SUNDAY EDITION

President Donald J. Trump's Weekly Address
POSTED ON THE WHITE HOUSE PAGE 9/ 6/ 17 (link source)

Transcript:

My fellow Americans,
On Wednesday, I traveled to Las Vegas to visit with the victims of the horrific shooting, speak with their families, and thank the brave citizens, first responders and medical personnel who saved so many lives.
We struggle to grasp the evil that occurred on Sunday evening when a murderer shot into a crowd of more than 20,000 people. Men, women, and children were gathered to enjoy a concert. They never imagined it would become the worst day of their lives.
But in the wake of such shock and horror, it was a matter of seconds before the goodness of the human spirit broke through. When the shooting began, a mother laid on top of her daughter to shield her from gunfire. A husband died to protect his beloved wife. Strangers rescued strangers, police officers and first responders rushed into danger.

When the worst of humanity strikes, the best of humanity responds.
The men and women who risked their lives to save their fellow citizens give proof to the words of this Scripture: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." Americans defied death and hatred with love and courage.
This week our nation remembers all the wonderful people we have lost and all of the grace they brought into our lives and our communities. Among the fallen were young students full of limitless potential, law enforcement personnel, a nurse, teachers dedicated to our children’s future, and many others. They were mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers. They were husbands and wives, and sons and daughters. They will be dearly missed, and they will never be forgotten.
To all those who lost a loved one, we cannot imagine your pain, or erase your sorrow. Our hearts grieve for you. We stand with you now, and every day after. And we pray that God may carry you through the anguish and sorrow.
We can never fill the void of those who perished, but we pledge to honor them by living as they would have wished – with lives full of purpose, with hearts full of love, and with hope for a better tomorrow.
God comfort the broken-hearted. And may God bless the United States of America. Thank you.







FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, JAY INSLEE
Gov. Inslee and Commissioner Franz statements regarding Cooke Aquaculture plans to transfer additional Atlantic salmon smolts
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 10/ 3/ 17 (link source)

Gov. Jay Inslee and Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz today responded to Cooke Aquaculture’s plan to transfer 1 million Atlantic salmon smolts from Rochester to an existing net pen in the Puget Sound.

“We are very concerned about Cooke Aquaculture’s plan to transfer up to 1 million Atlantic salmon smolts to a net pen in Clam Bay across from Bainbridge Island. This is disappointing and frustrating, coming on the heels of the August collapse of Cooke’s net pen near Cypress Island that held 305,000 fish," Inslee said.

“While both Commissioner Franz and I have directed our respective state agencies not to issue permits or leases for any new net pens until we can review the results of the Cypress Island investigation, the Department of Fish and Wildlife does not have the means, based on current state law and regulatory rules, to prohibit the transfer into an existing pen. My office has asked Cooke to do the right thing – for our tribes, for our citizens, for our environment and for the industry’s long-term prospects – and withdraw their request."

"Though we cannot stop the transfer of these fish, the three agencies had the pens inspected by a licensed structural engineer to identify any deficiencies in the net pen structures at the Rich Passage facility. The Department of Ecology inspected the Clam Bay facility and did not find violations of the current water quality permit, but Ecology also requested that Cooke not move forward with its plans. We've had DNR staff on hand for that inspection, and we will continue to maintain a presence at the facilities," said Commissioner Franz.

”DNR will also be conducting inspections by a licensed structural engineer at all of Cooke's operations in Washington while the investigation into the Cypress Island incident is ongoing. The broad public outcry surrounding this net pen failure is understandable. So is the lack of confidence in how Cooke responded to the emergency, the recovery of fish and the management of future operations the company may pursue here in our waters.”



From our congressional delegation to DC
Sen. Murray Statement on President Trump’s Tax on Women’s Health Care: “Wrong and Outrageous”
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 10/ 6/ 17 (link source)

(Washington, D.C.) –  Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), top Democrat on the Senate health committee, today released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s interim final rules that will make it much easier for companies to interfere in their employees’ health care choices and force women to pay more for an essential part of their health care.

“President Trump wants to make birth control about ideology, but let’s be clear: for women and their families in the 21st century, birth control is about being healthy and financially secure—and allowing a woman’s employer to decide whether or not it’s part of her coverage not only takes women backward, but takes hundreds of dollars out of their bank accounts.

“Today, nine months after women across the country marched together to reject President Trump’s anti-woman agenda, he has rolled out a tax on their health care. This is wrong, it’s outrageous, and I will be pushing every Republican who claims to care about women’s health and economic security to join me in fighting back against it.”

The interim final rules issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) follow President Trump’s Executive Order issued in May directing the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to “consider amending regulations” that, under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), require insurance plans to provide no-cost coverage of critical preventive services, including birth control.

Earlier this year, Sen. Murray introduced the Save Women’s Preventive Services Act with strong support from Senate Democrats to protect women’s preventive health care from further attacks by the Trump Administration.

FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, Jay Inslee
Inslee statement on federal efforts to restrict women’s access to birth control
Press release issued 10/ 6/ 17 (link source)
Gov. Jay Inslee today made a statement regarding the Trump Administration’s move to eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s requirement for health insurers to provide free birth control to women. Access to birth control has reduced unintended pregnancy rates overall and among teens to the lowest they have been in decades and saved women $1.4 billion in 2013 alone. Nearly nine in 10 women use birth control in her lifetime.
"Access to affordable birth control is among the most essential and basic health benefits women rely on. Today the Trump administration took aim at birth control coverage for 62.4 million women nationwide. The president has turned a crucial health care tool for women into a senseless and reckless political ploy.
"There is no legitimate rationale for taking away women’s access to birth control, and there is no way we will allow this rollback of women’s health care to happen without a fight."

OUR HEALTH REPORT

FDA approves implantable device to treat moderate to severe central sleep apnea
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new treatment option for patients who have been diagnosed with moderate to severe central sleep apnea. The Remedē System is an implantable device that stimulates a nerve located in the chest that is responsible for sending signals to the diaphragm to stimulate breathing.
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm579506.htm

Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. on FDA’s continued assistance following the natural disaster in Puerto Rico
FDA continues extensive efforts to provide direct assistance to the residents of Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and is taking new steps to mitigate the impact of these twin disasters on the island’s vibrant medical product manufacturing sector. Our top priority is the people of Puerto Rico.
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm579493.htm

FDA awards six grants for natural history studies in rare diseases
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it has awarded six new research grants for natural history studies in rare diseases. The aim of the research is to inform medical product development by better understanding how specific rare diseases progress over time. One potential application of these studies is the opportunity to eventually use natural history models to augment the need for placebo arms in studies of drugs that target very rare disease, where trial recruitment can be challenging.
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm579375.htm

CDC: Americans in rural areas more likely to die by suicide
Rural counties consistently had higher suicide rates than metropolitan counties from 2001-2015, according to data released today in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1005-rural-suicide-rates.html

HHS: Assistant Secretary McCance-Katz Meets with Innovators to Discuss Solutions to Opioid Crisis
On Thursday, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz on behalf of Acting Secretary Don Wright, M.D., MPH, hosted a listening session at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with innovators from the pain and addiction treatment space to discuss how the Trump Administration and HHS can better address America’s opioid crisis.
https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2017/10/06/assistant-secretary-mccance-katz-meets-innovators-discuss-solutions-opioid-crisis.html

WORLD AND NATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS FROM REUTERS...

Iran warns U.S. against imposing further sanctions
BEIRUT/DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran warned the United States against designating its Revolutionary Guards Corp as a terrorist group and said U.S. regional military bases would be at risk if further sanctions were passed.

Kim Jong Un praises nuclear program, promotes sister to center of power
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un said his nuclear weapons were a “powerful deterrent” that guaranteed its sovereignty, state media reported on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said “only one thing will work” in dealing with the isolated country.

Trump says open to temporary healthcare reform deal with Democrats
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would be open to cutting a one-year or two-year deal with Democratic rivals as a way to kick-start reform of the nation’s healthcare system, a key campaign pledge made by Trump and the Republican Party.

Hurricane Nate weakens to tropical storm after hitting U.S. Gulf coast
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Nate swept ashore in Mississippi on Sunday with strong winds rattling the doors of Biloxi’s many casinos and lashing rain flooding the gambling floors and surrounding highways, although the fast-moving former hurricane was expected to rapidly weaken as it moved inland.


WEEKLY BIBLE LESSON
Gospel Way: Elders," "Bishops," and "Pastors"
Sometimes denominations distinguish the terms "Elder," "Bishop," and "Pastor,"  claiming that bishops are different from elders which, in turn, are different from pastors. But the Bible often uses different terms to refer to the same thing.
https://www.gospelway.com/topics/church/elder-bishop.php