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jenkinscountytimes.com
The Jenkins County Times
Wednesday, March 13, 2024 - Page 7
Sen. Ossoll
Launches Inquiry
into Causes of
Deaths in Federal
Custody
In 2022, Sen. Ossoff led a lo-month bipartisan investigation that uncovered
nearly 1,000 uncounted deaths in state and local custody in 2021
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is launching an inquiry into deaths
that occur in Federal custody.
This week, Sen. Ossoff, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Human
Rights, launched an inquiry with the U.S. Government Accountability Office
(GAO) into how the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) determines and reports the
cause of death for people who have died in Federal custody.
“[The Department of Justice] is responsible for the care of individuals in
its custody, whether in prisons, awaiting trial, or during the course of arrest,”
Sen. Ossoff wrote. “The vast majority of deaths in federal custody occur while
individuals are under the care of DOJ components, specifically the [Bureau
of Prisons (BOP)] and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS). A comprehensive
understanding of how these agencies determine manner of death is essential. It
can help ensure the Department is doing everything it can to protect and care for
individuals in its custody and provide accurate information to families.”
Each year, hundreds of individuals die in Federal custody. In fiscal year 2021,
Federal agencies reported that roughly 80 percent of deaths that occurred in their
custody were from natural causes or illnesses.
However, recent NPR reporting highlighted that, in documenting deaths as
natural, DOJ agencies like the Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Marshals Service may
be ignoring circumstances such as medical neglect and poor prison conditions.
According to NPR, “the CDC says natural deaths happen either solely or almost
entirely because of disease or old age. Yet 70% of the inmates who died in federal
prison the last 13 years were under the age of 65.”
In 2022, the Intercept reported on the 2017 death of 26-year-old Kedric Buie at
U.S. Penitentiary Atlanta, highlighting that his death was reported as “of natural
causes” related to a heart attack, despite autopsy report findings that he had
experienced blunt trauma to his head, torso, and left lower extremity.
As part of his inquiry, Sen. Ossoff requested GAO examine how Federal agencies
— such as the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Marshals Service — determine the
cause of death for individuals in their care, how Federal agencies notify family
members about the death of a loved one, and more.
Sen. Ossoff continues working to improve public safety and improve oversight of
Federal agencies.
In 2022, Sen. Ossoff led a 10-month bipartisan investigation that uncovered
the DOJ failed to count at least 1,000 deaths in state and local custody in 2021
alone that had been publicly reported elsewhere. Sen. Ossoff s bipartisan probe
found the DOJ has failed to properly implement the Death in Custody Reporting
Act (DCRA), a law requiring DOJ to collect data from states about the deaths
of prisoners in their custody to ensure transparency and help the Department
identify potential violations of civil or human rights.
In 2022, Sen. Ossoff also introduced the bipartisan Family Notification of
Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody Act of 2022 alongside Sen. John Kennedy
(R-LA), which would help ensure family members are notified in a timely and
compassionate manner about any health challenges of loved ones while in custody.
Last April, Sens. Ossoff, Mike Braun (R-IN) and Senate Majority Whip Dick
Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced the
bipartisan Federal Prison Oversight Act to establish new, independent oversight of
the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
In 2022, Sen. Ossoff also passed into law his bipartisan Prison Camera Reform
Act to reduce violence and civil rights abuses in America’s prisons.
Congressman
Rick Allen
Leads resolution of
disapproval to overturn
EPAsPM 2.5
Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) introduced a Congressional Review Act
(CRA) resolution along with Representatives Jim Baird (IN-04) and Ben Cline
(VA-06) to nullify the Biden Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) final rule for Fine Particulate Matter,
otherwise known as PM 2.5 standards. The CRA enables Congress to disapprove
of a final rule issued by a federal agency within 60 days of its publication and
prevents the agency from issuing a “substantially similar” rule in the future unless
authorized by Congress.
Upon introduction, Congressman Allen issued the following statement:
"With over forty years of experience starting and operating my own construction
business, I am all too familiar with heavy-handed, top-down regulations that often
place unnecessary compliance and implementation burdens on states and the
business community. The EPA’s final rule and rushed process to revise the current
fine particulate matter standards is simply unworkable and will have disastrous
impacts on manufacturers and job creation nationwide.
"This cannot stand. This Congressional Review Act resolution would use the
power of Congress to reverse Biden’s harmful rule, safeguard the American
economy, and protect future economic development projects from President
Biden’s overreaching rush-to-green agenda," said Rep. Rick Allen.
"The impact of the EPA’s proposal would have devastating effects on U.S.
companies while doing little to achieve the goal of lowering fine particulate
matter," said Rep. Jim Baird. "Steel manufacturers and metal casters already
meet some of the strictest manufacturing regulations, but this new proposed
ruling would force U.S. companies to outsource steel materials due to lack of
supply in the domestic market. This proposed ruling also comes at a time when
metal casters have already taken significant steps to decrease their emissions by
unprecedented levels. I am proud to co-lead this effort with Rep. Allen, and I hope
the rest of my colleagues will join us in overturning this proposed rule change and
wait until Congress conducts its mandated review of fine particulate matter next
year."
"Time and time again, we find ourselves grappling with the Biden
Administration's pattern of imposing oppressive regulations as part of their
green new deal agenda," said Rep. Ben Cline. "The EPA’s latest proposition
to reduce the particulate matter 2.5 threshold poses a severe threat to our
nation's manufacturing industry including paper and pulp mills, jeopardizing
approximately 80% of them with potential closure. The forestry sector, an
economic cornerstone with profound historic significance in the Commonwealth,
would sustain significant damage due to this unwarranted rule, with the 6th
District suffering disproportionately. That is why I proudly co-sponsored this
legislation and urge leadership to bring this bill to the floor swiftly. We must
overturn the Biden Administration’s detrimental regulation to protect our
economy and prevent the far-Left green energy agenda from undermining
American manufacturing."
BACKGROUND: PM 2.5 is a complex mixture of extremely small particles
that can be emitted from sources such as forest fires, construction sites, and
unpaved roads. Congressman Allen recently participated in an Environment,
Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Hearing where he
highlighted the devastating impacts that President Biden’s finalized PM 2.5
standards would have on the state of Georgia. Additionally, state and local
governments across the nation are sounding the alarm and urging the President to
reconsider this disastrous proposal.
GET
Your
Flu
Shot
Today
You know you're growrrV up
when your toes keep getting
farther away.”
Answer to Previous Puzzle
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6 Flight
ACROSS
1 Swellhead’s
problem
4 Molten rock
8 Church
service
12 Hit gently
13 Pre-owned
14 The devil,
mostly?
15 Held tightly
17 Indian
queen
18 Diner fare
19 Writer
21 Gain
23 Unwell
24 Lucifer
27 Scot’s cap
29 Pennysaver
contents
32 Gloomy from
cloud cover
34 Woodwind
instrument
35 Dagger
handle
36 Flyer
38 to Billy
Joe”
39 According to
40 Rows of
seats
41 Opposite of
NNW
43 Chinese
chairman
44 White crested
parrot
48 Set of
wheels
52 — vera
53 Put in order
55 Ready to eat
56 Strikebreaker
57 Schoolboy
58 Versifier
59 Strikeout
symbols, in
baseball
60 Meas. of time
DOWN
1 Impress
clearly
2 Festivity
3 Magnum —
4 Jean-—
Picard
5 Quite pale
formations
7 Says further
8 Actress —
Streep
9 Readily
gotten
10 Seven
deadly —
11 Cut
16 Baffle
20 Point a
weapon
22 Abbr. in
business
24 London or
New York
district
25 Eager
26 Spyglass
27 Ruler of old
Russia (var.)
28 Cash
dispenser,
for short
30 Active one
31 Establishes
33 Simian
creature
34 Buckeye
37 School org.
39 Toy gun
projectile
42 Trapshooting
43 Colorful eel
44 Complain
45 Hodgepodge
46 Job
47 Killer whale
49 Hideous
50 Salty drop
51 Concern of
bettors
54 Tummy
muscles
11-28
© 2023 UFS, Dist. by Andrews McMeel Syndication for UFS
UNIVERSAL
Sudoku Puzzle
7
6 <
4 2
5
6
9
5
3 1
2
7
8
3
5
8
4
7 ■
6
2
3
9 (
5 5
4
2
4
6
3
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7
12/25
DIFFICULTY RATING: ★☆☆☆☆
Complete the
grid so every row,
column and 3x3
box contains
every digit from
1 to 9 inclusively.
Previous puzzle
solution
8
6
1
7
4
5
3
2
9
3
4
5
6
2
9
7
1
8
7
9
2
1
3
8
6
4
5
4
3
7
9
6
1
8
5
2
6
5
9
4
8
2
1
3
7
2
1
8
5
7
3
4
9
6
1
7
4
2
5
6
9
8
3
9
2
3
8
1
7
5
6
4
5
8
6
3
9
4
2
7
1
i 2023 by Andrews McMeel Syndication
12/23