Salem News Channel

WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - The Trump administration intends to delay compliance with two Biden-era rules governing refrigerants as part of a broader effort to unwind the former president’s environmental agenda, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin said on Thursday. The actions would affect grocers, semiconductor manufacturers and other companies that use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems. The compliance requirements stem from a 2023 EPA rule aimed at reducing emissions of the superpollutants. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has rolled back nearly every regulation that has targeted a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the EPA plans to propose rolling back other restrictions on HFCs through a separate rule affecting transporters of refrigerated goods, Zeldin said. Zeldin said easing the restrictions would reduce costs for consumers, estimating potential savings of more than $2.4 billion. “Americans were right to be frustrated with the Biden-era refrigerant rules,” Zeldin said in a statement. “They didn’t protect human health or the environment and instead piled on costly, unattainable restrictions beyond what the law requires.” The refrigeration and air conditioning industry had been largely supportive of previous regulatory efforts and some industry associations said the delay would end up increasing costs for manufacturers, grocery stores and consumers because they would require more refrigerants. The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute criticized grocery store chains that pushed for this rollback, saying it would raise prices by reducing the supply of existing refrigerants. "This was never a rule forcing stores to replace existing equipment. It was a rule for new equipment. The EPA has no analysis showing that delaying these dates will lower costs for consumers," said Steven Yurek, president of AHRI. The EPA last week also proposed weakening wastewater limits for coal-fired power plants, saying the changes would lower electricity costs.

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Jasmine Crockett Has Lost Her Mind Again

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Is Ebola Coming to the U.S.?

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Posting on Truth Social Thursday afternoon, President Donald Trump writes: "Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

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An Air France flight bound for Detroit was diverted to Montreal after a passenger from the Congo boarded a flight in Paris “in error” amid flight restrictions tied to the Ebola outbreak, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Thursday. A spokesperson for the agency says the passenger “should not have boarded” the plane on Wednesday due to U.S. entry restrictions put in place to reduce the risk of Ebola spreading. The spokesman said in an email officials “took decisive action and prohibited the flight carrying that traveler from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and instead, diverted to Montreal, Canada.” Air France said the Congolese passenger was denied entry into the U.S. due to new regulations that travelers from certain countries, including the Congo, can enter only through Washington D.C. The Department of Homeland Security also said that as of Thursday all U.S.-bound American citizens and permanent residents who have been in Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the previous 21 days must only enter through Washington Dulles International Airport for enhanced screening. Craig Currie, spokesman for the Public Health Agency of Canada, said U.S. officials informed Canadian authorities that the plane was refused entry due to their temporary travel restrictions for anyone who traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan within the previous 21 days. Currie said a Public Health Agency of Canada Quarantine Officer in Montreal assessed the traveler and determined they were asymptomatic. He said the traveler has flown back to Paris. “Air France flight AFR378, along with all other passengers, continued to its original destination of Detroit,” Currie said in an email. The World Health Organization on Sunday declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. The outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo virus, and there is no available vaccine or medicine for it. The strain, which is rarer than other viruses that cause Ebola disease, spread undetected for weeks following the first known death while authorities tested for a more common Ebola virus. Healthcare workers and aid groups are struggling to respond as experts say the outbreak is much larger than what has been officially reported. Authorities have so far announced 139 suspected deaths and nearly 600 suspected cases. The WHO's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic” and it’s likely much larger than the official case count. WHO’s chief in Congo said the outbreak could last at least two months.

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May 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Thursday it has launched a new AI-led initiative to review annual audits to strengthen oversight across federally funded health programs amid concerns around widespread fraud. The program, called the Audit Enforcement and Risk Oversight initiative, or AERO, will review at least five years of audit records of HHS-funded programs across all 50 states, the department said. The move comes after the Trump administration in March launched a national anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance that aims to crack down on healthcare scams. The administration said earlier this month it will block new home healthcare and hospice providers from enrolling in Medicare for at least the next six months, citing concerns about fraudulent practices. HHS said hundreds of grantees have not submitted their required audits, with some late by more than two years. The agency said it will work collaboratively with states and grantees to address audit findings and strengthen internal controls, and may take measures such as temporarily withholding payments, cutting off grants entirely, or withholding future funds from recipients that fail to resolve the issues. Under federal law, non-federal entities, including states, local governments, nonprofits, and higher education institutions, that spend at least $1 million annually in federal funds are subject to audit requirements.

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FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X Thursday: "Today - 15 individuals have been indicted for over $90 million in an alleged massive healthcare fraud scheme in Minnesota, after a sweeping FBI investigation with @TheJusticeDept and our Interagency Partners. These charges involve the two LARGEST Medicaid fraud cases ever charged in this district and first-of-their kind charges involving 7 additional Medicaid programs. As alleged, the defendants defrauded Minnesota public healthcare resources for tens of millions, targeting programs such as Housing Stabilization Services, Child Care, Medicaid programs, Individualized Home Supports (IHS), and more. In one case, defendants even developed a scheme worth over $40 million to target the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) – an autism healthcare program - paying kickbacks to parents who fraudulently used autism centers to diagnose children with autism regardless of medical necessity, and billing for services not actually provided. This not only defrauded taxpayers, but robbed valuable resources from families truly in need. President Trump gave this law enforcement team a mandate to investigate and systematically dismantle this exact kind of public fraud in America – which grossly abuses and mismanages money from hardworking American taxpayers - and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Today’s indictment in a massive moment in this effort. More to come."

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Can Los Angeles Be Saved?

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With Oren Cass, Chief Economist at America Compass.

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The U.S. Travel Association expects annual travel spending to grow by a modest 1% this year, powered largely by domestic leisure travel despite the FIFA World Cup giving soccer fans from other countries a reason to visit the U.S. Airfares have climbed around the world along with the price of jet fuel as the war constrains global oil supplies. Sticking closer to home may not cushion the sticker shock. The nonprofit Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimated Americans would collectively spend an extra $3.5 billion on gasoline over the holiday weekend. The average price for a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. was $4.56 on Thursday compared to $3.18 a year ago, according to motor club AAA. Other travel expenses have gone up too. The latest consumer price index showed airfares were 20.7% higher in April from a year earlier, the cost of intracity transit such as buses and subways rose 5.6%, lodging cost 4.3% more, and eating out got 3.6% pricier.

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May 19 (Reuters) - The leader of a Minnesota non-profit group was sentenced to 41 years in prison on Thursday after she was convicted last year of being the ringleader of a $250 million scheme to defraud a federally funded child nutrition program. Aimee Bock, 45, was charged in 2022 with using her non-profit group Feeding Our Future to enact what the Justice Department said was the largest known fraud against the U.S. government's relief programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 70 other people have been charged alongside Bock. The fraud has been often invoked by U.S. President Donald Trump, a Republican, as part of his rationale for targeting Minnesota, led by Democrats, for an aggressive surge in arresting immigrants earlier this year. Bock cried as she addressed U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported: "I don’t have the words to express just how horrible I feel. I know I’m responsible." Federal prosecutors had sought 50 years in prison. In sentencing Bock to 500 months, or 41 years and eight months, Brasel said a lengthy sentence was necessary because of Bock's central role. "This is a vortex of fraud, and you were at the epicenter," the judge said, according to the Star Tribune.

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The Senate Won't Pass Reconciliation Bill Before Recess

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In a world where the lines between freedom and oppression are increasingly blurred, a powerful voice is speaking out against the creeping influence of communism in America. This episode is a must-listen for anyone concerned about the future of our nation. Join the speaker as they delve into a conversation with a remarkable guest, a survivor of China's Cultural Revolution who shares her harrowing experiences and insights on the dangers of communism. From the devastating effects of Mao's policies to the ways in which communists are infiltrating American institutions, this conversation is a wake-up call for anyone who values freedom and democracy. The guest's story is a powerful reminder that the principles of communism are not just abstract ideas, but have real-life consequences that can be devastating for individuals and communities. She shares her personal experiences of living through the Cultural Revolution, where she was forced to work in the fields as a child and witnessed the brutal suppression of dissent. Her insights on the ways in which communists use division and propaganda to control people's minds are chilling. As the conversation unfolds, the speaker and their guest discuss the ways in which communists are infiltrating American institutions, from academia to the Democratic Party. They explore the importance of understanding the history of communism and its effects on individuals and societies, and the need for Americans to wake up to the threat of communism in their own country. If you're concerned about the future of America and the values that have made it great, this episode is a must-listen. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carljacksonradio X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/carljacksonshow Parler: https://parler.com/carljacksonshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecarljacksonshow http://www.TheCarlJacksonShow.com Visit our Store https://CarlJacksonStore.com

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House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries and allied groups like the NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus are urging top Black athletes to boycott SEC schools in states with GOP-led redistricting maps they label “Jim Crow-like.”

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It makes no sense—the polls are intended to demoralize. They’re designed to break the conservative spirit and convince Americans that the America First movement is fading.

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With Tim Sparks, President of Dayland Corporation.

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With Sen. Rick Scott, senior United States senator from Florida.

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President Donald Trump gave a new update on the ongoing conflict with Iran as diplomatic talks continue behind the scenes. Trump said there is still a “very good chance” of reaching a deal with Tehran aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear program and avoiding further military escalation. The president also confirmed the U.S. paused planned strikes while negotiations remain active, though he warned military action could resume if talks collapse. His comments come as lawmakers in Washington prepare to vote on a resolution aimed at limiting U.S. involvement in the conflict.

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The House is expected to vote today on legislation that would compel President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran. Democrats argue the military campaign was launched without congressional approval and violates the War Powers Resolution. Similar efforts have failed in the past, but supporters hope today’s vote could mark a turning point in limiting presidential war powers. The White House argues the law no longer applies because a ceasefire with Iran is now in place.

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Senate Republicans are expected to abandon a proposal that would provide $1 billion for security upgrades at the White House complex and President Donald Trump’s new ballroom project. The White House had pushed to include the funding in a larger bill aimed at restoring money for ICE and the Border Patrol. Some Republicans are questioning the cost of the proposal and are asking for more details from the White House and Secret Service about how the money would be used. The debate highlights growing divisions within the GOP over federal spending priorities.

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