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Bill of Rights Project: Gordon: Thesis Statement

  • Thesis Statement
  • Creating the Outline
  • Bibliography & Chicago Style
  • A Note on Plagiarism

What is a Thesis Statement?

What is a thesis statement*.

A thesis statement:

  • Tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter.
  • Is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
  • Remember: A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war.
  • Makes a claim that others might dispute, takes a side.
  • Is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

* The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [http://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/]

Questions to ask yourself when creating a Thesis Statement

Need help narrowing your research into a thesis statement? Try asking yourself these questions to help bring your ideas into focus:*

  • Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question.
  • Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
  • Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
  • Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
  • Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
  • Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.
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America's Founding Documents

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The Bill of Rights: What Does it Say?

The bill of rights.

The Bill of Rights is the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. It spells out Americans’ rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion. It sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the Federal Government to the people or the States. And it specifies that “the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”

The First Amendment

The First Amendment provides several rights protections: to express ideas through speech and the press, to assemble or gather with a group to protest or for other reasons, and to ask the government to fix problems. It also protects the right to religious beliefs and practices. It prevents the government from creating or favoring a religion.

The Second Amendment

The Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms.

The Third Amendment

The Third Amendment prevents government from forcing homeowners to allow soldiers to use their homes . Before the Revolutionary War, laws gave British soldiers the right to take over private homes.

The Fourth Amendment

The Fourth Amendment bars the government from unreasonable search and seizure of an individual or their private property.

The Fifth Amendment

The Fifth Amendment provides several protections for people accused of crimes. It states that serious criminal charges must be started by a grand jury .  A person cannot be tried twice for the same offense ( double jeopardy ) or have property taken away without just compensation . People have the right against self-incrimination and cannot be imprisoned without due process of law (fair procedures and trials).

The Sixth Amendment

The Sixth Amendment provides additional protections to people accused of crimes, such as the right to a speedy and public trial, trial by an impartial jury in criminal cases, and to be informed of criminal charges. Witnesses must face the accused, and the accused is allowed his or her own witnesses and to be represented by a lawyer. 

The Seventh Amendment

The Seventh Amendment extends the right to a jury trial in Federal civil cases.

The Eighth Amendment

The Eighth Amendment bars excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishment.

The Ninth Amendment

The Ninth Amendment states that listing specific rights in the Constitution does not mean that people do not have other rights that have not been spelled out.

The Tenth Amendment

The Tenth Amendment says that the Federal Government only has those powers delegated in the Constitution. If it isn’t listed, it belongs to the states or to the people.

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The Bill Of Right Essay

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Government , Law , Freedom , Crime , Democracy , Security , Politics , Social Issues

Published: 03/16/2021

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What is The Bill of Rights 

The Bill of Rights is an official list of amendments, which defines the freedom that is owned by the citizens and the limits of the power of the federal government. Most importantly, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights help in dictating the rights and enhancing the law in cases pertaining to the violation of the freedom of rights. Therefore, the Bill of Rights forms the core basis of liberties and freedom that every individual has an inherent right against the federal government (Alexander & Alexander, 2005). Conversely, the elimination of the amendments from the constitution may be inconsiderable and may make the constitution ineffective at some point considering a plethora of facets.

The Main Reason for Adopting The Bill of Right

The Bill of Rights is the key constituent that the people or the citizens are entitled to against every government on general or particular. Alexander and Alexander (2005), affirm that Madison, the key person behind the drafting of the Bill of Rights, argued that all the power of the government was subject to abuse and the only way to limit the abuse of power was through the enactment of the Rights. Thence, it is noteworthy that, without the Bill of Rights, the constitution will be ineffective and the freedom of individuals will not be protected. Similarly, constitution without the amendments contains few explicit protections of individual rights, and this renders the constitution ineffective since the limits on state and local government are not stated amounting to a less protection of the individual’s freedom. In tandem to this, Stephens and Scheb (2008), attest that the constitution becomes explicit as to the rights of the individual, only if it adopts the Bill of Rights. Further, the Bill also provides the required limits for the state and local government.

Bill of Right has been particularly significant, and it addresses vital issues such as fair protection against unfair criminal trials, free exercise to religion, prohibits the deprivation of life, liberty or property, prohibits unusual and cruel punishment, and the rights to arms (Alexander & Alexander, 2005). In addition to this, bill has a positive impact in the protection of the citizens. The exceptions in the bill of rights protect the citizens against any foul language, hate speech or any form of speech that can cause panic or danger. Similarly, the government is also protected against any violent overthrow, since the bill of right does not allow any form of sedition (Collins, 2010).

Bill of Right - Fifth Amendment

However, the law enforcers arrogate that the Fifth Amendment limits the full ability to combat crime. This is ascribed to the Miranda warnings, which gives the privileges against self-incrimination, the right to an attorney, the rights against arrest and the right to fair questioning by the police. Hence, this creates a stepping stone for more crime. Similarly, the interpretation by the court may further limit the power of the administrative police in fighting crime. In the same light, some amendments, for instance the Ninth Amendment, has been an enigma, without clear clarification. The amendment has aroused controversies, which include; personal autonomy and sexual orientation, and privacy and abortion (Janda, Berry, Goldman &Hula, 2009).

Concisely, the Bill of Right is an indispensable tool in the protection of the individual rights and avoids exploitation through limiting powers of the federal government. However, the controversies involving some amendments may make it difficult to protect the human rights and freedom, hence posing a considerable challenge to the Bill of Rights and the constitution.

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Alexander, K. & Alexander, D. M. (2005). American Public School Law (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning, Inc. Collins, K. L. R. (ed). (2010). The Fundamental Holmes: A Free Speech Chronicle and Reader. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Janda et al. (2009). The Challenge of Democracy: American Government in a Global World, Brief Edition (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Stephens, H. O. & Scheb, M. J. (2008). American Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties Volume 2 (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning, Inc.  

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Bill Of Rights - List of Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

An essay on the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution can analyze the significance and historical context of these first ten amendments. It can explore the protections they provide, such as freedom of speech, religion, and due process, and the ongoing debates surrounding their interpretation and application in contemporary society. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Bill Of Rights you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

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Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights

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ADDING THE BILL OF RIGHTS

Adding the bill of rights.

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The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. To “amend” an existing document means to make additions or other changes to that document in order to make it better. Does this mean that there was something about the original United States Constitution that people thought was in need of improvement? The answer is yes. And that improvement was made by adding the Bill of Rights. This article answers the question of what was missing in the original United States Constitution and therefore why it was amended to include the Bill of Rights.   The United States Constitution The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It was created in 1787 and came into effect in 1789. Its original version contained seven articles. These seven articles accomplished three things. Articles 1, 2, and 3 established the “separation of powers” within the federal government between the legislative branch (the United States Congress, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives); the executive branch (the Presidency); and the judicial branch (the United States Supreme Court and other federal courts). Articles 4, 5, and 6 established the American system of “federalism” by assigning specific roles to the federal government and to the governments of the states. And Article 7 established the procedure by which the original thirteen states could ratify (formally approve and adopt) the Constitution. The Constitutional debate Before, during, and after the Constitutional Convention of 1787, during which delegates (representatives) from each of the original thirteen states met in Philadelphia to discuss whether and how the existing Articles of Confederation should be replaced by a new United States Constitution, the question of whether a Bill of Rights should be included was a hotly debated topic.   The Federalists – who supported the establishment of a United States Constitution as well as the creation of a strong and unifying national government – believed that an additional Bill of Rights was unnecessary. The Anti-Federalists – who were worried that the creation of a powerful national government would threaten not only the rights of individual states but also the rights of individual citizens – did not believe that the United States should establish a new national Constitution but supported the broader idea of a Bill of Rights. Toward the end of the Constitutional Convention, the delegates voted on whether or not the new United States Constitution should include a Bill of Rights. Some believed that if the new Constitution did not contain a Bill of Rights, then the new national government might exercise tyrannical power over people’s individual liberties. Others suggested that people’s individual liberties were already adequately protected by the constitutions of each individual state. Still others argued that including a very specific and limited set of rights within the actual text of the new Constitution might suggest that any other rights that did not make the list would no longer exist, and that people’s individual liberties would be threated by the national government in those areas. In the end, the delegates decided not to include a Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution. The Bill of Rights During the First United States Congress, which began only months after the United States Constitution came into effect, the issue came up yet again, and discussions took place about the possibility of amending the new Constitution to include a Bill of Rights. The Federalist James Madison – who earlier had argued against including a Bill of Rights in the Constitution – now strongly supported it. Many states had ratified the United States Constitution only reluctantly, and Madison believed that the adoption of a Bill of Rights by the new United States Congress would weaken public support for the Anti-Federalist position that another constitutional convention should take place. There were growing calls for the new Constitution to be re-written in order to weaken the power of the national government. Madison saw the inclusion of a Bill of Rights within the Constitution as a way to save the Constitution itself. The Bill of Rights was approved by the Congress in 1789 and came into effect in 1791. The articles that were adopted through ratification by three-fourths of the states (as the new Constitution required) became the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Although the Bill of Rights initially applied only to the federal government, it now largely applies to state and local governments too. The vast majority of the protections guaranteed by the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are now understood by the American judicial system to apply to all governments through the Due Process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In keeping with the idea that the United States Constitution should protect people’s individual liberties from government interference, the Bill of Rights does each of the following: I.  The First Amendment protects people’s freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom to protest, and the freedom of the press. II.  The Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms. III.  The Third Amendment prevents the government from making people provide shelter to soldiers within their homes. (This had been a problem during the Revolutionary War.) IV.  The Fourth Amendment protects people from the unreasonable search and seizure of their property. A warrant issued by a judge based on “probable cause” (a good reason supported by evidence and stated under oath) is required. V.  The Fifth Amendment protects people from criminal prosecution and punishment without “due process of law” by guaranteeing the right to a fair trial. It also gives people the right not to testify against themselves under oath. VI.  The Sixth Amendment guarantees that people who have been charged with a crime will receive a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury. VII.  The Seventh Amendment provides for a trial by jury in civil (private) legal disputes. (This right still applies only to the federal government.) VIII.  The Eighth Amendment prohibits the imposition of excessive bail or fines and cruel and unusual punishment. IX.  The Ninth Amendment states that the specific rights listed in the Constitution are not the only rights that people have, and that no person’s rights should be used to interfere with the rights of others. X.  The Tenth Amendment states that powers not specifically assigned to the federal government or specifically denied to the states by the Constitution belong to the states or to the people. For more information To learn more about the Bill of Rights, please visit the National Archives’ Bill of Rights section at https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights .

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Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement Pamphlet

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The Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read statement were crafted in times of looming censorship and privacy threats. They’ve stood the test of time and remain fundamental declarations of librarian values.

Both documents are needed now more than ever.

The Office for Intellectual Freedom invites library workers to print and distribute a downloadable brochure that includes both documents. Remind your community that libraries will stand for free expression and against censorship; they will remain safe havens to protect ideas, as well as challenge them.

A full-size Library Bill of Rights poster is available for purchase from the ALA Store .

Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement

Library Bill of Rights History

First drafted by library director Forrest Spaulding in 1938, the bill was designed to speak out against the “growing intolerance, suppression of free speech and censorship affecting the rights of minorities and individuals.”

One year later, the revised document was adopted by the American Library Association. It has since evolved to include topics such as book banning, race and gender discrimination, and exhibit spaces. Based on the First Amendment, the Library Bill of Rights guides librarians in serving their communities and protecting the rights of all patrons.

Freedom to Read Statement History

“The freedom to read is essential to our democracy.”

The first sentence to the 1954 Freedom to Read statement remains the influential opening sentence today.

In 1953, a group of professors, directors, librarians, publishers and businessmen met to “discuss the current wave of censorship and attacks on books and libraries.” They created a document that defined the responsibilities of publishers and librarians to protect Americans’ freedom to read. Since its inception, the statement has been altered during times of violence and prosecution to defend the reading choices of readers – it remains a rallying proclamation for all literary community members.

Bill of Rights

Primary tabs.

  • First Amendment [Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition (1791)] (see explanation )
  • Second Amendment [Right to Bear Arms (1791)] (see explanation )
  • Third Amendment [Quartering of Troops (1791)] (see explanation )
  • Fourth Amendment [Search and Seizure (1791)] (see explanation )
  • Fifth Amendment [Grand Jury, Double Jeopardy, Self-Incrimination, Due Process (1791)] (see explanation )
  • Sixth Amendment [Criminal Prosecutions - Jury Trial, Right to Confront and to Counsel (1791)] (see explanation )
  • Seventh Amendment [Common Law Suits - Jury Trial (1791)] (see explanation )
  • Eighth Amendment [Excess Bail or Fines, Cruel and Unusual Punishment (1791)] (see explanation )
  • Ninth Amendment [Non-Enumerated Rights (1791)] (see explanation )
  • Tenth Amendment [Rights Reserved to States or People (1791)] (see explanation )

The Bill of Rights in public administration

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thesis statement about bill of rights

Background Essay: The Supreme Court and the Bill of Rights

thesis statement about bill of rights

Guiding Question: How has the Supreme Court decided cases in controversies related to the Bill of Rights?

  • I can identify the role of the Supreme Court in protecting civil liberties.
  • I can explain how the Supreme Court’s role has changed over time.

Essential Vocabulary

During the last 60 years, the Supreme Court has become perhaps the central defender of civil liberties, or freedoms that government is not allowed to restrict, in the United States. This role has been a relatively recent development that marked a distinct change from the Founding, when the Court mostly addressed government powers. The evolution of this role for the Court has greatly expanded popular expectations of enjoying individual rights. However, it has also been fraught with numerous difficulties, both for the constitutional order and for the Supreme Court itself, as it has become the center of controversy about rights.

Limited Government and the Supreme Court

The original Founding understanding of the Bill of Rights was that it limited the powers of the federal government to violate the rights of the people. When originally ratified, the Bill of Rights only applied to the national government, not to state governments. State governments had their own bills of rights to protect their citizens. This reflected the constitutional principle of federalism, or the separation of powers between state and national governments. The Supreme Court endorsed this Founding view that the Bill of Rights applied only to the national government in the case Barron v. Baltimore (1833).

Moreover, this also represented the principle of limited government, one of the foundations of protecting liberties. The national government had certain enumerated and implied powers that the three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—exercised in making, executing, and interpreting the law. Enumerated powers are those listed explicitly in the Constitution. Implied powers are those that government has that are not written in the document. The national government could not exceed these powers to violate the liberties of the people. To further this protection, states had their own bills of rights. The Declaration of Independence asserted that the ultimate protection of the people’s liberties is the overthrow of a tyrannical government after a long train of abuses.

The role of the Court was to hear all cases arising under the Constitution. After the case of Marbury v. Madison (1803), the Court’s role expanded to include determining the constitutionality of governmental laws and actions. However, there was debate over whether or not the other branches also had the responsibility of interpreting the Constitution.

It is important to note that although the Court could rule a law or action unconstitutional, it was not necessarily the final word on the Constitution. In a speech critical of the Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) decision, Abraham Lincoln quoted Andrew Jackson, saying, “The Congress, the executive and the court, must each for itself be guided by its own opinion of the Constitution.” Lincoln was arguing that the Court’s authority and just precedents , or earlier laws or rulings, should be respected, but the Supreme Court was not necessarily the final word on the meaning of the Constitution and could make errors, as it did in Dred Scott . All the branches must interpret the document in the exercise of their constitutional powers for the ends of liberty, equality, and justice.

The Supreme Court, Incorporation, and the Bill of Rights from the Twentieth Century to Today

The due process clause of the 14th Amendment led to the incorporation of the Bill of Rights, which meant that the Supreme Court applied the Bill of Rights to the states. During the first half of the twentieth century, the Court incorporated the Bill of Rights selectively in a few cases. For example, it extended the First Amendment right of free speech against state violation in Gitlow v. New York (1925) and freedom of the press in Near v. Minnesota (1931).

The popular understanding of the Court as the protector of individual rights became widely accepted during the Warren Court (1953–1969) and after. Many of the decisions were controversial because Americans viewed the issues involved differently. Some Americans questioned whether the Court was the appropriate branch to define rights or whether it should be left to the other branches of government or the amendment process. The Court also controversially overturned the laws and common values of states and local communities for one uniform, national standard.

The Court expanded the application of the Bill of Rights (incorporated) to the states in several areas and protected civil liberties in new ways. For example, the Court banned school-sponsored prayer and Bible reading in public schools in Engel v. Vitale (1962) and Abington School District v. Schempp (1963), respectively, for violating the establishment clause of the First Amendment.

The Court protected the rights of students in local public schools in other ways. In Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), the Court decided that students had the right of free speech to protest the Vietnam War under the First Amendment. The students had worn black armbands to protest the war despite a warning not to, and the school suspended them.

The Court protected the rights of the accused in major cases during the mid-1960s. The Court stated that criminal defendants are entitled to an attorney in Gideon v. Wainwright (1963). The Court excluded, or left out, illegally seized criminal evidence under the Fourth Amendment in Mapp v. Ohio (1964). In Miranda v. Arizona (1966), the Court decided that police officers must provide a “Miranda warning” informing accused people of their rights before questioning them about a crime.

The Court also made key decisions on moral issues that were fiercely debated in American society. In Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), the Court asserted that a “right to privacy” exists and is implicit in several amendments of the Bill of Rights. Therefore, the Court declared a state law banning birth control unconstitutional. The decision was a precedent for the use of the right to privacy argument in Roe v. Wade (1973), which established a right to abortion.

In recent decades, the Court helped protect gay rights. In Lawrence v. Texas (2003), the Court invalidated state laws banning homosexual acts. In Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), the Court made gay marriage a right when it required states to recognize the same-sex marriages of other states.

The Supreme Court has left a mixed record regarding its decisions related to the Bill of Rights. On one hand, Court rulings have protected what seem like reasonable and fundamental individual liberties. On the other hand, the Court has made rulings on cultural, social, and moral disputes that often did little to resolve the wider debate over the issues and maybe even fueled division among Americans. In recent decades, for better or worse, Americans have increasingly looked to the Supreme Court as the protector of civil liberties and the final word on the Constitution.

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thesis statement about bill of rights

The Supreme Court and the Bill of Rights

How has the Supreme Court decided cases in controversies related to the Bill of Rights?

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Composite image of the House of Lords on Monday and Rishi Sunak

Council of Europe human rights watchdog condemns UK’s Rwanda bill

Commissioner expresses grave concern after Rishi Sunak’s asylum policy passes parliamentary stages

The Council of Europe’ s human rights watchdog has condemned Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda scheme, saying it raises “major issues about the human rights of asylum seekers and the rule of law”.

The body’s human rights commissioner, Michael O’Flaherty, said the bill, expected to be signed into law on Tuesday after passing its parliamentary stages on Monday night , was a grave concern and should not be used to remove asylum seekers or infringe on judges’ independence.

“I am concerned that the Rwanda bill enables the implementation of a policy of removing people to Rwanda without any prior assessment of their asylum claims by the UK authorities in the majority of cases,” O’Flaherty said, adding that the bill “significantly excludes the ability of UK courts to fully and independently scrutinise the issues brought before them”.

The UK remains a member of the pan-European body that promotes human rights, democracy and the rule of law across the continent.

O’Flaherty warned that the UK was prohibited from subjecting, even indirectly, people to “refoulement” – the act of forcing a refugee or asylum seeker to a country or territory where he or she is likely to face persecution – including under article 3 of the European convention on human rights, under the refugee convention, and under “a range of other international instruments”.

Sunak has said flights will begin taking asylum seekers to Kigali within 10-12 weeks, admitting he would miss his target of flights taking off by spring. Speaking after the passing of the bill, the prime minister pledged it would be a “fundamental change in the global equation on migration”.

But a Home Office minister said the government was prepared for “inevitable” legal challenges to the Rwanda scheme, saying there were those who were “determined to do whatever it takes to try and stop this policy from working”.

Charities and rights groups have condemned the passing of the bill as a “stain on this country’s moral reputation”.

The illegal migration minister, Michael Tomlinson, told Times Radio that the government knew there would be legal battles ahead. “I’m afraid that there will be challenges. There are people who don’t like this policy.”

He said there were “patronising and supercilious” statements about the treatment of gay people in Rwanda, calling it “a very progressive country”.

“Frankly, some of the debate that we’ve heard in the House of Commons and the House of Lords – not recently but in the early days – was very patronising and almost supercilious in looking down at Rwanda,” he said. “So yes, people can be safely sent to Rwanda and it is not unlawful to be gay in Rwanda and discrimination on any grounds is unlawful in Rwanda.”

The bill was passed after a showdown with peers, who eventually conceded on two amendments, but the government is expected to face a number of legal battles as it prepares to deport asylum seekers by July.

The prime minister said the bill was “not just a step forward but a fundamental change in the global equation on migration”.

“We introduced the Rwanda bill to deter vulnerable migrants from making perilous crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit them,” he said.

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“The passing of this legislation will allow us to do that and make it very clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay. Our focus is to now get flights off the ground, and I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives.”

The deal will cost £1.8m for each of the first 300 deportees, the National Audit Office has confirmed. Earlier on Monday, Sunak had admitted during a press conference that the first flights taking asylum seekers to Kigali would not take off for up to 12 weeks, despite having promised they would do so in the spring.

Lawyers have told the Guardian they will prepare legal challenges on behalf of individual asylum seekers. They can challenge their removal on a case-by-case basis. The Home Office has a list of 350 asylum seekers who are deemed to pose the least risk of submitting successful legal challenges.

The bill allows challenges if a detainee faces a “real, imminent and foreseeable risk of serious irreversible harm if removed to Rwanda”. They must lodge an appeal within eight days of receiving a deportation letter.

Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, said the bill “takes a hatchet to international legal protections for some of the most vulnerable people in the world, and it is a matter of national disgrace that our political establishment has let this bill pass.

“The bill is built on a deeply authoritarian notion attacking one of the most basic roles played by the courts – the ability to look at evidence, decide on the facts of a case and apply the law accordingly. It’s absurd that the courts are forced to treat Rwanda as a ‘safe country’ and forbidden from considering all evidence to the contrary.”

  • Immigration and asylum
  • Human rights
  • Council of Europe
  • Rishi Sunak
  • House of Commons
  • Conservatives

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule Requiring Automatic Refunds of Airline Tickets and Ancillary Service Fees

Rule makes it easy to get money back for cancelled or significantly changed flights, significantly delayed checked bags, and additional services not provided  

WASHINGTON – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule that requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed. The new rule makes it easy for passengers to obtain refunds when airlines cancel or significantly change their flights, significantly delay their checked bags, or fail to provide the extra services they purchased.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them - without headaches or haggling,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg . “Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.”  

The final rule creates certainty for consumers by defining the specific circumstances in which airlines must provide refunds. Prior to this rule, airlines were permitted to set their own standards for what kind of flight changes warranted a refund. As a result, refund policies differed from airline to airline, which made it difficult for passengers to know or assert their refund rights. DOT also received complaints of some airlines revising and applying less consumer-friendly refund policies during spikes in flight cancellations and changes. 

Under the rule, passengers are entitled to a refund for:

  • Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers will be entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered. For the first time, the rule defines “significant change.” Significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.  
  • Significantly delayed baggage return: Passengers who file a mishandled baggage report will be entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate, depending on the length of the flight.  
  • Extra services not provided: Passengers will be entitled to a refund for the fee they paid for an extra service — such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment — if an airline fails to provide this service.

DOT’s final rule also makes it simple and straightforward for passengers to receive the money they are owed. Without this rule, consumers have to navigate a patchwork of cumbersome processes to request and receive a refund — searching through airline websites to figure out how make the request, filling out extra “digital paperwork,” or at times waiting for hours on the phone. In addition, passengers would receive a travel credit or voucher by default from some airlines instead of getting their money back, so they could not use their refund to rebook on another airline when their flight was changed or cancelled without navigating a cumbersome request process.  

The final rule improves the passenger experience by requiring refunds to be:

  • Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.   
  • Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.  
  • Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.    
  • Full amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees, regardless of whether the taxes or fees are refundable to airlines.

The final rule also requires airlines to provide prompt notifications to consumers affected by a cancelled or significantly changed flight of their right to a refund of the ticket and extra service fees, as well as any related policies.

In addition, in instances where consumers are restricted by a government or advised by a medical professional not to travel to, from, or within the United States due to a serious communicable disease, the final rule requires that airlines must provide travel credits or vouchers. Consumers may be required to provide documentary evidence to support their request. Travel vouchers or credits provided by airlines must be transferrable and valid for at least five years from the date of issuance.

The Department received a significant number of complaints against airlines and ticket agents for refusing to provide a refund or for delaying processing of refunds during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, refund complaints peaked at 87 percent of all air travel service complaints received by DOT. Refund problems continue to make up a substantial share of the complaints that DOT receives.

DOT’s Historic Record of Consumer Protection Under the Biden-Harris Administration

Under the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has advanced the largest expansion of airline passenger rights, issued the biggest fines against airlines for failing consumers, and returned more money to passengers in refunds and reimbursements than ever before in the Department’s history.

  • Thanks to pressure from Secretary Buttigieg and DOT’s flightrights.gov dashboard, all 10 major U.S. airlines guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodations when an airline issue causes a significant delay or cancellation. These are new commitments the airlines added to their customer service plans that DOT can legally ensure they adhere to and are displayed on flightrights.gov .  
  • Since President Biden took office, DOT has helped return more than $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements owed to airline passengers – including over $600 million to passengers affected by the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown in 2022.   
  • Under Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has issued over $164 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations. Between 1996 and 2020, DOT collectively issued less than $71 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations.  
  • DOT recently launched a new partnership with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general to fast-track the review of consumer complaints, hold airlines accountable, and protect the rights of the traveling public.  
  • In 2023, the flight cancellation rate in the U.S. was a record low at under 1.2% — the lowest rate of flight cancellations in over 10 years despite a record amount of air travel.  
  • DOT is undertaking its first ever industry-wide review of airline privacy practices and its first review of airline loyalty programs.

In addition to finalizing the rules to require automatic refunds and protect against surprise fees, DOT is also pursuing rulemakings that would:

  • Propose to ban family seating junk fees and guarantee that parents can sit with their children for no extra charge when they fly. Before President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines last year, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now, four airlines guarantee fee-free family seating, and the Department is working on its family seating junk fee ban proposal.  
  • Propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations.   
  • Expand the rights for passengers who use wheelchairs and ensure that they can travel safely and with dignity . The comment period on this proposed rule closes on May 13, 2024.

The final rule on refunds can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news and at regulations.gov , docket number DOT-OST-2022-0089. There are different implementation periods in this final rule ranging from six months for airlines to provide automatic refunds when owed to 12 months for airlines to provide transferable travel vouchers or credits when consumers are unable to travel for reasons related to a serious communicable disease. 

Information about airline passenger rights, as well as DOT’s rules, guidance and orders, can be found at   https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .

93 Bill of Rights Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best bill of rights topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 simple & easy bill of rights essay titles, 👍 good essay topics on bill of rights, ❓ bill of rights essay questions.

  • Similarities and Differences Between the English Bill of Rights and the American Declaration of Independence The document, the English Bill of Rights, was ratified in the year 1689 by the English parliament. The American Declaration of Independence, like the English Bill of Rights, safeguarded the right of subjects to participate […]
  • Why Is the Bill of Rights Important Today Essay The bill of rights is one of the basic provisions of a given constitution and it spells out the rights and freedoms of all the citizens of a given nation. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
  • Should Australia Adopt a Bill of Rights? Victorian Charter of Human Rights/Responsibility Act of 2006 is important, because it addresses the following.”By drawing the nexus between policies and practices with human rights standards, the Charter becomes a powerful tool that changes the […]
  • Analysis of «Bill of Rights» Through the bill of rights, an individual is assured of a number of personal freedoms, including the right to own property, the right to life, right of protection from the law, freedom of movement, freedom […]
  • The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction Living in the shadow of the second Reconstruction of the 1960s, several lawyers adhere to a custom that perceives federal authorities and state officials as the unique protectors of independent and minority rights as the […]
  • The Bill of Rights and the Florida Constitution The Constitution of the state of Florida is similar to the bill of rights, yet distinct in a variety of freedoms and protections it offers.
  • English Bill of Rights vs. American Declaration of Independence In a sense, the American constitution is the fruition of the struggle of the people to dispense with the monarchy and privileged aristocracy and it is the voice of an authentic Republic.
  • Fundamental Rights in the Bill of Rights This paper examines the extent to which the Bill of Rights has influenced the way of life of the people of America in line with the Constitution.
  • The Bill of Rights Application to the Law Enforcement System The initial version of the United States Constitution included the provisions that granted authority to the three independent branches of government: the legislative, the judicial, and the executive.
  • Policing and the Bill of Rights: Supreme Court Cases Jones case, the placement of a GPS device under a suspect’s car was interpreted as a violation of the Fourth amendment by the Supreme Court. In the United States v.
  • Creation of Constitution and Bill of Rights The Articles of Confederation failed to unify the nation because in this document, the empowerment of the government of the United States was utterly limited.
  • Patient Bill of Rights: Policy Analysis The patient is provided with rights and responsibilities so that they are not misled by the doctors and thus the health plan should adopt the principles that will enable them to provide the best services […]
  • The Bill of Rights, Its Origins and Historic Role Therefore, while formulating the text of the document, the legislators proceeded from the idea of natural rights and freedoms and the establishment of the limits of the state’s power in relation to a person.
  • Justifying the Bill of Rights: the US Constitution The constitution depends upon the process of amendment to guarantee personal freedom and the nature of the adaptability of the constitution.
  • Procedural Law and the Bill of Rights Though being only parts of the grand system, the Procedural Law and the Bill of Rights create the environment in which handling the issues occurring in the legal field of the U.S.becomes a possibility.
  • Amendment Four in the US Bill of Rights The fourth amendment in the United States of America Constitution is the section of the Bill of Rights that protects all US citizens against unfair searches, confiscations, and arrests.
  • The Bill of Rights and It’s Importance Each of the amendments included in this list is critical for limiting the authority of the state. This is one of the reasons why I attach much importance to this amendment that regulates the interactions […]
  • American History: A Bill of Rights and an Amendment A bill of rights outlines the rights and privileges of the citizens while an amendment aims at making changes to the existing legal provisions that govern a state or country.
  • The Bill of Rights and the Anti-Federalist Concerns The Effects of the Bill of Rights Due to these facts and the essence of the Bill of Rights, it can be said that the efforts of the Anti-Federalists were not in vain.
  • Thomas Jefferson and the Writing of the Bill of Rights and the US Constitution The important nature of the Declaration of Independence cannot be overstated; it was through the statement that the 13 colonies in America declared their independence from the British Empire.
  • Bill of Rights and Individual Liberties Enemies of the constitution played down the claim that the bill of rights was not needed in the constitution since it contravened the wishes and desires of the majority in the country.
  • Analysis of Case Laws Involving Business and the Bill of Rights, Torts, Administrative Agency and Contracts Ruling: The criminal court of appeals of Texas held that the evidence was sufficient in establishing that the appellant knew the content and character of the video tape and thus affirmed the conviction.
  • The Bill of Rights: Principles and Elements It contains different elements like the bill of rights, the principles of constitution, federalism, as well as the judicial review. The bill of rights takes into account the crucial rights of the people of a […]
  • Historical Backgrounds, Constitution, Bill of Rights and Amendments
  • The Freedom for Individuals Provided and Protected by the Bill of Rights
  • English Principles and Their Influence for Colonial Government: The English Bill of Rights
  • Substantive Due Process, Procedural Due Process and the Bill of Rights
  • Immigration and the Bill of Rights – The Fundamental Constitutional Protections
  • Bill of Rights and Evolution American Government
  • The Relationship Between Man and Religion Through the Bill of Rights
  • Indigenous Women and the Canadian Bill of Rights
  • Civil Liberties’ Protection and the U.S. Bill of Rights
  • The Revolution and the Bill of Rights
  • Founding Fathers and the Bill of Rights – A Brief History
  • Business and the Bill of Rights – How the Constitution Protects the Civil Liberties of Business Entities
  • The Bill of Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  • The Fourteenth Amendment and Bill of Rights That Changed History
  • Salem Witch Trials and the Bill of Rights
  • A Bill of Rights And Democracy in South Africa
  • Gun Control and the Bill of Rights: The Origins of the Second Amendment and the Right to Bear Arms
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  • Individual Rights and Freedoms Under the Bill of Rights
  • The Content and Importance of the Amendments to the United States Bill of Rights
  • The History, Role and Impact of the Bill of Rights in the U.s
  • The Federal Police Officers and Bill of Rights
  • From the Italian Renaissance to the American Bill of Rights
  • Arguments for and Against an Australian Bill of Rights
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  • America and the Incorporation of the Bill of Rights
  • Impartial Government and the U.S. Bill of Rights
  • The American Constitution, the Bill of Rights – The Most Important Amendments
  • Constitutional and Administrative Reasons Behind the Bill of Rights
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  • Protecting Life, Liberty, and Property in the Bill of Rights
  • Modern Day Relevance of the Bill of Rights
  • The Pros and Cons of the Bill of Rights in the Way to Become a More Rights-Focused Society
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  • How Did the Fourteenth Amendment and Bill of Rights Change History?
  • Why Is the Passage of the Bill of Rights an Example of Compromise, Friendship, and Moderation?
  • How Did the Magna Carta Influence the Bill of Rights?
  • How Did the Bill of Rights Become Part of the Constitution? Were All of the Proposed Changes Accepted?
  • What Was the Original Founding Understanding of the Bill of Rights?
  • Why Was the Bill of Rights Added to the Constitution?
  • What Rights Are Protected by the First Amendment?
  • When Did the Bill of Rights Become a More Central Part of How the Constitution Is Interpreted? Why?
  • Which Freedoms Are Protected by the Bill of Rights? Which Ones Do You Use Regularly or Rarely?
  • How Does Citizens-Not the Government-Use the Bill of Rights to Define Their Freedoms?
  • What Would Life Be Like Without a Bill of Rights?
  • What Are the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Federalists’ Arguments?
  • Why Did the Bill of Rights Not Strongly Affect Citizens?
  • What Are the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Antifederalists’ Arguments?
  • Should the Bill of Rights Be Updated? If So, What Rights Should Be Added or Amended?
  • What’s an Example of a Natural Right That Is Not Referenced in the Bill of Rights?
  • Why Do You Think the Founding Fathers Included the Bill of Rights?
  • What Rights Are Promised to American Citizens in the Bill of Rights?
  • Why Might Some of the Federalists Have Opposed the Adoption of a Bill of Rights? What Problems Might It Cause?
  • What Arguments Did the Anti-federalists Make in Favor of the Bill of Rights? How Convincing Do You Find Those Arguments?
  • Why Did Several States Refuse to Ratify the Constitution Without the Addition of the Bill of Rights?
  • What Is the Primary Purpose of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights?
  • How Did North Carolina Federalists and Anti-federalists View the United States Constitution in 1788?
  • What Consequences Might We Face if We Are Unaware of the Bill of Rights?
  • Do You Think We Would Have A Bill of Rights Without the Anti-federalists?
  • How Do the Bill of Rights Affect Our Individual Lives?
  • What Would Happen Without the Bill of Rights?
  • Is the Bill of Rights Necessary? Why or Why Not?
  • Why Should the Bill of Rights Be Added to the Constitution?
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NPR C.E.O. Faces Criticism Over Tweets Supporting Progressive Causes

Katherine Maher, who took over the public network last month, posted years ago on Twitter that “Donald Trump is a racist.”

Katherine Maher is speaking with his hands in motion while wearing a headset.

By Benjamin Mullin

Katherine Maher, the chief executive of NPR, is facing online criticism for years-old social media posts criticizing former President Donald J. Trump and embracing liberal causes.

The posts, published on the social media platform Twitter, which is now called X, were written before she was named chief executive of NPR in January. They resurfaced this week after an essay by an NPR staff member who argued that the broadcaster’s leaders had allowed liberal bias to taint its coverage.

“Also, Donald Trump is a racist,” read one of Ms. Maher’s posts in 2018, which has since been deleted. Another post, from November 2020 , shows Ms. Maher wearing a hat with the logo for the Biden presidential campaign.

“Had a dream where Kamala and I were on a road trip in an unspecified location, sampling and comparing nuts and baklava from roadside stands,” Ms. Maher wrote , an apparent reference to Vice President Kamala Harris. “Woke up very hungry.”

Ms. Maher, who had not worked in the news industry before joining NPR, was the chief executive of the Wikimedia Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the popular online resource Wikipedia, when she wrote many of the posts that were now being criticized.

An NPR spokeswoman, Isabel Lara, said in a statement that Ms. Maher “was not working in journalism at the time and was exercising her First Amendment right to express herself like any other American citizen.”

NPR also said that Ms. Maher had upheld the network’s code of ethics since she was appointed.

“Since stepping into the role she has upheld and is fully committed to NPR’s code of ethics and the independence of NPR’s newsroom,” the statement said. “The C.E.O. is not involved in editorial decisions.”

Ms. Maher said in a statement that in America, “everyone is entitled to free speech as a private citizen.” She heralded the network’s commitment to independent reporting and called on Americans to “listen, watch and read our work.”

“What matters is NPR’s work and my commitment as its C.E.O.: public service, editorial independence and the mission to serve all of the American public,” Ms. Maher said. “NPR is independent, beholden to no party, and without commercial interests.”

Much of the discussion about the posts has emanated from conservative critics after the publication of an opinion column in The Free Press, a popular Substack publication. In the column, Uri Berliner, a senior business editor at NPR, said that “people at every level of NPR have comfortably coalesced around the progressive worldview.”

Mr. Berliner’s essay stunned his co-workers, who were unaccustomed to seeing NPR’s journalism excoriated by a long-serving editor. The essay was addressed internally at a lunch with Ms. Maher and the hosts of NPR’s popular programs, including “All Things Considered,” and more than a half-hour of a “Morning Edition” meeting was occupied by a discussion of Mr. Berliner’s criticisms.

Several NPR employees have taken to Twitter to criticize Mr. Berliner’s essay. Eric Deggans, the public network’s TV critic, faulted Mr. Berliner for not seeking comment from NPR before publishing his essay. Scott Detrow, the weekend host of “All Things Considered,” called attention to Mr. Berliner’s numerous media appearances to discuss his essay.

“Going public to torch your workplace, then doing media hit after media hit to continue torching it, is not a thing you do when you have good-faith intentions,” Mr. Detrow wrote.

Christopher Rufo, a fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute, called attention to many of Ms. Maher’s posts on X and shared a response from Tesla’s chief executive, Elon Musk, who had responded to one of Ms. Maher’s posts that Mr. Rufo highlighted, saying, “This person is a crazy racist!”

“If NPR wants to truly be National Public Radio, it can’t pander to the furthest-left elements in the United States,” Mr. Rufo said in an interview. “To do so, NPR should part ways with Katherine Maher.”

Ms. Maher, who started late last month, pushed back against the accusations of bias at NPR in a memo to employees last week.

“Asking a question about whether we’re living up to our mission should always be fair game: after all, journalism is nothing if not hard questions,” Ms. Maher said in the note. “Questioning whether our people are serving our mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity, is profoundly disrespectful, hurtful, and demeaning.”

Shortly after joining NPR, Ms. Maher held a town hall-style meeting with employees to introduce herself and field questions. At one point, Ms. Maher was asked about NBC’s recent decision to give a platform to political figures like Ronna McDaniel, a former chair of the Republican National Committee. NBC cut ties to Ms. McDaniel after her hiring as an on-air commentator caused an internal uproar, with many journalists at the network upset about her handling of Mr. Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was rigged.

“I think that the most effective way that I have seen this play out is, if you’re bringing somebody into a story that is pushing a deliberate distortion, be extraordinarily well-prepared to push back and very prepared with the information necessary, the irreducible facts,” Ms. Maher said.

Benjamin Mullin reports on the major companies behind news and entertainment. Contact Ben securely on Signal at +1 530-961-3223 or email at [email protected] . More about Benjamin Mullin

House tees up votes on Ukraine and Israel aid as Speaker Johnson defies his right flank

WASHINGTON — The House voted 316-94 to tee up votes on four separate bills that include aid to Ukraine and Israel, a good sign for the prospects of Congress approving U.S. funding for the two countries after months of delay and partisan fighting.

Speaker Mike Johnson, facing intense opposition from right-wing members, received crucial help from Democrats to move forward with the votes. More Democrats (165) than Republicans (151) voted to pass the “ rule ,” a procedural step to set up the votes.

The move tees up four House votes that are expected Saturday afternoon: one on Israel aid, another on Ukraine aid, another on Indo-Pacific security and a fourth bill that includes a bill designed to ban TikTok in the U.S. if it does not divest from its China-based owner, as well as various national security priorities. If they pass, the measures would be packaged together and sent to the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Mike Johnson

Taken together, the foreign aid measures closely resemble the $95 billion national security package pushed by President Joe Biden. The Senate would have to pass it again, due to some differences with the version that passed the upper chamber in February.

"The world is watching what the Congress does. Passing this legislation would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment," the White House budget office said in a statement Friday endorsing the House package. "The Administration urges both chambers of the Congress to quickly send this supplemental funding package to the President’s desk."

The House's move followed a vote of 9-3 in the Rules Committee late Thursday to send the bills to the floor for a final vote, with Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., breaking with Johnson to vote against it. But all four Democrats on the committee voted for the rule and rescued it, an extremely unusual move for the minority party.

"We only control one chamber, and I barely have control of that," Johnson said Thursday on Newsmax, explaining why he couldn't include GOP immigration measures in the package as some wanted. "The Senate won't advance our legislation and the president won't sign it. ... I have a handful of my Republicans, at least, who will not advance a rule to bring that to the floor to combine it with the Ukraine and Israel funding. They won't do it. And so if I don’t have Republican votes, that means we have to have Democratic votes." 

Johnson's decision to move forward with the bills comes as two of his members — Massie and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. — threaten to remove him as speaker. They and many other House conservatives oppose additional aid to Ukraine.

“We’ll see what happens. I’m going to do my job. I’m not deterred by threats,” Johnson said Friday. “We’re going to do the right thing and let the chips fall where they may.”

But Johnson, who opposed Ukraine aid last year before he became speaker, now says he believes it is "critically important," based on the intelligence and briefings he has since gotten.

“I think Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed," he told reporters this week.

"I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys," Johnson said, adding that his son is entering the Naval Academy this fall. "This is a live-fire exercise for me as it is so many American families. This is not a game, this is not a joke.”

The fourth bill includes a provision to force China-based ByteDance to sell TikTok within nine months, which the president can extend to a year, or face a ban in the U.S. The provision, which has Senate buy-in as well as Biden's support, puts TikTok closer than ever to a prohibition in the country.

Democrats praised the move to proceed to House votes, highlighting their party's key role.

"It is vital that Congress act to send assistance to support Ukraine and fend off Russian aggression," Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., said on X . "We may be in the minority, but we are not going to let that urgent mission fail. Democrats are doing what it takes to make sure Ukraine gets help."

Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., said Democrats were effectively in charge: "We may be in the minority in the House right now, but @RepJeffries is essentially functioning as the real Speaker already. Rs couldn’t get their own bills out of the committee they control so Ds had to help them. Work horses not just show horses."

thesis statement about bill of rights

Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

thesis statement about bill of rights

Rebecca is a producer and off-air reporter covering Congress for NBC News, managing coverage of the House.

thesis statement about bill of rights

Kyle Stewart is a field producer covering Congress for NBC News.

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TSMC says 'A16' chipmaking tech to arrive in 2026, setting up showdown with Intel

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co said on Wednesday that a new chip manufacturing technology called "A16" will enter production in the second half of 2026, setting up a showdown with longtime rival Intel over who can make the world's fastest chips.

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Control and Protection of Multi-Terminal DC Grids - Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering - Purdue University

Purdue University

Control and Protection of Multi-Terminal DC Grids

Maryam Saeedifard received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Toronto, in 2008. Since January 2014, she has been with the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, where she is currently a professor and holds a Dean’s professorship. Prior to joing Georgia Tech, she was an assistant professor at Purdue University. She is the recipient of Roger Webb’s Excellence in Mentorship Award from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech in 2023, the 8th Nagamori Awards from Nagamori Foundation in 2022, Roger Webb’s Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Award from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech in 2021, U.S. Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) Technology Research & Innovation Award from the Department of Energy in 2021, First Place Prize Paper Award from the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics in 2023, 2022 and 2021, Best Transactions Paper Award of the IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics in 2018 and 2016, IEEE J. David Irwin Early Career Award in 2018, U.S. National Academy of Engineering, Frontiers in Engineering in Education in 2012, U.S. National Academy of Engineering, Frontiers in Engineering in 2011, and IEEE Richard M. Bass Outstanding Young Power Electronic Engineer Award in 2010. She is an IEEE Fellow and is currently serving as a Co-Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics. Her research interests include power electronics and its applications in terrestrial and mobile power systems.

Steve Pekarek, [email protected]

2024-04-30 08:00:00 2024-04-30 17:00:00 America/Indiana/Indianapolis Control and Protection of Multi-Terminal DC Grids Maryam Saeedifard Georgia Institute of Technology 10:30 am

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New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal

Chairman of Committee on Judiciary

( D, WF ) 47th Senate District

Empire State Local News Coalition Celebrates Inclusion of $90 Million Local Media Tax Credit in Final FY 2025 New York State Budget

Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal

April 21, 2024

  • 2024-2025 State Budget

Senator Hoylman-Sigal and the Empire News Coalition

NEW YORK  – Today, Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature unveiled the final state budget, including a payroll tax credit for local news outlets, modeled on the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, in the sweeping package. With the passage of this bill, New York is now the first state in the nation to incentivize hiring and retaining local journalists. This game changer for the local news industry comes just months after the launch of the Empire State Local News Coalition, an unprecedented, grassroots campaign powered by more than 200 community newspapers across the state.

Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, the Senate bill sponsor, said:  “I’m elated that our first-in-the-nation Local Journalism Sustainability Act is passing in the state budget. A thriving local news industry is vital to the health of our democracy and it’s our responsibility to help ensure New Yorkers have access to independent and community-focused journalism. Thank you to Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Governor Hochul, our Assembly Sponsor Woerner and the over 200 local publications of the Empire State Local News Coalition who helped pass our bill. Our efforts will help ensure that our democracy will not die in darkness.”

The program--$30 million per year for three years--allows each eligible newspaper and broadcast business to receive a 50% refundable tax credit against the first $50,000 of an employee's salary, up to a total of $300,000 per business. $4 million will be allocated to incentivize print and broadcast businesses to hire new journalists. The remaining $26 million will be split evenly between businesses with fewer than 100 employees and those with more than 100 employees, ensuring that hyperlocal, independent news organizations have a fair shot at access to these funds. 

After stalling for years, the Local Journalism Sustainability Act catapulted into a top legislative priority this session following the early-2024 founding of the Empire State Local News Coalition and the coalition’s mobilization of support from hundreds of New York hometown papers as well as a broad range stakeholders from around the country, including the Rebuild Local News Coalition, Microsoft, and El Diario. Organized labor including NYS AFL-CIO, CWA District 1, and national and local news guilds also played a critical role in mobilizing support for this historic bill. 

"The Empire State Local News Coalition is thrilled by the state budget’s inclusion of a payroll tax credit for local news outlets modeled on the Local Journalism Sustainability Act. New York is now the first state in the nation to incentivize hiring and retaining local journalists–a critical investment given that hundreds of New York’s newspapers have closed since 2004, leaving too many New York communities without access to vital local information. The objectivity of this credit shows that there is a fair way for public policy to support local news without jeopardizing journalistic integrity. This program is a model for other states across the U.S. to follow as communities across the country raise their voices to save local news” said  Zachary Richner, founder of the Empire State Local News Coalition. “We’re incredibly proud of the 200 newspapers in our coalition, which built an unprecedented grassroots movement in support of saving New York’s local news industry in a few short months. We’re especially grateful to Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, whose tireless advocacy for this tax credit was instrumental in moving it through the legislative process. The coalition thanks Governor Hochul, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, Assembly Sponsor Carrie Woerner, and the entire legislature for supporting this industry-saving policy, and we look forward to continuing our advocacy for local news in the years to come," Richner continued. “Other states and stakeholders interested in replicating this playbook and hearing about lessons learned should reach out to us at [email protected] .” Since launching in February, the coalition has quickly mobilized stakeholders across the state to rally behind the bill. In addition to rallying with grassroots advocates in Westchester and Albany, members led petition drives, letter-writing campaigns, editorials, and advertisements sounding the alarm on the decline of local journalism.   

New York’s leadership on this issue could change the course of local journalism in the U.S. The budget’s inclusion of this tax credit comes at a watershed moment for the journalism industry: New York State has experienced hundreds of newspaper closures in the past few decades. 

About the Empire State Local News Coalition

Comprising more than 200 print and online newspapers, the Empire State Local News Coalition launched in 2024 to advocate for sound public policy that ensures the important work of local news organizations can continue across New York state. Through our independent journalism, we aim to serve, inform, uplift, and protect New Yorkers. We care deeply about our local communities as well as the future of New York’s free press. For more information, visit  SaveNYLocalNews.com .

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    Words: 718 Pages: 2 7853. On December 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights became part of the Constitution. These amendments were created to protect the rights of the citizens of the United States. The most important rights that were created in the Bill of Rights is the first amendment, it protects a citizen's freedom of speech and allow them to freely ...

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  30. Empire State Local News Coalition Celebrates Inclusion of $90 Million

    NEW YORK - Today, Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature unveiled the final state budget, including a payroll tax credit for local news outlets, modeled on the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, in the sweeping package. With the passage of this bill, New York is now the first state in the nation to incentivize hiring and retaining local journalists.