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Reason Foundation Issues Commentary: Ranking the States Most and Least Dependent on the Federal Government
LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 11 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary by Managing Directors of Government Finance Mariana Trujillo and Jordan Campbell:
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Ranking the states most and least dependent on the federal government
In some states, federal funds make up a modest share of government revenue, while in others they represent 40% of state and local budgets.
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Federal aid accounts for about a quarter of state and local government revenues, helping fund everything from disaster recovery and food assistance to healthcare and transportation. But these grants are not
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 11 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary by Managing Directors of Government Finance Mariana Trujillo and Jordan Campbell:
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Ranking the states most and least dependent on the federal government
In some states, federal funds make up a modest share of government revenue, while in others they represent 40% of state and local budgets.
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Federal aid accounts for about a quarter of state and local government revenues, helping fund everything from disaster recovery and food assistance to healthcare and transportation. But these grants are notguaranteed: Washington retains full discretion over federal transfers and has often used them as leverage to sway state policy.
This practice has received more attention recently as President Donald Trump has sought to withhold funds from states that fail to comply with certain priorities. While the scale and breadth of the Trump administration's use of federal funding to pressure states are unusual, the federal government has long used the promise of new funding and the threat of losing existing grants to influence state policy. The nationwide adoption of the 21-year drinking age and mandatory seatbelt laws, for example, came only after Congress tied both to eligibility for federal highway funding.
Not all states feel this federal pressure equally. While all states receive federal aid, reliance varies. In some states, federal funds make up a modest share of government revenue, while in others they represent 40% of state and local budgets.
A brief history of federal aid
In absolute terms, federal aid to state and local governments has grown substantially over the past few decades, even after adjusting for inflation. In 2025 dollars, federal transfers in 1980 amounted to about $300 billion, while in 2023, they amounted to $1.1 trillion.
Though the dollar value of federal aid has grown, its share of state and local revenue has held steady. That is because overall state and local revenues have grown alongside the broader U.S. economy. As economic output grew, so did state and local government spending and taxation. On average, federal aid has represented 19% of state and local revenues from 2000-2022.
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Chart: Federal grants represent ~20% of state and local revenue
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The relative consistency in federal aid's overall share of state and local budgets, however, masks a significant shift in its composition. In earlier decades, federal aid flowed largely through discretionary programs: agriculture, transportation, disaster assistance, and education. But over the last few decades--like almost every other aspect of government--federal transfers have become increasingly dominated by entitlement programs.
Today, Medicaid accounts for 57% of federal transfers to states. As eligibility expanded and health care costs rose, Medicaid became the primary channel through which federal funds flow into states.
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Chart: Medicaid now dominates federal aid to state and local governments
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This rise of Medicaid aid shifted the nature of federal transfers. A growing share of transfers now flows through mandatory programs, rather than through discretionary grants that Congress appropriates annually. By 2023, 73% of federal transfers to state and local governments flowed through mandatory programs, up from 42% in 1980.
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Chart: Mandatory programs now dominate federal aid to state and local governments
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Ranking states by reliance on federal aid
The following rankings measure state and local governments' reliance on federal grants--not whether residents of each state receive more from the federal government than they pay in federal taxes. Some analyses subtract the federal taxes paid by a state's residents from the federal grants and other federal spending in that state, labeling states with negative balances "net donor states" to the union. That measures interstate redistribution, but not reliance on the federal government. Residents of a state can be net donors overall, even as its state and local governments remain materially dependent on federal aid, since Washington may reduce or condition intergovernmental grants at any time.
This analysis, therefore, uses gross federal grant revenue to measure how much state and local governments receive from the federal government and how exposed their budgets are if those transfers are delayed, conditioned, or withdrawn.
Additionally, we include the District of Columbia (D.C.) alongside the states because, although it is a federal district with unique circumstances, its position in the rankings is of public interest.
The states that receive the most federal aid
In total, state and local governments in California ($162 billion), New York ($118 billion), and Texas ($89 billion) received the most federal aid in 2025, while those in Wyoming ($3.9 billion), South Dakota ($3.8 billion), and North Dakota ($2.8 billion) received the least.
In 2023, the median U.S. state received $18.4 billion from the federal government.
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Table: Total federal aid to state and local governments, by state
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Total federal aid received says little about fiscal reliance. The largest states, of course, receive more because they have larger populations. In fact, the seven states receiving the most federal aid are also the seven most populous states, with only New York appearing out of order, ranking second in aid and fourth in population. For this reason, it is important to examine federal aid relative to state and local finances and to population size.
The states that receive the most federal aid as a share of their budgets
States differ in the share of their budgets financed by federal transfers. In North Dakota (19%), Virginia (21%), and Utah (22%), federal transfers account for less than a quarter of state and local revenues. In Alaska (39%), Kentucky (38%), and Vermont (38%), federal transfers account for almost 40% of state and local revenues.
In 2023, the median U.S. state received 27.7% of its revenues from the federal government.
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Table: Federal aid as a share of total state and local revenue, by state
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The states that receive the most federal aid per capita
The states that have the highest federal aid as a share of their budgets are not necessarily the ones receiving the most federal funding in absolute or per-capita terms.
In 2023, the median U.S. state received $3,815 per resident from the federal government. The District of Columbia ($11,030), Alaska ($8,389), and Wyoming ($6,772) received the most federal aid per capita, while Tennessee ($2,783), Virginia ($2,699), and Georgia ($2,397) received the least.
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Table: Per capita federal aid to state and local governments, by state
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Fiscal discipline and autonomy
Federal aid is one of the largest revenue sources for state and local governments, but its importance varies. Some states receive large transfers simply because they are large, while others depend on federal funding to finance nearly half of their budgets.
As national debt rises and federal spending becomes more politically contentious, these differences become more consequential. Understanding which states rely most heavily on federal transfers and which programs those transfers are tied to is increasingly relevant to assessing fiscal risk.
Recent actions by the Trump administration illustrate how federal aid can be used as leverage in policy disputes. States that are already burdened by high debt and legacy costs--such as unfunded pension liabilities or retiree health obligations--often have little room in their budgets to absorb shocks.
This fiscal vulnerability is unfortunately not limited to highly indebted states. In states with leaner budgets, federal aid can account for an outsized share of revenue. In the absence of strong reserves, threats to those transfers can also put their finances under pressure.
It is therefore prudent for state and local governments to document precisely how they rely on federal aid, including which programs, agencies, and budget functions depend on those funds. They should also develop contingency plans for delays or reductions of federal transfers, especially discretionary transfers.
Federal transfers will always undermine state autonomy and federalism. States and local governments must understand the precise role that the federal government plays in their finances.
The states, cities, counties, and school districts that don't have excessive debt and have strong fiscal reserves may be able to absorb disruptions in federal funding without surrendering policy autonomy. Those burdened by debt, unfunded liabilities, and weak reserves may not.
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Mariana Trujillo is managing director of government finance at Reason Foundation.
Jordan Campbell is managing director of government finance and senior quantitative analyst at Reason Foundation.
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Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/ranking-the-states-most-and-least-dependent-on-the-federal-government/
Photography / Fotografia: Los Angeles y Mexico en Getty "Instante/revelacion: Moments in Mexican Photography"
LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 11 -- The J. Paul Getty Trust posted the following news release:
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Photography / Fotografia: Los Angeles y Mexico en Getty "Instante/revelacion: Moments in Mexican Photography"
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Read in English
La fotografia mexicana del siglo XX se caracteriza por una compleja red de conexiones artisticas e intercambios culturales.
"Instante/revelacion: Momentos en la fotografia mexicana", que podra visitarse desde el 1 de septiembre de 2026 hasta el 3 de enero de 2027, recorre la historia de la fotografia de Mexico desde finales de la decada de 1920 hasta mediados de
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 11 -- The J. Paul Getty Trust posted the following news release:
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Photography / Fotografia: Los Angeles y Mexico en Getty "Instante/revelacion: Moments in Mexican Photography"
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Read in English
La fotografia mexicana del siglo XX se caracteriza por una compleja red de conexiones artisticas e intercambios culturales.
"Instante/revelacion: Momentos en la fotografia mexicana", que podra visitarse desde el 1 de septiembre de 2026 hasta el 3 de enero de 2027, recorre la historia de la fotografia de Mexico desde finales de la decada de 1920 hasta mediados dela decada de 2010 a traves de una seleccion de obras de trece destacados fotografos locales. Esta exposicion, bilingue en ingles y espanol, traza un poderoso panorama de la cultura visual de Mexico, marcada por la colaboracion, la experimentacion y el intercambio artistico.
"La fotografia ha servido durante mucho tiempo como un poderoso medio para capturar tanto la experiencia personal como la historia colectiva", declaro Timothy Potts, director Maria Hummer-Tuttle y Robert Tuttle del J. Paul Getty Museum. "'Instante/revelacion' traza las conexiones creativas entre generaciones de fotografos cuyas imagenes ofrecen una vision profunda de la vida cultural de Mexico, al tiempo que demuestran el poder del intercambio artistico para moldear nuestra vision del mundo".
La exposicion toma su titulo y marco conceptual del libro de 1982 Instante y revelacion, que combina poesias del premio Nobel Octavio Paz con fotografias de Manuel Alvarez Bravo. Inspirada en las reflexiones poeticas del escritor sobre las fotografias de Alvarez Bravo, la exposicion esta organizada en cinco secciones tematicas que llevan por titulo versos del poema "Cara al tiempo" de Paz.
Los trece destacados fotografos mexicanos cuyas obras se presentan son Manuel Alvarez Bravo (1902-2002), Lola Alvarez Bravo (1903-1993), Manuel Carrillo (1906-1989), Antonio Reynoso (1919-1996), Hector Garcia (1923-2012), Mariana Yampolsky (1925-2002), Rodrigo Moya (1934-2025), Pedro Meyer (1935), Graciela Iturbide (1942), Yolanda Andrade (1950), Pablo Ortiz Monasterio (1952), Cecilia Salcedo Mendez (1957) y Flor Garduno (1957). Sus imagenes registran las transformaciones que han marcado la historia social y la escena fotografica de Mexico a lo largo de los ultimo siglo.
Lo identico y lo diferente / Identical and Different
Esta seccion explora conexiones entre fotografos que compartieron diversos vinculos, ya que muchos de ellos fueron amigos, maestros y estudiantes o companeros de trabajo. Si bien cada artista desarrollo un estilo distintivo, a menudo abordaron temas similares forjados por un entorno cultural y artistico comun. A traves del vinculo entre ciertas imagenes, sus fotografias revelan motivos recurrentes y un dialogo visual continuo que demuestra como la historia fotografica de Mexico se construyo a traves de la conexion y la colaboracion.
La sensacion y la percepcion / Sensation and Perception
Tomando como punto de partida las primeras fotos de Manuel Alvarez Bravo de finales de la decada de 1920, esta seccion analiza la capacidad que desarrollo la fotografia a lo largo del siglo XX para transformar lo ordinario mediante diversos recursos como el recorte, el desplazamiento o el cambio de contexto. Las fotografias de Graciela Iturbide, Pedro Meyer, Cecilia Salcedo Mendez y Lola Alvarez Bravo utilizan algunas de estas estrategias para enfatizar el efecto de la luz, las texturas y las formas, creando asi una fuerte experiencia sensorial. A traves de encuadres cercanos y perspectivas inusuales, objetos cotidianos se transforman en imagenes abstractas que buscan provocar curiosidad y asombro.
Lente de revelaciones / Lens of Revelations
Esta seccion presenta fotografias que convierten momentos de la vida diaria en imagenes poeticas y misteriosas. Al usar un encuadre selectivo que permite omitir el contexto, los artistas crean incognitas y escenarios imaginarios que invitan a interpretaciones multiples en lugar de proponer respuestas cerradas. Dicho enfoque, que caracterizo a la obra de Manuel Alvarez Bravo, tambien se encuentra presente en el trabajo de Lola Alvarez Bravo, Graciela Iturbide, Flor Garduno y Yolanda Andrade. Este nucleo tematico tambien incluye publicaciones periodicas como "Imagen", "El Maestro Rural" y "Mexican Art and Life", a traves de las cuales se difundieron muchas de estas fotografias.
El ojo piensa, el pensamiento ve / The Eye Thinks, Thought Sees
Las relaciones entre los fotografos con otros artistas mexicanos, como Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo, Octavio Paz y Juan Rulfo, se exploran en esta seccion a traves de retratos y redes creativas compartidas. Incluye fotografias realizadas por Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Lola Alvarez Bravo, Rodrigo Moya y Hector Garcia, asi como imagenes de la serie que Graciela Iturbide realizo sobre objetos personales de Frida Kahlo.
El tiempo no cesa de fluir / Time Never Stops Flowing
Con obras que abarcan desde la decada de 1930 hasta 2016, esta seccion explora como los fotografos documentaron y respondieron a los principales cambios sociales, politicos y economicos de su epoca. Las imagenes reflejan momentos clave, desde el llamado "Milagro mexicano" de mediados de siglo XX hasta la desaparicion de cuarenta y tres estudiantes en Ayotzinapa en 2014. Con obras de Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Lola Alvarez Bravo, Mariana Yampolsky, Hector Garcia, Rodrigo Moya, Graciela Iturbide y Pablo Ortiz Monasterio, la seccion tambien destaca libros fotograficos que desempenaron un papel clave en la circulacion de estas obras.
"Las fotografias de esta exposicion fueron tomadas a lo largo de casi cien anos, y todas ellas abordan temas y conceptos relevantes para Mexico, un pais con una compleja historia y multiples memorias culturales", manifesto Julieta Pestarino, curadora asistente del Departamento de Fotografias del J. Paul Getty Museum y curadora de la exposicion. "Los fotografos mexicanos del siglo XX trabajaron en estrecha colaboracion entre si, al igual que con artistas, escritores, cineastas e incluso con antropologos. Cuando estas fotografias se observan en conjunto, surgen motivos recurrentes y formas de mirar que revelan un rico entramado de dialogo cultural y artistico. "Instante/revelacion" presenta al publico "instantes" que "revelan" las multiples formas en que se puede apreciar Mexico".
Todas las fotografias presentadas en "Instante/revelacion: Moments in Mexican Photography" provienen de las generosas donaciones realizadas al J. Paul Getty Museum por los coleccionistas Daniel Greenberg y Susan Steinhauser. Durante los ultimos 25 anos, las fotografias que incorporaron a la coleccion han enriquecido el acervo del Museo y ampliaron el acceso a piezas clave de la fotografia mexicana.
"Instante/revelacion: Momentos en la fotografia mexicana" se presenta en conjunto con "Cada minuto es historia: cinco perspectivas de Los Angeles", exposicion que destaca a cinco fotografos cuyas distintas practicas ampliaron las representaciones de las comunidades chicanas en Los Angeles durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX.
Con motivo de la inauguracion de la exposicion, el martes 1 de septiembre a las 7 pm, la investigadora Elizabeth Ferrer dirigira una mesa redonda con la participacion de los fotografos contemporaneos de ambas exposiciones George Rodriguez, Pablo Ortiz Monasterio, Reynaldo Rivera y Yolanda Andrade. Los artistas hablaran sobre los retos, las oportunidades y las implicaciones de trabajar en Los Angeles y la Ciudad de Mexico.
Tambien se ofreceran visitas guiadas en espanol mensualmente durante toda la exposicion, dirigidas por la curadora y por el equipo de educacion del museo. Visite getty.edu para conocer las fechas y obtener mas informacion.
Como parte de "Instante/revelacion", Getty Publications presenta un catalogo bilingue en espanol e ingles con reproducciones completas de las obras expuestas, ademas de un ensayo introductorio, textos de las secciones y biografias de los artistas, el cual ofrecera a los lectores una vision mas profunda de los temas y dialogos artisticos de la exposicion.
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Original text here: https://www.getty.edu/news/espanol-photography-fotografia-instante-revelacion-moments-in-mexican-photography
Free speech study finds surprising similarities between 'very liberal' and 'very conservative' Americans
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Aug. 11 -- The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression posted the following news release:
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Free speech study finds surprising similarities between 'very liberal' and 'very conservative' Americans
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PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 11, 2026 -They may not agree on much, but Americans who identify as "very liberal" or "very conservative" have strikingly similar attitudes toward free speech, according to a new survey by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
The latest edition of the National Speech Index, a recurring survey that tracks Americans' views
... Show Full Article
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Aug. 11 -- The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression posted the following news release:
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Free speech study finds surprising similarities between 'very liberal' and 'very conservative' Americans
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PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 11, 2026 -They may not agree on much, but Americans who identify as "very liberal" or "very conservative" have strikingly similar attitudes toward free speech, according to a new survey by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
The latest edition of the National Speech Index, a recurring survey that tracks Americans' viewson free speech, finds that the most partisan among us are much more comfortable discussing controversial topics without fear of reprimand than liberals, moderates, or conservatives:
* Fifty-five percent of very liberal and 52% of very conservative respondents said they feel "very comfortable" discussing abortion rights -but only one-quarter of liberal, moderate, and conservative respondents feel the same.
* Forty-six percent of very liberal and 48% of very conservative respondents feel "very comfortable" discussing race in America, against just one-fifth of liberals and one-quarter of moderates and conservatives.
* Forty-two percent of very liberal and 54% of very conservative respondents feel "very comfortable" discussing the war in Iran, versus 22% of liberals, 25% of moderates, and 28% of conservatives.
Regardless of ideology, only 23% of Americans feel very comfortable discussing the Israel-Palestinian conflict, 26% feel very comfortable discussing transgender treatment for minors, and 28% feel very comfortable discussing ICE operations, evidence of the dismal state of free speech in America today.
"Many Americans have come to expect that sharing views some consider controversial will get them fired, kicked off social media, or even hunted down by the government," said FIRE Manager of Polling and Analytics Nathan Honeycutt. "Ideally, everyone should be comfortable expressing their opinions about key topics of debate, but most Americans don't appear to feel that way."
The survey also found that Americans are strongly concerned that the government will regulate how they use AI to express themselves: 93% say it's at least somewhat important for governments to protect their free speech when regulating the use of artificial intelligence to express ideas.
Americans are also concerned about the possibility of governments spying on their use of AI. Nearly four-fifths (79%) are at least somewhat concerned about government pressure on AI developers to weaken or remove safeguards for the purpose of domestic surveillance or autonomous weapon systems. About the same number (76%) are concerned about their use of AI being tracked or incorporated into a government database.
"Americans' concerns are well founded," said FIRE Legislative Counsel John Coleman. "Multiple states have already passed laws specifically limiting AI-generated expression about politicians and elections. Any regulation of AI must protect users' right to read, learn, and create."
The National Speech Index is a quarterly poll designed by FIRE and conducted by the Dartmouth Polarization Research Lab, to capture Americans' views on freedom of speech and the First Amendment, and to track how Americans' views change over time. The July 2026 National Speech Index sampled 1,000 Americans and was conducted from July 7, 2026 through July 20, 2026. The survey's margin of error is +/- 3%.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought -the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates Americans about the importance of these inalienable rights, promotes a culture of respect for these rights, and provides the means to preserve them.
The Polarization Research Lab (PRL) is a nonpartisan collaboration between faculty at Dartmouth College, Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania. Its mission is to monitor and understand the causes and consequences of partisan animosity, support for democratic norm violations, and support for partisan violence in the American Public. With open and transparent data, it provides an objective assessment of the health of American democracy.
CONTACT:
Jack Whitten, Communications Campaign Strategist, FIRE: 215-717-3473; media@thefire.org
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Original text here: https://www.thefire.org/news/free-speech-study-finds-surprising-similarities-between-very-liberal-and-very-conservative
WLF Asks Fifth Circuit to Keep Texas from Forcing Deceptive Warning Labels on Perfectly Safe Food
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release:
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WLF Asks Fifth Circuit to Keep Texas from Forcing Deceptive Warning Labels on Perfectly Safe Food
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Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to uphold a district court decision striking down a Texas food-labeling law on First Amendment grounds.
The case centers on Texas's new food labeling regime, which says that packaged food containing one of 44 disfavored ingredients must carry a warning that the "appropriate authority"
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release:
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WLF Asks Fifth Circuit to Keep Texas from Forcing Deceptive Warning Labels on Perfectly Safe Food
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Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) today urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to uphold a district court decision striking down a Texas food-labeling law on First Amendment grounds.
The case centers on Texas's new food labeling regime, which says that packaged food containing one of 44 disfavored ingredients must carry a warning that the "appropriate authority"in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or Great Britain deems the product "not recommend for human consumption." But the State's list includes perfectly safe ingredients. Texas admits that by "not recommended" it doesn't mean a foreign authority considers the item to be poison or even bad for you. Rather, it just means one of those four jurisdictions literally doesn't cheerlead for the ingredient.
As WLF's brief explains, Texas's effort to play cute as it compels speech violates the First Amendment. Texas claims its measure is subject to light-touch judicial review but makes that argument through caselaw premised on a Fifth Circuit decision set aside by the U.S. Supreme Court. Under proper constitutional scrutiny, even if you spot Texas an interest in hoodwinking the public into a preferred diet through deceptive argument, the State's compelled-speech regime violates the First Amendment.
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Original text here: https://www.wlf.org/2026/08/10/communicating/wlf-asks-fifth-circuit-to-keep-texas-from-forcing-deceptive-warning-labels-on-perfectly-safe-food/
OMRF receives $2.7 million for inflammatory bowel disease research
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Aug. 10 -- The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation posted the following news:
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OMRF receives $2.7 million for inflammatory bowel disease research
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An Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist has been awarded a four-year National Institutes of Health grant for further studies of inflammatory bowel disease.
Sathish Srinivasan, Ph.D., hopes to better understand what role the body's lymphatic system plays in chronic conditions like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis. Ultimately, the work could lead to new therapies or ways to prevent the diseases.
Srinivasan's
... Show Full Article
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Aug. 10 -- The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation posted the following news:
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OMRF receives $2.7 million for inflammatory bowel disease research
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An Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist has been awarded a four-year National Institutes of Health grant for further studies of inflammatory bowel disease.
Sathish Srinivasan, Ph.D., hopes to better understand what role the body's lymphatic system plays in chronic conditions like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis. Ultimately, the work could lead to new therapies or ways to prevent the diseases.
Srinivasan'slab studies lymphatic vessels and valves, which help our bodies move fluids, prevent tissue swelling, fight infections and remove waste. Last year, in tandem with OMRF scientist Xin Geng, Ph.D., Srinivasan discovered that clusters of immune cells form in the intestines of mice whose lymphatic vessels lack a protein called S1PR1.
That discovery, in part, led to the new $2.7 million grant.
"Now we hope to learn the impact of those immune cell clusters," Srinivasan said. "Are they causing the ferocious and aggressive inflammation that causes Crohn's to flare up, or could they possibly be preventing that inflammation?"
The answers gained from these experiments could eventually lead to a new drug to treat or even prevent such flares, he said.
Crohn's disease involves painful and sometimes debilitating inflammation of the digestive tract. According to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, it affects about 1 in every 100 Americans and up to an estimated 8 million people worldwide.
Ulcerative colitis shares similar symptoms with Crohn's. Each disorder can result in fatigue, anemia, swollen joints and osteoporosis.
Srinivasan hopes to determine what causes the immune cell clusters to form and whether these clusters reduce intestinal inflammation. A third goal is to discover how S1PR1 prevents these clusters from forming.
"Current treatments for inflammatory bowel disease either rely on steroids, which are harmful with long-term use, or else they suppress the immune system, which leaves patients vulnerable to infections," said OMRF Vice President of Research Courtney Griffin, Ph.D. "With this study, Dr. Srinivasan hopes to uncover new, safer ways to treat it using the body's own defenses."
Srinivasan's grant, No. R01HL185377-01, was awarded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the NIH. He previously received funding for critical preliminary research from the Presbyterian Health Foundation and the Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research, part of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust.
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Original text here: https://omrf.org/omrf-receives-2-7-million-for-inflammatory-bowel-disease-research/
Court Orders Markley to Pause Lowell Data Center Expansion
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 10 -- Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release:
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Court Orders Markley to Pause Lowell Data Center Expansion
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Lowell residents are taking the fight to court to stop the unchecked expansion of a data center that has grown between their homes, parks, and community spaces. Photo: Yale Environmental Justice Law and Advocacy Clinic.
August 10, 2026 (Boston, MA) - A Massachusetts Superior Court judge has ordered Markley Group to pause part of the expansion of its massive Lowell data center, blocking the company from installing four additional
... Show Full Article
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 10 -- Conservation Law Foundation issued the following news release:
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Court Orders Markley to Pause Lowell Data Center Expansion
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Lowell residents are taking the fight to court to stop the unchecked expansion of a data center that has grown between their homes, parks, and community spaces. Photo: Yale Environmental Justice Law and Advocacy Clinic.
August 10, 2026 (Boston, MA) - A Massachusetts Superior Court judge has ordered Markley Group to pause part of the expansion of its massive Lowell data center, blocking the company from installing four additionaldiesel generators while residents' legal challenge moves forward.
"Make no mistake, we are celebrating this ruling," said resident group Honest Future for Lowell. "But we know this is just one step on a much longer road. And we will take every step necessary until our voices are heard, our community is respected, and our families can live healthy lives."
Judge C. William Barrett granted residents' request to pause the portion of Markley's air permit covering four backup diesel generators that have not yet been installed.
"Communities shouldn't have to race against construction while they are challenging whether a project was properly approved," said Adam Reynolds, environmental justice fellow at Conservation Law Foundation. "Lowell residents have watched this facility grow around their homes for years while their concerns went unanswered. With this pause, the court recognized their concerns and has given the community some protection from further expansion while that fight continues."
"The Commonwealth has declared it a cornerstone policy to integrate environmental justice considerations into permitting decisions and project reviews. This policy is intended to ensure that communities that have been historically left out of decision-making and saddled with disproportionate pollution burdens as a result are meaningfully engaged as participants in governance and protected from an accretion of polluting sources," explained Stephanie Safdi, Clinical Associate Professor of Law at Yale Law School and Director of the Yale Environmental Justice Law and Advocacy Clinic. "We are grateful to the Court for recognizing the various ways in which the Department fell short of these promises in greenlighting Markley's expansion of its data center in this already overburdened community and for its affirmation of the right of residents of Sacred Heart and other Environmental Justice communities to participate in shaping the future of their communities."
The ruling comes in a lawsuit brought by Lowell residents against the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Markley Group. Conservation Law Foundation, Yale Law School's Environmental Justice Law and Advocacy Clinic, and Fitch Law Partners represent the residents.
Lowell residents have organized as Honest Future for Lowell, a grassroots group supported by Slingshot, which provides training, resources, and organizing support to communities most impacted by environmental pollution.
"The Markley data center's impacts on this community have gone unaddressed for too long," said Mireille Bejjani, co-executive director at Slingshot. "While this lawsuit is starting to address one aspect of the problem, unfortunately it won't fix the whole situation. That's why Honest Future for Lowell is building power among neighbors and calling on the City of Lowell to step up and protect its residents."
The lawsuit challenges MassDEP's approval of an air permit allowing Markley to expand its 352,000-square-foot data center in Lowell's Sacred Heart and Back Central neighborhoods. Residents argue that the agency failed to adequately consider the community's existing pollution burden and improperly allowed the expansion to move forward while their challenge was pending.
The broader challenge to Markley's air permit remains pending in Middlesex Superior Court.
The full ruling can be read here (https://www.clf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2026-08-10-Memorandum-of-Decision.pdf).
Experts and community members are available for further comment.
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Original text here: https://www.clf.org/newsroom/court-orders-markley-to-pause-lowell-data-center-expansion/
Better Chatbot Safety for Children Requires Smarter Policy, New ITIF Report Finds
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 [Category: Computer Technology] (TNSrpt) -- The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation posted the following news release:
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Better Chatbot Safety for Children Requires Smarter Policy, New ITIF Report Finds
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With the bipartisan CHATBOT Act advancing out of the Senate Commerce Committee and states continuing to introduce chatbot safety legislation, a new report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, outlines which chatbot safety policies policymakers should pursue-and which
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 [Category: Computer Technology] (TNSrpt) -- The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation posted the following news release:
* * *
Better Chatbot Safety for Children Requires Smarter Policy, New ITIF Report Finds
*
With the bipartisan CHATBOT Act advancing out of the Senate Commerce Committee and states continuing to introduce chatbot safety legislation, a new report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, outlines which chatbot safety policies policymakers should pursue-and whichthey should avoid-to better protect children while preserving children's access to the benefits AI chatbots can provide.
The report comes as policymakers at both the federal and state levels continue advancing AI chatbot legislation. It recommends a child safety framework centered on targeted safeguards, meaningful parental controls, clear legal standards, stronger industry best practices, and continued research to address documented harms while preserving children's access to the educational, creative, and mental health benefits AI chatbots can provide.
"Congress is right to take children's chatbot safety seriously," said Alex Ambrose, ITIF policy analyst and author of the report. "The challenge is making sure regulations actually reduce the risks children face. Policymakers should focus on safeguards that address documented harms instead of importing social media policies that have proven ineffective."
Organized around 10 policy "Do's," the report recommends policymakers:
* Create a privacy-preserving child flag system rather than requiring universal age verification
* Encourage meaningful parental controls that families can tailor to their children's needs
* Expand AI and digital literacy education for children and parents
* Require clear disclosures when chatbot responses include paid content
* Establish clear legal definitions that distinguish general-purpose chatbots from AI companions
* Establish standards for AI systems providing licensed professional services
* Require appropriate safeguards for conversations involving self-harm or suicide risk
* Discourage the misuse of fictional characters popular with children
* Fund additional research on children's interactions with AI chatbots
* Encourage industry-led best practices and voluntary safety standards
The report also cautions against policies-including universal age verification mandates, blanket content restrictions, warning-label requirements, bans on minors' access, and government-mandated time limits-that often fail to address the underlying risks to children while creating new privacy concerns and limiting access to beneficial AI tools.
"Protecting children and preserving innovation are not competing goals," said Ambrose. "Thoughtful regulation should empower parents, improve transparency, and establish targeted safety standards that address documented harms without cutting young people off from tools that can support learning, creativity, and even access to mental health resources."
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REPORT: https://www2.itif.org/2026-children-chatbot-safety.pdf
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Original text here: https://itif.org/publications/publications/2026/08/10/better-chatbot-safety-for-children-requires-smarter-policy-new-itif-report-finds/
