Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Save the Sound Applauds Reauthorization of Programs Critical to Long Island Sound
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, March 28 -- Save the Sound issued the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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Save the Sound Applauds Reauthorization of Programs Critical to Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound Partnership, National Estuary Program, BEACH Act clear hurdle Tuesday night
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Three programs critical to supporting Save the Sound's work to restore and protect Long Island Sound were included in the American Water Stewardship Act (H.R. 6422), which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday night in a decisive bipartisan floor vote.
The bill reauthorized the following
... Show Full Article
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, March 28 -- Save the Sound issued the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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Save the Sound Applauds Reauthorization of Programs Critical to Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound Partnership, National Estuary Program, BEACH Act clear hurdle Tuesday night
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Three programs critical to supporting Save the Sound's work to restore and protect Long Island Sound were included in the American Water Stewardship Act (H.R. 6422), which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday night in a decisive bipartisan floor vote.
The bill reauthorized the followingprograms, among others, through 2031:
* Long Island Sound Partnership, which drives collaborative efforts across the region to monitor and protect water quality, reduce nitrogen pollution stemming from sewage treatment plants and stormwater runoff, restore vital coastal habitat, and build sustainable and resilient communities. The Partnership, previously known as the Long Island Sound Study, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2025. One of Save the Sound's signature programs, the Unified Water Study, is supported by the Partnership; in May, the UWS will launch its 10th season of collecting water quality data in bays and harbors around the Sound.
* National Estuary Program, which requires all 28 estuaries of national significance to create a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan every 10 years. Save the Sound worked closely with the LIS Partnership and other environmental organizations in the region to develop and expand its new CCMP, which was released last June.
* Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, which requires coastal states to monitor water quality at their beaches. The data collected under the BEACH Act fuels Save the Sound's annual Beach Grades, which evaluate water quality at 200+ public and private beaches around Long Island Sound. Save the Sound will release Beach Grades based on data gathered during the 2025 swimming season in late May.
"The overwhelming bipartisan support for the reauthorization of these critical programs demonstrates the essential role they play in the conservation and restoration of Long Island Sound," said Denise Stranko, executive vice president of programs for Save the Sound, who leads the organization's federal government relations team. "We thank Representative LaLota, one of the bill's cosponsors, for his leadership throughout this process, and we are grateful for the commitment of our legislators from the Long Island Sound region who have championed this reauthorization legislation. We look forward to working with our representatives in the Senate to ensure that these programs are reauthorized."
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Original text here: https://www.savethesound.org/2026/03/27/press-release-save-the-sound-applauds-reauthorization-of-programs-critical-to-long-island-sound/
[Category: Environment]
Molecular Test Doubles Detection of Bile Duct Cancer
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, March 28 -- The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center issued the following news release:
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Molecular Test Doubles Detection of Bile Duct Cancer
When patients develop a narrowing or blockage in the bile ducts - the tubes connecting the liver, gallbladder and intestines - physicians must determine whether the cause is cancer or a benign condition. The location of these blockages adds challenges to the diagnosis, and this uncertainty can delay treatment decisions for patients in the event they have this rare type of cancer.
Scientists at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
... Show Full Article
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, March 28 -- The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center issued the following news release:
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Molecular Test Doubles Detection of Bile Duct Cancer
When patients develop a narrowing or blockage in the bile ducts - the tubes connecting the liver, gallbladder and intestines - physicians must determine whether the cause is cancer or a benign condition. The location of these blockages adds challenges to the diagnosis, and this uncertainty can delay treatment decisions for patients in the event they have this rare type of cancer.
Scientists at UPMC Hillman Cancer Centerand the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine developed BiliSeq, a molecular test that detected bile duct cancer with twice the sensitivity of the standard test, giving physicians a more accurate picture of the patient's diagnosis.
Published today in Gastroenterology, the flagship journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, the study evaluated BiliSeq's real-world performance over six years in more than 2,000 patients across the United States, analyzing nearly 3,000 bile duct specimens. BiliSeq detected approximately 82% of bile duct cancers, compared to 44% with pathology alone. More importantly, when combined with pathology, BiliSeq increased cancer detection to nearly 90% while rarely misclassifying benign disease as malignant.
Because bile duct tumors are often small, difficult to reach and surrounded by inflammation or scar tissue, standard biopsy and cytology methods often fail to give doctors a clear diagnosis.
"For decades, in bile duct cancer we've known that a negative biopsy doesn't always rule out cancer," said Adam Slivka, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Pitt. "That uncertainty drives repeat testing and sometimes surgery without clear answers."
BiliSeq addresses this limitation by detecting genetic mutations associated with cancer in bile duct tissue. The test functions even when tumor cells are sparse, damaged or indistinguishable from inflammation under the microscope -- a key limitation of traditional pathology, which can miss cancers and produce false-negative results.
BiliSeq is not a screening test for the general population. Instead, it is used for patients with bile duct narrowing or obstructions that need a clearer diagnosis.
One of the most important advantages of BiliSeq is that it provided more than a simple yes-or-no answer to patients waiting for a diagnosis. In the study, BiliSeq identified treatment-relevant genetic information in about one out of every five patients. In nearly one-third of those cases, that information led doctors to change how care was managed. "That's where this really becomes personalized medicine," said Slivka, who directs the gastroenterology service line at UPMC. In addition, BiliSeq results are already being used alongside standard clinical evaluation to help inform liver transplant decision-making in select patients at UPMC.
The study also reported on BiliSeq's detection performance across high-risk patient groups, including patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and Hispanic patients. In these populations, pathology alone could miss up to half of cancers. However, when combined with BiliSeq, clinicians were able to identify up to 86% of cancer cases.
This work extends a broader effort by Pitt and UPMC researchers to develop molecular tools that improve cancer diagnosis and treatment decisions, including prior work in pancreatic cancer and pre-cancerous cysts, developed by Aatur Singhi, M.D., Ph.D, associate professor of pathology at Pitt, Director of the UPMC Developmental Laboratory, who is a co-author of the study.
Adoption of a new molecular test takes time but can ultimately transform care. "With BiliSeq's sister test, PancreaSeq, we learned that changing clinical practice doesn't happen overnight," Singhi said. "Today, PancreaSeq is used at more than 100 institutions, and I see BiliSeq following a similar path as a tool developed to improve care for patients."
The large, prospective, multi-institutional design makes the findings representative of real-world clinical practice. "We receive and analyze samples from patients at medical centers across the country," Slivka said, "For these patients, BiliSeq means less testing, less waiting and more options."
Additional authors on the study include Rohit Das, M.D., Harkirat Singh, M.D., Jennifer Chennat, M.D., Mordechai Rabinovitz, M.D., Savreet Sarkaria, M.D., Charles Gabbert, M.D., Sultan Mahmood, M.D., Randall E. Brand, M.D., Kevin McGrath, M.D., Kenneth Fasanella, M.D., Anne Marie Lennon, M.D., Dennis Hsu, M.D., Anwaar Saeed, M.D., Janie Zhang, M.D., Vikram Gorantla, M.D., John Rhee, M.D., Robert Bubar, M.D., Abigail I. Wald, Ph.D., Sara A. Singhi, Katelyn Smith, B.A., Nuha Shaker, M.D., Marina N. Nikiforova, M.D., Liron Pantanowitz, M.D., Ph.D., N. Paul Ohori, M.D., and Sara E. Monaco, M.D., all of Pitt, UPMC or both. Additional corresponding authors of the study are Aatur Singhi, M.D., Ph.D. from Pitt and UPMC, and Nisa Kubiliun, M.D., from the University of Southwestern Texas.
This study was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (P30DK120531, U01CA200466 and P30CA047904), Western PA Chapter- National Pancreas Foundation, the Sky Foundation and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
Additional resources:
How BiliSeq is being used for diagnosis in high-risk patients (https://inside.upmc.com/?p=71489&preview=true)
BiliSeq is already directing treatment for patients with bile duct cancer (https://inside.upmc.com/?p=71491&preview=true)
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (https://dom.pitt.edu/gi/)
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Original text here: https://www.upmc.com/media/news/032726-biliseq
[Category: Health Care]
FFRF Action Fund: 'Secularist of the Week' Atheist Activist Demolishes Hegseth's Calls for a Crusade
MADISON, Wisconsin, March 28 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on March 27, 2026:
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'Secularist of the Week' atheist activist demolishes Hegseth's calls for a crusade
The FFRF Action Fund honors Jason Benell, Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers president, as its "Secularist of the Week" for his recent op-ed refuting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's dangerous calls for an "American Crusade" and claims
... Show Full Article
MADISON, Wisconsin, March 28 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on March 27, 2026:
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'Secularist of the Week' atheist activist demolishes Hegseth's calls for a crusade
The FFRF Action Fund honors Jason Benell, Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers president, as its "Secularist of the Week" for his recent op-ed refuting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's dangerous calls for an "American Crusade" and claimsabout the nonreligious.
The Des Moines Register has published an op-ed penned by Benell, titled "I fought for our Constitution, not for a crusade." In the piece, Benell details his experience as a combat veteran and an atheist in response to Hegseth's blatant Christian nationalism and erasure of the nonreligious in the U.S. military. Since joining the Trump administration, Hegseth has consistently centered a warrior brand of Christianity in his authority over the U.S. military, promoting his extremist religious beliefs and calling for an "American Crusade." And he has repeatedly professed that "there are no atheists in foxholes."
"The defense secretary's rhetoric is a disservice to soldiers of all faiths and none, who swore to defend a godless and secular Constitution," Benell writes. "Time and again, Hegseth chooses to use divisive language that dishonors the brave soldiers who risk everything to protect our great nation, the world's first secular republic, a democratic republic of, by, and for the people."
Benell explains that the United States has always been a "religiously pluralistic nation," asserting that the "Founding Fathers recognized the danger in mixing faith and politics, so they forbade it in the First Amendment and promised the government wouldn't interfere with our right to believe (or not)."
"Hegseth is the figure they feared, an ideologue who admits he is more dedicated to his own dogma than he is to our democracy," Benell continues. "He speaks of our military as a force for retribution and rage, not for peace and altruism."
Benell asserts that Hegseth's guidance of the U.S. military "undermines the sacrifices of countless veterans of all faiths and none who gave everything in defense of a nation's Constitution, not one man's Crusade." Benell explains to the defense secretary that "our military fights in service of democracy -- not theocracy," and that "being nonreligious or belonging to a minority faith doesn't make us any less American or patriotic."
"Just as our freethinking forefathers did, American atheists advocate for evidence-based policies and secular governance that upholds the will of the people, not sectarian faith based adventurism," Benell concludes. "We hold leaders to account whenever they place religion above reason and wherever they choose dogma over human decency. We show up; we vote; and, yes, we fight in foxholes."
Read Benell's full op-ed here (https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2026/03/22/pete-hegseth-is-exactly-who-our-founding-fathers-feared-opinion/89213298007/).
In a 2025 essay featured in the fall issue of the American Atheist magazine, Benell explains his motivation for being an atheist activist. "Here in Iowa, being an atheist, humanist or secular person is still seen as an anomaly," Benell said. "I like showing folks what Being Good Without God looks like."
Benell is a first-time "Secularist of the Week," though FFRF Action Fund's parent organization, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, awarded Benell its Nothing Fails Like Prayer Award in 2022 for delivering a secular invocation in front of the Iowa Legislature. Benell is a prominent atheist activist in Iowa and has supported FFRF Action Fund's model legislation to keep religious proselytizing out of public schools. We thank him for his stellar work in safeguarding our nation's secular democracy in his state.
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FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/secularist-of-the-week-atheist-activist-demolishes-hegseths-calls-for-a-crusade/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR-Ohio Action Alert Urges Lawmakers to Reject SB 87 Threatening Free Speech and Civil Liberties
WASHINGTON, March 28 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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CAIR-Ohio Action Alert Urges Lawmakers to Reject SB 87 Threatening Free Speech and Civil Liberties
The Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) today is calling on community members and allies to demand that Ohio House lawmakers vote NO on Senate Bill 87, a dangerous and unprecedented threat to free speech that opens the door to policing dissent, punishing peaceful protest, and stripping away civil liberties across Ohio.
TAKE ACTION NOW! (https://action.cair.com/a/cair-ohio-action-alert-urging-lawmakers-reject-sb-87-threatening-free-speech-and-civil-liberties)
Tell
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 28 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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CAIR-Ohio Action Alert Urges Lawmakers to Reject SB 87 Threatening Free Speech and Civil Liberties
The Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) today is calling on community members and allies to demand that Ohio House lawmakers vote NO on Senate Bill 87, a dangerous and unprecedented threat to free speech that opens the door to policing dissent, punishing peaceful protest, and stripping away civil liberties across Ohio.
TAKE ACTION NOW! (https://action.cair.com/a/cair-ohio-action-alert-urging-lawmakers-reject-sb-87-threatening-free-speech-and-civil-liberties)
Tellyour Ohio House member: Vote NO on SB 87. Protect free speech. Protect our rights.
SB 87, which has already passed the Ohio Senate, goes far beyond addressing antisemitism. The bill would codify the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism along with its vague and overbroad "contemporary examples" into Ohio law, while also expanding the state's ethnic intimidation statute to include riot and aggravated riot.
CAIR unequivocally rejects antisemitism and stands firmly against all forms of hatred, bigotry, and discrimination targeting Jewish communities or any other group. However, SB 87 does not combat hate it weaponizes the law to suppress constitutionally protected speech.
In 2024, CAIR Ohio opposed similar legislation, raising serious concerns about vague definitions and threats to protected expression. SB 87 ignores those concerns and doubles down.
In a statement, CAIR-Ohio Executive Director Faten Husni Odeh said:
"Lawmakers must reject SB 87. This bill does not protect communities; it punishes dissent. It empowers the state to police speech, target peaceful protest, and criminalize criticism of Israel. Ohioans will not accept laws that trade away their First Amendment rights for political convenience. Vote NO."
CAIR-Ohio is urging all Ohio residents to take immediate action and contact their representatives.
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ohio-action-alert-urging-lawmakers-to-reject-sb-87-threatening-free-speech-and-civil-liberties/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR-Chicago Stands With Mayor Brandon Johnson in Affirming Equal Protection Against All Hate Crimes
WASHINGTON, March 28 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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CAIR-Chicago Stands with Mayor Brandon Johnson in Affirming Equal Protection Against All Hate Crimes
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Chicago office (CAIR-Chicago), today expressed its strong support for Mayor Brandon Johnson's position that all hate crimes must be addressed with equal urgency and seriousness, amid ongoing public debate following the resignation of Chicago Commission on Human Relations Commissioner Nancy Andrade.
Recent reporting has highlighted
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 28 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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CAIR-Chicago Stands with Mayor Brandon Johnson in Affirming Equal Protection Against All Hate Crimes
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Chicago office (CAIR-Chicago), today expressed its strong support for Mayor Brandon Johnson's position that all hate crimes must be addressed with equal urgency and seriousness, amid ongoing public debate following the resignation of Chicago Commission on Human Relations Commissioner Nancy Andrade.
Recent reporting has highlightedtensions surrounding a Human Relations Commission report initially focused on antisemitism, which was later broadened to address all forms of hate. Some officials, including Alderwoman Debra Silverstein, have regularly pressed the commission to prioritize confronting anti-Jewish hate crimes, particularly following a reported rise in such incidents.
CAIR-Chicago unequivocally condemns anti-Jewish hatred and stands in solidarity with the Jewish community against hate, discrimination, and violence. At the same time, we echo Mayor Johnson's clear and principled stance that Chicago must reject any framework that treats one form of hate as more urgent than others. As Mayor Johnson stated, "when harm happens to one particular group, it happens to all of us."
"We must not fall into the trap of selective outrage or a hierarchy of victimhood. Justice demands moral clarity, consistency, and courage," CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab.
CAIR-Chicago also draws attention to the growing and deeply concerning rise in cases of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim bullying, doxxing, harassment and hate crimes its offices have received--both locally and nationally - particularly at the heels of Israel's genocide in Gaza and the US and Israel's bombing of Iran. The alarming level of anti-Muslim animus being promoted at the moment can no longer be met with muted responses at institutional levels locally and nationally.
Muslim communities in Chicago continue to face:
* Increased incidents of harassment and intimidation in public spaces
* Bullying, doxxing and discrimination targeting Muslim students in schools and places of employment
* Online hate speech translating into real-world threats. Researchers at the Center for the Study of Organized Hate have documented an 11-fold amplification of online anti-Muslim hate in recent weeks. (A recent post by CAIR-Chicago marking the international day to combat Islamophobia received over 5,000 anti-Muslim comments for example).
* Disproportionate targeting of visibly Muslim women, particularly those who wear hijab.
* Anti-Muslim hatemongering by public officials.
These trends mirror national data and reflect a broader climate of fear that cannot be ignored. In CAIR's 2026 National Civil Rights Report, CAIR-Chicago reported 877 complaints in 2025, a 65 percent increase over 2024.
"The uncomfortable truth is that there is a clear double standard in how officials and institutions have responded to antisemitism versus Islamophobia in this country. At the university, stringent measures including freezing of federal funding, blocks on student registration, mandatory trainings and even withholding degrees have been taken place where antisemitism has been alleged, whereas complaints of anti-Muslim bias and erasure have been ignored or downplayed," Rehab said.
SEE: CAIR-Chicago Says Northwestern's Termination of Promised Muslim Cultural & MENA Community Spaces Is Discriminatory and Retaliatory Capitulation to Federal Pressure (https://www.cairchicago.org/blog/cair-chicago-says-northwesterns-termination-of-promised-muslim-cultural-mena-community-spaces-is-discriminatory-and-retaliatory-capitulation-to-federal-pressure)
"At the federal level, the disparity is even more pronounced. Allegations of antisemitism trigger special congressional hearings and investigations that are denied when patterns of anti-Muslim hatred are alleged. Ironically, congress itself now houses a 55 member-strong anti-Muslim caucus whose members have compared Muslims to dogs and declared that 'Muslims don't belong here,' and that 'Muslims are the enemy within' among other things," Rehab added. "The level of hateful rhetoric at this level of government is unmatched but has been met with no official censure whereas congress' only Palestinian-American representative was censured by 234 members of congress after she called for Palestinian freedom throughout the entire Holy Land."
CAIR-Chicago commended Mayor Johnson for resisting political pressure to narrow the scope of the City's response to hate crimes and for affirming that Chicago's civil rights infrastructure must serve all communities equally.
"A community's right to be respected and protected should not be proportional to its political capital and access. A just society does not rank suffering, nor does it politicize it. We cannot allow those who exhibit selective outrage to dictate our public policy here in Chicago or anywhere. We urge all elected officials, including Alderwoman Debra Silverstein, to work collaboratively toward policies that strengthen protections for every community facing hate and discrimination," Rehab said. "Our city's moral clarity will be measured not by whom we prioritize, but by whether we stand for everyone - 'ALL of Chicago' as former commissioner Andrade emphasized in her outgoing statement."
CAIR-Chicago remains committed to working with city leaders, interfaith partners, and community stakeholders to ensure that Chicago leads the nation in advancing a comprehensive, inclusive approach to combating hate in all its forms.
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-chicago-stands-with-mayor-brandon-johnson-in-affirming-equal-protection-against-all-hate-crimes/
[Category: Sociological]
ATR Submits Comment Letter on Codifying Prohibition on Reputation Risk to Address Debanking
WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on March 26, 2026, by Andrew Gins:
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ATR Submits Comment Letter on Codifying Prohibition on Reputation Risk to Address Debanking
On March 25, 2026, Americans for Tax Reform submitted a comment letter (https://atr.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ATR-Comment-on-Reputation-Risk.pdf) regarding a notice of proposed rulemaking by the Federal Reserve board which would codify a prohibition on use of reputation risk in bank supervision practices. Reputation risk has been widely criticized as a major contributor to the
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on March 26, 2026, by Andrew Gins:
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ATR Submits Comment Letter on Codifying Prohibition on Reputation Risk to Address Debanking
On March 25, 2026, Americans for Tax Reform submitted a comment letter (https://atr.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ATR-Comment-on-Reputation-Risk.pdf) regarding a notice of proposed rulemaking by the Federal Reserve board which would codify a prohibition on use of reputation risk in bank supervision practices. Reputation risk has been widely criticized as a major contributor to thephenomenon of debanking--a practice where financial institutions abruptly sever account access or terminate a commercial relationship with their customers, often with no justification given.
ATR supports the Fed's move to codify this prohibition. Reputation risk has been documented as a key tool for regulators to target certain industries and individuals ranging from crypto, oil & gas, to firearms businesses, and even charities and political organizations. The weaponization of reputation risk dates back to the 1990s, but it was not until the Obama Administration that debanking proliferated. Under Operation Choke Point, regulators used thinly-veiled threats and informal guidance to pressure banks to cease commercial relations with industries that were politically disfavored. A similar abuse of agency power occurred under the Biden administration through its crackdown on the crypto industry. The common denominator underlying these abusive exercises of government power is the reference to reputation risk that regulators frequently cited as justification for compelling banks to penalize otherwise compliant, law-abiding customers.
Aside from the strong potential for, and history of, abuse and overreach, reputation risk also fails key tests that support its inclusion as an effective and reasonable tool for bank supervision more broadly.
For one, reputation risk lacks legal justification:
The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) of 1946 and recently established doctrine in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo make it clear agencies must adhere to their responsibilities as specifically outlined by relevant statutes.6 Federal agencies may not self-endow interpretive authority when administering ambiguous statutes. Agencies must point to clear explicit congressional authorization when formulating rulemaking. The Federal Reserve Board cannot expand the scope of bank supervision practices unilaterally without an update in legislative authority. With regards to bank supervision, each component of CAMELS is traceable to explicit statutory authority:
* Capital Adequacy -- 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1831o (Prompt Corrective Action)
* Asset Quality -- 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1831p-1 (Safety-and-Soundness Standards)
* Management -- 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1818 (Termination of Status as Insured Depository Institution)
* Earnings -- 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1831o (Prompt Corrective Action)
* Liquidity -- 12 U.S.C Sec. 5365; C.F.R. 249.10 (LCR rules)
* Sensitivity to Market Risk -- 12 U.S.C Sec. 5365; (Enhanced Supervision) related to stress testing requirements
These categories reflect responsibilities that Congress explicitly assigned to banking regulators. They measure financial condition and operational soundness -- the precise objectives of banking statutes. Reputation risk has no identifiable statutory basis that regulators can use to justify its adoption. Reputation risk entered supervisory practice in 1995 via guidance and not notice and comment rulemaking.13 Therefore, the continued use of reputation risk violates the APA's requirement that agency action be grounded in Congressionally delegated authority.
The letter also questions the efficacy of reputation risk and argues that any signal from reputation risk could only serve as a lagging indicator for risk signals that are already embedded elsewhere in CAMELS:
There is confusion over the cause and effect during such events -- namely -- material financial risks create financial issues that create the news which affects the institution's reputation. Financial distress does not occur because of reputation risk, rather, reputation risk follows financially distressing events. Events such as the global financial crisis, the collapse of SVB and regional banks in 2023 began due to financial reporting that stoked concern among depositors and investors. Silicon Valley Bank's collapse began with a credit downgrade from Moody's following an announcement to sell common and preferred stock to address deposit outflows. Wall Street banks that collapsed during the Global Financial Crisis reported increasing losses on mortgages and Mortgage-Backed Securities for several months preceding their collapse. However, public signs of financial distress such as news of buyout discussions by other institutions likely prompted and accelerated the bank runs into a compressed timeline of a few days.
While the issue of bank collapses is concerning; these cases are not causal proof of reputation risk precipitating these collapses. Secondly, because reputation risk occurs in the wake of periods of financial distress, it is inconceivable that regulators can issue timely warnings or incentivize banks to fix their perception by investors or their customer base. Doing so requires an overhaul of the bank's balance sheet and increases in capitalization, emergency liquidity access, or other tools to remediate the underlying issue that belie the bank -- these are measures best addressed through existing CAMELS channels excluding reputation.
The letter concludes by urging the agency to follow through with its proposal:
Americans for Tax Reform strongly encourages the Federal Reserve Board to move as quickly as possible to codify the removal of reputation risk from all supervision materials activities. Preventing reputation risk from being hijacked for political objectives will signal commitment from the Federal Reserve Board as a regulator to carry out its role in an impartial manner and ensure bank supervision achieves its objectives without incentivizing discriminatory practices such as debanking.
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Original text here: https://atr.org/atr-submits-comment-letter-on-codifying-prohibition-on-reputation-risk-to-address-debanking/
[Category: Political]
ATR Backs Cruz & Miller Bill to Restore Full Deductibility of Gambling Losses
WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on March 27, 2026, by Mike Palicz:
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ATR Backs Cruz & Miller Bill to Restore Full Deductibility of Gambling Losses
Americans for Tax Reform urges Congress to pass legislation restoring the full 100 percent deductibility of gambling losses.
Americans for Tax Reform urges Congress to pass the Facilitating Useful Loss Limitations to Help Our Unique Service Economy (FULL HOUSE) Act (H.R. 6985/S. 2230), introduced by Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), which would fully restore the amount of gambling
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 28 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary on March 27, 2026, by Mike Palicz:
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ATR Backs Cruz & Miller Bill to Restore Full Deductibility of Gambling Losses
Americans for Tax Reform urges Congress to pass legislation restoring the full 100 percent deductibility of gambling losses.
Americans for Tax Reform urges Congress to pass the Facilitating Useful Loss Limitations to Help Our Unique Service Economy (FULL HOUSE) Act (H.R. 6985/S. 2230), introduced by Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), which would fully restore the amount of gamblinglosses an itemizing taxpayer could deduct to 100 percent.
This legislation would restore basic fairness to the taxation of gambling income and remove a tax on phantom income.
The legislation was discussed in a markup held by the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday, where Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) noted his support of the legislation and stated he is "committed" to solving this issue for taxpayers.
Return to Previous Law
A recent change to tax law will limit the ability of American gamblers to fully deduct their gambling loses against their winnings, resulting in a stiff tax penalty on gamblers if left unfixed.
Professional and casual gamblers alike have previously been able to deduct 100 percent of their gambling losses on federal income tax returns, as long as their deduction did not exceed their winnings for the year. Taxpayers who itemized deductions could fully offset their winnings with losses, so taxes were only paid on net profits. This is the proper tax treatment on gambling profits.
However, The landmark One Big Beautiful Bill Act changed this long-standing practice. Buried under extensions to President Trump's first-term 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is a reduction of the gambling loss limitation to only 90% of losses. For many Americans, this adjustment affects recreational gambling, from casual poker nights to sports betting and casino visits. The legislation also has implications for professional gamblers.
This change in law was not included in the original House-passed version of the reconciliation bill and was likely included at the last minute in the Senate's version to generate revenue and comply with the Byrd rule. Congress should now place proper tax treatment over a previous procedural requirement and restoration 100 percent deductibility of gambling losses.
Current Limitation Taxes Phantom Income
This limitation on deductible losses could result in gamblers paying taxes on income they did not actually receive. For example, a bettor who won $100,000 and lost $100,000 would, under the 90% cap, face a "phantom income" of $10,000; income that exists only on paper and does not appear in cash or bank accounts.
Widespread Impact
The provision's impact will be felt beyond casinos and other physical gambling locations. As states continue to legalize online gambling through platforms such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Bet365, available data from 2025 collected from online betting platforms have exceeded $1 billion in tax revenues. Similarly with the federal revenues, if gamblers limit their activity or move their bets to other markets, it eliminates the possibility for states to generate gambling-related revenue.
Restoring a full 100% deductibility would correct an unintended burden on American taxpayers placing bets on their favorite football teams, taking a trip to the casino, or enjoying a simple poker game with friends. This can be accomplished without jeopardizing other tax priorities or the broader fiscal goals of the Big Beautiful Bill.
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Original text here: https://atr.org/atr-backs-cruz-miller-bill-to-restore-full-deductibility-of-gambling-losses/
[Category: Political]
