WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Joe Biden speaks about <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1322976702419636225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">the “scourge” of gun violence</a>, his go-to answer is to zero in on so-called <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/11/24/remarks-by-president-biden-after-visiting-with-local-firefighters/">assault weapons</a>.

America has heard it hundreds of times, including this week after shootings <a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-colorado-gun-politics-springs-7f079c7feebc32cc8ad46f2724844c18">in Colorado</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-shootings-virginia-holidays-51f60562dd259f73ce19c1b4d2f20ded">Virginia</a>: The president wants <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/11/20/statement-by-president-biden-on-the-deadly-shooting-in-colorado-springs/">to sign into law a ban on high-powered guns</a> that have the capacity to kill many people very quickly.

“The
 idea we still allow semi-automatic weapons to be purchased is sick. 
Just sick," Biden said on Thanksgiving Day. “I’m going to try to get rid
 of assault weapons.”

After the mass killing last Saturday at a 
gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, he said in a statement: "When will we
 decide we’ve had enough? ... We need to enact an assault weapons ban to
 get weapons of war off America’s streets.”

When Biden and other 
lawmakers talk about “assault weapons,” they are using an inexact term 
to describe a group of high-powered guns or semi-automatic long rifles, 
like an AR-15, that can fire 30 rounds fast without reloading. By 
comparison, New York Police Department officers carry a handgun that 
shoots about half that much.

A weapons ban is far off in a closely
 divided Congress. But Biden and the Democrats have become increasingly 
emboldened in pushing for stronger gun controls — and doing so with no 
clear electoral consequences.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-violence-politics-shootings-congress-fd91c092aef91a992ee959399ba6f222">The Democratic-led House passed legislation</a> in July to revive a 1990s-era ban on “assault weapons," with <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/29/statement-from-president-biden-on-house-passage-of-assault-weapons-ban/">Biden’s vocal support</a>. And the president pushed a ban nearly everywhere that he campaigned this year.

Still, in the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">midterm elections</a>, Democrats kept control of the Senate and Republicans were only able to claim the slimmest House majority in two decades.

The tough talk follows <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-gun-violence-bill-live-updates-20f7c9738fee4eba1d7fed155301ee25">passage</a> in June of a landmark <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">bipartisan bill on gun laws</a>, and it reflects steady progress that gun control advocates have been making in recent years.

“I
 think the American public has been waiting for this message,” said Sen.
 Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who has been the Senate’s leading advocate for 
stronger gun control since the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting">massacre of 20 children at a school in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012.</a>
 “There has been a thirst from voters, especially swing voters, young 
voters, parents, to hear candidates talk about gun violence, and I think
 Democrats are finally sort of catching up with where the public has 
been.”

Just over half of voters want to see nationwide gun policy 
made more strict, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of more 
than 94,000 voters nationwide conducted for The Associated Press by NORC
 at the University of Chicago. About 3 in 10 want gun policy kept as is.
 Only 14% prefer looser gun laws.

There are clear partisan 
divides. About 9 in 10 Democrats want stricter gun laws, compared with 
about 3 in 10 Republicans. About half of Republicans want gun laws left 
as they are and only one-quarter want to see gun laws be made less 
strict.

Once banned in the United States, the high-powered 
firearms are now the weapon of choice among young men responsible for 
many of the most devastating mass shootings. Congress allowed the 
restrictions first put in place in 1994 on the manufacture and sales of 
the weapons to expire a decade later, unable to muster the political 
support to counter the powerful gun lobby and reinstate the weapons ban.

When he was governor of Florida, current Republican Sen. Rick Scott <a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-shootings-shootings-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-039aaaa0f5b04a70bb34ea3022801ef1">signed gun control laws</a>
 in the wake of mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School 
and a night club in Orlando. But he has consistently opposed weapons 
bans, arguing like many of his Republican colleagues that most gun 
owners use them lawfully.

“People are doing the right thing, why 
would we take away their weapons?” Scott asked as the Senate was 
negotiating gun legislation last summer. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

He said more mental health counseling, assessments of troubled students and law enforcement on campus make more sense.

“Let’s focus on things that actually would change something,” Scott said.

Law
 enforcement officials have long called for stricter gun laws, arguing 
that the availability of these weapons makes people less safe and makes 
their jobs more dangerous.

Mike Moore, chief of the Los Angeles 
Police Department, the country's third-largest, said it just makes sense
 to talk about guns when gun violence is rising nationwide, and consider
 what the government can do to make the streets safer. He is grateful 
Biden is bringing it up so much.

“This isn't a one-and-done,” 
Moore said of the shooting in Colorado Springs. "These things are 
evolving all the time, in other cities, at any moment another incident 
happens. It's crying out for the federal government, for our 
legislators, to go out and make this change,” he said.

On Tuesday, six people were shot dead at a Walmart in Virginia. Over the past six months there has been a supermarket <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/buffalo-supermarket-shooting">shooting in Buffalo, New York</a>; a massacre of <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">school children in Uvalde, Texas</a>; and the July Fourth killing of <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/highland-park-july-4-shooting">revelers in Highland Park, Illinois.</a>

The
 legislation that Biden signed in June will, among other things, help 
states put in place “red flag” laws that make it easier for authorities 
to take weapons from people judged to be dangerous.

A
 60-vote threshold in the Senate means some Republicans must be on 
board. Most are are steadfastly opposed, arguing it would be too 
complicated, especially as sales and varieties of the firearms have 
proliferated. There are many more types of these high-powered guns today
 than in 1994, when the ban was signed into law by President Bill 
Clinton.

“I’d rather not try to define a whole group of guns as 
being no longer available to the American public,” said Republican Sen. 
Mike Rounds of South Dakota, who is a hunter and owns several guns, some
 of them passed down through his family. “For those of us who have grown
 up with guns as part of our culture, and we use them as tools — there’s
 millions of us, there’s hundreds of millions of us — that use them 
lawfully.”

In many states where the bans have been enacted, the restrictions are being challenged in court, gaining strength from a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">Supreme Court ruling</a> in June expanding gun rights.

“We
 feel pretty confident, even despite the arguments made by the other 
side, that history and tradition as well as the text of the Second 
Amendment are on our side," said David Warrington, chairman and general 
counsel for the National Association for Gun Rights.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-hinckley-biden-texas-buffalo-congress-588e9c6e02139b35043143932fe993c6">Biden was instrumental</a>
 in helping secure the 1990s ban as a senator. The White House said that
 while it was in place, mass shootings declined, and when it expired in 
2004, shootings tripled.

The reality is complicated. The data on 
the effectiveness is mixed and there is a sense that other measures that
 are not as politically fraught might actually be more effective, said 
Robert Spitzer, a political science professor at the State University of
 New York-Cortland and author of “The Politics of Gun Control."

Politically, the ban sparked a backlash, even though the final law was a compromise version of the initial bill, he said.

“The gun community was furious,” Spitzer said.

The
 ban has been blamed in some circles for the Democrats losing control of
 Congress in 1994, though subsequent research has shown that the loss 
was likely more about strong, well-funded conservative candidates and 
district boundaries, Spitzer said.

Still, after Democrat Al Gore, 
who supported stricter gun laws, lost to 2000 White House race to 
Republican George W. Bush, Democrats largely backed off the issue until 
the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. Even after that, it was not a campaign 
topic until the 2018 midterms.

“The
 fact that the American people elected a president who has long been a 
vocal and steadfast supporter of bold gun safety laws — and recently 
reelected a gun sense majority to the Senate — says everything you need 
to know about how dramatically the politics on this issue have shifted,”
 said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety.

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Joe Biden speaks about <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1322976702419636225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">the “scourge” of gun violence</a>, his go-to answer is to zero in on so-called <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/11/24/remarks-by-president-biden-after-visiting-with-local-firefighters/">assault weapons</a>.America has heard it hundreds of times, including this week after shootings <a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-colorado-gun-politics-springs-7f079c7feebc32cc8ad46f2724844c18">in Colorado</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-shootings-virginia-holidays-51f60562dd259f73ce19c1b4d2f20ded">Virginia</a>: The president wants <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/11/20/statement-by-president-biden-on-the-deadly-shooting-in-colorado-springs/">to sign into law a ban on high-powered guns</a> that have the capacity to kill many people very quickly.“The
 idea we still allow semi-automatic weapons to be purchased is sick. 
Just sick," Biden said on Thanksgiving Day. “I’m going to try to get rid
 of assault weapons.”After the mass killing last Saturday at a 
gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, he said in a statement: "When will we
 decide we’ve had enough? ... We need to enact an assault weapons ban to
 get weapons of war off America’s streets.”When Biden and other 
lawmakers talk about “assault weapons,” they are using an inexact term 
to describe a group of high-powered guns or semi-automatic long rifles, 
like an AR-15, that can fire 30 rounds fast without reloading. By 
comparison, New York Police Department officers carry a handgun that 
shoots about half that much.A weapons ban is far off in a closely
 divided Congress. But Biden and the Democrats have become increasingly 
emboldened in pushing for stronger gun controls — and doing so with no 
clear electoral consequences.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-violence-politics-shootings-congress-fd91c092aef91a992ee959399ba6f222">The Democratic-led House passed legislation</a> in July to revive a 1990s-era ban on “assault weapons," with <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/29/statement-from-president-biden-on-house-passage-of-assault-weapons-ban/">Biden’s vocal support</a>. And the president pushed a ban nearly everywhere that he campaigned this year.Still, in the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">midterm elections</a>, Democrats kept control of the Senate and Republicans were only able to claim the slimmest House majority in two decades.The tough talk follows <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-gun-violence-bill-live-updates-20f7c9738fee4eba1d7fed155301ee25">passage</a> in June of a landmark <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">bipartisan bill on gun laws</a>, and it reflects steady progress that gun control advocates have been making in recent years.“I
 think the American public has been waiting for this message,” said Sen.
 Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who has been the Senate’s leading advocate for 
stronger gun control since the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sandy-hook-elementary-school-shooting">massacre of 20 children at a school in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012.</a>
 “There has been a thirst from voters, especially swing voters, young 
voters, parents, to hear candidates talk about gun violence, and I think
 Democrats are finally sort of catching up with where the public has 
been.”Just over half of voters want to see nationwide gun policy 
made more strict, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of more 
than 94,000 voters nationwide conducted for The Associated Press by NORC
 at the University of Chicago. About 3 in 10 want gun policy kept as is.
 Only 14% prefer looser gun laws.There are clear partisan 
divides. About 9 in 10 Democrats want stricter gun laws, compared with 
about 3 in 10 Republicans. About half of Republicans want gun laws left 
as they are and only one-quarter want to see gun laws be made less 
strict.Once banned in the United States, the high-powered 
firearms are now the weapon of choice among young men responsible for 
many of the most devastating mass shootings. Congress allowed the 
restrictions first put in place in 1994 on the manufacture and sales of 
the weapons to expire a decade later, unable to muster the political 
support to counter the powerful gun lobby and reinstate the weapons ban.When he was governor of Florida, current Republican Sen. Rick Scott <a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-shootings-shootings-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-039aaaa0f5b04a70bb34ea3022801ef1">signed gun control laws</a>
 in the wake of mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School 
and a night club in Orlando. But he has consistently opposed weapons 
bans, arguing like many of his Republican colleagues that most gun 
owners use them lawfully.“People are doing the right thing, why 
would we take away their weapons?” Scott asked as the Senate was 
negotiating gun legislation last summer. “It doesn’t make any sense.”He said more mental health counseling, assessments of troubled students and law enforcement on campus make more sense.“Let’s focus on things that actually would change something,” Scott said.Law
 enforcement officials have long called for stricter gun laws, arguing 
that the availability of these weapons makes people less safe and makes 
their jobs more dangerous.Mike Moore, chief of the Los Angeles 
Police Department, the country's third-largest, said it just makes sense
 to talk about guns when gun violence is rising nationwide, and consider
 what the government can do to make the streets safer. He is grateful 
Biden is bringing it up so much.“This isn't a one-and-done,” 
Moore said of the shooting in Colorado Springs. "These things are 
evolving all the time, in other cities, at any moment another incident 
happens. It's crying out for the federal government, for our 
legislators, to go out and make this change,” he said.On Tuesday, six people were shot dead at a Walmart in Virginia. Over the past six months there has been a supermarket <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/buffalo-supermarket-shooting">shooting in Buffalo, New York</a>; a massacre of <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">school children in Uvalde, Texas</a>; and the July Fourth killing of <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/highland-park-july-4-shooting">revelers in Highland Park, Illinois.</a>The
 legislation that Biden signed in June will, among other things, help 
states put in place “red flag” laws that make it easier for authorities 
to take weapons from people judged to be dangerous.But a ban was never on the table.A
 60-vote threshold in the Senate means some Republicans must be on 
board. Most are are steadfastly opposed, arguing it would be too 
complicated, especially as sales and varieties of the firearms have 
proliferated. There are many more types of these high-powered guns today
 than in 1994, when the ban was signed into law by President Bill 
Clinton.“I’d rather not try to define a whole group of guns as 
being no longer available to the American public,” said Republican Sen. 
Mike Rounds of South Dakota, who is a hunter and owns several guns, some
 of them passed down through his family. “For those of us who have grown
 up with guns as part of our culture, and we use them as tools — there’s
 millions of us, there’s hundreds of millions of us — that use them 
lawfully.”In many states where the bans have been enacted, the restrictions are being challenged in court, gaining strength from a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">Supreme Court ruling</a> in June expanding gun rights.“We
 feel pretty confident, even despite the arguments made by the other 
side, that history and tradition as well as the text of the Second 
Amendment are on our side," said David Warrington, chairman and general 
counsel for the National Association for Gun Rights.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-hinckley-biden-texas-buffalo-congress-588e9c6e02139b35043143932fe993c6">Biden was instrumental</a>
 in helping secure the 1990s ban as a senator. The White House said that
 while it was in place, mass shootings declined, and when it expired in 
2004, shootings tripled.The reality is complicated. The data on 
the effectiveness is mixed and there is a sense that other measures that
 are not as politically fraught might actually be more effective, said 
Robert Spitzer, a political science professor at the State University of
 New York-Cortland and author of “The Politics of Gun Control."Politically, the ban sparked a backlash, even though the final law was a compromise version of the initial bill, he said.“The gun community was furious,” Spitzer said.The
 ban has been blamed in some circles for the Democrats losing control of
 Congress in 1994, though subsequent research has shown that the loss 
was likely more about strong, well-funded conservative candidates and 
district boundaries, Spitzer said.Still, after Democrat Al Gore, 
who supported stricter gun laws, lost to 2000 White House race to 
Republican George W. Bush, Democrats largely backed off the issue until 
the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. Even after that, it was not a campaign 
topic until the 2018 midterms.Now, gun control advocates see progress.“The
 fact that the American people elected a president who has long been a 
vocal and steadfast supporter of bold gun safety laws — and recently 
reelected a gun sense majority to the Senate — says everything you need 
to know about how dramatically the politics on this issue have shifted,”
 said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety.

Emboldened Biden, Dems push ban on so-called assault weapons

By JENNIFER SHUTT <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/25/thousands-of-veterans-deluge-va-with-claims-for-toxic-exposure-benefits-health-care/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs is processing claims at the fastest rate in its 
history, hoping to avoid a significant backlog as hundreds of thousands 
of veterans apply for health care and benefits under the landmark toxic 
exposure law Congress passed earlier this year.&nbsp;

The day after President Joe Biden 
signed the bill into law in August, veterans set an all-time record for 
benefits claims filed online, and more than 136,000 have applied for 
benefits under the toxic exposure law as of mid-November. The VA expects
 the number of veterans and surviving family members applying could 
reach more than 700,000 in the coming months.

To address the surge in claims, VA is
 hiring more employees to provide health care and process applications, 
but officials do expect an increase in the backlog in the short term.&nbsp;

Joshua Jacobs, who is performing the 
delegable duties of the VA under secretary for benefits, said in 
mid-November that the VA is “in a better position to tackle this 
increased workload” than it was in 2013, when the agency was widely 
rebuked for letting the backlog swell to more than 600,000.

“For members who followed the claims 
backlog for that long, you may be asking, ‘Are we about to watch the 
same story unfold here today?’” he told members of the U.S. Senate at a 
hearing. “I’m happy to say that today, we are in a better position to 
tackle this increased workload.”&nbsp;

Jacobs said moving to a paperless 
system and hiring of thousands more people will help the VA avoid a 
significant backlog in the months to come as hundreds of thousands of 
veterans likely will apply for the health care and benefits <a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-signs-landmark-bill-aiding-veterans-exposed-burn-pits-overseas">that are part of the toxic exposure law, known as the PACT Act</a>.&nbsp;

“As we continue to encourage more 
veterans and survivors to apply for their PACT Act benefits, we do 
expect an increase to the inventory and the backlog in the short term,” 
he said at an oversight hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs 
Committee.&nbsp;

Jacobs noted the VA has gotten the 
total backlog down to its lowest in years, below 150,000 claims as of 
this month. He also said the agency is encouraging veterans and eligible
 surviving family members of deceased veterans now covered under the 
toxic exposure law to apply before Aug. 10, 2023, on the VA’s website or
 with an accredited representative at a veterans service organization in
 order to get the earliest possible effective date.&nbsp;

The VA has set up a website at 
va.gov/pact as well as a phone number, 800-698-2411, for veterans to 
call for more information or to file a claim.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, 
chairman of the committee, said everyone expects “there are going to be 
hiccups” implementing the sweeping law that’s the largest expansion of 
health care and benefits in the VA’s history.&nbsp;

“Veterans who previously filed claims
 will now hear of many more of their brothers and sisters joining them 
in line,” Tester said. “But the VA must ensure that each of them gets 
the right decision as quickly as possible.”&nbsp;

As more new faces show up in hospital
 waiting rooms, Tester said, “VA must ensure they get the quality care 
they deserve.” He also noted that while the panel will work on some new 
legislation during the next Congress, the committee’s primary focus will
 be on oversight of the VA.&nbsp;

Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, the top 
Republican on the committee, said his main priority for the panel is the
 “appropriate, sufficient implementation of the legislation” Congress 
has passed, including the PACT Act.&nbsp;

Shereef Elnahal, under secretary for 
health, said the VA is working to “reach every veteran who may qualify 
for new benefits and care to make sure they are aware” of what the toxic
 exposure law does and how to apply for benefits.&nbsp;

Department leaders are looking to 
increase staffing to handle the influx of veterans and to start on 
“groundbreaking new research on toxic exposure,” Elnahal said.&nbsp;

The department is reaching out to 
more than 300,000 veterans who have put information into the burn pits 
registry. It plans to hold more than 80 events the week of Dec. 10 to 
let veterans know about the new law.&nbsp;

A standard toxic exposure screening 
has been started for veterans going to primary care clinics, and in 
“just over one week, this clinical screening has already reached 166,000
 veterans with over 37% reporting exposures,” Elnahal told the panel.&nbsp;

The VA, Elnahal said, is working on a
 plan to boost hiring in rural areas, though he told the committee that 
might be easier if Congress implements a section of the president’s 
budget request that lifts the $400,000 cap on salaries.&nbsp;

“In order to recruit the right folks —
 on the physician, dentist and podiatrist side — it’s becoming much more
 difficult, especially in rural areas, as salaries go up and the health 
care labor market becomes more difficult,” he said. “And we would be 
able to pay more innovatively as well, to incentivize the right behavior
 among these clinicians.”&nbsp;

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of 
America organization believes that the very beginning of the 
implementation has gone well so far.&nbsp;

But the organization, which 
represents more than 425,000 members, says both the VA and the U.S. 
Department of Defense need to do a lot more to reach all the veterans 
who are eligible.&nbsp;

“IAVA played a lead role along with 
our VSO partners in getting this landmark legislation passed into law, 
so we are greatly vested in its success,” Tom Porter, IAVA executive 
vVice president for gGovernment relations, said in a written statement.&nbsp;

“We are encouraged by the energy in 
the initial roll-out of the new law by VA Secretary McDonough and his 
team, as well as the commitment to oversight by the House and Senate 
Veterans Committees,” he said. “All parties, including VSOs, must make 
every effort to inform veterans of their new benefits.”

By JENNIFER SHUTT <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/25/thousands-of-veterans-deluge-va-with-claims-for-toxic-exposure-benefits-health-care/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs is processing claims at the fastest rate in its 
history, hoping to avoid a significant backlog as hundreds of thousands 
of veterans apply for health care and benefits under the landmark toxic 
exposure law Congress passed earlier this year.&nbsp;The day after President Joe Biden 
signed the bill into law in August, veterans set an all-time record for 
benefits claims filed online, and more than 136,000 have applied for 
benefits under the toxic exposure law as of mid-November. The VA expects
 the number of veterans and surviving family members applying could 
reach more than 700,000 in the coming months.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669388430004.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>To address the surge in claims, VA is
 hiring more employees to provide health care and process applications, 
but officials do expect an increase in the backlog in the short term.&nbsp;Joshua Jacobs, who is performing the 
delegable duties of the VA under secretary for benefits, said in 
mid-November that the VA is “in a better position to tackle this 
increased workload” than it was in 2013, when the agency was widely 
rebuked for letting the backlog swell to more than 600,000.“For members who followed the claims 
backlog for that long, you may be asking, ‘Are we about to watch the 
same story unfold here today?’” he told members of the U.S. Senate at a 
hearing. “I’m happy to say that today, we are in a better position to 
tackle this increased workload.”&nbsp;Jacobs said moving to a paperless 
system and hiring of thousands more people will help the VA avoid a 
significant backlog in the months to come as hundreds of thousands of 
veterans likely will apply for the health care and benefits <a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-signs-landmark-bill-aiding-veterans-exposed-burn-pits-overseas">that are part of the toxic exposure law, known as the PACT Act</a>.&nbsp;“As we continue to encourage more 
veterans and survivors to apply for their PACT Act benefits, we do 
expect an increase to the inventory and the backlog in the short term,” 
he said at an oversight hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs 
Committee.&nbsp;Jacobs noted the VA has gotten the 
total backlog down to its lowest in years, below 150,000 claims as of 
this month. He also said the agency is encouraging veterans and eligible
 surviving family members of deceased veterans now covered under the 
toxic exposure law to apply before Aug. 10, 2023, on the VA’s website or
 with an accredited representative at a veterans service organization in
 order to get the earliest possible effective date.&nbsp;The VA has set up a website at 
va.gov/pact as well as a phone number, 800-698-2411, for veterans to 
call for more information or to file a claim.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>‘There are going to be hiccups’</h2>Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, 
chairman of the committee, said everyone expects “there are going to be 
hiccups” implementing the sweeping law that’s the largest expansion of 
health care and benefits in the VA’s history.&nbsp;“Veterans who previously filed claims
 will now hear of many more of their brothers and sisters joining them 
in line,” Tester said. “But the VA must ensure that each of them gets 
the right decision as quickly as possible.”&nbsp;As more new faces show up in hospital
 waiting rooms, Tester said, “VA must ensure they get the quality care 
they deserve.” He also noted that while the panel will work on some new 
legislation during the next Congress, the committee’s primary focus will
 be on oversight of the VA.&nbsp;Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, the top 
Republican on the committee, said his main priority for the panel is the
 “appropriate, sufficient implementation of the legislation” Congress 
has passed, including the PACT Act.&nbsp;Shereef Elnahal, under secretary for 
health, said the VA is working to “reach every veteran who may qualify 
for new benefits and care to make sure they are aware” of what the toxic
 exposure law does and how to apply for benefits.&nbsp;Department leaders are looking to 
increase staffing to handle the influx of veterans and to start on 
“groundbreaking new research on toxic exposure,” Elnahal said.&nbsp;The department is reaching out to 
more than 300,000 veterans who have put information into the burn pits 
registry. It plans to hold more than 80 events the week of Dec. 10 to 
let veterans know about the new law.&nbsp;A standard toxic exposure screening 
has been started for veterans going to primary care clinics, and in 
“just over one week, this clinical screening has already reached 166,000
 veterans with over 37% reporting exposures,” Elnahal told the panel.&nbsp;The VA, Elnahal said, is working on a
 plan to boost hiring in rural areas, though he told the committee that 
might be easier if Congress implements a section of the president’s 
budget request that lifts the $400,000 cap on salaries.&nbsp;“In order to recruit the right folks —
 on the physician, dentist and podiatrist side — it’s becoming much more
 difficult, especially in rural areas, as salaries go up and the health 
care labor market becomes more difficult,” he said. “And we would be 
able to pay more innovatively as well, to incentivize the right behavior
 among these clinicians.”&nbsp;<h2>More outreach needed</h2>The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of 
America organization believes that the very beginning of the 
implementation has gone well so far.&nbsp;But the organization, which 
represents more than 425,000 members, says both the VA and the U.S. 
Department of Defense need to do a lot more to reach all the veterans 
who are eligible.&nbsp;“IAVA played a lead role along with 
our VSO partners in getting this landmark legislation passed into law, 
so we are greatly vested in its success,” Tom Porter, IAVA executive 
vVice president for gGovernment relations, said in a written statement.&nbsp;“We are encouraged by the energy in 
the initial roll-out of the new law by VA Secretary McDonough and his 
team, as well as the commitment to oversight by the House and Senate 
Veterans Committees,” he said. “All parties, including VSOs, must make 
every effort to inform veterans of their new benefits.”

Veterans deluge VA with claims for toxic exposure benefits, care

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the 
IRS Office of Chief Counsel partnered with the American Bar Association 
Tax Section to hold its first centralized National Virtual Settlement 
Event. This four-day event was inspired by the monthlong virtual event 
held in March 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the course of four days, an exceptional number of cases were 
settled: a total of 44. There were at least 59 meetings from October 24 
through October 27 that included taxpayers, pro bono attorneys and 
representatives of the IRS Office of Chief Counsel.

In contrast to past Settlement Day events that are generally 
organized locally for taxpayers with a nearby place of trial, this one 
was organized at the national level to support unrepresented taxpayers 
who may not be able to attend a local event.

"This groundbreaking event provided an easier process for taxpayers 
to get their cases settled," said Acting Commissioner Doug O'Donnell. 
"We are proud of the IRS Office of Chief Counsel for being innovative 
and making it more convenient to those who may not be able to attend a 
local event."

The event took place in close coordination between the Tax Section of
 the ABA which was celebrating its annual Pro Bono Week, and local Low 
Income Taxpayer Clinics. More than 75 volunteers from the ABA Tax 
Section, including numerous Low Income Taxpayer Clinics and private pro 
bono attorneys, provided free legal support. IRS Revenue Officers and 
Tax Computations Specialists further supported this event by explaining 
collection options and generating settlement computations.

The National Virtual Settlement event does not replace local or 
in-person Settlement Day events but instead offers taxpayers greater 
access to free legal advice and support for their Tax Court cases.

Settlement Day events are coordinated efforts to resolve cases in the
 United States Tax Court by providing taxpayers not represented by 
counsel the opportunity to receive free tax advice from Low Income 
Taxpayer Clinics, ABA volunteer attorneys and other pro bono 
organizations. Taxpayers can also discuss their Tax Court cases and 
resolve related tax issues with members of the IRS Office of Chief 
Counsel and IRS Collection. By doing so, unrepresented taxpayers are 
often able to amicably settle their tax disputes without a trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the 
IRS Office of Chief Counsel partnered with the American Bar Association 
Tax Section to hold its first centralized National Virtual Settlement 
Event. This four-day event was inspired by the monthlong virtual event 
held in March 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.Over the course of four days, an exceptional number of cases were 
settled: a total of 44. There were at least 59 meetings from October 24 
through October 27 that included taxpayers, pro bono attorneys and 
representatives of the IRS Office of Chief Counsel.In contrast to past Settlement Day events that are generally 
organized locally for taxpayers with a nearby place of trial, this one 
was organized at the national level to support unrepresented taxpayers 
who may not be able to attend a local event."This groundbreaking event provided an easier process for taxpayers 
to get their cases settled," said Acting Commissioner Doug O'Donnell. 
"We are proud of the IRS Office of Chief Counsel for being innovative 
and making it more convenient to those who may not be able to attend a 
local event."The event took place in close coordination between the Tax Section of
 the ABA which was celebrating its annual Pro Bono Week, and local Low 
Income Taxpayer Clinics. More than 75 volunteers from the ABA Tax 
Section, including numerous Low Income Taxpayer Clinics and private pro 
bono attorneys, provided free legal support. IRS Revenue Officers and 
Tax Computations Specialists further supported this event by explaining 
collection options and generating settlement computations.The National Virtual Settlement event does not replace local or 
in-person Settlement Day events but instead offers taxpayers greater 
access to free legal advice and support for their Tax Court cases.Settlement Day events are coordinated efforts to resolve cases in the
 United States Tax Court by providing taxpayers not represented by 
counsel the opportunity to receive free tax advice from Low Income 
Taxpayer Clinics, ABA volunteer attorneys and other pro bono 
organizations. Taxpayers can also discuss their Tax Court cases and 
resolve related tax issues with members of the IRS Office of Chief 
Counsel and IRS Collection. By doing so, unrepresented taxpayers are 
often able to amicably settle their tax disputes without a trial.

IRS: Virtual Settlement Event will help more in US settle tax claims

By NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas 
First District Congressman Tracey Mann sees the designation of the 
Northern Distinct Population Segment of the lesser prairie-chicken as a 
threatened species under the Endangered Species Act as about more than 
just that bird.

"The&nbsp;lesser prairie-chicken lives in areas from 
really western Kansas, eastern Colorado, down through the Oklahoma and 
Texas panhandle into New Mexico," Mann said. "At the end of the day 
though, this is a proxy war against our oil and gas producers and 
against agriculture as we know it. We've been fighting this thing tooth 
and nail and we will continue to. It was very disappointing to hear that
 news from the Biden administration."

The point is that drilling 
projects like the one currently ongoing in Pratt County would be much 
more difficult to execute with the additional regulation that comes with
 the lesser&nbsp;prairie-chicken designation.

"It's a little farther 
west from there, but let's just say that same company was doing that in 
Scott County, or you know, in Finney County, or one of our Kansas 
Independent Oil and Gas producers, if they want to drill a well, once 
this goes into effect, it's more paperwork," Mann said. "More fees to 
pay, more hoops to jump through, more people that can say no. We ought 
to be making it easier for our domestic oil and gas producers to do what
 they do best. With record high gas prices and with this war on fossil 
fuels that we're in, which makes absolutely no sense to me, let's make 
it easier for our ag producers and let's make it easier for our oil and 
gas producers."&nbsp; &nbsp;

Mann is also a co-sponsor of&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001VWEg0Kw2bG5hQYHKAJspPMH2uHtU-kKxtHOALRNc-oTuRacEYLudgFhQqewuaa24tdnXHaDJlldasQrMo2dvo7KWUxQdc9FwbMZdV7ImmiDYbN2sIhXs8HDmdJzLAFVBJ-qpnPos7-S1KftmL1kNlaBJXNuY6KZzG9APeKZBoAZ-YSTHCmgGEIY6ecxTzI3nTUQQmaVkIghXRvIMFlPDCyJww_jbR49krO4B-Ye4FmrBg0MUxl_G6EXnhSXqzQs0wrNZrZvPmoYLKR_Ms1JMUqJfIo1XoMNMGdQyCjwKOan3Jr8DWm5chFeEGmHHCcNqlpOQ60c8lzAL1DdnjiTBUEaFpjtFQMRiyCozlYy2D8_aR4VV1ScyxVecvEw0fgGhBozsryNCcC1XICU5KILl_fHWJIWR0OJEdeS8xOgRyrQMEuocZsViqzrAl80MgQ_tx-7cWx18UAiY2QPoMOhZidVojUE69Z2V&amp;c=CJXWYRFfN9TIlUfwvA0GxRRFCr-F3-ARWdE_M34-FgfgTaR7DAOl_g==&amp;ch=qS20CUInLDrNviAxg5hqD82vDqvNW06wmFOc1C0FKu-RVuh5d84IsA==" target="_blank">H.R. 4370, the Listing Reform Act</a>&nbsp;which
 would prohibit the Department of Interior from using any federal 
funding to list the Lesser Prairie-Chicken on the endangered species 
list.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668724822944.png" alt="U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas 
First District Congressman Tracey Mann sees the designation of the 
Northern Distinct Population Segment of the lesser prairie-chicken as a 
threatened species under the Endangered Species Act as about more than 
just that bird."The&nbsp;lesser prairie-chicken lives in areas from 
really western Kansas, eastern Colorado, down through the Oklahoma and 
Texas panhandle into New Mexico," Mann said. "At the end of the day 
though, this is a proxy war against our oil and gas producers and 
against agriculture as we know it. We've been fighting this thing tooth 
and nail and we will continue to. It was very disappointing to hear that
 news from the Biden administration."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637681449641.png" alt="Mann" />
 <figcaption>Mann</figcaption>
 </figure>The point is that drilling 
projects like the one currently ongoing in Pratt County would be much 
more difficult to execute with the additional regulation that comes with
 the lesser&nbsp;prairie-chicken designation."It's a little farther 
west from there, but let's just say that same company was doing that in 
Scott County, or you know, in Finney County, or one of our Kansas 
Independent Oil and Gas producers, if they want to drill a well, once 
this goes into effect, it's more paperwork," Mann said. "More fees to 
pay, more hoops to jump through, more people that can say no. We ought 
to be making it easier for our domestic oil and gas producers to do what
 they do best. With record high gas prices and with this war on fossil 
fuels that we're in, which makes absolutely no sense to me, let's make 
it easier for our ag producers and let's make it easier for our oil and 
gas producers."&nbsp; &nbsp;Mann is also a co-sponsor of&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001VWEg0Kw2bG5hQYHKAJspPMH2uHtU-kKxtHOALRNc-oTuRacEYLudgFhQqewuaa24tdnXHaDJlldasQrMo2dvo7KWUxQdc9FwbMZdV7ImmiDYbN2sIhXs8HDmdJzLAFVBJ-qpnPos7-S1KftmL1kNlaBJXNuY6KZzG9APeKZBoAZ-YSTHCmgGEIY6ecxTzI3nTUQQmaVkIghXRvIMFlPDCyJww_jbR49krO4B-Ye4FmrBg0MUxl_G6EXnhSXqzQs0wrNZrZvPmoYLKR_Ms1JMUqJfIo1XoMNMGdQyCjwKOan3Jr8DWm5chFeEGmHHCcNqlpOQ60c8lzAL1DdnjiTBUEaFpjtFQMRiyCozlYy2D8_aR4VV1ScyxVecvEw0fgGhBozsryNCcC1XICU5KILl_fHWJIWR0OJEdeS8xOgRyrQMEuocZsViqzrAl80MgQ_tx-7cWx18UAiY2QPoMOhZidVojUE69Z2V&amp;c=CJXWYRFfN9TIlUfwvA0GxRRFCr-F3-ARWdE_M34-FgfgTaR7DAOl_g==&amp;ch=qS20CUInLDrNviAxg5hqD82vDqvNW06wmFOc1C0FKu-RVuh5d84IsA==" target="_blank">H.R. 4370, the Listing Reform Act</a>&nbsp;which
 would prohibit the Department of Interior from using any federal 
funding to list the Lesser Prairie-Chicken on the endangered species 
list.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mann sees lesser prairie-chicken designation as 'proxy war'

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

CLOUD COUNTY — A Cawker City man was injured in a single-vehicle wreck on U.S. 81 Friday afternoon.

Cole C. Zobel, 76, of Cawker City, was northbound on U.S. 81 in a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria when the car entered the median, striking a drainage ditch, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported. The car then went up onto the southbound inside shoulder and back into the median, coming to rest facing north.

The wreck occurred at approximately 4:42 p.m. Friday 14 miles south of Concordia on U.S. 81.

Zobel, who suffered suspected minor injuries, was transported to the North Central Kansas Medical Center in Concordia.

The car was removed from the scene by wrecker.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostCLOUD COUNTY — A Cawker City man was injured in a single-vehicle wreck on U.S. 81 Friday afternoon.Cole C. Zobel, 76, of Cawker City, was northbound on U.S. 81 in a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria when the car entered the median, striking a drainage ditch, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported. The car then went up onto the southbound inside shoulder and back into the median, coming to rest facing north.The wreck occurred at approximately 4:42 p.m. Friday 14 miles south of Concordia on U.S. 81.Zobel, who suffered suspected minor injuries, was transported to the North Central Kansas Medical Center in Concordia.The car was removed from the scene by wrecker.

Single-vehicle wreck injures Kan. man south of Concordia

GREENE COUNTY — Four people from Missouri are dead after a three-vehicle accident just before 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

The Missouri State High Patrol reported a 2015 Dodge Ram driven by Joshua R. Wamsley, 33, Springfield, was eastbound on Interstate 44 just west of Springfield when the pickup struck the rear of a 2011 Chevy Traverse driven by Ryan Schultz, 40, Fair Grove.&nbsp;

The Traverse traveled into the westbound lanes and struck a westbound 2018 Ford Escape driven by Patrick J. Holloway, 44, Republic, head-on.

Holloway and a passenger — Shandrea L. Holloway, 44, Republic — were killed in the accident. A 1-year old in the Escape sustained moderate injuries. All were properly restrained.

Wamsley and a passenger — Danielle E. Dillman, 36, Springfield, were also killed in the accident.&nbsp; The patrol reported neither were wearing seat belts.

Schultz was not injured, the patrol reported.

GREENE COUNTY — Four people from Missouri are dead after a three-vehicle accident just before 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.The Missouri State High Patrol reported a 2015 Dodge Ram driven by Joshua R. Wamsley, 33, Springfield, was eastbound on Interstate 44 just west of Springfield when the pickup struck the rear of a 2011 Chevy Traverse driven by Ryan Schultz, 40, Fair Grove.&nbsp;The Traverse traveled into the westbound lanes and struck a westbound 2018 Ford Escape driven by Patrick J. Holloway, 44, Republic, head-on.Holloway and a passenger — Shandrea L. Holloway, 44, Republic — were killed in the accident. A 1-year old in the Escape sustained moderate injuries. All were properly restrained.Wamsley and a passenger — Danielle E. Dillman, 36, Springfield, were also killed in the accident.&nbsp; The patrol reported neither were wearing seat belts.Schultz was not injured, the patrol reported.

Four adults killed, 1-year-old survives, head-on crash on I-44

By MEG CUNNINGHAM <a href="https://thebeacon.media/stories/2022/11/17/how-to-buy-weed-faq/">Kansas City Beacon</a>

On Nov. 8, Missourians voted “yes” on Amendment 3, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thebeacon.media/stories/2022/11/09/missouri-legal-weed-whats-next/">legalized recreational use of marijuana</a>, meaning you’ll now be able to buy weed, like marijuana flower or edibles, in the coming months.

Starting Dec. 8, the state will begin transitioning its medical marijuana licenses to recreational licenses, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to walk into a dispensary and buy cannabis flower right away. The transition process will take until February, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the agency that manages the state’s marijuana industry.

The transition process can get complicated, so The Beacon compiled a list of frequently asked questions about the process. This page will continue to be updated as the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/draft-rules.php">state rolls out program changes,</a>&nbsp;so be sure to check back for the latest updates.

The state is accepting&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/suggestions.php">public feedback</a>&nbsp;on the rules for the recreational program until Nov. 25.

Q: When can I buy legal weed in Missouri?

A: Recreational marijuana should be available by early February 2023. The DHSS will start accepting requests to transition medical facility licenses to full recreational facilities on Dec. 8, and it will have 60 days to approve those changed license requests.

You’ll be able to walk into a dispensary with your ID (to prove you are over 21) and leave with cannabis flower, edibles, prerolls or vapes.

A: Amendment 3’s language allows for consumers to have 3 ounces of dried marijuana flower or its equivalent.

Q: Will I be able to grow my own at home?

A: Yes. Under Missouri’s medical marijuana law that passed in 2018, Missourians were granted the ability to grow their own cannabis at home if they registered as a patient cultivator.

DHSS will start accepting applications for personal cultivation for recreation as soon as Feb. 6. Once applications are accepted, Missourians 21 and older can cultivate marijuana for personal, noncommercial use at an enclosed and locked facility at their homes. Those licenses cost $150 and are valid for three years.

Missourians will be allowed to have six flowering plants and up to 18 non-mature plants.

Q: Am I allowed to smoke marijuana in public?

A:&nbsp; Unless there is a dedicated smoking area for public consumption of marijuana, smoking in public could still make you subject to a civil penalty and a fine of up to $100.

Q: Do I still need my medical marijuana card if I don’t use cannabis recreationally?

A: No, you don’t need to keep your medical marijuana card, but you can. As of Dec. 8 of this year, all approved medical marijuana cards will be valid for three years. Current medical cardholders will stick to their existing expiration dates. Cards are valid for three years upon the card’s next renewal.

Q: Do I still need to renew my medical card to keep patient status?

A: Yes, you’ll have to get approval from your physician to submit a patient renewal application. But under the new law, you’ll only have to get your card renewed every three years, instead of every year as the law currently stands.

Q: Do I need a patient card if I am going to grow for myself at home for medicinal purposes?

A: Yes, you’ll need a medical marijuana card if you’d like to become a patient cultivator for yourself at home.

A: Yes, if you’re still a medical marijuana cardholder or caregiver, renewal and application fees are $27.76 each, but will only need to be renewed every three years. If you’re a patient cultivator, new application and renewal fees are $110.99.

The Kansas City Beacon is an online news outlet focused on local, in-depth journalism in the public interest.

By MEG CUNNINGHAM <a href="https://thebeacon.media/stories/2022/11/17/how-to-buy-weed-faq/">Kansas City Beacon</a>On Nov. 8, Missourians voted “yes” on Amendment 3, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thebeacon.media/stories/2022/11/09/missouri-legal-weed-whats-next/">legalized recreational use of marijuana</a>, meaning you’ll now be able to buy weed, like marijuana flower or edibles, in the coming months.Starting Dec. 8, the state will begin transitioning its medical marijuana licenses to recreational licenses, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to walk into a dispensary and buy cannabis flower right away. The transition process will take until February, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the agency that manages the state’s marijuana industry.The transition process can get complicated, so The Beacon compiled a list of frequently asked questions about the process. This page will continue to be updated as the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/draft-rules.php">state rolls out program changes,</a>&nbsp;so be sure to check back for the latest updates.The state is accepting&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/suggestions.php">public feedback</a>&nbsp;on the rules for the recreational program until Nov. 25.<h2>Q: When can I buy legal weed in Missouri?</h2>A: Recreational marijuana should be available by early February 2023. The DHSS will start accepting requests to transition medical facility licenses to full recreational facilities on Dec. 8, and it will have 60 days to approve those changed license requests.You’ll be able to walk into a dispensary with your ID (to prove you are over 21) and leave with cannabis flower, edibles, prerolls or vapes.<h2>Q: How much marijuana can I have?</h2>A: Amendment 3’s language allows for consumers to have 3 ounces of dried marijuana flower or its equivalent.<h2>Q: Will I be able to grow my own at home?</h2>A: Yes. Under Missouri’s medical marijuana law that passed in 2018, Missourians were granted the ability to grow their own cannabis at home if they registered as a patient cultivator.DHSS will start accepting applications for personal cultivation for recreation as soon as Feb. 6. Once applications are accepted, Missourians 21 and older can cultivate marijuana for personal, noncommercial use at an enclosed and locked facility at their homes. Those licenses cost $150 and are valid for three years.Missourians will be allowed to have six flowering plants and up to 18 non-mature plants.<h2>Q: Am I allowed to smoke marijuana in public?</h2>A:&nbsp; Unless there is a dedicated smoking area for public consumption of marijuana, smoking in public could still make you subject to a civil penalty and a fine of up to $100.<h2>Q: Do I still need my medical marijuana card if I don’t use cannabis recreationally?</h2>A: No, you don’t need to keep your medical marijuana card, but you can. As of Dec. 8 of this year, all approved medical marijuana cards will be valid for three years. Current medical cardholders will stick to their existing expiration dates. Cards are valid for three years upon the card’s next renewal.<h2>Q: Do I still need to renew my medical card to keep patient status?</h2>A: Yes, you’ll have to get approval from your physician to submit a patient renewal application. But under the new law, you’ll only have to get your card renewed every three years, instead of every year as the law currently stands.<h2>Q: Do I need a patient card if I am going to grow for myself at home for medicinal purposes?</h2>A: Yes, you’ll need a medical marijuana card if you’d like to become a patient cultivator for yourself at home.<h2>Q: Are there fees I should know about?</h2>A: Yes, if you’re still a medical marijuana cardholder or caregiver, renewal and application fees are $27.76 each, but will only need to be renewed every three years. If you’re a patient cultivator, new application and renewal fees are $110.99.The Kansas City Beacon is an online news outlet focused on local, in-depth journalism in the public interest.

What to know about buying recreational marijuana in Missouri

BARTON COUNTY — At about 5 a.m. Wednesday, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office 
was dispatched to a report of an injury accident in the 10 block of NE 
20th Road. 

Upon arrival, deputies discovered a single-vehicle 
accident in which a 1991 Chevrolet pickup struck a parked 2003 Peterbilt
 tractor-trailer unit. 

The driver of the Chevrolet pickup was 
identified as Jeremy Combs, 37, Great Bend. Combs stated he 
thought he saw something in the roadway and veered to the right, striking
 the tractor-trailer unit. There was heavy fog and limited visibility at
 the time of the accident.

Combs was transported to The University
 of Kansas Health System in Great Bend by the Great Bend EMS service 
with non-life-threatening injuries.

Great Bend PostBARTON COUNTY — At about 5 a.m. Wednesday, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office 
was dispatched to a report of an injury accident in the 10 block of NE 
20th Road. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a single-vehicle 
accident in which a 1991 Chevrolet pickup struck a parked 2003 Peterbilt
 tractor-trailer unit. The driver of the Chevrolet pickup was 
identified as Jeremy Combs, 37, Great Bend. Combs stated he 
thought he saw something in the roadway and veered to the right, striking
 the tractor-trailer unit. There was heavy fog and limited visibility at
 the time of the accident.Combs was transported to The University
 of Kansas Health System in Great Bend by the Great Bend EMS service 
with non-life-threatening injuries.

Fog a factor in Kan. accident: Pickup strikes parked semi

By MARIAM FAM Associated Press

DOHA, Qatar — Aside from the competition for the World Cup 
title, one of the most hotly contested issues in the tournament in Qatar
 is over rainbow colors.

In the first week of the tournament, 
seven European teams lost the battle to wear multi-colored “One Love” 
armbands during World Cup matches and some fans complained they weren't 
allowed to bring items with rainbow colors, a symbol of LGBTQ rights, 
into the stadiums of the conservative Islamic emirate.

Qatar, 
where gay sex is illegal, faced intense international scrutiny and 
criticism in the run-up to the tournament over rights issues, including 
questions on whether LGBTQ visitors would feel safe and welcome. The 
Gulf nation has said all are welcome, including LGBTQ fans, and that it 
would ensure safety for everyone, regardless of background, but that 
visitors should respect the nation’s culture.

Piara Powar, 
executive director of Fare, the anti-discrimination group that is 
reporting incidents in and around stadiums to world soccer body FIFA, 
said he believes the Qatari hosts felt that the debate about LGBTQ 
rights has been given too much space and that they need to clamp down 
internally.

“We have talked to them about rainbow flags and the 
symbolism that it has across the world, not just in western Europe. 
There are Latin Americans who recognize that, there are Asians who 
recognize the Pride flag," Powar said.

Just before the tournament 
started, FIFA stopped plans by seven European teams including England 
and Germany to have their captains play with “One Love” 
anti-discrimination armbands, saying they would receive yellow cards if 
they did. The decision sparked outrage by some in the countries 
involved.

One of the teams, Belgium, tweeted a team photo Friday 
showing captain Eden Hazard wearing the “One Love” armband. The 
country's foreign minister, Hadja Lahbib, wore it as she watched 
Belgium's World Cup opener against Canada on Wednesday.

Former 
Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt turned up at Denmark's 
match against Tunisia wearing an outfit with rainbow-colored sleeves. In
 an Instagram post a day later, she appeared conflicted about the choice
 of clothing.

“I’ve been reflecting on whether showing up in 
rainbow colors is actually helping gay and queer folks in Qatar,” 
Thorning-Schmidt wrote in the post. She wondered whether it could “make 
things worse by hardening the Qatar government against them? I don’t 
know the answer but doesn’t it show us that nothing is binary, only good
 or only bad?”

Some fans have said that they were asked to remove 
and discard their rainbow hats at a World Cup stadium earlier this week 
despite assurances by FIFA before the tournament that such items would 
be allowed in stadiums.

Justin Martin, a U.S. citizen living in 
Qatar, said he was holding a small rainbow flag on the metro on his way 
to the U.S. opener against Wales when two people wearing shirts that 
identified them as volunteers asked him to put the flag away. He didn’t 
want to.

“One of them became agitated and ... referred to me as 
‘disgusting,’” said Martin, an associate professor of journalism at the 
Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.

At the stadium, however, a 
woman in Qatari police uniform who was searching his bag found the 
rainbow flag, looked at it and put it back, he said. “I actually wasn’t 
prohibited from bringing that into the stadium.”

Martin said he had previously worn a pride T-shirt in Qatar to the grocery store or to exercise without any issues.

Some
 Wales fans said they were prevented from taking rainbow bucket hats to 
the game against the U.S., prompting the Wales soccer federation to 
raise the issue with FIFA, which assured them that rainbow symbols would
 be allowed for Friday's game against Iran.

Laura McAllister, a 
former Wales captain who acts as ambassador to the World Cup, said she 
and other fans wore rainbow hats to Friday's game without problems. She 
said she was among those asked to remove their hats before the earlier 
game with the U.S.

The Qatari World Cup organizing committee did 
not provide answers to questions by The Associated Press on the 
instructions to stadium security and volunteers about rainbow symbols.

In April, a Qatari official <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-soccer-sports-lifestyle-middle-east-f03cd08c36dee73b419b2b0e2978fd3f">suggested</a> that fans carrying rainbow flags could have them removed to protect them from possible attacks.

The
 issue has been debated frequently in Qatar and the wider Middle East, 
where many believe it’s only fair for visitors to respect the country’s 
laws, customs and religious beliefs, just like people from the region 
are expected to honor other nations' rules when they travel. Others 
counter that rights’ issues are universal and that sports must be 
inclusive.

Ahead of the tournament, some LGBTQ rights activists sought to raise <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-soccer-sports-religion-679b18a9480573b7fb72633ace63cc7b">concerns</a>
 about how LGBTQ people in Qatar may be treated after the World Cup 
ends. Some of them have also argued that international attention was 
disproportionately focused on the visitors and not enough on LGBTQ 
people in the country.

Associated Press writers Karl Ritter and Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669404941964.jpeg" alt="Germany supporter wearing a rainbow jersey waits for the World Cup group F soccer match between Belgium and Canada, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)" />
 <figcaption>Germany supporter wearing a rainbow jersey waits for the World Cup group F soccer match between Belgium and Canada, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARIAM FAM Associated PressDOHA, Qatar — Aside from the competition for the World Cup 
title, one of the most hotly contested issues in the tournament in Qatar
 is over rainbow colors.In the first week of the tournament, 
seven European teams lost the battle to wear multi-colored “One Love” 
armbands during World Cup matches and some fans complained they weren't 
allowed to bring items with rainbow colors, a symbol of LGBTQ rights, 
into the stadiums of the conservative Islamic emirate.Qatar, 
where gay sex is illegal, faced intense international scrutiny and 
criticism in the run-up to the tournament over rights issues, including 
questions on whether LGBTQ visitors would feel safe and welcome. The 
Gulf nation has said all are welcome, including LGBTQ fans, and that it 
would ensure safety for everyone, regardless of background, but that 
visitors should respect the nation’s culture.Piara Powar, 
executive director of Fare, the anti-discrimination group that is 
reporting incidents in and around stadiums to world soccer body FIFA, 
said he believes the Qatari hosts felt that the debate about LGBTQ 
rights has been given too much space and that they need to clamp down 
internally.“We have talked to them about rainbow flags and the 
symbolism that it has across the world, not just in western Europe. 
There are Latin Americans who recognize that, there are Asians who 
recognize the Pride flag," Powar said.Just before the tournament 
started, FIFA stopped plans by seven European teams including England 
and Germany to have their captains play with “One Love” 
anti-discrimination armbands, saying they would receive yellow cards if 
they did. The decision sparked outrage by some in the countries 
involved.One of the teams, Belgium, tweeted a team photo Friday 
showing captain Eden Hazard wearing the “One Love” armband. The 
country's foreign minister, Hadja Lahbib, wore it as she watched 
Belgium's World Cup opener against Canada on Wednesday.Former 
Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt turned up at Denmark's 
match against Tunisia wearing an outfit with rainbow-colored sleeves. In
 an Instagram post a day later, she appeared conflicted about the choice
 of clothing.“I’ve been reflecting on whether showing up in 
rainbow colors is actually helping gay and queer folks in Qatar,” 
Thorning-Schmidt wrote in the post. She wondered whether it could “make 
things worse by hardening the Qatar government against them? I don’t 
know the answer but doesn’t it show us that nothing is binary, only good
 or only bad?”Some fans have said that they were asked to remove 
and discard their rainbow hats at a World Cup stadium earlier this week 
despite assurances by FIFA before the tournament that such items would 
be allowed in stadiums.Justin Martin, a U.S. citizen living in 
Qatar, said he was holding a small rainbow flag on the metro on his way 
to the U.S. opener against Wales when two people wearing shirts that 
identified them as volunteers asked him to put the flag away. He didn’t 
want to.“One of them became agitated and ... referred to me as 
‘disgusting,’” said Martin, an associate professor of journalism at the 
Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.At the stadium, however, a 
woman in Qatari police uniform who was searching his bag found the 
rainbow flag, looked at it and put it back, he said. “I actually wasn’t 
prohibited from bringing that into the stadium.”Martin said he had previously worn a pride T-shirt in Qatar to the grocery store or to exercise without any issues.Some
 Wales fans said they were prevented from taking rainbow bucket hats to 
the game against the U.S., prompting the Wales soccer federation to 
raise the issue with FIFA, which assured them that rainbow symbols would
 be allowed for Friday's game against Iran.Laura McAllister, a 
former Wales captain who acts as ambassador to the World Cup, said she 
and other fans wore rainbow hats to Friday's game without problems. She 
said she was among those asked to remove their hats before the earlier 
game with the U.S.The Qatari World Cup organizing committee did 
not provide answers to questions by The Associated Press on the 
instructions to stadium security and volunteers about rainbow symbols.In April, a Qatari official <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-soccer-sports-lifestyle-middle-east-f03cd08c36dee73b419b2b0e2978fd3f">suggested</a> that fans carrying rainbow flags could have them removed to protect them from possible attacks.The
 issue has been debated frequently in Qatar and the wider Middle East, 
where many believe it’s only fair for visitors to respect the country’s 
laws, customs and religious beliefs, just like people from the region 
are expected to honor other nations' rules when they travel. Others 
counter that rights’ issues are universal and that sports must be 
inclusive.Ahead of the tournament, some LGBTQ rights activists sought to raise <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-soccer-sports-religion-679b18a9480573b7fb72633ace63cc7b">concerns</a>
 about how LGBTQ people in Qatar may be treated after the World Cup 
ends. Some of them have also argued that international attention was 
disproportionately focused on the visitors and not enough on LGBTQ 
people in the country.Associated Press writers Karl Ritter and Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.

Rainbow struggle plays out on sidelines of World Cup

NEWTON, Kan. — At Tuesday’s meeting, the Newton City Commission approved final plans for the new Newton Public Library and moved ahead toward construction.

According to city manager Kelly McElroy, the new library will be 25,000 square feet on the east end of Military Park, with a new parking lot on the northwest side of the new building. After construction of the new building, the library contents will be moved into the new building and the old building will be demolished. A large green space will be created west of the building in the park. The 1880 train engine will remain in its current location.

The new library will have a drive-up book drop-off, glass-walled study rooms, large meeting rooms, young adult space with gaming area, separate space for children’s book collections and programs, technology areas, family restrooms, outdoor seating space and more.

The project cost estimate including design and construction is $10.7 million. The City has committed to fund $4.5 million toward the project, and the Library Board has pledged provide $1.2 million in cash if needed to cover budget shortfalls once final bids are received. This is in addition to the board’s original commitment of $1.3 million spread out over the life of the 20-year bonds.

A volunteer fundraising committee so far has raised $3,267,454.40 in private funds for the project. Over $1.4 million came from foundations, businesses or organizations, and $100,000 was donated by the City of North Newton. About $1.8 million was from individual donors. There are still additional donation requests on the table, and the committee continues to raise more funds. The committee is led by co-chairs Angela Becker and Ann Adrian and Library Director Cari Cusick in partnership with fundraising consultant Swanson House.

The Commission set a bid date of 11 a.m. Dec. 21. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of next year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669379732525.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hutch PostNEWTON, Kan. — At Tuesday’s meeting, the Newton City Commission approved final plans for the new Newton Public Library and moved ahead toward construction.According to city manager Kelly McElroy, the new library will be 25,000 square feet on the east end of Military Park, with a new parking lot on the northwest side of the new building. After construction of the new building, the library contents will be moved into the new building and the old building will be demolished. A large green space will be created west of the building in the park. The 1880 train engine will remain in its current location.The new library will have a drive-up book drop-off, glass-walled study rooms, large meeting rooms, young adult space with gaming area, separate space for children’s book collections and programs, technology areas, family restrooms, outdoor seating space and more.The project cost estimate including design and construction is $10.7 million. The City has committed to fund $4.5 million toward the project, and the Library Board has pledged provide $1.2 million in cash if needed to cover budget shortfalls once final bids are received. This is in addition to the board’s original commitment of $1.3 million spread out over the life of the 20-year bonds.A volunteer fundraising committee so far has raised $3,267,454.40 in private funds for the project. Over $1.4 million came from foundations, businesses or organizations, and $100,000 was donated by the City of North Newton. About $1.8 million was from individual donors. There are still additional donation requests on the table, and the committee continues to raise more funds. The committee is led by co-chairs Angela Becker and Ann Adrian and Library Director Cari Cusick in partnership with fundraising consultant Swanson House.The Commission set a bid date of 11 a.m. Dec. 21. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of next year.

Plans approved for new Newton Public Library

By BECKY GOFF Little Apple Post

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Around 11:30 p.m. Thursday, officers from the Riley 
County Police Department responded to the report of an injury crash near
 the intersection of Seth Child Road and Anderson Avenue.

Upon 
arrival officers found a 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse, driven by Jose Orona, 25, Manhattan, was involved in a crash with a 2006 Toyota 
Highlander driven by Sabrina Reyes, 21, also of Manhattan.

Both Orona and Reyes were transported to Ascension Via Christi in Manhattan for treatment of injuries.

Orona was later life-flighted to Stormont Vail in Topeka for treatment of bleeding on the brain.&nbsp;

The severity of Reyes injuries have not been released.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.&nbsp;

By BECKY GOFF Little Apple PostMANHATTAN, Kan. — Around 11:30 p.m. Thursday, officers from the Riley 
County Police Department responded to the report of an injury crash near
 the intersection of Seth Child Road and Anderson Avenue.Upon 
arrival officers found a 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse, driven by Jose Orona, 25, Manhattan, was involved in a crash with a 2006 Toyota 
Highlander driven by Sabrina Reyes, 21, also of Manhattan.Both Orona and Reyes were transported to Ascension Via Christi in Manhattan for treatment of injuries.Orona was later life-flighted to Stormont Vail in Topeka for treatment of bleeding on the brain.&nbsp;The severity of Reyes injuries have not been released.The cause of the crash remains under investigation.&nbsp;Corrected 3 p.m. Friday

Kan. man life-flighted to hospital after two-vehicle accident

GREAT BEND — On Oct. 3, deputies with the Barton County Sheriff’s Office responded
 to a reported theft in the 2300 block of Railroad Avenue just south the
 city of Great Bend. 

The person reporting the theft advised law 
enforcement that a 2018 Jayco Jayflight bumper-pull camper had been 
stolen sometime the night before. The estimated value of the camper was 
$20,500.

On Nov. 22, detectives obtained a search warrant to 
retrieve the camper. Detectives went to a location in Hutchinson where 
they located the camper and it was seized. Deputies transported it back 
to Barton County. 

This investigation is continuing, and 
additional search warrants and arrest warrants are expected in the near 
future. The Barton County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Reno 
County Sheriff’s Office.

Great Bend PostGREAT BEND — On Oct. 3, deputies with the Barton County Sheriff’s Office responded
 to a reported theft in the 2300 block of Railroad Avenue just south the
 city of Great Bend. The person reporting the theft advised law 
enforcement that a 2018 Jayco Jayflight bumper-pull camper had been 
stolen sometime the night before. The estimated value of the camper was 
$20,500.On Nov. 22, detectives obtained a search warrant to 
retrieve the camper. Detectives went to a location in Hutchinson where 
they located the camper and it was seized. Deputies transported it back 
to Barton County. This investigation is continuing, and 
additional search warrants and arrest warrants are expected in the near 
future. The Barton County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Reno 
County Sheriff’s Office.

Kansas police recover camper missing since early October

OMAHA, Neb. — Billionaire investor Warren Buffett donated more than $750 million in Berkshire Hathaway stock to the four foundations run by his family Wednesday, but unlike his annual gifts to charity each summer, the recipients didn't include the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation.

Buffett has been making annual donations to the same five charities every year since 2006 when he unveiled a plan to give away his fortune over time, with the Gates Foundation receiving the biggest donations. Wednesday's donations mark the first time the 92-year-old has made a second major gift within the same year.

A filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed Buffett gave 1.5 million Class B shares in the Omaha, Neb.-based conglomerate he leads to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for his first wife. He also gave 300,000 Class B shares apiece to the three foundations run by his children: the Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and the NoVo Foundation.

In June, he gave 11 million Class B shares to the Gates Foundation, 1.1 million B shares to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and 770,218 shares apiece to his children's three foundations.

It wasn't immediately clear what prompted the new donations this week, and Buffett didn't immediately respond Wednesday to questions about them. The Gates Foundation and the Buffett family foundations that received the gifts also didn't immediately respond to questions.

The only other major change Buffett has made to his giving plans over the years came a decade ago when he significantly increased the amount pledged to the foundations his children run because he was pleased with what they had done with his money.

The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation keeps a low profile, but over the years it has been a major supporter of abortion rights, making large gifts to Planned Parenthood and other groups. Buffett hasn't announced any changes in his giving plans since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier this year.

Susie Buffett, 69, uses her Sherwood Foundation to strengthen early childhood education and support a number of projects around Buffett's hometown of Omaha where she also lives. Howard Buffett, 67, is helping farmers in impoverished nations produce more and working to end world hunger with his namesake foundation. Peter Buffett, 64, has dedicated his NoVo Foundation to empowering women and girls worldwide through education, collaboration and economic development to end violence against women.

Even after these latest gifts, Buffett still controls more than 31% of Berkshire’s voting power.

Berkshire Hathaway is an eclectic conglomerate that owns more than 90 companies including BNSF railroad, Geico insurance, several major utilities and an assortment of manufacturing and retail firms including Precision Castparts, Dairy Queen and Helzberg Diamonds. In addition to the companies it owns outright, Berkshire owns major investments in Apple, Bank of America, Coca-Cola and other companies.

Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. — Billionaire investor Warren Buffett donated more than $750 million in Berkshire Hathaway stock to the four foundations run by his family Wednesday, but unlike his annual gifts to charity each summer, the recipients didn't include the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation.Buffett has been making annual donations to the same five charities every year since 2006 when he unveiled a plan to give away his fortune over time, with the Gates Foundation receiving the biggest donations. Wednesday's donations mark the first time the 92-year-old has made a second major gift within the same year.A filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed Buffett gave 1.5 million Class B shares in the Omaha, Neb.-based conglomerate he leads to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for his first wife. He also gave 300,000 Class B shares apiece to the three foundations run by his children: the Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and the NoVo Foundation.In June, he gave 11 million Class B shares to the Gates Foundation, 1.1 million B shares to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and 770,218 shares apiece to his children's three foundations.It wasn't immediately clear what prompted the new donations this week, and Buffett didn't immediately respond Wednesday to questions about them. The Gates Foundation and the Buffett family foundations that received the gifts also didn't immediately respond to questions.The only other major change Buffett has made to his giving plans over the years came a decade ago when he significantly increased the amount pledged to the foundations his children run because he was pleased with what they had done with his money.The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation keeps a low profile, but over the years it has been a major supporter of abortion rights, making large gifts to Planned Parenthood and other groups. Buffett hasn't announced any changes in his giving plans since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier this year.Susie Buffett, 69, uses her Sherwood Foundation to strengthen early childhood education and support a number of projects around Buffett's hometown of Omaha where she also lives. Howard Buffett, 67, is helping farmers in impoverished nations produce more and working to end world hunger with his namesake foundation. Peter Buffett, 64, has dedicated his NoVo Foundation to empowering women and girls worldwide through education, collaboration and economic development to end violence against women.Even after these latest gifts, Buffett still controls more than 31% of Berkshire’s voting power.Berkshire Hathaway is an eclectic conglomerate that owns more than 90 companies including BNSF railroad, Geico insurance, several major utilities and an assortment of manufacturing and retail firms including Precision Castparts, Dairy Queen and Helzberg Diamonds. In addition to the companies it owns outright, Berkshire owns major investments in Apple, Bank of America, Coca-Cola and other companies.

Buffett donates over $750 million to his family charities

By DAVID MEDNICOFF <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-world-cup-puts-the-spotlight-on-qatar-but-also-brings-attention-to-its-human-rights-record-and-politics-4-things-to-know-194970">The Conversation</a>

With the start of the World Cup on Nov. 20, 2022, soccer teams <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Qatar">from 32 countries</a> and <a href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sport/football/world-cup-2022-fans/">tens of thousands of fans</a>
 have converged on Qatar, a tiny Arab country on a peninsula in the 
Persian Gulf. But search “Qatar 2022” online, and the first nonsport 
results are about <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/11/14/qatar-rights-abuses-stain-fifa-world-cup">the country’s human rights issues</a>.

Like its fellow oil-rich Arab countries, Qatar has enjoyed immense 
wealth that nurtured grand ambitions of economic growth among rulers and
 citizens alike. Qatar and its neighbors, including Bahrain and the 
United Arab Emirates, have brought <a href="https://www.ilo.org/beirut/areasofwork/labour-migration/lang--en/index.htm">in millions</a> of workers from other countries to support their fast-growing cities and businesses over the <a href="https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/QAT/qatar/immigration-statistics">past few decades</a>.

In particular, about <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60867042">30,000 workers</a>
 came from Bangladesh, India and Nepal to construct the World Cup 
stadiums. At least 37 died, according to official Qatari counts, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/sports/soccer/world-cup-migrant-workers.html">while building</a> the US$220 billion infrastructure for the games.

I am <a href="https://www.umass.edu/jne/member/david-mednicoff">a political scientist and legal scholar of the Middle East</a> who has lived and <a href="https://www.newswise.com/articles/middle-east-expert-mednicoff-named-lead-investigator-for-1-million-research-study?channel=">worked</a>
 in Qatar. Given the sudden media focus on the country, I think it 
helpful for both World Cup fans and people who don’t know a soccer ball 
from a hockey puck to understand four aspects of Qatar’s politics that 
relate to its human rights challenges.

A sparsely populated country in a desert, Qatar gained independence from Great Britain in 1971. With its large <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/gas/qatar-natural-gas/">oil and natural gas</a> reserves, Qatar has the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=QA">highest income per citizen</a> in the world.

Qatar’s ruler is <a href="https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2019/01/tamim-the-glorious-portrait-goes-viral.html">popular</a> among <a href="https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report/QAT">citizens</a>. <a href="https://www.diwan.gov.qa/hh-the-amir?sc_lang=en#data---">Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani</a>
 is part a family dynasty that has run the area’s politics since the 
1800s, even under Ottoman and British control. This makes Qatar one of 
eight Arab countries governed by hereditary kings.

Hereditary ruling monarchies <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315203195-10/contemporary-kingship-muslim-arab-societies-comparative-context-david-mednicoff">may seem archaic</a> to people living in societies with elected leaders. Yet these systems <a href="https://theconversation.com/middle-eastern-monarchies-how-do-arab-ruling-families-hold-on-to-power-159952">have held onto power, outlasting the Arab uprisings of 2011</a>. The lack of democracy in Arab countries is also part of a broader trend, as <a href="https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2022/global-expansion-authoritarian-rule">autocratic governments are generally on the rise globally</a>.

2. Yes – workers’ rights have been a problem 

Doha, the capital of Qatar, has become a major <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/">media</a>, <a href="https://www.qf.org.qa/education/education-city">educational</a>, <a href="https://raiagroup.org/qatars-tamim-is-leading-diplomacy-in-the-middle-east">diplomatic</a>
 and recreational hub over the past few decades. Its breakneck 
development also required workers from all over the world. As a result, 
foreign workers make up <a href="https://www.onlineqatar.com/visiting/tourist-information/qatar-population-and-expat-nationalities">about 85% of the country’s total population</a>, but they <a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/qatar">do not have the same rights</a> as Qatari citizens. Qatari natives have been reluctant to share their <a href="https://qatarofw.com/qatar-social-security/">extraordinary social welfare benefits</a>,
 like free medical care, with millions of workers from abroad. This 
makes for a system that gives many more rights to Qatari nationals than 
the millions of others who live there.

Unusual, rapid growth like Qatar’s is a magnet for foreign contract 
workers worldwide. I enjoyed my opportunity to work there myself as a 
visiting professor and Fulbright scholar 15 years ago. Yet less 
privileged foreign workers can fare badly.

In Qatar and its oil-rich peers, control by a minority of citizens over millions of workers with fewer rights leads to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jul/15/migrant-workers-in-qatar-face-structural-racism-says-un-report">discrimination and abuse</a>. Human rights groups, journalists and <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/migrant-workers-recount-abuse-while-building-stadiums-for-world-cup-in-qatar">migrant workers</a> themselves have <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/02/reality-check-migrant-workers-rights-with-two-years-to-qatar-2022-world-cup/">sought to change harmful workplace practices</a>, such as withholding wages and forbidding unions.

Qatar’s summer heat, <a href="https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/qatar/doha-climate">averaging 106 degrees Fahrenheit</a>
 (41 degrees Celsius), can make working conditions especially dangerous 
for outside construction workers. Since it is hard to know whether the 
alleged worker deaths are due specifically to bad working conditions, 
work-related issues, or something else, exact mortality numbers have <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-how-many-people-have-died-for-the-qatar-world-cup/a-63763713">been disputed and may be prone to exaggeration</a>. Yet no one doubts that <a href="https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/thousands-migrant-workers-died-qatars-extreme-heat-world-cup-forced-reckoning">conditions have been terrible</a> for many of Qatar’s most vulnerable workers.

Other rights issues in Qatar have also <a href="https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/11/19/world-cup-lgbtq-fans-athletes-safety/">attracted global attention</a>. The conservative form of Islam that is part of Qatar’s identity allows little tolerance for LGBTQ rights. <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/24/qatar-security-forces-arrest-abuse-lgbt-people">Human rights groups have documented</a> detentions and other routine discrimination against LGBTQ people.

While workers’ rights have received appropriate Western media attention, Qatar’s direct efforts to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3836101/2022/11/17/how-ngos-responded-to-world-cup/">respond to local and international activism</a> are less known. Qatar <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/24/qatar-significant-labor-and-kafala-reforms">enacted the most significant labor rights reforms in the Arab world</a> in 2021.

<a href="https://www.ilo.org/beirut/countries/qatar/WCMS_859880/lang--en/index.htm">Working with the International Labor Organization</a>,
 a United Nations agency that promotes fair and decent work worldwide, 
Qatar instituted a minimum wage of $275 per month, along with allowances
 for food and lodging. It also prohibited outdoor work during the peak 
of summer heat and eliminated many of the laws that gave employers 
control over their workers’ basic freedoms to leave their job or the 
country.

Because the reforms are recent, it is hard to know whether they represent <a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/qatar">important steps forward</a> or <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/10/qatar-labour-reform-unfinished-and-compensation-still-owed-as-world-cup-looms/">incremental steps that will change little</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669227517151.jpeg" alt="Young girls and a woman watch a fireworks display as part of the World Cup soccer tournament FIFA fan festival in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>Young girls and a woman watch a fireworks display as part of the World Cup soccer tournament FIFA fan festival in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID MEDNICOFF <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-world-cup-puts-the-spotlight-on-qatar-but-also-brings-attention-to-its-human-rights-record-and-politics-4-things-to-know-194970">The Conversation</a>With the start of the World Cup on Nov. 20, 2022, soccer teams <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Qatar">from 32 countries</a> and <a href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sport/football/world-cup-2022-fans/">tens of thousands of fans</a>
 have converged on Qatar, a tiny Arab country on a peninsula in the 
Persian Gulf. But search “Qatar 2022” online, and the first nonsport 
results are about <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/11/14/qatar-rights-abuses-stain-fifa-world-cup">the country’s human rights issues</a>.Like its fellow oil-rich Arab countries, Qatar has enjoyed immense 
wealth that nurtured grand ambitions of economic growth among rulers and
 citizens alike. Qatar and its neighbors, including Bahrain and the 
United Arab Emirates, have brought <a href="https://www.ilo.org/beirut/areasofwork/labour-migration/lang--en/index.htm">in millions</a> of workers from other countries to support their fast-growing cities and businesses over the <a href="https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/QAT/qatar/immigration-statistics">past few decades</a>.In particular, about <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60867042">30,000 workers</a>
 came from Bangladesh, India and Nepal to construct the World Cup 
stadiums. At least 37 died, according to official Qatari counts, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/sports/soccer/world-cup-migrant-workers.html">while building</a> the US$220 billion infrastructure for the games. I am <a href="https://www.umass.edu/jne/member/david-mednicoff">a political scientist and legal scholar of the Middle East</a> who has lived and <a href="https://www.newswise.com/articles/middle-east-expert-mednicoff-named-lead-investigator-for-1-million-research-study?channel=">worked</a>
 in Qatar. Given the sudden media focus on the country, I think it 
helpful for both World Cup fans and people who don’t know a soccer ball 
from a hockey puck to understand four aspects of Qatar’s politics that 
relate to its human rights challenges.<h2>1. Qatar is ruled by a popular king</h2>A sparsely populated country in a desert, Qatar gained independence from Great Britain in 1971. With its large <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/gas/qatar-natural-gas/">oil and natural gas</a> reserves, Qatar has the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=QA">highest income per citizen</a> in the world. Qatar’s ruler is <a href="https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2019/01/tamim-the-glorious-portrait-goes-viral.html">popular</a> among <a href="https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report/QAT">citizens</a>. <a href="https://www.diwan.gov.qa/hh-the-amir?sc_lang=en#data---">Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani</a>
 is part a family dynasty that has run the area’s politics since the 
1800s, even under Ottoman and British control. This makes Qatar one of 
eight Arab countries governed by hereditary kings.Hereditary ruling monarchies <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315203195-10/contemporary-kingship-muslim-arab-societies-comparative-context-david-mednicoff">may seem archaic</a> to people living in societies with elected leaders. Yet these systems <a href="https://theconversation.com/middle-eastern-monarchies-how-do-arab-ruling-families-hold-on-to-power-159952">have held onto power, outlasting the Arab uprisings of 2011</a>. The lack of democracy in Arab countries is also part of a broader trend, as <a href="https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2022/global-expansion-authoritarian-rule">autocratic governments are generally on the rise globally</a>. <h2>2. Yes – workers’ rights have been a problem </h2>Doha, the capital of Qatar, has become a major <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/">media</a>, <a href="https://www.qf.org.qa/education/education-city">educational</a>, <a href="https://raiagroup.org/qatars-tamim-is-leading-diplomacy-in-the-middle-east">diplomatic</a>
 and recreational hub over the past few decades. Its breakneck 
development also required workers from all over the world. As a result, 
foreign workers make up <a href="https://www.onlineqatar.com/visiting/tourist-information/qatar-population-and-expat-nationalities">about 85% of the country’s total population</a>, but they <a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/qatar">do not have the same rights</a> as Qatari citizens. Qatari natives have been reluctant to share their <a href="https://qatarofw.com/qatar-social-security/">extraordinary social welfare benefits</a>,
 like free medical care, with millions of workers from abroad. This 
makes for a system that gives many more rights to Qatari nationals than 
the millions of others who live there.Unusual, rapid growth like Qatar’s is a magnet for foreign contract 
workers worldwide. I enjoyed my opportunity to work there myself as a 
visiting professor and Fulbright scholar 15 years ago. Yet less 
privileged foreign workers can fare badly.In Qatar and its oil-rich peers, control by a minority of citizens over millions of workers with fewer rights leads to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jul/15/migrant-workers-in-qatar-face-structural-racism-says-un-report">discrimination and abuse</a>. Human rights groups, journalists and <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/migrant-workers-recount-abuse-while-building-stadiums-for-world-cup-in-qatar">migrant workers</a> themselves have <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/02/reality-check-migrant-workers-rights-with-two-years-to-qatar-2022-world-cup/">sought to change harmful workplace practices</a>, such as withholding wages and forbidding unions. Qatar’s summer heat, <a href="https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/qatar/doha-climate">averaging 106 degrees Fahrenheit</a>
 (41 degrees Celsius), can make working conditions especially dangerous 
for outside construction workers. Since it is hard to know whether the 
alleged worker deaths are due specifically to bad working conditions, 
work-related issues, or something else, exact mortality numbers have <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-how-many-people-have-died-for-the-qatar-world-cup/a-63763713">been disputed and may be prone to exaggeration</a>. Yet no one doubts that <a href="https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/thousands-migrant-workers-died-qatars-extreme-heat-world-cup-forced-reckoning">conditions have been terrible</a> for many of Qatar’s most vulnerable workers.Other rights issues in Qatar have also <a href="https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/11/19/world-cup-lgbtq-fans-athletes-safety/">attracted global attention</a>. The conservative form of Islam that is part of Qatar’s identity allows little tolerance for LGBTQ rights. <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/24/qatar-security-forces-arrest-abuse-lgbt-people">Human rights groups have documented</a> detentions and other routine discrimination against LGBTQ people.<h2>3. Yet Qatar has made major reforms</h2>While workers’ rights have received appropriate Western media attention, Qatar’s direct efforts to <a href="https://theathletic.com/3836101/2022/11/17/how-ngos-responded-to-world-cup/">respond to local and international activism</a> are less known. Qatar <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/24/qatar-significant-labor-and-kafala-reforms">enacted the most significant labor rights reforms in the Arab world</a> in 2021. <a href="https://www.ilo.org/beirut/countries/qatar/WCMS_859880/lang--en/index.htm">Working with the International Labor Organization</a>,
 a United Nations agency that promotes fair and decent work worldwide, 
Qatar instituted a minimum wage of $275 per month, along with allowances
 for food and lodging. It also prohibited outdoor work during the peak 
of summer heat and eliminated many of the laws that gave employers 
control over their workers’ basic freedoms to leave their job or the 
country.Because the reforms are recent, it is hard to know whether they represent <a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/qatar">important steps forward</a> or <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/10/qatar-labour-reform-unfinished-and-compensation-still-owed-as-world-cup-looms/">incremental steps that will change little</a>. In any case, legislation in and of itself cannot remedy a complicated
 challenge involving a wide range of companies and other organizations 
that Qatar’s government does not control. Whether Qatar can and will 
enforce the new regulations consistently is one concern. Most foreign migrants arrive in Qatar through foreign-based recruitment companies, which charge them to secure jobs. So even if <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/1/qatar-made-progress-in-labour-reforms-ilo">Qatar tries to curb labor abuses</a>, <a href="https://www.ilo.org/infostories/en-GB/Stories/Country-Focus/world-cup-qatar#domestic">recruitment companies</a>
 based in migrants’ countries of origin would still profit by charging 
workers expensive placement fees, for example. Such recruiters often 
work with <a href="https://www.business-humanrights.org/de/von-uns/briefings/wake-up-call-exploitative-recruitment-risk-to-migrant-workers-in-qatars-world-cup-hotels/">multinational companies within Qatar</a> to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelposner/2022/10/28/world-cup-abuses-led-qatar-to-change-labor-laws-but-more-protection-is-needed/?sh=6cb0b28c2062">blunt the force</a> of the kingdom’s recent reforms. <h2>4. And Western critiques may conceal other agendas </h2><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/15/qatari-minister-slams-western-media-coverage-of-world-cup-record">Qatari officials have suggested</a>
 that international attention to foreign workers’ conditions is part of a
 broader pattern of Westerners belittling Arabs and Muslims. <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/qatar-world-cup-team-depicted-terrorists-cartoon-sparks-outrage-1758928">One blatant example</a>
 is an October issue of the French right-wing satirical magazine “Le 
Canard enchaîné,” which depicted Qatari soccer players as terrorists.Calls in some parts of Europe for <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/11/17/qatar-world-cup-broadcasting-boycotts-france">a widespread World Cup boycott</a> add fuel to this and <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/11/17/in-defence-of-qatars-hosting-of-the-world-cup">other arguments</a> that the European and American impression of Qatar is <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20221119-fifa-president-blasts-hypocrisy-of-western-critics-of-world-cup-host-qatar">hypocritical</a> and possibly <a href="https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221010-qatar-says-french-objections-to-fifa-world-cup-stem-from-islamophobia/">Islamophobic</a>.
 Though hardly a neutral observer, Gianni Infantino, the president of 
FIFA, which carries out the World Cup, reflected many Gulf Arabs’ views 
when he argued that <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/19/fifa-chief-accuses-critics-of-qatar-of-hypocrisy-ahead-of-world-cup.html">Europe’s history of exploiting Middle Easterners and others</a> gives it little moral high ground on issues of non-Western rights. Because no Middle Eastern or Muslim-majority country had hosted the World Cup before 2022, Qatar’s achievement is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/18/opinion/qatar-world-cup-arab-football.html">significant</a>. The Economist <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/11/17/in-defence-of-qatars-hosting-of-the-world-cup">argues that</a>
 Qatar’s responsiveness to pressures to improve its human rights climate
 may make it a more appropriate host for a global sporting event than 
other countries with poor human rights records, such as China or Russia.
 Yet genuine global concern about rights in countries like Qatar and 
mistrust between the Middle East and the West will persist. Can new 
global awareness of Qatar lead to more nuanced understanding of both 
cross-cultural similarities and differences between Arab Islamic 
countries and the rest of the world? For the moment, this is as hard to 
know as which country will win the World Cup.David Mednicoff, Chair, Department of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies, and 
Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Public Policy, UMass 
Amherst<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194970/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>