JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 1080

Washington. The Senate voted this week to reject competing bills to extend COVID-era Affordable Care Act premium tax credits or replace them with health savings account payments, leaving enhanced subsidies set to expire Dec. 31 and risking steep premium increases for millions. Lawmakers offered a three-year Democratic extension and a Republican HSA-based alternative; neither secured the 60 votes needed to advance. The Democratic proposal failed 51-48 with several Republicans joining Democrats; the GOP alternative also lacked Democratic support. Congress faces a short window to craft a bipartisan solution before new-year premium spikes. Based on 11 articles reviewed and supporting research.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday unveiled a near-$117.4 billion 'Floridians First' budget that increases education funding, boosts law enforcement pay and reserves, proposes homestead property-tax elimination with state backfill, and includes debt reduction and targeted program cuts; legislative approval and a 2026 ballot amendment will affect implementation. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Michigan fired head football coach Sherrone Moore on Wednesday after an internal investigation found credible evidence he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member, athletic director Warde Manuel said. Michigan terminated Moore with cause, appointed Biff Poggi interim head coach and will not owe a buyout. Moore was booked into the Washtenaw County Jail hours later while prosecutors review allegations; authorities withheld additional details. The Wolverines finished the regular season 9-3 and will face Texas in the Dec. 31 Citrus Bowl. Based on 11 articles reviewed and supporting research.

United States state employment reports released this week show mixed labor-market signals for September 2025. State labor departments reported varied unemployment rates—Connecticut 3.8%, Ohio 4.8%, Oregon 5.2%, Indiana 3.7%, Pennsylvania 4.1%, San Diego County 4.9%—and divergent payroll changes, with losses in leisure, manufacturing and health care in some areas and gains in government and education-health sectors. Several agencies cited federal data updates resuming after a temporary pause; officials attributed short-term fluctuations to federal policy shifts, sector-specific trends and labor-force participation changes. Federal and state departments collected and published official monthly employment data. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

Washington. The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points Wednesday, lowering the federal funds target to 3.50–3.75 percent after a two-day FOMC meeting. Chair Jerome Powell said officials will wait to see and flagged a higher bar for future reductions while projecting one additional cut next year. Fed officials cited a cooling labor market and persistent inflation as reasons for caution. Three policymakers dissented, the most since 2019, with votes split over the pace and size of cuts. Markets and borrowers will monitor incoming data to assess policy direction. Based on 11 articles reviewed and supporting research.

Washington — The Federal Reserve cut the federal funds rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday, lowering the target range to 3.5 to 3.75 percent. Jerome Powell-led Federal Open Market Committee said uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated, job gains have slowed, and downside risks to employment have risen. The committee cited moderate economic expansion and elevated inflation one percentage point above target. This marked the third cut since September. Recent ADP data showed US private payrolls fell by 32,000 in November. Policymakers said they will monitor risks to employment and inflation. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

WASHINGTON — AAA projected that a record 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles during the year-end holiday period Dec. 20 through Jan. 1. The forecast, up 2.2% from 2024, surpasses last year’s 119.7 million. AAA expects 109.5 million travelers to drive, about 89 percent, aided by national average gasoline prices falling below $3 per gallon. Air travel demand and round‑trip fares rose. Local reports cited 3.8 million travelers from Georgia and 16.5 million from California. AAA urged motorists to plan for busy roads, consider travel insurance, practice safety measures. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

Washington, D.C. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved six state waivers on Dec. 10 that will change the SNAP definition of “food for purchase” to exclude sugary beverages and select sweets, effective in 2026 in most states nationwide. States include Tennessee, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Hawai'i and Virginia; implementation dates vary with some set for April or October 2026 and others aligning with January start dates. USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited nutrition goals; critics warned of retailer compliance costs and possible price effects. Based on 11 articles reviewed and supporting research.

WASHINGTON — Oil companies offered $279.4 million Wednesday for offshore drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico in the first of 30 lease sales planned under the Trump administration’s energy agenda. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management received roughly 219 bids from 30 companies, including Chevron and BP, for tracts mostly south of Louisiana. The sales were mandated by a recent Republican tax-and-spending law and carry a 12.5% royalty rate, the lowest for deep-water leases since 2007. Officials said the bids will fund coastal restoration projects while critics cite environmental and tourism concerns. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.