Biden faces international climate-aid challenge in fiscal 2024
WASHINGTON — Even with Democrats narrowly controlling both houses of Congress, President Joe Biden was unable to convince lawmakers to fully fund his requests for contributions in fiscal 2022 or 2023 to international funds that help poor nations address climate change.
Biden pledged to the United Nations in 2021 that the U.S. would give $11.4 billion annually to such funds starting in fiscal 2024. Republicans, who have opposed most climate change-related spending, will have a majority in the House next year, so Biden will face a tough fight to meet that pledge.
Biden on Dec. 23 signed the fiscal 2023 omnibus spending legislation, which included $1.06 billion for climate finance programs, a far cry from the $5.3 billion the administration wanted.
“Looking at the numbers, it very much looks like a repeat of last year,” Joe Thwaites, who tracks international climate finance at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said by phone. “It just conforms to a pattern of the U.S. making commitments on climate finance and failing to deliver.”
—CQ-Roll Call
Minn. governor proposes plan to fight fraud in wake of pandemic food-aid scheme
MINNEAPOLIS — Gov. Tim Walz has proposed adding an inspector general to the Minnesota Department of Education and spending more money on grant oversight, audits and fraud investigation in the aftermath of the Feeding Our Future scandal.
The fraud prevention plan that Walz debuted Tuesday was the DFL governor's first detailed outline of how he aims to change state government in response to one of the largest federal fraud cases in Minnesota history.
"We need to protect taxpayer dollars," Walz said in a statement. "This plan will help ensure that state government works as efficiently and effectively as possible to improve the lives of Minnesotans, while creating new tools to catch fraudsters and hold them accountable."
Walz told state officials earlier this year to review federal grant programs and come up with ways to improve state oversight. His four-part plan this week includes increasing staff in six state agencies to help manage and oversee grants, including a new inspector general at the Minnesota Department of Education. The Star Tribune pressed department officials earlier this month on whether they would add an inspector general.
—Star Tribune
Kelly signs executive order banning TikTok from some Kansas government devices
WASHINGTON — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Wednesday signed an executive order to ban the social media app TikTok from state-issued devices in the executive branch, citing growing concerns about the security of data on the app, which is owned by a Chinese company.
The order comes as Congress and several state governments have moved to prevent TikTok on government devices, following concerns from the FBI and Federal Communications Commission that data on the app could be shared with the Chinese government.
“Today, I am taking commonsense steps to protect Kansans’ privacy and security,” Kelly, a Democrat, said. “TikTok mines users’ data and potentially makes it available to the Chinese Communist Party — a threat recognized by a growing group of bipartisan leaders across the United States.”
TikTok is a social media app that featured short videos. It uses an algorithm that predicts videos people might be interested in and is known for being a cultural trendsetter that can launch the careers of artists and influencers.
—The Kansas City Star
Israel has improved readiness to attack Iran, minister says
Israel has improved its readiness to attack Iran, outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Wednesday as he cited preparations that the military is making to hit nuclear sites. Speaking at an Air Force graduation ceremony, Gantz said that pilots may one day be called upon to take part in such an offensive.
“You may cross the sky to the east in two or three years and take part in an attack on nuclear sites in Iran, for which we are preparing, while significantly increasing readiness in recent years,” Gantz said.
Israel is becoming increasingly concerned that Russia’s growing dependence on Iran’s military potential in Ukraine could prompt Tehran to seek Russian assistance for its nuclear program in return. Israel rejects Iran’s assertions that the nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, and has said that it will take any steps necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a bomb.
A new Israeli government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to be approved by parliament on Thursday after winning elections last month. Gantz, a former Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, is likely to remain in parliament as a member of the opposition.
—Bloomberg News
