Stay up-to-date on what’s in the news with the Y’all Politics Daily Roundup.
YP – Wicker, Hyde-Smith, Thompson vote for stopgap bill, averting federal government shutdown
U.S. Senate Democrat and Republicans leaders announced Thursday that they had reached an agreement on a stopgap funding resolution that would avert a shutdown of the federal government. The agreement pushes the funding question back to mid-February.
The 11-week agreement keeps federal spending roughly at the current levels while adding $7 billion to aid Afghan evacuees.
Senate Republicans appear willing to continue to negotiate spending authorizations through short term continuing resolutions if for no other reason than to stall the Democrats’ gargantuan spending and progressive social policy agenda…
…Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith were among the 19 Republicans to join all Democrats in the Senate to approve the measure in a 69-28 vote…
…All three Republican Congressmen from the Magnolia State – Trent Kelly (MS 1), Michael Guest (MS 3) and Steven Palazzo (MS 4) – opposed the resolution while the state’s lone Democrat, Congressman Bennie Thompson (MS 2) voted with his side of the aisle to pass the resolution. The total House vote was 217-209, with no Republican support.
YP – Federal jobs report misses mark, adding only 210,000 in November. Unemployment rate declines to 4.2%.
On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released a jobs report for November. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 210,000 in November, and the unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage point to 4.2%. The number of unemployed persons fell by 542,000 to 6.9 million.
Both the unemployment rate and the number of unemployment persons are down from their highs at the end of the February-April 2020 recession, but remain above their levels prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, America’s employers added just 210,000 jobs, 340,000 below the expected number. This is the lowest monthly gain in nearly a year.
YP – WICKER: Senate Majority Leader Schumer dragging his feet on National Defense bill
Our two greatest adversaries, China and Russia, are getting more aggressive by the week. In recent days, Russia has tested our resolve by placing 90,000 battle-ready troops along its border with Ukraine. Moscow is also close to completing a major pipeline into Europe in the hopes of making our allies more dependent on Russia for energy. Meanwhile, China is achieving new military strength. Beijing recently surprised the world with a missile test demonstrating how far their weapons technology has progressed. In addition, Chinese planes continue to harass our ally Taiwan as China’s leadership openly talks of invasion.
Standing up to these threats will require decisive action from our President and a fully funded U.S. military. Unfortunately, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has been dragging his feet on this year’s annual defense authorization bill, which is essential to keeping our military running. Even some Democrats have grown frustrated with this delay, including Adam Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Failure to pass this all-important bill is adding to the perception that America is growing weaker under President Biden.
YP – Palazzo, Thompson vote to pass Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act
Earlier this week, 80 Republicans in the U.S. House joined all Democrats to pass H.R. 550, the Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act.
Among those voting in favor of the bill were Mississippi Congressmen Bennie Thompson (D-MS 2) and Steven Palazzo (R-MS 4). The other two Congressmen from the Magnolia State – Congressmen Trent Kelly (R-MS 1) and Michael Guest (R-MS 3) – opposed the measure…
…Congressman Palazzo tells Y’all Politics that after a careful reading of the bill, there is no indication of a new federal database being created nor does it jeopardize a citizen’s right to privacy.
“I read through H.R. 550 thoroughly and consulted information directly from the Republican cosponsors of this bill, and NOWHERE did I find any indication that it would create a new federal database,” Congressman Palazzo said in an email response. “I have always been a strong advocate for the right to privacy and would have been the first to vote against this bill if I believed it jeopardized anyone’s confidential information.”
MSDH COVID-19 Reporting
Today MSDH is reporting 296 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, 7 deaths, and 33 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. State #covid19 totals: 515,504 cases, 10,296 deaths, and 1,414,527 persons fully vaccinated. Full COVID-19 information: https://t.co/YCv9xPyJDk pic.twitter.com/MD41jnvDWc
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) December 3, 2021
WDAM – Unvaccinated Starkville employees to pay more for insurance
Starkville city employees who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 may have to pay an extra $75 a month for medical insurance starting in early February.
Aldermen for the Mississippi city set the policy back in September, but delayed implementation until February.
Board attorney Chris Latimer told the board it must provide a reasonable alternative to the surcharge to meet legal requirements for the increase.
WJTV – Mississippi to receive nearly $75M in infrastructure funding
Mississippi will receive nearly $75 million in water infrastructure funding as part of the recent bipartisan infrastructure bill, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials announced this week.
It’s unclear how the money will be allocated within the state, but EPA Administrator Michael Regan said states should prioritize underserved communities, calling the law “a historic opportunity to correct longstanding environmental and economic injustices across America.”
