President-Elect Donald Trump’s threat of mass deportations risks hurting the domestic agriculture sector already struggling with labor shortages. That’s according to Matt Carstens, chief executive officer of Iowa’s biggest farm cooperative, who said Trump’s plan should be approached carefully. Bloomberg reports farming would be one of the biggest US sectors hit should the incoming administration move forward with kicking potentially millions of undocumented immigrants out of the country. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said nearly half of hired crop farmworkers lack legal immigration status. The share of laborers not lawfully authorized to work in the US rose from about 14% in the 1989-91 period to roughly 40% in recent years. Meanwhile, although there’s been a slight decline in the number of people moving out of rural US counties since the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the prior decade saw an overall loss of population. 

President-Elect Donald Trump’s threat of mass deportations risks hurting the domestic agriculture sector already struggling with labor shortages. That’s according to Matt Carstens, chief executive officer of Iowa’s biggest farm cooperative, who said Trump’s plan should be approached carefully. Bloomberg reports farming would be one of the biggest US sectors hit should the incoming administration move forward with kicking potentially millions of undocumented immigrants out of the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said nearly half of hired crop farmworkers lack legal immigration status. The share of laborers not lawfully authorized to work in the US rose from about 14% in the 1989-91 period to roughly 40% in recent years. Meanwhile, although there’s been a slight decline in the number of people moving out of rural US counties since the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the prior decade saw an overall loss of population. -NAFB

Trump’s threat of deportations risks hurting agriculture 

With little sign of a breakthrough on the farm bill in Congress, farm groups are shifting their attention to a proposed $21 billion bailout bill. Help is needed because high costs and lower commodity prices are sharply eroding farm income, they say. Successful Farming reports analysts are questioning whether the price tag for the proposed agricultural aid is too high to be accepted and say that in the relatively short lame-duck session under way, there may be room for only one piece of farm-related legislation. 

With little sign of a breakthrough on the farm bill in Congress, farm groups are shifting their attention to a proposed $21 billion bailout bill. Help is needed because high costs and lower commodity prices are sharply eroding farm income, they say. Successful Farming reports analysts are questioning whether the price tag for the proposed agricultural aid is too high to be accepted and say that in the relatively short lame-duck session under way, there may be room for only one piece of farm-related legislation.

Farm bailout bill getting renewed attention in lame duck session 

Almost 10,000 votes not reported on Election Day in Christian County go heavily against Amendment 2, while small changes elsewhere in the state add to majority.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

A late report adding nearly 10,000 votes to Christian County’s election results has narrowed the margin&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-voters-narrowly-approve-sports-betting-amendment/">for Missouri’s sports betting amendment</a>&nbsp;and put it in range for a possible recount.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://ccmoelections.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/OFFICIAL_Election_Summary.pdf" target="_blank">official results</a>&nbsp;from Christian County, certified last week, increased the county’s vote total on Amendment 2 by 9,653, with a margin of 3,995 votes against sports betting among the additional ballots. Added to the statewide tally maintained by the Secretary of State’s office, just that change would shrink the statewide margin from a 4,363-vote majority on Election Day to a mere 368 votes as of Monday out of nearly 3 million votes cast.

But other changes will be made as the 116 election jurisdictions around the state certify their results, a process that must be completed by Tuesday. The Independent checked websites for the 50 counties with the highest number of votes on Amendment 2, finding official results in 25.

In most of those jurisdictions, a few dozen, or at most, a few hundred additional votes were reported in the final tallies. With those votes included, the majority for Amendment 2 stood at 720 votes.

That would be well within the 0.5% margin for a recount if it is requested. A recount would not be automatic.

None of the eight largest voting jurisdictions, representing half the total statewide vote, have certified final results. All eight passed Amendment 2 by strong majorities.

Final state certification of the results must occur by Dec. 10. Any recount would take place after that certification.

Jack Cardetti, spokesman for Winning for Missouri Education, which backed Amendment 2, said the campaign is confident the margin will hold up. The counties that have certified the Nov. 5 results include many where the majority went against the amendment but the additional votes reported favor the proposal.

“The fact that even the provisional ballots are coming in on the net side for us is good, so you can imagine what St. Louis and Kansas City will show,” Cardetti said.

The campaign is monitoring the final certifications, he said.

“We’re gonna watch them very carefully today and tomorrow as they come in,” he said.

The reason Christian County reported 40,622 ballots for Amendment 2 on election night and 50,275 in the official results is because of the huge volume of early votes received and limitations imposed by the ballot counting equipment, said Eryn Flood, deputy clerk and director of elections.

County clerks must accept ballots from overseas military voters that arrive by the Friday after an election as well as tallying any provisional ballots determined to be valid, Flood said.

“With us having such a high volume of absentees, we were running out of machines, and so we had to keep three machines open to ensure that we had enough room for Friday,” Flood said.

This was the first presidential election where Missourians had two weeks of “<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/30/increasing-every-day-voters-line-up-across-missouri-for-chance-to-cast-ballot-early/">no excuse absentee voting</a>” to cast ballots before Election Day. Hundreds of thousands of voters took advantage of the law.

“We might have to look into, for presidential elections at least, having more machines,” Flood said. “I don’t think the entire state of Missouri was ready for the amount of people coming in their offices to vote.”

Of the counties that have certified their results, the largest number of additional votes for Amendment 2 were reported in Boone County, where an additional 243 “yes” votes were reported against 115 additional “no” votes.

If the margin remains at about 700 votes, that would be a majority of 0.03% of the statewide vote, well within the 0.5% margin that would&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=115.601&amp;bid=6240&amp;hl=" target="_blank">qualify it for a recount</a>. JoDonn Chaney, spokesman for Secretary of State Jay Aschcroft, said Monday that the recount must be requested by someone representing the campaign against the amendment.

“Only certain groups, not anybody, can request it,” Chaney said.

In an email, Chaney said Ashcroft and previous secretaries have interpreted the law to mean only people with a direct interest in the issue can request a recount.

“As we are not an adjudicatory body, any change in this interpretation would need to come from the courts,” Chaney said.

Winning for Missouri Education raised the most money in Missouri history for a ballot measure, spending nearly $40 million to get on the ballot and advertise during the fall campaign. The opposition, Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment, raised $15 million to defeat it but&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before the election.

“We have no plans to request a recount at this time,” Brooke Foster, spokeswoman for the opponents, said Monday.

The language in state law, however, doesn’t limit recount requests to groups formally organized to oppose a ballot measure. The last statewide recount of a ballot measure was in 2014, when Amendment 1, known as the Right to Farm amendment, passed by 2,490 votes during the Aug. 5, 2014, primary.

Wes Shoemyer, a former state lawmaker, was the treasurer for Missouri’s Food for America, which opposed the Right to Farm amendment. He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/RecountRequest.pdf" target="_blank">requested a recount</a>, but it was based on his status as a voter who opposed the measure, not his position with the opposition campaign.

“The voter has more rights than the treasurer,” Shoemyer said. “Anybody who wants to come out and say they voted no can ask for it.”

Recounts rarely change the outcome of an election but it was important to make sure, Shoemyer said. On the Right to Farm amendment, the majority&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/RecountCertification.pdf" target="_blank">narrowed to 2,375 votes</a>.

“You might get lucky, man,” Shoemyer said. “We were less than one quarter of 1%, and things have been counted wrong. You know, mistakes have been made.”

The backers of Amendment 2 are confident they will prevail in the official tallies and any recount&nbsp;

“We’re watching the votes come in extremely carefully here, but we feel really good about where we’re at,” Cardetti said. “We’re going to win this election when every last vote comes in.”

<h2>Almost 10,000 votes not reported on Election Day in Christian County go heavily against Amendment 2, while small changes elsewhere in the state add to majority.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>A late report adding nearly 10,000 votes to Christian County’s election results has narrowed the margin&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-voters-narrowly-approve-sports-betting-amendment/">for Missouri’s sports betting amendment</a>&nbsp;and put it in range for a possible recount.The&nbsp;<a href="https://ccmoelections.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/OFFICIAL_Election_Summary.pdf" target="_blank">official results</a>&nbsp;from Christian County, certified last week, increased the county’s vote total on Amendment 2 by 9,653, with a margin of 3,995 votes against sports betting among the additional ballots. Added to the statewide tally maintained by the Secretary of State’s office, just that change would shrink the statewide margin from a 4,363-vote majority on Election Day to a mere 368 votes as of Monday out of nearly 3 million votes cast.But other changes will be made as the 116 election jurisdictions around the state certify their results, a process that must be completed by Tuesday. The Independent checked websites for the 50 counties with the highest number of votes on Amendment 2, finding official results in 25.In most of those jurisdictions, a few dozen, or at most, a few hundred additional votes were reported in the final tallies. With those votes included, the majority for Amendment 2 stood at 720 votes.That would be well within the 0.5% margin for a recount if it is requested. A recount would not be automatic.None of the eight largest voting jurisdictions, representing half the total statewide vote, have certified final results. All eight passed Amendment 2 by strong majorities.Final state certification of the results must occur by Dec. 10. Any recount would take place after that certification.Jack Cardetti, spokesman for Winning for Missouri Education, which backed Amendment 2, said the campaign is confident the margin will hold up. The counties that have certified the Nov. 5 results include many where the majority went against the amendment but the additional votes reported favor the proposal.“The fact that even the provisional ballots are coming in on the net side for us is good, so you can imagine what St. Louis and Kansas City will show,” Cardetti said.The campaign is monitoring the final certifications, he said.“We’re gonna watch them very carefully today and tomorrow as they come in,” he said.The reason Christian County reported 40,622 ballots for Amendment 2 on election night and 50,275 in the official results is because of the huge volume of early votes received and limitations imposed by the ballot counting equipment, said Eryn Flood, deputy clerk and director of elections.County clerks must accept ballots from overseas military voters that arrive by the Friday after an election as well as tallying any provisional ballots determined to be valid, Flood said.“With us having such a high volume of absentees, we were running out of machines, and so we had to keep three machines open to ensure that we had enough room for Friday,” Flood said.This was the first presidential election where Missourians had two weeks of “<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/30/increasing-every-day-voters-line-up-across-missouri-for-chance-to-cast-ballot-early/">no excuse absentee voting</a>” to cast ballots before Election Day. Hundreds of thousands of voters took advantage of the law.“We might have to look into, for presidential elections at least, having more machines,” Flood said. “I don’t think the entire state of Missouri was ready for the amount of people coming in their offices to vote.”Of the counties that have certified their results, the largest number of additional votes for Amendment 2 were reported in Boone County, where an additional 243 “yes” votes were reported against 115 additional “no” votes.If the margin remains at about 700 votes, that would be a majority of 0.03% of the statewide vote, well within the 0.5% margin that would&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=115.601&amp;bid=6240&amp;hl=" target="_blank">qualify it for a recount</a>. JoDonn Chaney, spokesman for Secretary of State Jay Aschcroft, said Monday that the recount must be requested by someone representing the campaign against the amendment.“Only certain groups, not anybody, can request it,” Chaney said.In an email, Chaney said Ashcroft and previous secretaries have interpreted the law to mean only people with a direct interest in the issue can request a recount.“As we are not an adjudicatory body, any change in this interpretation would need to come from the courts,” Chaney said.Winning for Missouri Education raised the most money in Missouri history for a ballot measure, spending nearly $40 million to get on the ballot and advertise during the fall campaign. The opposition, Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment, raised $15 million to defeat it but&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before the election.“We have no plans to request a recount at this time,” Brooke Foster, spokeswoman for the opponents, said Monday.The language in state law, however, doesn’t limit recount requests to groups formally organized to oppose a ballot measure. The last statewide recount of a ballot measure was in 2014, when Amendment 1, known as the Right to Farm amendment, passed by 2,490 votes during the Aug. 5, 2014, primary.Wes Shoemyer, a former state lawmaker, was the treasurer for Missouri’s Food for America, which opposed the Right to Farm amendment. He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/RecountRequest.pdf" target="_blank">requested a recount</a>, but it was based on his status as a voter who opposed the measure, not his position with the opposition campaign.“The voter has more rights than the treasurer,” Shoemyer said. “Anybody who wants to come out and say they voted no can ask for it.”Recounts rarely change the outcome of an election but it was important to make sure, Shoemyer said. On the Right to Farm amendment, the majority&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/RecountCertification.pdf" target="_blank">narrowed to 2,375 votes</a>.“You might get lucky, man,” Shoemyer said. “We were less than one quarter of 1%, and things have been counted wrong. You know, mistakes have been made.”The backers of Amendment 2 are confident they will prevail in the official tallies and any recount&nbsp;“We’re watching the votes come in extremely carefully here, but we feel really good about where we’re at,” Cardetti said. “We’re going to win this election when every last vote comes in.”

Margin on Missouri sports betting amendment narrows as counties tally official results

(Radio Iowa) - It's been a tough few years for Iowa's tree canopy, between terrible tornadoes, derechoes, and killer insects like the emerald ash borer wiping out tens of thousands of trees. 

Chip Murrow, an urban forestry program specialist at the Iowa D-N-R, says the agency's offering 900-thousand dollars in grants for Iowa communities to plant trees, as well as staking, mulching and watering. The grants do not require matching funds and are being awarded in amounts of between 10- and 30-thousand dollars per community. Murrow says the trees to be planted have to come from the D-N-R's list of approved species, which is on the agency's website. He says a group of Iowa foresters created the list of about 85 species, from the black maple to the Serbian spruce. 

The deadline to apply is December 30th. Learn more at the Iowa D-N-R’s Urban Forestry website.

(Radio Iowa) - It's been a tough few years for Iowa's tree canopy, between terrible tornadoes, derechoes, and killer insects like the emerald ash borer wiping out tens of thousands of trees. Chip Murrow, an urban forestry program specialist at the Iowa D-N-R, says the agency's offering 900-thousand dollars in grants for Iowa communities to plant trees, as well as staking, mulching and watering. The grants do not require matching funds and are being awarded in amounts of between 10- and 30-thousand dollars per community. Murrow says the trees to be planted have to come from the D-N-R's list of approved species, which is on the agency's website. He says a group of Iowa foresters created the list of about 85 species, from the black maple to the Serbian spruce. The deadline to apply is December 30th. Learn more at the Iowa D-N-R’s Urban Forestry website.

Project Re-Leaf: Iowa communities can apply for grants to plant trees

ATCHISON COUNTY—Three people died in an accident that occurred just after 7a.m. Sunday in Atchison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Kia Sorento driven by a 29-year-old Bellevue, Nebraska man and a 2023 Chevy Tahoe driven by a Sidney, Iowa man were southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 29 six miles north of Watson.

The KIA struck the front of a northbound 2013 Ford Focus driven by an 18-year-old from Kearney, Missouri.

After impact the Kia continued southbound, traveled off the west side of the road, struck a bridge abutment and caught fire. The Ford Focus traveled off the west side of the road, rolled and a passenger was ejected.

A northbound 2024 Volvo semi driven by a 30-year-old man from Ontario, Canada swerved to avoid the crash and struck the southbound 2023 Chevy Tahoe.

The teen driver of the Ford, an 18-year-old passenger in the Ford from Kearney, Missouri and the 29-year-old driver of the Kia were pronounced dead at the scene.

EMS transported a 1-year-old male passenger in the Kia and the driver of the Tahoe to the hospital in Hamburg, Iowa. Lifenet transported an 18-year-old female passenger in the Ford to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.&nbsp; &nbsp;The 1-year-old in the Kia and an 18-year-old in Ford were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

ATCHISON COUNTY—Three people died in an accident that occurred just after 7a.m. Sunday in Atchison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Kia Sorento driven by a 29-year-old Bellevue, Nebraska man and a 2023 Chevy Tahoe driven by a Sidney, Iowa man were southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 29 six miles north of Watson.The KIA struck the front of a northbound 2013 Ford Focus driven by an 18-year-old from Kearney, Missouri.After impact the Kia continued southbound, traveled off the west side of the road, struck a bridge abutment and caught fire. The Ford Focus traveled off the west side of the road, rolled and a passenger was ejected.A northbound 2024 Volvo semi driven by a 30-year-old man from Ontario, Canada swerved to avoid the crash and struck the southbound 2023 Chevy Tahoe.The teen driver of the Ford, an 18-year-old passenger in the Ford from Kearney, Missouri and the 29-year-old driver of the Kia were pronounced dead at the scene.EMS transported a 1-year-old male passenger in the Kia and the driver of the Tahoe to the hospital in Hamburg, Iowa. Lifenet transported an 18-year-old female passenger in the Ford to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.&nbsp; &nbsp;The 1-year-old in the Kia and an 18-year-old in Ford were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.&nbsp;

3 dead after 4-vehicle NW Missouri crash

A new program at Missouri Western State University will help students getting into nursing to make college more affordable.  

The Nursing Scholars of Promise program, a collaboration with Mosaic Life Care, will hope to address the nursing shortage at Mosaic.  

Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says one of the biggest barriers to get into nursing, is how much it costs 

"Even at Missouri Western, even though our tuition we are committed to keeping it low, we are the fourth lowest in the state, we have revamped our scholarships to be able to provide more students with more funds, but that's a barrier, how am I going to pay for college," Kennedy tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.  

The program will provide tuition, through the first three years, as well as a career and academic support to students who agree to work for Mosaic Life Care for at least four years after graduation.  

Kennedy says students will have to apply for the program, and it is competitive, but its designed to help in a couple different ways 

"First of all, Mosaic has agreed to pay for two years of tuition and fees, and with what we can do at the University we'll be able to cover at least another year," Kennedy explains. "So that's 75% or three years of a four-year degree in nursing, and what will happen is we will have a mentor that will be working with these students." 

Kennedy says part of the program, by partnering with Mosaic, will allow students to work part time at the hospital, starting out at entry level positions 

"To learn what is a hospital like, what is the organization like," Kennedy says.  "And as they progress through the program and they gain more skills, they'll move to a nurses aid, to a nursing assistant, but all the while working 12 hours a week during the academic year, and if it works out Mosaic has even said they'll offer them part time work in the summer." 

Kennedy says the whole focus of the program is to help provide high level experienced nurses to Mosaic, and keep students in the area, with them already being part of the Mosaic system through the program. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731949264537.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy and Mosaic Life Care CEO Mike Poore sign an agreement for the Nursing Scholars of Promise program/ Photo courtesy of Missouri Western on X" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy and Mosaic Life Care CEO Mike Poore sign an agreement for the Nursing Scholars of Promise program/ Photo courtesy of Missouri Western on X</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post A new program at Missouri Western State University will help students getting into nursing to make college more affordable. The Nursing Scholars of Promise program, a collaboration with Mosaic Life Care, will hope to address the nursing shortage at Mosaic. Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says one of the biggest barriers to get into nursing, is how much it costs "Even at Missouri Western, even though our tuition we are committed to keeping it low, we are the fourth lowest in the state, we have revamped our scholarships to be able to provide more students with more funds, but that's a barrier, how am I going to pay for college," Kennedy tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. The program will provide tuition, through the first three years, as well as a career and academic support to students who agree to work for Mosaic Life Care for at least four years after graduation. Kennedy says students will have to apply for the program, and it is competitive, but its designed to help in a couple different ways "First of all, Mosaic has agreed to pay for two years of tuition and fees, and with what we can do at the University we'll be able to cover at least another year," Kennedy explains. "So that's 75% or three years of a four-year degree in nursing, and what will happen is we will have a mentor that will be working with these students." Kennedy says part of the program, by partnering with Mosaic, will allow students to work part time at the hospital, starting out at entry level positions "To learn what is a hospital like, what is the organization like," Kennedy says. "And as they progress through the program and they gain more skills, they'll move to a nurses aid, to a nursing assistant, but all the while working 12 hours a week during the academic year, and if it works out Mosaic has even said they'll offer them part time work in the summer." Kennedy says the whole focus of the program is to help provide high level experienced nurses to Mosaic, and keep students in the area, with them already being part of the Mosaic system through the program. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

MWSU and Mosaic team up to make nursing education more affordable

More money has been set aside for a treatment
seen as effective for Missouri military members and first responders suffering
from post-traumatic stress disorder.

State Sen. Rusty Black of Chillicothe
sponsored the legislation setting aside $4.3 million to pay for the treatment.

“And there’s a clinic in north Kansas City
providing this service to veterans, first responders at no cost,” Black tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “It’s about a four-week treatment and it’s been very
successful. Matter of fact, the clinic in north Kansas City – there’s 116
clinics in the world – and they were number one, in the world, with treatment
outcomes for the last two quarters.”

Black has been a champion of the treatment ever
since facing the problem close to home. Black says he and his wife went out of
state to get treatment for their son who returned from an overseas military
mission suffering from PTSD and alcoholism, threatening to take his life.

“This was a form of treatment that we found in
Texas at a facility that made a tremendous amount of difference for our son and
he’s a strong advocate for it,” Black says. “And I believe we’re seeing all
kinds of proof where this is a very good benefit – and it doesn’t mean that
there are not other good treatments – but this is one I sure have my heart and
mind set on.”

Another clinic is opening in Lee’s Summit and plans
call for a mobile unit to be funded to serve rural Missouri.

“We probably can’t start a clinic in every
community, because there’s not enough people to be able to sustain that,” Black
says. “But, if we can start a mobile unit that can move around rural parts of
the state and help veterans and first responders, it’s very valuable.”

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMore money has been set aside for a treatment
seen as effective for Missouri military members and first responders suffering
from post-traumatic stress disorder.State Sen. Rusty Black of Chillicothe
sponsored the legislation setting aside $4.3 million to pay for the treatment.“And there’s a clinic in north Kansas City
providing this service to veterans, first responders at no cost,” Black tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “It’s about a four-week treatment and it’s been very
successful. Matter of fact, the clinic in north Kansas City – there’s 116
clinics in the world – and they were number one, in the world, with treatment
outcomes for the last two quarters.”Black has been a champion of the treatment ever
since facing the problem close to home. Black says he and his wife went out of
state to get treatment for their son who returned from an overseas military
mission suffering from PTSD and alcoholism, threatening to take his life.“This was a form of treatment that we found in
Texas at a facility that made a tremendous amount of difference for our son and
he’s a strong advocate for it,” Black says. “And I believe we’re seeing all
kinds of proof where this is a very good benefit – and it doesn’t mean that
there are not other good treatments – but this is one I sure have my heart and
mind set on.”Another clinic is opening in Lee’s Summit and plans
call for a mobile unit to be funded to serve rural Missouri.“We probably can’t start a clinic in every
community, because there’s not enough people to be able to sustain that,” Black
says. “But, if we can start a mobile unit that can move around rural parts of
the state and help veterans and first responders, it’s very valuable.”You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

More money set aside for PTSD treatment for veterans, 1st responders

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>

WASHINGTON — A measure to ensure the federal student aid form opens up annually by Oct. 1 passed the U.S. House Friday with overwhelming bipartisan support.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-118hr8932rh/pdf/BILLS-118hr8932rh.pdf" target="_blank">effort</a>&nbsp;— which passed 381-1 — came after the U.S. Department of Education faced major backlash over the botched rollout of the 2024-25&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dont-give-fafsa-advocates-student-financial-aid-urge" target="_blank">Free Application for Federal Student Aid</a>, or FAFSA. California Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren was the only lawmaker to vote against the bill.&nbsp;

Though the form got a makeover after Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in late 2020, users faced multiple glitches and technical errors throughout the form’s soft launch in December and past its full debut in January, prompting processing delays and gaps in submissions.

The department has worked to correct these glitches and close that gap while also fixing major issues that prevented parents without Social Security numbers from completing the form.

Adding another complication, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-gradually-roll-out-new-fafsa-form-dec-1" target="_blank">department said in August</a>&nbsp;it would use a phased rollout of the 2025-26 form in an attempt to address any errors that might arise before it opens up to everyone — making the application fully available two months later than usual.

Though the department legally has until Jan. 1 to roll out the form, it typically launches Oct. 1.

U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin, an Indiana Republican and member of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, in July&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8932" target="_blank">introduced the bill</a>&nbsp;to standardize that deadline.

“I’m especially frustrated considering the Department of Education has had three years to simplify the FAFSA as Congress has dictated,” Houchin said during floor debate Friday.

She also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gaps-fafsa-rollout-are-closing-watchdog-tells-us-house-panel" target="_blank">referenced recent findings</a>&nbsp;from the Government Accountability Office, including that nearly three-quarters of all calls to the call center went unanswered in the first five months of the 2024-25 rollout.

“We want this program to work — we want to make sure that children and families that want to send their kids to college have the availability to do that and that the FAFSA is available and workable,” she added.

U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member of the House education panel, echoed his support during the floor debate, saying the measure will “help ensure that even more students have the information they need in a timelier manner to access Pell Grants and other vital student aid.”

Scott initially opposed the effort when the committee took it up in July out of concerns that the implementation deadline could force the department to roll out an incomplete form on Oct. 1 of this year.

“However, because we’re now considering the bill after Oct. 1, the deadline will apply next year, 2025, and that gives the department ample time to make improvements and fix any lingering issues,” the Virginia Democrat said.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4632" target="_blank">introduced a companion bill</a>&nbsp;in July.

The bill was referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where Cassidy serves as ranking member. After Republicans won a Senate majority in the Nov. 5 elections,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/cassidy-to-chair-help-committee-in-119th-congress" target="_blank">Cassidy is in line</a>&nbsp;to chair the panel next year.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727807641728.png" alt=" A sign reminding people to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — appears on a bus near Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption> A sign reminding people to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — appears on a bus near Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>WASHINGTON — A measure to ensure the federal student aid form opens up annually by Oct. 1 passed the U.S. House Friday with overwhelming bipartisan support.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-118hr8932rh/pdf/BILLS-118hr8932rh.pdf" target="_blank">effort</a>&nbsp;— which passed 381-1 — came after the U.S. Department of Education faced major backlash over the botched rollout of the 2024-25&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dont-give-fafsa-advocates-student-financial-aid-urge" target="_blank">Free Application for Federal Student Aid</a>, or FAFSA. California Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren was the only lawmaker to vote against the bill.&nbsp;Though the form got a makeover after Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in late 2020, users faced multiple glitches and technical errors throughout the form’s soft launch in December and past its full debut in January, prompting processing delays and gaps in submissions.The department has worked to correct these glitches and close that gap while also fixing major issues that prevented parents without Social Security numbers from completing the form.Adding another complication, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-education-department-gradually-roll-out-new-fafsa-form-dec-1" target="_blank">department said in August</a>&nbsp;it would use a phased rollout of the 2025-26 form in an attempt to address any errors that might arise before it opens up to everyone — making the application fully available two months later than usual.<h2>Codified deadline</h2>Though the department legally has until Jan. 1 to roll out the form, it typically launches Oct. 1.U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin, an Indiana Republican and member of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, in July&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8932" target="_blank">introduced the bill</a>&nbsp;to standardize that deadline.“I’m especially frustrated considering the Department of Education has had three years to simplify the FAFSA as Congress has dictated,” Houchin said during floor debate Friday.She also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gaps-fafsa-rollout-are-closing-watchdog-tells-us-house-panel" target="_blank">referenced recent findings</a>&nbsp;from the Government Accountability Office, including that nearly three-quarters of all calls to the call center went unanswered in the first five months of the 2024-25 rollout.“We want this program to work — we want to make sure that children and families that want to send their kids to college have the availability to do that and that the FAFSA is available and workable,” she added.U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member of the House education panel, echoed his support during the floor debate, saying the measure will “help ensure that even more students have the information they need in a timelier manner to access Pell Grants and other vital student aid.”Scott initially opposed the effort when the committee took it up in July out of concerns that the implementation deadline could force the department to roll out an incomplete form on Oct. 1 of this year.“However, because we’re now considering the bill after Oct. 1, the deadline will apply next year, 2025, and that gives the department ample time to make improvements and fix any lingering issues,” the Virginia Democrat said.U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4632" target="_blank">introduced a companion bill</a>&nbsp;in July.The bill was referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where Cassidy serves as ranking member. After Republicans won a Senate majority in the Nov. 5 elections,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/cassidy-to-chair-help-committee-in-119th-congress" target="_blank">Cassidy is in line</a>&nbsp;to chair the panel next year.&nbsp;

U.S. House passes bill to move up annual FAFSA release deadline

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rebecca-rivas/">REBECCA RIVAS</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Industry experts discussed the impact of hemp products on marijuana market at the MJ Unpacked Conference held in St. Louis

Missourians can walk into a CBD shop right now and buy something that looks just like the canisters of marijuana buds and joints sold in state-regulated dispensaries.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Coffee shops are selling seltzers with 5mg of Delta-9 THC — an amount that would produce a strong buzz — right next to the juices in their coolers.&nbsp;

At farmers markets, bakers are selling intoxicating brownies and other homemade treats in stands right next to farm-fresh vegetables.

Many elected officials and Missourians have publicly puzzled at how this happened in a state where voters created a marijuana program designed to be highly regulated and limited to licensed dispensaries.&nbsp;

While there’s no single explanation, industry experts and cannabis advocates say much of the blame — or credit — goes to a little noticed provision in the 2018 Farm Bill that is effectively acting as a back-door to widespread marijuana legalization.&nbsp;

“Now people are saying, ‘Well, basically all marijuana is hemp,’” said David Vaillencourt, board chair and co-founder of Denver-based S3 Collective. “It’s all legal. The Farm Bill legalized it.”

Vaillencourt spoke during a panel discussion last week at the MJ Unpacked Conference held in St. Louis, where lab experts and regulators chimed in on various panels to talk about the impact of hemp products on marijuana industry and how to regulate it.&nbsp;

Since Congress descheduled hemp in the 2018 Farm Bill, many states have been grappling with having two nearly identical intoxicating cannabis markets that are “bound by very different rules,” Vaillencourt said.

In Missouri, there’s no government agency in charge of making sure products being sold as intoxicating hemp are actually made from hemp. No agency is making sure these products are safe, and there’s no age restriction set by the government to buy them.&nbsp;

Vaillencourt said this market has eclipsed the state-regulated marijuana industry in size in some parts of the country.&nbsp;

“That’s significant because that marketplace didn’t exist several years ago,” he said.&nbsp;

While Delta-8 edibles or seltzers are the most recognizable products in the intoxicating hemp industry, the products are rapidly evolving — making it challenging for regulators to keep up.&nbsp;

“From a health community standpoint, we are very concerned with brand new compounds coming out of these processes that we’ve never seen before,” said Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation during one of the panel discussions at the conference. “We really have no idea what they do, either from experimentation or study.”

For Moore, it’s even more concerning that these compounds are being made “in large amounts, and just see what happens.”

This year, Missouri lawmakers attempted to address the issue, first with failed legislation and later with a stalled-out executive order issued by Gov. Mike Parson trying to ban the products.

For the third year, the upcoming legislative session will be the battlefield between the hemp and marijuana industries. Both will be pushing for their own proposals of sensible regulations.&nbsp;

This “civil war” between the two industries is happening all over the country,&nbsp; said cannabis attorney Rod Kight, who has represented hemp businesses in lawsuits nationwide.

“Which one is going to win out,” he asked, “or what is the end result here?”&nbsp;

On one hand, marijuana companies say it’s unfair that they “played by the rules,” Kight said, and now have to compete with purported hemp products available at gas stations.

On the other side, hemp industry leaders say what they’re doing is legal under federal and state law.&nbsp;

“There’s all these different things that people have in their minds about what it means to have legal hemp,” Kight said. “But the reality of the situation is, for all practical purposes, cannabis is legal in the United States. We just call it hemp.”

Parson’s attempt this summer to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/12/hemp-industry-leaders-call-missouri-governors-order-banning-thc-products-an-overreach/">ban intoxicating hemp</a>&nbsp;remains on hold, perhaps indefinitely.

When the order went into effect on Sept. 1, the governor was hoping to utilize compliance officers at both the state’s Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control and DHSS’ Bureau of Environmental Health Services to implement the ban.

However, those plans quickly came to a halt when the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/22/ban-on-missouri-hemp-thc-products-delayed-in-dust-up-between-governor-secretary-of-state/">Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft rejected the emergency rules</a>&nbsp;that would have given the alcohol division the authority to conduct inspections.&nbsp;

That meant that the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/missouri-regulators-visit-nearly-50-stores-to-inspect-for-intoxicating-hemp-edibles/">food inspectors</a>&nbsp;were left to handle compliance on their own.

But a lawsuit by the Missouri Hemp Trade Association and a bungled “raid” for hemp seltzers at a veterans home on Sept. 11 have squashed any further actions.

The two current pathways for a ban to move forward — through administrative rules and potential new legislation — won’t see any movement until the spring.&nbsp;&nbsp;

They both will be met by the hemp industry’s growing political power, which includes the Missouri Petroleum &amp; Convenience Association and many liquor distributors.

“Frankly, alcohol sales are off,” Chris Lindsey, director of state advocacy for the American Trade Association of Cannabis and Hemp, said during a panel discussion at the St. Louis conference. “That leaves a lot of alcohol distributors looking for new products.”

The opposition also includes a number of small business owners, Kight said.

“In Missouri, you wouldn’t ban these products because it would completely pull the rug out from underneath the multi-billion dollar industry, mostly consisting of small businesses,” Kight said, “and give it to the existing license holders, which tend to be huge corporate entities.”

The argument that banning these products would harm thousands of small businesses in Missouri and further feed what critics call the marijuana “monopoly” was largely successful in blocking proposed legislation the last two years.&nbsp;

The Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control proposed new state rules this month that would ban the sale of hemp-derived products for any licensed liquor retailer. Those rules must be approved by a legislative committee that oversees administrative rules.&nbsp;

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ preliminary budget requests&nbsp;<a href="https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/FY26_DHSS_Appropriation_Book.pdf" target="_blank">$877,000&nbsp;</a>to fund more food inspectors to implement Parson’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2024/eo10" target="_blank">executive order</a>.&nbsp;

Those funds would become available on July 1, if lawmakers approve the request as part of the state budget.&nbsp;

The department estimates that 40,000 food establishments and smoke shops and 1,800 food manufacturers could potentially be affected by the governor’s order, the budget request states, “but the majority of these facilities are at low-risk of requiring investigation.”

“It is estimated that all seven inspection staff can conduct 2,900-3,500 site visits annually,” it states.&nbsp;

The department also budgeted $160,000 to hire two full-time attorneys, in the event that business owners challenge enforcement actions.&nbsp;

On the other side, the hemp industry will be proposing its own legislation for regulations on these products, including testing, age restrictions and package labeling.

Diana Eberlein, chair of the Cannabis Beverage Association, notes that THC seltzers and drinks are being sold at the country’s largest liquor retailers, including Total Wine.

And that’s even more of a reason why states like Missouri need to pass regulations to prevent “an absolute disaster from happening.”

“This has really evolved,” Eberlein told attendees at the St. Louis conference, “and it’s exciting, but we also need sensible regulation in place to make sure that the consumer is kept safe. We need to push for it, and alcohol is a power that can get behind us to really put this across the line.”

Moore, the head of Missouri’s marijuana regulatory agency, explained that her division has learned how to create a successful regulatory framework since medical marijuana came on line in 2018.&nbsp;

If hemp products are allowed to be sold outside of dispensaries and their regulatory framework, it would be like “starting over from scratch,” Moore said.&nbsp;

“It’s important to be very concerned about health and safety, which I think we all are,” she said. “I would say it’s a big project, a lot to be done there.”

One of the most common ways to make these products — and is often referred to as a “loophole” — is to convert the nonintoxicating compound CBD into the psychoactive compounds Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC by using a chemical conversion.

Several experts talked about this process creating new compounds that have not been tested.

“You end up creating a lot of other chemicals besides the one that you’re targeting, and it’s very expensive to pull all that back out,” Lindsey said. “That’s what companies like Pfizer and pharmaceutical companies spend a lot of time on.”

Because the products aren’t being regulated, consumers have a “false sense of security,” he said.

And those concerns are shared by hemp leaders as well, Kight said, fueling their&nbsp; push for regulations.&nbsp;

“We don’t know how they interact with humans, and safety is a big concern,” he said.&nbsp;

However, Kight sees a shift in the industry moving away from conversions and “a lot of these strange sorts of cannabinoids.”

“For the most part, you’re beginning to see more and more products that are just sort of Delta-9, CBD and THCA,” he said.&nbsp;

THCA is a naturally abundant cannabinoid that transforms into Delta-9 THC when smoked or heated. Since the 2018 Farm Bill, botanists have figured out how to breed cannabis plants capable of passing the only federal checkpoint required on hemp plants — a visit from U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors 30 days before harvest.&nbsp;

At that point, the levels of Delta-9 THC and THCA are below the federal threshold, he said, but both increase when harvested 30 days later. Kight believes there’s lots of marijuana flower sold in dispensaries that would probably meet this standard of hemp as well. It’s a point that’s being argued in court, he said.

“THCA is the most abundant cannabinoid that cannabis produces,” he said. “If there’s any cannabinoid that humans have truly ingested for thousands of years, it’s THCA. The hemp industry is moving kind of back towards this more natural sort of state of affairs, and I’m very pleased with that.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731864956486.png" alt=" Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, spoke about intoxicating hemp products during a panel discussions at the MJ Unpacked Conference, held in St. Louis on Nov. 5 (Photo by Rebecca Rivas/The Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, spoke about intoxicating hemp products during a panel discussions at the MJ Unpacked Conference, held in St. Louis on Nov. 5 (Photo by Rebecca Rivas/The Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rebecca-rivas/">REBECCA RIVAS</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Industry experts discussed the impact of hemp products on marijuana market at the MJ Unpacked Conference held in St. Louis</h2>Missourians can walk into a CBD shop right now and buy something that looks just like the canisters of marijuana buds and joints sold in state-regulated dispensaries.&nbsp;&nbsp;Coffee shops are selling seltzers with 5mg of Delta-9 THC — an amount that would produce a strong buzz — right next to the juices in their coolers.&nbsp;At farmers markets, bakers are selling intoxicating brownies and other homemade treats in stands right next to farm-fresh vegetables.Many elected officials and Missourians have publicly puzzled at how this happened in a state where voters created a marijuana program designed to be highly regulated and limited to licensed dispensaries.&nbsp;While there’s no single explanation, industry experts and cannabis advocates say much of the blame — or credit — goes to a little noticed provision in the 2018 Farm Bill that is effectively acting as a back-door to widespread marijuana legalization.&nbsp;“Now people are saying, ‘Well, basically all marijuana is hemp,’” said David Vaillencourt, board chair and co-founder of Denver-based S3 Collective. “It’s all legal. The Farm Bill legalized it.”Vaillencourt spoke during a panel discussion last week at the MJ Unpacked Conference held in St. Louis, where lab experts and regulators chimed in on various panels to talk about the impact of hemp products on marijuana industry and how to regulate it.&nbsp;Since Congress descheduled hemp in the 2018 Farm Bill, many states have been grappling with having two nearly identical intoxicating cannabis markets that are “bound by very different rules,” Vaillencourt said.In Missouri, there’s no government agency in charge of making sure products being sold as intoxicating hemp are actually made from hemp. No agency is making sure these products are safe, and there’s no age restriction set by the government to buy them.&nbsp;Vaillencourt said this market has eclipsed the state-regulated marijuana industry in size in some parts of the country.&nbsp;“That’s significant because that marketplace didn’t exist several years ago,” he said.&nbsp;While Delta-8 edibles or seltzers are the most recognizable products in the intoxicating hemp industry, the products are rapidly evolving — making it challenging for regulators to keep up.&nbsp;“From a health community standpoint, we are very concerned with brand new compounds coming out of these processes that we’ve never seen before,” said Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation during one of the panel discussions at the conference. “We really have no idea what they do, either from experimentation or study.”For Moore, it’s even more concerning that these compounds are being made “in large amounts, and just see what happens.”This year, Missouri lawmakers attempted to address the issue, first with failed legislation and later with a stalled-out executive order issued by Gov. Mike Parson trying to ban the products.For the third year, the upcoming legislative session will be the battlefield between the hemp and marijuana industries. Both will be pushing for their own proposals of sensible regulations.&nbsp;This “civil war” between the two industries is happening all over the country,&nbsp; said cannabis attorney Rod Kight, who has represented hemp businesses in lawsuits nationwide.“Which one is going to win out,” he asked, “or what is the end result here?”&nbsp;On one hand, marijuana companies say it’s unfair that they “played by the rules,” Kight said, and now have to compete with purported hemp products available at gas stations.On the other side, hemp industry leaders say what they’re doing is legal under federal and state law.&nbsp;“There’s all these different things that people have in their minds about what it means to have legal hemp,” Kight said. “But the reality of the situation is, for all practical purposes, cannabis is legal in the United States. We just call it hemp.”<h2>Competing proposals</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725657142729.png" alt="Gov. Mike Parson speaks at his Capitol press conference announcing Executive Order 24-10 that bans the sale of intoxicating hemp products in Missouri “until such time approved sources can be regulated by the FDA or State of Missouri through legislative action,” he said (photo courtesy of Missouri Governor’s Office)." />
 <figcaption>Gov. Mike Parson speaks at his Capitol press conference announcing Executive Order 24-10 that bans the sale of intoxicating hemp products in Missouri “until such time approved sources can be regulated by the FDA or State of Missouri through legislative action,” he said (photo courtesy of Missouri Governor’s Office).</figcaption>
 </figure>Parson’s attempt this summer to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/12/hemp-industry-leaders-call-missouri-governors-order-banning-thc-products-an-overreach/">ban intoxicating hemp</a>&nbsp;remains on hold, perhaps indefinitely.When the order went into effect on Sept. 1, the governor was hoping to utilize compliance officers at both the state’s Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control and DHSS’ Bureau of Environmental Health Services to implement the ban.However, those plans quickly came to a halt when the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/22/ban-on-missouri-hemp-thc-products-delayed-in-dust-up-between-governor-secretary-of-state/">Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft rejected the emergency rules</a>&nbsp;that would have given the alcohol division the authority to conduct inspections.&nbsp;That meant that the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/missouri-regulators-visit-nearly-50-stores-to-inspect-for-intoxicating-hemp-edibles/">food inspectors</a>&nbsp;were left to handle compliance on their own.But a lawsuit by the Missouri Hemp Trade Association and a bungled “raid” for hemp seltzers at a veterans home on Sept. 11 have squashed any further actions.The two current pathways for a ban to move forward — through administrative rules and potential new legislation — won’t see any movement until the spring.&nbsp;&nbsp;They both will be met by the hemp industry’s growing political power, which includes the Missouri Petroleum &amp; Convenience Association and many liquor distributors.“Frankly, alcohol sales are off,” Chris Lindsey, director of state advocacy for the American Trade Association of Cannabis and Hemp, said during a panel discussion at the St. Louis conference. “That leaves a lot of alcohol distributors looking for new products.”The opposition also includes a number of small business owners, Kight said.“In Missouri, you wouldn’t ban these products because it would completely pull the rug out from underneath the multi-billion dollar industry, mostly consisting of small businesses,” Kight said, “and give it to the existing license holders, which tend to be huge corporate entities.”The argument that banning these products would harm thousands of small businesses in Missouri and further feed what critics call the marijuana “monopoly” was largely successful in blocking proposed legislation the last two years.&nbsp;However, the state is not backing down.The Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control proposed new state rules this month that would ban the sale of hemp-derived products for any licensed liquor retailer. Those rules must be approved by a legislative committee that oversees administrative rules.&nbsp;The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ preliminary budget requests&nbsp;<a href="https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/FY26_DHSS_Appropriation_Book.pdf" target="_blank">$877,000&nbsp;</a>to fund more food inspectors to implement Parson’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2024/eo10" target="_blank">executive order</a>.&nbsp;Those funds would become available on July 1, if lawmakers approve the request as part of the state budget.&nbsp;The department estimates that 40,000 food establishments and smoke shops and 1,800 food manufacturers could potentially be affected by the governor’s order, the budget request states, “but the majority of these facilities are at low-risk of requiring investigation.”“It is estimated that all seven inspection staff can conduct 2,900-3,500 site visits annually,” it states.&nbsp;The department also budgeted $160,000 to hire two full-time attorneys, in the event that business owners challenge enforcement actions.&nbsp;On the other side, the hemp industry will be proposing its own legislation for regulations on these products, including testing, age restrictions and package labeling.Diana Eberlein, chair of the Cannabis Beverage Association, notes that THC seltzers and drinks are being sold at the country’s largest liquor retailers, including Total Wine.And that’s even more of a reason why states like Missouri need to pass regulations to prevent “an absolute disaster from happening.”“This has really evolved,” Eberlein told attendees at the St. Louis conference, “and it’s exciting, but we also need sensible regulation in place to make sure that the consumer is kept safe. We need to push for it, and alcohol is a power that can get behind us to really put this across the line.”<h2>New compounds</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726164449991.png" alt="A St. Louis liquor store hung a sign announcing Gov. Mike Parson’s executive order to ban intoxicating hemp beverages (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>A St. Louis liquor store hung a sign announcing Gov. Mike Parson’s executive order to ban intoxicating hemp beverages (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Moore, the head of Missouri’s marijuana regulatory agency, explained that her division has learned how to create a successful regulatory framework since medical marijuana came on line in 2018.&nbsp;If hemp products are allowed to be sold outside of dispensaries and their regulatory framework, it would be like “starting over from scratch,” Moore said.&nbsp;“It’s important to be very concerned about health and safety, which I think we all are,” she said. “I would say it’s a big project, a lot to be done there.”One of the most common ways to make these products — and is often referred to as a “loophole” — is to convert the nonintoxicating compound CBD into the psychoactive compounds Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC by using a chemical conversion.Several experts talked about this process creating new compounds that have not been tested.“You end up creating a lot of other chemicals besides the one that you’re targeting, and it’s very expensive to pull all that back out,” Lindsey said. “That’s what companies like Pfizer and pharmaceutical companies spend a lot of time on.”Because the products aren’t being regulated, consumers have a “false sense of security,” he said.And those concerns are shared by hemp leaders as well, Kight said, fueling their&nbsp; push for regulations.&nbsp;“We don’t know how they interact with humans, and safety is a big concern,” he said.&nbsp;However, Kight sees a shift in the industry moving away from conversions and “a lot of these strange sorts of cannabinoids.”“For the most part, you’re beginning to see more and more products that are just sort of Delta-9, CBD and THCA,” he said.&nbsp;THCA is a naturally abundant cannabinoid that transforms into Delta-9 THC when smoked or heated. Since the 2018 Farm Bill, botanists have figured out how to breed cannabis plants capable of passing the only federal checkpoint required on hemp plants — a visit from U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors 30 days before harvest.&nbsp;At that point, the levels of Delta-9 THC and THCA are below the federal threshold, he said, but both increase when harvested 30 days later. Kight believes there’s lots of marijuana flower sold in dispensaries that would probably meet this standard of hemp as well. It’s a point that’s being argued in court, he said.“THCA is the most abundant cannabinoid that cannabis produces,” he said. “If there’s any cannabinoid that humans have truly ingested for thousands of years, it’s THCA. The hemp industry is moving kind of back towards this more natural sort of state of affairs, and I’m very pleased with that.”

Intoxicating hemp booming in Missouri as regulators, marijuana industry try to shut it down

WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– Republicans on Wednesday used a secret ballot and elected South Dakota Sen.&nbsp;John Thune&nbsp;as the next Senate majority leader.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In a statement from his office, Kansas Senior U.S. Senator Jerry Moran wrote, “I congratulate Sen. John Thune on being selected as the new Senate Majority Leader. I stand ready to work with John and President Trump to lower prices, secure the southern border, promote domestic energy production and bolster our national security.

Moran continued, “I appreciate Sen. Cornyn and Sen. Scott’s willingness to serve their colleagues and the American people and have no doubt they will continue to be valuable members of the Senate.”

Moran and Marshall have not indicated how they voted. Moran and Thune were both members of the freshman class in Congress in 1996 which may indicate how Moran voted.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731512616861.png" alt="President-elect Trump during a meeting with House Republicans at the Capitol on Wednesday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President-elect Trump during a meeting with House Republicans at the Capitol on Wednesday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– Republicans on Wednesday used a secret ballot and elected South Dakota Sen.&nbsp;John Thune&nbsp;as the next Senate majority leader.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a statement from his office, Kansas Senior U.S. Senator Jerry Moran wrote, “I congratulate Sen. John Thune on being selected as the new Senate Majority Leader. I stand ready to work with John and President Trump to lower prices, secure the southern border, promote domestic energy production and bolster our national security.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to Leader <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJohnThune</a> and all of the newly elected Senate Republican Leadership. Senate Republicans are united and ready to work with Leader Thune to execute President Trump&#39;s America First agenda and fight for America&#39;s workers, families&#39; economic security, and…&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1856808284314878058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Moran continued, “I appreciate Sen. Cornyn and Sen. Scott’s willingness to serve their colleagues and the American people and have no doubt they will continue to be valuable members of the Senate.”Moran and Marshall have not indicated how they voted. Moran and Thune were both members of the freshman class in Congress in 1996 which may indicate how Moran voted.&nbsp;

After secret ballot, Kan. U.S. Senators show support for Trump, new Majority Leader

Missouri Department of Transportation’s new director takes helm as funding swells and staffing levels increase

BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

Closing out a four-month search for the Missouri Department of Transportation’s new director, a 40-year veteran of the department stepped up Wednesday as the unanimous choice of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.

Ed Hassinger, who has been serving as interim director, told reporters in a press conference that increasing staffing levels is a top priority. He said the department has missed more than 2 million labor hours in the past decade — a result of pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/06/vacancies-turnover-leave-thousands-of-jobs-unfilled-in-missouri-state-government/">high turnover rates</a>, a reduction in the amount of incarcerated workers the department once relied on and other stressors.

One tool to restore staffing levels is better pay and the department is awaiting the outcome of a legal battle to determine whether it has the ability to use the Road Fund to increase employees’ wages. The department&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/01/judge-approves-pay-raise-plan-for-missouri-transportation-agency-workers/">won its case in Cole County Circuit Court</a>&nbsp;and oral arguments were made last week to<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/07/appeals-court-judges-hear-arguments-over-limits-on-use-of-missouri-road-fund/">&nbsp;the Western District Missouri Court of Appeals</a>.

Hassinger said the department has “the resources” but doesn’t have them available. The department will be asking for authorization to spend money currently in the Road Fund to pay 250 additional employees.

“This is Road Fund money; we already have it, but we just need the legislative approval,” he said.

The department asked the legislature for the money last year but was denied after lawmakers pointed to a large number of vacancies. Hassinger doesn’t expect to have the same issue this year, saying the department has “stopped the bleed” and maintenance positions are anticipated to be full by July.

He enters the position at a time when the department has a “generational level of funding” that has taken “many decades of work.”

The state legislature has been appropriating money from the state’s general fund for the department, defying precedent. Commission Chair Dustin Boatright told reporters he expects to ask for additional general-fund appropriations.

MoDOT has a plan to spend $14.6 billion over five years on the state’s infrastructure. Boatright said the department has secured all the federal appropriations available and applied for additional discretionary funding from the federal government.

The commission had to choose someone who could seamlessly manage the large volume of work. The obvious choice was Hassinger, he said.

“The historic number of projects that we currently have underway requires somebody who can hit the ground running with years of project management experience and a track record of fostering leadership development within the department,” Boatright said. “While we had candidates with solid skills and extensive experience, Ed is who we believe is the best fit.”

He lauded Hassinger’s record as the department’s chief engineer since 2013 with additional duties as deputy director since 2018.

“(Hassinger) has consistently produced results that have made Missouri a national leader in project delivery and provided great value to each and every Missourian,” he said.

The department has completed over 4,000 projects in the past decade at a cost of $9.7 billion.

“I want to just highlight that we’re building on a foundation here,” Hassinger said. “Those that have come before us, and commissions previous and leaders in the department have built the foundation we are standing on, and we’re going to take that to the next level and deliver.”

Former director Patrick McKenna held the role for nine years and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/07/its-time-to-move-on-missouri-transportation-director-announces-resignation/">resigned in August</a>, saying he had “never been more confident in the future of MoDOT.” He&nbsp;<a href="https://enotrans.org/article/patrick-mckenna-named-president-and-ceo-of-the-eno-center-for-transportation/" target="_blank">now works as President and CEO</a>&nbsp;of the Eno Center for Transportation, a nonprofit think tank focused on transportation policy.

Among the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/missouri-lawmakers-vie-for-top-state-transportation-job/article_64bd6192-9c66-11ef-9c70-4fc97cfc1cf7.html" target="_blank">other candidates seeking the MoDOT leadership position</a>&nbsp;were state Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731589295794.png" alt="Ed Hassinger, the new director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, speaks about historic investment in the department during a press conference announcing his new role Wednesday morning (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Ed Hassinger, the new director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, speaks about historic investment in the department during a press conference announcing his new role Wednesday morning (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri Department of Transportation’s new director takes helm as funding swells and staffing levels increase</h2>BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>Closing out a four-month search for the Missouri Department of Transportation’s new director, a 40-year veteran of the department stepped up Wednesday as the unanimous choice of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.Ed Hassinger, who has been serving as interim director, told reporters in a press conference that increasing staffing levels is a top priority. He said the department has missed more than 2 million labor hours in the past decade — a result of pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/06/vacancies-turnover-leave-thousands-of-jobs-unfilled-in-missouri-state-government/">high turnover rates</a>, a reduction in the amount of incarcerated workers the department once relied on and other stressors.One tool to restore staffing levels is better pay and the department is awaiting the outcome of a legal battle to determine whether it has the ability to use the Road Fund to increase employees’ wages. The department&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/01/judge-approves-pay-raise-plan-for-missouri-transportation-agency-workers/">won its case in Cole County Circuit Court</a>&nbsp;and oral arguments were made last week to<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/07/appeals-court-judges-hear-arguments-over-limits-on-use-of-missouri-road-fund/">&nbsp;the Western District Missouri Court of Appeals</a>.Hassinger said the department has “the resources” but doesn’t have them available. The department will be asking for authorization to spend money currently in the Road Fund to pay 250 additional employees.“This is Road Fund money; we already have it, but we just need the legislative approval,” he said.The department asked the legislature for the money last year but was denied after lawmakers pointed to a large number of vacancies. Hassinger doesn’t expect to have the same issue this year, saying the department has “stopped the bleed” and maintenance positions are anticipated to be full by July.He enters the position at a time when the department has a “generational level of funding” that has taken “many decades of work.”The state legislature has been appropriating money from the state’s general fund for the department, defying precedent. Commission Chair Dustin Boatright told reporters he expects to ask for additional general-fund appropriations.MoDOT has a plan to spend $14.6 billion over five years on the state’s infrastructure. Boatright said the department has secured all the federal appropriations available and applied for additional discretionary funding from the federal government.The commission had to choose someone who could seamlessly manage the large volume of work. The obvious choice was Hassinger, he said.“The historic number of projects that we currently have underway requires somebody who can hit the ground running with years of project management experience and a track record of fostering leadership development within the department,” Boatright said. “While we had candidates with solid skills and extensive experience, Ed is who we believe is the best fit.”He lauded Hassinger’s record as the department’s chief engineer since 2013 with additional duties as deputy director since 2018.“(Hassinger) has consistently produced results that have made Missouri a national leader in project delivery and provided great value to each and every Missourian,” he said.The department has completed over 4,000 projects in the past decade at a cost of $9.7 billion.“I want to just highlight that we’re building on a foundation here,” Hassinger said. “Those that have come before us, and commissions previous and leaders in the department have built the foundation we are standing on, and we’re going to take that to the next level and deliver.”Former director Patrick McKenna held the role for nine years and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/07/its-time-to-move-on-missouri-transportation-director-announces-resignation/">resigned in August</a>, saying he had “never been more confident in the future of MoDOT.” He&nbsp;<a href="https://enotrans.org/article/patrick-mckenna-named-president-and-ceo-of-the-eno-center-for-transportation/" target="_blank">now works as President and CEO</a>&nbsp;of the Eno Center for Transportation, a nonprofit think tank focused on transportation policy.Among the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/missouri-lawmakers-vie-for-top-state-transportation-job/article_64bd6192-9c66-11ef-9c70-4fc97cfc1cf7.html" target="_blank">other candidates seeking the MoDOT leadership position</a>&nbsp;were state Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee.The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this report.

Missouri transportation commission taps 40-year agency veteran to lead MoDOT

JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas middle school teacher is going to prison for child sex crimes.

On November 8, Judge Neil Foth sentenced 55-year-old Keil Hileman to 24-months in prison. He must also register as a sex offender for 25-years.

On August 14,&nbsp; Hileman pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted unlawful sexual relations, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

As part of the plea agreement, the State of Kansas dismissed&nbsp; four additional sex crime charges against him, according to court documents.

In October of 2022, the Johnson County District Attorney’s office charged Hileman, at the time a Monticello Trails Middle School, USD 232 DeSoto teacher, alleging criminal conduct involving his role as an educator," the district said in the letter to families.

In 2004, Hileman was named Kansas Teacher of the Year and was a finalists for the National Teacher of the Year.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731165443157.png" alt="Hileman photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Hileman photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A former Kansas middle school teacher is going to prison for child sex crimes.On November 8, Judge Neil Foth sentenced 55-year-old Keil Hileman to 24-months in prison. He must also register as a sex offender for 25-years.On August 14,&nbsp; Hileman pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted unlawful sexual relations, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.As part of the plea agreement, the State of Kansas dismissed&nbsp; four additional sex crime charges against him, according to court documents.In October of 2022, the Johnson County District Attorney’s office charged Hileman, at the time a Monticello Trails Middle School, USD 232 DeSoto teacher, alleging criminal conduct involving his role as an educator," the district said in the letter to families.In 2004, Hileman was named Kansas Teacher of the Year and was a finalists for the National Teacher of the Year.&nbsp;

Former Kan. teacher of the year sentenced for child sex crimes

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday elected South Dakota Sen. John Thune as that chamber’s next majority leader during a closed-door, secret ballot election.

When Thune takes over in January, it will mark the first time since 2007 that Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell hasn’t held the top GOP slot after choosing to retire from leadership.

Thune defeated Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Florida Sen. Rick Scott during the vote.

“I am extremely honored&nbsp;to have earned the support of my colleagues to lead the Senate in the 119th Congress, and I am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House,”&nbsp;Thune said in a written statement. “This Republican team is united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work starts today.”

Wyoming’s Sen. John Barrasso, who ran unopposed, will become the majority whip next Congress, holding the No. 2 slot in the Senate.

President-elect Donald Trump had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-pressures-three-senators-vying-be-us-senate-gop-leader" target="_blank">made demands</a>&nbsp;of the next Senate Republican leader ahead of the election, writing on social media that whoever is chosen should recess the chamber early next year so he can appoint whoever he wants without having to go through the confirmation process.

Cornyn, Scott and Thune all quickly got in line with social media posts of their own about what are called recess appointments.

Thune wrote: “We must act quickly and decisively to get the president’s nominees in place as soon as possible, &amp; all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments. We cannot let Schumer and Senate Dems block the will of the American people.” Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, is the Senate majority leader.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday elected South Dakota Sen. John Thune as that chamber’s next majority leader during a closed-door, secret ballot election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Newly elected <a href="https://twitter.com/SenateGOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenateGOP</a> Leader <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJohnThune</a>: &quot;We have the team assembled...I&#39;m excited to get to work with this team right away...I promise to be a leader who serves the entire Republican conference.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/H1Sf8vAIDI">pic.twitter.com/H1Sf8vAIDI</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1856770268821090648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>When Thune takes over in January, it will mark the first time since 2007 that Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell hasn’t held the top GOP slot after choosing to retire from leadership.Thune defeated Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Florida Sen. Rick Scott during the vote.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Honored to serve as the next U.S. Senate majority leader. <a href="https://t.co/zq9XLrPDUr">pic.twitter.com/zq9XLrPDUr</a>&mdash; Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnThune/status/1856748892550832530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I am extremely honored&nbsp;to have earned the support of my colleagues to lead the Senate in the 119th Congress, and I am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House,”&nbsp;Thune said in a written statement. “This Republican team is united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work starts today.”Wyoming’s Sen. John Barrasso, who ran unopposed, will become the majority whip next Congress, holding the No. 2 slot in the Senate.President-elect Donald Trump had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-pressures-three-senators-vying-be-us-senate-gop-leader" target="_blank">made demands</a>&nbsp;of the next Senate Republican leader ahead of the election, writing on social media that whoever is chosen should recess the chamber early next year so he can appoint whoever he wants without having to go through the confirmation process.Cornyn, Scott and Thune all quickly got in line with social media posts of their own about what are called recess appointments.Thune wrote: “We must act quickly and decisively to get the president’s nominees in place as soon as possible, &amp; all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments. We cannot let Schumer and Senate Dems block the will of the American people.” Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, is the Senate majority leader.<h2>South Dakota veteran lawmaker</h2>Thune, 63, was elected to the Senate in 2004 after spending six years in the U.S. House of Representatives.He currently holds the title of Republican whip, but has done stints as Republican Conference vice chair, Republican Policy Committee chair, Republican Conference chair and chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.Thune has given dozens of floor speeches and press conferences during his time in the Senate, but highlighted his support for bipartisanship in April 2021, applauding Democrats, who were in the majority, &nbsp;for working with the GOP on legislation.“The Senate was designed to promote moderation and consensus. It was intended to be a check on the more partisan — or as the founders would put it, factious — House of Representatives,” Thune said during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/117/crec/2021/04/22/167/70/CREC-2021-04-22-senate.pdf" target="_blank">a floor speech</a>. “The Senate fulfills its constitutional role best when it engages in serious, bipartisan consideration and negotiation and ensures that members of both parties are heard.”He then pressed lawmakers from both parties to adopt that framework to negotiate infrastructure legislation in the months ahead.Thune will have to break from those beliefs a bit during the next two years as Republicans use what is expected to be unified control of government to move through as much conservative legislation as they can via the complex budget reconciliation process.That legislative pathway will allow Republicans to get around the Senate’s 60-vote legislative filibuster, which typically forces bipartisanship on major legislation.The GOP used the process to try to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, during the first Trump administration, but were unsuccessful. Republicans were able to use it to enact the 2017 tax law.Democrats used budget reconciliation to approve a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package and their signature climate change, health care and tax package called the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, during the first two years of President Joe Biden’s term.Thune expressed frustration during his April 2021 floor speech that Democrats had used the process to avoid negotiating with Republicans senators on those two laws.“Our Founders established a democratic republic instead of a pure democracy because they wanted to balance majority rule with protection for minority rights. They knew that majorities could be tyrants, so they wove protection for minority rights into our system of government,” Thune said at the time. “The Senate was one of those protections. That is why we should be preserving rules like the filibuster, which ensures that the minority party and the many Americans it represents have a voice in legislation.”U.S. House Republicans are expected to hold their leadership elections later Wednesday.The House GOP was expected to nominate Louisiana’s Mike Johnson to return as speaker, though he’ll need to secure the votes needed on the floor in January to continue in that role.Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota were both expected to stay in those roles next Congress.Shauneen Miranda contributed to this report.

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