Morning Headlines - Thursday, Apr. 27, 2023 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

House Passes Bill To Hike Debt Limit And Slash Spending

The Republican-controlled House voted Wednesday to pass a bill to raise the debt limit, slash spending and roll back key pieces of President Joe Biden’s agenda after a series of concessions overnight to win over stubborn GOP holdouts.

The GOP debt package is dead on arrival in the Democratic-led Senate, and Biden has also issued a veto threat, saying Congress should hike the debt ceiling with no strings attached.

But passage of the bill on a 217-215 vote hands Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., a small and much-needed symbolic victory, underscoring his ability to bring together his razor-thin, often rambunctious majority. Republicans hope that uniting behind the debt ceiling plan will pressure Biden and the Democrats to start negotiating just two months before a potential default on the nation’s debt.

Tennis Legend Martina Navratilova Slams Lia Thomas After Jab At Feminists

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova ripped Lia Thomas after the transgender swimmer, who won an NCAA women’s swimming championship, criticized the "half support" she claimed she receives.

Thomas said on the "Dear Schuyler" podcast with Bailar Schuyler – the first openly transgender NCAA swimmer – those who support her as a person but not her pursuit in sports are "using the guise of feminism to sort of push transphobic beliefs."

Navratilova slammed Thomas’ remarks in a tweet on Wednesday.

"NEWSFLASH Lia- it’s not fair. We shouldn’t have to explain it to you over and over. Also- stop explaining feminism to feminists…." Navratilova wrote.

Federal Rules Don't Require Period Product Ingredients On Packaging Labels. States Are Stepping In

Tens of millions of Americans use menstrual products, and while manufacturers contend they are safe, most disclose little about the chemicals they contain. Now, amid calls for more disclosure and research into the health effects of these products, some states require more transparency.

The manufacture and sale of period and related products is a big business, with revenue expected to top $4.5 billion in the United States this year. On average, a person uses up to 17,000 tampons or pads in their lifetime, and they might also use rubber or silicone cups, or absorbent period underwear.

The FDA regulates and classifies menstrual products as medical devices, meaning they are not subject to the same labeling laws as other consumer items. But companies can voluntarily disclose what's in their products.

The 401(k) Generation Enters A Retirement Minefield

Americans retiring now are going it alone: They're the first generation to rely on private savings instead of pensions to navigate the financial vortex of retirement.

401(k) plans and IRAs don't generate steady and predictable income like pensions or social security. The result is a feeling of perpetual insecurity, even among those who've amassed substantial savings.

When paychecks go away, retirees with savings find it very difficult to know how much money it's safe to spend every month — especially since none of us know how many months we have left to live.

Joe Biden’s Secret Oval Office TV

We might never again have a president like Donald Trump, a reality TV star who spent hours in the Oval Office watching TV and reacting in real time to coverage of himself. But while he can’t match his predecessor’s compulsive appetites, that doesn’t mean Joe Biden isn’t obsessed with the media in his own way. He’s not just an avid media consumer (yes, there’s a TV hidden in the Oval Office), he’s also very attuned to how the media portrays him and is likely to get miffed over critical coverage and the media’s myopic focus on breaking news over the big picture. He’ll call up his favorite writers and columnists and he pays close attention to the number of people defending him on TV.

On this weekend that celebrates the long history of chronicling the most important office in America, we thought we’d find out how the current occupant of the White House consumes the work of those who regard him so relentlessly. Here are seven things to know about the president’s media diet:

LeMahieu Says GOP Leaders Still Working On Shared Revenue Package

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu told WisPolitics one of the final details to work out in a shared revenue package is how much to set aside to reward communities that consolidate services.

But Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, downplayed that as a sticking point yesterday, saying he hopes to unveil a bill tomorrow.

Sources told WisPolitics last week that Assembly Republicans were pushing for what they’re calling an innovation fund. Communities that consolidate services would be eligible for money from the fund to help cover the cost of the shared service for a set period of time.

The sources said talks included using up to $1 billion of the state’s $7.1 billion surplus to set aside in an ongoing innovation fund. LeMahieu said that was “pretty accurate.” The two caucuses met for more than three hours Monday night.

Mississippi River Flooding Prompts Evacuations, Sandbagging

Some residents along the swelling Upper Mississippi River evacuated their homes this week while others scrambled on April 26 to stack sandbags in preparation for what forecasters say could be near-record flooding caused by the rapid melting of a huge snowpack in northern Minnesota.

A small number of people had to leave their homes in Wisconsin as the river kept rising. In the small riverfront community of Buffalo, Iowa, residents — wary of the devastating floods of 2019 — were stockpiling sandbags as they braced for flooding this weekend and early next week.

Weston Man Sentenced To 137 Months For Methamphetamine Trafficking

Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ryan P. Murray, 45, Weston, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 137 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 8 years of supervised release. Murray pleaded guilty to this charge on January 31, 2023.

On January 10, 2022, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a report of a one vehicle crash. The driver, Murray, had left the scene of the crash and was found some distance away. Next to Murray, deputies located a bag that contained 291 grams of methamphetamine. Deputies located a loaded Glock 9mm handgun along the path Murray had travelled leaving the crash scene. Within Murray’s crashed vehicle, deputies found a Kel-Tec rifle, ten loaded extended magazines, and a suppressor.

At the time of this incident, Murray had five active arrest warrants and had nine open state criminal cases, including four involving possessing a firearm as a felon and another involving substantial battery. Murray has since been convicted and sentenced in many of his state cases and is currently serving multiple state prison sentences with an anticipated release date of February 16, 2028. As it relates to the firearms involved in this case, Murray was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon in Lincoln County Circuit Court Case No. 2022CF14 on April 11, 2022, and was sentenced to 180 days in county jail. Judge Peterson ordered Murray’s 137-month federal sentence run concurrently to the remainder of his state prison sentences and to any sentences imposed on his still pending cases.

Heat Rally Again To Win In OT, Eliminate Top-Seeded Bucks

Jimmy Butler was an extraordinary playmaker while leading the Miami Heat to one of the most stunning first-round playoff upsets in NBA history.

It turns out he also was a heck of a play caller.

Butler scored 42 points and the Heat staged a second straight stunning fourth-quarter rally before winning 128-126 in overtime on Wednesday night in Game 5 to eliminate the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.

Tiffany Statement After Voting To Restore Fiscal Sanity In Washington

Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07) released the following statement after voting for H.R. 2811, the Limit, Save, Grow Act.

“Over the past two years, President Biden has maxed out America’s credit card, fueling record price hikes that are forcing Americans to pay more while earning less,” said Congressman Tiffany. “Today, we passed a sensible debt ceiling solution that will save taxpayers $4.8 trillion over the next 10 years and put an end to the destructive cycle of reckless spending that is mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren. It’s time for President Biden to come to the table and negotiate with Republicans to chart a responsible fiscal future for our nation.”

H.R. 2811, the Limit, Save, Grow Act is the single largest deficit reduction bill in the history of Congress and:

Saves $4.8 trillion over 10 years.
Rolls back domestic discretionary spending to FY22 levels – saving $131 billion in FY24.
Claws back the unspent COVID money.
Recoups the $80 billion in IRS expansion funds.
Repeals President Biden’s uncapped Green New Deal tax credits and subsidies.
Prohibits Biden's student loan giveaway to the wealthy.
Requires every “major rule” proposed by agencies that cost $100 million or more to be approved by Congress before going into effect.
Restores work requirements on welfare programs to get Americans back to work, which nearly 80% of Wisconsin voters supported in the spring election.
Rescinds unobligated funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, including Speaker Pelosi’s $200 million Presidio payout.