Here’s why Dayton VA stayed open during Bush services
The stock market closed last week during the memo- rial services for former Pres- ident George H.W. Bush. The post office did not deliver mail. The federal govern- ment closed, and flags were at half-staff.
But the Dayton VA Medical Center remained open for both inpatient and outpatient care.
It was a marked departure from 2004 and 2007 during the national days of mourning for former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford, respectively when the nation’s VA clinics were open only for inpatient care.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie ordered all VA medical centers to stay open for both inpatient and outpatient care. Ted Froats, a spokesman for the Dayton center, said in an email that “we agree with and fully support the secretary’s decision, as it is the right one for our nation’s heroes.”
Farm bill approval expected this week
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, one of the Senate negotiators on a conference committee with the House, predicted that the final version of the farm bill will be unveiled this week and swiftly approved by both houses of Congress.
The five-year bill is expected to cost roughly $865 billion and reautho- rizes most of the nation’s commodity, nutrition and crop insurance programs.
The final version appar- ently dropped a section demanded by House Republicans that would have imposed longer work rules for those receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, more commonly referred to as food stamps.
Confirmation votes delayed for pair
ciary Committee last month, Brown said that “rather than The Bush memorial sergranting these nominees life- vice also appears to be the time authority to threaten reason that the Senate JudiAmericans’ voting rights and ciary Committee last Thurs- health care, we should start day delayed confirmation over with two different canvotes for Ohio Solicitor Eric didates who can earn con- Murphy and Justice Departsensus.” ment official Chad Readler As Ohio solicitor in 2015, for seats on the 6th U.S. CirMurphy urged the U.S. cuit Court of Appeals in Cin- Supreme Court to uphold cinnati. Ohio’s controversial vot
President Donald Trump’s er-purge law and argued that decision this year to tap MurOhio’s ban on same-sex marphy and Readler to fill two riage did not violate the U.S. vacancies on the court of Constitution. By a 5-to-4 deciappeals provoked a sharp sion, the justices ruled that backlash from Senate Demthe Constitution protected ocrats such as Brown. the rights of same-sex cou
Testifying before the Judi- ples wanting to marry.
Murphy is a former law clerk to retired Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and a graduate of the University of Chicago law school.
Readler, a former partner in the Columbus law office of Jones Day, has been principal deputy and acting assistant attorney general for the civil division at the Justice Department. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School.