The U.S National Fish and Wildlife Service Wednesday is expected to announce the extinction of 23 species, including the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, an elusive bird long-sought after by bird watchers throughout the southeast United States.  

The New York Times reports the list of extinctions includes 11 birds, eight freshwater mussels, two fish, a bat and a plant. Many of them were likely extinct, or almost so, by the time the Endangered Species Act passed in 1973.

The measure is intended to provide special protection for rare species on the brink of extinction.

U.S. officials have determined no amount of conservation would have been able to save these particular species.

Fish and Wildlife Species Classification Specialist Bridget Fahey told the Times, “Each of these 23 species represents a permanent loss to our nation’s natural heritage and to global biodiversity. And it’s a sobering reminder that extinction is a consequence of human-caused environmental change.”

Wildlife experts cite loss of habitat, usually due to human activities, as the top driver of extinction of species. Farming, logging, mining and damming take habitat from animals, while pollution and poaching drive down numbers as well.  

U.S. government scientists do not declare extinctions casually. It often takes decades of fruitless searching. About half of the species in this group were already considered extinct by the Switzerland-based International Union for Conservation of Nature, the global authority on the status of animals and plants.  

Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tend to move more slowly, in part because it is working through a backlog, but also to exhaust all efforts to follow up reports of sightings.

In the case of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, there have been numerous unconfirmed reports of both sightings of the large, colorful red, white and black bird with a large beak and head feathers, and of hearing its distinctive call in the woods.  

The U.S. broadcaster National Public Radio reports the IUCN is not putting the bird on its extinction list because they believe it may still exist in parts of Cuba.

Some information in this report was provided by the Associated Press and Reuters news organizations.
…

If Congress fails to act, the U.S. government’s authority to continue spending money will expire at midnight on Thursday, forcing more than 1 million federal workers and an untold number of contractors to stop working. Thousands more will be expected to continue working without clarity about precisely when they will be paid. 

“The stakes are whether the United States government is able to answer the many challenges that we face as a country,” said Max Stier, president of the Partnership for Public Service, an advocacy group for improved federal government.

And once the government shuts down, Stier said, restarting it isn’t like flipping a switch. 

“This is a multitrillion-dollar, very complex entity,” he told VOA. “And so, turning it off and turning it back on actually takes a ton of energy and a bunch of time. So, it is highly costly — billions of dollars costly — when you have a shutdown, even if it’s not for a very long period of time.” 

History of shutdowns 

Since 1980, the federal government has shut down because of a lack of funding 21 different times. 

This would be the first government shutdown of President Joe Biden’s term in office. Going back to Jimmy Carter’s term in office from 1977 to 1981, every U.S. president except for George W. Bush has experienced at least one such funding crisis, though the majority have lasted only a few days and several have been for a few hours. 

The last time the government shut down was in 2018, when a dispute between then-President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats over his proposal to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico resulted in a record-setting 35-day partial closure that stretched into January 2019. 

Not a full shutdown 

The term “government shutdown” is something of a misnomer. Under existing rules, when the government runs out of funding, federal agencies are required to furlough all “nonessential” employees. Doctors and nurses at hospitals run by the Department of Veterans Affairs will still be allowed to go to work. So will Transportation Security Agency officers, active duty members of the military and most federal law enforcement officers. 

But employees deemed essential will still not be paid until the shutdown is resolved. 

In a sign of the degree to which government shutdowns have been normalized as just part of how Washington does business, Trump in 2019 signed the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, which guarantees that federal workers, essential and nonessential, receive the back pay they missed during the duration of any future government shutdowns. 

However, Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said that a promise of getting paid eventually is cold comfort to a federal worker unable to pay their rent. 

“So many of our members live paycheck to paycheck,” Kelley told VOA. “Unless a creditor or landlord agrees to work with them, they’re going to be in a terrible situation.” 

If financial distress winds up affecting a furloughed employee’s credit rating, Kelley said, the damage can extend to their careers. “A lot of security clearances depend on your credit rating,” Kelley said, meaning that workers whose credit suffers could lose their jobs. 

What to expect 

In past shutdowns, the most publicly visible effects were the closure of national parks and the museums near the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Those would also likely happen this time around. But it’s beneath the surface where shutdowns cause real turmoil. 

About 60% of government employees would be barred from working during a shutdown, which means that any number of seemingly mundane procedures would stop happening. New passport applications wouldn’t be processed; small business loans wouldn’t be approved; requests for federal retirement benefits would stop moving through the system. 

Most Americans would not be immediately affected by stalled government activity. But those who are — a person waiting for a passport, a small-business owner waiting for funding, a retiree needing income — could face anything from inconvenience to significant economic injury. 

Employees of government contractors are particularly vulnerable. For example, Congress has contracts with private firms to supply the workers who provide food service on Capitol Hill and clean congressional offices. During a shutdown, those workers cannot work, and because they are paid an hourly wage rather than a salary, they rarely recover those lost wages. 

Economic damage is limited and localized 

The 35-day shutdown during the Trump administration was only partial, because before it began, Congress had passed funding measures for some agencies, most notably the Department of Defense.

Nevertheless, the Congressional Budget Office later estimated that the shutdown had “delayed approximately $18 billion in federal discretionary spending for compensation and purchases of goods and services, and suspended some federal services.”

The overall impact on GDP was minor, the CBO found. During the shutdown and immediately following it, economic activity slumped noticeably, but much of that “lost” productivity was recouped later in the year. On balance, the CBO said that the 35-day shutdown cut 2019 GDP in the U.S. by just 0.02% 

However, the CBO noted, the damage from the shutdown was not equally distributed.

“Underlying those effects on the overall economy are much more significant effects on individual businesses and workers,” the agency found. “Among those who experienced the largest and most direct negative effects are federal workers who faced delayed compensation and private-sector entities that lost business. Some of those private-sector entities will never recoup that lost income.” 

‘Completely irresponsible’ 

Kelley, of the American Federation of Government Employees, pointed out that it is unprecedented for the government to be shut down in the midst of a pandemic, calling it “completely irresponsible” to hobble agencies battling COVID-19 with staff shortages. 

“Shutting down the government at this critical juncture, in this fight against the dangerous delta variant (of the COVID-19 virus) is simply unthinkable,” he said. 

Stier, whose organization prepared detailed guidance for government agencies navigating shutdowns, said all that guidance had to be rewritten to reflect employees working remotely, and that new measures remain untested. 

 
…

Florida filed suit against President Joe Biden’s administration Tuesday, claiming his immigration policy is illegal. Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed an order barring state agencies from assisting with the relocation of undocumented immigrants arriving in the state. 

DeSantis’ order authorized the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Highway Patrol “to detain any aircraft, bus, or other vehicle within the State of Florida reasonably believed to be transporting illegal aliens to Florida from the Southwest Border” — if allowed by federal and state law. The caveat likely prevents them from seizing federal aircraft. 

He also ordered the agencies to gather information on the identities of any immigrants arriving illegally in Florida from the U.S.-Mexico border and told state agencies not to spend money assisting those immigrants unless required by law. 

Democratic state Representative Anna Eskamani criticized DeSantis, saying he’s using the immigration issue to score political points with his conservative base instead of focusing on other issues facing the state. 

“He is completely bonkers and just wants to distract everyday people from real-life issues,” she said. “We have an affordable housing crisis. We have climate change to worry about. We have folks that can’t find a good paying job. There’s so many issues around us, and this is what he chooses.” 

Attorney General Ashley Moody’s lawsuit claims the federal immigration policy will cost the state millions of dollars and cause harm to Florida. 

“While some arriving migrants have legitimate asylum claims, many do not. Some are gang members and drug traffickers exploiting the crisis at the border, as evidenced by the skyrocketing amount of fentanyl seized at the border this year,” the suit says. 

Moody and DeSantis held a news conference in southwest Florida in which both strongly condemned Biden on immigration and praised former President Donald Trump’s policies. 

“President Biden is aiding and abetting criminal cartels,” Moody said. 

Asked about the lawsuit and DeSantis’ order, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said she hadn’t seen the suit. 

“Any Republican or any member who wants to have a constructive conversation about solutions to addressing what we all agree is not a long-term sustainable operational or moral approach to immigration, we’re happy to have that conversation,” Psaki said. 

DeSantis, considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has been attacking Biden on immigration for months. He sent Florida law enforcement officers to Texas to help deter illegal border crossings, and he and Moody later visited the border and held a news conference to talk about the issue. 

 
…

The U.S. government is likely to run out of money to pay its bills on October 18 if the country’s debt ceiling is not raised, Treasury chief Janet Yellen warned congressional leaders on Tuesday.

She said that absent a congressional vote to lift the country’s debt ceiling, either to a specific amount or to some extended date to allow continued borrowing, Treasury officials expect the country “would be left with very limited resources that would be quickly depleted” after the next three weeks.

Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would try later Tuesday to win unanimous support in the Senate to hold a simple majority vote in the 100-member chamber to raise the debt ceiling rather than the 60-vote threshold needed for most major legislation.

Republicans on Monday rejected a debt ceiling increase that also would have averted a partial government shutdown starting on Friday.

The national government’s debt now stands at $28.4 trillion, but the U.S., virtually alone among governments throughout the world, has for decades imposed limits on its borrowing or occasionally lifted the debt ceiling until a certain date.

Congress has always raised the debt ceiling or lifted it entirely for a period of time to prevent the U.S. from defaulting on its debts, averting a worldwide financial crisis spawned by the biggest global economy.

But now the country is facing a new cash crunch without congressional approval for more borrowing.

Long-term government borrowing is designed to pay for measures already approved over the years by Congress, including aid supported by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the last year to help the U.S. economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

But Senate Republicans on Monday blocked the Democratic-supported measure to raise the debt ceiling, contending that a new debt limit would allow for passage of spending Republicans oppose, as much as $3.5 trillion that President Joe Biden and many congressional Democrats support to provide the biggest expansion of U.S. social safety net programs since the 1960s.

In her letter to congressional leaders, Yellen said the government’s daily cash flow varies widely, from nearly $50 billion a day over the last year to as much as $300 billion.

“As a result, it is important to remember that estimates regarding how long our remaining extraordinary measures and cash may last can unpredictably shift forward or backward,” she said. “This uncertainty underscores the critical importance of not waiting to raise or suspend the debt limit.”

“The full faith and credit of the United States should not be put at risk,” she said.

Yellen said that past debt limit impasses have shown “that waiting until the last minute can cause serious harm to business and consumer confidence, raise borrowing costs for taxpayers, and negatively impact the credit rating of the United States for years to come. Failure to act promptly could also result in substantial disruptions to financial markets, as heightened uncertainty can exacerbate volatility and erode investor confidence.”

The legislation rejected by Senate Republicans on Monday would also have averted a partial government shutdown on Friday, October 1, the start of a new fiscal year for the national government.

Republicans say they will support stand-alone legislation to keep the government operating into December while budget negotiations continue, but not a measure combining it with an increase in the debt ceiling. That could force the narrow Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress to approve the debt ceiling increase on their own without Republican support.

“We are not willing to help Democrats raise the debt ceiling while they write a reckless taxing and spending spree of historic proportions behind closed doors,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell told the Senate.

Democrats say some of the nation’s debt was incurred during the administration of President Donald Trump because of large tax cuts he supported. Historically, both parties have voted to raise the limit to prevent the United States from defaulting on its debts.  

Schumer said that the Republican action is “one of the most reckless and irresponsible votes I have seen take place in the Senate” and that “the Republican Party has solidified itself as the party of default.”

In addition to debate on the debt ceiling, Congress is in the midst of contentious discussions on the Democrats’ plan for the social safety net spending, with no Republicans supporting it.

There is more bipartisan support for a $1 trillion infrastructure plan to fix the country’s deteriorating roads and bridges and expand broadband internet service throughout the country. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has scheduled a Thursday vote on the legislation, which the Senate has already approved.
…

After five years of legal battles, gentrification concerns and a federal review, Barack and Michelle Obama were expected to attend a celebratory groundbreaking Tuesday on their legacy project in a lakefront Chicago park.

Construction on the site along Lake Michigan, near the Obama family home and where the former president started his political career on Chicago’s South Side, officially began last month. Work on the Obama Presidential Center is expected to take about five years.

The Obamas were scheduled to host an event, which will be streamed online to limit crowds amid the coronavirus pandemic, with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Barack Obama told ABC’s “Good Morning America” in an interview broadcast Tuesday that he hopes the center will bring an economic boost to Chicago’s South Side and also inspire the area’s young people.

“There’s young people who are enormously talented but often forgotten and so for us to be able to build a world-class institution that will attract millions of people hopefully will send a signal that those young people count, those young people matter,” he said.

The presidential center, which will sit on 19 acres (7.7 hectares) of the 540-acre (291-hectare) Jackson Park, will be unique among presidential libraries. 

Obama’s presidential papers will be available in digital form. The sprawling campus center will include a museum, public library branch, athletic center, test kitchen and children’s play area.

The initial cost the center was projected at $500 million, but documents released by the Obama Foundation last month showed it is now roughly $830 million. Funds are being raised through private donations.

Progress on the center has been delayed by lawsuits and a federal review required because of the location of Jackson Park, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. At the same time, fears about displacing Black residents in the area developed into a yearslong battle resulting in city-approved neighborhood protections, including for affordable housing.

Obama chose Chicago over several cities including Honolulu, where he spent his early years.

It’s a part of the city that has special significance for the Obamas. The center is near the University of Chicago where Obama taught law and where the Obamas got married and raised their two daughters. Michelle Obama also grew up on the South Side.

“Part of the reason we’re here is just about everything that’s important to me in my life started here,” Obama said in the “Good Morning America” interview. 

Michelle Obama said in a video announcement that when it came time to plan the Obama Presidential Center the couple “wanted to give something back to the place that gave us so much.”
…

R. Kelly, the superstar American R&B singer known for his anthem “I Believe I Can Fly,” was convicted Monday in a sex-trafficking trial after decades of avoiding criminal responsibility for numerous allegations of misconduct with young women and children. 

A jury of seven men and five women found Kelly guilty of racketeering on their second day of deliberations. Kelly remained motionless; eyes downcast as the verdict was read. The charges were based on an argument that the entourage of managers and aides who helped the singer meet girls amounted to a criminal enterprise. Kelly’s lawyer plans to file an appeal.

“Of course, Mr. Kelly is disappointed,” said Deveraux Cannick, R. Kelly’s attorney. “He did not anticipate this verdict because based on the evidence, why should he anticipate this verdict? When you go with the discovery you saw witness after witness is giving three, four, five different versions as to what they said happened here. 

Widespread public condemnation didn’t come until a widely watched docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly” helped make his case a signifier of the #MeToo era, and gave voice to accusers who wondered if their stories were previously ignored because they were Black women.

Tarana Burke, founder of the “#MeToo” Movement, says Kelly’s conviction shows women of color that they matter.   

“This has been a very long time coming,” said Burke. “So, not only the survivors, but for the organizers and activists and writers. And just like, plethora of Black women and some of our allies who have been at this for the longest time, who have been ringing the alarm for the longest time. It felt like, gosh, this is not always the way justice will be served if we can call it justice, but at least it feels like something.”

Kelly was also convicted of criminal counts accusing him of violating the Mann Act, which makes it illegal to take anyone across state lines “for any immoral purpose.”

For years, the public and news media seemed to be more amused than horrified by allegations of inappropriate relationships with minors, starting with Kelly’s illegal marriage to the R&B phenom Aaliyah in 1994 when she was just 15 years old.

 
…