Supercharging Support for Science, Tech, Engineering, and Mathematics

"PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND HIS DAUGHTER IVANKA ARE UNVEILING A NEW FEDERAL COMPUTER SCIENCE INITIATIVE WITH MAJOR TECH BACKERS" - Tony Romm, Recode Tony Romm of Recode reports on President Trump's efforts "to supercharge the U.S. government's support for science, tech, engineering, and mathematics" as well as coding education. Along with a presidential memorandum that devotes at least $200 million of Department of Education grand funds to STEM fields, the President's daughter and advisor, Ivanka Trump, will be travelling to Detroit to unveil "a series of private-sector commitments" that are "meant to boost U.S. coding and computer-science classes and programs" alongside business leaders from companies like Amazon, Facebook, and Google, Romm writes. Recently, Ivanka has focused on how coding education will assist with workforce development, stating she hopes "all children will have the opportunity to become fluent in this language of the future," Romm concludes. Click here to read more ------------ Regarding the Affordable Care Act, The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes that ObamaCare's tax penalty for not purchasing insurance is being predominantly and unfairly paid by the poor and middle class. ------------ On tax reform, Americans for Tax Reform's Grover Norquist writes in Fox News that the "emerging tax reform and reduction legislation will deliver a strong boost to the creation of jobs, income and wealth" and that passage "looks increasingly likely." ------------ In USA Today, former Congressman Jon Christensen writes that "President Trump said what millions of Americans, including myself, feel" about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, saying "when millionaire athletes refuse to honor America and pay homage to the men and women who died for our freedom, and instead, choose to use their field of occupation to make a statement, then I can choose to turn the channel." ------------ Regarding the opioid crisis, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway write in City & State PA on the extensive efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, from over $800 million in HHS-given grants to a new five pillar strategy focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery. Price and Kellyanne state "this is an administration-wide effort to reduce the demand for drugs" and "the President is leading the way, and urging each of us to do our part."