GOP Tucks $8 Billion for Military Weaponry in Virus Bill
A new $1 trillion COVID-19 response package by Senate Republicans includes billions for F-35 fighters, Apache helicopters and infantry carriers sought by Washington’s powerful defense lobby. The bill was drafted by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and includes $1.4 billion for C-130 transport planes and F-35 fighters, some of which could be delivered to an Air National Guard unit in Montgomery, Alabama. — U.S. News
Unions sue USDA over faster chicken plant production speeds
The union representing workers at chicken processing plants in six states, including Alabama, sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, saying its policy of allowing companies to slaughter birds more quickly endangers workers and makes it more difficult to protect against spread of the coronavirus. — Chattanooga Times Free Press
Remington bankruptcy could endanger Sandy Hook gun litigation
Remington Outdoor Co.’s second chapter 11 filing since the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting puts a long-running lawsuit by victims’ families at risk, threatening to bury details of how the company’s popular assault rifles were marketed. — Dow Jones
AEA: 65% of surveyed members ‘very uncomfortable’ with returning to classroom
An Alabama Education Association survey reports that 63 percent of respondents don’t want school facilities to reopen until public health experts are in agreement that it’s safe to return. — WBRC
Encompass Health rebounds after first quarter Covid-19 slump
Encompass Health (NASDAQ: EHC) in the second quarter overcame the financial onslaught brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, despite millions of dollars in increased costs for personal protective equipment, supplies, and increased paid time off and paid leave for staff. — Hospice News
