Tag: NDCB

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — America’s fallen heroes were honored in a big way on Thursday. Each year, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard, places American flags at the headstones of service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

For nine years, Christopher Anderson has participated in the tradition, but this year it hits even closer to home for him.

“There’s a lot to take in. I have fallen comrades,” Anderson said. “My father-in-law is buried in Arlington, who just recently passed last year.”

This is something these soldiers do every year ahead of Memorial Day.

“The cemetery is huge, and you get to see so much. So much is going on. So many soldiers from so many years, the United States Army or any other branch,” Alexa Gordon, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment said. 

Soldiers taking part in the ceremony say it’s not only about honoring the past, but also making sure those who gave their lives are never forgotten.

“I look at it and this tells me this could be anybody, right?” Nassim Cordin, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment said. 

It takes about 1,500 soldiers to place flags at roughly 260,000 headstones.

It was Cordin’s first year participating, and the soldiers there call it an all-hands-on-deck mission.

“It’s very well planned and organized. You know, everything’s broken down into sections. Everybody knows where they’re going,” Cordin said. 

Since 1948, the Old Guard has kept this tradition going. 

As a first timer Gordon says being on those hallowed grounds is eye-opening. 

“As you come into the cemetery knowing some things, but when you walk out, you realize how big of an impact you are to the unit, to the people who do reside here,” Gordon said. 

All flags are removed after Memorial Day before the cemetery is opened to the public.

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)— These parents are usually fighting to get their kids to take a nap. But instead, they’re taking the fight to Congress, in an event they call Strolling Thunder.

“We really want you to think babies,” Lorna Harris-Fisher, Massachusetts Strolling Thunder Family said.

“We are doing the hardest job possible, under the most difficult condition,” Cruz Bueno, Rhode Island Strolling Thunder Family said.

Parents and kids came to this rally on Capitol Hill, to rattle lawmakers.

“We’re demanding that our public servants enact policies that prioritize children’s well-being, care and strengthen the family,” Bueno said.

A handful of lawmakers met with the kids and their parents and promised to dedicate more resources for childcare, child mental health resources and more.

“You just aren’t speaking up for your family, you’re speaking for millions of families under the weight of a broken childcare system,” Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) said.

Clark and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) say parents should keep the pressure on lawmakers.

“No child should be unable to reach their potential in this country because of insufficient resources,” DeLauro said.

“You want to allow families to flourish cause that’s the bedrock of society,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said.

Johnson and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.)  say it’s the president’s economic policies, that are making life tougher for parents and their kids.

“You’re seeing increases in diaper costs, you’re seeing increases in formula, the lack of access to baby formula,” Stefanik said.

The parents say this is not a Democratic or Republican issue.  It’s a family issue.

“Families of all shapes and sizes are affected by these things,” Harris-Fisher said.

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Columbia University leadership says it is actively taking steps to counter a wave of antisemitism on its campus since the beginning of the Israeli-Hamas war October.

Tuesday, House Republicans grilled the university’s president Dr. Minouche Shafik, calling the Ivy league institution a hot bed for Jewish hate.

Dr. Shafik told lawmakers the university is cracking down. 

15 students were suspended, and 5 professors disciplined for inflammatory speech. She also says a newly formed university task force is working to clearly define hate speech.

“To actually clarify what language crosses the line,” says Dr Shafik.

In a yes or no question, Dr. Shafik confirmed to lawmakers that calling for the genocide of Jews does in fact violate Columbia’s code of conduct.

Failing that test, previously cost leaders at Harvard and the University Pennsylvania their jobs.

The university did fire a professor who praised Hamas on social media October 11th. Rep Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) says he should never have been hired.

For some Jewish students the actions are too little too late, before the hearing a group from Columbia and Barnard University accused the university of allowing hate to brew.

“The Jewish students on campus have been under extreme duress since October,” said Barnard University student Yola Ashkenazie.

“A tenured professor insisted that people who are religiously observant and go regularly to synagogue are indoctrinated,” recounted Columbia student Eden Yadegar, “A student’s star of David was ripped off her neck.”

Republicans, including Committee Chairwoman Rep Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), argues the university should have reacted sooner.

“Columbia stands guilty of gross negligence at its best,” said Foxx, “at worst has become a platform for those supporting terrorism and violence against the Jewish people.”

Stefanik and Foxx are vowing to hold the Ivy League institution accountable.

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The fate of the abortion pill, mifepristone, lies with the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, the nine justices will hear oral arguments in FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, a case that could limit access to mifepristone, one of only two pills approved for a medication abortion.

Anti-abortion advocates say the drug is dangerous and should never have been approved for widespread use.

“Roughly one in 25 women will end up in the emergency room after taking these drugs,” Erik Baptist, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom said.

Baptist represents the abortion drug’s opponents. He says the FDA violated the law by removing safeguards for the medication, including an initial in-person doctor visit.

“Thereby allowing abortion providers to mail these drugs without ever having to check women for life-threatening conditions or complications,” Baptist said.

Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith (R-Miss.) says the FDA should be protecting women from the drug.

“They are breaking the law in doing this they’re endangering lives by doing this,” Hyde-Smith said. “This just is not right, and women deserve better than this.”

The FDA insists mifepristone is safe and its safety and effectiveness are closely monitored.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a Senate hearing earlier this month that restricting access to the drug would be harmful.

“If mifepristone were to be lost to Americans who need its medication, it would further reduce access to care,” Becerra said. “It would also mean that more women would probably place themselves in further danger trying to access the care that they need.”

The White House says it will keep pushing for nation-wide protections for reproductive rights,

“We have confidence in our arguments before the court,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during Monday’s press briefing.

The Supreme Court should rule on the case by the end of June.

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Former top military leaders who led the U.S.’s withdrawal out of Afghanistan spent hours testifying before Congress Tuesday.

Republicans blamed President Biden for the deadly and chaotic Afghanistan exit. 

“The White House refused to listen to warnings about the situation on the ground,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas.) said.

 McCaul chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. 

McCaul pointed to military leaders’ advice to keep some troops in Afghanistan. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley says that could have prevented the Taliban takeover.

“Without their support, it was my view at the time that it was only a matter of when not if the Afghan government would collapse and the Taliban would take control,” Gen. Milley said. 

The Taliban retook control of Afghanistan just weeks after the last American troops left. During the evacuation in August 2021, an ISIS suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. servicemembers and more than 60 Afghans while thousands were evacuating at Kabul’s airport. 

“Desperate Afghans fell to their deaths from airplanes, and hordes of people surrounded the airport as they tried to flee for their lives,” McCaul said. 

The retired military leaders said that evacuation order should have come earlier.

“It was my judgment that it was far too little too late,” Former CENTCOM Commander Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said. 

“Was that your assessment General Milley?” McCaul said.

“It was,” Milley said.

But Democrats on the committee blamed former President Trump for agreeing to withdraw troops while he was in office.

“Trump promised the American people every single American soldier would be out,” Rep. Brad Sherman (D- Calif.) said. 

Milley said the 20-year war should be looked at in its entirety. He said no one could actually say when a withdrawal could safely be completed.

“It was a process of withdrawal that spanned a decade. The fundamental tension facing the president, in fact, two presidents was that no one could satisfactorily explain when or even if those conditions would ever be met,” Milley said. 

During questioning, Milley also said it’s unclear how many Americans were left behind in the evacuation. He said the number there to begin with was never known.

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in a case over conservative social media posts. Republican-led states are accusing the Biden administration of pressuring companies to take down posts it didn’t agree with.

The justices overall seemed skeptical of the GOP argument, but some still entertained it.

“This is absolutely one of the most important cases,” said Gov. Jeff Landry (R-La.)

Republican-led states are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to say the Biden administration went too far in combatting conservative views on social media.

“What happened here was a relentless pressure campaign brought by the federal government to take down protected speech,” said Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill.

Louisiana and Missouri attorneys general accuse Biden administration officials of strong-arming social media companies to change controversial posts about COVID-19 and election security.

“I think the evidence clearly establishes coercion.” Said Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

Conservative Justice Samuel Alito said he worried about the pressure coming from administration officials to target misinformation.

“It’s treating Facebook and these other platforms like their subordinates. Would you do that to the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal or the Associated Press?”  Alito asked.

The Biden administration argued its officials did not overstep and stressed these controversial posts were happening at a volatile time -the height of the pandemic.

“There was a concern that Americans were getting their news about the vaccine from these platforms, and the platforms were promoting, not just posting, but promoting bad information,” said Principal Deputy Solicitor General Brian Fletcher.

Lower courts have sided with the Republican-led states, but the Supreme Court blocked those rulings while it considers the issue.

The justices seemed likely to side with the Biden administration.

“We think we have a responsibility to give people accurate information and not bad information,” said Fletcher.

The justices will have to rule on several cases this term related to social media and conservative views. Their decisions could set standards for free speech in the digital age.

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – In his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden announced a plan for U.S. Army and Navy forces to build a temporary pier on the Gaza coast. 

It will allow the U.S. and other countries to deliver shiploads of food, water, medicine and other critical supplies to the more than two million Palestinians caught in the Israel-Hamas war.

“Prevents us from putting boots on the ground in Gaza while at the same time ensuring that we can deliver and distribute aid securely,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. 

Ryder said the emergency mission will require about a thousand troops, mainly from a Virginia base. He said other countries will be responsible for securing and distributing the aid.

“Sixty days from now, this will be up and operating,” Ryder said. 

White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt said land missions and air drops will continue, but the new port will more effective.

“Ships can carry so much more humanitarian assistance than trucks,” LaBolt said. 

The Pentagon expects the mission to eventually provide two million meals a day to Gaza.

“No one should be able to accept the suffering that we’ve seen,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY.).

Congress has been largely supportive of the announcement, but even Biden administration officials worry about protecting the aid.

“Once within Gaza, the assistance has to be distributed more effectively to people who need it,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 

Blinken pointed to chaotic distribution efforts, where Palestinians have rushed aid trucks. 

Blinken stressed the best solution is a ceasefire.

“The issue is whether Hamas will decide or not to have a ceasefire that would benefit everyone,” he said. 

The U.S. was hoping for a deal before Ramadan this weekend, but negotiations are still stalled.

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Even though President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump were more than 300 miles apart Thursday, the two fought over who to blame for the situation at the border.

President Biden highlighted the need for Congress to pass the bipartisan border bill, while Trump pinned the blame on Biden for the current status at the border.

“It’s time to act, it’s long past time to act,” President Biden said during his visit to Brownsville, Texas. “It’s the toughest, most efficient, most effective, border security bill this country has ever seen,” Biden said.

Former President Trump took shots at Biden for the border situation during his trip to Eagle Pass, Texas.

“It’s allowing thousands and thousands of people to come in,” Trump said.

Many Republicans in Congress echoed that sentiment, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

“He needs to secure that border and protect our communities because lives are being lost and we cannot wait,” Johnson said.

However, Democrats in both the Senate and the House blame Trump for turning their Republican colleagues away from the border bill.

“He’s the one who tanked the best chance we’ve seen in ages to fix it,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.

Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) took aim at Republicans in the House.

“House Republicans have no right to say they’re focused on solutions when they’re the ones creating the issue,” Aguilar said.

With such a large focus on the border, it’s expected to be a central issue leading into the next election.

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Tuesday voters in Michigan will head to the polls to cast their ballots in the state’s presidential primary race.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley took her campaign to Michigan Monday where she is hoping Republicans in that state will reject former President Donald Trump on Tuesday. 

“Don’t complain about what happens in a general election if you don’t do something in this primary,” Haley said.

Haley says she’s not ready to give up yet– despite Saturday’s 20-point loss to former president Trump in her home state of South Carolina. 

But the latest Emerson University/TheHill.com poll shows Trump is leading Haley by well over 40 points in Michigan.

After Michigan, win or lose Haley promises to continue campaigning in multiple states leading up to next week’s Super Tuesday primaries. 

“I have never seen the Republican party so unified as it is right now, ” Trump said.

Trump is largely ignoring Haley and looking ahead to a rematch with President Biden. 

“We’re going to look at Joe Biden and we’re going to look him right in the eye, he’s destroying our country. And we’re going to say, Joe, you’re fired. Get out, get out, Joe.”

“70% of Americans don’t want a Trump-Biden rematch,” Haley said.

While Trump and Haley are fighting for votes in Michigan, President Biden was in New York Monday raising money for his reelection campaign. 

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is digging her heels in and insisting she’s not dropping out of the race, even as Donald Trump dominates in the polls. 

On Saturday, Haley’s home state of South Carolina will hold its Republican primary election. The latest Emerson College/TheHill.com poll shows Trump leads Haley by 23 points.

In a speech on Tuesday, she directed a defiant message to those telling her to leave the race. 

“South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday I’ll still be running for president,” Haley said. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m campaigning every day until the last person votes.”

George Washington University political science professor Todd Belt says the future isn’t looking good for Haley. 

“She hasn’t been able to win a state. It doesn’t look like she will, even in her home state,” Belt said. 

But Haley insists that even if she loses on Saturday, she’ll keep campaigning. 

“Dropping out would be the easy route. I’ve never taken the easy route. I’ve been the underdog in every race I’ve ever run,” Haley said. 

Professor Belt says she seems to have enough money to keep her campaign going. 

“She has convinced her contributors, and there are many people who are interested in having someone other than Donald Trump as the standard bearer for the Republican party,” Haley said. 

He thinks Haley is focused on the long term, saying her strategy is to outlast Trump and his many ongoing legal issues.

“She’s counting on something to happen to Donald Trump, and she wants to be the best positioned and the best known by staying out there and campaigning,” Belt said. 

Trump and his campaign are pressuring Haley to leave the race now. She argues she is Republicans’ best chance at winning back the White House. 

“Trump is the only Republican Biden can beat,” Haley said. 

President Biden was asked by reporters on Tuesday which candidate he’d rather run against. 

“Oh, I don’t care,” Biden said. 

President Biden is spending his day campaigning in California.