U.S. House Passes ‘Equality Act’ Which Religious Conservatives Say Is ‘Conscience-Crushing’

The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Equality Act” — a piece of legislation that critics say poses a threat to Christian universities.

The Equality Act seeks to “prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation” by providing the “full range of remedies available under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”

Read the full story

Commentary: Planned Parenthood Is Providing Fewer Breast Screenings, Wellness Exams, and More Abortions, Transgender Services

This month, Planned Parenthood Federation of America quietly released its 2019-20 annual report to little fanfare.

Like previous years, both the total number of abortions as well as taxpayer funding increased. Meanwhile, the amount of private funding and active individual contributors decreased—the latter dramatically so.

Read the full story

Biden Administration Expects Neera Tanden to Meet ‘High Bar of Civility,’ Psaki Says

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that President Joe Biden’s administration expects Neera Tanden to meet “a high bar of civility.”

“Well, first I’ll note that when Neera Tanden testified just a few weeks ago, she apologized for her past comments and that she would be joining an administration, whereas we’ve noted in here, there’s an expectation of a high bar of civility and engagement, whether that’s on social media or in person,” Psaki said. “We certainly expect she would meet that bar.”

Read the full story

Joe Biden Reportedly Will Keep Trump’s Sanctions on Chinese Tech Threats

President Joe Biden will reportedly keep a rule proposed by the previous administration that would allow government officials to stop some Chinese technology transactions, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

Biden will allow the Commerce Department to impose the rule even as his administration continues its broad review of former President Donald Trump’s outstanding executive orders related to China, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.

Read the full story

Website Tracks Which Colleges Embrace Training in Critical Race Theory

It takes only a few clicks to see that critical race theory is influencing hundreds of college campuses and universities across America.

A new website called Critical Race Training in Education allows users to quickly access information about more than 230 schools and the ways in which those schools are instituting critical race theory on campus.

Critical race theory holds that whites use their social status or their legal and economic advantages to create or maintain power over people of color.

Read the full story

Costco Raises Minimum Wage to $16, But Won’t Advocate for All Businesses to Follow

Costco will raise its company-wide minimum wage to $16 per hour, a one-dollar increase that raises its wages higher than its fellow big-box retailers, the company’s CEO said during a congressional hearing Thursday.

Costco plans to raise its minimum wage from $15 to $16 because it is committed to paying workers “very competitive retail wages,” CEO Craig Jelinek said during a Senate Budget Committee hearing Thursday. Jelinek stopped short of advocating in favor of a federal minimum wage overhaul, instead saying he was solely focused on Costco.

Read the full story

GOP Lieutenant Governor Candidates Ramp Up Their Campaigns

71 percent of Republican voters are undecided about the GOP Lieutenant Governor candidates; a recent Christopher Newport/Wason Center Poll found just eight percent of voters supported Delegate Glenn Davis (R-Virginia Beach), with Tim Hugo in second place at four percent. But the Republican Party of Virginia nomination convention is just over two months away, and the five candidates for the nomination are working to build the biggest list of delegates to the convention.

Read the full story

Bill Would Increase Penalties for Crimes Against Ohio First Responders

Ohio police officers, firefighters and other first responders could soon have more protection while doing their jobs if a bill in Ohio Senate aimed at increasing penalties for crimes committed against emergency responders doing their jobs passes.

Senate Bill 16 also allows emergency responders to pursue civil action in certain circumstances, including false complaints made against them.

Read the full story

Steve Glover Suggests Alternatives Before Burying Nashville Further in Debt

Metro Nashville At-Large Council Member Steve Glover warned Sunday that his colleagues on the Metro Council are about to turn Nashville into “a debt-ridden city” that will burden current and even future residents. Glover urged Metro Council members to first have “a meaningful, logical discussion” before they pass a nearly half a billion dollar Capital Spending Plan. This, after Metro officials imposed a 34 percent to 37 percent tax increase on residents, which Glover described as “the highest one I have ever seen.”

Read the full story