With Congress passing the $95 billion foreign aid package, including a bill on TikTok, it now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk. A year after a deadly school shooting, Tennessee lawmakers approve a bill allowing teachers to carry guns in school. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
Senate passes $95B aid package for Ukraine, Israel; TikTok bill included
The Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid package, which Biden said he will sign Wednesday, April 24. The package provides critical aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Following the Senate’s 79-18 vote, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said this shows America’s commitment to its responsibilities, as a world leader.
“America sends a message to the entire world,” Schumer said. “We will not turn our back on you … To our friends in Ukraine. America will soon deliver more ammunition and air defenses and basic supplies you need to resist Putin on the battlefield. To our friends in Israel. America will soon deliver aid to help you fight the scourge of Hamas and stand up to Iran. To innocent civilians in Gaza, in the midst of a war, and those around the world who face hunger. America will deliver food and medicine and clothing. And to our friends in the Indo-Pacific. We will stand with you to resist the Chinese Communist Party.”
The aid includes $60 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian relief for Gaza, and $8 billion for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.
The package also includes a measure that could lead to the U.S. ban of the social media app TikTok if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, does not sell its stake in the platform within a year.
TikTok criticized the inclusion of the “ban bill,” stating it was “unfortunate” Congress used the “cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to pass a measure that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans.”
Former Enquirer publisher testifies about ‘catch-and-kill’ at Trump trial
David Pecker, former publisher of the National Enquirer, will return to the stand Thursday, April 25, during former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York. Pecker testified Tuesday, April 23, about his role in “catch-and-kill” deals involving Trump and his one-time attorney Michael Cohen.
According to Pecker, he collaborated with Cohen to purchase negative stories about Trump during the 2016 election to suppress them. During his two-and-a-half-hour testimony, Pecker told the jury he met with Trump and Cohen in 2015, agreeing to act as Trump’s “eyes and ears” during the campaign. He admitted to agreeing to publish positive stories about Trump and focus on negative stories about Trump’s opponents, including embellishing stories about Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
Day six of the trial began with a hearing on the judge’s gag order that bars Trump from making public statements about witnesses, jurors, prosecutors and court staff. The prosecution alleges Trump violated the order 10 times and is seeking a $1,000 fine for each violation. Trump’s lawyers argued that the former president has not violated the gag order, stating his comments were in response to a “barrage of political attacks” against him.
The judge did not make an immediate ruling after more than an hour of deliberations.
Columbia says talks with protestors continue after midnight deadline passes
After a midnight deadline to clear a campus encampment by pro-Palestinian protesters passed without a resolution, the university early Wednesday morning extended the deadline by 48 hours following “constructive dialogue” with the students.
A university spokesperson said protesters have committed to dismantling a number of tents, agreed that only Columbia students will participate in the protest and are taking steps to make the encampment welcoming to all.
The midnight deadline was set by Columbia President Minouche Shafik in a letter to the campus community late Tuesday night. In the letter, Shafik wrote that if negotiations to clear the encampment set up five days ago were not successful, “alternate options” would be considered to clear the West Lawn and “restore calm to campus.”
This deadline follows a week after New York police officers were called to another encampment, where more than 100 arrests were made, a move criticized by student and human rights groups.
In her letter, Shafik said the protesters at the West Lawn have been peaceful but that the encampment poses safety concerns and at times creates a hostile environment for many members of the university, adding it is “essential we move forward with a plan to dismantle it.”
Shortly after the original midnight deadline passed, a group of Columbia student negotiators released a statement saying the university threatened to send in the National Guard. However, Gov. Kathy Hochul, D, said earlier April 23, she had no plans to send in the National Guard.
Tennessee legislators pass bill allowing teachers to carry guns in classroom
Tennessee lawmakers have passed a bill allowing school staff to carry concealed handguns on school grounds, aimed at enhancing school safety. The measure was approved Tuesday, April 23, by a 68-28 vote in the Tennessee House a year after a shooting at a Nashville school killed three children and three adults.
The bill now heads to Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s desk where he could either sign it or allow it to become a law without his signature.
Supporters argue the legislation serves as a deterrent to potential threats, requiring staff to undergo 40 hours of specialized training annually.
Critics condemn the approach, suggesting it inappropriately responds to school shootings by introducing more guns into the environment.
At least 26 other states allow school employees to be armed.
FTC votes to ban non-competes
In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, April 23, the Federal Trade Commission voted to ban non-compete agreements nationwide, affecting an estimated 30 million workers.
This rule prohibits new non-compete clauses and nullifies existing ones, except for certain high-earning senior executives. The move is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to boost worker mobility and economic growth, potentially fostering the creation of thousands of new businesses.
“We heard from employees who, because of non-competes, were stuck in abusive workplaces,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said. “One person noted when an employer merged with an organization whose religious principles conflicted with their own, a non-compete kept the worker locked in place and unable to freely switch to a job that didn’t conflict with their religious practices.”
While supporters applaud the decision as a victory for worker rights, opponents, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, argue it threatens to undermine the protection of trade secrets and competitive edge.
The FTC’s ban is expected to be challenged in court.
Tesla promises new affordable EV models by early 2025
After Tesla reported its biggest revenue drop in over a decade, CEO Elon Musk promised investors that production of new affordable electric vehicle models would begin by early 2025.
While details such as production numbers and price points were not disclosed, the announcement led Tesla’s stock to jump 13 percent in after-hours trading.
Tesla reported a 9% drop in sales year-over-year for the first quarter of 2024, its largest decline since 2012, with revenue falling to $21.3 billion from $23.33 billion a year earlier.
During his call with investors, Musk also discussed Tesla’s investments in artificial intelligence, plans to unveil robotaxis, and mentioned that the company is in talks with “one major automaker” about licensing its “full-self driving” assistance system.