The U.S. Senate gave final approval on June 1 to bipartisan legislation suspending the debt limit and imposing new spending caps, sending it to President Joe Biden and ending the possibility of a government default. The approval by the Senate on a 63-to-36 vote suspends the $31.4 trillion debt limit until January 2025, allowing the government to borrow unlimited sums to pay its debts and ensuring that another fight will not occur before the next Presidential election. It sets new spending levels that will be tested as Congress begins to write its annual spending bills. Other policy changes on energy project permitting and work requirements on social benefits were also included. The New York Times
The North Jersey Congressional delegation all voted for the debt limit deal. “This bill was our best, and perhaps only, opportunity to avoid a first-ever federal default that would have imperiled the global economy and resulted in even more disastrous consequences for Americans,” said Sen. Cory Booker. “The hostage-taking with our economy must stop. Congress must work toward a budget-making process that ends this kind of brinksmanship and fosters a sound process for our national well-being.” North-JerseyNews.com
U.S. employers added 339,000 jobs in May as the labor market showed resilience in the face of rising interest rates and elevated inflation. The job market added more positions in recent months than previously thought, as well. March and April’s totals were both revised upward for a net gain of 93,000 jobs, the Labor Department said June 2. May’s rise marked the 29th straight monthly increase in employment. The unemployment rate rose to 3.7%, still near historic lows but an uptick from April’s 3.4%. The Wall Street Journal
When it comes to fiscal issues, the Murphy Administration receives lackluster grades. That’s according to a recent Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, which found about three-quarters of those polled give both Gov. Phil Murphy and the state government a failing grade on the state budget. When it comes to taxes, less than one in five gives them an A or B grade, while four in 10 assigned a failing grade and one in 10 gave the governor and state government an A or B grade on cost of living and affordability, while roughly four in 10 failed them. North-JerseyNews.com
State Senate President Nick Scutari (D-22) introduced a senior property tax relief bill that aligns with the StayNJ proposal of Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19). “This is a game changer for New Jersey’s seniors,” Scutari said in a statement. “We are now in the business of reducing taxes and making the state a more affordable place for people to live, work and retire. Eliminating 50% of their property tax bills will provide seniors more financial security so they can stay in New Jersey.” Under the provisions of the program, New Jerseyans over 65 would be eligible for a tax credit worth 50% of their annual property tax bill, with a cap of $10,000. New Jersey Globe
The U.S. Senate on June 1 voted to overturn the Biden Administration’s one-time student debt relief plan that is on hold due to a pending Supreme Court decision. The resolution, brought under the Congressional Review Act that allows Congress to reverse certain administration actions, was one of several maneuvers Republicans have used to block the one-time cancellation of up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers who qualify. The resolution passed the U.S. House last week and now goes to the White House. President Joe Biden has vowed to veto the resolution. New Jersey Monitor
A New Jersey woman who pushed and cheered as rioters surged over police officers at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 will serve 10 days behind bars and three months of home confinement. A federal judge in Washington, D.C. sentenced Stephanie Hazelton of Medford on June 1 to two years of supervised release and $2,000 restitution, officials said. The 51-year-old pleaded guilty to interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder and aiding and abetting, a felony, in October 2022. NJ.com
Authorities have charged a Clifton man in connection with vandalism to a church sign near a rainbow flag display last month in Morristown, though investigators determined the act did not constitute a bias incident against the LGBTQ+ community. Klenti Allushi, 22, turned himself in after he viewed surveillance photos released over the weekend by the Crimestoppers program. The sign’s proximity to the rainbow flags prompted the prosecutor to investigate the damage as a potential bias incident. But in a statement June 1, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office said, “It was determined the vandalism does not meet the criteria to be a bias-based or hate crime as the evidence established an intent only to damage property.” The Daily Record
After the removal of an LGBTQ pride lawn sign at Westwood regional school district’s middle school, an online petition started by a high school senior had almost 1,000 signatures calling for it to be replanted. A pride lawn sign was placed at the Westwood Regional Middle School on May 24 in preparation for Pride Month in June. But it was removed after “pushback,” according to the petition, which did not say who objected to the image. The Record
Oklahoma’s Supreme Court ruled this week that two laws passed last year that ban most abortions are unconstitutional. The laws that were struck down by the court were civil laws that had relied on suits from private citizens to enforce them. Both had made exceptions for cases involving a “medical emergency.” But the ruling does not affect a law passed in 1910 which still prohibits most abortions in the state, unless they are necessary to save the life of the mother. The New York Times
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 1 that a building-materials company could sue a union it claims tried to spoil its concrete and damage its trucks during a strike, without waiting for the National Labor Relations Board to resolve allegations between labor and management. In the 8-1 decision, Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote that “Because the Union took affirmative steps to endanger [company] property rather than reasonable precautions to mitigate that risk, the NLRA does not arguably protect its conduct.” The Wall Street Journal
New Jersey officials revoked the Harmony Foundation’s licenses for cultivating and manufacturing marijuana over unpaid fees, while also approving a number of Jersey City and Hoboken applicants. The state Cannabis Regulatory Commission voted unanimously June 1 to revoke three of the four licenses it awarded to Harmony back in December — a cultivator license at its Secaucus location, and cultivator and manufacturing licenses at its Lafayette, Sussex County, location. The Jersey Journal
The state Board of Public Utilities has denied a request for a stay from Ocean City for a ruling allowing Ocean Wind LLC to access its preferred transmission route to bring high voltage power cables ashore from New Jersey’s first offshore wind project. The ruling was delivered on May 24 but became active seven days later. “The Board finds that Ocean City has not met its burden of proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that injunctive relief is necessary to prevent irreparable harm,” the ruling said. NJ.com
About 10,000 Newark Public Schools students are in need of mandatory Summer school —double the number from last year—as the district says it will focus on filling academic gaps, reinforcing skills, and preparing students for the next school year. Summer school sites increased this year so students have “more opportunities,” said Superintendent Roger León during May’s school board meeting. He also said the city is “taking on seven sites to help us accelerate learning and mandatory Summer school in the elementary schools.” This year’s Summer school program will “accelerate” learning and focus on student recovery from the learning loss experienced due to the pandemic, León added. NJ Spotlight News
The North Bergen Junior High School campus opening has been delayed until September 2024, due to the death of the project construction manager in April, as well as supply chain issues. “District leaders have completed all internal preparations for the opening of the school, but factors that we cannot control have made this delay necessary,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Solter. The school is now scheduled to open one year later than expected after officials broke ground on the project in March 2022. HudsonCountyView.com
A black bear has been spotted roaming around residential areas of Englewood, with Mayor Michael Wildes expressing disappointment with the state’s response. The bear has been spotted in the city’s 1st and 2nd wards over the past few days. “It’s an inappropriate amount of time to ask the community to continue to be patient,” Wildes said. “I’m truly disappointed in the state wildlife officials for not coming in sooner and taking action.” The Record
And finally…The Garden State Parkway between exits 38 and 63 in both directions were closed Friday morning because of reduced visibility caused by heavy smoke from the Bass River State Forest wildfire. News12 New Jersey
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