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In Mississippi
1. Hyde-Smith, colleagues introduce legislation to codify definitions of male, female
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith announced on Wednesday that she had joined U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas in introducing legislation to codify the legal definitions of male and female.
Hyde-Smith’s office said the Defining Male and Female Act of 2024 (S.5356) would establish clear, biologically-based legal definitions of male, female, and sex, grounded in science, not ideology.
“Ensuring that the legal definitions of male and female are based on biological reality is essential to protecting women and girls. This isn’t just about fairness. It’s also about safeguarding our children, upholding the fundamentals of Title IX, and defending women’s rights,” Hyde-Smith said in a statement.
According to the Senator, the Defining Male and Female Act of 2024 would restore key protections for women and children, including ensuring women and girls have the right to participate in sex-segregated sports and access scholarships; preserving the separation of restrooms, locker rooms, dormitories, prisons, and shelters for victims of sexual assault based on biological sex; and recognizing the clear biological differences between males and females, as well as the distinct roles of mothers and fathers.
Mississippi Congressman Michael Guest is an original cosponsor of a companion bill (HR.9218) in the House of Representatives.
2. Wicker’s TSA screening legislation heads to House
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker’s office announced on Thursday that the U.S. Senate had passed his Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act, putting it one step closer to becoming law. It now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.
According to Wicker, current Transportation Security Administration (TSA) policies often mandate separate applications for required credentials such as the Transportation Worker Identification Credential and Hazardous Materials Endorsements, even though TSA conducts a Security Threat Assessment (STA) for each program. This means that applicants have to submit duplicative background check paperwork and fees.
Wicker said his legislation would standardize the process so applicants only have to enroll at a TSA enrollment center once to apply for multiple credentials. Applicants would not be charged twice for the same STA. These reforms do not make any modifications to the backend security assessment conducted on individual applicants.
National News & Foreign Policy
1. Trump turns to Bondi for AG
President-elect Donald Trump announced that he was nominating former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for U.S. Attorney General hours after Matt Gaetz said Thursday that he was withdrawing from consideration.
The Washington Post reported that “Bondi, 59, is a longtime Trump loyalist who served on the defense team during his first impeachment trial.”
“In 2010, Bondi became the first woman to be elected Florida attorney general and served two terms. She serves in leadership roles with the Center for Litigation and the Center for Law and Justice at the America First Policy Institute,” WP reported, adding, “She is also a partner at Ballard Partners, a powerhouse lobbying firm where Trump’s incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles once worked. The firm’s website lists Bondi as chair of the corporate regulatory compliance practice.”
2. Who’s chairing new House committee on government efficiency?
The New York Times reports that Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, is poised to hold a gavel for the first time in the U.S. House.
“Representative James Comer of Kentucky, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, is planning to create a new subcommittee to partner with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to ‘eliminate government waste,” NYT reported. “The committee, which has yet to be created, will work with the new Department of Government Efficiency, known as ‘DOGE,’ and leading Republicans have agreed to allow Ms. Greene to serve as its chairwoman.”
NYT added, “Republicans said the committee would be charged with investigating waste and corruption within the federal government.”
Sports & Entertainment
1. Big 3 back in action this Saturday
With just two weeks before the end of the regular college football season, No. 9 Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss are all back on the gridiron this Saturday. Here’s how to watch:
- Ole Miss heads to Florida seeking to remain in the playoff hunt. Kickoff in The Swamp is 11 a.m. on ABC.
- Mississippi State is hosting No. 23 Missouri. Kickoff is 3:15 p.m. It is airing on the SEC Network.
- Southern Miss is hosting South Alabama for a 2 p.m. kickoff. The game will air on ESPN+.
2. JSU heads to Alcorn for regular season finale
Jackson State, the Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division champion, closes out the regular season on Saturday against in-state rival Alcorn State.
The game kicks off at Alcorn at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN+. The Tigers are on a seven-game winning streak.
Markets & Business
1. Stocks on pace to post weekly gains
CNBC reports that S&P 500 futures were near flat on Friday, but the major U.S. averages remained on pace to post weekly gains.
“Futures connected to the broad index inched down just 0.1%, while Nasdaq-100 futures lost 0.2%. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 35 points, or 0.1%,” CNBC reported, adding, “The Dow rose more than 400 points, while the S&P 500 added 0.5%. On the other hand, the Nasdaq Composite ticked only marginally higher.”
CNBC noted, “All three major averages are on track for a positive week, led by the Nasdaq Composite’s gain of 1.56%. That’s a change from last week, when Wall Street’s postelection rally stalled.”
2. Farm bill extension likely
The Hill reports that “House Republicans rejected a farm bill proposal by Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) this week, increasing the likelihood that lawmakers will pass another one-year extension of the massive legislation by the end of the year rather than a new, longer-term measure.”
“Major bones of contention in interparty talks surrounding the legislation include reference pricing, the subsidies paid to farmers when the prices of commodities fall below a certain threshold,” The Hill reported. “GOP lawmakers are specifically seeking higher reference prices for cotton, peanuts and rice with the increase paid for by cuts to the Commodity Credit Corporation, which the Biden administration has used for climate-related discretionary funds. Democrats have opposed this move, as well as a GOP push to freeze the expansion of the foods covered by the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (SNAP).”
Magnolia Tribune
