China, Spying, Census Bureau, Child Abuse, Sex Scandal, Samoa

The Ponder doesn't want you to miss any of the news from any of our sources. So, we are in the process of consolidating all of our sources together as opposed to grouping them. As you can see, we are starting in the "A" section today. We have over 1000 sources to visit and not enough time to post all the news that is out there, so every day, we will pick up where we leave off.

We are only posting news that is not older than a week old from each of our sources, so you can be sure to get the most current news from each of them.

The Ponder is a conservative news distribution, posting links to political press releases from all over the web. All news is for information purposes only, so yes, you will see links from non-conservative sources as well. The Ponder believes in the individual's right to determine how to use the information that is out there.


AAM Letter to The White House: China Phase One Agreement is Completely Inadequate, Still Leaves Work
Source: Alliance for American Manufacturing
January 14, 2020
"While the phase one deal falls short, the use of tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 have proven to be an effective and appropriate tool to trigger our negotiations with China....

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FOIA requests show U.S. FBI could be spying on advocacy groups
Source: Access Now
January 15, 2020
Out of a series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the FBI covering more than 200 U.S.-based advocacy organizations, the FBI returned “Glomar” responses on only eight (including Access Now). Glomar responses are used when the FBI could “neither confirm nor deny,” with respect to the organizations above, “the existence of any national security or foreign intelligence records responsive to your request because the existence or nonexistence of any such responsive records is currently and properly classified.”

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Commerce Inspector General Concludes Investigation into US Census Bureau Hiring Practices
Source: Alma Adams (D-NC, 12th)
January 15, 2020
“While I remain disturbed by the circumstances that required this report, I am glad that the Inspector General worked diligently to uncover what actions led to the hiring of a convicted sex offender in a position of public trust,” said Congresswoman Adams. “Furthermore, I am pleased that the Census Bureau has already taken steps to prevent a similar mistake from happening again. I look forward to working with our local Charlotte Area Census Office to ensure the integrity of the 2020 Census and make certain that North Carolina receives a fair count from the decennial Census.”

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Child abuse, neglect data released
Source: Administration for Children and Families
January 15, 2020
Of the 3,534,000 million (rounded) children who were the subject of an investigation or alternative response in fiscal year 2018, 678,000 (rounded) children were determined to be victims of maltreatment, up from 674,000 (rounded) victims in 2017. In total, 60.8 percent of victims were neglected, 10.7 percent were physically abused and 7.0 percent were sexually abused. More than 15 percent were victims of two or more maltreatment types.

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Choices Have Consequences, Even for Liberal Politicians
Source: Alabama Policy Institute
January 15, 2020
Americans experienced yet another sex scandal involving an elected leader in recent weeks, culminating in the resignation of freshman Congressman Katie Hill of California. Nude photos were published depicting Hill in a polyamorous, bisexual relationship with her now-estranged husband and a campaign staffer. Additional allegations have surfaced of a more recent affair with her legislative director, a male. Hill has admitted to the affair with the campaign staffer but denies the one with her current staff member.

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Amata Appreciates Fono’s Unified Support For Self-Determination And Fa’a Samoa
Source: Aumua Amata (R - American Samoa, At Large)
January 17, 2020
“This Resolution is an important statement by our Fono that establishes the public position of the Territory,” said Aumua Amata. “It helps clarify that the people of American Samoa, as reflected in their elected officials across the board, deeply value our rights in relationship with the United States. We’re so proud to be a part of the United States, and our people have a rich tradition of service in the U.S. Armed Forces. We also value our distinctive and ancient culture, and we have the right of self-determination to safeguard that culture. The Fono has formally expressed those sentiments in this Resolution.”

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Jenna Quinn Law to Help Prevent Child Abuse Introduced

by: Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)

Washington, D.C. - March 29, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) has introduced the Jenna Quinn Law, which would allow current grant funds to be used to train and educate students, teachers, caregivers, and other adults who work with children in a professional or volunteer capacity on how to prevent, recognize, and report child sexual abuse. The bill is named for Jenna Quinn, a Texan and child abuse survivor, and is modeled after successful reforms passed in Texas.

“Child sexual abuse is a terrible crime that preys on the innocence of our most vulnerable, but it takes specialized training to identify and prevent the abuse,” Sen. Cornyn said. “Jenna’s Law has had a profound impact on the reporting of child sexual abuse in Texas, and I’m proud to introduce this successful law on a national level.”

“To better protect children from sexual abuse, we must ensure that teachers, caregivers, and other adults working with children are equipped with the tools and knowledge to prevent, recognize, and report sexual abuse and exploitation, and to ensure that children receive appropriate education on how to recognize and report these heinous acts,” Sen. Hassan said. “By encouraging states to provide training and education on child sexual abuse recognition and prevention, this bipartisan legislation will help keep our young people safe.”

Background:

Jenna Quinn has been an outspoken advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse and was the driving force behind what is now known as Jenna’s Law in Texas. Unanimously passed by the Texas State Senate and House, Jenna’s Law was the first child sexual abuse prevention law in the U.S. that mandates K-12 trainings for students and school staff and was amended in 2017 to include sex trafficking prevention education in schools. More than half of all states have adopted a form of Jenna’s Law.

After Jenna’s Law passed in Texas in 2009, a study found educators reported child sexual abuse at a rate almost four times greater after training than during their pre-training career.

The Jenna Quinn Law would:

Authorize grants to eligible entities for increasing evidence-based or informed training on sexual abuse prevention education and reporting to teachers and school employees, students, caregivers, and other adults who work with children.

Ensure states and CAPTA community-based grant recipients coordinate with local educational agencies to train professionals and volunteers who work with students on sexual abuse prevention, recognition and reporting.

Confirm states not only have provisions and procedures in place for an individual to report sexual abuse but also procedures for individuals to prevent sexual abuse and recognize the signs of that abuse.

Encourage states to provide operational support, technical assistance and training to community-based and prevention-focused entities in the state to train teachers, school employees, and others who work with children preventing, recognizing, and reporting sexual abuse and exploitation.

The Jenna Quinn Law is supported by the National Children’s Alliance, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the National Sheriff’s Association, Darkness to Light, and TexProtects.

Heller-Backed Bill to Protect Children from Online Predators Signed Into Law

Source: Senator Dean Heller - (R - NV)

Washington, D.C. - November 4, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- The President signed into law the PROTECT Our Children Act, a bipartisan bill cosponsored by U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) and introduced by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

This legislation will reauthorize the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, a national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing 3,500 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies that combat online child exploitation across the country.

“I applaud the President for signing our bill to help protect children from predators,” said Sen. Heller. “This bipartisan legislation will empower local law enforcement – like police departments across Nevada – with the tools they need to more effectively pursue criminals who abuse and exploit children. I thank Senators Cornyn and Blumenthal for their leadership on this proposal, and I’m honored to have been part of the team to push it over the finish line.”

“Equipping law enforcement with the tools they need is vital to protecting our most vulnerable online,” Sen. Cornyn said. “I’m grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and to the President for supporting victims and the law enforcement agencies that combat and prevent these crimes.”

“The PROTECT Act reauthorizes critical task force programs – empowering state and local law enforcement to combat child abuse, protect survivors, and prosecute perpetrators who prey on the vulnerable. This significant bipartisan bill is a solid step forward in the fight against predators and the horrific crime of child exploitation – and a warning against any criminal who would exploit our children online. I am proud to see this critical measure become law,” said Sen. Blumenthal.

“As a former prosecutor, I know the importance of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program for our law enforcement officials,” Sen. Klobuchar said. “This law will help us continue this critical collaborative effort to protect children from predators on the internet.”

The PROTECT Our Children Act, originally passed in 2008, authorized the ICAC Task Force Program, a coordinated group of task forces representing 3,500 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies engaged in reactive and proactive investigations across the country. This legislation built upon work Senator Cornyn began as Texas Attorney General, when he created the Texas Internet Bureau to fight internet crimes like child pornography.

The ICAC Task Force Program helps local and state law enforcement respond to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and internet crimes against children, and offers guidance on victim support, forensic investigative components, training and technical assistance, and prevention and community education.

Organizations who supported the PROTECT Our Children Act include the National Association to Protect Children (PROTECT), the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), the National Children’s Alliance, Rights4Girls, Shared Hope, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, the Major County Sheriffs of America, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, the National Sheriffs Association, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the National District Attorneys Association, the National Criminal Justice Association, and the Major City Chiefs Police Association.

See more headlines at The Ponder News Web Site

While Obamacare Struggle Continues, Tax Reform is Questionable...

John McCain, Republican senator from Arizona, diagnosed with brain tumor
Washington Post
July 19, 2017
The Mayo Clinic said doctors diagnosed a tumor called a glioblastoma after surgery to remove a blood clot above McCain’s left eye last week. The senator and his family are considering treatment options, including a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, according to the hospital.
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Prayers, indeed. I have never known anyone who survived this. Politics aside, I feel for his family.

Should doctors be paid a premium for assisting deaths?
MacLean's
July 12, 2017
Daws was among the first assisted-dying providers in Canada and had been a vocal advocate for the service long before it became legal 13 months ago. For the first six months the law was in place—before the province had formal fee codes for how doctors would be paid—Daws and the other seven early providers in B.C. worked for free, assuming that they would be paid retroactively, and fairly, for their work. But that hasn’t happened, and providers are losing faith that it will.
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Why should death be profitable? Only an undertaker should make money off of death -- but that is just my opinion.

Minneapolis Mayor ENCOURAGED Muslim Cop To Kill White Woman With What She Did Days Earlier
USA Daily News 24
July 19, 2017
America is still in shock over the death of Minneapolis resident Justine Damond, who called police after witnessing an assault in her neighborhood. Minutes after her 911 call was placed, Damond would be dead, after a Somali Muslim police officer turned off his body cam and shot her in cold blood through his police car window. Now sickening information is coming about about Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges’ intimate ties with the Muslim police officer, who now has innocent blood on her hands thanks to sickening thing she did in the months leading up to Damond’s murder.
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Still think it will never come here? I hate to tell you, it already is.

Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated: Mawson Homeschooled Study Reveals Who is Sicker
Children's Medical Safety Research Institute
May 4, 2017
A pilot study of 666 homeschooled six to 12-year-olds from four American states published on April 27th in the Journal of Translational Sciences, compared 261 unvaccinated children with 405 partially or fully vaccinated children, and assessed their overall health based on their mothers' reports of vaccinations and physician-diagnosed illnesses. What it found about increases in immune-mediated diseases like allergies and neurodevelopmental diseases including autism, should make all parents think twice before they ever vaccinate again:
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I usually don't put out news this old, but it is still recent enough that I thought it was worth relaying.


After healthcare failure, Republicans face similar divisions on tax reform
Yahoo! News
July 18, 2017
"If we move too much in the mandatory area, then it will make tax reform that much more difficult to get. It's that basic," Dent told Reuters.
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Trump tells Republican senators to send him ObamaCare repeal bill before August recess
Fox News
July 19, 2017
President Trump told Republican senators Wednesday that they shouldn’t leave Washington for August recess until they send him an ObamaCare repeal bill to sign.
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Surveillance footage captures last days of boy fed to pigs
Hot 99.5
This is soooo horrific...
I have no words...How could this happen!!!

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Great Tweets!

Gov. Mike Huckabee‏ Jul 19
If GOP Senators Murkowski, Collins, and Capito won't stop Planned Parenthood $$ to vacuum babies from womb, then vacuum them out of office!