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CD296: The Boeing Hearings Jul 16, 2024

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The Boeing 737 Max line of airplanes has been in the news often in the last 5 years after two fatal plane crashes and a door plug flew off a plane mid-flight, but Boeing's recklessness extends far beyond the 737 Max. In this episode, hear testimony from whistleblowers, engineering experts, and government regulators during recent Congressional investigations into Boeing's prioritization of its stock price over our safety. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd296-the-boeing-hearings Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD293: NTSB Transportation Safety Warnings CD213: CARES Act – The Trillions for COVID-19 Law Boeing's Ongoing Problems "FAA orders immediate inspections of thousands of Boeing 737 planes due to oxygen mask failures." Mike Bedigan. July 10, 2024. The Independent. "Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes." July 10, 2024. Federal Aviation Administration. "Terrifying moment Boeing 757's wheel bounces down runway after coming loose." Noa Halff. July 9, 2024. The Daily Mail. "Federal probe underway after wheel falls off United jet out of SFO." March 8, 2024. NBC Bay Area. "United plane from SFO loses tire after taking off." Tom Vacar and Zak Sos. March 7, 2024. KTVU FOX 2. NASA Starliner "NASA astronauts to extend space station stay as engineers troubleshoot Boeing capsule." AP. June 29, 2024. NPR. "The Long, Difficult Road of Boeing's Starliner Capsule." Kenneth Chang. June 5, 2024. The New York Times. "'Close Call': NASA-Boeing Investigation of Starliner Flight Finds Lapses." Kenneth Chang. March 6, 2020. The New York Times. Ties to US Government Defense "Israel Dropped US-Made Boeing Bombs in Rafah Tent Camp Massacre." Edward Carver. May 29, 2024. Truthout. "How a $17 billion bailout fund intended for Boeing ended up in very different hands." Yeganeh Torbati and Aaron Gregg. November 25, 2020. The Washington Post. Lobbying "Boeing Co: Annual Lobbying Totals: 1998 - 2024." OpenSecrets. "Boeing Co: Summary." OpenSecrets. Alaska Airlines Door Plug Blowout "How a panel blew off a Boeing plane in mid-air." Simon Scarr et al. January 11, 2024. Reuters. FAA "Oversight" "Organization Delegation Authorization: An Overview." Marc Warren and Paul Alp. February 1, 2024. Adams and Reese LLP. Deferred Prosecution Agreement "USA v. Boeing: Deferred Prosecution Agreement," [4:21-CR-005-O]. January 7, 2021. U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division. Boeing Guilty Plea "Here's what to know about Boeing agreeing to plead guilty to fraud in 737 Max crashes." David Koenig and Alanna Durkin Richer. July 9, 2024. AP News. "Families of 737 Max crash victims urge a judge to reject Boeing's plea deal." Joel Rose. July 9, 2024. NPR. "Deputy AG Monaco Asked to Recuse From DOJ Boeing Decision." David Dayen. July 3, 2024. The American Prospect. Stock Buybacks "Boeing ($BA) Stock Buyback History Graph and Chart." Stock Buybacks History. Boeing Orders "Orders & Deliveries" Boeing. John Barnett "Dead Boeing whistleblower's family says company may not have 'pulled the trigger' but it's responsible." Mike Bedigan. June 18, 2024. The Independent. "Boeing whistleblower John Barnett found dead in US." Theo Leggett. March 11, 2024. BBC News. "John Barnett v. Boeing: First Amended Complaint" [Case No: 2021-AIR-00007]. May 4, 2021. United States Department of Labor Administrative Law Judges. Staying Safe on Planes "The safest seats are at the back of the plane — and 5 other surprising facts about airline crashes." Peter Weber. January 8, 2015. The Week. "The odds are 11 million to 1 that you'll die in a plane crash." Harold Maass. January 8, 2015. The Week. "How to Survive a Plane Crash." Charles W. Bryant. Nd. Mapquest Travel. McDonnell Douglas Merger "What's Gone Wrong at Boeing." James Surowiecki. January 15, 2024. The Atlantic. "The 1997 merger that paved the way for the Boeing 737 Max crisis." Natasha Frost. January 3, 2020. Quartz. Laws H.R. 133 - Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021: Division V - Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act Section-by-section summary Implementation status chart (7/23) Audio Sources Boeing's Broken Safety Culture: CEO Dave Calhoun Testifies June 18, 2024 Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Witnesses: David Calhoun, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Boeing Company FAA Oversight of Aviation Manufacturing June 13, 2024 Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation Witnesses: Michael Whitaker, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration Examining Boeing's Broken Safety Culture: Firsthand Accounts April 17, 2024 Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Witnesses: Sam Salehpour, Current Quality Engineer, Boeing Ed Pierson, Executive Director, The Foundation for Aviation Safety, Former Boeing Manager Joe Jacobsen, Aerospace Engineer and Technical Advisor to the Foundation for Aviation Safety, Former FAA Engineer Dr. Shawn Pruchnicki, Professional Practice Assistant Professor of Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University FAA Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Expert Panel Report April 17, 2024 Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation Witnesses: Dr. Javier de Luis, Lecturer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Dr. Tracy Dillinger, Manager for Safety Culture and Human Factors, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dr. Najmedin Meshkati, Professor, University of Southern California, Aviation Safety and Security Program National Transportation Safety Board Investigations Report March 6, 2024 Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation Witnesses: Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board How Boeing Lost Its Way Bloomberg Originals March 12, 2020 Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing Summit June 4, 2019 Music Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito Editing Pro Podcast Solutions Production Assistance Clare Kuntz Balcer

CD295: Consequences of the Supreme Court Jul 04, 2024

Show notes

The Supreme Court issued a handful of decisions this week that will change the way the United States government functions. In this episode, learn about the likely consequences of cases that pose challenges to government regulations and analyze the effect that immunity for former Presidents is going to have on the criminal cases pending against former President Donald Trump and all future Presidents…or Kings. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd295-consequences-of-the-supreme-court Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD266: Contriving January 6th Supreme Court Decisions TRUMP v. UNITED STATES Jen's highlighted version CORNER POST, INC. v. BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM "The Supreme Court rules for a North Dakota truck stop in a new blow to federal regulators." Mark Sherman. July 1, 2024. AP News. FISCHER v. UNITED STATES LOPER BRIGHT ENTERPRISES ET AL. v. RAIMONDO, SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, ET AL. "Monopoly Round-Up: What Is Chevron Deference and How Much Does It Matter?" Matt Stoller. July 1, 2024. BIG on Substack. Audio Sources President Biden Delivers Remarks on the Supreme Court's Immunity Ruling July 2, 2024 The White House Music Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito Editing Pro Podcast Solutions Production Assistance Clare Kuntz Balcer

CD294: Homeowners Insurance Jun 26, 2024

Show notes

Every American who has a mortgage is required by their bank to have homeowners insurance, but getting it and keeping it is becoming a challenge. In this episode, hear the highlights of a Senate hearing examining the problems in the homeowners insurance market and why they might lead to much bigger problems next time disaster strikes. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd294-homeowners-insurance Background Sources Effects of Climate on Insurance "As Insurers Around the U.S. Bleed Cash From Climate Shocks, Homeowners Lose." Christopher Flavelle and Mira Rojanasakul. May 13, 2024. The New York Times. "Van Hollen, Warren, Whitehouse Urge Treasury to Protect Consumers Against Insurance-Related Climate Risks." Chris Van Hollen et al. September 7, 2023. Chris Van Hollen, U.S. Senator for Maryland. "Climate Change and U.S. Property Insurance: A Stormy Mix." Alice C. Hill. August 17, 2023. Council on Foreign Relations. "Facts + Statistics: Homeowners and renters insurance." Insurance Information Institute. "Climate change and P&C insurance: The threat and opportunity." Antonio Grimaldi et al. November 19, 2020. McKinsey & Company. Lobbying "Chuck Grassley: Top Industries 1989 - 2024." OpenSecrets. "Ron Johnson: Top Industries 2009 - 2024." OpenSecrets. "Oil & Gas Recipients." OpenSecrets. Heritage Foundation "Heritage Foundation." SourceWatch. Demotech "Harvard Study Again Stirs the Pot on Demotech Ratings of Florida Carriers." William Rabb. April 15, 2024. Insurance Journal. "When Insurers Exit: Climate Losses, Fragile Insurers, and Mortgage Markets." Parinitha Sastry et al. December 2023. Fannie Mae "Fannie Mae: Loans, Rules, and Programs." Adam Hayes. May 17, 2023. Investopedia. Hurricanes "National Hurricane Center Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Otis" [EP182023] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "National Hurricane Center Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Michael" [AL142018] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Audio Sources Riskier Business: How Climate is Already Challenging Insurance Markets Senate Committee on the Budget June 5, 2024 Witnesses: Glen Mulready, Insurance Commissioner, State of Oklahoma Rade Musulin, Principal, Finity Consulting Dr. Ishita Sen, Assistant Professor of Finance, Harvard Business School Deborah Wood, Florida Resident Dr. EJ Antoni, Research Fellow, Heritage Foundation's Grover Hermann Center for the Federal Budget Clips 23:05 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): In 2022 and 2023, more than a dozen insurance companies left the Florida residential market, including national insurers like Farmers. Residents fled to Citizens Property Insurance, the state backed insurer of last resort, which ballooned from a 4% market share in 2019 to as much as 17% last year. If it has to pay out claims that exceed its reserves, citizens can levy a surcharge on Florida insurance policy holders across the state. Good luck with that. Particularly if the surcharge grows to hundreds or even thousands of dollars to depopulate its books. Citizens has let private insurers cherry pick out its least risk policies. Those private insurers may have problems of their own, as we will hear today. 25:10 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): The federal budget takes a hit because these insurers and their policies are accepted by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, who either own or guarantee a large part of our $12 trillion mortgage market. This all sounds eerily reminiscent of the run-up to the mortgage meltdown of 2008, including a role of potentially captive or not fully responsible rating agencies. 25:45 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): Florida is far from alone. A New York Times investigation found that the insurance industry lost money on homeowners coverage in 18 states last year, and the states may surprise you. The list includes Illinois, Michigan, Utah, Washington, and Iowa. Insurers in Iowa lost money each of the last four years. This is a signal that hurricanes and earthquakes, once the most prevalent perils, are being rivaled by hail, windstorms, and wildfires. 28:00 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): This isn't all that complicated. Climate risk makes things uninsurable. No insurance makes things unmortgageable. No mortgages crashes the property markets. Crashed property markets trash the economy. It all begins with climate risk, and a major party pretending that climate risk isn't real imperils our federal budget and millions of Americans all across the country. 33:45 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): Insurance premiums are far too high across the board and may increase after the recent storms, including those very storms in my state of Iowa. Climate change isn't the primary driver of insurance rate hikes and collapse of the insurance industry isn't imminent. Although I'll have to say, Iowa had six property and casualty companies pull out of insuring Iowans. Climate change doesn't explain why auto insurance premiums in 2024 have increased by a whopping 20% year over year. It also doesn't account for the consistent failure of liberal cities to fight crime, which has raised insurance risk and even caused insurers to deny coverage. Expensive liberal policies, not climate change, are much to blame for these market dynamics. 39:00 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): The first witness is Rade Musulin. Rade is an actuary with 45 years of experience in insurance, specializing in property pricing, natural perils, reinsurance, agriculture, catastrophe, risk modeling, public policy development, and climate risk. Specifically, he spent many years working in Florida, including as chair of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Advisory Council during the time in which Citizens Property Insurance Corporation was established. 39:35 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): Our second witness is Dr. Ishida Sen. Dr. Sen is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Business School. Her recent research examines the pricing of property insurance and the interactions between insurance and mortgage markets. This includes the role that institutions and the regulatory landscape play and the broader consequences for real estate markets, climate adaptation, and our overall financial stability. 40:00 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI): Our third witness is Deb Wood. Ms. Wood and her husband Dan McGrath are both retired Floridians. They moved to South Florida in 1979 and lived in Broward County, which includes Fort Lauderdale for 43 years until skyrocketing insurance premiums became too much. They now reside in Tallahassee, Florida. 40:35 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): Dr. EJ Antoni is a Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget. His research focuses on fiscal and monetary policy, and he previously was an economist at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Antoni earned his Master's degree and Doctor's degree in Economics from Northern Illinois University. 41:10 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): Commissioner Glen Mulready has served as Oklahoma's 13th Insurance Commissioner and was first elected to this position in 2019. Commissioner Mulready started his insurance career as a broker in 1984, and also served in the Oklahoma State House of Representatives. 42:15 Rade Musulin: Okay. My name is Ray Muslin. I'm an actuary who has extensive experience in natural hazard risks and funding arrangements for the damage and loss they cause. I've worked with many public sector entities on policy responses to the challenges of affordability, availability of insurance, and community resilience. This work included participating in Florida's response to Hurricane Andrew, which included the creation of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund and Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. The Cat Fund and Citizens can access different forms of funding than traditional insurance companies. Instead of holding sufficient capital or reinsurance before an event to cover the cost of potential losses, both entities use public sources of capital to reduce upfront costs by partially funding losses post-event through bonding and assessments. All property casualty insurance policy holders, whether in Citizens or not, are subject to its assessments. While the Cat Fund can also assess almost all policies, including automobile, this approach exposes Floridians to debt and repayment if large losses occur, and it subsidizes high risk policies from the entire population. These pools, others like them in other states, and the NFIP have contributed to rapid development in high risk areas driving higher costs in the long run. In Florida, national insurers have reduced their exposure as a significant proportion of the insurance market has moved to Citizens or smaller insurers with limited capital that are heavily dependent on external reinsurance. To date, Florida's system has been successful in meeting its claims obligations, while improvements in building codes have reduced loss exposure. However, for a variety of reasons, including exposure to hurricanes, claims cost inflation, and litigation, Florida's insurance premiums are the highest in the nation, causing significant affordability stress for consumers. According to market research from Bankrate, the average premium for a $300,000 home in Florida is three times the national average, with some areas five times the national average. A major hurricane hitting a densely populated area like Miami could trigger large and long lasting post-event assessments or even exceed the system's funding capacity. Continued rapid exposure growth and more extreme hurricane losses amplified by climate change will cause increasing stress on the nation's insurance system, which may be felt through solvency issues, non-renewals, growth of government pools, and affordability pressure. 44:55 Rade Musulin: Evidence of increasing risk abounds, including Hurricane Otis in 2023, which rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a cat. five hurricane and devastated Acapulco in Mexico last summer. Water temperatures off Florida exceeded a hundred degrees Fahrenheit last week. As was alluded to earlier, NOAA forecast an extremely active hurricane season for '24. We've seen losses in the Mid-Atlantic from Sandy, record flooding from Harvey, and extreme devastation from Maria, among others. In coming decades, we must prepare for the possibility of more extreme hurricanes and coastal flooding from Texas to New England. 46:50 Dr. Ishita Sen: Good morning Senators. I am Ishita Sen, Assistant Professor at Harvard Business School and my research studies insurance markets. In recent work with co-authors at Columbia University and the Federal Reserve Board, I examine how climate risk creates fiscal and potentially financial instability because of miscalibrated insurer screening standards and repercussions to mortgage markets. 47:15 Dr. Ishita Sen: Insurance is critical to the housing market. Property insurers help households rebuild after disasters by preserving collateral values and reducing the likelihood that a borrower defaults. Insurance directly reduces the risks for mortgage lenders and the Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Mortgage Lenders therefore require property insurance and the GSEs only purchase mortgages backed by insurers who meet minimum financial strength ratings, which measure insurer solvency and ability to pay claims. The GSEs accept three main rating agencies AM Best, S & P and, more recently, Demotech. And to provide an example, Fannie Mae requires insurers to have at least a B rating from AM Best, or at least an A rating from Demo Tech to accept a mortgage. Now, despite having this policy in place, we find a dramatic rise in mortgages backed by fragile insurers and show that the GSEs and therefore the taxpayers ultimately shoulder a large part of the financial burden. Our research focuses on Florida because of availability of granular insurance market data, and we show that traditional insurers are exiting and the gap is rapidly being filled by insurers, rated by Demotech, which has about 60% market share in Florida today. These insurers are low quality across a range of different financial and operational metrics, and are at a very high risk of becoming insolvent. But despite their risk, these insurers secure high enough ratings to meet the minimum rating requirements set by the GSEs. Our analysis shows that many actually would not be eligible under the methodologies of other rating agencies, implying that in many cases these ratings are inflated and that the GSEs insurer requirements are miscalibrated. 49:20 Dr. Ishita Sen: We next look at how fragile insurers create mortgage market risks. So in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, homeowners with a policy from one of the insolvent Demotech insurers were significantly more likely to default on their mortgage relative to similar borrowers with policies from stable insurers. This is because insurers that are in financial trouble typically are slower to pay claims or may not pay the full amounts. But this implies severe economic hardships for many, many Floridians despite having expensive insurance coverage in place. However, the pain doesn't just stop there. The financial costs of fragile insurers go well beyond the borders of Florida because lenders often sell mortgages, for example, to the GSEs, and therefore, the risks created by fragile insurers spread from one state to the rest of the financial system through the actions of lenders and rating agencies. In fact, we show two reasons why the GSEs bear a large share of insurance fragility risk. First is that lenders strategically securitize mortgages, offloading loans backed by Demotech insurers to the GSEs in order to limit their counterparty risk exposures. And second, that lenders do not consider insurer risk during mortgage origination for loans that they can sell to the GSEs, even though they do so for loans that they end up retaining, indicating lax insurer screening standards for loans that can be offloaded to the GSEs. 50:55 Dr. Ishita Sen: Before I end, I want to leave you with two numbers. Over 90%. That's our estimate of Demotech's market share among loans that are sold to the GSEs. And 25 times more. That's Demotech's insolvency rate relative to AM Best, among the GSE eligible insurers. 57:15 Glen Mulready: As natural disasters continue to rise, understanding the dynamics of insurance pricing is crucial for both homeowners and policymakers. Homeowners insurance is a fundamental safeguard for what is for many Americans their single largest asset. This important coverage protects against financial loss due to damage or destruction of a home and its contents. However, recent years have seen a notable increase in insurance premiums. One significant driver of this rise is convective storms and other severe weather events. Convective storms, which include phenomena like thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hail, have caused substantial damage in various regions. The cost to repair homes and replace belongings after such events has skyrocketed leading insurance companies to adjust their premiums to cover that increa…

Full show notes at the publisher

CD293: NTSB Transportation Safety Warnings May 31, 2024

Show notes

In March, the Senate received testimony from the Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board about some transportation related dangers that you should know about. In this episode, hear testimony about those dangers, including those posed by airborne tourism companies, electric vehicles, and self driving technology. You will also hear a stunning NTSB finding about a likely profit-prioritization decision of railroad company Norfolk Southern, which unnecessarily lead to the poisoning of East Palestine, OH. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd293-ntsb-transportation-safety-warnings Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD274: Norfolk Southern Train Derailment in East Palestine CD251: BIF: Driving Dangers Sustained CD240: BIF The Infrastructure BILL Traffic Fatalities "Crash*Stats: Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities in 2023," [Report No. DOT HS 813 561]. National Center for Statistics and Analysis. April 2024. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Helicopter Crashes "Failure of FAA to Implement NTSB Recommendations Contributed to Fatal Air Tour Helicopter Crash, NTSB Says." May 10, 2022. National Transportation Safety Board. "Collision into Terrain Safari Aviation Inc. Airbus AS350 B2, N985SA." n.d. National Transportation Safety Board. Audio Sources National Transportation Safety Board Investigations Report March 6, 2024 Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation Witnesses: Jennifer Homendy, Chair, National Transportation Safety Board Clips 1:17:00 Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO): I did have some questions. I know that Senator Fisher mentioned some of this earlier as relates to electric vehicles. The weight of some of these vehicles, including, I know you mentioned the battery alone can be the weight of a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla, and so there's certainly safety issues there. It relates to guardrails and other vehicles on the road. You would agree with that, right? Jennifer Homendy: Yes. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO): There's also issues, I wanna talk about our infrastructure too. The weight of these vehicles, the strain that it can have on parking garages, roads, and bridges. The amount of money that will be expended to either reinforce or repair. Who is looking at this? Because we have a mandate for auto manufacturers to produce 50% of their fleet to be electric vehicles by 2030. I know there's a new rule in the works to have that number increased. I don't know if it's 65% or 75% by 2032, that's being considered. So it seems to me we're entering this phase as it relates to these mandates for electric vehicles and all of these repercussions, all of these ancillary concerns, I don't know who's addressing it, so I'm asking you, are you guys looking at this? Who is looking at this? Because this seems to be a disaster on the horizon for the American people and our infrastructure, but I don't hear a lot of talk about it. Jennifer Homendy: Thank you, Senator. I have raised this consistently over the past year and a half, starting with a transportation research board where I raised concerns with respect to increasing size and weight of all vehicles, but particularly the weight of electric vehicles that we really needed to look at the safety impact, not just on crashes, but to our infrastructure as well, and protecting people. The whole reason why we have a guardrail is to protect people when there is a crash. Yet it wouldn't withstand some of the crashes with some of these high weights of heavy vehicles, including heavy electric vehicles as was demonstrated by the University of Nebraska. Somebody needs to take action here. We have repeatedly flagged it. It is within the Department of Transportation's purview to do that, and I encourage them strongly to get ahead of it. We're behind right now. 1:23:20 Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO): As it relates to first responders who are responding to crashes that lithium batteries are involved with, what is your take on the safety for our first responders as they're responding to these EV crashes? Jennifer Homendy: It's a significant danger. We issued a report just a few years ago raising concerns regarding a number of crashes that we investigated involving electric vehicles and the risk to emergency responders from stranded energy inside the battery and components and the significant potential for shock. We also raised concerns with respect to secondary responders, which are the tow truck operators because we saw many of these vehicles reigniting on the tow truck and up to five days later in the tow yard. 1:31:55 Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): February 3rd, 2023 derailment of the train. Is it true that Norfolk Southern's contractors monitored temperatures on one of the chemical tank cars from the afternoon of February 5th into the afternoon of February 6th, which is when the controlled burn happened, and communicated their initial readings to Oxy Vinyls, the shippers in charge of the vinyl chloride cars? Jennifer Homendy: That's accurate, Senator. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): Is it true that these readings indicated an initial temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit at 4:00 PM on February 5th, which eventually declined to 126 degrees Fahrenheit at 9:30 AM on February 6th, at which point it stabilized? Jennifer Homendy: That's correct, Senator. It was stabilized well before the vent and burn. Many hours before. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): So declining temperatures, you would think, and stabilized temperatures are consistent, not with something that needs to be exploded, but with something that can be dealt with in a slightly less, less catastrophic way. At least that's my read on it. But is it true that the chemical shipper Oxy Vinyls concluded that the reported and stabilized tank car temperatures were too low for a runaway chemical reaction, meaning the sort of thing that would lead to an uncontrolled explosion? Jennifer Homendy: That's correct. They had testified that polymerization was not occurring. In order for polymerization to occur, which was Norfolk Southern and their contractor's justification for the vent and burn. You would have to have rapidly increasing temperatures and some sort of infusion of oxygen, neither of which occurred. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): Right. And just to be clear, you would need both of those things. It's not an either/or. You need both of them to precipitate polymerization, which would lead to an uncontrolled... Jennifer Homendy: Correct. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): So is it true that Norfolk Southern's contractors testified to the NTSB that they were not certain a chemical reaction was occurring in the derailed vinyl chloride tank car? Jennifer Homendy: They testified to that, yes sir. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): Is it correct that the chemical shippers testified that there was no free radical agent or sufficient heat trajectory to justify Norfolk Southern Contractor's assessment that a chemical reaction was occurring? Jennifer Homendy: That's correct. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): So from this assessment, is it your understanding that Norfolk Southern's contractors lacked scientific basis to support their conclusion that polymerization was occurring in the derailed VCM tank cars? Jennifer Homendy: Yes, in fact, they were informed by Oxy vinyls of the information that should have been taken by the contractors in their decision making. But yes, they did not have that. They lacked the scientific background to address that.Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): So let me just go to one final question here. We combine all these facts together. Your reporting thus far concludes that Norfolk Southern's contractors recommendation to conduct a controlled burn lacked sufficient scientific basis, disregarded available temperature data and contradicted expert feedback from the shipping firm on site. Now, this was all told to the decision makers on the ground, they had to make a decision in less than 13 minutes to blow up all five of these toxic chemical cars without any other voices being included to offer a contrary opinion. Is that right? Jennifer Homendy: That's correct. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH): So again, I appreciate your work on this, but just to sort of summarize, this is an extraordinary finding. We were told effectively that there were two bad options. The uncontrolled burn -- excuse me, the controlled burn or the uncontrolled explosion. And it seems based on the data that we have that there was not a ton of reason to do the controlled burn. And that of course is what spread toxic chemicals all over this community and the surrounding region. It's really an extraordinary finding. It goes to highlight the importance of your work. But I also have to note that residents on the ground talk about the fact that immediately after the controlled burn, they moved the tank cars and train traffic was moving through their town and moving through their community. I won't ask you to speak to motivations here, but when you have an unnecessary controlled burn that poisoned a lot of people, that then led to rapid transit of train traffic, a lot of people, including me, are wondering, did they do this not because it was necessary, but because it allowed them to move traffic and freight more quickly. And if so, that is an extraordinary thing that I think requires a lot of further work from this committee and from others. But we will stop there. Because I see my time is up. Thank you. Chair Homendy. Jennifer Homendy: May I add something to that? Senator, I would say the factual information in our docket shows that Oxy Vinyls was on scene and providing information to Norfolk Southern and their contractors on the fourth, fifth, and sixth. They informed them that they believed polymerization was not occurring and there was no justification to do a vent and burn. Rightfully, Norfolk Southern's contractors ruled out hot tapping and transloading 'cause it would've been a potential safety issue for their employees. But there was another option. Let it cool down. It was cooling down. We know for a fact that when that pressure relief device went off, that it had to have been above 185 degrees. Later, over the course of 22 hours, that tank car was cooling, not to mention the other four tank cars that were only between 64 and 69 degrees. So Oxy Vinyls was on scene providing information to Norfolk Southern's contractor who was in the room when the decision was made and when advice was given to the governor of Ohio, to the incident commander. They were not given full information because no one was told Oxy Vinyl was on scene. They were left out of the room. The incident commander didn't even know they existed. Neither did the governor. So they were provided incomplete information to make a decision. 1:40:45 Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI): I'm wondering if you could provide a status update on how you view the current safety standards for helicopter air tours. And do you believe that the safety provisions included in the Senate version of the FAA bill would improve the safety of these tours? Jennifer Homendy: Thank you very much for your work on this issue and for Senator Schatz's work on this issue. I think it's critical. The NTSB believes in one level of safety. As before I became NTSB chair or before I worked on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, if I showed up with my family to take an air tour, I would not know to ask what are the qualifications of the crew? What are your operating standards? What are your operating rules? What are your maintenance procedures? You wouldn't normally ask those questions. If you are somebody who shows up for a parachute jump flight, you think my biggest risk is jumping out of the plane, not getting on the plane, which also crashed in Hawaii. So we believe you're a paying passenger, whether you're on part 1 21, part 1 35, part 91, you deserve the same level of safety. And we have advocated strongly for a set of regulatory standards that address just that. We've seen no action on that. This is something I have been extremely passionate about since I came to the board, whether it was flyNYON in New York, where we literally listened to some people's last moments that were strapped into a helicopter on an air tour with a Home Depot harness that was supposed to hold them in and they couldn't unhook it, they drowned. That is horrific. So still we don't have the standards we've recommended. We did an entire report on ensuring safety in revenue passenger operations under part 91. We looked at incidents or accidents, terrible tragedies in Hawaii, Arizona, I mentioned New York, Connecticut with a B 17, historic adventure flight that crashed. And each time we continue to say safety needs to improve and each time we've been ignored. The public deserves better. FAA should issue standards to ensure their safety. 1:44:40 Jennifer Homendy: So the derailment rate is sort of a combined rate from mainline track and for the yards. We are seeing a significant increase in derailments and tragedies in the yards. That is where we're very concerned about employee safety. We've seen that repeatedly. We've issued a number of recommendations. We have a lot of open investigations. For Norfolk Southern alone we have eight investigations that are currently open, and we're also doing a safety culture review separate from East Palestine. But in particular we have 190 safety recommendations that we've issued that are currently open to improve rail safety. Whether it's preventing fatigue or providing for increased inspection or new technologies to supplement, not supplant workers, supplement the work to ensure safety. Those 190 have not been acted upon. Happy to provide those for the hearing record, but they can be today and I hope they will. 2:20:05 Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA): Now I'd like to turn to the significant risk posed by autonomous vehicles. In the past eight years, the NTSB has investigated multiple incidents involving autonomous driving technologies like Tesla's autopilot system that are designed to operate in specific road conditions, particularly on highways. In fact, in 2016, NTSB recommended that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and auto manufacturers restrict drivers from activating these systems outside those road conditions. It's long past time that we take firm control of the wheel and steer towards safety and implement this recommendation. So, Madam Chair, can you briefly explain the reasoning for this recommendation? Jennifer Homendy: Yes. And in fact, I thought this may come up because this is a, you're a champion on this issue, and I just pulled Tesla's statement on, which is really their limitations on operational design domain. They warn on their website for those who have vehicles, that some of their automation will not work in some areas, including areas of poor visibility, heavy rain, snow, fog, bright light, oncoming headlights, direct sunlight, mud, ice, snow, interference or obstruction by objects mounted onto the vehicle, narrow, high-curvature, or winding roads and damaged or misaligned bumper, an extremely hot or cold temp…

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CD292: Sabotaging Palestine May 23, 2024

Show notes

President Biden has signed three new laws containing policy changes that will have long lasting effects on the people of Palestine. In this episode, seven months into the ongoing destruction of Gaza, see what Congress and the President have enacted in your name. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd292-sabotaging-palestine Recommended Sources for Gaza News Rising with Robby Soave and Briahna Joy Gray Bisan Owda (@wizard_bisan1) on Instagram AJ+ (@ajplus) on Instagram Al Jazeera Intercepted Podcast Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD290: Israel War Money: What's Already Law CD287: War Money Who Pays for Corporate Media "Raytheon TV Commercials" 2024. iSpot.tv. "Boeing TV Commercials." 2024. iSpot.tv. Hamas "The number of hostages still alive in Gaza is a mystery, officials say." Dan De Luce et al. April 18, 2024. NBC News. "Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel)" December 29, 2023. International Court of Justice. "How Hamas built a force to attack Israel on 7 October." Abdelali Ragad et al. November 27, 2023. BBC. Destruction of Khan Yunis "'Have you ever seen destruction like this? Even in the end-of-the-world movies?'" Bisan Owda. May 21, 2024. AJ+ (@ajplus) and Al Jazeera English (@aljazeeraenglish) on Instagram. Israel's Buffer Zone Around Gaza "Cementing its military footprint, Israel is transforming Gaza's geography." Ruwaida Kamal Amer. May 21, 2024. +972 Magazine. "How Israel's Proposed Buffer Zone Reshapes the Gaza Strip." Camille Bressange et al. March 16, 2024. The Wall Street Journal. "Analysis shows destruction and possible buffer zone along Gaza Strip's border with Israel." February 2, 2024. Jon Gambrell. AP News. "Israel Builds Buffer Zone Along Gaza Border, Risking New Rift With U.S." Dov Liber et al. January 25, 2024. The Wall Street Journal. "What to know about Israel's controversial 'buffer zone' in Gaza." Loveday Morris et al. January 24, 2024. The Washington Post. Israeli Settlements "'That sounds like ethnic cleansing': CNN questions lead figure in Israel's settler movement." March 20, 2024. CNN on YouTube. "Smotrich's Plan to Subjugate the Palestinians Goes Ahead." Amira Hass. March 12, 2024. Haaretz. "Israel plans to build 3,300 new settlement homes. It says it's a response to a Palestinian attack." Julia Frankel. February 23, 2024. AP News. "Netanyahu Ministers Join Thousands of Israelis in 'Resettle Gaza' Conference Calling for Palestinians' Transfer." Nir Hasson and Rachel Fink. January 28, 2024. Haaretz. "Israeli Far-right Lawmaker Calls for Settlements Across All Northern Gaza." Itai Weiss. December 27, 2023. Haaretz. "Highways to Annexation: Across the West Bank, Israel Is Bulldozing a Bright Future for Jewish Settlers." Hagar Shezaf. December 11, 2020. Haaretz. "United Nations Resolution 181". Updated February 2, 2024. Encyclopedia Britannica. AI Kill List "Inside Israel's Bombing Campaign in Gaza." Isaac Chotiner. April 12, 2024. The New Yorker. "Lavender & Where's Daddy: How Israel Used AI to Form Kill Lists & Bomb Palestinians in Their Homes." April 5, 2024. Amy Goodman and Yuval Abraham. Democracy Now! "At Singapore Airshow, the Gaza War Was a Selling Point for Israeli Arms Makers." Avi Scharf. April 5, 2024. Haaretz. "Israel offers a glimpse into the terrifying world of military AI." Ishaan Tharoor. April 5, 2024. The Washington Post. "Israel Defence Forces' response to claims about use of 'Lavender' AI database in Gaza." April 3, 2024. The Guardian. "'Lavender': The AI machine directing Israel's bombing spree in Gaza." Yuval Abraham. April 3, 2024. +972 Magazine. "'A mass assassination factory': Inside Israel's calculated bombing of Gaza." Yuval Abraham. November 30, 2023. +972 Magazine. "Tracking Cellphone Data by Neighborhood, Israel Gauges Gaza Evacuation." Patrick Kingsley and Ronen Bergman. Updated Oct. 18, 2023. The New York Times. "Commander of the Artificial Intelligence Center, 8200: Artificial intelligence enables faster classification and detection of terrorist targets." Ami Rokhax Domba. February 14, 2023. Israel Defense. "IDF Debuts Drone Swarms to Seek and Attack Hidden Targets." Tamir Eshel. June 13, 2021. Defense Update. Israelis Who Died in October "Israel's Dead: The Names of Those Killed in Hamas Attacks, Massacres and the Israel-Hamas War." October 19, 2023. Haaretz. Massacre at al-Shifa Hospital "'Come out, you animals': how the massacre at al-Shifa Hospital happened." Tareq S. Hajjaj. April 11, 2024. Mondoweiss. "Israeli troops end Al-Shifa hospital raid, leaving behind bodies and trail of destruction." Abeer Salman et al. April 1, 2024. CNN. Supplemental Funding "Biden signs bill that includes funding for Israel, aid for Gaza." April 24, 2024. The Washington Post. "A breakdown of what's in the $95 billion foreign aid package passed by the House." April 21, 2024. PBS NewsHour. UNRWA "An independent review finds no evidence for Israel's claims about UNRWA and Hamas." Ayesha Rascoe and Jackie Northam. April 28, 2024. NPR. "Israel reveals 12 UNRWA staffers it says took part in Oct. 7, says 30 more assisted." Emanuel Fabian. February 16, 2024. The Times of Israel. Who Governs Palestine "Unraveling the complexity: A guide to Palestinian governing groups." Noa Rone. March 8, 2024. Unpacked. UN Human Rights Council "Human Rights Council's Resolutions on Question of Palestine." Updated April 5, 2024. United Nations Human Rights Council. "Right of Palestinian People to Self-determination – HRC 52nd Session – Resolution (A/HRC/RES/52/34)." April 18, 2023. United Nations General Assembly. 'Detainee' treatment "Israel/oPt: UN experts appalled by reported human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls." February 19, 2024. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. "Special Rapporteur Says Israel's Unlawful Carceral Practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Are Tantamount to International Crimes and Have Turned it into an Open-Air Prison." United Nations Information Service. July 10, 2023. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Suppression of Journalism "Ben-Gvir orders closure of Voice of Palestine's Jerusalem broadcast center." March 20, 2023. Jewish News Syndicate. "Palestinians seek $10m for radio attack." January 24, 2002. BBC. Why It's Not a War "Does Israel have a 'right of self-defence' under international law? No…." [X post] Ajit Singh (@ajitxsingh). November 14, 2023. X. "IN FULL: Francesca Albanese's Address to the National Press Club of Australia." Francesca Albanese. November 14, 2023. National Press Club of Australia on Youtube. Torture in Israeli Detention Facilities "CNN exclusive: Israeli whistleblowers detail abuse of Palestinians in Sde Teiman prison." May 11, 2024. Middle East Eye on YouTube. "Strapped down, blindfolded, held in diapers: Israeli whistleblowers detail abuse of Palestinians in shadowy detention center." CNN's International Investigations and Visuals teams. May 11, 2024. CNN. "'Suddenly I Realize That I'm Burning': Israelis Who Fought in Gaza Share What They Saw." Netta Ahituv. May 4, 2024. Haaretz. Leahy Amendment "Leahy Law: Here's What You Need to Know About the Law Roiling U.S.-Israel Ties." Ben Samuels. April 27, 2024. Haaretz. International Criminal Court "The U.S. does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. Michel Martin and John Bellinger III on All Things Considered. April 16, 2022. NPR. Laws H.R. 815 - Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes H.R.2882 - Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 Jen's highlighted version Summary Explanatory Statement H.R.2670 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 Jen's highlighted version Explanatory Statement Audio Sources 'If you're watching this... then Al Jazeera has been banned in Israel' May 5, 2024 Al Jazeera English on Instagram (@aljazeeraenglish) Imran Khan: If you are watching this prerecorded report, then Al Jazeera has been banned in the territory of Israel. On April the first, the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, passed a law that allowed the Prime Minister to ban Al Jazeera. He's now enacted that law. Let me just take you through some of the definitions. Within the law, they've banned our website, including anything that has the option of entering or accessing the website, even passwords that are needed whether they're paid or not, and whether it's stored on Israeli servers or outside of Israel. The website is now inaccessible. They're also banning any device used for providing content. That includes my mobile phone. If I use that to do any kind of news gathering, then the Israelis can simply confiscate it. Our internet access provider, the guy that simply hosts aljazeera.net, is also in danger of being fined if they host the website. The Al Jazeera TV channel [is] completely banned. Transmission by any kind of content provider is also banned and holding offices or operating them in the territory of Israel by the channel. Also, once again, any devices used to provide content for the channel can be taken away by the Israelis. It's a wide ranging ban. We don't know how long it'll be in place for, but it does cover this territory of the state of Israel. Haaretz columnist Gideon Levy condemns Al Jazeera shutdown in Israel May 5, 2024 Al Jazeera English on YouTube Cyril Vanier: So what does the war look like, as presented by Israeli media to Israelis? Gideon Levy: Very, very simple picture. We are the victims. We are the only victims, as usual. There was the 7th of October, and we will stick to the 7th of October, which was almost the Holocaust in the eyes of most of the Israelis and this 7th of October enables us and legitimizes us to do whatever we want in Gaza. Gaza doesn't interest us. Gaza is Hamas and Hamas, Gaza. And therefore, we should punish them all, and if possible, even kill them al, destroy them all, and we will. We have no interest to see what's the suffer[ing] of Gaza, what's the punishment of Gaza, what the innocent people of Gaza are going through. We are only interested in the brave soldiers, the hostages and the victims of the 7th of October. That's our world, and that's the world that the Israeli media as a whole is describing to its viewers for seven months now, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Only this, you don't see Gaza. USAID's Foreign Policy and International Development Priorities in the Era of Great Power Competition April 10, 2024 House Foreign Affairs Committee Watch on YouTube Witnesses: Samantha Power, Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development Clips 47:15 Samantha Power: Again, you had very little, almost no child malnutrition before October 7, and you now have a massive spike. And particularly in the north, one in three kids are suffering from malnutrition. And again, the reports of famine also spreading to the south. It makes sense because so little assistance has gotten in commensurate to the needs of more than 2 million people. 1:13:55 Samantha Power: My understanding - this is something that Secretary Blinken is managing and you'll have a chance I'm sure to engage him on - but the national security memorandum 20 that was issued not long ago is taking 620 I and those elements into consideration. I think that report is due out in early May. 1:41:40 Samantha Power: You know well, because you've been in so many of these countries, we don't have an NGO out there -- This is not your traditional UN agency, where you can have like schools in a box, teachers in a box, health workers in a box. Hamas was the state and Hamas won the election back in the day. And Hamas had far too much influence on certain individuals, or even certain individuals were, it seems, potentially part of Hamas. But the fact is, the administration of schools and health systems was UNRWA. There's not an NGO or another UN agency that could perform the function of a State like that, or at least I haven't encountered one in my years of humanitarian service. 2:02:20 Samantha Power: One little parenthetical is, Israel, about a month ago, in light of the horrific allegations, made a decision that UNRWA could not participate in convoys to the north - humanitarian convoys. But what that meant was, fundamentally there could be no convoys to the north because you can't, as bombs are falling and kinetic operations are underway and terrorists are being pursued, suddenly invent an entire humanitarian infrastructure. 2:17:20 Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX): I want to ask you obviously about the very urgent situation humanitarian situation in Gaza. In your testimony, you said that the entire population of Gaza is living under the threat of famine. News reports came out recently that certain USAID officials sent a cable to the National Security Council warning that famine is already likely occurring in parts of the Gaza Strip. According to the report "famine conditions are most severe and widespread in northern Gaza, which is under Israeli control." Do you think that it's plausible or likely that parts of Gaza and particularly northern Gaza, are already experiencing famine? Samantha Power: Well, the methodology that the IPC used is one that we had our experts scrub, it's one that's relied upon in other settings, and that is their assessments and we believe that assessment is credible. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX): So there's a famine is already occurring there. Samantha Power: That is… Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX): Yes, okay. 2:18:14 Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX): More than half of the population of Gaza is under the age of 18, as you know, and are seriously affected by the lack of access to food and nutrition. Various organizations, including the United Nations, have warned that hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children may die if they don't get necessary food and nutrition assistance in just the next two to three weeks. Has USAID made such an assessment itself? And do you have a sense of how many such children might be at risk of dying if they don't get access to food and nutrition that's currently unavailable? Samantha Power: I do not have those assessments on hand. But I will say that in northern Gaza, the rate of malnutrition, prior to October 7, was almost zero. And it is now one in three, one in three kids. But extrapolating out is hard. And I will say just with some humility, because…

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CD291: Warrantless Spying Continues Apr 24, 2024

Show notes

"FISA 702" allows the government to spy on foreigners and store the information that they collect about American citizens incidentally. After more than a decade of FBI officials inappropriately searching the database of our information without warrants, Congress just reauthorized the program and made some changes - some reigning the program in and some expanding it. In this episode, learn what those changes are and how they are likely to affect you. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd291-warrantless-spying-continues Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD289: The Not A TikTok Ban Bill CD287: War Money CD285: The Indicteds: Rep. George Santos and Sen. Robert Menendez CD284: Thieving Russia CD098: USA Freedom Act: Privatization of the Patriot Act FISA "US Senate votes to reauthorize surveillance program, Biden to sign swiftly." Jasper Ward. April 20, 2024. Reuters. "Reformers Narrowly Lose on FISA Reform, Now Get Patriot Act 2.0." Luke Goldstein. April 12, 2024. The American Prospect. "FBI misused intelligence database in 278,000 searches, court says." Zeba Siddiqui. May 19, 2023. Reuters. "Document re: Section 702 2021 Certification." April 21, 2022. U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. "Review of Four FISA Applications and Other Aspects of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane Investigation." December 2019. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. "Surveillance of Foreigners Outside the United States Under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)," [R44457]." Edward C. Liu. April 13, 2016. Congressional Research Service. History of Surveillance "Domestic Surveillance and AT&T." Mark Klein. November 8, 2007. C-SPAN Washington Journal. "Bush Lets U.S. Spy on Callers Without Courts." James Risen and Eric Lichtblau. December 16, 2005. The New York Times. NSA Spy Center "Surprise Visitors Are Unwelcome At The NSA's Unfinished Utah Spy Center (Especially When They Take Photos.)" Kashmir Hill. March 4, 2013. Forbes. "The NSA Is Building the Country's Biggest Spy Center (Watch What You Say.)" James Bamford. March 15, 2012. Wired. PRISM program "Everything you need to know about PRISM." T.C. Sottek and Janus Kopfstein. July 17, 2013. The Verge. Laws H.R.7888 - Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act Jen's highlighted version Vote Breakdowns House Vote Senate Vote Amendments Biggs Amendment Turner Amendment: passed 236-186 Waltz Amendment: passed 227-193 Wyden Amendment Votes on Wyden Amendment H.R.6304 - FISA Amendments Act of 2008 Audio Sources Senate Session April 19, 2024 PDF with clips highlighted House Session April 12, 2024 PDF with clips highlighted Speakers: Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) Domestic Surveillance and AT&T November 8, 2007 C-SPAN Washington Journal Music Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito Editing Pro Podcast Solutions Production Assistance Clare Kuntz Balcer

CD290: Israel War Money: What's Already Law Apr 17, 2024

Show notes

After an unprecedented embassy bombing followed by an unprecedented drone and missile attack, Israel and Iran may have us on the brink of WWIII. In this episode, as Congress and the Biden administration ponder additional support for Israel, we take a look at what has already been approved for Israel in the 2024 defense authorization and funding law. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd290-israel-war-money-whats-already-law Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD287: War Money Netanyahu "Wait, Who's the Superpower Here?" Howard Eissenstat. Sept 20, 2012. Slate. "Perfect English or Not, Netanyahu Shares No Common Language With Obama." Akiva Eldar. February 10, 2009. Haaretz. Attacks on U.S. Bases "'Logistics' Outpost in Jordan Where 3 U.S. Troops Died Is Secretly a Drone Base Ken Klippenstein. February 9, 2024. The Intercept. "Almost 50 US troops have been hurt by militant attacks in Iraq and Syria, Pentagon says." Doug G. Ware. November 6, 2023. Stars and Stripes. "Pentagon deploys additional 300 troops to Middle East as more attacks reported at US bases." Doug G. Ware. October 31, 2023. Stars and Stripes. Iran-Israel Conflict "How Iran attacks exposed Israel's weakness." David Hearst. April 15, 2024. Middle East Eye. "What was in wave of Iranian attacks and how were they thwarted?" Tom Spender. April 15, 2024. BBC. "Israel Conflict Spreads to 16 Nations as Biden Admin Says There's No War." Ken Klippenstein and Daniel Boguslaw. April 14, 2024. The Intercept. "Scoop: Biden told Bibi U.S. won't support an Israeli counterattack on Iran." Barak Ravid. April 14, 2024. Axios. "Behind the Scenes: How U.S. Rallied to Israel's Defense During Iran's Massive Attack." Ben Samuels. April 14, 2024. Haaretz. "A 7-Year-Old Girl Is the Lone Serious Casualty of Iran's Barrage." Cassandra Vinograd and Natan Odenheimer. April 14, 2024. The New York Times. "Conducted on the strength of Article 51 of the UN Charter pertaining to legitimate defense, Iran's military action…" [tweet] Permanent Mission of I.R.Iran to UN, NY (@Iran_UN). April 13, 2024. "U.S. denies involvement in attack on Iranian consulate, but braces for retaliation." Ellen Knickmeyer and Lolita C. Baldor. April 3, 2024. PBS NewsHour. Fear of U.S. War with Iran "The Middle East Could Still Explode." Ali Vaez. April 15, 2024. Foreign Affairs. "Netanyahu's recklessness was fostered by blind U.S. support, but Israel is the one pushing its war with Iran out of the shadows. Murtaza Hussain. April 14, 2024. The Intercept. "Biden officials worry that Israeli response to Iran's attack may trigger wider war." Carol E. Lee et al. April 14, 2024. NBC News. "Netanyahu Wants a Never-ending War." Uri Misgav. November 23, 2023. Haaretz. "Fears grow of all-out Israel-Hezbollah war as fighting escalates." Julian Borger. December 17, 2023. The Guardian. "Netanyahu is drawing the US into war with Iran." Marwan Bishara. October 9, 2023. Aljazeera. Defense funding for Israel "From Arrow to Iron Dome: The economics of Israel's air defense strategy." Yuval Azulay. April 15, 2024." CTech by Calcalist. "Pentagon fails sixth audit, with number of passing grades stagnant." Noah Robertson. November 15, 2023. Defense News. "U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel," [RL33222]. Jeremy M. Sharp. March 1, 2023. Congressional Research Service via EveryCRSReport.com. "David's Sling System and SkyCeptor Missile." Raytheon. "Rafael's Iron Dome™: celebrating 10 years of iron defense." 2021. Rafael. "Israel's Iron Dome Anti-Rocket System: U.S. Assistance and Coproduction," [IN10158]. Jeremy M. Sharp. September 30, 2014. Congressional Research Service via EveryCRSReport.com. "Israel Agrees to Spend Half of Iron Dome Funds in U.S." Tony Capaccio. May 27, 2014. Bloomberg. "Boeing and Israel Aerospace Industries' Arrow 3 Interceptor Successfully Completes 2nd Flight Test." January 7, 2014. Boeing. Boeing and Raytheon Campaign Contributions and Lobbying "RTX Corp." Open Secrets. "Client Profile: RTX Corp: Lobbyists." Open Secrets. "Boeing Co. Open Secrets. "Client Profile: Boeing Co: Lobbyists." Open Secrets. Foreign Military Financing "Transfer of Defense Articles: Foreign Military Sales (FMS)," [IF11437]. Nathan J. Lucas and Michael J. Vassalotti. February 21, 2020. Congressional Research Service via EveryCRSReport.com. "Guidelines for Foreign Military Financing of Direct Commercial Contracts." March 2017. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, U.S. Department of Defense.* Abraham Accords "The Abraham Accords Declaration." U.S. Department of State. Jordan "Arab States That Stood Up to Iran Won't Be on Board to Assist an Israeli Counterstrike." Zvi Bar'el. April 15, 2024. Haaretz. "Jordan's First Envoy to Israel Calls to Cut Ties With Netanyahu Gov't." Jonathan Shamir. April 16, 2023. Haaretz. Saudi Arabia "Saudi Arabia warns of military escalation in region as Iran attacks Israel." April 14, 2024. Al Arabiya English. Laws H.R.2882 - Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 Jen's highlighted version Summary Explanatory Statement H.R.2670 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 Jen's highlighted version Explanatory Statement Executive Producer Recommended Sources "As The Arabs See The Jews." King Abdullah. 1947. From the Internet Archive, originally published in The American Magazine. Music Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito Editing Pro Podcast Solutions Production Assistance Clare Kuntz Balcer

CD289: The Not A TikTok Ban Bill Mar 15, 2024

Show notes

A bill is quickly moving through Congress that supposedly would "ban TikTok." While it is clearly aimed at TikTok, this bill is really about creating a new Presidential power to remove Americans' access to apps, websites, games and other entire tech platforms. In this episode, using the text of the bill itself, we examine how exactly this new censorship power would work if the bill passes the Senate and becomes law. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd289-the-not-a-tiktok-ban-bill Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD271: RESTRICTing TikTok CD270: The Twitter Files CD224: Social Media Censorship The Not a TikTok Ban Bill "TikTok bill, racing toward House passage, faces a minefield in the Senate." Drew Harwell et al. March 13, 2024. The Washington Post. "TikTok's Security Threats Go Beyond the Scope of House Legislation." David E. Sanger. March 13, 2024. The New York Times. "Biden says he'll sign proposed legislation to ban TikTok if Congress passes it." Aamer Madhani. March 8, 2024. AP News. Opposition to the bill "ACLU Urges Senate to Reject TikTok Ban Bill Following House Passage." Jenna Leventoff. March 13, 2024. ACLU. "Coalition Letter to House of Representatives Opposing H.R. 7521." Access Now et al. March 12, 2024. ACLU. How we got here "Congress is cracking down on TikTok because CFIUS hasn't." Dan Primack. March 12, 2024. Axios. "Judge blocks Montana's TikTok ban from taking effect on January 1." Samantha Delouya and Brian Fung. November 30, 2023. CNN. "A Draft Of TikTok's Plan To Avoid A Ban Gives The U.S. Government Unprecedented Oversight Power." Emily Baker-White. August 21, 2023. Forbes. "Issues over TikTok still unresolved, US Treasury Secretary Yellen says." November 20, 2023. Reuters. "US House bans TikTok from official devices." Brian Fung. December 30, 2022. CNN. "The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)," [RL33388]. James K. Jackson. February 14, 2020. Congressional Research Service. Grindr "China's Kunlun Tech agrees to U.S. demand to sell Grindr gay dating app." Echo Wang. May 13, 2019. Reuters. "Another day, another US company forced to divest of Chinese investors." Jeff Farrah. April 15, 2019. TechCrunch. ByteDance "What to know about TikTok owner ByteDance as U.S. considers possible ban." Lily Kuo and Annabelle Timsit. March 13, 2024. The Washington Post. "The Truth About TikTok: Separating Fact from Fiction." April 16, 2023. TikTok. Censorship and Spying "Facebook made a major change after years of PR disasters, and news sites are paying the price." Jonathan Vanian. January 22, 2024. CNBC. "CIA Launches Telegram Channel." May 16, 2023. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Public Affairs. "Meet Pavel Durov, the tech billionaire who founded Telegram, fled from Moscow 15 years ago after defying the Kremlin, and has a penchant for posting half-naked selfies on Instagram." Marielle Descalsota. December 27, 2022. Business Insider. "The CIA Sets Up Shop on Tor, the Anonymous Internet." Lily Hay Newman. May 7, 2019. Wired. Israel and AIPAC "How Israel's Proposed Buffer Zone Reshapes the Gaza Strip." Camille Bressange. March 16, 2024. The Wall Street Journal. "Israel's religious right has a clear plan for Gaza: 'We are occupying, deporting and settling.'" Kate Linthicum. March 13, 2024. The Los Angeles Times. "Israeli road splitting Gaza in two has reached the Mediterranean coast, satellite imagery shows." Celine Alkhaldi et al. March 8, 2024. CNN. "AIPAC was among the top 20 spenders in the 2022 elections. Here's how it breaks down." December 3, 2023. Velshi on MSNBC. "Why Do Young Americans Support Hamas? Look at TikTok." Rep. Mike Gallagher. November 1, 2023. The Free Press. "Michael Gallagher '02." Mater Dei High School. TikTok "China: Children given daily time limit on Douyin - its version of TikTok." September 20, 2021. BBC. The Bill H.R.7521 - Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act Roll Call Vote Audio Sources House Session House Floor March 13, 2024 Clips 19:00 Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY): There was there were some people who were legitimately concerned that this was an overly broad bill and they got an exclusion written into the bill that I want to read. It says the term "covered company" does not include an entity that operates a website or application, whose primary purpose is to allow users to post product reviews, business reviews, or travel information and reviews. Why is this exception in the bill? Why did somebody feel like they needed this exception if the bill itself only covers social media applications that foreign adversaries are running now? 21:15 Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ): While this bill establishes a national security framework that could apply to other applications, much of the public attention is focused on TikTok. 23:15 Rep. Michael Gallagher (R-WI): Mr. Speaker, TikTok is a threat to our national security because it is owned by ByteDance, which does the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party. We know this because ByteDance's leadership says so and because Chinese law requires it. This bill, therefore, would force TikTok to break up with the Chinese Communist Party. It does not apply to American companies. It only applies to companies subject to the controlof foreign adversaries defined by Congress. It says nothing about election interference and cannot be turned against any American social media platform. It does not impact websites in general. The only impacted sites are those associated with foreign adversary apps, such as TikTok.com. It can never be used to penalize individuals. The text explicitly prohibits that. It cannot be used to censor speech. It takes no position at all on the content of speech, only foreign adversary control of what is becoming the dominant news platform for Americans under 30. 25:55 Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL): This divestment requirement is not new. It's not without precedent. When the app Grindr, a popular LGBTQ app, was acquired by a Chinese company, and the United States government determined that sensitive data of LGBTQ members of the military and US government officials got into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, they required divestment. This happened quickly. Why? Because Grindr was a very valuable social media company. The same is true with regard to TikTok, and there will be no disruption to users, just as there was with Grindr. 27:25 Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL): Last week, under the leadership of the Chairwoman and the Ranking Member, they brought up for consideration our bill before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. On the morning of that vote, TikTok, delivered a push notification and a pop up to thousands of users across the country. They used geolocation data targeting minor children to then force them to call congressional offices in order to continue using the app. And in doing so, these children called and they asked the question: what is Congress? And what is a Congressman? This influence campaign illustrates the need for this bill. 29:20 Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH): The people sponsoring this bill today claim that the real issue is ownership. But who owns this company? It's not 100% owned by Bytedance. 60% of it's owned by investors, including American investors. 20% are owned by the founders and 20% are owned by over 7000 employees. The company's headquarters is not in China, it's in Singapore. And the American user data isn't housed in China. It's housed in Texas, controlled by a database owned by Oracle. 30:20 Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH): So if we think we can address the privacy concerns, what's left to address? Frankly, content moderation. Remember, before Elon Musk bought the crime scene at Twitter, it was all a conspiracy theory that these algorithms were silencing and canceling people. You guys are crazy. Now when Elon Musk bought Twitter, he did keep it operating with 80% fewer employees. But what we found is a lot of the employees were trying to do content moderation, shape who sees what and how they see it, which algorithms are used, how does it promote certain people and, and filter others? So really, what you're saying here is if you're not fully engaged with America's three letter agencies in content moderation, we plan to 'TikTok' you. And this bill isn't just limited to TikTok. It's a coercive power that can be applied to other apps like Telegram, Tor. Things that provide privacy would be targeted by this bill. 34:20 Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): First of all, this is not a ban on TikTok. I'm a grandmother of teenagers, I understand the entertainment value, the educational value, communication value, the business value for some businesses on this. This is not an attempt to ban TikTok. Its an attempt to make TikTok better. Tic Tac Toe. A winner, a winner. 41:00 Brett Guthrie (R-KY): I was asked, does this just affect TikTok? And no, it's any foreign adversary, or any app that is owned, controlled or unduly influenced by any foreign adversary. We must protect our national security and help keep America's private data out of the hands of our foreign adversaries. I urge support of this bill, and I yield back. 51:55 Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN): After hearing from national security experts last week, it is clear the prolific use of media platforms controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and other foreign adversaries poses a danger to our country. 53:15 Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA): This bill would greatly expand the Executive's authority to ban tech companies with zero congressional oversight. I cannot sign a blank check to some future president who would easily and dangerously weaponize this legislation to profit in silence. 55:20 Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL): We aren't banning a company, as the high paid lobbyists for Bytedance - which is owned by China - would lead you to believe. We aren't infringing on constitutionally protected speech or growing the size of government. All we're saying is, Break up with the Chinese Communist Party. 1:02:30 Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY): Who's going to be prosecuted by this bill? Is it Bytedance or TikTok? Will they be taken to court? No. I mean, they're the target of this, but how do you elicit or effect a ban on them? By prosecuting Americans? The only way you can ban TikTok and the other companies from being here is to say what this bill says, which is the government will bring a civil action suit against you, if you so much as host them here. If you have an app store that allows them to be here, you're an American or an American company and you will be the target of this bill. Those are the only people who can be pursued under this bill and I know it's in order to go after TikTok, or so they say. Music Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito Editing Pro Podcast Solutions Production Assistance Clare Kuntz Balcer

CD288: Government Funding 101 Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

As we enter another round of government funding drama, let's learn the basics. In this episode, we examine how the process is supposed to work, spot the tell tale signs that something has gone wrong, and decipher all of the DC wonky words that make the appropriations process seem more complicated than it really is. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd288-government-funding-101 Background Sources Appropriations Find the current status of the Appropriations Process House Appropriations Committee. Senate Appropriations Committee. "Subcommittee Jurisdiction." February 8, 2023. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations. Mandatory vs. Discretionary Spending "How much has the U.S. government spent this year?" FiscalData.Treasury.gov. "Policy Basics: Introduction to the Federal Budget Process." Updated October 24, 2022. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Government Shutdown "Government Shutdowns Q&A: Everything You Should Know." February 26, 2024. Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Omnibus Bills "$900B COVID relief bill passed by Congress, sent to Trump." Andrew Taylor. December 22, 2020. AP News. Earmarks "$315 Million Bridge to Nowhere." February 9, 2005. Taxpayers for Common Sense. Retrieved from the Wayback Machine version from October 25, 2008. What Happens Next "Congress takes first step on funding deal." Jamie Dupree. March 5, 2024. Regular Order. Audio Sources Impact of Continuing Resolutions on the Department of Defense and Services House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense January 12, 2022 Watch on YouTube Witness: Mike McCord, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Clips 29:51 Mike McCord: First, as I believe you're all aware a full year CR, we reduce our funding level below what we requested and what we believe we need. On the surface at the department level as a whole, the reduction to our accounts would appear to be about a billion dollars below our request, which would be significant. Even if that was the only impact. The actual reduction in practice will be much greater. Because we would have significant funding that's misaligned, trapped or frozen in the wrong places and unusable because we don't have the tools or flexibilities to realign funds on anything like the scam we would need to fix all the problems that the chiefs are going to describe. 30:27 Mike McCord: I know all of you are very familiar with the fact that virtually all military construction projects in each year's budget including the FY 22 budget are new starts that cannot be executed under a CR. Music Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito Editing Pro Podcast Solutions Production Assistance Clare Kuntz Balcer

CD287: War Money Feb 29, 2024

Show notes

It's been four months since President Biden requested over $100 billion in war money for Israel and Ukraine and the Senate has now passed a bill that would provide most of the money. In this episode, we examine the events that lead up to and have occurred since President Biden's address to the nation, and analyze the Senate bill along with its possible paths to becoming law. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd287-war-money Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD286: Prolonging the War in Ukraine CD284: Thieving Russia CD253: Escalation of War CD248: Understanding the Enemy CD244: Keeping Ukraine CD167: Combating Russia (NDAA 2018) LIVE CD068: Ukraine Aid Bill CD067: What Do We Want In Ukraine? October 7 Attack "The West Bank Occupation Outweighed Israel's Defense of the Gaza Border on the Eve of October 7." Aluf Benn. February 21, 2024. Haaretz. "Families of Israelis Killed in Be'eri Home Hit by IDF Tank on October 7 Demand Probe." Liza Rozovsky. January 6, 2024. Haaretz. "Chilling Warnings Picked Up by Israeli Intelligence Months Before October 7 Massacre." Amos Harel. November 27, 2023. Haaretz. "הערכה במערכת הביטחון: בחמאס לא ידעו מראש על פסטיבל נובה, וזיהו אותו מהאוויר" November 18, 2023. Josh Breiner. Haaretz. "One Palestinian Killed After Settlers Enter West Bank Town of Hawara to Set Up Sukkah." Hagar Shezaf and Jack Khoury. October 6, 2023. Haaretz. Aftermath of the October 7 Attack "Police Detain 21 Anti-gov't Protesters in Tel Aviv, Use Water Cannon to Disperse Protest." Ran Shimoni et al. February 24, 2024. Haaretz. "Remarks by President Biden on the United States' Response to Hamas's Terrorist Attacks Against Israel and Russia's Ongoing Brutal War Against Ukraine." October 20, 2023. White House Briefing Room. "Biden Lays Out Stakes for America as He Seeks Aid for Israel and Ukraine." Michael D. Shear. October 19, 2023. The New York Times. "Gaza Death Toll Nears 3,800 as Israel's Siege and Bombardment Enters 13th Day." October 19, 2023. Democracy Now! History of Palestine and Israel "Israel's War Within: On the ruinous history of Religious Zionism." Bernard Avishai. February 2024. Harper's Magazine. "A timeline of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." October 20, 2023. The World. Israelism. Directed by Erin Axelman and Sam Eilertsen, produced by Daniel J. Chalfen, Nadia Saah, and Erin Axelman. 2023. "The Gaza Strip: The humanitarian impact of 15 years of blockade." OCHA. June 2022. UNICEF. The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917-2017. Rashid Khalidi. Macmillan Audio: 2020. "Gaza Fights For Freedom." Directed by Abby Martin. 2019. Empire Files. Enemies and Neighbors Arabs and Jews in Palestine and Israel, 1917-2017. Ian Black. Tantor Audio: 2018. "Fear & Loathing in the new jerusalem." Darryl Cooper. 2015-2016. Martyrmade Podcast. "Operation Protective Edge: A war waged on Gaza's children." April 16, 2015. Defense for Children International - Palestine. "Israel's System of Segregated Roads in the Occupied Palestinian Territories." March 2012. Visualizing Palestine. Balfour Declaration "More than a century on: The Balfour Declaration explained." Zena Al Tahhan. November 2, 2018. Al Jazeera. "Balfour Declaration: Text of the Declaration." Lord Arthur James Balfour. November 2, 1917. Jewish Virtual Library. Vanishing Palestine "First Zionist Congress." Retrieved on February 27, 2024. Wikipedia: the free Encyclopedia. "Israel's borders explained in maps." October 11, 2023. BBC. "Highways to Annexation: Across the West Bank, Israel Is Bulldozing a Bright Future for Jewish Settlers." Hagar Shezaf. December 11, 2020. Haaretz. "Israel: Discriminatory Land Policies Hem in Palestinians." May 12, 2020. Human Rights Watch. "Understanding Israel's Nation State Law." Mitchell Bard. Jewish Virtual Library. "Palestine Remix: Animated map of Israel taking over historic Palestine." Al Jazeera. "Excerpts from the Jewish National Fund's Response to H.C. 9205/04 and H.C. 9010/04." Alex Hartman et al. December 9, 2004. Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel. "Light Committee Report." 2003. Creation of Israel UN Resolution 181. 1947. "United Nations partition plan of 1947 – Map," [Map no. 3067 Rev 1.] April 1983. United Nations. Lebanon "The Simmering Lebanese Front in Israel's War." Rania Abouzeid. October 21, 2023. The New Yorker. "At war for decades, Lebanon and Israel agree a rare compromise." Tom Perry et al. October 18, 2022. Reuters. Dahiya Doctrine "The Dahiya Doctrine and Israel's Use of Disproportionate Force." December 7, 2012. Institute for Middle East Understanding. "Disproportionate Force: Israel's Concept of Response in Light of the Second Lebanon War." Gabi Siboni. October 2, 2008. INSS Insight. "Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Lebanon pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution S-2/1" [A/HRC/3/2]. November 23, 2006. UN General Assembly Human Rights Council. Gaza Death Toll "Israel-Gaza war in maps and charts: Live tracker." AJLabs. Retrieved on February 27, 2024. Al Jazeera. "Father of Palestinian American teen killed in West Bank discusses son's death." Amna Nawaz and Sonia Kopelev. February 9, 2024. PBS NewsHour. "20,000 Dead and Counting: The Battle Over Verifying Gaza's Death Toll." Linda Dayan. December 26, 2023. Haaretz. "Key figures on the 2014 hostilities." June 23, 2015. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "Humanitarian Factsheet: From 'Cast Lead' to 'Pillar of Defence.'" Caabu. "UN presses for prosecutions in damning report of Hamas and Israel conduct." Rory McCarthy. September 15, 2009. The Guardian. Post-October 7 Land Grab "Netanyahu's post-war plan sees Israel keeping security control over Palestinian areas." Henriette Chacar. February 23, 2024. Reuters. "Israel plans to build 3,300 new settlement homes. It says it's a response to a Palestinian attack." Julia Frankel. February 23, 2024. AP News. "Israeli Government to Reward New Immigrants Who Settle in Country's North, South and West Bank." Liza Rozovsky. February 15, 2024. Haaretz. "Netanyahu Ministers Join Thousands of Israelis in 'Resettle Gaza' Conference Calling for Palestinians' Transfer.'" Nir Hasson and Rachel Fink. January 28, 2024. Haaretz. "Israeli ministers reject US criticism of their calls to expel Palestinians from Gaza." Abdelraouf Arnaout. January 3, 2024. Anadolu Agency. "Israeli Far-right Lawmaker Calls for Settlements Across All Northern Gaza." Itai Weiss. December 27, 2023. Haaretz. "Israel Must Clarify: No Expulsion of Gazans. No Israeli Settlements in Gaza." Yitzhak Benbaji et al. November 30, 2023. Haaretz. "The Extreme Ambitions of West Bank Settlers." Isaac Chotiner. November 11, 2023. The New Yorker. "Israeli Intelligence Ministry Policy Paper On Gaza's Civilian Population, October 2023." Uploaded by LocalCall. October 13, 2023. Scribd. Gas Rights "The war on Gaza is also an Israeli drive to seize Palestinian gas reserves." Walid Abuhelal. February 20, 2024. Middle East Eye. Israeli Nukes "Israel - Israel's Nuclear History." Center for Arms Control and Non-proliferation. Ceasefire "8 Israeli hostages freed from Gaza at end of seventh day of truce." Amy Spiro et al. November 30, 2023. The Times of Israel. "Why Does Israel Have So Many Palestinians in Detention and Available to Swap?" Omar Shakir. November 29, 2023. Human Rights Watch. The Destruction of Gaza "Israel raids main Gaza hospital as Rafah concerns grow." James Mackenzie and Nidal Al-Mughrabi. February 15, 2024. Reuters. "In Gaza's collapsing health system, deaths are slow, painful and often preventable." Mithil Aggarwal and Yasmine Salam. January 18, 2024. NBC News. "I Am Gaza City's Mayor. Our Lives and Culture Are in Rubble." Yahya R. Sarraj. December 24, 2023. The New York Times. "Northern Gaza no longer has a functional hospital, WHO says." Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber. December 21, 2023. Reuters. U.S. Aid to Israel H.R.815 - National Security Act, 2024 "The Biden administration once again bypasses Congress on an emergency weapons sale to Israel." Matthew Lee. December 29, 2023. PBS NewsHour. "Biden Requests $105 Billion Aid Package for Israel, Ukraine and Other Crises." Michael D. Shear and Karoun Demirjian. October 20, 2023. The New York Times. Limiting Aid to Gaza "Israeli forces fired on food convoy in Gaza, UN documents and satellite analysis reveals." Katie Polglase and Muhammad Darwish. February 21, 2024. CNN. "'Unproven Allegations': U.K.'s Channel 4 Slams Israel's Charge Against UNRWA." Rachel Fink. February 7, 2024. Haaretz. "Israel's evidence of UNRWA Hamas allegations examined." Lindsey Hilsum. February 5, 2024. Channel 4 News. "As donors suspend critical funding to UNRWA, allegations against staff remain murky." Jessica Le Masurier. February 5, 2024. France 24. Netanyahu Rejects Two State Solution "Netanyahu rejects US calls for two-state solution." January 19, 2024. DW. Why Does the U.S. Government Support Israel? "American Israel Public Affairs Cmte: Recipients." OpenSecrets. Real American History A People's History of the United States. Howard Zinn. Harper Audio: 2009. Ukraine "Ukraine Can't Win the War." Anatol Lieven. February 24, 2024. Time. Border Crisis "Top lawmakers to be briefed on Russian threat." Jamie Dupree. February 15, 2024. Regular Order. "Alejandro Mayorkas Articles of Impeachment." "House impeaches Alejandro Mayorkas in historic vote, punishing DHS chief over handling of U.S.-Mexico border." Caitlin Yilek. February 14, 2024. CBS News. "Trump throws cold water on border bill — again." Kelly Garrity. February 5, 2024. Politico. Bills H.R. 815 (Engrossed Amendment Senate) - National Security Act, 2024 Roll Call Vote 2/13/2024 Audio Sources "Does Congress really want to provide military aid to Netanyahu so that he can annihilate more innocent people?" February 11, 2024 Bernie Sanders on X Presidential Address on Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine Wars October 19, 2023 C-SPAN Executive Producer Recommended Sources Music Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito Editing Pro Podcast Solutions Production Assistance Clare Kuntz Balcer

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