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Union of Concerned Scientists pushes for wetland protections in Farm Bill

A report by the Union of Concerned Scientists highlights the critical status of wetlands in the Upper Midwest, which provide annual flood protections valued at $23 billion. It advocates for inclusion in the upcoming Farm Bill to counteract damage from industrial agriculture and recent legal challenges, ensuring wetlands’ preservation and ongoing benefits. Continue reading Union of Concerned Scientists pushes for wetland protections in Farm Bill

Federal judge hears arguments in lawsuit challenging Iowa book law

A U.S. District Court judge heard oral arguments Friday about whether to stop enforcement of measures in an Iowa education law that ban certain books with sexual content from K-12 school libraries.

The lawsuit challenges sections of Senate File 496 that require schools to remove books with depictions of sex acts. It also challenges a provision requiring schools to inform parents if a student requests the use of a different name or pronouns than what they were assigned at birth. The lawsuit claims those and other measures violate Iowa students’ constitutional rights to equal protection, free speech, free association and due process, the lawsuit claims. Continue reading Federal judge hears arguments in lawsuit challenging Iowa book law