Category Archives: Fiscal Freedom

Patricia Covalli

Florence Bank has named Patricia Covalli its Community Support Award winner. Covalli, a collections officer, joined the bank in February 2015 and has 25 years of banking experience. The Community Support Award was established by Florence Bank in 1997 as a means of formally recognizing employees who are active participants in community events and donate their personal and professional time to local not-for-profit organizations. Each year, the award recipient has the opportunity to select a not-for-profit organization of his or her choice, and the bank makes a donation to that organization. At Covallis recommendation, Florence Bank will make a donation to Soldier On. The mission of Soldier On, based in Leeds, is to provide formerly homeless veterans with permanent, supportive, sustainable housing. Covalli serves her community as an active member of the United Way of Hampshire County. She also serves as a fundraising volunteer for Florences Look Park and volunteers at Northamptons Interfaith Cot Shelter.

Dawn Bryant

Colleen Berndt

Edward Stambovsky

Nicholas LaPier CPA PC announced that three local CPAs have joined the firm. Dawn Bryant, CPA, recently joined Nicholas LaPier, CPA PC as an audit manager. She has worked in public accounting for more than 25 years, with her primary focus in auditing and specializing in not-for-profit organizations. Her experience also includes working with for-profit businesses in various industries including retail, distribution, and construction. Bryant earned a bachelors degree in accounting, financial track, graduating summa cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA). She serves as board president for a private foundation and teaches a nonprofit business functions course for the University of Connecticut. Colleen Berndt, CPA, recently joined the firm as a tax manager. She has worked in public accounting for more than 30 years, with a primary focus in business taxation and consulting. She earned a bachelors degree in accounting from American International College in Springfield and is a member of AICPA and MSCPA. She serves on various local nonprofit boards. Edward Stambovsky, CPA, also recently joined the firm. He has worked in public accounting for more than 40 years, with a primary focus on business, individual, and trust taxation, and has consulted with businesses throughout his career. He earned a bachelors degree in accounting from UMass Amherst and is a member of AICPA and MSCPA.

The Collins Companies, one of the largest industrial distributors of pipe, valves, and fittings and engineered specialties serving the Northeast, announced a change in executive management roles. Owner and President Brian Tuohey has assumed the role of CEO and has promoted Vice President of Sales Paul Andruszkiewicz to President. In addition, Dave Shepard, branch manager of the Haverhill sales office, will lead the Collins sales team as director of Sales. He has more than 25 years of experience in the industry, first purchasing for Atwood and Morrill and then in sales for Power House Supply before Collins acquired Power House in 2015. Headquartered in East Windsor, Conn., the Collins Companies is comprised of Collins Pipe & Supply Co., Collins Controls, Niagara Controls, Collins Niagara, Power House Supply Co., and International Valve and Instrument, with nine locations throughout New England and Upstate New York.

Laureen Borgatti

Way Finders Inc. named Laureen Borgatti its new chief operating officer. She has been employed by the organization for 27 years, serving in various administrative capacities, most recently as the organizations chief of staff and chief administrative officer. Most recently, she served as internal project manager for the construction of Way Finders new Housing Center, to be completed in April. Borgatti chairs the board of directors of the Human Service Forum, a membership organization that assists members in better addressing the needs of the people they serve throughout the Pioneer Valley. She sits on the board of directors for the new Housing Navigator, an initiative led by the Kuehn Charitable Foundation to develop an online search tool that will give people with low and moderate incomes the ability to quickly find available, affordable rental units anywhere in Massachusetts. She also serves on the board of directors of the Dakin Humane Society.

Betsey Quick

Bulkley Richardson announced that Betsey Quick, executive director, was named the Excellence in the Law honoree for Firm Administration and Operations by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Quick joined the firm in September 2017 and, during her short tenure in this role, has made a significant impact, including increasing the firms productivity, implementing policies, and advancing the overall mission of the firm. Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly honors individuals in the categories of Firm Administration and Operations, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Marketing, Paralegal Work, Pro Bono, and Up & Coming Lawyers. Quick will be recognized at a reception on Thursday, April 30 at the Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Boston.

Thomas Robitaille

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) named Thomas Robitaille an instructor in Mechanical Engineering Technology. Robitaille is the third generation in his family to join this field after his father and grandfather. A STCC graduate with an associate degree in mechanical engineering technology, he has been working as a CNC machinist and programmer at MTG Inc. in Westfield since October 2016. While at STCC, he was a peer tutor for mechanical engineering technology. He also taught a fall 2017 lecture and lab course in the program, which prepared him for this teaching position. Prior to coming to STCC, Robitaille was a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corps Infantry from 2009 to 2014, stationed out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. While enlisted, he served two combat tours in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Jasmine Rivera-Boucher

Jasmine Rivera-Boucher has been promoted to director of Adult Foster Care (AFC) and Shared Living (SL) services at BFAIR. The director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of both programs, the development and implementation of the AFC/SL, accreditation, policies, and procedures as well as the fiscal administration of the AFC department. The director ensures that all funders regulations are met, which includes oversight of the referral and intake process in collaboration with the Department of Developmental Services, the Department of Mental Health, and other funding and referral sources. Prior to her promotion from assistant director, Rivera-Boucher worked at the Key Program in Pittsfield and graduated from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts with a degree in psychology. She also holds a degree ingerontology from Maria College and certification as dementia friend trainer.

Meghan Lynch

Happier Valley Comedy, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing more laughter, joy, and ease to Western Mass. (and the world) through the tenets of improv comedy, named Meghan Lynch to its board of directors. Lynch is the CEO of Six-Point Creative in Springfield, a brand strategy agency serving second-stage businesses. Lynch co-founded Six-Point in 2007 and was named an Enterprising Woman of the Year in 2019 for her companys growth and her commitment to supporting other women entrepreneurs. Lynch first became acquainted with Happier Valley Comedy when its president and founder, Pam Victor, facilitated a THROUGH LAUGHTER Professional Development workshop for the Women Presidents Organization, of which shes a member. In 2017, Lynch invited Victor to Six-Point Creative to facilitate the first of many professional-development workshops for the staff and clients.

The Mass Cultural Council announced the 2020 Artist Fellowship awards in drawing and printmaking, poetry, and traditional arts. Among this years fellowship awardees is artist Kelly Popoff, faculty member in the Art Department at Greenfield Community College (GCC). The awards include 19 fellowships of $15,000 and 16 finalist awards of $1,500. Applications were open to all eligible Massachusetts artists. A total number of 632 applications were received: 363 in drawing and printmaking, 243 in poetry, and 26 in traditional arts.

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People on the Move - Business West

Dear Pa,

Gambia has just reported its first case of of the coronavirus, but we still want to applaud President Barrow for joining other countries in the fight against the escalation of the corona virus epidemic by announcing additional strong measures to protect Gambians against this incurable global disease.

Banning all forms of public gathering including conferences and workshops, closing schools both lower and higher leaning institutions, close monitoring of all our borders, and preparing the finance ministry to reallocate fiscal resources toward meeting the cost of the preventative measures, are appropriate steps necessary to save lives of Gambians and non-Gambians living in the country.

Barrow has demonstrated true leadership that many have been yearning for especially when our neighboring country, Senegal, have intensify its fight in the face rising number of cases in that country. We need not be reminded that if Senegal coughs, Gambia catches cold.

We are thankful that we have Barrow as president under these difficult times. Babili Mansa would have shocked the world announcing he has a cure for the disease making thousands susceptible to the disease. Thank God for that!

Morro Gaye

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President Barrow Has Taken A Giant Step Towards The Fight Against The Deadly Convid-19 - Freedom Newspaper

Every year millions of Americans make resolutions, and every year those same Americans fall short of reaching their goals.

In the seventh article ofthis series, the Invest In You team once again asked readers and viewers to reveal their goals to fuel a commitment toward a healthier financial well-being in 2020. The response was overwhelming and humbling.

Several themes emerged, including saving now for a brighter future, teaching kids financial literacy and building a business. Below are some highlights from this week's respondents.

FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Elliot Irvine, California: "I started putting money into the market after I graduated with no money in 2011. I've been putting away much of my pre/post tax income, and I am very excited to see significant gains. I pledge to invest for financial freedom and independence for my wife and I so one day we don't have to ask for vacation days."

Nelcol Mt. Vernon, New York: "I have been a single mom for the last 25 years and I feel stuck. I work hard to provide for my family, and I feel like I'm chasing my tail. I pledge to get invested to break this cycle."

NelCol from Mt. Vernon, New York

Liam Jackson, Wyoming: "I pledge to invest for security and freedom. Freedom to enjoy life and help others enjoy their lives. Future security that can help support myself and my family for years to come."

INVESTING IN FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

Amanda Phoenix, Arizona: "I'm invested for my family and my community. As a small business owner, I believe in giving back to my community and family. Financial independence is important, and I pledge to support fiscal literacy programs in K-12 education, support low-income senior citizen programs, and ensure my family can have financial security for years to come through solid financial investments."

Mark Phoenixville, Pennsylvania: "I pledge to invest and teach my children the things that I never learned about financial investing and show them different avenues of financial freedom."

Ryan Wallingford, Connecticut: "I remember digging the foreclosure sign out of my front yard as a kid. I remember coming home from high school and finding my mom crying at the kitchen table because her card was declined at the grocery store ... again. I remember asking aunts and uncles to cosign my student loans. I remember monthly, when I make a payment toward my $150,000 of college debt, of what I despise, and I remember daily at 4:15 when my alarm goes off what is driving me. I'm investing in myself, so that eventually, I can invest in others and show them the way that I clawed through. I pledge to invest in myself because I start with the end in mind, and my wife knows I live by only one mantra ... It's possible."

Ryan Olney, Illinois: "I am a fairly new investor and ready to start my investment adventure by diversifying my money into ETFs that cover different sectors. I have recently started building my portfolios to help me meet my financial goals! I pledge to get invested for the long haul, to stay on course at the moment, and to work on my dollar cost averaging. I believe in the market and think it is a must to invest your money so your money works for you."

BEING MY OWN BOSS

Jomary Waterbury, Connecticut: "I am a cosmetologist and I pledge to get invested so I can open my own salon. I believe God put me on this earth to help women feel beautiful inside & out. If I had my own salon, I would be able to provide that to women of all shapes and sizes."

Rachel Plano, Texas: "I have a full-time job and make jewelry on the side. I pledge to get help and be invested in my jewelry business."

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Here's what you say are your biggest financial commitments in 2020 - CNBC

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is giving governments all the fiscal leeway they need to individually deal with the economic impact of the coronavirus and may decide on a more concerted stimulus if the economy suffers severely, officials said on Thursday.

FILE PHOTO: European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, April 10, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

The decision, the latest by policymakers around the world to open state spending taps to counter the virus, could throw a lifeline to Italy which has been struggling to comply with EU requirements to cut deficit and debt.

Italy has suffered Europes worst outbreak, with most of the infections in the northern region that powers its economy.

EU finance ministers, who have ultimate control of the application of EU rules that limit government borrowing, discussed on Wednesday a response to the impact of the epidemic on growth. They agreed the economic impact of the virus was an emergency and an event outside their control.

In such exceptional cases, EU budget rules, called the Stability and Growth Pact, allow governments to stop cutting deficits and public debt, and address the challenge at hand. There is no limit set in this flexibility clause.

In general, there is political agreement that governments are free to fiscally address the emergency and we will worry about the Stability and Growth Pact later, one official involved in the Wednesday teleconference said.

Two others confirmed that, but noted the extra spending would have to be clearly linked to mitigating the effects of the epidemic, which would be verified by the European Commission.

The meeting was held as the European Commission issued a note estimating the outbreak would curb euro zone growth this year below the 1.2% forecast just weeks ago in mid-February, although it was still impossible to say by how much.

Meanwhile, other countries have also moved to bolster their war chests.

China, the source of the outbreak, said it had earmarked 110.5 billion yuan ($15.9 billion) to fight the epidemic as of Wednesday. The U.S. House of Representatives has approved over $8 billion, while the likes of South Korea, Indonesia and Singapore have all announced big spending packages.

The choice of individual government responses rather than a pan-EU one was, for now, more convenient to speed things up.

It is also good news for highly indebted Italy. The north, which has been most affected by the virus, produces almost a third of the countrys GDP.

Rome introduced 900 million euros of financial support for the worst-hit areas last week and later promised spending of 3.6 billion euros to help the wider economy, a sum which might rise to 4.5 billion, or 0.25% GDP.

As this is an emergency it is ... more effective for countries to act first, said a third official involved in the discussions.

Fiscal rules have a clause available to cope with this, the European Commission will try to make clear in the meantime how this will be implemented, what policies, that it has to be targeted, timely, temporary, the official said.

On top of this, if growth is deeply hurt, we will consider a more accommodative stance at aggregate level, the official said, adding the commitment would remain vague for now.

In the wake of the Lehman Brothers bank collapse, the EU decided in late 2008 on a European Economic Recovery Plan that would pump some 200 billion euros, 1.5% of the then EU GDP, into the economy to boost demand and stimulate confidence in 2009.

The number was an aggregate number of stimulus estimated to be adequate and was to be a reference for governments on how much to boost spending, but many countries went above that.

It is not clear how this would work this time, it would surely need to be linked with investment in policy priorities, the third official said. But it is too soon to say. Also because it is not clear how a demand push would solve a supply chain problem.

Officials said a response to the economic impact of the coronavirus would have been easier had the 19 countries sharing the euro had a euro zone budget to cushion such external shocks.

But a miniscule euro zone fiscal capacity of 12.5 billion euros over 7 years now only under consideration as part of a wider EU budget, excludes such purposes on the insistence of Germany and the Netherlands.

Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Pravin Char

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Unshackled by EU, countries have fiscal freedom to fight coronavirus - Reuters

Lawmakers are racing to clinch a deal on emergency funding to combat the coronavirus as more cases, and the first deaths within the United States, took place over the weekend.

The House is expected to vote on billions in funding aimed at combating the illness this week, though negotiators have not yet finalized a deal.

An important step that Congress must take is to ensure the government has the resources needed to combat this deadly virus and keep Americans safe. To that end, House appropriators are working to advance a strong emergency funding supplemental package that fully addresses the scale and seriousness of this public health crisis, which we hope to bring to the Floor next week, Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiCongressional leaders downplay possibility of Capitol closing due to coronavirus Ocasio-Cortez says candidate she backed in Texas Democratic primary 'came closer than anyone imagined' Henry Cuellar fends off Democratic challenger in Texas House primary MORE (D-Calif.) said in a Dear Colleague letter on Saturday.

A group of appropriators, led by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard ShelbyRichard Craig ShelbyHouse passes .3 billion measure to fight coronavirus Lawmakers clinch deal for .3 billion to combat coronavirus Sessionsto face Tuberville in Alabama GOP Senate runoff MORE (R-Ala.) and Nita LoweyNita Sue LoweyHouse passes .3 billion measure to fight coronavirus Lawmakers clinch deal for .3 billion to combat coronavirus Absent Sanders takes center stage at pro-Israel AIPAC MORE (D-N.Y.), have been locked in days of negotiations over a potential package to provide supplemental funding amid growing concerns about a widespread outbreak of the virus within the United States.

"We want to make sure if this stuff really spreads that we're doing our job," Shelby told reporters late last week.

The administration requested $2.5 billion in funding, half of which would have been new funding. The rest would have come from existing health programs, including $535 million from fighting Ebola.

Theyre likely to get double or triple that request. A source familiar with the talks confirmed to The Hill that negotiators are looking at providing between $6 billion and $8 billion.

Thats below the $8.5 billion requested by Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerTrump slams Schumer statement on Kavanaugh, Gorsuch: 'Serious action MUST be taken NOW' Montana's Democratic governor plans last-minute run for Senate Schumer's office says he was referencing justices paying 'political price' MORE (D-N.Y.), but significantly more than the White Houses request which even some Republicans characterized as too low.

"I think $2 billion is a little low, I think we're probably looking at $4 billion in this process, having spoken to Democrat House members from Appropriations," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin Owen McCarthyHouse passes .3 billion measure to fight coronavirus Congressional leaders downplay possibility of Capitol closing due to coronavirus Trump tells Republicans he won't extend surveillance law without FISA reforms MORE (R-Calif.) told reporters last week during a press conference.

Pelosi added in her statement that the funding package had to be comprised of new funding, and that there must be guardrails to ensure President TrumpDonald John TrumpAs Biden surges, GOP Ukraine probe moves to the forefront Republicans, rooting for Sanders, see Biden wins as setback Trump says Biden Ukraine dealings will be a 'major' campaign issue MORE "cannot use these new funds for anything other than fighting coronavirus and infectious diseases."

Lawmakers are hoping to have the package ready to move by early this week. They face a tight timeline if they are going to get the bill passed by the House, Senate and to Trumps desk before leaving for a weeklong recess on March 13.

"I hope they can work expeditiously so the full Senate would be able to take up the legislation within the next two weeks. And I hope, as we move forward through this challenge, this body can put reflexive partisanship aside and uphold the spirit of cooperation and collaboration this will require," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellRepublicans, rooting for Sanders, see Biden wins as setback Senate seeks massive permanent boost in conservation funding House passes .3 billion measure to fight coronavirus MORE (R-Ky.) said last week.

The discussions on Capitol Hill come as new cases of the coronavirus were disclosed, including two deaths within the United States.

The two deaths were in Washington, where Gov. Jay InsleeJay Robert InsleeCalifornia reports state's first coronavirus fatality as US death toll hits 11 Pence to travel to Washington as state grapples with coronavirus Emerald City Comic Con will take place in Seattle amid coronavirus fears MORE (D) declared a state of emergency in the state on Saturday.

Meanwhile, New York confirmed its first coronavirus case on Sunday. The New York Times, citing a gene sequencing analysis, reported that the virus may have been spreading in the United States for weeks undetected.

In addition to potential funding legislation, several committees will be holding hearings on the U.S. response to the coronavirus.

The House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday, while the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP); Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Commerce, Science and Transportation committees will each hold related hearings this week.

Four officials including Anthony Fauci, the director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Stephen Hahn, the Food and Drug Administration commissioner, are scheduled to testify before the SenateHELPCommittee on Tuesday.

On Thursday, Ken Cuccinelli, the acting deputy Homeland Security secretary, and Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, will testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Super Tuesday

A number of highly contested primaries are expected to be determined on Tuesday evening, with multiple high-profile incumbents facing tough races to retain their seats.

In Texas, Rep. Kay GrangerNorvell (Kay) Kay GrangerThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by the APTA - A huge night for Joe Biden Kay Granger fends off Republican primary challenger in Texas This week: House eyes vote on emergency coronavirus funding MORE (R-Texas), the top Republican on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, will take on Chris Putnam, a former Colleyville city council member who has garnered the support of conservative outside groups including Club for Growth. Senior Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas) will take on a challenger from the left, Jessica Cisneros, an attorney and liberal activist, who has received support from progressive members including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezOcasio-Cortez: Effective political organizers should be inclusive Ocasio-Cortez says candidate she backed in Texas Democratic primary 'came closer than anyone imagined' Henry Cuellar fends off Democratic challenger in Texas House primary MORE (D-N.Y.) and Democratic presidential front-runner Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersRepublicans, rooting for Sanders, see Biden wins as setback Sanders says Biden winning African American support by 'running with his ties to Obama' Sanders condemns his supporters' 'ugly, personal attacks' against Warren MORE (I-Vt.).

In California, voters will choose the candidates who will face off in the special election for former Rep. Katie HillKatherine (Katie) Lauren HillThis week: House eyes vote on emergency coronavirus funding The 14 other key races to watch on Super Tuesday Obama warns against 'unauthorized use' of his image to mislead voters in cease-and-desist letter MOREs seat. And former Rep. Darrell IssaDarrell Edward IssaDemocrat Campa-Najjar advances to runoff in race to fill Hunter's vacant California seat Democrat who won Issa's open House seat advances in California primary This week: House eyes vote on emergency coronavirus funding MORE (R-Calif.) will take on two other candidates in the race to become the Republican nominee in what will likely be a second runoff against Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar in the race to replace former Rep. Duncan HunterDuncan HunterDemocrat Campa-Najjar advances to runoff in race to fill Hunter's vacant California seat This week: House eyes vote on emergency coronavirus funding The 14 other key races to watch on Super Tuesday MORE (R-Calif.).

The Alabama Senate primary will see former Sen. Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsThe Hill's Campaign Report: Biden riding wave of momentum after stunning Super Tuesday Trump criticizes Sessions after Alabama Senate primary heads to a runoff The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by the APTA - A huge night for Joe Biden MORE (R-Ala.), Rep. Bradley ByrneBradley Roberts ByrneSessionsto face Tuberville in Alabama GOP Senate runoff This week: House eyes vote on emergency coronavirus funding The 14 other key races to watch on Super Tuesday MORE (R-Ala.) and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville (R) battle for the chance to take on Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) in November. Sessions, who previously served as attorney general, has had a rocky relationship with Trump. Sessions fell out of favor with Trump after having recused himself from oversight of the Russia probe and was ousted from the administration in November 2018. But the president has largely stayed out of the race.

If none of three candidates breaks 50 percent the primary race will go to a runoff between the top two contenders.

Surveillance

Lawmakers are still trying to figure out how, or if, they will be able to extend three soon-to-expire provisions of the USA Freedom Act.

Congress has until March 15 to reform, extend or end the intelligence programs, which deal with "lone wolf" surveillance, roving wiretaps and a controversial records program that lets the government request phone metadata.

The legislative fight has sparked a larger debate about trying to use the reauthorization legislation to make broader changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the FISA courts.

So far neither chamber has been able to advance a bill related to the expiring provisions.

The House Judiciary Committee yanked its bill last week after Rep. Zoe LofgrenZoe Ellen LofgrenTrump tells Republicans he won't extend surveillance law without FISA reforms Hillicon Valley: Democrats in talks to bridge surveillance divide | DHS confident in Super Tuesday election security | State pledges M cyber help to Ukraine | Facebook skipping SXSW amid coronavirus Schiff says Democrats are negotiating to include more privacy protections in key surveillance bill MORE (D-Calif.) threatened to force votes on several FISA-related amendments.

Progressives and libertarian-minded GOP lawmakers have warned for years that they do not believe the government provides enough transparency or privacy protections for individuals targeted for surveillance.

Those concerns have taken root with a broader swath of Republicans after Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz found 17 significant inaccuracies and omissions in his report on the FISA warrant applications regarding Trump campaign associate Carter Page.

Several Trump allies on Capitol Hill are pushing for broader FISA reforms as part of the USA Freedom authorization.

Ranking Member [Doug] Collins [R-Ga.] and [Jim] Jordan [R-Ohio] on down have proposed good reforms, reforms that should be bipartisan that not only make sure it doesn't happen again, but put real criminal penalties in place so that if somebody does violate the law, they're fully held accountable, Rep. Steve ScaliseStephen (Steve) Joseph ScaliseThis week: House eyes vote on emergency coronavirus funding Sanders, socialism emerge as top targets at CPAC The Hill's Campaign Report: Sanders top target at CPAC MORE (R-La.) told reporters.

Meanwhile, Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulAs Biden surges, GOP Ukraine probe moves to the forefront Republicans, rooting for Sanders, see Biden wins as setback Trump tells Republicans he won't extend surveillance law without FISA reforms MORE (R-Ky.) told reporters last week that Trump was supportive of his amendment that would ban FISA warrants from being used against an American citizen. It would also prohibit information gathered in the FISA court from being used against an American in domestic courts.

The push to use the reauthorization of the three USA Freedom provisions to make broader FISA changes is at odds with the plan preferred by Attorney GeneralWilliam BarrWilliam Pelham BarrTrump criticizes Sessions after Alabama Senate primary heads to a runoff Trump tells Republicans he won't extend surveillance law without FISA reforms Why the rule of law depends on the president and his attorney general MORE, who pitched Senate Republicans last week on a clean extension. Barrs plan is backed by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), with GOP senators discussing trying to extend the programs until 2022.

But the short time frame has some already discussing a short-term extension. With an energy bill expected to dominate the Senate floor this week, the earliest the chamber could take up an extension of the USA Freedom provisions is next week.

One option could be to attach a short-term extension to another piece of legislation, sparking chatter on Capitol Hill that leadership could try to drop it into the coronavirus package.

But Pelosi and McCarthy have both shot down that idea. And Eric Ueland, the White House director of legislative affairs, hinted that they did not want to add unrelated issues into the emergency funding.

Its important that we deal with the first problems first COVID 19 here for this fiscal year and then looking forward for whats going coming up in [fiscal] 2021, but not get distracted on unrelated and unattached issues, Ueland said.

Energy bill

The Senate is set to take up wide-ranging energy legislation by Sens. Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiOvernight Energy: Senate seeks massive boost in conservation funding | White House raises objections over plan to reduce heat-trapping chemicals | Interior chief defends budget amid heated criticism White House raises objections to bipartisan proposal to reduce use of heat-trapping chemicals Brouillette says administration plans to give a boost to uranium producers MORE (R-Alaska) and Joe ManchinJoseph (Joe) ManchinOvernight Energy: Senate seeks massive boost in conservation funding | White House raises objections over plan to reduce heat-trapping chemicals | Interior chief defends budget amid heated criticism White House raises objections to bipartisan proposal to reduce use of heat-trapping chemicals Senate seeks massive permanent boost in conservation funding MORE (D-W.Va.).

The Senate will take an initial procedural vote on the more-than 550 page bill on Monday evening, where they will need 60 votes to get it over the hurdle.

The legislation incorporates more than 50 bills including promoting research in up and coming renewable energies. It also includes efforts to bolster the capture of carbon pollution, including from the coal and natural gas sector, as well as research to expand nuclear energy.

Parts of the bill, including provisions related to mining for minerals needed to make batteries, have earned criticism from environmental groups and some Democrats.

If it passes the Senate a final product will still need to be negotiated by the House, and passed again by both chambers.

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This week: House eyes vote on emergency coronavirus funding | TheHill - The Hill

Seeking to dish up tasty, home-style Southern cooking to its customers and mouth-watering growth for its investors, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (NASDAQ:CBRL) mostly succeeded in its fiscal Q2 2020, but might have come up a few biscuits short. Efforts to shore up profits with a refreshed dinner menu, a vigorous delivery push, and integration of a new acquisition drove decent comparable-restaurant sales growth. However, traffic fell slightly short, and Cracker Barrel's long history of rising value seems to have reached a plateau, making it uncertain whether the company has lost momentum or is about to catch its second wind.

Cracker Barrel recently began upgrading and simplifying it menus, aiming to strengthen overall sales and the dinner daypart in particular. According to CEO Sandra Cochran during the company's Q2 2020 earnings call, its country fried steak and chicken and dumplings were "improved" with higher quality and better cooking processes. Simultaneously, Cracker Barrel raised the prices of these items and other improved foods on the menu.

Sales results clearly show that the appeal of the more toothsome recipes dished up to customers more than offset the impact of higher prices. The average size of checks rose by 4%, while traffic fell by 0.2%, leading to 3.8% overall growth in comparable-store restaurant sales. Quarterly operating income rose 3.2% year over year. These results surpassed those of the casual dining industry as a whole.

Image source: Cracker Barrel

Cochran noted that mild winter temperatures over much of Cracker Barrel's main area of operations meant that traffic wasn't affected by winter cold and storms as severely as in previous years. Therefore, the slight decline in traffic likely resulted from the pricier menu items. However, the growth in check size greatly outpaced the decline in traffic, indicating that the restaurant has hit on menu item changes that are genuinely pleasing diners, making them willing to spend more.

Cracker Barrel achieved and beat its 10% goal by increasing quarterly deliveries to 13.2% of its total sales. Out of its approximate 695 total restaurants in the USA, around 600 locations now provide off-premise sales. The company hasn't tied itself to a single delivery service, but uses GrubHub (NYSE:GRUB), DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates, and any other available partner to get everything from individual meals to catered food to customers' doorsteps.

Off-premise sales are especially strong around major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to CEO Cochran. She noted that Easter was expected to provide another boost to deliveries, though not on the same scale as the big winter holidays.

In addition to refreshed, higher quality dishes on the menu and fast-growing deliveries, Cracker Barrel is also working at integrating its new acquisition, Maple Street Biscuit Company, into operations. Where Cracker Barrel's internal menu improvements aim squarely at dinner, Maple Street addresses the other end of the dining day with breakfast items. Cracker Barrel made an outlay of $36 million in cash to buy out the brand back in October 2019, adding breakfast expertise and 28 locations to its business.

Founder and CEO Scott Moore remains at the acquisition's head, though now with the full backing of Cracker Barrel's resources for future expansion. The subsidiary will remain fairly autonomous, according to Moore, giving it the freedom to grow its business in line with its existing strategies.

Cracker Barrel has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 since 2006, rising in value by more than 300% between then and January 2020, while the S&P500's value increased roughly 150% during the same timeframe. Over the past several years, the company's gains have leveled out, moving in a channel centered on its approximate current stock price.

However, all current signs suggest that Cracker Barrel isn't content to just coast on its existing success, but is vigorously pursuing a multipronged strategy to maintain the initiative. While maintaining its wholesome, folksy, country-themed image, it's innovating in the key areas of its existing menu, delivery, and acquisitions chosen to shore up areas Cracker Barrel isn't currently focusing on internally, such as breakfast in the case of Maple Street.

Its success with revitalizing popular, existing foods may foreshadow positive results from its planned addition of entirely new dishes in the near future, too. Chicken pot pie and country fried pork chops, along with other as-yet-undisclosed menu items, will soon be getting the quality makeover. Cracker Barrel seems to be making sure its current cuisine stays high-quality and relevant, while exploring fresh possibilities for expansion. Fools investing in restaurant stocks may want to monitor its earnings to see whether its long-term performance and 14-year winning streak endure into the future.

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Cracker Barrel Turns to Menu Changes and Delivery to Boost Traffic and Sales - Motley Fool

WASHINGTON The U.S. Navys top requirements officer said in testimony Wednesday that other budget priorities have crowded out the first four littoral combat ships, leaving them on the cutting-room floor in 2021.

In total, the service saved about $1.8 billion over five years with the move, said Vice Adm. James Kilby, the deputy chief of naval operations for war-fighting requirements and capabilities.

As we looked at our budget for [fiscal 2021], we looked at how much it would cost in the FYDP [Future Years Defense Program] collectively $1.2 billion and how much it would cost collectively to upgrade those first models $600 million total and we determined that money could be applied in other areas, Kilby told the House Armed Services Committees Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. We didnt want to do it.

Kilby said the service prioritized the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine and readiness above maintaining older force structure.

During the Navys budget rollout in February, the services budget director, Rear Adm. Randy Crites, told reporters that the ships were unique and not like the other LCS in the fleet, making them special cases in the LCS class. They had previously been designated test ships for crewing models and the long-delayed mission packages.

The hulls Freedom, Independence, Fort Worth and Coronado have accrued between six and 12 years of service, but their usefulness as test vessels is waning and theyre no longer worth a deeper financial investment, according to Crites.

Those four test ships were instrumental to wringing out the crewing, the maintenance and all the other things we needed to learn from them, Crites told reporters during the Feb. 10 budget rollout. But theyre not configured like the other LCS in the fleet, and they need significant upgrades. Everything from combat [systems] to structural, you name it. Theyre expensive to upgrade.

Still, Kilby said, the Navy is committed to the class, adding that they were necessary to ease the burden on the fleets beleaguered destroyers.

I think there is great capability in the LCS class, Kilby said. And we need those ships in the future to have a mix to allow those ships to do what they are designed to do.

When I deployed in 2017 as a strike group commander, I used a destroyer to do maritime fisheries enforcement. Thats not a great use for a DDG [destroyer]. Thats a good use for an LCS.

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Here's how much the US Navy saves by cutting the first 4 LCS more than a decade early - DefenseNews.com

Former Wyoming Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis path to the U.S. Senate seemed clearer than ever before when she visited Laramie on Wednesday.

Even so, Lummis said isn't considering her securing the Republican nomination a sure thing.

Ive always found that running aggressively as if its going to be the tightest race in history is the best way to run these campaigns, Lummis told the Boomerang.

Her visit to the Gem City of the Plains came two days after former Wyoming gubernatorial candidate Foster Friess, who was openly favored in that race by President Donald Trump, announced he would not seek the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo. The year began with U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., deciding against a run for the Senate seat she once desired, dashing speculation shed seek a seat in the other chamber. The other Republican candidates in the race to have filed with the Federal Elections Commission Joshua Wheeler, Robert Short, Bryan Miller and Patrick Dotson dont appear to pose any significant threat to Lummis, whose name recognition, experience and endorsements have her seeming the obvious successor to Enzi in a state that hasnt sent a Democrat to represent it in Washington, D.C., since 1977.

Lummis eight years in Congress taught her some lessons on how to win in Wyoming, she said.

Having a really good ground game with solid volunteers and organizations in every county is the best approach to campaigning in Wyoming, and that will continue to be the focus of our efforts, Lummis said.

In an overwhelmingly red state, Albany County is one of the few communities with strong pockets of blue voters. Half of its representation in the state Legislature is Democratic, and it has a recent history of handing candidates on the left more votes than Republican opponents in statewide races.

But Lummis said it is her goal, should she be the Republican nominee, to garner more votes than her general election competitor from the other side of the aisle, seeing it as a welcome challenge. As the states third largest community and home of Lummis college alma mater, she said shes determined to win over the countys mixed electorate. The historical significance of her candidacy in the context of Albany Countys electoral history isnt lost on her either, Lummis said.

The fact Laramie is the first place a woman ever voted under full voting rights that were never subsequently repealed is a milestone for this community, she said. So to have Laramie be the place where women first exercised their right to vote and to have the opportunity to be Wyomings first woman U.S. senator is not lost on me. Its important to me.

Rock Springs Ryan Greene, a Democrat, narrowly edged out Cheney in 2016 in Albany County, compared to Cheneys trouncing of Greene on the statewide level. While Lummis bested challengers in Albany County in 2010, 2012 and 2014, Democrat Gary Trauner in 2008 rolled over Lummis locally in the race where he had a relatively significant vote count statewide.

Nonetheless, Lummis feels her message will resonate with local voters.

The fact there are purple pockets or blue pockets in Albany County does not daunt me, she said.

As one of the co-founders of the House Freedom Caucus, Lummis is touting her congressional record of fighting off attacks from the environmental left on Wyomings mineral resources, resisting gun control measures, being anti-abortion and having the voting record least in-sync with the Obama administrations policy agenda. Her Senate to-do list, according to her website, includes building the wall on the southern border, fighting for religious freedom, confirming conservative judges and Trump appointees, stopping the socialist agenda and the Green New Deal and to put America first while ensuring our national defense is the strongest in the world.

In an age where Republican primaries have a heavy emphasis on who is the best Trump ally, Lummis established herself early on as a strong proponent of the controversial president, citing her enthusiasm for the Trump economy. Years after polling showed Wyoming support for Trump among the strongest in the nation, Lummis said it is her impression that Cowboy State voters still love what they see out of the president.

It is certainly Lummis hope that Republicans will maintain control of the Senate, win back the House and re-elect President Trump. But even if the reverse happens and Democrats take the Senate, hold the House and put their candidate in the White House, Lummis said shell be doing whatever she can to advance Wyomings interests in Washington, D.C.

I want to get involved in the Western Caucus and work with fellow westerners to advance western issues of common interest, she said. Then I want to work with senators that are committed fiscal conservatives.

Lummis chaired the House Western Caucus while serving in Congress.

Her experience in Congress has set Lummis up to fight for federal policy critical to Albany County, she said. When it comes to federal payments to Albany County as part of the Payment In Lieu of Taxes program, which attempts to compensate counties for lost tax revenue resulting from federal ownership of lands, Lummis said she understood the heavy lift it takes to make the case to congressmen and congresswomen from states that dont have as much publicly owned land.

Its a constant battle for public lands states to educate members from back east, Lummis said.

Both of the Democratic contenders currently declared for the Senate seat call Laramie home. In June, local activist and organizer Yana Ludwig announced she would seek the Democratic partys nomination, while Merav Ben-David, a University of Wyoming ecology professor, announced her candidacy in January.

Lummis said she thinks her connections to Albany County run deep and will resonate with local voters.

Let me adopt the assumption that the nominee of the Democratic Party will be from Albany County: Did they attend (the University of Wyoming)? Do they own property in Albany County? Have they spent a lifetime involved with players in this community? Maybe the answer is, Yes, but I havent seen that, Lummis said. I intend to emphasize that this county, this university, this community are as much in my bones as any community in Wyoming.

The University of Wyoming and community college campuses around the state are of particular interest to Lummis in the campaign. An increasing preponderance of socialism among college-age voters, Lummis said, is a fight she wants to take on.

Campuses in Wyoming are really the first bastion to fighting socialism, Lummis said. To protect First Amendment rights, Second Amendment rights in fact all of our rights under the Constitution the students who are constitutional adherents are really the frontline in preserving constitutional government. Since that is a really big focus of our campaign, we really want to have frequent and active involvement of students at UW and other community colleges around the state.

In 2016, self-described democratic-socialist candidate for the Democratic Partys nomination for president Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., drew thousands to a rally on UWs campus. Sanders overwhelmingly won the Albany County Democratic Caucus that year. He is now in a red-hot race for the partys nomination with former Vice President Joe Biden.

As she went to meet with voters in Laramie Wednesday evening, Lummis said shell be focused in the coming months on raising money for an expensive campaign and working hard on her ground game.

Thats one of the reasons Im here in Albany County today meeting with folks to make sure those relationships and my understanding of this community is very up to date, she said.

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Lummis determined to win over Albany County voters - Laramie Boomerang

In an effort to increase education funding in Rhode Island, two state lawmakers have introduced a tax reform plan that would raise taxes on residents earning more than $500,000 annually. The new tax bracket would add 1 percentage point to the 5.99 percent top rate for income earned higher than $500,000. An incremental amount of the new revenue would be directed to a designated account for funding K-12 education

Although some supporters of so-called millionaire taxes argue large-scale relocation by wealthy taxpayers is not likely to occur, the negative effect of Marylands millionaire tax provides a stark example of what could take place in Rhode Island. In 2009, Maryland enacted a millionaire tax projected to raise an additional $106 million per year. Instead of providing the anticipated revenue increase, the number of Marylanders reporting incomes of $1 million or more fell by one-third just one year after the tax became law.

Although income taxes are often sold to the people as a tax on the rich, they almost never remain as such. Income taxes nearly always expand over time to cover increasingly more taxpayers, due to governments insatiable need for tax revenue, which it uses to fuel out-of-control spending.

Although proponents of the new tax claim it is necessary to improve the quality of Rhode Islands public education system, evidence demonstrates more education funding often does not improve educational outcomes. For example, real spending per student nationwide has increased by 23.5 percent over the past decade, however, education outcomes have not improved. Scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test have remained stagnant despite record education spending. Indeed, a Cato report on school spending found only a 0.075 correlation between the spending and academic performance changes of the past 40 years, for all 50 states. This correlation is so slight it is described as essentially no link between state education spending.

Rhode Island already spends more per pupil than many states. According to Education Week, Rhode Island spends $15,320 per pupil, $2,564 more than the national average. Despite a higher level of spending, Rhode Island scored lower on the NAEP than many of its neighbors and ranked in the middle of the pack nationally according to the Providence Journal.

Instead of throwing more money at the problem, Rhode Island residents should demand increased educational opportunities for children and families. Overwhelming evidence shows that education freedom improves student safety, produces better education outcomes, increases parental satisfaction, and increases per-pupil funding for the students choosing to stay in their traditional public school.

This can be accomplished through a variety of measures. One solution is education savings accounts (ESA), which are private accounts managed by parents that are used on educational expenses for their child. Parents can use the funds to pay for online classes, private school tuition, personal tutors, books and other curricular materials, or even used to save for higher education. ESAs would allow all Rhode Island families to meet their childs educational needsand to do so at a lower cost.

Rather than increase taxes on higher earners and inhibit economic growth, Rhode Islands elected officials should focus on making the state a more attractive place for businesses and workers, a goal that would best be accomplished by restraining spending, lowering tax rates, and reducing unnecessary regulations.

The documents cited below examine millionaire taxes, their history of failing to shore up budgets and increase revenue, and the fallacy of trying improving education outcomes with increased funding alone.

Everything You Know About State Education Rankings Is Wronghttps://reason.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/table.pdfIn this ranking, Reason Foundation uses on learning related metrics to create a more accurate ranking of state education. These rankings better reflect quality and efficiency, rather than per pupil spending, graduation rates, pre-K enrollment, and aggregated student data.

The 123s of School Choicehttps://www.edchoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/123s-of-School-Choice.pdfIn this report, EdChoice experts review more than 140 empirical studies on school choice programs. They summarize these results making it easy for policy makers and others to quickly see what is working and what is not.

Does Spending More on Education Improve Academic Achievement?https://www.heritage.org/education/report/does-spending-more-education-improve-academic-achievementDan Lips and Shanea Watkins of The Heritage Foundation discuss the rising cost of education and whether increasing education spending has improved education outcomes. Taxpayers have invested considerable resources in the nations public schools. However, ever-increasing funding of Education has not led to similarly improved student performance. Instead of simply increasing funding for public Education, federal and state policymakers should implement Education reforms designed to improve resource allocation and boost student performance, wrote Lips and Watkins.

School Spending and Student Achievement in Michigan: Whats the Relationship?https://www.mackinac.org/22355In this report, Ben DeGrow and Edward C. Hoang of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy examine the relationship between school spending and student achievement in Michigan. The results suggest that there is only a very limited correlation between these two factors. Only one out of the 28 academic outputs analyzed showed a result that was positive and statistically significant, or different from zero, the authors reported.

Ten State Solutions to Emerging Issueshttps://www.heartland.org/publications-resources/publications/ten-state-solutions-to-emerging-issues-2018This Heartland Institute booklet explores solutions to the top public policy issues facing the states in 2018 and beyond in the areas of budget and taxes, education, energy and environment, health care, and constitutional reform. The solutions identified are proven reform ideas that have garnered significant support among the states and with legislators.

Trend #1: Millionaires Taxeshttp://taxfoundation.org/article/trend-1-millionaires-taxesJoseph Henchman of the Tax Foundation examines the millionaire tax trend in this Fiscal Fact article. A number of states have enacted high income taxes on those with large incomes. Although nicknamed millionaires taxes, they have hit income at much lower levels. The trend seems to have petered out although California and Maryland may see further action, Henchman writes.

Should We Raise Taxes on the Rich?http://spectator.org/archives/2012/11/14/should-we-raise-taxes-on-the-rPeter Ferrara, senior fellow for entitlement and budget policy at The Heartland Institute, writes in the American Spectator about taxing the rich and explains why such policies make no fiscal sense.

Long-run Macroeconomic Impact of Increasing Tax Rates on High-Income Taxpayers in 2013https://www.heartland.org/publications-resources/publications/long-run-macroeconomic-impact-of-increasing-tax-rates-on-high-income-taxpayers-in-2013?source=policybotThis report from Ernst & Young conducted on behalf of the Independent Community Bankers of America, the National Federation of Independent Business, the S Corporation Association, and the United States Chamber of Commerce examines the long-term impact of an increase in top income tax rates.

Seven Myths About Taxing the Richhttps://www.heartland.org/publications-resources/publications/seven-myths-about-taxing-the-richCurtis S. Dubay of The Heritage Foundation considers seven commonly cited myths about policies to tax the rich. Dubay argues raising taxes on the rich would increase the progressivity of an already highly progressive tax code. It also would damage economic growth by stifling job creation, further slowing already stagnant wage growth. Although some see raising taxes on the rich as a silver bullet for fiscal woes, it actually badly damages the economy, he writes.

Education Savings Accounts: The Future of School Choice Has Arrivedhttps://www.heartland.org/publications-resources/publications/education-savings-accounts-the-future-of-school-choice-has-arrivedIn this Heartland Policy Brief, Policy Analyst Tim Benson discusses how universal ESA programs offer the most comprehensive range of educational choices to parents; describes the six ESA programs currently in operation; and reviews possible state-level constitutional challenges to ESA programs.

Nothing in thisResearch & Commentaryis intended to influence the passage of legislation, and it does not necessarily represent the views of The Heartland Institute. For further information on this and other topics, visit The Heartland Institutes website, andPolicyBot, Heartlands free online research database.

If you have any questions about this issue or The Heartland Institutes website, contact the government relations team, at governmentrelations@heartland.org or 312-377-4000.

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Publications - Research & Commentary: More Education Funding Does Not Improve Education Outcomes - The Heartland Institute

MIXED RESULTS: Five days into an agreement with the Taliban, and five days before peace talks are supposed to begin between the Taliban and the Afghan government, the United States is trying to keep the warring parties on the path to peace.

This agreement ... lays out a framework by which we could proceed toward an eventual intra-Afghan negotiation, Defense Secretary Mark Esper told Congress yesterday. It was supposed to happen at this point five days from now, and the results so far have been mixed.

On Tuesday, the Taliban mounted 43 separate attacks against government checkpoints in Afghanistans restive Helmand province, according to Col. Sonny Leggett, the chief spokesman for U.S Forces in Afghanistan. The resumption of violence resulted in the deaths of 25 Afghan troops, according to one report, and prompted a U.S. drone strike against the Taliban yesterday. In a tweet, Leggett said that Taliban fighters appear intent on squandering the opportunity for peace.

SMALL, LOW-LEVEL ATTACKS: Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, who appeared with Esper before the Senate Armed Services Committee, downplayed the significance of the resumption of violence, dismissing the Taliban offensive as a series of small, low-level attacks out on checkpoints.

They're all beaten back, they're at small, little outposts, said Milley, adding, There's a whole laundry list of these things that aren't happening There's no attacks in 34 provincial capitals, there's no attacks in Kabul, there's no high-profile attacks, there's no suicide bombers, there's no vehicle-borne suicide, no attack against U.S. forces, no attack against coalition.

MAJOR DISAGREEMENTS: One thing has become clear since the historic agreement was signed in Doha on Saturday the U.S. and the Taliban have very different views about the Talibans responsibility to further reduce violence as peace talks begin.

The Taliban are honoring their piece of it in terms of not attacking U.S. and coalition forces but not in terms of sustaining the reduction of violence. Our special envoy is over there now, he's going to bring pulling the parties back together, Esper said, referring to Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. diplomat who negotiated the U.S. troop withdrawal agreement.

Esper suggested that the latest attack may have been conducted by rogue commanders who need to be reined in. Keeping that group of people on board is a challenge, he said. They've got their range of hardliners and softliners, and so, they're wrestling with that, too, I think.

KHALILZADS CHALLENGE: In addition to trying to get the Taliban to back off, Khalilzad is attempting to resolve the impasse over the U.S. promise to facilitate the release of up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners in a swap that was supposed to be a prelude to next Tuesday's peace talks. Afghan President Asraf Ghani has vetoed that part of the deal, which was made without his input.

In a series of tweets, Khalilzad said he met last night with Taliban chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar for a candid discussion about next steps, followed by a constructive phone call with President Trump.

VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP: After that call, Trump told reporters, The relationship is very good that I have with the mullah. And we had a good, long conversation today. And, you know, they want to cease the violence. They'd like to cease violence also.

Asked about the reluctance of the Afghan government to release thousands of Taliban fighters without a ceasefire or any progress on peace talks, Trump said, Well, they may be reluctant. You know, they've done very well with the United States for many years, far beyond military, if you look at all the money that we've spent in Afghanistan. We've spent trillions of dollars. Trillions of dollars.

US is committed to facilitating prisoner exchange, agreed in both US-Taliban Agreement & US-Afghanistan Joint Declaration. We will support each side to release significant numbers, Khalilzad tweeted.

THE BIG PROBLEM: The U.S. has oversold the agreement with the Taliban in its zeal to carry out Trumps desire to get out of Afghanistan after more than 18 years of war, argues Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who notes the deal includes no stipulations that the Taliban must halt attacks on Afghan forces.

Roggio accuses the U.S. of an active disinformation campaign by officials who seem determined to misrepresent the agreement.

On Sunday, [Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo claimed that the Taliban denounced al Qaeda and was committed to destroy the group. However, the deal says no such thing, Roggio writes. Instead, the Taliban committed to preventing al Qaeda from attacking the U.S. and its allies. This is the same commitment the Taliban made numerous times prior to Sept. 11, 2001. The Taliban has made similar promises since 9/11, yet it has harbored al Qaeda and other terror groups that have plotted against the U.S. and its allies.

Good Thursday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyres Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited this morning by David Sivak. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesnt work, shoot us an email and well add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

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NOTE TO READERS: Did you miss your Daily on Defense yesterday? It wasnt you, it was us. We had some unforeseen technical issues and were unable to publish Tuesday. Also please note that Daily on Defense will be on Spring Break the week of March 16 - 20 and will return to your inbox beginning Monday, March 23.

HAPPENING TODAY: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to reach a ceasefire agreement that would end fighting between Turkish forces and Syrian government troops in Syria's northwestern Idlib province.

Syrian forces, with Russian air cover, were on a march to wipe out the last rebel stronghold in Syria when they ran smack into Turkish troops and found themselves up against the second-largest army in NATO. Things came to a head on Feb. 27, when a Syrian airstrike on a Turkish convoy killed at least 33 Turkish troops.

In response, the Turkish forces have used drones and artillery attacks to destroy hundreds of Syrian vehicles and equipment, shot down three Syrian planes, and reportedly killed some 3,000 Syrian troops.

A report in the Economist described it this way: Turkey punched back mostly with unmanned drones, an indigenous model called the Bayraktar that has also seen combat in Iraq and against Kurdish insurgents in eastern Turkey. They fly low and slow, without the range and payload of Americas hulking Reapers. But they pack enough power to wreck armoured units. Syrias air defences, never very formidable, were useless against swarms of drones orbiting overhead. When Syrian jets managed to shoot one down, a Turkish F-16 soon downed two of the Syrian craft the regimes worst single-day aerial losses since the war began.

BEST DEFENSE IS A GOOD OFFENSE: There is no defense against hypersonic. It goes five to 10 times the speed of sound. You're not going to defend against it.

That was the blunt assessment of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley discussing the future of warfare in which maneuverable hypersonic missiles and glide vehicles will change todays concepts of missile defense.

You're not going to shoot the arrow. Those things are going so fast you're not going to get it. You got to shoot the archer, Milley said. You got to go deep downtown, and you got to get on the offense. If you want to defeat hypersonics, you got to go to the source, the launch pads.

During the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Defense Secretary Mark Esper insisted the U.S. is not giving up on hypersonic defenses. We are putting money into defensive systems, he testified. One of the early things that we know we need that money is going directly into is a is a low-earth orbit missile tracking system, if you will, that would be able to track hypersonic systems moving through the atmosphere.

Related: Washington Examiner: How Russia got hypersonic missiles before the US

A BILLION HERE, A BILLION THERE: A new Government Accountability Office report has found that the Pentagon has failed to collect reimbursement for thousands of instances in which the U.S. provided support to partners and allies, at a potential cost of $1 billion.

Orders remain unpaid in part because DOD has not requested timely repayment or monitored reimbursement, the report found. These management weaknesses limit DOD's ability to obtain reimbursement for overdue [acquisition and cross-servicing agreement] orders, which, according to DOD, were valued at more than $1 billion as of November 2019.

I've tried to track that number down. I can't find the billion-dollar number, Esper said when questioned by Rhode Island Democrat Sen. Jack Reed. Esper said the reimbursements were caught up at this time but said there are still approximately $38 million outstanding in flying costs.

I want to pull the thread a little bit more on that billion-dollar number to make sure I'm not missing something and that GAO report is helping.

WAR CRIMES INQUIRY: The American Civil Liberties Union has prevailed upon the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into alleged war crimes said to have been committed by U.S. military and intelligence forces in, or related to, the war in Afghanistan.

In a reversal of a previous ruling, the ICC also approved the scope of the investigation into CIA black sites in Poland, Lithuania, and Romania, the ACLU said in a release.

The ACLU represents three men, all of whom claim to have been tortured in Afghanistan.

BOLTON BOOK DELAYED: The lengthy White House review process of John Boltons book has bumped the publication date of The Room Where it Happened until May. The book was set to publish later this month on March 17, but the White House must first comb through the memoir to ensure that no confidential details are published.

Portions of Boltons book have already leaked to the press, including information about Trumps phone call with Ukrainian leaders that became the foundation for the House impeachment process. Bolton wrote that Trump had said Ukraines military aid was being put on hold until it announced an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden.

EXERCISE CANCELED: Just days after it said a joint U.S.-Israel missile exercise would go on as scheduled, the U.S. European Command has announced the remaining portion of Exercise Juniper Cobra 20 has been canceled.

The decision is in alignment with recent Israeli Ministry of Health guidelines on COVID-19, and a precautionary measure to ensure the health and safety of all participants, said a statement from EUCOM this morning.

INDUSTRY WATCH:

Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture: The State Department has approved the potential sale of 180 Javelin missiles and 79 Javelin Command Launch Units to Poland at an estimated cost of $100 million.

Boeing: The State Department has also approved the potential sale of up to eight KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft for an estimated cost of $2.4 billion.

A KEANE HONOR: Retired Four Star General Jack Keane will recieve [sic] the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM next week! Trump tweeted. Trump, a notoriously bad speller, apparently forgot the old rule, I before E except after Keane.

Washington Examiner: House Armed Services chairman wants to 'claw back' Trump border wall money

Washington Examiner: How Russia got hypersonic missiles before the US

Washington Examiner: Chinese company accuses CIA of decadelong hacking campaign

Washington Examiner: 'F--- the peace deal': SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden celebrates US airstrike after Taliban pact breached

The Economist: Turkey hits back against Syria, risking escalation with Russia

AL-Monitor: Pentagon says Patriot sale to Turkey still on table

Air Force Magazine: Congress May Intervene to Speed KC-46 Fixes

Reuters: U.S. Defense linguist charged with transmitting classified intelligence

Air Force Magazine: F-35 Full-Rate Production May Slip Again

Bloomberg: Nearly All the F-35 Jet Engines Ordered Last Year Arrived Late

The Hill: Coronavirus fears have stopped F-35 lines in Japan, Italy, Pentagon says

Stars and Stripes: Two U.S. Military Dependents Test Positive For COVID-19 In South Korea

Washington Post: Iranian Leadership Hit Hard, And Hospitals Give Bleak Assessment Of Spread

National Defense Magazine: Elon Musk: U.S. Needs Star Trek's Starfleet to Compete Against China

Miliitary.com: Here are the 16 jobs that will be available to troops in Space Force

Forbers: Ten Ways A Democratic President Would Change The Trump Defense Posture

THURSDAY | MARCH 5

8 a.m. 2425 Wilson Blvd., Arl. Association of the U.S. Army Hot Topics Forum on "Army Space and AMD (Air and Missile Defense): Protection of the U.S. Homeland, Forces Abroad, Allies and Partners, with Army Lt. Gen. James Dickinson, deputy commander of the U.S. Space Command; and Navy Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. https://www.ausa.org/events/amd-hot-topic

9 a.m. 2359 Rayburn House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on Defense Health Program, with Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. R. Scott Dingle; Navy Surgeon General Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham; Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Dorothy Hogg, Thomas McCaffery, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs; Lt. Gen. Ronald Place, director, Defense Health Agency; and Bill Tinston, program executive officer, Defense Healthcare Management Systems. https://appropriations.house.gov/events/hearings

9:30 a.m. 2212 Rayburn House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces Hearing: The Fiscal Year 2021 Army and Marine Corps Ground Modernization Programs, with testimony from Bruce Jette, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology; Gen. John Murray, commanding general, Army Futures Command; Lt. Gen. Eric Smith, commanding general, Marine Corps Combat Development Command; and James Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development, and acquisition. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

3 p.m. 1030 15th St. N.W. Atlantic Council discussion with British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace on "The Next Era of UK Defense." https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event

6 p.m. 600 New Jersey Ave. N.W. Georgetown University Law Center discussion: "America's Misadventure With Torture: New Revelations and Hard Lessons, with former U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture Juan Mendez; Alka Pradhan, human rights counsel to Guantanamo Military Commissions; former Military Commissions Chief Investigator Mark Fallon; Susan Brandon, former research director of the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group; Gregg Bloche, professor at Georgetown Law; David Luban, professor at Georgetown Law; and Steven Barela, senior fellow at the University of Geneva. https://www.law.georgetown.edu/news

TUESDAY | MARCH 10

10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn House Armed Services Committee hearing National Security Challenges and U.S. Military Activities in the Greater Middle East and Africa, with Kathryn Wheelbarger, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs; Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander, U.S. Central Command; Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

2 p.m. 2118 Rayburn House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces Hearing: Department of Defense Tactical and Rotary Aircraft Acquisition and Modernization Programs in the FY21 Presidents Budget Request, with Bruce Jette, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology; Brig. Gen. Walter Rugen, director, future vertical lift cross-functional team, Army Futures Command; James Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development, and acquisition; Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder, deputy Marine Corps Commandant for Aviation; Rear Adm. Greg Harris, director, air warfare office of the Chief of Naval Operations; William Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology, and logistics; Gen. James Holmes, commander, Air Combat Command; Lt. Gen. David Nahom, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Requirements. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

2:30 p.m. 2212 Rayburn House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel Hearing: Domestic Violence in the Military Services What is Being Done to Reduce the Scourge of these Abhorrent Crimes? with Dolores Geise, director, Soldier and Family Readiness, U.S. Army; Lolita Allen, Navy counseling, advocacy, and prevention program manager; Col. Patrick Pohle, chief, Air Force Family Advocacy Program; Lisa Eaffaldano, assistant branch head, Prevention and Clinical Services, U.S. Marines Corps. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

WEDNESDAY | MARCH 11

10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn House Armed Services Committee hearing: National Security Challenges and U.S. Military Activity in North and South America, with Kenneth Rapuano, assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and global security; Adm. Craig Faller, commander, U.S. Southern Command; Gen. Terrence OShaughnessy, commander, U.S. Northern Command. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

2 p.m. 2118 Rayburn House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities hearing: Reviewing Department of Defense Science and Technology Strategy, Policy, and Programs for Fiscal Year 2021: Maintaining a Robust Ecosystem for Our Technological Edge, with Michael Griffin, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering; Bruce Jette, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology; James Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development, and acquisition; William Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology, and logistics. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

2:30 p.m. 2212 Rayburn House Armed Services Subcommittees on Seapower and Projection Forces and Readiness Joint Hearing: Sealift and Mobility Requirements in Support of the National Defense Strategy, with Gen. Steve Lyons, commander, U.S. Transportation Command; Mark Buzby, U.S. Maritime Administration; Vice Adm. Ricky Williamson, deputy chief of naval operations, Lt. Gen. David Nahom, Air Force deputy chief of staff for plans and programs. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

2:30 p.m. 106 Dirksen Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel hearing on programs in the Department of Defense, with Matthew Donovan, performing the duties of the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness; Virginia Penrod, acting assistant secretary of defense for manpower & reserve affairs; Thomas McCaffery, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs; Thomas Constable, acting assistant secretary of defense for readiness; Elizabeth Van Winkle, executive director, office of force resiliency. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings

THURSDAY | MARCH 12

9 a.m. 2118 Rayburn House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness Hearing: FY21 Navy and Marine Corps Readiness Posture, with James Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy, research, development, and acquisition; Adm. Robert Burke, Vice Chief of Naval Operations; Gen. Gary Thomas, Assistant Marine Corps Commandant. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

9:30 a.m. 2212 Rayburn House Armed Services Subcommittee Strategic Forces hearing: FY21 Priorities for Missile Defense and Missile Defeat Programs, with Gen. Terrence OShaughnessy, commander, U.S. Northern Command; Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director, Missile Defense Agency; Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, commanding general, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command; Rob Soofer, deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and missile defense policy; Cristina Chaplain, Director, contracting and national security acquisitions team, Government Accountability Office. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

FRIDAY | MARCH 13

8 a.m. 1135 16th St. N.W. American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security breakfast, with Special Inspector General John Sopko discussing Corruption: A Threat to Rule of Law and Sustainable Peace in Afghanistan. https://www.americanbar.org/news

There is no defense against hypersonic. It goes five to 10 times the speed of sound. You're not going to defend against it You're not going to shoot the arrow. Those things are going so fast you're not going to get it. You got to shoot the archer.

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifying Wednesday on the challenge of defending against hypersonic weapons.

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As Taliban resume their offensive, Pentagon downplays US airstrike in response to deadly attacks - Washington Examiner