Th Suspension of NFL Quarterback Deshaun Watson

It’s Tuesday, August 2. Welcome to the News Diet. Today I’m gonna talk about the massive effort to get computer chip manufacturing back to the US, the suspension of NFL Quarterback Deshaun Watson, the veterans bill that failed to pass the Senate, and also the first shipment of grain coming out of Ukraine. Let’s be informed so we can get on with our day.

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I’ve yet to talk about the massive bill that has actually made its way through Congress called the CHIPS Act. This bill works to address the growing disparity in computer microchip manufacturing. Computer chips are a vital component to our computers and communication devices, and essentially our society as we know it needs these to constantly run. Right now, about 75% of the world’s chips are produced in East Asia, with the US importing many of its chips from Taiwan. China has also been expanding their microchips manufacturing as well. For such an important product, the argument for this bill is to get computer chip manufacturing back to the US, so as to not find ourselves in a situation where we’re reliant on a foregin country, especially considering the state of geopolitical affairs. So it’s being pushed as a national security initiative.

This act was first proposed in 2020 and just now got passed through Congress in a somewhat bipartisan vote. It would put $280 billion towards a push to move production domestically. About $52 billion of that is for subsidies and incentives, and the remaining $200 billion+ would go towards research.

Now, some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, albeit mostly Republicans, still opted to vote against the bill, referring to it as giving away billions in corporate handouts and that it’s massive cost would undo many cuts implemented by Republicans. 

The bill is now off to President Biden, who’s expected to sign it soon.

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The Cleveland Browns quarterback, Deshaun Watson, has been suspended for 6 out of the upcoming football season’s 17 games. The punishment was in reaction to over two dozen accusations of sexual misconduct by massage therapists. Disciplinary officer, Sue Robinson, made the decision after spending three days hearing from the NFL, the NFL Players Association, and Watson’s attorney. The NFL actually wanted a harsher punishment in the form of suspension from an entire season, but Robinson said that would not be consistent with other players in similar situations in the past. Considering there’s no evidence of the claims, and that two grand juries declined to prosecute the charges, this punishment is considered more of a “personal conduct” issue. So Watson will miss out on six games, as well as the pay from those games. 

With that said, earlier this year Watson made a 5-year deal with the Browns for a guaranteed $230 million. This is the most guaranteed money ever in NFL history. The way that the deal is structured is that he’ll be receiving only $690,000 this first year and then $46 million every year after for four years. So the amount that he’ll be missing out on for the six suspended games will come out to about $345,000.

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So the Senate was prepared to pass what was considered to be a very bipartisan bill - one that provided health care benefits for veterans who’ve been exposed to burn pit toxins during their time served. Burn pits were trash areas that burned military waste. It’s known as the PACT Act and last month passed the Senate easily by 84-14. But a technical error required another vote, and this time the results came out entirely different, with 25 Republican Senators changing their vote to instead reject it, which prevented the bill from getting the 60 votes needed.

Lawmakers in favor, veterans, and even veterans advocate Jon Stewart publicly voiced their disapproval after the changed outcome last week. The Republicans that changed their votes are being accused of harming veterans and some even accusing them of politicizing the issue, claiming that the Senators are maybe spiteful over another massive legislation just passed targeting climate change action, which is largely seen as a Democratic issue.

Those that switched are saying that their decision comes from what they’re calling a “budgetary gimmick”. They’re saying that the bill is calling for mandatory spending as opposed to discretionary spending, and that this technicality could allow for $400 billion in unrelated costs. I think what they mean by this, is that the bill makes it so veterans would no longer have to show proof that their ailments or illnesses were caused by their time in the military in order to receive benefits - it would codify that 23 respiratory issues and cancers found in patients would be automatically eligible.

There’s no word yet on if or how supporters of the bill will try to push forward.

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Yesterday saw the first grain shipment out of Ukraine that is meant to help alleviate the mounting food shortage that’s developed over the last five months of the conflict with Russia. I talked last week about how Turkey and the United Nations have brokered a deal with the two conflicting countries to allow for some grain exports to continue despite the fighting, so that other countries that rely on this product can get some relief. There were fears of the deal breaking apart last week when Russia was accused of attacking the port, but yesterday saw a successful first shipment out, which is giving many around the world hope that maybe more diplomatic deals can be made, even as the assaults continue. The vessel carrying 26,000 tons of grain will be traveling along a corridor established by the UN and Turkey while being observed by Russia’s Navy. 16 other ships that have been frozen since the start of the invasion were also waiting to depart the port as well.

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It’s Tuesday, August 2. And you’ve just been informed. Now it’s time to get on with your day. I’m Michele Carroll. Thanks so much for listening.

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https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34169093/deshaun-watson-suspended-does-mean-next-qb-cleveland-browns

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/01/sport/deshaun-watson-nfl-suspension-decision-spt-intl/index.html

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https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/07/29/america-takes-on-china-with-a-giant-microchips-bill

https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/3579653-microchip-subsidy-sleight-of-hand/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/07/28/chips-act-passes-house-approves-280-billion-bill-to-boost-microchip-production-and-counter-china/?sh=63487fe72bfd

https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/science-magazines/computer-science-microchip-technology

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https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/1st-grain-shipment-leaves-ukraine-odesa-port-russian-blockade-rcna40581

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https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/08/01/what-is-pact-act-veterans-bill/10206529002/

https://www.npr.org/2022/07/29/1114417097/veterans-burn-pit-bill-republican-senators