Senate bill would require feds to increase the amount of time they spend in the office

A pair of senators is looking to get feds back to the office even more. If enacted, the Back to Work Act would require federal employees to spend 60% of their work hours in the office. It would mean a slight increase from the current in-person policy at many agencies, right now at about 50% in-the-office. Lawmakers say the bill is a way to address federal office space concerns, while still allowing for *some telework flexibility. Under the legislation, agencies would also have to monitor teleworking employees. They’d also have…

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The Best Hope for Electric Cars Could Be the GOP Districts Where They’re Made

Dozens of used electric-vehicle batteries were stacked like cordwood on pallets in a warehouse-style building about 30 miles east of Reno, Nevada, when I visited the site last week. The batteries were bound for an assembly line that would begin the chemical process of recycling up to 95 percent of the lithium, cobalt, and nickel they contain. Eventually, after treatment in two more buildings on the site, the metals will become a high-value, fine black powder called cathode active material that is shipped in vacuum-sealed containers to Toyota and Panasonic…

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Oklahoma Governor, Treasurer Vow to Defend State’s Anti-ESG Law

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt passionately defended the state’s anti-ESG law after a judge temporarily blocked it from being enforced. “We’re not going to let companies come into Oklahoma and attack our oil and gas industry,” Stitt said about the 2022 law. “That’s what the treasurer is trying to do, and we certainly support the treasurer in that effort.” During a news conference Friday, Stitt aligned himself with Treasurer Todd Russ after the state attorney general intervened to block Russ’ participation in the legal proceedings. Russ oversees the list of financial…

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MoveOn: Kennedy Jr. Can’t Wiggle Away on Abortion Stance

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to news that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is attempting to backtrack on his anti-abortion stance, MoveOn Political Action Chief Communications Officer Joel Payne released the following statement:  “Within the last year, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has supported an abortion ban and other restrictions on reproductive health. As recently as last week, his own running mate reaffirmed his anti-abortion views. We won’t let him wiggle out of this one.” ### MoveOn is celebrating 25 years of people-powered progress this year. For more than a generation, MoveOn…

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Protesters from abroad put student visas at risk; Biden urged to act against terrorist sympathizers

Some of those involved in the unruly campus protests against Israel are guests of the U.S. on foreign student visas, and pressure is mounting on President Biden to start revoking those visas to help schools regain control of their grounds. The Washington Times stories: White House

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Lawmakers press agencies on ‘employment barriers’ for federal employees teleworking overseas

The Biden administration is stepping up plans to make the federal government an employer of choice for military and Foreign Service families. Now lawmakers are pressing agencies for an update on these efforts. Democrats on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee are asking agencies how they’re “eliminating employment barriers and advancing employment opportunities” for military and civilian families who serve overseas. The 11 committee members, led by Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) are specifically asking the 24 largest federal agencies about how many of their employees are holding jobs while teleworking…

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