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Biden Reaffirms Afghanistan Withdrawal Plan
President Biden argued that the U.S. had achieved its military objectives against Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, and that the drawdown would continue on schedule even as the Taliban gained ground.
When I announced our drawdown in April, I said, we would be out by September and we’re on track to meet that target. Excuse me, our military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on August 31. The drawdown is proceeding in a secure and orderly way, prioritizing the safety of our troops as they depart. Our military commanders advise me that once I made the decision to end the war, we needed to move swiftly to conduct. The main elements of the drawdown. And in this context, speed is safety. And Thanks to the way in which we have managed our withdrawal, no one, no one US forces or any forces have been lost. The United States did what we want to do in Afghanistan to get the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 and delivered justice to Osama bin
Maine lawmakers pass suite of bills to expand voting access
The Democratic-controlled Legislature passed the measures in a year when voting rights and access became political footballs in many states.
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During a year of pitched partisan battles elsewhere over voter rights and election processes, Maine lawmakers made it easier to register to vote and permanently adopted some election measures that had been implemented temporarily during the pandemic.
Not all voting-related measures had strong bipartisan backing in the Maine Legislature, to be sure. Bills opening the door to online voter registration or to allow college students to use their student ID when registering, for instance, were passed by the Democratic majority over the objections of Republican colleagues.
USA TODAY
The announcement came after an anti-Trump PAC said it would target companies that donated to lawmakers who refused to certify the election.
The decision backtracks on Toyota’s previous donation stance.
Toyota Motor Corp. will no longer donate to members of Congress who voted against certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 election win in January, the company said Thursday. Toyota is committed to supporting and promoting actions that further our democracy. Our company has long-standing relationships with Members of Congress across the political spectrum, especially those representing our U.S. operations, spokesperson Edward Lewis told The Detroit News via email.
Hans Koepsell, Hans Koepsell, Deseret News
The Internal Revenue Service has agreed to grant tax-exempt status to a Texas-based nonprofit that urges Christians to pray for elected officials and vote after Republicans in Congress, including two from Utah, expressed outrage at its initial decision.
First Liberty Institute says the reversal came after a national backlash against the IRS’ rejection of nonprofit status for Christians Engaged because the agency claimed that “the sanctity of life, biblical marriage, and biblical justice” were associated principally with political platforms.
First Liberty Institute represented Christians Engaged in its appeal after tax-exempt status was denied because of the group’s teachings.