Foundations
Here's a look at documents from U.S. foundations
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Hong Kong Convicts Jimmy Lai
DETROIT, Michigan, Dec. 20 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following news:
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Hong Kong Convicts Jimmy Lai
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Lai's bravery against tyranny should inspire us all.
This article originally appeared on the Cato Institute's Cato at Liberty blog.
A Hong Kong court this week convicted Jimmy Lai, the territory's most prominent champion of democracy and basic human rights, of breaching national security. The sham trial and conviction confirm Hong Kong's tragic descent into tyranny.
Hong Kong was long one of the freest places on earth, and Jimmy Lai, age 78, both symbolizes
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DETROIT, Michigan, Dec. 20 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following news:
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Hong Kong Convicts Jimmy Lai
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Lai's bravery against tyranny should inspire us all.
This article originally appeared on the Cato Institute's Cato at Liberty blog.
A Hong Kong court this week convicted Jimmy Lai, the territory's most prominent champion of democracy and basic human rights, of breaching national security. The sham trial and conviction confirm Hong Kong's tragic descent into tyranny.
Hong Kong was long one of the freest places on earth, and Jimmy Lai, age 78, both symbolizesand cherishes the freedoms that transformed the city from poverty to prosperity in a couple of generations. Lai fled communist China to Hong Kong as a boy and became a successful and wealthy entrepreneur, which he recognized was possible due to the territory's strong rule of law and high degree of economic and personal freedoms.
Lai's appreciation of the role of freedom for human dignity and progress led him to criticize the regime in Beijingsomething that, in turn, forced him to sell his successful clothing retail chain that did business on the mainland. He then founded Apple Daily in 1995, which quickly became the city's most successful newspaper, among other factors, because of its defense of Hong Kong's freedoms and its criticisms of the Chinese Communist Party.
Hong Kong's freedoms have been slowly encroached upon since the early part of the past decade. But they were decidedly squashed with the imposition of the draconian national security law in 2020 that violated Beijing's treaty commitment to uphold Hong Kong's autonomy. The law enabled authorities to shut down Apple Daily and undermine freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the rule of law. It was under that law that Lai was convicted today after having been in jail, mostly in solitary confinement, since the end of 2020.
Lai could spend the rest of his life in prison. His real crime was standing up for free speech and basic rights, calling for democracy, and bringing prominent attention to Beijing's abuses. His fight for freedom is all the more impressive as he could have easily left Hong Kong but chose to stay, knowing full well the consequences he would face.
As Mark Clifford, a former business associate of Lai's, writes in the New York Times, "Mr. Lai is the most consequential dissident in China since Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who died in a Chinese prison in 2017." Clifford rightfully calls on President Trump and the leaders of other leading democracies to do what they can to free Lai, as Trump has previously said he would try to do. Doing so could avoid the embarrassment China would again face if the now-ailing Lai were to die in prison.
Because of his courageous battle for free speech and against tyranny, Jimmy Lai has been recognized by numerous prestigious press associations and other organizations. In 2023, the Cato Institute honored him with the Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty, our most prestigious recognition. The short video below is still well worth watching to better appreciate the dramatic battle of liberty against power, in which Jimmy Lai has played a central role.
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Original text here: https://fee.org/articles/hong-kong-convicts-jimmy-lai/
Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation: Artificial Sweetener May Interfere With Immunotherapy
NEW YORK, Dec. 20 (TNSjou) -- The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation issued the following news release:
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Artificial sweetener may interfere with immunotherapy
New research from Damon Runyon-Dale F. Frey Breakthrough Scientist Abigail E. Overacre-Delgoffe, PhD, and her lab at the University of Pittsburgh suggests that sucralose--the sugar substitute found in many "sugar-free" sodas, yogurts, and snack foods--may interfere with cancer immunotherapy. Their findings indicate that the widely used artificial sweetener changes the composition of the gut microbiome in ways that weaken patients'
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NEW YORK, Dec. 20 (TNSjou) -- The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation issued the following news release:
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Artificial sweetener may interfere with immunotherapy
New research from Damon Runyon-Dale F. Frey Breakthrough Scientist Abigail E. Overacre-Delgoffe, PhD, and her lab at the University of Pittsburgh suggests that sucralose--the sugar substitute found in many "sugar-free" sodas, yogurts, and snack foods--may interfere with cancer immunotherapy. Their findings indicate that the widely used artificial sweetener changes the composition of the gut microbiome in ways that weaken patients'immune systems and blunt the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors, a class of drugs that unleash T cells to attack tumors.
The imbalance of gut bacteria caused by sucralose consumption leads to lower levels of a key amino acid, arginine, that fuels immune cell activity. As a result, T cells are less able to mount an attack against cancer. In both preclinical models and in cancer patients receiving anti-PD-1 therapy, this shift translated into weaker responses to treatment.
The good news is that the effect may be reversible. When the researchers restored arginine through dietary supplementation, or transplanted gut microbes from treatment-responsive mice, T cell function was completely restored and immunotherapy effectiveness returned.
The findings both underscore the critical role of the gut microbiome in immune function and prompt further research into how dietary factors influence its composition, potentially affecting cancer therapy outcomes.
This research was published in Cancer Discovery (https://aacrjournals.org/cancerdiscovery/article/15/11/2278/766785/Sucralose-Consumption-Ablates-Cancer-Immunotherapy).
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Original text here: https://www.damonrunyon.org/discovery/artificial-sweetener-may-interfere-immunotherapy
VICTORY: Court vindicates professor investigated for parodying university's 'land acknowledgment' on syllabus
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Dec. 19 -- The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression posted the following news release:
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VICTORY: Court vindicates professor investigated for parodying university's 'land acknowledgment' on syllabus
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* Universities can't encourage professors to wade into controversial subjects, then punish professors for disagreeing with the administration
* Court: "Student discomfort with a professor's views can prompt discussion and disapproval. But this discomfort is not grounds for the university retaliating against the professor."
SEATTLE, Dec. 19, 2025
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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Dec. 19 -- The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression posted the following news release:
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VICTORY: Court vindicates professor investigated for parodying university's 'land acknowledgment' on syllabus
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* Universities can't encourage professors to wade into controversial subjects, then punish professors for disagreeing with the administration
* Court: "Student discomfort with a professor's views can prompt discussion and disapproval. But this discomfort is not grounds for the university retaliating against the professor."
SEATTLE, Dec. 19, 2025The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit today delivered a decisive victory for the First Amendment rights of public university faculty in Reges v. Cauce. Reversing a federal district court's opinion, the Ninth Circuit held University of Washington officials violated the First Amendment when they punished Professor Stuart Reges for substituting his satirical take on the university's preferred "land acknowledgment" statement on his syllabus.
On Dec. 8, 2021, Reges criticized land acknowledgment statements in an email to faculty, and on Jan. 3, 2022, he parodied UW's model statement in his syllabus: "I acknowledge that by the labor theory of property the Coast Salish people can claim historical ownership of almost none of the land currently occupied by the University of Washington." Reges's statement was a nod to John Locke's philosophical theory that property rights are established by labor.
COURTESY PHOTOS FOR MEDIA USE
Represented by FIRE, Reges filed a First Amendment lawsuit in July 2022 challenging the university's actions, which included a months-long "harassment" investigation. University officials created a competing class, so students wouldn't have to take a computer science class from someone who didn't parrot the university's preferred opinions.
"Today's opinion is a resounding victory for Professor Stuart Reges and the First Amendment rights of public university faculty," said FIRE attorney Gabe Walters. "The Ninth Circuit agreed with what FIRE has said from the beginning: Universities can't force professors to parrot an institution's preferred political views under pain of punishment."
Writing for the majority, Circuit Judge Daniel Bress stated : "A public university investigated, reprimanded, and threatened to discipline a professor for contentious statements he made in a class syllabus. The statements, which mocked the university's model syllabus statement on an issue of public concern, caused offense in the university community. Yet debate and disagreement are hallmarks of higher education. Student discomfort with a professor's views can prompt discussion and disapproval. But this discomfort is not grounds for the university retaliating against the professor. We hold that the university's actions toward the professor violated his First Amendment rights."
That's exactly right.
"Today's opinion recognizes that sometimes, 'exposure to views that distress and offend is a form of education unto itself,'" said FIRE Legal Director Will Creeley. "As we always say at FIRE: If you graduate from college without once being offended, you should ask for your money back."
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE recognizes that colleges and universities play a vital role in preserving free thought within a free society. To this end, we place a special emphasis on defending the individual rights of students and faculty members on our nation's campuses, including freedom of speech, freedom of association, due process, legal equality, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience.
CONTACT:
Karl de Vries, Director of Media Relations, FIRE: 215-717-3473; media@thefire.org
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Original text here: https://www.thefire.org/news/victory-court-vindicates-professor-investigated-parodying-universitys-land-acknowledgment
Utah Mechanics Eject Operating Engineers Union Bosses After Landslide Decertification Vote Results
SPRINGFIELD, Virginia, Dec. 19 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation posted the following news release:
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Utah Mechanics Eject Operating Engineers Union Bosses After Landslide Decertification Vote Results
National Labor Board certifies election outcome
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Salt Lake City, UT (December 19, 2025) - Employees of Smith Power Products, Inc are free from the hold of Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 union officials after an overwhelming majority of the units 58 workers voted to "decertify" the union in a secret ballot election administered by the National Labor Relations
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SPRINGFIELD, Virginia, Dec. 19 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation posted the following news release:
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Utah Mechanics Eject Operating Engineers Union Bosses After Landslide Decertification Vote Results
National Labor Board certifies election outcome
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Salt Lake City, UT (December 19, 2025) - Employees of Smith Power Products, Inc are free from the hold of Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 union officials after an overwhelming majority of the units 58 workers voted to "decertify" the union in a secret ballot election administered by the National Labor RelationsBoard (NLRB).
NLRB Region 27 certified the election results, officially ending Operating Engineers officials' exclusive monopoly "representation" of the Smith Power Products employees. The decertification effort was spearheaded by Smith Power Products employee Bryce Runia, who filed his petition with the NLRB with free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.
The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal labor law, a task that includes administering votes to install (or "certify") and remove (or "decertify") unions in workplaces.
The election took place among all full-time employees employed in the Parts and Service Department of the Smith Power Products, Salt Lake City, Utah, facility. Seventy percent of the workers' votes were cast against the continued presence of Operating Engineers union officials in the workplace.
Utah is one of the 26 states with Right to Work protections that safeguard workers by making union affiliation and dues payment strictly voluntary. Yet, even in Right to Work states, union officials can impose exclusive bargaining control upon all workers in a workplace, even those who oppose the union. The workers' decertification victory removes the union officials' monopoly bargaining powers over the employees.
"The Foundation is pleased to have assisted Mr. Runia and his colleagues in exercising their right to remove an unwanted union from their workplace," commented National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. "This case serves as another reminder that, in addition to the vast majority of workers who polls show are happily non-union, there are numerous other employees in Utah and across America who are currently trapped in a union against their will."
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The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.
Posted on Dec 19, 2025 in News Releases
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Original text here: https://www.nrtw.org/news/utah-operating-engineers-decertified-12192025/
Sunsetting Section 230 Would Harm Platforms, Users, and the Digital Economy
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 [Category: Computer Technology]-- The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation posted the following news release:
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Sunsetting Section 230 Would Harm Platforms, Users, and the Digital Economy
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WASHINGTONFollowing the introduction of the Sunset Section 230 Act by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, issued the following statement from Senior Policy Manager Ash Johnson:
Policymakers have blamed Section 230 for any number of
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 [Category: Computer Technology]-- The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation posted the following news release:
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Sunsetting Section 230 Would Harm Platforms, Users, and the Digital Economy
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WASHINGTONFollowing the introduction of the Sunset Section 230 Act by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, issued the following statement from Senior Policy Manager Ash Johnson:
Policymakers have blamed Section 230 for any number ofonline problems, and while it may not be perfect, eliminating this law would do much more harm than good.
The main result of sunsetting Section 230 would be an influx of frivolous lawsuits against online services that host user-generated content. Online services would likely win most of these lawsuits because their content moderation decisions are protected by the First Amendment. But without Section 230, they would have to go through an expensive litigation process that would take resources away from innovation, force some online services to start charging users to offset costs, and put online services out of business entirely.
In its current form, Section 230 ensures that neither users nor websites are liable for content created by others. It has enabled a diverse Internet ecosystem, allowing online services to moderate content in a way that best suits their needs and the needs of their users. Sunsetting Section 230 would strip online services of vital liability protections, create obstacles to innovation, and make the Internet a worse place for the average user.
Contact: Nicole Hinojosa, press@itif.org
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Original text here: https://itif.org/publications/publications/2025/12/19/sunsetting-section-230-would-harm-platforms-users-and-the-digital-economy/
From the Fireline to the Frontline of Education Freedom
DETROIT, Michigan, Dec. 19 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary:
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From the Fireline to the Frontline of Education Freedom
Freedom, clarity, and the willingness to take the first step.
By Denise Lever
My first career was not in education; for me, it began on the fireline. As a young woman fighting wildland fires, I quickly learned that courage, clarity under pressure, and teamwork could mean the difference between containment and catastrophe. I was trained to work with confidence while structures were consumed and wildlands burned around me. That experience
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DETROIT, Michigan, Dec. 19 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary:
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From the Fireline to the Frontline of Education Freedom
Freedom, clarity, and the willingness to take the first step.
By Denise Lever
My first career was not in education; for me, it began on the fireline. As a young woman fighting wildland fires, I quickly learned that courage, clarity under pressure, and teamwork could mean the difference between containment and catastrophe. I was trained to work with confidence while structures were consumed and wildlands burned around me. That experienceshaped my conviction that the people closest to the problem are often the best equipped to act. It also showed me how systems sometimes fail to support individuals who don't quite fit the mold. This realization became the catalyst for the work I do today.
While I stepped away from the fireline and began raising our three children, my husband continued his wildland fire career. We moved 9 times in 13 years. Homeschooling became our consistency. It allowed us to follow wherever the fireline took us while giving our children stability, continuity, and room to learn in ways that matched who they were. Homeschooling them through high school revealed what personalized learning can offer. It also showed me how many parents in rural communities were searching for something beyond the traditional school system. Eventually, I found myself mentoring other families and helping them to design learning plans for their children. What began as a way to provide stability for my own children grew to a profound realization. Families were desperate for a new kind of education.
In 2020, I founded Baker Creek Academy as a Prenda microschool with seven learners in a single rented room. We didn't have fancy materials or a luxurious building, but we had community, curiosity, and the courage to build something different. I envisioned a place where children felt safe, seen, and able to explore their interests. Our early days were shaped by small budgets, creative problem solving, and a belief that families should be the primary curator of their children's education.
Our second year changed me and what I expected from the microschooling movement. One of our founding families who had played a pivotal role in our first year of operation faced tragedy. The father was diagnosed with leukemia, and the family had to relocate temporarily for treatment to a hospital four hours away. The charter system I operated under at the time urged me to un-enroll the children because we could no longer meet in person. I refused. The family needed flexibility and continuity now more than ever. Together we embraced the ideals of improvise, adapt, and overcome. The mother spent hours each day at the hospital while other relatives collaborated with me to support the children's learning. We worked around treatments, travel, and exhaustion both physical and emotional. Sometimes meeting by Zoom late at night to work through a math problem or explain a grammar lesson. We stayed connected because education should never abandon a child at the moment life becomes most difficult.
Months later, the family returned home, but their struggle was far from over. The father could not return to work due to his compromised immunity, and the benefits from his former employer had run out. They needed an income, but opportunities in our small town were scarce. After everything they had endured, the mother wanted to remain available and connected to her children. Together we made a decision that would reshape the future of Baker Creek Academy and my mission. We expanded, and I brought her in as my co-guide. She became my first partner in this unexpected journey of building education choice in rural Arizona. Her courage reminded me that microschools grow not only from strategy but from compassion, flexibility, and resilience.
In the autumn of 2022, we relocated to a larger commercial space and recruited an additional founder. By the new year of 2023, as universal ESAs became available in Arizona, we supported 5 founders in our building. Each microschool is owned and operated by women entrepreneurs. For most, this is their first business venture. Now, at the end of 2025, our local network includes 9 independent founders, 10 microschool cohorts, and nearly 80 learners from our community of 6,000 people. Growth in a small town brings challenges, yet we have an advantage over the large dominant government system. We are close enough to families to listen and small enough to adapt.
My background in wildland firefighting continues to guide me. In fire, you anchor before you advance. You catch a fire with strategy, not arrogance. You keep one foot in the black, which means you stand in the area already burned and safe before taking your next step. I applied these principles to building Baker Creek Academy. We focus on stability, communication, and strong relationships.
As our community expanded, it became clear that many microschool founders across the country were navigating similar challenges without mentorship or support. Women who were building remarkable programs often struggled to monetize their work or articulate the full value of their contributions. I recognized myself in them. I also recognized an opportunity to help strengthen the broader ecosystem.
I created TrailBlazED, a leadership development and support organization for microschool founders. The TrailBlazEd Microschool Leadership Forge helps founders build leadership skills, expand their programs, and navigate the complexities of sustaining a learning community. I focus especially on supporting women so that they can step into business ownership with courage and resilience. Through professional development, coaching, collaborative networks, and events like the TrailBlazED Founders Retreat, I work to empower the individuals who are reshaping education from the ground up.
Today, Baker Creek Academy is a thriving network of independent microschools, and TrailBlazED supports founders nationwide as they design programs that meet the needs of their own communities. My work is rooted in the belief that abundance exists in education. There is room for every learner to succeed, every parent to choose, and every founder to build something meaningful. We do not need permission to create solutions for our communities. We need freedom, clarity, and the willingness to take the first step. The future of education is being written by people on the ground, close to their communities, who are ready to lead with courage.
This article originally appeared on the FEE Education Lab website.
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Denise Lever is the founder of Baker Creek Academy and TrailblazED Microschool Leadership Forge. A former wildland firefighter and longtime homeschool mom, she now leads a growing network of self-directed microschools and mentors education founders nationwide.
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Original text here: https://fee.org/articles/from-the-fireline-to-the-frontline-of-education-freedom/
Conservation Law Foundation: Rhode Island Unveils 2025 Climate Action Strategy
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Dec. 19 -- The Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release:
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Rhode Island Unveils 2025 Climate Action Strategy
CLF looking toward Governor's implementation
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(Providence, RI) - Rhode Island has just approved its 2025 Climate Action Strategy, which is intended to outline a plan for slashing carbon pollution as required by the state's Act on Climate law. CLF released the following statement in response.
"The Climate Action Strategy details how far Rhode Island must go to slash climate-warming emissions, but most of its proposals are a continuation
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Dec. 19 -- The Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release:
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Rhode Island Unveils 2025 Climate Action Strategy
CLF looking toward Governor's implementation
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(Providence, RI) - Rhode Island has just approved its 2025 Climate Action Strategy, which is intended to outline a plan for slashing carbon pollution as required by the state's Act on Climate law. CLF released the following statement in response.
"The Climate Action Strategy details how far Rhode Island must go to slash climate-warming emissions, but most of its proposals are a continuationof business as usual. That is not enough," said Darrell Brown, CLF's Vice President for Rhode Island. "We need a clear plan and commitment from our state agencies to real solutions that give Rhode Island a shot at success. Climate change isn't waiting, so neither can we. I look forward to seeing how Governor McKee and the legislature create measurable and actionable next steps to implement the strategy in the new year."
Now that Rhode Island's Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council has approved the strategy, it will inform the state's upcoming legislative session and provide guidance to the Governor and executive agencies on the steps they need to take to meet Rhode Island's climate commitments.
CLF experts are available for comment.
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Original text here: https://www.clf.org/newsroom/rhode-island-unveils-2025-climate-action-strategy/
