America Act

• Fourteen U.S. states have already implemented laws similar to the federal SAVE Act, requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register. • While the federal version of the SAVE Act faces potential stalls in Congress, proponents are shifting their strategy toward state-level legislation and citizen-initiated ballot measures. • These measures aim to tighten voter registration requirements, reflecting a broader push by MAGA-aligned legislators to mandate citizenship verification.

• Descendants of civil rights activists, including Cassie Schwerner of the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility, are warning that the U.S. is regressing in its commitment to voting rights. • The concern centers on the erosion of protections for voters, specifically citing a 2013 Supreme Court decision that removed the requirement for certain jurisdictions to seek Department of Justice approval before changing voting laws. • This shift is viewed as a betrayal of the sacrifices made by those who died fighting for the landmark Voting Rights Act as the nation nears its 250th anniversary.

• Survivors of activists who died fighting for voting rights are warning that the U.S. is regressing as the nation nears its 250th anniversary. • The concerns center on the erosion of the Voting Rights Act, a landmark law enacted six decades ago to protect minority voters. • A critical turning point was the 2013 Supreme Court decision that removed the requirement for jurisdictions with discriminatory histories to seek Department of Justice approval before changing voting rules.

• An Obama-appointed judge has blocked an executive order issued by Donald Trump intended to prevent non-citizens from registering to vote in federal elections. • The court ruled that the president exceeded his legal authority by attempting to create a federal voter registration list, as election rules typically fall under different jurisdictions. • This decision marks a significant legal setback for the administration's efforts to implement the SAVE America Act's goals through executive action.

• The proposed Great American Artificial Intelligence Act (GAAIA) aims to build state capacity and enable policymakers to adapt to the evolving AI landscape. • The bill establishes the Center for AI Safety and Innovation (CAISI), which will be tasked with briefing Congress on catastrophic risks and critical safety incidents reported by AI companies. • CAISI will be responsible for updating regulatory definitions for "frontier developers" and "frontier models" while identifying legal gaps that hinder its mission.

• The traditional compact between American science and politics is fracturing, exemplified by budget hawks in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) pressuring NASA to implement broad buyouts and early retirement packages. • This political interference extends to research constraints, where scientists like Christopher Reynolds face potential project cancellations and funding instability. • An NSF director warns that researchers attempting to ignore critical variables such as ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status to secure grants will face rejection from peer reviewers.

Health officials to take ‘proactive measures’ in response to the ongoing Ebola virus epidemic in the DRC and UgandaSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailUS health authorities confirmed on Monday that an American has developed Ebola after being exposed during their work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); officials also said that they are taking “proactive measures” to protect US citizens in response to the ongoing Ebola virus epidemic in the DRC and Uganda.Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the case on Monday and said the individual was being evacuated to Germany. They developed symptoms over the weekend and tested positive late Sunday, said Satish K Pillai, an incident manager for the CDC’s Ebola response in a press conference. Continue reading...