Midair collision of helicopter and airliner over the Potomac River in Washington
An Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with a commercial airliner over the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport in Washington shortly before 9 p.m. last night. The airliner was a regional jet being operated as American Airlines flight 5342 and was flown by the airline PSA for American Airlines. The airliner had departed Wichita, Kansas, and was on a short final approach to Reagan when the collision took place. An FAA controller at the airport had radioed the helicopter just before the collision to ask whether the flightcrew had the airliner in sight. The airliner had 60 passengers and 4 crew on board. The helicopter had three people on board. No survivors were found as of early Thursday morning.
Trump Administration backs down and lifts federal spending freeze, at least for now
The Trump Administration backed down and rescinded the order from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) freezing up to $3 trillion in federal spending authorized by Congress. In a memo released yesterday afternoon, the OMB overrode its previous memo putting the freeze on federal spending into effect. However, executive orders for the financial cuts apparently were not rescinded. Trump takes the position that the president has the right to decide what gets spent where and when, even though the Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse strings. Whether the administration will try again to push through a spending freeze remains to be seen.
Trump wants to set up large immigrant camp at Guantanamo Bay
Donald Trump says he wants to send 30,000 immigrants to a new camp to be built at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Trump told reporters that there are 30,000 beds already at the base but a U.S. official told CNN that there’s no way that many beds are still there, although the base was equipped to handle a large number of people as late at 1990. Guantanamo Bay was perhaps best known as the place where the U.S. housed and tortured terrorists. A separate center there has been used to house immigrants but conditions for the migrants are described as being like prison.
Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady
In its first interest rate announcement of the Trump Administration, the Federal Reserve said it is holding interest rates steady. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted unanimously to hold rates where the are in the 4-1/4% to 4-1/2% range. The FOMC said it still seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2% over the longer run. It said the economic outlook is uncertain. The committee said it would be prepared to adjust the stance of monetary policy as appropriate if risks emerge that “could impede the attainment of the committee’s goals” and that it “will take into account a wide range of information, including readings on labor market conditions, inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and financial and international developments.”
Menendez sentenced to 11 years in prison in bribery case
Former Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. He was convicted in a corruption and bribery case and after his trial resigned from the U.S. Senate. Menendez has insisted he is innocent and has vowed to appeal his conviction. Two businessmen involved with Menendez also were convicted and one was sentenced to eight years in prison while the other received a seven year sentence.
RFK Jr. returns to Capitol Hill for a second hearing
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was due for more tough questions from Democrats and more softballs from Republicans as he returned to Capitol Hill today for a second hearing on his nomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services. At yesterday’s hearing, Kennedy ducked numerous questions including why he changed his position from pro-choice on abortion to anti-abortion when Trump nominated him. He also ducked giving a simple yes or no answer to whether he’s still against vaccines after having spent years spreading conspiracy theories about them and trying to get parents not to vaccinate their children.
