What would Biden’s FDR-style Climate Corps look like? – National & International News – THU 20May2021

What would Biden’s Climate Corps look like? House backs Capitol Riot probe. Sanders, Squad move to block $735m Israel arms sale.

NATIONAL NEWS

Biden proposes civilian Climate Corps

President Biden is proposing the creation of a civilian Climate Corps, similar to the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s. The primary mission of the Corps wouldn’t be to combat climate change but instead to mitigate risks in areas vulnerable to wildfires and floods. Corps members might, for example, cut back underbrush in wooded areas that can dry out and serve as kindling for wildfires.

The secondary mission would be to combat joblessness, especially among minority youth. Biden’s proposal has a price tag of only $10 billion dollars, a tiny fraction of the cost of the original CCC, accounting for inflation. The scope of employment would be smaller but more inclusive than the original CCC, which was segregated and barred women. Colin O’Mara, head of the National Wildlife Federation and longtime advocate of such a program says, “If this is simply a gap-year for college kids from the suburbs, we will have absolutely failed on every level”.

Click here to listen to the full 9-minute NPR story (opens in new tab).

House backs Capitol riot probe

The Democratic majority along with 35 Republicans in the House of Representatives have voted in favor of creating a 9/11-style commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The commission would investigate what led to the riot and how to prevent such events in the future.

Many Republicans saw the vote as a loyalty test to former President Trump, and 175 voted against the measure. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a staunch supporter of Trump and one of the House’s most polarizing members, condemned the commission was a Democratic ruse to “smear” Trump supporters.

The resolution to create the commission is unlikely to get the 10 Republican votes it needs in the Senate to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has already voiced his opposition, calling the commission’s purpose “slanted”.

Democrat Tim Ryan said before the House vote, “We have people scaling the Capitol, hitting the Capitol Police with lead pipes across the head, and we can’t get bipartisanship? What else has to happen in this country?”

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Israel violence continues despite calls for ceasefire

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Biden’s calls for de-escalation with Gaza. Netanyahu’s political future seems to depend on keeping hostilities going. However, as the death toll rises on both sides and Hamas calls for a truce, Netanyahu is quickly losing the moral high ground.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has always been a steadfast defender of Israel, much to the annoyance of his progressive supporters. But now, Sanders has introduced a resolution to block a $735 million US arms sale to Israel. Sanders’ resolution mirrors is similar to a House resolution from House Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who is of Palestinian descent, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

Biden approved the sale on Monday, and it only became public knowledge when the Washington Post reported it. Sanders says “At a moment when U.S.-made bombs are devastating Gaza, and killing women and children, we cannot simply let another huge arms sale go through without even a congressional debate”.

In the Senate, the resolution would only require a simple majority to pass, but it’s unclear whether all 50 Democrats would support it. In any case, Biden could still veto the resolution, and it would be unlikely to get the necessary 2/3 majority in both houses for an override.

Click here for the full story (opens in new tab).