Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Report Sounds Alarm on Data Center Impacts to National Parks Across Mid-Atlantic, Calls for Common Sense Reforms
WASHINGTON, March 20 (TNSrpt) -- The National Parks Conservation Association issued the following news release on March 19, 2026:
* * *
New Report Sounds Alarm on Data Center Impacts to National Parks Across Mid-Atlantic, Calls for Common Sense Reforms
Today, the National Parks Conservation Association released a report, sounding the alarm on the impact of extensive data center growth to national parks across Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia. The report, A Smarter Path Forward: Safeguarding National Parks Amid Explosive AI and Data Center Growth, warns the rapid expansion of artificial
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 20 (TNSrpt) -- The National Parks Conservation Association issued the following news release on March 19, 2026:
* * *
New Report Sounds Alarm on Data Center Impacts to National Parks Across Mid-Atlantic, Calls for Common Sense Reforms
Today, the National Parks Conservation Association released a report, sounding the alarm on the impact of extensive data center growth to national parks across Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia. The report, A Smarter Path Forward: Safeguarding National Parks Amid Explosive AI and Data Center Growth, warns the rapid expansion of artificialintelligence infrastructure across the Mid-Atlantic is driving extraordinary demand for land, water, and energy use, among other concerns. These cumulative impacts on top of the enormous physical footprints data centers have now and are projected to have in years to come, put the more than 70 national parks across the region in jeopardy.
Virginia has become the data center capital of the world with more data centers here than anywhere else on the Planet. Across the state, data center growth has spiked more than 500% since 2015.
"The rapid and unchecked pursuit of new technologies must not come at the expense of our national parks, which were set aside for the intrinsic values they hold for all Americans," said Kyle Hart, Senior Program Manager for the National Parks Conservation Association. "Our national parks are places where we connect with our history, with nature, and with each other. We've seen what can happen when this industry grows unchecked, and we cannot allow it to continue."
Key report findings include:
* The scale and speed of data center development is unprecedented.
* Industry led efforts to mitigate impact to communities falls short; and
* National parks are directly and significantly impacted with facilities planned within the border of Prince William Forest Park, expanded transmission lines cutting through the Appalachian Trail and Harpers Ferry and massive construction proposed for lands alongside Manassas National Battlefield Park.
Each data center requires extraordinary amounts of land, water, and energy to operate. These industrial complexes consume enormous amounts of electricity to support power needs from distant generation facilities. They cause noise, air and water pollution, inflicting irreversible damage to historic sites and green spaces in and around our national parks. The true footprint of data center growth includes a sprawling network of power plants, transmission lines, energy infrastructure, and pulls enormous amounts of water from local resources to keep them running.
"Explosive water demands from data centers already pull an estimated eight percent of all water withdrawals from the Potomac River," said Ben Alexandro, Founder and CEO of Alexandro Strategies and report author. "If the rate of expansion continues at this pace, as much as 200 million gallons of water could be pulled from the Potomac River daily, over the next few decades."
Across the Mid-Atlantic, significant impacts from operational data center facilities are already seen and felt and include degraded air quality from diesel backup generators, which at some facilities number in the hundreds, and explosive water and energy demands that continue to grow. This development ruins recreational opportunities and fragments landscapes, impacting wildlife corridors for bobcats and Wood Thrushes.
"In the next few decades, the region could see 60 gigawatts, if not much more, of data center capacity. To put that into perspective, 60 Gigawatts is well over triple the peak energy use of the entire state of Maryland," added Alexandro.
Our Most Vulnerable Parks
* Manassas National Battlefield Park - proposed Prince William Digital Gateway would span more than 2,100 acres with 10 acres located within the congressionally authorized park boundary.
* Prince William Forest Park - proposed Potomac Technology Park would take roughly 52 acres within the boundary of the park, turning it into one million square feet of data center development
* Wilderness Battlefield - proposed data center development and associated large industrial-scale facilities
* Shenandoah National Park - proposed high-voltage transmission lines would cross the park multiple times with towers up to 200 feet tall
* Appalachian Trail - massive transmission lines crisscrossing park
* Harpers Ferry National Historical Park - massive transmission lines crisscrossing park
* Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park - massive transmission lines crisscrossing park
Parks are economic generators for the region. In 2024, nearly 28 million visitors explored Virginia and Maryland national parks and spent almost $3 billion locally.
"All of this comes at the expense of our national parks, the millions of people that visit them, and the communities that surround them," added NPCA's Kyle Hart. "If development trends here continue in this direction the data center industry could convert up to 100,000 acres of open green space into industrial complexes here. The opportunity for getting ahead of this boom continues to narrow and we must act now," said Hart.
Recommendations and Solutions
Data center development is already hitting national parks across the Mid-Atlantic hard and these impacts will continue to grow without stronger safeguards. NPCA is calling for common sense reforms that include conducting environmental reviews and strengthened protections for our federal lands and waters. To do so will require improved transparency and accountability among our elected officials and industry leaders alike. And policies at all levels of government must address responsible growth, long-term planning and enforce transparent processes that include robust public engagement.
* * *
About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation's most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
Founded by veteran environmental strategist Ben Alexandro, Alexandro Strategies provides research, policy analysis, and strategic planning services to mission-driven organizations. The firm specializes in translating complex technical data into accessible insights and building the partnerships necessary to address large-scale conservation and climate challenges. With more than 15 years of experience leading regional coalitions and navigating complex landscape-scale initiatives, Ben Alexandro established the firm to help clients protect natural resources and strengthen communities. For more information, visit www.alexandrostrategies.com.
* * *
REPORT: https://npca.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/4761/f3cb942d-754c-4598-b1cf-14acbcfe8a55.pdf?1773946769
* * *
Original text here: https://www.npca.org/articles/11365-new-report-sounds-alarm-on-data-center-impacts-to-national-parks-across-mid
[Category: Environment]
Massachusetts Biotechnology Council: CEO Innovation Policy Update 03.19.26
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, March 20 -- The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council posted the following news:
* * *
CEO Innovation Policy Update 03.19.26
This update was originally posted by MassBio CEO & President Kendalle Burlin O'Connell on LinkedIn:
SBIR reauthorization is heading to the President's desk. That's a meaningful win after months of uncertainty for the early-stage companies and startups that power Massachusetts' innovation economy, but it's just one thread in a week dominated by competitiveness questions, from China's expanding role in the drug development pipeline to NIH's vision
... Show Full Article
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, March 20 -- The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council posted the following news:
* * *
CEO Innovation Policy Update 03.19.26
This update was originally posted by MassBio CEO & President Kendalle Burlin O'Connell on LinkedIn:
SBIR reauthorization is heading to the President's desk. That's a meaningful win after months of uncertainty for the early-stage companies and startups that power Massachusetts' innovation economy, but it's just one thread in a week dominated by competitiveness questions, from China's expanding role in the drug development pipeline to NIH's visionfor the next five years.
SBIR Reauthorization Heads to the President: After months of advocacy and sustained engagement on Capitol Hill, the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs are heading to the President's desk for signature following passage in the House this week. This is a significant win for MassBio and the Massachusetts life sciences ecosystem after nearly 6 months of the critical programs pause. A long-term reauthorization through 2031 gives early-stage companies the stability they need to plan around non-dilutive federal funding. We'll be monitoring for how quickly programs are able to start back up and will keep members apprised.
Congress's Focus on China's Biotech Growth: The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party held a hearing this week examining China's growing dominance across the drug development pipeline and generic drug supply chain. Witnesses, including MassBio Board Member Jacob Becraft, described a concerning feedback loop: as early-stage clinical trials migrate to China where trial costs are lower and enrollment is faster, the capital, infrastructure, and expertise follow. Committee members from both parties signaled clear interest in acting, with discussion focused on streamlining U.S. institutional review board processes, empowering investigator-initiated trials, and addressing the fact that active pharmaceutical ingredients for roughly a quarter of U.S. generics now originate in China.
China Focus Continues Next Week on Hill: The China-focused hearing activity on Capitol Hill doesn't stop there. Next week, the House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing titled "Defending Main Street: Combating CCP Threats to America's Small Businesses" on March 25, and the House Education and Workforce Committee will examine "U.S. Universities Under Siege: Foreign Espionage, Stolen Innovation, and the National Security Threat" on March 26. While neither hearing is centered specifically on biopharma, both touch on issues directly relevant to the life sciences ecosystem, from the small businesses and startups that drive early-stage innovation to the research universities that anchor the U.S. biomedical pipeline. Taken together, this week's Select Committee hearing and next week's activity signal that China competitiveness has become a sustained, cross-committee priority in Congress. We'll be monitoring both hearings and will share relevant updates next week.
NIH Director Bhattacharya Testifies Before House Appropriators: NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya appeared before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies earlier this week, where he pledged that NIH will spend its full $48.7 billion budget before the close of fiscal year 2026, despite data showing the agency has awarded 74% fewer new competitive grants than the historical average at this point in the year. In his written testimony, Bhattacharya framed his tenure around three priorities: restoring public trust in NIH following COVID-19, advancing what he calls "Gold Standard Science" through a new reproducibility and replication initiative, and modernizing how NIH makes and oversees funding decisions. He also described a new unified framework guiding all institutes and centers, a simplified peer review process, and a policy ending foreign subawards in favor of independently tracked awards. The hearing comes as NIH simultaneously moves through the public input phase of its FY2027-2031 strategic plan - more on that below.
NIH FY2027-2031 Strategic Plan RFI Open Through May 16: NIH has released a Request for Information seeking public comment on the framework for its next strategic plan, covering fiscal years 2027-2031. The plan is organized around three priorities: advancing research across key areas; sustaining research capacity and workforce; and operating with scientific integrity and accountability. Notable elements discussed in a webinar outlining the strategic plan earlier this week include an emphasis on New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), geographic balance in grant funding, heightened oversight of international subawards, and integration of MAHA priorities and Dr. Bhattacharya's Unified Funding Plan. MassBio plans to comment on the RFI in advance of the deadline on May 16, 2026.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.massbio.org/news/recent-news/ceo-innovation-policy-update-03-19-26/
[Category: Biology]
KFF Follow-Up Survey of Marketplace Enrollees: Following End of Enhanced Credits, Half of Marketplace Enrollees Now Say Costs Are a Lot Higher, Most Expect to Cut Back on Basic Household Expenses to Afford Coverage
SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 20 -- KFF, an organization that says it focuses on health policy, issued the following news release:
* * *
KFF Follow-Up Survey of Marketplace Enrollees: Following End of Enhanced Credits, Half of Marketplace Enrollees Now Say Costs Are a Lot Higher, Most Expect to Cut Back on Basic Household Expenses to Afford Coverage
One in 10 Dropped Their Marketplace Coverage and Are Now Uninsured and Three in 10 Switched ACA Plans, Most Citing High Costs
*
Following the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits for people with Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 20 -- KFF, an organization that says it focuses on health policy, issued the following news release:
* * *
KFF Follow-Up Survey of Marketplace Enrollees: Following End of Enhanced Credits, Half of Marketplace Enrollees Now Say Costs Are a Lot Higher, Most Expect to Cut Back on Basic Household Expenses to Afford Coverage
One in 10 Dropped Their Marketplace Coverage and Are Now Uninsured and Three in 10 Switched ACA Plans, Most Citing High Costs
*
Following the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits for people with Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplaceplans, a new KFF follow-up survey of the same Marketplace enrollees KFF surveyed in 2025 finds half (51%) of returning enrollees say their health care costs are "a lot higher" this year compared to last year, including four in 10 who specifically say their premiums are "a lot higher." In all, a large majority (80%) of these enrollees say their health care costs, which can include premiums, deductibles, co-pays, or coinsurance, are higher.
This new survey (https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/a-follow-up-survey-of-aca-marketplace-enrollees/), which was fielded about a month after open enrollment ended in most states and before the grace period to make payments ends for many enrollees, re-interviewed Marketplace enrollees who shared their expectations for their coverage decisions late last year. It also finds that nearly one in six (17%) returning ACA Marketplace enrollees say they are not confident they will be able to afford their premiums this year. For those who kept the same Marketplace plans, the expiration of the ACA's enhanced premium tax credits in 2025 is estimated to have increased annual premium payments by more than two-fold on average this year.
Responding to Rising Health Costs
Among those who re-enrolled in an ACA Marketplace plan, a majority (55%) say they have cut or plan to cut spending on food or other basic household expenses to afford their health care costs. The impact is even greater for those with chronic health conditions, more than six in 10 (62%) of whom say they are, or will be, cutting back on food and other basics.
Marketplace enrollees are also concerned about their ability to pay for both routine and unexpected medical expenses. About three in four (73%) returning Marketplace enrollees say they are "very worried" or "somewhat worried" about being able to afford costs for emergency care or hospitalizations while about half are worried about affording costs for routine medical visits (49%) or prescription drugs (45%).
"The impacts on Marketplace enrollees we see in this follow-up survey will likely get worse as people struggle to make payments and the grace period many have expires," KFF President and CEO Drew Altman said.
For some, rising costs have already forced them to make tough choices. About one in 10 (9%) Marketplace enrollees dropped their ACA coverage and are now uninsured and another nearly three in 10 (28%) changed Marketplace plans. When asked why they decided to drop or change their coverage, most cited costs.
* * *
A 63-year-old man in California describes why he is uninsured now:
"The end of ACA subsidies caused a huge increase in premiums, the cost of which I could not afford."
A 56-year-old man in Texas explains why he switched to a different Marketplace plan:
"Income exceeded the subsidy limit, forcing us to pay the full cost, so we switched down to a bronze from a gold plan. Even doing that our premiums are 3 times what they were in 2025, with lower plan features and a higher deductible."
* * *
In all, seven in 10 (69%) of those who had ACA Marketplace coverage in 2025 have re-enrolled in a plan through the Marketplace, while others became eligible for different types of health insurance coverage either through an employer (5%) or through Medicare (4%) or Medicaid (7%). A small share (5%) purchased health plans outside of the ACA Marketplace, which typically provide less comprehensive coverage and have fewer consumer protections than Marketplace plans. Even in years with few policy changes, shifts across Marketplace plans or to other types of coverage are normal and often follow changes in employment, income, age, and other life circumstances.
Looking Ahead to the Midterms
Among returning Marketplace enrollees who saw higher health costs, seven in 10 (70%) blame health insurance companies "a lot" for their increased costs and at least half place "a lot" of blame on congressional Republicans (54%), President Trump (53%), or pharmaceutical companies (52%). While majorities of partisans place "a lot" of blame on lawmakers from the opposite party, independents with Marketplace coverage are more likely to say Congressional Republicans (56%) and President Trump (58%) deserve "a lot" of blame than Congressional Democrats (28%).
Three-quarters of those who had Marketplace coverage in 2025 and are registered to vote say health care costs will affect their decision to vote (73%) and which party's candidate they will support (74%). Democrats are more than twice as likely as Republicans to say it will have a major impact on their decision to vote (67% vs. 27%) and which candidate they may support (70% vs. 30%). Among independent voters, nearly half say the issue will have a major impact on their decision to vote (47%) and which candidate they will support (44%).
Designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at KFF, this survey, which builds on a 2025 survey of ACA Marketplace enrollees, re-interviewed more than 80% of the original sample to learn how they are navigating changes to the ACA Marketplace. The survey was conducted February 12-March 2, 2026, online and by telephone, in English and in Spanish, among a nationally representative sample of 1,117 U.S. adults who had ACA Marketplace coverage in 2025 and completed the initial KFF survey. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points for the full sample. For results based on other subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/kff-follow-up-survey-of-marketplace-enrollees-following-end-of-enhanced-credits-half-of-marketplace-enrollees-now-say-costs-are-a-lot-higher-most-expect-to-cut-back-on-basic-household-expenses/
[Category: Health Care]
CAIR-NJ Held Press Conference With New Jersey Families Impacted by War in the Middle East, Calls on NJ Congressional Representatives to Demand End to War on Iran
WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 19, 2026:
* * *
CAIR-NJ Held Press Conference with New Jersey Families Impacted by War in the Middle East, Calls on NJ Congressional Representatives to Demand End to War on Iran
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today held a press conference with Iranian, Lebanese, and Palestinian families speaking out against the Israel-US war with Iran and increased violence in the Middle
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 19, 2026:
* * *
CAIR-NJ Held Press Conference with New Jersey Families Impacted by War in the Middle East, Calls on NJ Congressional Representatives to Demand End to War on Iran
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today held a press conference with Iranian, Lebanese, and Palestinian families speaking out against the Israel-US war with Iran and increased violence in the MiddleEast.
SEE: Press Conference Livestream with New Jersey Families (https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNewJersey/videos/1306514314657030/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=5AtbI8GGAG3P2ipZ)
While Eid al-Fitr (March 19th, 2026) traditionally marks a time of communal prayer and celebration, many families in New Jersey find themselves unable to celebrate due to the ongoing Israeli assault in Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon.
NIAC: Iranian American Poll (https://niacouncil.org/zogbypoll/#chart-1)
The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) partnered with the polling firm Zogby Analytics to conduct a national survey of Iranian Americans examining community views on the war with Iran, U.S. policy, and prospects for diplomacy. Fielded during the first week of the conflict from February 27 to March 5, 2026, the survey provides one of the earliest snapshots of Iranian American opinion as the crisis unfolded.
Press Conference Photos & Photos of Destruction from Lebanon (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-i_fbDVaxSpbkpltNHZlMEIXkEZ2lXoU)
In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:
"As Ramadan comes to a close and many prepare to mark Eid al-Fitr, countless Muslim families in New Jersey and across the world are unable to celebrate, grieving loved ones and the devastating Israeli aggression facing communities in Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine. Instead of joy, there is pain and uncertainty.
"Today we are calling on our New Jersey congressional representatives to demand an end to the Israel-US war of choice against Iran. The Israel-US preemptive strikes are a continued and unnecessary devastation in the region."
"Elected officials must use their voices and demand an end to the war that continues to harm innocent families here and abroad. New Jersey families are suffering."
"Today we heard from various voices, Iranian, Lebanese, Palestinian, and Jewish Americans, who shared stories of their loved ones and unique perspectives on the war."
"How are New Jersey and New York families supposed to celebrate Eid when their families, their schools and their hospitals in Lebanon, Iran and Palestine have been destroyed by Israel?"
In a statement, a Palestinian-American from New Jersey, Alae said:
"My cousin, NasrAllah Abusiyam, died in the way of protecting others. The Israeli Knesset approved the annexation of the entire West Bank as policy, things will get worse and more Palestinian Americans, Jewish Americans, Christian American allies will be killed by Israelis as a result of the US's complicity in holding a foreign government accountable."
SPEAKERS:
1. Etan Mabourakh -- Jewish Iranian-American, NIAC, National Organizing Manager
2. Hala -- Lebanese-American, family displaced in southern Lebanon
3. Jad Nehme- Lebanese-American, Shia Muslim, has many displaced family members in Lebanon, some killed by Israeli bombs
4. Alae -- Palestinian American, Sunni Muslim - 19-year-old cousin (NasrAllah Abusiyam,American citizen) killed by settlers in February, no arrests
5. Larry Ham -- African-American, Christian, civil rights and human rights leader
6. NancyStern -- Jewish-American professor, daughter of Holocaust survivors, visited West Bank 6 times
7. RezaFarzan -- Iranian American, with family in Tehran who he has not heard from
CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-nj-held-press-conference-with-new-jersey-families-impacted-by-war-in-the-middle-east-calls-on-nj-congressional-representatives-to-demand-end-to/
[Category: Sociological]
CAIR Welcomes Guilty Plea for Racist Arson of Historic Tennessee Social Justice Center Where Rosa Parks, MLK Trained
WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 19, 2026:
* * *
CAIR Welcomes Guilty Plea for Racist Arson of Historic Tennessee Social Justice Center Where Rosa Parks, MLK Trained
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a guilty plea in the 2019 racist arson of a historic social justice center in Tennessee where civil rights icons Rosa Parks and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. trained.
White supremacist Regan D. Prater will plead guilty to
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 19, 2026:
* * *
CAIR Welcomes Guilty Plea for Racist Arson of Historic Tennessee Social Justice Center Where Rosa Parks, MLK Trained
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a guilty plea in the 2019 racist arson of a historic social justice center in Tennessee where civil rights icons Rosa Parks and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. trained.
White supremacist Regan D. Prater will plead guilty tothe firebombing that destroyed the administrative offices of a historic East Tennessee civil rights and social justice center.
CAIR welcomed charges in the case last year.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
"We welcome this guilty plea as an important step toward justice for a reprehensible act of racist violence that targeted a site deeply connected to the struggle for civil rights in our nation.
"The destruction of a center where Rosa Parks and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. trained was not only an attack on a building, but on the legacy of peaceful activism and equality it represents.
"Acts of hate-fueled violence must be met with swift and firm accountability. This case sends a clear message that those who seek to intimidate communities or erase civil rights history will be held responsible."
CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, anti-Muslim hate, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-guilty-plea-for-racist-arson-of-historic-tennessee-social-justice-center-where-rosa-parks-mlk-trained/
[Category: Sociological]
Breaking: Federal Court Finds Columbia U May Have Acted as Government's Instrument to Suppress Palestinian Advocacy - in Violation of the First Amendment
WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 19, 2026:
* * *
BREAKING: Federal Court Finds Columbia U May Have Acted as Government's Instrument to Suppress Palestinian Advocacy - in Violation of the First Amendment
CAIR, CAIR-NY, Dratel & Lewis, Coalition Partners Welcome Order Greenlighting Mahmoud Khalil, Columbia Plaintiffs' Lawsuit Against Columbia U and Trump Admin
*
(NEW YORK, NY) - A coalition including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR National), CAIR-NY, Dratel & Lewis, Project TAHA, and Main Street Legal
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 20 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on March 19, 2026:
* * *
BREAKING: Federal Court Finds Columbia U May Have Acted as Government's Instrument to Suppress Palestinian Advocacy - in Violation of the First Amendment
CAIR, CAIR-NY, Dratel & Lewis, Coalition Partners Welcome Order Greenlighting Mahmoud Khalil, Columbia Plaintiffs' Lawsuit Against Columbia U and Trump Admin
*
(NEW YORK, NY) - A coalition including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR National), CAIR-NY, Dratel & Lewis, Project TAHA, and Main Street LegalServices Inc. housed at CUNY School of Law today welcomed a federal court's order greenlighting a lawsuit by Mahmoud Khalil and seven other Columbia University students against the Trump Administration and Columbia University for violating the First Amendment rights of Columbia students.
In the decision, the Court recognized that--if documentation supports the Plaintiffs' claims--the Trump Administration will be held to account for seeking to target and punish student speech critical of Israel and/or supportive of Palestine. The Court's order also makes clear that Columbia's capitulation to the federal government means that the University can be held to account for violating the First Amendment rights of its own students. Plaintiffs can now gather evidence, including communications between Trump officials, the House Committee, and Columbia administration never before made public.
SEE: Decision from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/127139268523.pdf)
This ongoing lawsuit seeks to stop Columbia from complying with illegal directives from both Congress and the Trump Administration to suppress political dissent. In denying the Trump Administration and Columbia's motions to dismiss the lawsuit, the Court found that our students have standing to challenge Columbia's use of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which prohibits political speech critical of the state of Israel. Plaintiffs also have standing to block Defendants from turning over student records to Congress --which has wielded its investigative authority to suppress all speech that criticizes Israel's actions in Gaza. The Court confirmed a previous order that prevents Columbia from turning over the names and identities of student advocates to Congress--which will remain in place during the pendency of this litigation.
READ MORE: Trump Administration's Coercion of Columbia U (https://www.cair-ny.org/news/2/6/26/cair-cair-ny-dratel-lewis-to-host-media-availability-with-mahmoud-khalil-advocates-on-lawsuit-against-columbia-u)
While the Court allowed the lawsuit to move forward, it denied the students' motion for preliminary injunction--emergency relief sought while the case proceeds. That ruling is not the end of the matter, because the Court permitted the Plaintiffs to renew their request for a preliminary injunction after discovery uncovers the full extent of the unlawful collaboration between Congress, the Trump Administration, and Columbia University
* * *
"A government that represses viewpoints it doesn't agree with or like is antithetical to a democratic society," said Deema Azizi, Senior Litigation Attorney at CAIR-NY. "Our Plaintiffs should not have to live in fear of reprisal for their First Amendment-protected speech about Palestine or any other topic. Today's decision allows us to move forward in our legal fight to hold the Executive Agency Defendants and Columbia University accountable for violating our clients' basic freedom of speech."
"Today's order makes clear that both the Federal Government and Columbia University can be held accountable if they suppress protected First Amendment expressive activity on Columbia's campus, even when Columbia hides behind the unlawful demands for student records by the House Committee on Education and Workforce," said Attorney Amy Greer of Dratel & Lewis. "Our incredible Plaintiffs will continue to seek and speak truth, vindicate their rights to advocate for Palestinian life, dignity, and self-determination, and hold the powerful to account."
"Columbia has become an appendage of the Trump administration," said CAIR Legal Defense Fund Attorney Gadeir Abbas, "This decision is an indication that both will ultimately be held accountable."
"Columbia has made a Faustian deal," said Zal K. Shroff, Assistant Prof. of Law at CUNY School of Law, "It has ensured its own financial health by agreeing to muzzle its students' self-expression or arrest them into compliance. But the U.S. Constitution forbids that kind of callous capitulation. Pre-compliance with authoritarianism has consequences. Let this be a lesson to institutions that would rather sell out the public than defend what is right. We will see you in Court, too."
Plaintiffs also provided statements to mark the Court's decision:
"Columbia University is an active participant in the decline of free speech that we are witnessing today," said Plaintiff Sam Soe (pseudonym). "Having experienced Columbia's disciplinary process firsthand, it is evident that the goal of university discipline is to scare students into silence, but I will not be censored. The University can sell its own soul, but they cannot sell mine. If I am to finish my degree, it cannot be without demanding accountability. I hope this case can stop the underhanded methods the Trump Administration and Columbia have used to stifle student voices so that other students do not suffer what I have experienced."
"Columbia's collaboration with the federal government to stifle pro-Palestinian speech has not only made it impossible to grieve the mass death of my people, but also endangered me as a Palestinian student," said Plaintiff Sally Roe (pseudonym). "The release of my records to Congress has exposed me to unbearable harassment, and Columbia's excessive discipline has made it impossible to express myself or my identity as a Palestinian student. I have witnessed firsthand the palpable fear among the student body to voice support for Palestine--fear that should have no place in an academic institution. This lawsuit is an invaluable step towards holding Columbia accountable for its systematic silencing of dissent."
"Columbia didn't just capitulate to the Trump Administration, it collaborated to strip its students of their right to free speech, said Plaintiff Mahmoud Khalil. "This is an institution whose Board of Trustees is ideologically committed to protecting Israel from criticism at any cost, including the constitutional rights of its own students and faculty. Columbia should immediately rescind the IHRA definition and compensate every affiliate whose rights were violated. Enough with operating in the dark, cutting shady deals with the government, abruptly changing policies, destroying students' lives. That ends now. Discovery is coming. It will all come out."
* * *
BACKGROUNDER:
The Trump Administration and the House Committee on Education and Workforce have used Columbia University as a test case to see if the Government can coerce an institution of learning into surveilling, suppressing, and punishing students for their political speech, including views critical of Israel and/or in support for Palestinian life, dignity, and self-determination. This coercion of Columbia University was accomplished through a sustained campaign threatening and withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to suppress viewpoints the Administration does not like -- a process that began with the House Committee on Education and Workforce's constant threats, harassment, and humiliation of Columbia beginning in late 2023. Columbia University--a school once known for its commitment to free expression--has capitulated to those threats in violation of students' First Amendment rights.
Khalil and the seven pseudonymous students filed this lawsuit to vindicate their fundamental right to political expression under the First Amendment. The Plaintiffs have asked the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to enjoin Columbia and the Trump Administration from targeting students for their political expression, and to order Columbia and the Trump Administration to turn over critical records showing their collaboration and coordination in targeting students. The Court's decision to allow the Plaintiffs claims and requests for relief to move forward already holds enormous significance for students and universities across the United States.
CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/breaking-federal-court-finds-columbia-u-may-have-acted-as-governments-instrument-to-suppress-palestinian-advocacy-in-violation-of-the-first-amendment/
[Category: Sociological]
Bluegrass Institute Posts Commentary: Kentucky's Blood Bill Promises Autonomy - But Delivers Mandates
LEXINGTON, Kentucky, March 20 -- The Bluegrass Institute posted the following commentary on March 19, 2026, by Jeffrey A. Singer, senior fellow at the Cato Institute:
* * *
Kentucky's Blood Bill Promises Autonomy--But Delivers Mandates
The bill promotes "medical freedom" by expanding government mandates over insurers and private medical providers.
*
Earlier this month, Kentucky Republican State Representative Candy Massaroni introduced House Bill 752, which would give patients the right to receive blood transfusions from a donor they choose--including their own previously donated blood--while
... Show Full Article
LEXINGTON, Kentucky, March 20 -- The Bluegrass Institute posted the following commentary on March 19, 2026, by Jeffrey A. Singer, senior fellow at the Cato Institute:
* * *
Kentucky's Blood Bill Promises Autonomy--But Delivers Mandates
The bill promotes "medical freedom" by expanding government mandates over insurers and private medical providers.
*
Earlier this month, Kentucky Republican State Representative Candy Massaroni introduced House Bill 752, which would give patients the right to receive blood transfusions from a donor they choose--including their own previously donated blood--whilerestricting hospitals and blood banks from refusing such directed donations and requiring insurers to cover them.
At first blush, one would think this bill strikes a blow for patient autonomy. The core idea, allowing patients to choose their own blood donor, including banking their own blood for later use, fits with the core principles of individual autonomy and voluntary exchange.
But a deeper dive into the bill's specifics reveals its medical autonomy comes with a heavy dose of government compulsion. It requires private insurers, Medicaid, and state employee health plans to cover directed or autologous transfusions--another insurance mandate that overrides voluntary contracts between insurers and customers--and the added costs may increase premiums. It also creates new regulatory oversight and potential civil liability, empowering state officials to investigate hospitals and blood banks. And it forces private institutions with their own safety protocols and legal responsibilities to accommodate directed donations, whether they want to or not.
In other words, the bill promotes "medical freedom" by expanding government mandates over insurers and private medical providers.
Hospital associations and transfusion specialists have consistently opposed these directed-donation bills, mainly citing practical reasons rather than ideological ones. Modern blood banking depends on pooling donations and managing them as a shared inventory. Blood expires within weeks, requiring hospitals to continuously balance blood types, shelf life, and unpredictable patient needs. Reserving units for specific patients reduces flexibility and can cause waste if the blood isn't used. It can also complicate emergency care. In cases of trauma or severe bleeding, patients often need blood within minutes, and hospitals depend on immediate access to compatible blood--not from a specific donor.
Hospitals also worry about regulatory conflicts, liability, and increased costs. Transfusion practices are governed by strict standards established by the FDA, the Joint Commission (which accredits hospitals and health organizations), and professional groups like the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies. Hospitals fear that state mandates could conflict with these rules and expose them to legal risk if something goes wrong. Directed donations may also require additional testing, tracking, and sometimes irradiation of blood from relatives, raising expenses without necessarily enhancing safety. Many hospital groups quietly note that these bills are often driven by requests for "unvaccinated blood," which blood banks do not track. Their main argument is that the anonymous volunteer blood system functions well. The real question is whether the government should compel private hospitals to accommodate patient preferences or let them set their own transfusion policies.
The current debate over "directed donations"--where patients request blood from a specific donor--recalls a similar controversy during the early HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s. Back then, before reliable screening tests existed, many patients feared the blood supply and asked hospitals to use blood from friends or relatives instead. But once HIV testing and other screening technologies improved, studies showed that directed donations were not safer and sometimes carried slightly higher risks than blood from anonymous volunteer donors. One reason is that anonymous donors may feel more comfortable disclosing sensitive risk factors during screening, while friends or relatives may feel pressure to donate even if they shouldn't.
As a result, transfusion specialists and organizations like the American Red Cross shifted toward the modern system of a pooled, anonymous blood supply, which allows for consistent screening and efficient management of blood types and inventory. Today, the U.S. blood supply--regulated by the FDA and supported by advanced testing--is among the safest in the world, with an estimated HIV transmission risk of about 0.23 per one million donations. In that sense, today's push for directed-donation laws is more a revival of a debate in transfusion medicine that was largely settled decades ago than a medical breakthrough.
If lawmakers truly want to promote medical autonomy, they should allow patients and providers to make voluntary arrangements without government interference. Mandating how hospitals manage their blood banks, what insurers must cover, and how medical professionals practice transfusion medicine does the opposite. You can't promote medical freedom by imposing it through government compulsion.
* * *
Jeffrey A. Singer, MD, practices general surgery in Phoenix, Arizona and is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.bluegrassinstitute.org/singer-blood-bill/
[Category: Sociological]
