News and updates

Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team read this week.

Coronavirus: Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health warned of an “inevitable” coronavirus outbreak in the US. This comes after several new cases, without a known source, were identified in Iran, Thailand, Italy, Switzerland, and other countries. Following this news, the stock market took a serious hit with the Dow dropping by 900 points. More at Washington Post. 

Trump in India: President Trump went to India on an official state visit this week, making him the 7th US President to visit India while in office. He was met by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad to much fanfare. A slideshow of his visit was published by the Washington Post.

Space Force: The Pentagon and Congressional leaders are apparently working to iron out the details of the new Space Force, which is for the time being under the supervision of the Air Force. The Space Force was authorized as part of the FY2020 Defense Authorization Bill. Key elements, such as staffing, are still TBD. More at Roll Call.

India Citizenship Law: Violent protests in India’s capital New Delhi have killed over a dozen people. Hindu and Muslim Indians are clashing over a new citizenship law which critics assert is anti-Muslim. The law in question, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), would grant amnesty to non-Muslims from neighboring countries. More at BBC.

Mini Moon: Researchers at the University of Arizona discovered an asteroid orbiting earth, which is essentially functioning as a “mini moon”. The asteroid is known as “2020 CD3” and will only be orbiting temporarily. More at CNN.

DHS Pilot Programs: The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly ramping up use of the PACR pilot program to fast-track asylum seekers. Documents turned over as part of a lawsuit indicate front-line CBP Officers have extremely wide discretion in determining who gets put in the program. The PACR program also requires asylum seekers to remain in CBP custody for almost a week. More at Roll Call.

Biggest Explosion since the Big Bang: Telescopes have apparently detected the biggest explosion since the Big Bang. It is said to have occurred about 390 million light years from Earth. More at BBC.

Below is a selection of articles the Federal Relations team has read this week.

Boeing Tax Break: WA State Legislators have introduced a bill which would cancel an aerospace tax break for Boeing, but would also help the manufacturer avoid European tariffs. It would also protect WA agriculture from EU tariffs. More at Seattle Times.

Pardon Spree: This week President Trump has pardoned several convicted felons including former Illinois Governor Bob Blagojevich and others. More at Washington Post.

Roger Stone Trial: Roger Stone will face a sentencing hearing for impeding the 2016 investigation into Russian election interference. More at Washington Post.

Germany Attacks: 9 victims were killed on Wednesday night in a shooting at two German shisha bars. Chancellor Angela Merkel said there are indications that the attack was racially-motivated. 5 of the victims were Turkish citizens, and the Government of Turkey is pushing the German government to investigate quickly. More at BBC.

Intelligence Community: President Trump has appointed Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell to be Acting Director of National Intelligence, the position which oversees all US intelligence. Notably, Acting Director Grenell is believed to be the first openly-LGBT member of Trump’s cabinet. Critics have argued that he does not have intelligence or significant high-level management experience. However, he has previously served in several government roles including at the US Mission to the UN. He is limited to serve for 210 days in an Acting capacity. More at NPR.

Diamond Princess: Two elderly passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship have died after contracting coronavirus. Passengers are slowly being allowed to disembark the cruise ship after being cleared following a two week quarantine in Japan. Several dozen passengers have tested positive, however. Communications from people on the ship describe a chaotic experience onboard. More at USA Today.