April 7, 2017
The Weekly Trek
April 7, 2017
Top Political News
- U.S. launches air strikes against Assad forces in Syria. Politico
- Russia condemns U.S. missile strike on Syria, suspends key air agreement. Washington Post
- Senate goes nuclear to confirm Gorsuch. E&E
- March sees only 98K new jobs, but jobless rate falls to 4.5 percent. The Hill
- At Mar-a-Lago, Trump welcomes China’s Xi in first summit. Washington Post
- House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes recuses himself from Russia probe. Washington Post
- The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics. Politico
Energy & Natural Resources
- Trump Donates First-Quarter Salary to National Park Service. NY Times
- Some coal companies want Trump to stay in Paris pact. E&E
- Study finds DOE grant program’s costs exceed benefits. E&E
- White House Can Easily Speed Infrastructure Permitting, Group Says. BNA
- Budget Cuts Said to Raise Terror Threat to Water Infrastructure
Indian Affairs
- America’s forgotten crisis: over 50% of one Native American tribe are homeless. Guardian
- DOI Panel Rejects Bid To Declare Tribal Land Leases Invalid. Law360
- D.C. Circuit Awards Navajo Nation $15.7 Million in Additional Annual ISDEAA Funding. Lexology
- Feds call Nooksack tribal council ‘illegitimate’ and ‘abusive’. Seattle Times
- With New I-5 Exit Complete, Cowlitz Tribe Ready For Casino. OPB
Labor
- Fiduciary Rule Won’t Be Blocked by Appeals Court. BNA
- AFL-CIO chief: Trump pulled ‘bait-and-switch’ on working-class voters. The Hill
- Voters Approved Wage Hikes, But GOP Lawmakers Have Other Ideas. Bloomberg
- Cities Are Fighting to Close the Pay Gap–But States Are Standing in the Way. Route Fifty
- Americans Are Pretty Skeptical That Hard Work Will Pay Off. Atlantic
- Carson assures advocates that White House will include housing funding in infrastructure bill. Washington Post
Taxation, Trade, & Defense
- Trump Administration to Take Harder Tack on Trade With China. NY Times
- Canada and Mexico pitching united front ahead of crucial NAFTA talks. CTV News
- Mexico Welcomes Possible U.S. Shift on Nafta, but Mistrust of Trump Persists. NY Times
- U.S. Ports Forge Alliances to Keep Their Spots on Trade Map. Wall Street Journal
- Tug Boats, Barges at Center of U.S. Probe Into Shipping Alliances. Wall Street Journal
- Rates for Pass-Through Entities May Be Next Point of Contention in Tax Reform. Morning Consult
Technology
- Detroit is Stomping Silicon Valley in the Self-Driving Car Race. Wired
- Utah’s Cloud Flexibility Welcomes Innovative IoT and AI Solutions. Route Fifty
- The Aviation Industry Finally Discovers Silicon Valley. Wired
- Consumer group calls foul after former highway safety chief joins self-driving car startup. Washington Post
- Automated Truck Firm Raises $60 Million. Wall Street Journal
- Lyft Gets $500 Million in New Funding as Its Rival Uber Wobbles. NY Times
Transportation
- Trump Cuts Leave Bridge and Rail Projects Hanging. NY Times
- U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Approves Release of $768.2 Million for Emergency Repairs to Roads and Bridges in 40 States. DOT
- Republicans rush to help shape Trump’s infrastructure plan. The Hill
- Democrats bristle at Trump infrastructure plans. AP
- Tensions Rise Between U.S. and EU Officials Over Visa-Free Travel. Wall Street Journal
- When a major freeway closes, the expected gridlock almost never happens.. CityLab
- After 4 Years, Seattle’s Giant Tunneling Machine Finally Breaks Through. Wired
- This Infrastructure Program Ended Up Costing Governments Millions. Trump Might Bring It Back.Governing
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