guthrie Job Corps is closing down with over 300 students enrolled. The U.S. Department of Labor announced a pause in contractor-operated job corps nationwide due to President Trump's proposed budget for fiscal year 2026. 'Forty percent of the students here are homeless, unhoused, they don't have anywhere to go,' said Taran Richardson, Chief Justice of the Guthrie Job Corp Student Government Association. Richardson said students were given only a few days to pack their belongings and leave campus. 'We had staff, team members trying to get their personal resources, take students and bring them to homeless shelters,' said Richardson. Lawmakers upset after Gov. Stitt brings family member into Friesen fallout In the Guthrie Job Corps, students have opportunities to learn different trade skills, get their driver's license and high school credits with job security after finishing. 'There are so many vulnerable kids out there right now and it's just going to get worse with all the funding cuts to these essential programs,' said Holly Jameson-Birden. Jameson-Birden's son has been enrolled at the Guthrie Job Corps for over nine months. She says the program has been life changing for her family. 'He was a child in crisis, making terrible choices, not on track to be a high school graduate, and there's a sense of hope now and a sense of independence and success,' Jameson-Birden said. With an uncertain future ahead, Jameson-Birden is calling on local leaders for help. 'I just really urge our lawmakers to know that this isn't about budget or policy shift. These are humans and these are humans that don't have another place to go and we need to look at the big picture down the road, and provide the resources that come with job corps and continue funding it,' she said. Jameson-Birden said employees at the Guthrie Job Corp don't know what's next and may be at risk of losing their jobs due to layoffs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Elon Musk savages 'idiot' Bono over 'lies' about DOGE on Joe Rogan
Elon Musk unleashed a storm of fury against U2 frontman Bono, branding the rock legend a 'liar' and an 'idiot' after the singer claimed Musk's proposed DOGE cuts to USAID have led to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience on Friday, Bono, 65, whose real name is Paul David Hewson, criticized proposed funding reductions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal body led by Musk that aims to streamline US agencies. The longtime humanitarian claimed the cuts to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have already resulted in more than 300,000 deaths worldwide, including over 200,000 children suffering from malnutrition, malaria and pneumonia. 'It's not proven, but there is surveillance enough to suggest that 300,000 people have already died from just this cut off, this hard cut, of USAID,' Bono said. He alleged that mass layoffs have left tons of food, water and medical aid undelivered. 'There's food rotting in boats and warehouses,' Bono continued. 'There is 50,000 tons of food that are stored in Djibouti, South Africa, Dubai... that is rotting rather than going to Gaza or Sudan. Because the people who knew the codes for the warehouses [where the food is stored] were fired ... gone. What is that? That's not America, is it?' Musk, clearly incensed, took to X, formerly Twitter, to scorch the U2 frontman. 'He's such a liar/idiot. Zero people have died!' the billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO wrote in a now-viral post. But, he didn't stop there - Musk followed up with: 'Got a big one here @lfindRetards.' Later, he posted a clip from South Park titled 'Is Bono the Biggest Piece of Crap in the World?' with the caption 'Bono.' Bono cited a study by Boston University professor Brooke Nichols to support his claims, he also acknowledged concerns about downsizing government but warned that steep cuts to the aid agency are already having dire consequences. 'To destroy, to vandalize, it felt like with glee, that these life support systems were being pulled out of the walls,' Bono said before referencing a story published in Christianity Today. '[One worker said], "We don't have the funds, we have to choose which child to pull off the IVs." It just seems to me, I don't know if "evil" is too strong a word, but what we know about pure evil is that it rejoices in the deaths, in the squandering of human life - particularly children. It actually rejoices in it. And whether it's incompetence, whether it's unintended consequences, it's not too late for people.' Bono added that he raised the issue with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who he said is 'convinced people aren't dying yet.' Rogan, 57, then challenged Bono's position, describing USAID as a 'money-laundering operation' that has lost even a 'trillion' dollars with 'no oversight, no receipts.' While the organization has faced credible accusations of waste and fraud, such cases are believed to represent only a small portion of its $40 billion budget. Still, the Trump administration placed most USAID workers on leave in February after Musk declared it a 'criminal organization' and said it was 'time to die.' That said, Rogan acknowledged the humanitarian necessity of USAID's work. 'We help the world, and when you're talking about making wells for people in the Congo to get fresh water, when you're talking about food and medicine to places that don't have access - no way that should have been cut out. And that should have been clear before they make these radical cuts. There's got to be a way to keep aid and not have fraud.' Rogan also noted, 'The ironic thing is, even though Elon Musk has proposed all these things and the DOGE committee has proposed all these things, they've made no cuts in terms of the budget. They've cut nothing.' Musk and Rubio's insistence that 'zero people have died' may refer to the fact that the 300,000 figure is a projection, not a confirmed death toll. In the Christianity Today article Bono referenced, aid workers acknowledged recent cuts and warned that child deaths could soon follow. 'I do think we can expect to see increased mortality rates, increased infection, and increased despair if things aren't corrected,' one worker reportedly said. However, Nichols, the infectious disease expert who authored the projection, told The Times UK that tens of thousands likely have already died. 'Because I've been doing HIV [research] for so long, I just assumed that would be where the biggest impact would occur,' she said. 'But I was really shocked by the child deaths from diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition. Tens of thousands of children have died because we've pulled out our funding from diarrhea, pneumonia and food programs.' While there is debate about how many have already died, experts widely agree that the proposed 80 percent reduction in USAID's budget will be catastrophic if fully implemented or left unaddressed. Previously, Bill Gates also criticized Musk for the proposed cuts, telling The Financial Times, 'The picture of the world's richest man killing the world's poorest children is not a pretty one.' The controversy comes amid Musk stepping down from his official White House role and a New York Times report alleging that he took large quantities of ketamine and other drugs while overseeing DOGE. Musk has denied the claims, calling the report 'bs' and saying his packed schedule would make such behavior impossible. Also during the Friday podcast, Bono warned against the Trump administration's broader isolationist stance. 'I just want to remind Americans of the size of their country, and I'm not talking about the geography,' he said. 'The size of the idea, it's just an extraordinary thing. It's an idea big enough to fit the whole world, and when it becomes an island rather than a continent … when it shrinks, America seems to stop being America.'
CBS News
6 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Sen. Michael Bennet returns to Colorado, listens to patients describe Medicaid impact amid possible cuts
Sen. Michael Bennet returned to Colorado this week and listened to patients describe the impact Medicaid has made on them and their families. The Democrat representing Colorado listened to their stories as the federal program faces potential funding cuts. Bennet appeared on the panel with Denver Health CEO Donna Lynne as part of a national conversation about how Medicaid coverage may change in the future. Sen. Michael Bennet sits on a panel listening to Medicaid patients. CBS Bennet listened to patients and doctors describe their experiences with using Medicaid and also how frustrating it can be for older patients to navigate the system. "The doctors at the hospital, they were so helpful, and they told me what I needed to do and they helped me get enrolled in Medicaid. And it was a Godsend because I wouldn't even be here today if I didn't have Medicaid," said one woman who was a patient at Denver Health. One provision in the bill on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, would require some eligible Medicaid patients to return to work if they are capable. Rep. Gabe Evans, a Republican representing Colorado's 8th Congressional District, is on the Energy and Commerce Committee and voted for the bill that he claims will protect Medicaid for those who need it by purging those who aren't eligible. Lynne said Denver Health sees 125,000 patients a year who are on Medicaid. A total of 10% of the patients on Medicaid in Colorado go to Denver Health for treatment and two-thirds of the funding comes from the federal government.
National Post
28-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
NPR sues Trump administration over order to cut funding to public media
NEW YORK — National Public Radio and three of its local stations sued U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, arguing that his executive order cutting funding to the 246-station network violates their free speech and relies on an authority that he does not have. Article content Article content Earlier this month, Trump instructed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and federal agencies to cease funding for NPR and PBS, either directly or indirectly. The president and his supporters argue their news reporting promotes liberal bias and shouldn't be supported by taxpayers. Article content Article content Retaliation is Trump's plain purpose, the lawsuit argues. It was filed in federal court in Washington by NPR and three Colorado entities — Colorado Public Radio, Aspen Public Radio and KUTE, Inc., chosen to show the system's diversity in urban and rural areas. Article content Article content 'By basing its directives on the substance of NPR's programming, the executive order seeks to force NPR to adapt its journalistic standards and editorial choices to the preferences of the government if it is to continue to receive federal funding,' Katherine Maher, NPR's CEO, said Tuesday. Article content The lawsuit alleges that he is acting to contravene the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private nonprofit corporation set up to distribute federal funding to NPR and PBS, which is intended to insulate the system from political interference. Congress has appropriated $535 million yearly to CPB for 2025, 2026 and 2027. Article content In response to the lawsuit, White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said that CPB 'is creating media to support a particular political party on the taxpayers' dime,' so Trump was exercising his authority under the law. 'The president was elected with a mandate to ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars, and he will continue to use his lawful authority to achieve that objective,' Fields said. Article content Article content Trump hasn't hidden his feelings about NPR, calling it a 'liberal disinformation machine' in an April social media post. Article content Article content The court fight seemed preordained, given that the heads of NPR and PBS both reacted to Trump's move earlier this month with statements that they believed it was illegal. The absence of PBS from Tuesday's filing indicates the two systems will challenge this separately; PBS has not yet gone to court, but is likely to soon. Article content 'PBS is considering every option, including taking legal action, to allow our organization to continue to provide essential programming and services to member stations and all Americans,' PBS spokesman Jeremy Gaines said Tuesday. Article content The administration has battled with the press on several fronts. The Federal Communications Commission is investigating ABC, CBS and NBC News. The Associated Press also went to court after the administration restricted access to certain events in response to the organization's decision not to rename the Gulf of Mexico as Trump decreed.
