The end to the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate; Oregon gun law on pause; L.A. bans styrofoam; and Biden puts a ban on big cats. Straight Arrow News has these stories and more in the Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 midday update.
End to military vaccine mandate added to defense bill
A new defense bill would require the Pentagon to remove its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for military members. The House is scheduled to take the bill to a vote tomorrow.
The bill contains language that would repeal a requirement for military members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, satisfying a request from Republicans as Democrats compromise.
If the measure passes the House, it then goes to the Senate. Senate Republicans have said they want more, threatening to stall the bill once it gets to the Senate.
In current form, the bill doesn’t require Pentagon to rehire military personnel or provide back-pay to those who were fired.
The GOP wants a separate vote to reinstate the fired military members and pay them for time lost.
Other noteworthy aspects of defense bill
In that same defense bill, lawmakers want to provide another $800 million in aid to Ukraine – on top of the $20 billion the U.S. has sent so far.
One item was left out of the bill: Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., had pushed to insert an energy permit plan that would expedite energy projects, including the installation of a natural gas pipeline in his state of West Virginia.
Zelenskyy named Time’s Person of the Year
“I’m grateful to you for being with us, for the fact that the United States of America really supports Ukraine,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after being named Time’s Person of the Year.
Time’s CEO said this year’s choice was the most “clear-cut” in memory. Time has chosen a person of the year every year since 1927.
Judge puts new Oregon gun law on pause
Voters in Oregon passed a measure in the 2022 midterms requiring individuals who want to buy guns to acquire a permit from police first.
The measure was supposed to go into effect this week, but a judge just delayed the implementation. Police now have a 30-day extension to prepare a system for permits. The state of Oregon is already appealing the ruling.
Gun purchases in the state have skyrocketed since the measure passed in November.
Los Angeles bans use of styrofoam
The city of Los Angeles is saying “no more” to styrofoam. City council members have passed an ordinance aimed at L.A. restaurants, coffee shops, and retailers to end the use of styrofoam.
Any business with more than 26 employees can no longer have styrofoam coffee cups or to-go boxes for food. Styrofoam is typically cheaper for businesses, but city council members have argued that styrofoam is too costly to the environment.
Biden to sign bill banning big cat ownership
“They have a heart and a soul and a mind. I’ve learned from them. But Carol Baskin keeps saying I can’t have these tigers,” Tiger King star Joe Exotic said.
“We will end the private possession of these cats,” countered Carol Baskin, the owner of Big Cat Rescue.
Today, President Biden will sign a bill banning the breeding and selling of big cats. The law will ultimately stop people from owning tigers.
The Netflix documentary renewed support to stop people like the Tiger King from owning the exotic animal.
Joe Exotic is still behind bars, serving a 22-year sentence for attempting to hire a hitman to kill Carol Baskin. Carol Baskin is still running Big Cat Rescue. She praised the bill’s passage in a social media post.
