Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Plans To Shift USAID Funds To Boost 'America First' Agenda
The Washington Post: Trump Administration Eyes USAID Money To Advance America First Goals
The Trump administration, in its latest challenge to Congress’s authority over federal spending, intends to shift almost $2 billion in U.S. foreign aid toward a slate of priorities aimed largely at advancing the president’s “America First” agenda. The plan, which has not been reported previously, was outlined for lawmakers in a document the State Department sent to Capitol Hill on Sept. 12 and later reviewed by The Washington Post. It represents a dramatic rebranding of Washington’s approach to foreign assistance after the Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) this year. (Robertson, 9/24)
The New York Times: U.N. Health Goals Weakened By Industry Pressure, Experts Say
In many respects, the United Nations declaration on chronic diseases that world leaders are expected to adopt on Thursday offers bold recommendations to combat soaring rates of hypertension, cancer, diabetes and other health conditions that kill a combined 43 million people a year. The document calls on its 193 member states to adopt universal health coverage and to increase access to mental health services. It also urges countries to add health warnings to cigarette and nicotine products, in an effort to reduce the number of premature deaths from tobacco. (Jacobs, 9/24)
More on MAHA —
Bloomberg: Trump Taps Ben Carson To Help Push MAHA Nutrition Agenda At USDA
Former Republican presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson will take on a temporary role as a senior nutrition and housing adviser at the US Agriculture Department. Beginning Wednesday, Carson will serve as a point person at USDA to help advance Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda to “Make America Healthy Again,” an agency spokesperson said. USDA manages many key federal nutrition programs including SNAP benefits for low-income families and the national school meals program. (Peterson, 9/24)
On the restructuring of the federal government —
Politico: White House To Agencies: Prepare Mass Firing Plans For A Potential Shutdown
The White House budget office is instructing federal agencies to prepare reduction-in-force plans for mass firings during a possible government shutdown, specifically targeting employees who work for programs that are not legally required to continue. The Office of Management and Budget move to permanently reduce the government workforce if there is a shutdown, outlined in a memo shared with POLITICO ahead of release to agencies tonight, escalates the stakes of a potential shutdown next week. (Cai, 9/24)
The Washington Post: Federal Judge Declines To Reinstate Inspectors General Fired By Trump
A federal judge in Washington on Wednesday declined to reinstate eight inspectors general fired by President Donald Trump as part of a purge of government watchdogs in the early days of his second term, though she agreed the terminations were unlawful. In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes said it was “obvious” that Trump violated the 1978 Inspector General Act with the firings because he did not provide Congress with a 30-day notice of the dismissals or a valid reason for the removal of the Senate-confirmed inspectors general. (Cho, 9/25)
Politico: The Trump Administration Is Pushing Courts To Make More ‘New Law’
Federal courts tend to avoid tackling unprecedented questions that strike at the heart of the separation of powers — the large and small mysteries left by the framers (and amenders) of the Constitution. Judges at every level are painfully aware that their decisions in cases of “first impression” risk unintended consequences that could destabilize the nation’s balance of power. So when those questions present themselves, they often find ways to resolve the cases without issuing far-reaching rulings, or making “new law.” (Cheney, 9/24)
On the immigration crisis —
The New York Times: Dallas ICE Facility Shooting Leaves One Detainee Dead And Two Injured
A sniper perched on a nearby rooftop fired at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Dallas on Wednesday morning, killing one detainee and critically injuring two others, the Department of Homeland Security said. It was the latest act of violence to raise fears that politically motivated attacks are increasing in the United States. The authorities said that the gunman killed himself, and that no law enforcement officers were injured in the attack. (Goodman, Aleaziz and Levenson, 9/24)
ABC News 4: Court Ruling May Open Doors For Health Inspections At Tacoma's ICE Detention Center
The immigrant detention center in Tacoma has fought for years to keep health inspectors out of the facility, but a recent court ruling may finally clear the way. Over the past several years, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has received nearly 2,700 complaints about conditions inside the Northwest ICE Processing Center. However, it has been severely limited in its ability to follow up. Among the thousands of complaints received are issues regarding disease outbreaks involving tuberculosis, as well as access to medication, sanitation, and overcrowding. (Moreno, 9/24)
