Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, we have some very important stories to share with you right now, and here’s what’s going on.
A major U.S. city votes to block President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan, the president-elect picks a former Cabinet member for a key NATO post, and new rules are on the horizon regarding clean energy tax credits.
Also, the speaker of the House makes a decision regarding the washrooms at the U.S. Capitol, and the United States weighs in regarding a U.N. Security Council resolution.
Los Angeles Votes on Trump’s Mass Deportation Plan
The Los Angeles City Council just passed an ordinance that prohibits using the city’s resources and personnel to be used for federal immigration enforcement efforts.So you know, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass had called for swift action to protect illegal immigrants in her city, and the measure now moves to her desk, where she is expected to sign it into law.
The city council unanimously voted for the proposal just a day after Trump confirmed that he would declare a nationwide emergency and use military assets to carry out mass deportations of illegal immigrants.
Under the ordinance, city personnel are not allowed to inquire about a person’s immigration status, participate in immigration enforcement activities, or provide federal agents with information regarding a person’s immigration status.
The measure also bars city workers from responding to any request to detain, transfer, or make an arrest for the purposes of enforcing federal immigration law.
One council member said that the purpose of the law is to make Los Angeles a “sanctuary city,” and to ensure that all of its people can interact with the city’s government without fearing that a “deportation squad is around the corner.”
The Los Angeles County Republican Party has criticized the ordinance, saying that the city should focus on ensuring public safety instead of shielding illegal immigrants who have committed crimes.
By the way, earlier this week, the L.A. Unified School District also adopted a resolution that declared itself a “sanctuary district.” That measure includes training for teachers and staff members on how to respond to federal immigration agents who either request information or try to enter school property.
Trump Picks NATO Ambassador
Yesterday, Trump announced he has chosen a former acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, to be the next U.S. ambassador to NATO.Trump called Whitaker a “strong warrior and loyal patriot.” He said his choice will advance and defend the interests of the United States, “strengthen relationships with our NATO allies,” and “stand firm in the face of threats to peace and stability.”
The president-elect also suggested that Whitaker will promote his “peace through strength” foreign policy agenda.
It may interest you to know that Whitaker is a former University of Iowa football player, and at one time, he was the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa.
Over the past few years, he has appeared frequently on Fox News, where he has given his opinions regarding many of the legal issues Trump has faced since leaving the White House in early 2021.
As ambassador to NATO, Whitaker will be responsible for advancing the nation’s foreign policy interests within the 32-member military alliance.
You should know that the position requires Senate confirmation, unless Trump chooses to use a recess appointment, and if he’s approved, Whitaker will be taking over the position during a turbulent period in global affairs.
IRS, Treasury Announce New Tax Credits Rules
The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department have just announced new rules that broaden access to tax credits for certain types of co-owned projects, with the goal of speeding up the buildout of the clean energy economy.The regulations allow certain entities—including state and local governments, along with tribal and nonprofit organizations—to access clean energy tax credits through a process called elective pay (which is also known as direct pay).
So you know, elective pay allows eligible organizations to benefit from a number of clean energy incentives by converting certain tax credits into refundable payments.
The new guidelines relate to the ways that organizations can team up to co-own clean energy projects, including through joint investments from both nonprofit and for-profit developers.
Normally, partnerships are not eligible for direct pay. However, the new tax rules allow qualified project co-owners to individually claim their share of the tax credits.
These latest regulations are expected to incentivize clean energy projects and accelerate the transition to a greener economy, according to the Treasury Department, and one official says that American communities are “benefitting as a result.”
By the way, the move is part of ongoing efforts under the Biden administration to promote renewable energy investments and reduce carbon emissions, and the new rules are set to take effect beginning next year.
House Speaker Bars Men From Women’s Bathrooms at Capitol
Yesterday, the speaker said that from now on, all “single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings—such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms—are reserved for individuals of that biological sex.”He also said that it’s important to “note that each Member office has its own private restroom,” that “unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol,” and that “women deserve women’s only spaces.”
In case you’re not aware, Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride is a male who identifies as a woman, and earlier this month, McBride was elected to represent the state in the U.S. House of Representatives. This makes McBride the first person who identifies as transgender to be elected to Congress.
McBride’s election prompted Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) to announce she'd file a resolution to block McBride from using women’s restroom facilities at the House of Representatives, which sparked opposition from House Democrats.
So you know, House rules grant the speaker administrative control over the facilities, and the Republican conference is unlikely to act against the decision when it adopts a new rules package early next year.
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) denounced the efforts to block McBride from women’s facilities, and he called it the “bullying” of a member of Congress.
US Vetoes UN Resolution Calling for Gaza Cease-Fire
Yesterday, the United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that called for an “immediate, unconditional, and permanent cease-fire” in Gaza.The 15-member council voted on the resolution, which was proposed by 10 nonpermanent members, including Algeria, Ecuador, and Japan. The United States was the only member to vote against it, using its veto power as a permanent member to block its adoption.
Robert Wood, the U.S. deputy ambassador to the U.N., said that Washington would only support a resolution that explicitly links a cease-fire to the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas.
He added the United States believes the resolution would send a “dangerous message” to Hamas that “there’s no need to come back to the negotiating table.”
The ambassador also criticized the resolution for failing to condemn Hamas for its 2023 attack on Israel.
However, you should know that some other members of the council criticized the United States for its veto, including the French ambassador, who noted that the rejected resolution “very firmly” required the release of hostages.
According to the news agency Reuters, the conflict in Gaza has resulted in nearly 44,000 deaths, along with widespread displacement among the Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million residents.
This is a story we’ll all be watching very carefully, and we’ll be sure to bring you updates as they become available.
And now, it looks like our time is just about up for today, so we’re going to call it a wrap for the Thursday edition of The Epoch Times News Brief.
Don’t forget the News Brief Motto: We’re portable, affordable, and always on-demand.
And finally, as we do each and every day on this program, we wrap everything up with a very notable quote, and this one comes to us from the fabulous writer Robert Tew, who said: “The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need tomorrow.”
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.
The Epoch Times News Brief program is written each day by David Ross.
Thank you for making us your one-stop source for a concise, accurate, and unbiased daily synopsis of many of the news stories you need to know about.
Enjoy the remainder of your day, and we’ll see you right back here tomorrow for another edition of The Epoch Times News Brief.
For now, let’s all continue to watch out for one another, and have an absolutely superb day today. Bye for now.
