Special Interest Glance
A legal motion the Department of Education filed yesterday could have big ramifications for half a million teachers, social workers, police officers and other public servants. The motion asserts that there has been no final decision on whether these people will have their student debt forgiven, as they had believed.
The Obama Administration created Public Service Loan Forgiveness a decade ago. A 2016 blog post, which still appears on the official ed.gov website, describes it as a "broad, employment-based forgiveness program for federal student loans." Anyone who works for the government or a nonprofit can have their loans erased after 10 years of on-time monthly payments, the post explains.
New Fears For Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Vladimir Putin expels 755 US diplomats from Russia in tit-for-tat move
Russia has retaliated against new US sanctions by ordering 755 American diplomats to leave - a move than will create a fresh crisis in the relationship between the two countries.
Days after the both houses of the US Congress voted almost anonymously to impose fresh sanctions on Moscow, Vladimir Putin said he was responding to “unlawful” behaviour by Washington.
“The American side has made a move which, it is important to note, hasn’t been provoked by anything, to worsen Russian-US relations. [It includes] unlawful restrictions, attempts to influence other states of the world, including our allies, who are interested in developing and keeping relations with Russia,” Mr Putin told the Rossiya 1 TV channel.
Derek Harvey,Trump's top Middle East aide, ousted
Derek Harvey, the president’s top Middle East adviser, was dismissed on Thursday by national security adviser H.R. McMaster—further shrinking the ranks of White House aides hired by McMaster’s ousted predecessor, Michael Flynn.
“McMaster wants his own guy,” said a senior White House aide. The White House did not immediately announce a replacement for the job of NSC Senior Director for the Middle East.
Justice Department Argues Landmark Civil Rights Law Doesn’t Protect Gay People
The Department of Justice argued in a legal brief on Wednesday that the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 offers no protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation, a position advocacy groups condemned as “shameful” and “politically driven.”
DOJ lawyers, arguing under Attorney General Jeff Sessions, submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in which they said the department did not believe the law ― which bans discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin ― applied to lesbian and gay people. The brief was filed as part of a lawsuit filed by a now-deceased skydiving instructor, Donald Zarda, who said he was fired for his sexual orientation. His lawyers contend the dismissal violated of the act’s Title VII, which prohibits employment discrimination.
Inside Trump’s snap decision to ban transgender troops
After a week sparring with his attorney general and steaming over the Russia investigation consuming his agenda, President Donald Trump was closing in on an important win.
House Republicans were planning to pass a spending bill stacked with his campaign promises, including money to build his border wall with Mexico.
But an internal House Republican fight over transgender troops was threatening to blow up the bill. And House GOP insiders feared they might not have the votes to pass the legislation because defense hawks wanted a ban on Pentagon-funded sex reassignment operations — something GOP leaders wouldn’t give them.
Jared Kushner faced second day of questions in Russia probe
Members of the House Intelligence Committee investigating Russia election interference questioned White House senior adviser Jared Kushner today on Capitol Hill for more than three hours.
Kushner, who was under oath, answered questions from Republicans and Democrats about his meetings with Russian officials during the presidential campaign.
Polish President vetoes controversial court reforms after protests
Polish President Andrzej Duda has surprised observers by vetoing two bills that would have given his populist government sweeping powers over the country's courts.
The controversial bills are part of a package of judicial reforms put forward by the ruling right-wing Law and Justice Party (PiS) and passed by both houses of Polish parliament last week.
The proposed reforms have prompted huge protests in the capital Warsaw and across the country.
TVNL Comment: Take note, fellow Americans: When good people take to the streets, evil can be defeated. Kudos to the good people of Poland.
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