Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
National Action Network and DoorDash Announce Partnership to Keep New Yorkers Fed As SNAP Benefits Lapse
HARLEM, New York, Nov. 8 -- The National Action Network issued the following news release on Nov. 7, 2025:
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National Action Network and DoorDash Announce Partnership to Keep New Yorkers Fed As SNAP Benefits Lapse
BREAKING: NAN, DoorDash Form Partnership to Feed NYers Amid SNAP Cuts
National Action Network and DoorDash Announce Partnership to Keep New Yorkers Fed As SNAP Benefits Lapse
NAN will partner with DoorDash on Emergency Food Relief Efforts
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NEW YORK, NY - Today the National Action Network (NAN), one of the leading civil rights organizations in the nation with chapters throughout
... Show Full Article
HARLEM, New York, Nov. 8 -- The National Action Network issued the following news release on Nov. 7, 2025:
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National Action Network and DoorDash Announce Partnership to Keep New Yorkers Fed As SNAP Benefits Lapse
BREAKING: NAN, DoorDash Form Partnership to Feed NYers Amid SNAP Cuts
National Action Network and DoorDash Announce Partnership to Keep New Yorkers Fed As SNAP Benefits Lapse
NAN will partner with DoorDash on Emergency Food Relief Efforts
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NEW YORK, NY - Today the National Action Network (NAN), one of the leading civil rights organizations in the nation with chapters throughoutthe United States, announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with DoorDash to fight hunger as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits run out due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Earlier this week, DoorDash launched an Emergency Food Response (https://about.doordash.com/en-us/news/snap-shutdown-announcement) plan as the federal government shutdown is poised to halt SNAP benefits for more than 40 million Americans--including 16 million children and 8 million seniors. New York City alone is home to nearly 1.8 million residents who utilize SNAP to put food on the table.
Through this partnership, NAN will expand its national food insecurity initiative, Nourishing Our Communities, to support those experiencing food insecurity. The organization will connect New Yorkers with the benefits available through the recent DoorDash initiative to fight hunger--helping them find local food banks and grocery partners (https://about.doordash.com/en-us/news/new-grocers-snap-response) offering deliveries without delivery and service fees. DoorDash has also committed 500 turkeys to NAN's Thanksgiving distribution hubs.
"Millions of Americans, a disproportionate share being Black and Brown, have had a vital safety net cut out from under them with the loss of SNAP benefits," said Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of NAN. "Just as we have for nearly 35 years, National Action Network will continue to fight injustices against disadvantaged communities and work with our partners like DoorDash to get it done. Together, our message to those Americans is that we will grab the net and ensure they do not go hungry at this vital time."
"No American should go hungry," said John Horton, Head of North America Public Policy at DoorDash. "DoorDash is committed to fighting hunger, and we're pulling every lever we can to support the millions of Americans who use SNAP benefits to access the food they need through our platform. We're grateful to the National Action Network for stepping up to help connect communities with these crucial resources."
As part of its emergency response, DoorDash is delivering 1 million meals for free in November with the over 300 Project Dash food partners it supports nationwide. The company is also waiving delivery and service fees for an estimated 300,000 grocery orders for SNAP recipients at major food retailers and donating food from DashMart stores to local food banks.
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Original text here: https://nationalactionnetwork.net/newnews/national-action-network-and-doordash-announce-partnership-to-keep-new-yorkers-fed-as-snap-benefits-lapse/
[Category: Political]
LULAC: ENDING VENEZUELA TPS TONIGHT PUTS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS AT RISK AND DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ACTION
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens, issued the following news release on Nov. 7, 2025:
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LULAC: ENDING VENEZUELA TPS TONIGHT PUTS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS AT RISK AND DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ACTION
Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Urges Federal Clarity and Community Vigilance as Protections Expire
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The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) today called the federal government's termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela--set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time--a destabilizing blow to one of the largest
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens, issued the following news release on Nov. 7, 2025:
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LULAC: ENDING VENEZUELA TPS TONIGHT PUTS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS AT RISK AND DEMANDS IMMEDIATE ACTION
Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Urges Federal Clarity and Community Vigilance as Protections Expire
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The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) today called the federal government's termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela--set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time--a destabilizing blow to one of the largesthumanitarian populations now living and working in the United States.
"Tonight's deadline will reverberate far beyond immigration offices," said Roman Palomares, LULAC National President and Chairman of the Board. "It means parents who have been legally employed for years may wake up tomorrow unable to work. It means students who have flourished in our schools now face uncertainty. And it means local economies that rely on Venezuelan talent--from service industries to skilled trades--risk disruption at a time when communities can least afford it."
More than 250,000 Venezuelans have arrived in the U.S. over the past several years, fleeing political collapse, food shortages, and widespread human-rights abuses that intensified after 2018, according to multiple nonpartisan migration research centers. The largest communities have settled in Florida, Texas, New York, New Jersey, and Georgia, where Venezuelan workers fill vital roles in construction, hospitality, logistics, health services, and the small-business sector. Thousands more have relocated to the Midwest and Mountain West as employers struggle to fill labor shortages.
By removing TPS protections without a clear transition plan, advocates warn that tens of thousands of U.S. employers could face sudden workforce gaps. At the same time, Venezuelan families lose the ability to work legally, renew their driver's licenses, or maintain economic stability. Local economies in South Florida, the Houston metro area, New York City, and Northern New Jersey are among the hardest hit, given their high concentrations of TPS-eligible Venezuelans.
Venezuelans granted TPS in 2021 underwent background checks, complied with federal requirements, and built lives that have measurably strengthened local economies. Estimates from labor-market researchers indicate that Venezuelan TPS holders contribute billions annually in wages, taxes, and consumer spending, particularly in states grappling with worker shortages.
"Venezuelan TPS holders did everything this country asked of them," Palomares added. "They registered, renewed, and played by the rules. Terminating their protections overnight, with no on-the-ground guidance for families or communities, is not aligned with American values or common sense. Our government must not turn a blind eye to people who have already become part of the fabric of our neighborhoods and workplaces."
LULAC calls on community partners, legal advocates, employers, and media outlets to provide verified information and steer families away from fraudulent actors who historically prey on immigrant communities during moments of crisis. The organization also urges Congress and the Administration to adopt immediate, lawful measures--whether through redesignation, deferred action, or streamlined pathways--to maintain stability for families and local economies.
"Our message is simple," Palomares said in closing. "Stand with Venezuelan families tonight--reach out, stay informed, and help protect the dignity and safety of our neighbors."
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Original text here: https://lulac.org/news/pr/LULAC_ENDING_VENEZUELA_TPS_TONIGHT_PUTS_HUNDREDS_OF_THOUSANDS_AT_RISK_AND_DEMANDS_IMMEDIATE_ACTION/
[Category: Political]
Independent Women's Voice Joins Republican Study Committee in Calling for New Continuing Resolution to Reopen the Government
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- The Independent Women's Voice, an organization that fights for policy solutions for women, posted the following news release on Nov. 7, 2025:
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Independent Women's Voice Joins Republican Study Committee in Calling for New Continuing Resolution to Reopen the Government
"We call for a new clean CR that reopens the government; releases pay to our nation's heroes, air traffic controllers, and civil servants; and positions Congress to complete the appropriations process."
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Today, Independent Women's Voice issued the following statement in response to the RSC Steering
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- The Independent Women's Voice, an organization that fights for policy solutions for women, posted the following news release on Nov. 7, 2025:
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Independent Women's Voice Joins Republican Study Committee in Calling for New Continuing Resolution to Reopen the Government
"We call for a new clean CR that reopens the government; releases pay to our nation's heroes, air traffic controllers, and civil servants; and positions Congress to complete the appropriations process."
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Today, Independent Women's Voice issued the following statement in response to the RSC SteeringCommittee calling for a new continuing resolution that would fund the government into January 2026:
Patrice Onwuka, director of Independent Women's Center for Economic Opportunity, said:
"Two months of a needless shutdown have wreaked havoc on millions of American households. The Left used the hardship of military families, federal workers, and welfare beneficiaries as leverage for political ends. Now is the time to move forward and demonstrate they can work in a bipartisan manner to help American families regain their financial footing.
"Unfortunately, the clock has nearly run out on the current continuing resolution. We join the RSC in calling for a new clean CR that reopens the government; releases pay to our nation's heroes, air traffic controllers, and civil servants; and positions Congress to complete the appropriations process.
"American taxpayers expect a federal government that works for them, not against them. American families deserve better than the perilous position this shutdown has put them in, especially as we head into the holiday season."
See more from the Center for Economic Opportunity on the ongoing government shutdown:
* The Washington Post | Here's what the Americans being hurt by the shutdown are saying
* Shutdown Update: Tariff Money will Keep Poor Women and Children from Going Hungry
* Shutdown Update: Oh SNAP! Food Benefits Will Run Out Next Week
* Shutdown Update: Thousands of Flights to be Slashed, Slowing Air Travel
* The Hill | Democrat shutdown cuts off aid to the poor to give the rich cheaper insurance
* Another Casualty of Senate Democrats: Shutdown Halts U.S. Jobs Report
* 3 Things Americans Should Know About The Government Shutdown
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Original text here: https://www.iwvoice.com/2025/11/independent-womens-voice-joins-republican-study-committee-in-calling-for-new-continuing-resolution-to-reopen-the-government/
[Category: Sociological]
Examples of Good News Arising From Big Beautiful Bill's Full Business Expensing Provision
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary:
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Examples of Good News Arising from Big Beautiful Bill's Full Business Expensing Provision
By John Kartch
In addition to across-the-board tax cuts for households, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Trump on July 4 provides full business expensing for American businesses.
In their own words, U.S. employers describe the benefits of the expensing provisions in the bill:
Alphabet, Inc. (Mountain View, California) - OBBBA's expensing provisions are helping the company create jobs and build data
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Americans for Tax Reform posted the following commentary:
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Examples of Good News Arising from Big Beautiful Bill's Full Business Expensing Provision
By John Kartch
In addition to across-the-board tax cuts for households, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Trump on July 4 provides full business expensing for American businesses.
In their own words, U.S. employers describe the benefits of the expensing provisions in the bill:
Alphabet, Inc. (Mountain View, California) - OBBBA's expensing provisions are helping the company create jobs and build datacenters in South Carolina, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Virginia, and other locations:
"Changes to U.S. tax law enacted on July 4, 2025, allow, among other things, for immediate expensing of domestic research and experimentation costs and accelerated depreciation on eligible capital expenditures, the effects of which are included in operating cash flows for the three months ended September 30, 2025." - Alphabet 3rd quarter 2025 results, released Oct. 29, 2025
Sergio's Cuban American Kitchen (Florida) - Two new restaurant locations and 100 new jobs:
But thanks to the recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, independent restaurants are poised to thrive - benefiting employees, customers and the community alike. For Sergio's Restaurants, my family small business, that means moving ahead with plans to open two new restaurant locations and hire approximately 100 new team members over the next year.
How? The new federal law restores 100% immediate expensing for capital equipment, which allows us to fully deduct the cost of appliances like ovens and refrigerators the year we buy it. The policy incentivizes small businesses to invest in operational expansion now, rather than waiting and kicking the can down the road.
Additionally, the law also makes the 20% small business deduction that was set to expire permanent and locks in lower tax rates for pass-through enterprises. (These are entities in which business revenue is taxed as the owner's personal income.)
The changes give restaurants like ours the long-term tax certainty we need to grow confidently and create jobs, as well as provide existing staff room for career development.
But arguably the most impactful part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for restaurants is the "no tax on tips" provision.
Under this new rule, tipped workers can deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their taxable income. In Florida, the average restaurant server earns around $37,000 annually, more than 60% of which comes from gratuity. That means the "no taxes on tips" policy could eliminate a huge chunk of their federal income tax burden. That's a savings of around $2,000 per year back in the pockets of the restaurant servers and bartenders who power our industry.
This is more than just a win for employees, it's a game-changer for employers too. This significant savings functions like a raise for workers, without increasing the cost of labor for restaurants and bars. At a time when the service industry is fighting to attract and retain talent, this new tax-savings tool makes our sector more competitive and helps level the playing field against other industries. - Aug. 15, 2025 Fox Business Network column
Vance Truck Accessories (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) - Higher employee wages + bonuses, sponsorship of local youth baseball, football, and softball programs; local charitable giving:
"I run a small truck accessories company that specializes in American-made products. But I chose the worst possible time to set up shop. The year was 2016, and the economy wasn't doing great. I was basically broke, and every day was a struggle to find customers, hire workers and even keep my doors open. Taxes didn't help. Small businesses face a big burden. It was painful to watch the money I needed go out the door to Washington, D.C.
But then President Trump and Congress stepped up. In 2017, they passed a historic tax cut for small businesses, called the Small Business Deduction. Ever since, I've been able to deduct about 20% of my business income every year. Without this relief, I'd be at a huge disadvantage compared to big businesses. Their taxes are lower, and I need a level playing field to compete.
But my tax cut wasn't permanent. My taxes were going to go back to their original painful level at the end of this year. Thankfully, the Small Business Deduction is permanently in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act the president signed on the Fourth of July.
To understand why this permanent tax cut matters, consider what I've been able to do since it was originally passed in 2017. One of the first things I did with the tax cut was move my business into a better part of town. I couldn't have done it without the extra money. The new location has helped me find more customers and give them a better experience.
I've also been able to pay my team more. Higher wages help them stick around, instead of getting poached by bigger competitors with more money. I've also been able to give them annual bonuses because of the tax cut.
But the most meaningful thing I've done with the extra money is give back to Oklahoma City. I love this city. I want it to be the best place in America for the next generation. So, I've sponsored baseball, football and softball programs at our local schools. I've also donated to the Oklahoma First Responder Wellness Division, helping our local heroes get the mental health care they need. I couldn't do any of this if my taxes rose at the end of this year.
But now I don't have to worry about that. Those 20% savings have helped me build the small business I always dreamed about. Now that the Small Business Deduction is permanent, I can dream even bigger. I'm going to keep giving back and investing in my team, my community and my country's future.
And it's not just me. Tens of millions of other small businesses can now do the exact same thing. Studies show that small businesses will now create more than 1.2 million new jobs a year because they have the confidence and cash to grow and give back. I look forward to playing my part. I couldn't be more grateful that my small business has been empowered for the next 10 years and beyond." - Statement of Chris Vance, owner, as published in The Oklahoman newspaper on Aug. 11, 2025
Amgen (Thousand Oaks, California) -- $600 million construction of a new U.S. science and innovation center in California; $900 million expansion to the company's Ohio manufacturing facility; $1 billion for construction of a new North Carolina manufacturing facility; $650 million additional expansion to the U.S. manufacturing network; creation of new jobs:
"Amgen today announced plans to invest more than $600 million in a new, state-of-the-art center for science and innovation at its global headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California.
The center is designed to bring together researchers, engineers and scientists across disciplines to enhance collaboration and accelerate the discovery of next-generation therapeutics for patients with the most serious diseases. The building will feature advanced automation and digital capabilities, empowering scientists with the tools and environment needed to drive scientific excellence and advancements in biotechnology.
Amgen's long-standing commitment to U.S. innovation and state-of-the-art operations is reflected in more than $40 billion invested in manufacturing and research and development since the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. This investment includes over $5 billion in direct capital expenditures in the U.S. The enactment of pro-growth tax policies in TCJA, extended and reinforced by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, further facilitates Amgen's ability to invest domestically in cutting-edge science and manufacturing. -- Sept. 2, 2025 Amgen company press release
"Amgen today announced a $900 million expansion of its Ohio manufacturing facility, bringing the total number of jobs created to 750 and the total investment in Central Ohio to over $1.4 billion.
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"Since passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Amgen has invested almost $5 billion in direct capital expenditures in the United States, generating an additional downstream output to the U.S. economy of approximately $12 billion." -- April 25, 2025 Amgen company press release
"Amgen today announced a $650 million expansion of its U.S. manufacturing network, creating hundreds of new jobs.
The planned investment will support increased drug production at the company's biologics manufacturing facility in Juncos and integrate innovative advanced technologies throughout the operations process. It is expected to create nearly 750 jobs, including construction roles and new highly skilled manufacturing jobs.
"This expansion underscores Amgen's commitment to U.S. biomanufacturing and to strengthening the resilience of our global supply chain," said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer at Amgen. "By growing our capacity to deliver innovative medicines with cutting edge technology in our manufacturing plants, we will not only better serve patients but also create high-quality jobs that reinforce America's leadership in biotechnology."
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Amgen's long-standing commitment to U.S. innovation and state-of-the-art operations is reflected in more than $40 billion invested in manufacturing and research and development since the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. The enactment of pro-growth tax policies in TCJA, extended and reinforced by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, further facilitates Amgen's ability to invest domestically in cutting-edge science and manufacturing.
This announcement builds on Amgen's recent investments, including a $600 million science and innovation center in California and manufacturing expansions of $900 million in Ohio and $1 billion in North Carolina, respectively. -- Sept. 26, 2025 Amgen company press release
Laser Marking Technologies LLC (Caro, Michigan) -- Facility expansion:
Expensing "will allow us to invest into the future and immediately allow us to double our manufacturing space." "If I can expense our manufacturing additions and new buildings that we need to build so we can supply the machinery for the U.S. -- we can do that and immediately write that off. And that means something. Because that puts it right back into our local economy." -- Sam Palmeter, President of Engineering and New Product Development.
i2M (Mountaintop, Pennsylvania):
"Manufacturers are innovators. By restoring immediate R&D expensing for manufacturers across America, Congress has empowered manufacturers like i2M to innovate and create. That's how we keep our competitive edge--not just as a company, but as a country." -- i2M founder Chris Hackett
Todd Olsen, rancher (Lewistown, Montana):
"Ranching is a gamble and an ever-changing tax code does not make our job easier. The One Big Beautiful Bill gives us multi-year certainty on expensing rules and ag-specific provisions. We can finally plan ahead with more confidence -- and that helps with our business decisions across the board." -- Todd Olsen
Patti Marine Enterprises, Inc. (Pensacola, Florida):
"The full deductibility of the new construction and the 100% immediate expensing of equipment and the extension of the Trump tax cuts allows us to reinvest directly into our workforce, our facilities, and to grow our future." -- Frank Patti Jr.
Click Bond, Inc. (Carson City, Nevada) -- Equipment purchases and employee pay and benefits:
"The OBBBA makes permanent the pro-growth tax policies from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, reinstating expired provisions on a permanent basis and preventing further damaging expirations. It also expands key incentives-- such as the change that will allow us to immediately expense new or improved production facilities. This historic law ensures a pro-growth tax code for manufacturers, ensuring that we can continue to offer the pay and benefits for our workers that allow them to build lifelong, family-supporting manufacturing careers." -- July 25, 2025 written testimony of Austin Robinson, Director of Manufacturing, Click Bond Inc. -- U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means Field Hearing on the One, Big, Beautiful Bill -- Delivering for American Workers -- Las Vegas, Nevada
Bear Valley Ranch (Parkfield, California) expensing provisions will help with equipment and capital purchases:
"Agriculture requires significant investments in machinery, equipment, and other depreciable assets and because of this, farmers and ranchers place great value on tax code provisions such as the Section 179 small business deduction. The ability to immediately expense purchases of equipment provide an incentive for farmers and ranchers to invest in their businesses. The increase of the Section 179 limitation to $2.5 million included in the One Big Beautiful Bill is a much-needed update to this tool which will help cattle producers make larger investments.
Section 179 helps cattle producers with difficult cash flow struggles, lowers their marginal effective tax rate, and eliminates burdensome recordkeeping requirements associated with depreciation. 57 percent of NCBA Tax Survey respondents reported using Section 179 in the past 3 years, and 45 percent of respondents say they would have incurred an additional tax burden exceeding $20,000 if they did not have access to it.
Accelerated deductions allow cattle producers to deduct expenses faster, reducing the tax burden and freeing up capital farm businesses can use to grow. Bonus depreciation, also known as first-year expensing, allows a business to deduct the cost of an asset the year it is placed in service. Farmers and ranchers generally use bonus depreciation when expenditures exceed the Section 179 small business deduction limits. 100 percent bonus depreciation was established in 2017, but it had been phasing out for several years. Reinstating this tool permanently will help cattle producers make essential investments without the burden of delayed tax benefits.
These improved tax incentives allow farmers to immediately write off capital investments, such as a new combine or tractor, and keep thousands of dollars in their bottom line. In addition to equipment purchases, other eligible items may include the purchase of "off-the-shelf" computer software, and breeding livestock." -- July 26, 2025 testimony of Kevin Kester, owner of Bear Valley Ranch, on behalf of National Cattlemen's Beef Association, submitted to House Ways and Means Committee
Robinson Helicopter Company, Inc. (Torrance, California) --
"The OBBBA restored immediate equipment expensing to the 100% level--and made this pro-growth, pro-manufacturing policy permanent. Thanks to the OBBBA, manufacturers and their associated suppliers now have both the policy tools and the certainty needed to compete in this capital-intensive industry.
For Robinson Helicopter, this means being able to carry out our plans to grow our business and create jobs faster. We are acquiring a new Torrance based warehouse very close to our Zamperini Field based headquarters that will allow us to expand our logistics capabilities and more effectively serve the maintenance needs of our customers. We expect that this expansion will lead to additional equipment purchases and increased workforce for this new space. The same is true for the expanded production lines we have planned, which will require a significant amount of research to develop both the best product and a cost-effective, scalable manufacturing processes. Once that process has been developed, it needs to be executed with significant investment in tools, equipment, and workers.
Full and immediate expensing of equipment positively impacts not only our ability to compete and grow our products and services, but also the workforce we will need to hire to operate our expanded manufacturing and logistics capability. That's going to be true across the manufacturing sector, where full expensing leads to lower costs of investment, more equipment purchases, accelerated workforce hiring, and an overall more competitive labor market and associated wages.
Across the economy, the TCJA accelerated U.S. job growth by 1.5 percentage points--a
significant nominal increase representing hundreds of thousands of new nonfarm jobs. The TCJA also led to a 1.0 percentage point increase in the labor force participation rate, signifying hundreds of thousands of civilians entering the labor force. As you might expect in this type of tight labor market, in the two years after the TCJA's enactment, average earnings for production workers rose 6.0%, compared with just 4.9% for the two years prior to the TCJA.
This economic growth was a direct result of pro-investment policies like full expensing. And
now, in the OBBBA, Congress has made full expensing permanent. We've already seen how
these policies lead to economic growth, more jobs, and higher wages--and Robinson Helicopter is already rolling up our sleeves to take advantage of incentives like full expensing. For Robinson Helicopter, it's one of the most important components of this bill, and we look forward to helping deliver economic growth and job creation."
AT&T (Dallas, Texas) - Accelerating fiber infrastructure rollout and wireless services;
"AT&T plans to more quickly build fiber infrastructure thanks to pro-investment policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress today.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will spur investment, maintain U.S. leadership in innovation, and create economic opportunity nationwide. Thanks to the policies in this legislation, AT&T expects to invest more rapidly in next-generation networks after the bill is signed into law, increasing our investment by an additional 1 million fiber customer locations annually starting in 2026.
This bill also creates a pipeline of midband spectrum that will help meet soaring consumer demand and keep the U.S. technologically competitive with other countries. Paired with the tax provisions in the bill, this legislation paves the way for the stated goals laid out by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr: unleashing high-speed infrastructure builds and restoring America's global lead in wireless technology through smart policy." -- July 3, 2025 AT&T company statement
"AT&T expects to realize $6.5 to $8.0 billion of cash tax savings during 2025-2027 relative to the guidance it provided at its 2024 Analyst & Investor Day due to tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This reflects estimated savings of $1.5 to $2.0 billion in 2025 and $2.5 to $3.0 billion in each of 2026 and 2027.
The Company intends to invest $3.5 billion of these savings into its network to accelerate its fiber internet build-out to a pace of 4 million locations per year, a run-rate it expects to achieve by the end of 2026. As a result of this increased pace of organic fiber deployment, AT&T expects that by the end of 2030 it will reach approximately 50 million customer locations with its in-region fiber network and more than 60 million fiber locations when including the Lumen Mass Markets fiber assets it has agreed to acquire and plans to expand, its Gigapower joint venture, and agreements with other commercial open access providers.
AT&T also intends to contribute $1.5 billion of these savings to its employee pension plan by the end of 2026, which would result in approximately 95% funding of the plan. The remaining tax savings will add to AT&T's financial flexibility to support additional strategic investments, incremental capital returns and debt repayment, among other potential uses." -- July 23, 2025 company statement
Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, New Jersey) - Provides certainty for $55 billion in U.S. manufacturing investments:
"These very policies that just pass are the ones that have enabled our commitment to invest $55 billion in the US in the next four years. And our goal is to be able to manufacture in the US, all the medicines that are consumed in the US at the completion of that plan and we are on our way of being able to do that."
"We are pleased that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act provides certainty for our previously announced $55 billion commitment to invest here in the United States. This includes provisions such as permanent expensing for domestic R&D spend, permanent bonus depreciation, and 100% expensing of qualified production property, including our newly planned facility in North Carolina." - Joseph Wolk, Executive VP and CFO, July 16, 2025 earnings call.
Turk Stovall, rancher (Billings, Montana) -- equipment upgrades and other ranch investment:
"Because the One Big Beautiful Bill let's us fully expense valuable and necessary investments under Section 179 and 100% bonus depreciation, our ranch will be able to upgrade equipment, increasing our efficiency without being hit by a huge tax burden. That kind of flexibility matters in a ranch like ours." -- Turk Stovall
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Original text here: https://atr.org/expensing/
[Category: Political]
Elder Rasband Sees Gospel Growth During Central Africa Ministry
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Nov. 8 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued the following news release on Nov. 7, 2025:
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Elder Rasband Sees Gospel Growth During Central Africa Ministry
Apostle dedicates missionary training center in Kinshasa
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"We are on the front edge of the gospel in the Africa Central Area," said Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as he concluded a five-country ministry to East and Central Africa on Sunday, November 2, 2025.
"Everything that we're doing here is putting in place
... Show Full Article
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Nov. 8 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued the following news release on Nov. 7, 2025:
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Elder Rasband Sees Gospel Growth During Central Africa Ministry
Apostle dedicates missionary training center in Kinshasa
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"We are on the front edge of the gospel in the Africa Central Area," said Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as he concluded a five-country ministry to East and Central Africa on Sunday, November 2, 2025.
"Everything that we're doing here is putting in placea foundation for the Church to grow strong and be healthy and bring many, many more souls to the Lord Jesus Christ," said the Apostle.
The senior Church leader was joined by his wife, Melanie; Elder Kevin R. Duncan of the Presidency of the Seventy and his wife, Nancy; and members of the Africa Central Area Presidency.
In the Republic of the Congo, Elder Rasband spent time with young adults at the Church-sponsored BYU-Pathway Global Education Center in Brazzaville on Friday, October 31, one of four centers worldwide. Students in the BYU-Pathway Worldwide program receive a spiritually based education available online.
"As I went from room to room, they were packed with students. They're not only there for Pathway, but they're there for institute," said Elder Rasband. "It was a joy for me to see how members and nonmembers are responding to the invitation to learn English."
Other Global Education Centers are in Nigeria, the Philippines and South Africa.
MTC Dedication
The Apostle crossed the Congo River by boat for his final stop in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he met with local Church leaders. It's one of the fastest-growing areas of the Church of Jesus Christ, with new missions announced and Sunday's dedication of a missionary training center (MTC) in Kinshasa by Elder Rasband.
"Many young converts are of missionary age, and they want to go on missions. And so, this MTC in the Congo will cater more to the Congolese missionaries," he explained.
"We have missionaries come from other parts of Africa as well, coming here to learn to speak French, or we have some French speakers learning English," added President Myles Proudfoot, mission leader at the Democratic Republic of the Congo MTC.
"I've been learning so many things about the English language," explained Elder Khalifa Kikuli, a missionary from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, who will serve in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission.
"I felt honored to be part of the missionaries who witnessed the dedication," expressed Elder Deniel Siles Acquaah, who will be serving a mission in Cameroon. "And being the first Ghanaian missionary to be trained in the Kinshasa MTC. Elder Acquaah is the first missionary from Ghana to train at the new missionary training center.
Sister Julie Proudfoot of Lehi, Utah, has been serving as a mission leader at the MTC in Kinshasa with her husband.
"What a wonderful occasion for them to hear an Apostle speak to them and to feel his message and to give them encouragement to go out and serve with all their heart, might, mind and strength," said Sister Proudfoot.
In Nairobi, Kenya, the senior Church leader had a reunion with a group of young men from South Sudan he had met two years ago, including those who had accepted his challenge to serve as full-time missionaries.
Ten of the young men are currently serving missions, and others have assignments in their local congregations.
Government and Interfaith Meetings
During his ministry, Elder Rasband met with high-level government and faith leaders. In Ethiopia, he met with Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie and His Holiness Abune Mathias I, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, on Thursday, October 30. The historic meetings took place in the capital city of Addis Ababa.
In the island nation of Seychelles, Elder Rasband was welcomed by the new vice president in the capital city of Victoria.
During his visit to Seychelles, the Rasbands and other Church leaders joined a small congregation of Latter-day Saints gathered to worship in a sacrament meeting.
Pioneers Evan and Marie Healy have returned to Seychelles from Australia to serve as missionaries.
"I wanted to come and share the gospel with the people here because they need it," shared Marie, who was born in Seychelles.
"It has been a very broad, excellent trip," said Elder Rasband as he reflected on his ministry to Central Africa before boarding a flight home to Utah. "I think we have brought people closer to Jesus Christ, which was my ultimate goal everywhere I went."
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Original text here: https://news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-rasband-sees-gospel-growth-during-central-africa-ministry
[Category: Religion]
Companies Involved in Monkey Truck Crash Have History of Animal Welfare Violations, PETA Reveals
NORFOLK, Virginia, Nov. 8 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release on Nov. 7, 2025:
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Companies Involved in Monkey Truck Crash Have History of Animal Welfare Violations, PETA Reveals
Heidelberg, Miss - In a complaint filed today, PETA asks the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to investigate the companies involved in the October 28 truck crash that led to the escape of eight adult rhesus macaque monkeys in Jasper County, Mississippi.
Police gunned down five of the eight monkeys, civilians shot and killed two others, and the last was located after
... Show Full Article
NORFOLK, Virginia, Nov. 8 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release on Nov. 7, 2025:
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Companies Involved in Monkey Truck Crash Have History of Animal Welfare Violations, PETA Reveals
Heidelberg, Miss - In a complaint filed today, PETA asks the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to investigate the companies involved in the October 28 truck crash that led to the escape of eight adult rhesus macaque monkeys in Jasper County, Mississippi.
Police gunned down five of the eight monkeys, civilians shot and killed two others, and the last was located aftereight days and reportedly tranquilized. PETA's complaint points out that given the damage to the trailer and crates because of the violence of the crash, monkeys left in the crates were almost certainly injured--yet there's no indication they were promptly evaluated or provided with veterinary care, as required. Shooting animals to death is also a violation of USDA-approved euthanasia protocols, and transporting animals in inadequately secured crates and leaving them in non-temperature-controlled environments are both violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
Records obtained by PETA also reveal:
* The monkeys were destined for the laboratory BIOQUAL in Rockville, Maryland, which violated the federal Animal Welfare Act at least 16 times since 2014. The testing laboratory was once known as SEMA and changed its name following a visit by Dr. Jane Goodall, which uncovered chimpanzees, including infants, confined in appalling conditions in individual cages.
* The monkeys were transported by Wildlife Transportation Facilitators, a company that last year trucked four elderly monkeys from New York University across the country to the Washington National Primate Research Center over a three-day period. One of the monkeys was in such poor condition upon arrival that he was immediately euthanized.
* Tulane University, from which the monkeys originated, has a long history of federal animal welfare violations, including failing to protect monkeys from frigid weather, unsafe housing, and filthy enclosures.
* Monkey dealer PreLabs--which acknowledged that it owned the primates involved in the crash--was previously cited for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act after an inspector found a rhesus macaque with "approximately 90% hair loss on her chest, abdomen, legs, and arms."
"Monkeys who were almost certainly born at a national primate center paid for by taxpayers, survived that horror only to end up shot dead on the side of a highway," says PETA Senior Science Advisor on Primate Experimentation, Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel. "No federally regulated entity should get away with evading accountability for endangering animals or the public, and PETA demands that the USDA investigate and issue penalties where warranted."
The records obtained by PETA include an alarming Certificate of Veterinary Inspection showing that the monkeys in the truck each had only a single tuberculosis skin test--an outdated and unreliable screening method incapable of detecting many latent infections. The threat of hauling tuberculosis-infected monkeys, who may also harbor pathogens for which they haven't been tested, to laboratories around the country is well documented.
PETA--whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to experiment on"--points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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Original text here: https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/companies-involved-in-monkey-truck-crash-have-history-of-animal-welfare-violations-peta-reveals/
[Category: Animals]
ATR: Reject Schumer's Obamacare Expansion
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Americans for Tax Reform issued the following commentary on Nov. 7, 2025:
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ATR: REJECT Schumer's Obamacare Expansion
By Isabelle Morales
Today, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanded a one-year extension of the COVID-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies as a condition to open the government.
ATR urges members of Congress to reject this absurd demand.
Extending the expanded Obamacare subsidies not only puts our country further in debt, but funnels taxpayer dollars straight to insurance companies, not patients, who currently have little incentive to keep their
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 -- Americans for Tax Reform issued the following commentary on Nov. 7, 2025:
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ATR: REJECT Schumer's Obamacare Expansion
By Isabelle Morales
Today, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanded a one-year extension of the COVID-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies as a condition to open the government.
ATR urges members of Congress to reject this absurd demand.
Extending the expanded Obamacare subsidies not only puts our country further in debt, but funnels taxpayer dollars straight to insurance companies, not patients, who currently have little incentive to keep theircosts low. The expanded subsidies have encouraged rampant fraud and are putting taxpayers on the hook for high-income earners' payments.
The only reason Democrats assert consumers need these subsidies is because the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the subsidies themselves have caused premiums to skyrocket. Obamacare has failed.
Thus, it is no surprise that Democrats are demanding that Republicans help them continue to hide these rising prices with subsidies. Of course, this would incentivize insurers to keep raising premiums, costing consumers more in the long-term... but why would the Left care about worsening the problem in the future if it helps them avoid accountability now?
To be clear, expanding Obamacare is not a "political win" for Republicans. It is a betrayal to their moderate and conservative base alike. At the very least, Democrats will never give a Republican who caves credit for doing so - it will always be framed as a win for the Left.
Longtime GOP voters, however, would have every reason to lose faith in a member who betrays something as foundational as not taking steps toward a socialist healthcare system.
Republicans must let the expanded Obamacare subsidies expire. The aftermath of Obamacare is a crime scene. No Republican should leave their fingerprints behind.
The expanded Obamacare subsidies have encouraged insurance companies to raise their premium prices. A CBO report confirmed that premiums for exchange plans are rising more quickly than originally anticipated. When the government subsidizes the cost of anything, sellers inevitably raise their prices. The government will pay for it, after all. As a result, the hundreds of billions of dollars spent on this expansion are going straight to insurers, not to patients. While some Americans may be concerned about premiums going up in the short term, removing the incentive for insurers to continue raising their prices will save patients money in the long run.
Because of these rising prices, the cost of the expanded Obamacare subsidies is massive. According to the Congressional Budget Office, expanding the subsidies would cost around $35 billion per year, or $350 billion over the next decade. As the Economic Policy Innovation Center detailed, "resulting increases in net interest costs would add another $64 billion, for a total cost of $448 billion over the FY 2026 to 2035 period." The cost of premium tax credits was already colossal - costing taxpayers $1 trillion over 10 years. It is unacceptable for a "temporary" expansion to raise that cost by roughly 45 percent.
American taxpayers "accepted" these high costs because the expanded Obamacare subsidies were always supposed to be temporary. At the time they were passed, the American people were assured that the expanded premium tax credits were a necessary and temporary response to the global pandemic. Four years later, we have moved on from the pandemic, but taxpayers are still on the hook for rising premiums, including for those making over $500,000 per year.
A relatively low number of Americans - 6 percent - receive premium tax credits. As mentioned earlier, about 24 million people are enrolled in the Obamacare marketplace. Of those, roughly 21.8 million people receive PTCs. Thus, only around 6 percent of the U.S. population may find themselves directly affected by the expiration of these subsidies.
The PTC will still be intact for those making under 400 percent of the FPL: individuals making under $62,600 annually ($5,216 a month) or, for example, a household of four making under $128,600 annually ($10,716 a month). Notably, the standards for enrollment were quite generous to begin with.
Despite the enrollment numbers being a relatively low percentage of the population, even that number should be taken with a grain of salt - lax verification during the Biden expansion enabled millions to qualify improperly. The Paragon Health Institute estimated that 6.4 million Americans are improperly enrolled in Obamacare exchanges, a number that surged by more than one-quarter from 2024 to 2025. This level of improper enrollment, which is likely an underestimation, will cost taxpayers up to $27 billion this year.
As Paragon details in their report, after the PTC expansion, there was a surge in enrollment and high-than-ever insurer profits, with many of these enrollees "ineligible, unaware they were signed up, or never [having] used their plan." This mirrors Paragon's research regarding phantom Obamacare enrollees, finding that "a staggering 40 percent of enrollees in 94 percent actuarial value silver plans and bronze plans had no medical claims in 2024." No doctor visits, services received, or prescriptions filled.
ATR urges lawmakers to reject Schumer's hostage-taking to extend the enhanced Obamacare subsidies.
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Original text here: https://atr.org/atr-reject-schumers-obamacare-expansion/
[Category: Political]
