DOGE team assigned to review National Transportation Safety Board operations

DOGE team assigned to review National Transportation Safety Board operations

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency initiative has recently assigned a team to review operations at the National Transportation Safety Board, a spokesperson for the NTSB confirmed on Wednesday. DOGE has been assigning teams to a number of independent agencies and recently sought to review agencies that are part of the legislative branch. Earlier this month, the White House fired three Democrats on the five-member Consumer Product Safety Commission after a DOGE team visited seeking to join as detailees to the agency. The commissioners filed suit on Wednesday over the dismissals. NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy told reporters in March the agency had not lost any personnel as a result of government job cuts and that it was exempt from DOGE's buyout offer. In an April 14 letter to Congress, Homendy said "the Trump administration has recognized the critical role that the NTSB and its workforce plays." Homendy said the NTSB -- which has around 400 employees - had submitted a reorganization plan that included eliminating 14 positions through regular attrition. DOGE teams have been reviewing leases, staffing and financial contracts signed by smaller agencies among other issues as part of a sweeping overhaul of government. A series of aviation safety incidents including the Jan. 29 mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a Army helicopter that killed 67 people have raised alarm and the NTSB has opened numerous safety investigations into incidents in recent months. The NTSB has also investigated high-profile train derailments and maritime accidents including the 2024 collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore that prompted the board to issue urgent safety recommendations in March. The NTSB workload typically exceeds 2,000 investigations a year. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and Deepa Babington)

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 21, 2025

DOGE team assigned to review National Transportation Safety Board operations

DOGE team assigned to review National Transportation Safety Board operations By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Elon Musk's Depar...

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Budget cuts at Trump EPA become flashpoint at a heated hearing — and, Democrats say, may kill people

Budget cuts at Trump EPA become flashpoint at a heated hearing — and, Democrats say, may kill people

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Environmental Protection Agency clashed with Democratic senators Wednesday, accusing one of being an "aspiring fiction writer" and saying another does not "care about wasting money.'' Democrats countered that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin's tenure will likely mean more Americans contracting lung cancer and other illnesses. The heated exchanges, at a Senate hearing to discuss PresidentDonald Trump's proposal to slash the agency's budget in half, showed the sharp partisan differences over Zeldin's deregulatory approach. Zeldin. a former Republican congressman, has said his tenure will turbocharge the American economy while ensuring clean air and water. Democrats say he is endangering the lives of millions of Americans and abandoning the agency's dual mission to protect the environment and human health. Zeldin, who took office in January, has proposed a flood of changes that wouldsharply reduce the agency's workforce, terminatebillions of dollars in grantsapproved by the Biden administration androll back dozens of environmental rulesincluding landmark regulations on climate change and pollution from coal-fired power plants. Sharp words, back and forth Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told Zeldin that a planto cut EPA spending by 55%means that, to Zeldin and Trump, "more than half of the environmental efforts of the EPA ... to make sure Americans have clean air and clean water, are just a waste." If approved by Congress, the budget cuts "will mean there's more diesel and more other particulate matter in the air" and that "water that Americans drink is going to have more chemicals," Schiff said. "Your legacy will be more lung cancer," he told Zeldin. "It'll be more bladder cancer. It'll be more leukemia and pancreatic cancer ... more rare cancers of innumerable varieties.'' Replied Zeldin: "I understand that you are an aspiring fiction writer. I see why." Schiff said the real fiction was Zeldin's apparent belief that he can cut the EPA's budget in half "and it won't affect people's health, or their water or their air." Schiff said the Republican administrator was "totally beholden to the oil industry," adding: "You could give a rat's ass about how much cancer your agency causes." Zeldin engaged in a similar rhetorical match with Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Whitehouse said Zeldin and others at EPA have made "baseless accusations of fraud" about grants awarded under Democratic President Joe Biden, removed "career officials who stood up for the rule of law" and deployed FBI agents "to harass career civil servants.'' Questions over whether Zeldin reviewed canceled grants Whitehouse also challenged Zeldin's contention that he had personally reviewed 781 Biden-era grants totaling nearly $2 billion that the Trump administration later canceled. The grants were intended to address chronic pollution in minority communities and jump-start clean energy programs across the country, but Zeldin said they were plagued by conflicts of interest and unqualified recipients. "You don't care about wasting money, but the Trump administration does, Senator," Zeldin said. When Whitehouse pressed to see Zeldin's schedule to prove he personally reviewed the grants before canceling them, Zeldin said he's worked on the issue "almost every single day" since taking office. "We are cracking down on every waste, every aspect of abuse,'' Zeldin said, adding that Whitehouse seemed unable to grasp that more than one person could review EPA's grant program. "I am insisting on the facts,'' Whitehouse said. American taxpayers "put President Trump in office because of people like you," Zeldin replied. "They have Republicans in charge of the House and Senate because of people like you. You don't want me to go through the list of all the evidence of waste and abuse." Whitehouse replied that Zeldin should explain why Justice Department lawyers, speaking under oath on behalf of the agency, have "said that everything you just said is not true. That's what I want."

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 21, 2025

Budget cuts at Trump EPA become flashpoint at a heated hearing — and, Democrats say, may kill people

Budget cuts at Trump EPA become flashpoint at a heated hearing — and, Democrats say, may kill people WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Envir...

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Ernie Els, Retief Goosen join South African president in White House meeting with Trump

Ernie Els, Retief Goosen join South African president in White House meeting with Trump

Ernie Els went to Washington to try to win another senior major andwound up in the White Houseon Wednesday at the invitation of South Africa's president, who is pushing back against PresidentDonald Trump's baseless claims of systematic killing of white farmers in the country. Els and Retief Goosen, both Hall of Fame players who have combined to win six U.S. Open titles, were part of the delegation with President Cyril Ramaphosa. Trump had already cut all U.S. assistance to South Africa and welcomed several dozen white South African farmers to the U.S. as refugees as he pressed the case that a "genocide" is underway in the country. He haslaunched a series of accusationsat South Africa's Black-led government, claiming it is seizing land from white farmers, enforcing anti-white policies andpursuing an anti-American foreign policy. Experts in South Africa say there is no evidence of whites being targeted for their race, although farmers of all races are victims of violent home invasions in a country that suffers from a very high crime rate. Trump, who developed high-end golf courses before entering politics, is at ease among some of the game's greats from Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods. He first played golf with Els, who lives in south Florida, eight years ago. "When I spoke to you, you said, 'Yes, come along and bring Gary Player and Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.' I brought the two of them," Ramaphosa said. He said he spoke with Player, who turns 90 in November, and Player said he was getting in on years but wished them luck in the discussion. Trump awarded Player the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Jan. 7, 2021, one day after pro-Trump rioters attacked the White House. "We're proud South Africans," Els said when Trump asked him to speak. "We want to see things get better in our home country. That's the bottom line. It's been 35 years since the transition (from apartheid). "I know there's a lot of anger through the transition, a lot of stuff happening in apartheid days. We grew up in the apartheid era. But I don't think two wrongs make a right." Els said Nelson Mandela "didn't come out with hatred" when he was freed after 27 years in prison, instead working to unify South Africa through sport after being elected president in 1994. He cited the World Cup of Rugby in 1995, winning the African Nations in soccer and a few golf majors. Els won four majors, two each at the U.S. Open and British Open. Goosen, who recovered from being struck by lightning, won two U.S. Opens. Both were in Washington for the Senior PGA Championship, which starts Thursday at Congressional Country Club across the Potomac River in Bethesda, Maryland. "What I'm trying to say is this has been a long time coming. That's why we really wanted to meet you and see our way forward," Els said. "We still want to see our country flourish. ... There's a lot of co-existence going on, but we need the U.S. to push this thing through." Goosen, whose father was a property developer and a part-time farmer, grew up in what now is Polokwane. He said his brother is still running the farm but "it's a constant battle with ... them trying to burn the farm down to chase you away." "It is a concern to try to make a living as a farmer," he said. Els, known as the "Big Easy" for his fluid swing, first played golf with Trump in 2017 during his first term in office. "We didn't talk politics because I'm not a man who can cast a vote," Els told The Associated Press that year. "Whether you agree or not, I felt it was a duty to play with the president when you get the call. It's basically honoring what the United States has done for me and my family." ___ AP golf:https://apnews.com/hub/golf

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 21, 2025

Ernie Els, Retief Goosen join South African president in White House meeting with Trump

Ernie Els, Retief Goosen join South African president in White House meeting with Trump Ernie Els went to Washington to try to win another s...

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Rep. Gerry Connolly, top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, dies at 75

Rep. Gerry Connolly, top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, dies at 75

WASHINGTON — Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee known for his vocal advocacy of federal workers and his frequent clashes with Republicans during televised hearings, died Wednesday morning, his family said. He was 75. His death comes less than a year after he won a competitive race to become the ranking member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, one of the key panels that are charged with keeping a check on the executive branch. He announced in April that his esophageal cancer had returned despite "grueling treatments," and that he would not be running for re-election in 2026. "Gerry lived his life to give back to others and make our community better. He looked out for the disadvantaged and voiceless. He always stood up for what is right and just. He was a skilled statesman on the international stage, an accomplished legislator in Congress, a visionary executive on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, a fierce defender of democracy, an environmental champion, and a mentor to so many," his familysaid in a statementannouncing his death. "But more important than his accomplishments in elected office, Gerry lived by the ethos of 'bloom where you are planted.' From the Silver Line to the Oakton Library, Mosaic District to the Cross County Trail and beyond, his legacy now colors our region." Connolly is the third House Democrat to die in office during the past three months. Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Texas,suddenly diedon March 5, shortly after attending President Donald Trump's address to Congress. And longtime Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.,diedon March 13 after his own cancer diagnosis. Connolly's death means Republicans now hold a 220-212 majority in the House. Before elected office, Connolly worked as a Democratic staffer on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, including for one of its members, then-Sen. Joe Biden, of Delaware. In 1995, Connolly won a seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C., and served for 14 years, including the last five as board chairman. When GOP Rep. Tom Davis announced he would not run for re-election in 2008, Connolly jumped into the race to succeed him. Connolly cruised to victory in his primary and then easily defeated his GOP opponent. He won re-election eight times in Virginia's 11th district, which sits in the affluent suburbs outside of the nation's capital and includes Fairfax County. Virignia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, will need to call a special election to fill the vacant, deep-blue House seat, according to state law. After the 2024 election, when Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., announced he would step down as the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee to run for the ranking member job on the Judiciary Committee, Connolly threw his hat in the ring. He faced an insurgent challenge from progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., 35. With the backing of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., ConnollydefeatedOcasio-Cortez in a closely watched 131-84 vote. Doctors had aggressively tried to treat his cancer, but last month Connolly said his cancer had returned and that he would be stepping away from day-to-day duties leading Oversight Committee Democrats. He asked a senior member of the panel, Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., to step into the role on an interim basis and endorsed him to replace him. Democrats will now need tofill the Oversight Committee jobin the coming weeks. In addition to Lynch, Reps. Kweisi Mfume, D-Md., Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, and Robert Garcia, D-Calif., are among those who have been reaching out to colleagues about running for the ranking member spot. In a statement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., remembered Connolly for his oversight work, foreign policy expertise — including serving twice as president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly — his defense of federal workers, and his wit. "Even as he battled a difficult cancer diagnosis, Ranking Member Connolly continued to push back against the unprecedented attacks on the federal workers in his district and across the country," Jeffries said. "In addition to his legislative wisdom, Gerry always brought his signature mirth and wit to the House, making even something like proxy voting apoint of levityduring an otherwise challenging time in our nation."

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 21, 2025

Rep. Gerry Connolly, top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, dies at 75

Rep. Gerry Connolly, top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, dies at 75 WASHINGTON — Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, the top Democrat on t...

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Spokane County expands surveillance camera program to 26 new locations

Spokane County expands surveillance camera program to 26 new locations

(The Center Square) – Spokane County can now expand its crime prevention camera program to more than two dozen locations after local officials greenlighted the initiative on Tuesday. The Board of County Commissioners amended itsagreementwith Flock Safety to authorize cameras at26street corners. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office already operates 39 Flock cameras around the jurisdiction, and the city of Spokane uses similar surveillance cameras. The Flock cameras detect license plates to identify specific vehicles, but not facial recognition for any particular person, gender or race. The county retains the data for 30 days and has detected over 750,000 cars in the last month alone, more than 950 of which were on a "hotlist." "If you turn around and hire deputies to go out and do it like we were doing before these," Cpl. Mark Gregory said Wednesday, "what would be the cost of that? … To run that many plates takes a lot of time, but the cameras are doing basically the same thing that a deputy would do." According to atransparency portal, the cameras reference data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to identify if a driver is wanted or operating a stolen vehicle. The program also checks for missing children and can broadcast Amber Alerts in the event of a kidnapping. Gregory said each camera costs around $3,000 annually after maintenance and about $750 to install. The Sheriff's Office currently has 12 cameras on hand that it can install at the 26 newly approved locations, expanding its presence alongside the other 39 cameras around the county. A deputy's salaryrangesfrom $72,000 in Spokane for entry-level positions to $105,000 for those with over 20 years of experience. Gregory said that the cameras provide a more efficient method of scanning plates, with grants funding all the cameras thus far, saving local tax dollars. "I wish we never had to use cameras. I wish I came in and the doors were locked, saying, 'There's no crime anymore, go home," Gregory told The Center Square. "I'd retire in a heartbeat, but we've literally caught sexual assault suspects [with these]; you name it, we've done it." Advocate Brennan McCurdy started apetitionlast month, urging the Spokane City Council to pause theinstallationof more cameras until it conducts a public hearing on the issue. The council approved the purchase of eight cameras in March and allowed for public comment. The county also held a public hearing on Tuesday before expanding its program, but no one showed up to testify for or against it. McCurdy argues that a camera tracks people's movement without a warrant, contrary to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Carpenter v. United States. Advocates inMemphisandAtlantahave reported that authorities installed surveillance cameras outside their homes. Gregory isn't aware of any complaints in Spokane but said that local policy would flag repeated searches for a specific vehicle if there were no corresponding investigations. The Center Square contacted McCurdy for comment but didn't receive an immediate response. "Even if you don't live in Spokane," McCurdy wrote in his petition, "if you pass through — even occasionally — your movements are still being tracked. This affects all of us."

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 21, 2025

Spokane County expands surveillance camera program to 26 new locations

Spokane County expands surveillance camera program to 26 new locations (The Center Square) – Spokane County can now expand its crime prevent...

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