Judge Orders Temporary Housing Extension For 1,700 Puerto Rican Hurricane Evacuees

A judge ordered federal emergency officials to extend vouchers for temporary hotel housing for nearly 1,700 Puerto Rican hurricane evacuees, saying ending the program could cause irreparable harm. Saturday night's decision came shortly after civil rights group LatinoJustice PRLDEF filed a lawsuit seeking relief for the Puerto Ricans, whose federal housing assistance vouchers were set to expire at midnight Sunday, meaning the evacuees could have been evicted from the hotels.

Prison Camps for Children have a Horrific History: Do we Want to Join that Legacy?

Children and family have been central to the institution of the concentration camp from its beginnings 120 years ago. Wikipedia has now added the notorious American border detention centers to its list of concentration camps , and the # FamiliesBelongTogether Twitter hashtag has brought up frequent comparisons.

Colorado lawmakers want to make it a felony to fly a drone over a wildfire

People caught flying a drone over a wildfire could face federal felony charges if three of Colorado's federal lawmakers convince Congress to pass their bill. Sens. Cory Gardner , Michael Bennet and Rep. Scott Tipton introduced the Securing Airspace For Emergency Responders Act Wednesday.

Alaska city honors Guardsmen killed in crash after ’64 quake

In this photo provided by the Office of Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, he is shown delivering remarks at a plaque dedication ceremony Saturday, June 23, 2018, in Valdez, Alaska. The memorial plaque honors four Alaska National Guard members killed in April 1964 while conducting a humanitarian mission after the second most powerful earthquake ever destroyed the town.

Congressman urges feds to help fund flood control project

U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, asked the federal government Friday to help fund the Raymondville Drain, a regional flood relief project 30 years in the making, as thousands of residents across the area struggle to salvage property following two days of widespread flooding. Vela sent a letter Friday to Rickey Dale James, assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, expressing his concerns about the current infrastructure in the Rio Grande Valley and urging him to assess the situation.

Climate Change Is Our Most Critical National-Security Challenge

Progressive American politicians must embrace the necessity of dramatic action on climate change as a touchstone. So far, Senator Bernie Sanders has done it the most persuasively, campaigning on addressing climate change, health care, racial justice, and economic inequality as his unvaried quartet of issues, invoked in every speech and backed up with serious legislation that shows a willingness to move with real speed.

Congress tackles mounting opioid epidemic

House Republicans are beefing up their efforts to tackle the nation's deadly opioid crisis, but some experts question how effective their piecemeal approach will be. Congress is touting its recent flurry of action - the House is on track to pass more than 50 bills addressing the issue by the end of this week - on an issue that is hitting many constituents hard, and one that lawmakers are sure to hear about on the campaign trail this year.

US disaster-response force stretched thin as hurricane season starts

FILE PHOTO: Representatives from FEMA speak with a resident of the Staten Island borough neighborhood of New Dorp Beach about registering with the agency for financial assistance to help recover from the storm surge of Hurricane Sandy in New York, NY, U.S., November 15, 2012. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo As Hurricane Irma bore down on Florida last September, the top U.S. disaster-response official ordered all hands on deck.

Trump says Coast Guard rescued people who ‘went out in their boats to watch’ Harvey

President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that a main reason the US Coast Guard was so busy rescuing people during Hurricane Harvey was that people were watching the storm on boats. The Coast Guard "saved 16,000 people, many of them in Texas, for whatever reason that is," Trump said during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters for a briefing on hurricane season.