(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday dealt a blow to the Biden administration’s fight against the pandemic, blocking a federal mandate that workers be vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19 — though the court allowed a separate rule requiring vaccinations for some health care workers. The two rulings represented a split victory for Republican attorneys general […]
Tag: biden
Missouri Attorney General’s office delivers oral arguments at Supreme Court in vaccine mandate case
The Missouri Attorney General’s Office appeared in front of the United States Supreme Court to deliver oral arguments in Biden v. Missouri, the lawsuit brought by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office that challenges the federal vaccine mandate on health care workers. “Missouri was the first state to file suit against the Biden Administration’s private employer […]
Missouri cattle producers say more competition needed to stay profitable
Meat prices have been on the rise, but family-farm advocates say higher profits haven’t been making their way to smaller cattle producers. Four companies control 85% of the beef supply, noted Darvin Bentlage, a cattle rancher and farmer in southwest Missouri. He said the executive order on promoting competition that President Joe Biden signed last summer is a […]
USDA invests more than $288 million to build and improve critical rural infrastructure in Missouri
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri State Director Kyle Wilkens announced that USDA is investing $288,302,000 to build and improve critical rural infrastructure in Missouri. “Infrastructure is more than just laying pipes in the ground and wires on poles,” said Wilkens. “By investing in modern infrastructure, Rural Development is investing in the lives of […]
USDA provides additional pandemic assistance to hog producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a new program to assist hog producers who sold hogs through a negotiated sale during the period in which these producers faced the greatest reduction in market prices due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP) is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative and addresses […]
Temporary benefit increase extended through March, 2022 for Missouri WIC participants
Missouri WIC is extending the temporary increase of the Cash Value Benefit for Fruit and Vegetable Purchases for January, February, and March 2022. The increase is the same amount as November and December: $24.00 per month for child participants, $43.00 per month for pregnant and postpartum women participants, and $47.00 per month for breastfeeding women […]
Top oil and gas companies report $174 billion in profits keeping prices at the pump high
As the country continues to endure high gas prices, 24 of the top oil and gas corporations made nearly $174 billion in profits this year, with profits in the past three months alone topping $74 billion, according to a new report by Accountable.US. Tony Carrk, executive director of the watchdog group, said top executives at Chevron […]
USDA opens 2022 signup for Dairy Margin Coverage program, expands program for supplemental production
As part of the ongoing efforts to support dairy farmers and rural communities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture opened signup for the Dairy Margin Coverage program and expanded the program to allow dairy producers to better protect their operations by enrolling in supplemental production. This signup period – which runs from Dec. 13, 2021, to […]
USDA to make up to $800 million available to provide economic relief to biofuel producers
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will make up to $800 million available to support biofuel producers and infrastructure. The announcement includes $700 million to provide economic relief to biofuel producers and restore renewable fuel markets affected by the pandemic. The Department will make the funds available through the new Biofuel Producer […]
Women would sign up for the military draft under defense bill in Congress
(Missouri Independent) – As the Senate works to finalize a major annual defense measure, there is a bipartisan push to include a requirement that all young Americans — including women — for the first time register for the military draft. The $777.9 billion measure, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, also would allocate millions to […]
Mo Attorney General releases statement on Biden Administration’s reimplementation of “Remain in Mexico” policy
Ahead of news that the Biden Administration is set to reimplement the Migrant Protection Protocols after the Missouri Attorney General’s Office sued and obtained a court order requiring the Biden Administration to reimplement the successful program, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt released the following statement: “The Biden Administration’s border policies have been nothing short of […]
Hawley demands Health and Human Services reinstate religious liberty protections, answers on secret rollback
Following the Department of Health and Human Services November 24 decision to rescind the HHS Office of Civil Rights’ authority to affirmatively protect Americans’ conscience rights pursuant to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Senator Hawley penned a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra demanding he reinstate the protections and provides answers on why the policy was rolled back. […]
Federal vaccine mandate for health care workers in 10 states blocked by judge
(Missouri Independent) – Enforcement of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for millions of health care workers was blocked in 10 states on Monday, after a ruling by a federal judge in Missouri. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp affects the states involved in the lawsuit, including Missouri. The others are Iowa, Kansas, New […]
USDA accepting applications for loans and Grants to assist those in rural areas in obtaining high-speed internet access
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the Department has begun accepting applications for up to $1.15 billion in loans and grants to help people in rural areas get access to high-speed internet. This announcement comes on the heels of the recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides another nearly $2 billion in additional […]
USDA invests more than $350,000 to repair or rehabilitate homes in rural Missouri
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced the agency is investing $358,270 to improve equitable access to safe housing for rural Missouri homeowners. USDA Rural Development has long partnered with various organizations, together making a larger impact in rural Missouri, Thomas said. The Housing Preservation Grant Program is […]
Immigrants make last-ditch plea for deportation protections, work permits in “Build Back Better”
(Missouri Independent) – Undocumented workers and immigration advocates are pushing for Democrats to keep work permits and protections from deportations in the final version of the $1.85 trillion social spending and climate package that the U.S. House is set to vote on as soon as Thursday night. Those immigration provisions face elimination when the bill […]
USDA invests $222 million in rural community infrastructure
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small announced that USDA is investing $222 million to build and improve critical community facilities (PDF, 729 KB) in 44 states, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico. This community infrastructure funding will benefit nearly 2.5 million people in rural communities. It also […]
Billions headed to Missouri transportation fund from gas tax hike, infrastructure bill
(Missouri Independent) – With $6.5 billion on the way from the federal infrastructure bill and a newly increased gas tax, Missouri is ready to take a big bite out of $4.5 billion in unfunded highway needs, Patrick McKenna, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, said this week. But that doesn’t mean the state is ready to tackle […]
Missouri State Treasurer calls on President Biden to recall nomination of Saule Omarova as Comptroller of the Currency
Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick today sent a letter to President Biden expressing his concerns about Saule Omarova’s nomination for Comptroller of the Currency. The Treasurer was joined in the letter by 20 members of the State Financial Officer’s Foundation. “The Comptroller of the Currency is a position that likely few outside of the […]