Diplomacy & Crisis News

Trevor Filseth

Stimulus Check,

If your third stimulus check is lost, stolen, or destroyed, you can ask the IRS to perform a “payment trace.” This amounts to an audit on what happened to your check. If it is proven to have been delivered erroneously or destroyed, or if a certain period of time goes by without it being cashed, you can request a new payment through the IRS’ website.

By now, the third round of stimulus checks – negotiated by the American Rescue Plan of March 2020 – have nearly all been sent out by the IRS. If you earn less than $75,000 per year, the chances are high that you have been paid by now, either through direct deposit or through a check in the mail.

So what do you do if your check never arrives?

It’s a fact of life that things sometimes get lost in the mail. Stimulus checks are no different. Given the massive number that have been sent out, it’s inevitable that some will disappear into the system. Another danger is theft; since stimulus checks are easily identifiable in the mail, they have sometimes been stolen.

This is one of the reasons that the IRS recommends direct deposit. However, if you ordered a snail-mail check and it has not arrived yet, the IRS has tools to assist you in tracking it.

If your third stimulus check is lost, stolen, or destroyed, you can ask the IRS to perform a “payment trace.” This amounts to an audit on what happened to your check. If it is proven to have been delivered erroneously or destroyed, or if a certain period of time goes by without it being cashed, you can request a new payment through the IRS’ website.

There are some caveats to this, however. First, the process will take a long time. Between the standards of government bureaucracy, the IRS’ acute staffing shortage, and the mountain of paperwork remaining in their system, it is a virtual guarantee that you will be waiting.

Second, the bureaucracy of requesting a duplicate stimulus check is long and complicated, and it is essential that each step is completed accurately.

The first step is to complete the IRS’ “Get My Payment” tool. This tool provides information on your stimulus check, including method of delivery and an estimated arrival date. If the tool shows that a payment was issued to you and you have not yet cashed it, it will provide the option to request a payment trace.

If you requested a direct deposit, it might be necessary to wait up to a week for the bank to process the payment. Banks have also been backlogged by stimulus checks, although by May the overwhelming majority should have been deposited.

The timeframe is far longer for a mailed check. The IRS asks not to initiate payment traces until it has been 30 days since the check was mailed (or longer, if you have a forwarding or foreign address). Once this time period has elapsed, you can request a payment trace by calling the IRS at 1-800-919-9835 or by mailing a completed Form 3911 to the IRS. (Pick one or the other; don’t do both.)

Once this has been done, the IRS should initiate the payment trace and, finding that your check has been lost, will send you another. Keep in mind that it may take another month to arrive.

Trevor Filseth is a news reporter and writer for the National Interest.

Caleb Larson

Submarines,

Despite many years as a strictly littoral force, the People’s Liberation Army Navy has made steady advances in submarine design — and maybe leaving the United States behind. Here’s why.

Here's What You Need To Remember: The newer Type 095 submarines are just beginning to enter the water or will be able to in the near future. Would it be reasonable to assume the Type 095 would be even more advanced — that is quieter — than its predecessors? Absolutely.

Despite many years as a strictly littoral force, the People’s Liberation Army Navy has made steady advances in submarine design — and maybe leaving the United States behind. Here’s why.

Party Over Proficiency

For many years, China was the subject of ridicule in naval circles. The Korean War put the brakes on Chinese naval innovations (all innovations really), and the Cultural Revolution also hindered naval advancement in the name of the party.

Despite these setbacks, China has steadily developed its naval capabilities. Though Chinese naval advancement was initially focused on near-shore capabilities like smaller diesel submarines, shore-based missile defense, or fast littoral boats, China is now possibly capable of fielding a true blue-water submarine force.

Speaking last year at a Naval event, Captain Chester Parks, commanding officer of the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, said that foreign adversaries "are definitely catching up to us,” in the realm of submarine technology.

The Office of Naval Intelligence concurred, saying “the PLA(N) is currently transitioning from older, less reliable attack submarines like the Romeo SS, Ming SS and Han SSN to the more modern Kilo SS, Yuan SS, Shang SSN, and the Type 095 SSN,” later calling the Type 095 “advanced.”

Marco

Submarines try to stay hidden when puttering around underwater. Put simply, there are two important variables at play when submarines play hide-and-seek: how loud a submarine is, and how good submarines are at detecting other submarines.

The naval expert H I Sutton detailed that ambient ocean noise is around 90 decibels, or roughly a motorcycle at 25 feet away. Submarines try to get to that noise level, or below there.

According to Sutton, western submarines made it to about the 90-decibel threshold twenty to thirty years ago. The U.S. Navy’s improved Los Angeles-class subs are near 110 decibels.

“Ten years ago the latest Chinese attack submarines were considered to be as quiet as the latest Russian Akula Class submarines” H I Sutton remarked. "Since these estimates were published in 2007, China has launched two improved variants of the Type-093 submarine. So it is a reasonable assumption that the latest Chinese boats will already be quieter.”

One commentator found it likely that the Type 095 would have electronic noise-cancellation technology, like your noise-canceling headphones, a shaftless drive, and a single hull. All of these would be a huge step forward for China’s submarine program.

The newer Type 095 submarines are just beginning to enter the water or will be able to in the near future. Would it be reasonable to assume the Type 095 would be even more advanced — that is quieter — than its predecessors? Absolutely.

Polo

The other factor, detection, is difficult to gauge.

Submarines use sonar to detect other subs. Sonar systems are typically trailed out behind submarines on lines. They can also be arrayed along the sides of the sub. Chinese submarines make use of both systems. How advanced are Chinese designs? Hard to say definitely — but almost certainly getting better and better.

Steady March into the Deep

While it is hard to estimate Chines submarine abilities with absolute certainty, submarine quietness trends are clear — they’re not getting any louder.

The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence may have said it best, “the PLA(N) will progress to the Type 095 SSN, which may provide a generational improvement in many areas such as quieting and weapon capacity.” Sailors beware.

Caleb Larson is a Defense Writer with The National Interest. He holds a Master of Public Policy and covers U.S. and Russian security, European defense issues, and German politics and culture. This article first appeared earlier this year.

Image: Reuters.

La plus étonnante nouvelle de l'année, que nul maintenant ne peut plus ignorer, s'est répandue comme une traînée de poudre jusqu'en de lointains pays qui, mal informés, considéraient encore la France comme la patrie des droits de l'homme. Cette nouvelle, elle tient tout entière dans la formule-choc (...) / France, Politique - 1984/09

Eli Fuhrman

Golden State Stimulus,

Residents of California hoping for more payments may be in luck. Many eligible Californians will already have received additional help from the state in the form of $600 or $1,200 stimulus payments as part of California’s Golden State Stimulus program, which was tied to qualifications based on 2020 tax returns.

With the distribution of federal stimulus payments looking as though it is approaching the terminal stage, many Americans who are still dependent on these payments for their financial security for the remainder of the pandemic may be facing an uncertain future. For residents of at least one state, however, additional help may be on the way.

With its most recent batch of payments, the IRS has now sent 164 million stimulus payments worth roughly $386 billion dollars to eligible Americans, but has now also sent out over 85 percent of the funds earmarked for use in stimulus payments. The most recent batch was also the smallest batch distributed so far, and was focused primarily on sending payments to those Americans who were only eligible following the filing of their 2020 tax returns. This suggests that the majority of eligible Americans may now have received their payments.

With stimulus payments set to wind down soon, many Americans are now looking to the future and calling for additional payments, with several online petitions now cumulatively including over two million signatures advocating for further payments. They have been joined by a growing number of Congressional Democrats who have also been calling on the Biden administration to push for additional stimulus payments.

Residents of California hoping for more payments may be in luck. Many eligible Californians will already have received additional help from the state in the form of $600 or $1,200 stimulus payments as part of California’s Golden State Stimulus program, which was tied to qualifications based on 2020 tax returns.

Now, California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced plans for an additional relief program that will reportedly cost the state $100 billion, including $8 billion in direct stimulus payments. As part of the plan, Californian’s who make up to $75,000 in gross annual adjusted income will be eligible for a one-time payment of $600, with an additional $500 available to families with dependents. Worth noting, Californian’s who already received a stimulus payment from the state earlier in the year will not be eligible for the $600 payment, but families with dependents will still be eligible for the $500 payment.

Also included in the proposed plan is $5.2 billion for rental assistance, which will aim to cover 100 percent of back rent owed by residents of California that have been heavily impacted by the pandemic, along with $2 billion designed to help Californians pay off overdue utility bills.

The plan has not yet been approved by California’s state legislature, with the governor’s budget plan not due until the end of this week. The legislature will then have until June 15 to pass the budget.

The announcement of Governor Newsom’s plan comes as the federal government recently distributed guidelines to state and local governments regarding funding as part of the State and Local Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund, which could result in additional stimulus payments for some Americans. 

Eli Fuhrman is a contributing writer for The National Interest.

Ethen Kim Lieser

Tax Refunds,

“Time is quickly running out for these taxpayers. There’s only a three-year window to claim these refunds, and the window closes on May 17,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig recently said in a statement.

It is indeed true that most of the headlines are focused on the current third round of coronavirus stimulus checks sent out under President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

But what many cash-strapped Americans might not be aware is that the Internal Revenue Service is holding onto a hefty sum of tax refunds from previous years. Just last month, the agency confirmed that $1.3 billion in tax refunds remain unclaimed for an estimated 1.3 million U.S. taxpayers who have yet to file their 2017 tax returns.

The bad news is that these individuals only have one week left to collect the money.

“Time is quickly running out for these taxpayers. There’s only a three-year window to claim these refunds, and the window closes on May 17,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig recently said in a statement.

“We want to help people get these refunds, but they will need to quickly file a 2017 tax return,” he added.

The IRS has estimated that the midpoint for the potential refunds for 2017 is $865—which means that “half of the refunds are more than $865 and half are less,” the agency stated.

If the money remains unclaimed past the deadline, it will become the property of the U.S. Treasury.

The IRS has reminded “taxpayers seeking a 2017 tax refund that their checks may be held if they have not filed tax returns for 2018 and 2019. In addition, the refund will be applied to any amounts still owed to the IRS or a state tax agency and may be used to offset unpaid child support or past due federal debts, such as student loans.”

For this particular tax season, the IRS has noted that it has received more than ninety-three million individual tax returns and more than sixty-two million refunds have been disbursed. The average refund to date has been estimated to be $2,900.

However, with new tax codes to implement and more than a hundred sixty million stimulus checks being sent out, the agency has found it increasingly difficult to quickly get these refunds into taxpayers’ hands. Moreover, according to the National Taxpayer Advocate, the IRS is holding nearly thirty million tax returns for manual processing, which is only further delaying the refunds.

Know that for many early filers, there have been reports that the average wait time for a refund has been about six to eight weeks, which is much longer than the usual wait of three weeks or less.

For those individuals who have already filed their tax returns, be aware that there are ways to track the refunds. Two of the most popular options are the IRS tool Where’s My Refund and the mobile app called IRS2Go.

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Minneapolis-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek, and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn.

Caleb Larson

Iran Missiles, Middle East

As if things couldn't get worse. This missile could very well eventually carry a nuclear warhead. 

Here's What You Need to Remember: It is possible that there are several versions of the Sejjil missile. 

One of Iran’s more capable missile designs is the Sejjil—and remarkably it is probably produced domestically. It could potentially hit parts of Europe—and carry a nuclear warhead. 

Origins

Beginning the mid-to-late-1990s, Iran began working on a medium-range ballistic missile that had a decent range and good payload. Tehran wanted a weapon that could carry both conventional high-explosive ordnance, as well as be nuclear-capable, should Iran achieve the required know-how. What came out of those design requirements was the Sejjil missile. 

The Sejjil has several features that make it so deadly. First, it is road-mobile, meaning it can be transported via a multi-wheeled launcher, like the kind that is seen on Red Square in Moscow during Russian Victory Day parades. Moreover, unlike some of Iran’s other missiles, the Sejjil uses solid-fuel propellant. Solid-fuel missiles can be launched much more quickly than liquid-fueled missiles, and do not require pre-flight refueling. 

Additionally, Iranian state-owned media has reported some Sejjil launches as Sejjil 2 launches. It is therefore possible that there are several versions of the Sejjil missile. 

Truly Domestic?

According to missile experts at the Center for International and Strategic Studies, the Sejjil is likely a domestic design, which is a departure from typical Iranian designs, which have historically leaned on Soviet/Russian or Chinese components, particularly guidance systems: 

“Though some speculation has tied the missile to the Chinese DF-11 and DF-15, the size and specifications of the missile suggest that the Iranian missile is unique. Unlike earlier Iranian systems, the missile does not appear to be a copy of a previously-released North Korean missile. Of course, it is highly likely that the missile project has made significant gains through foreign assistance.” 

Range and Payload

In February, Iranian media published a video of what is claimed to be an underground Sejjil production facility, presumably to better protect from Israeli or American airstrikes. 

Back in 2009, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates commented on a missile test that Iran had conducted, believed to be the Sejjil. He explained that the information that he had indicated “that it was a successful flight test. The missile will have a range of approximately 2,000 to 2,500 kilometers. Because of some of the problems they’ve had with their engines, we think, at least at this stage of the testing, it’s probably closer to the lower end of that range.” 

The Sejjil’s range is consistent with that estimate, guessed to be around 2,000 kilometers or about 1,250 miles. If true, this would put Egypt, parts of Sudan, most of Ukraine, parts of southern Russia, a part of western China, India, and large parts of the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean within range.

If it would eventually be nuclear-armed, this would be a terrifying prospect—though Iran does not have any missiles that could strike the United States, and would even struggle to hit parts of Western Europe.

Caleb Larson is a defense writer for the National Interest. He holds a Master of Public Policy and covers U.S. and Russian security, European defense issues, and German politics and culture.

Image: Reuters

Kris Osborn

F-22 Raptor,

Placing an F-22 jet potentially three hundred miles closer to a point of attack, as was done in this exercise, decreases the potential need for refueling, massively decreases time to attack.

It’s called the “Rapid Raptor” program . . . a multi-year Air Force program to ensure high-speed, rapid attack deployability for its fleet of F-22 fighter jets and deliver first strikes anywhere in the world within twenty-four hours.

The program is designed to ensure that at least four F-22 jets can attack anywhere on an urgent, fast-strike basis by in part being dispersed across the globe with ready crew, C-17 Globemaster III support, and fuel and weapons necessary for “first strike” capability in otherwise tough to reach parts of the world.

This “Rapid Raptor” program, which spans across key hotspots and remote areas throughout a wide range of potential operating environments, may likely be informing the Air Force’s “Agile Combat Employment” strategic exercises intended to disperse basing and staging areas to enable rapid deployment. In a recent exercise, F-22 jets from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage flew to a smaller airport three hundred miles southwest.

“By operating from forward operating locations such a King Salmon, we are proving our strategic flexibility, freedom of movement and our ability to develop and to execute proactive and scalable options for future missions,” Brig. Gen. William Radiff, deputy commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command Alaska Region,” said on Twitter. 

First strike options are, according to military planners, of particular significance for the F-22 Raptor, given its technical focus on using stealth and air-to-air combat technology to attack heavily defended or “contested” enemy areas.

“If jets, no matter how technically advanced, tactically skilled and strategically sound in the air, can only leap from well-known base to well-known base, their first-strike threat is limited,” an Air Force statement from last year said.

Most air attack contingencies, it seems almost self-evident, are likely to include F-22 jets as among the first to strike; the aircraft is designed to engage and destroy enemy air threats and also use stealth to destroy enemy air defenses—creating an “air corridor” for other fighters. Although not intended to function as a higher altitude stealth bomber, an F-22 jet is well suited to a mission objective aimed at destroying enemy aircraft, including fighters, as well as air defenses.

Placing an F-22 jet potentially three hundred miles closer to a point of attack, as was done in this exercise, decreases the potential need for refueling, massively decreases time to attack and clearly helps mitigate the access and deployment challenges inherent to greatly dispersed or expansive geographical areas such as the Pacific theater or Arctic region.  

The Rapid Raptor program was actually developed by Air Force Pacific Command and has been expanded worldwide by Air Combat Command. It would make a lot of sense for this kind of program, which sent F-22 jets to Europe as far back as 2015, to grow worldwide to encompass key vast, difficult to reach areas in the Arctic.

Kris Osborn is the defense editor for the National Interest. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a master’s degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

Image: Reuters

Eli Fuhrman

New Stimulus Check,

Even as the stimulus payments have proven to be key in generating an economic revival, it is also clear that not all Americans have seen the benefits.

The IRS is continuing to distribute the third-round of federal stimulus payments called for by the American Rescue Plan. Following the announcement that the IRS had begun distribution of the eighth batch of such payments, a total of 164 million payments worth roughly $386 billion have now been sent to eligible Americans.

There is evidence that these payments have played a significant role in helping to jumpstart an American economic recovery. These payments of up to $1,400 – the largest stimulus payments tied to COVID-19 relief so far – combined with greater rates of vaccination and the reopening of many businesses across the country are fueling an economic boom, with both consumer spending and household income on the rise.

These payments have also proven to be popular with many Americans, according to recent polling.

And even as the stimulus payments have proven to be key in generating an economic revival, it is also clear that not all Americans have seen the benefits. 61 percent of respondents to a recent Bankrate survey indicated that their $1,400 stimulus payment would only support their financial well-being for up to three months, with 21 percent of those respondents reporting that their payments would last only a month and an additional 14 percent believing that their payments would not meaningfully impact their financial situations.

In recognition of this, a growing number of Americans have been advocating for additional payments in the future. A number of online petitions calling for further payments, as well as ongoing recurring payments for the remainder of the pandemic, have received millions of signatures. In addition, a sizeable number of Congressional Democrats have also called on the Biden administration to pursue additional recurring stimulus payments to American families.

Despite this, the Biden administration has given no signals that it intends to pursue such payments in the near future, even as President Biden himself acknowledged the positive impact of stimulus payments in a recent address to Congress. More recently, White House press secretary threw administration support for a fourth-round of stimulus payments into question by suggesting that the issue would be left up to Congress, while also pointing out that additional payments would be difficult to pay for.

Ironically, the success of the stimulus payment program is likely to contribute to its ending. The economic revival brought on by the stimulus payments, including data suggesting that more Americans are using their third stimulus payments for activities such as paying down debt that was the case with previous payments, is likely to be used as ammunition against further stimulus payments.

Indeed, there has been little interest among Republicans for a fourth-round of stimulus payments, and it is unlikely that such a measure would generate support from the at least 10 Republican Senators that would be needed to prevent a filibuster.

Instead, the Biden administration appears set on generating support for its two proposed tax and spending bills that it argues will support long-term economic growth and revival.

Eli Fuhrman is a contributing writer for The National Interest.

David Forster

Amphibious Ships, United States

America needs a force structure tailored to handle multiple crises and flashpoints, one equipped with the right assets to tackle any contingency—political, military, or humanitarian.

An emboldened China seeks to carve out new spheres of influence, counter Western alliances, and become a major military power. Russia is modernizing its armed forces with advanced weaponry, expanding operations in the Arctic, and operating closer to our shores than ever. While the $715 billion defense budget President Joe Biden released earlier this month begins to address these challenges, one thing is for certain:

Without amphibious warships as a priority in this budget, we run the risk of losing an important strategic dynamic that has guided us through various crises.

Amphibious warships are like no other ship in our inventory. These ships—Wasp-class landing helicopter decks (LHDs), San Antonio-class landing platform/dock (LPDs), and America-class landing helicopter assault (LHAs)—are called the “Swiss Army Knives” of the fleet, and for good reason. They can launch a variety of aircraft, including helicopters, long-range tilt-rotor aircraft, and fifth-generation aircraft like the F-35B fighter. They can carry a full contingent of battle-ready Marines anywhere in the world. Their hospital and trauma facilities, along with their expansive cargo space, water production capabilities, and ability to launch and recover small boats, make them the ideal first responders in humanitarian crises. And their extensive C3I (command, control, communications, and intelligence) suites make them capable of coordinating the actions of other joint, allied and partner assets in a variety of scenarios.

Amphibious warships also possess the perfect capabilities to counter a multitude of threats, specifically in those areas experts call “the gray zones”—places where challengers seek to gain an advantage without provoking a traditional military response. Today’s gray zones are global, found in places like the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the Arabian Gulf, the Black Sea, and the Arctic. There, amphibious warships are proving their value every day through their inherent maneuverability and flexible nature. During a recent expeditionary warfare panel, Rear Adm. Sinclair Harris, former Vice Director of Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former Commander, U.S. Fourth Fleet, cited specific examples of how amphibious warships are dominating in the gray zone: by defeating terrorists; conducting military training with our allies; navigating counterpiracy operations; and providing humanitarian assistance, including hurricane and tsunami relief.

Gen. David H. Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps, has referred to the need for a “stand-in force,” one strategically positioned to deter an enemy. Thanks to their capabilities and survivability, amphibious warships are fully capable of providing a true stand-in ability inside hostile weapon engagement zones in addition to their established role as the United States’ primary “9-1-1” crisis response force. That’s why in today’s geopolitical environment, one filled with gray zones and emerging threats, we need amphibious warships—and we need more of them. Recently, the Commandant called for a minimum of thirty amphibious warships, with a national fleet consisting of ten LHDs/LHAs, twenty San Antonio-class LPDs (Flights I and II), and thirty to thirty-five Light Amphibious Warships.

However, there are currently only thirty-two L-class warships in the Navy fleet. Twelve of these ships are Whidbey Island/Harpers Ferry class dock landing ships (LSDs), which are rapidly approaching the end of their service lives. Beginning in FY23, the Navy intends to replace them with LPD-Flight-II ships, beginning with LPD 30, though the current decommissioning schedule is outpacing the rate of new ship construction. The Navy currently also only has seven LHDs, two LHAs, and eleven LPDs, with LPDs 28, 29, 30, and 31 under contract and in construction. Based on Gen. Berger’s recent statements, the Navy will require an additional LHA and five LPDs to meet the demands of the future fight.

For the upcoming fiscal year, the Navy is seeking contracts for LHA 9 and long-lead-time material for LPDs 32 and 33. Historically, the amphibious warship program has been drastically underfunded, taking the backseat to other Navy shipbuilding programs. Recent discussions of implementing a multi-ship procurement strategy in FY22 signal the potential for significant cost savings for the Navy and taxpayers alike. Multi-ship procurement is not a new concept to the Navy—most recently in 2019, Congress approved the two-ship aircraft carrier purchase of CVNs (nuclear aircraft carriers) 80 and 81, and experts predict that this purchase will yield at least $4 billion in savings compared to separate contracts. Not to mention the consistency of orders would ensure stability for the industrial base, which is still recovering after a challenging year due to disruption from the Covid-19 pandemic.

That’s why it’s imperative to move forward with a multi-ship purchase of these amphibious ships, specifically the LPDs, in the spirit of the president’s goal of a lean and efficient defense budget. If a multi-ship buy is approved by the Navy and Congress, it would not only bring down the cost on these ships, but it could speed up the timeline for building more ships that our Navy needs and ensure predictability for the suppliers whose work supports local economies across the country.

The amphibious warship industrial base consists of 750 companies spread out over forty-three states and over 240 Congressional districts. The men and women who make up this team provide critical parts and other materials worth in excess of $1.83 billion. And this production line is “hot”—it’s up and running, keeping thousands of skilled laborers employed at a time when our economy needs it most. It is in our nation’s best interests to ensure that the FY22 Budget keeps these production lines stable and fully funded through a multi-ship buy.

We must do everything we can to ensure these remarkable vessels will be ready to heed the call for years to come. Our nation needs a comprehensive, multitiered strategy to deal with myriad challenges, one capable of adapting to meet changing realities and emerging threats. But it also needs a force structure tailored to handle multiple crises and flashpoints, one equipped with the right assets to tackle any contingency—political, military, or humanitarian.

And in today’s complex environment, there is no better asset than the amphibious warship.

Capt. David Forster (U.S. Navy, Retired) is vice president of business development – sea for Rolls-Royce North America, Inc. He serves as chairman for the Amphibious Warship Industrial Base Coalition (AWIBC), which represents more than 750 businesses in forty-three states that supply parts, equipment and services for the construction and maintenance of U.S. Navy amphibious warships.

Image: Flickr.

Stephen Silver

Stimulus Payments,

According to USA Today, the money will be distributed in a pair of tranches: One now, and another a year from now. The money must be spent by the end of 2024.

The American Rescue Plan, when it was passed by Congress in March, allocated $350 billion in emergency funds for state and local governments-much more than the $150 billion allocated by the CARES Act in 2020. Now, that money is finally available.

Earlier this week, the Department of the Treasury launched a web portal, dedicated to what’s described as Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.

“The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provide a substantial infusion of resources to help turn the tide on the pandemic, address its economic fallout, and lay the foundation for a strong and equitable recovery,” the website says.

The funding, per the website, has several objectives-to directly support coronavirus relief efforts, to replace revenue that the local governments lost in the pandemic, to help stabilize homes and businesses, and to deal with more systemic challenges.

“The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provide substantial flexibility for each government to meet local needs—including support for households, small businesses, impacted industries, essential workers, and the communities hardest hit by the crisis,” the site says.  “These funds can also be used to make necessary investments in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.”

Governments can click the “request funding” button on the site.

According to USA Today, the money will be distributed in a pair of tranches: One now, and another a year from now. The money must be spent by the end of 2024.

Reports earlier this month stated that many city and state governments weren’t exactly sure how getting the money from that program would work, and had questions as to what they were allowed to do. The portal, seemingly, will answer some of those questions. For instance, local governments cannot use the money to offset tax cuts enacted after March 3, a rule that, per USA Today, has promoted Ohio’s state attorney general to sue the administration.

In addition, water and sewer and broadband infrastructure are acceptable uses for the money from the Rescue Plan, although most other forms of infrastructure spending are not allowed under the plan.

“The money we're going to be distributing now is going to make it possible for an awful lot of educators, first-responders and sanitation workers to go back to work,” President Biden said Monday, according to the USA Today account.

“Today, the Biden Administration has taken a strong step to protect the livelihoods of the millions of frontline heroic workers who are the lifeblood of our economy,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was instrumental in marshaling the votes for the package, said in a statement.

“This important announcement is a tribute to House Democrats’ commitment to robust state, local, territorial and tribal funding.  It will save jobs, prevent layoffs, keep services running and help our economy recover from crisis, while prioritizing equity and flexibility for governments.”

Stephen Silver, a technology writer for The National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.

Rachel Bucchino

Stimulus Scam,

A pair of Indonesian hackers were arrested last month after stealing $60 million from pandemic aid, money set aside by the federal government that served to help Americans struggling in financial turmoil due to the pandemic.

A pair of Indonesian hackers were arrested last month after stealing $60 million from pandemic aid, money set aside by the federal government that served to help Americans struggling in financial turmoil due to the pandemic.

More than 20 million Americans received text messages that directed them to several fraud U.S. government websites, authorities in the Southeast Asian nation said.

Recipients of the messages entered personal information, including social security numbers, to the websites to obtain a $2,000 payment from an unemployment assistance program. 

But the information was, instead, used to steal millions of dollars worth of pandemic relief.

“Some 30,000 U.S. citizens were scammed and the government's financial loss is up to $60 million,” East Java police chief Nico Afinta told CBS News.

The duo behind the international scam was arrested in March after the police were alerted by U.S. authorities. The pair could get up to nine years in prison under the nation’s electronic information law.

Police in Indonesia didn’t note the duration of the scam.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also uncovered that Americans have already lost more than $300 million in stimulus scams from the first and second rounds of coronavirus relief, a figure that’s likely to be larger as the third stimulus payments start reaching the pockets of Americans.

The FTC says it’s very common for scammers to use people’s personal information to get access to federal aid.

Experts have pointed out that scammers can easily obtain a person’s date of birth, workplace, family history, past addresses, email, and phone, just by purchasing the data from a data broker for a small fee. With this type of information, scammers can convince government agency workers that they are, in fact, legitimate, enabling them to steal the stimulus payment.

Other methods include scammers making unsolicited phone calls, as well as sending emails, texts, or social media messages, where scammers claim to be the Internal Revenue Service or another government agency and ask for credit card information. The IRS and Treasury Department, however, never ask people for that information.

Scammers have also pressured recipients into thinking that a purchase is required to receive a direct payment, and have also even used high-pressure tactics, offered expedited delivery of the payment for a fee, and threatened loss of the money if there isn’t immediate action.

Experts have encouraged Americans to be cautious in trusting others with banking information, as they could be associated with a massive stimulus scam.

Rachel Bucchino is a reporter at the National Interest. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and The Hill.

Rachel Bucchino

Donald Trump 2024, Americas

Donald Trump was suspended from Facebook and banned from Twitter after the riot at the U.S. Capitol building in January, which is when the former president is believed to have incited violence among his followers.

If former President Donald Trump decides to pursue the White House for a third time in 2024, then he’ll likely have to launch a presidential campaign without access to his digital sidekicks—Facebook and Twitter. 

Facebook’s oversight board ruled last week that Trump would remain suspended from the platform for the foreseeable future and executives are reportedly mulling over whether to make the measure on the former president permanent.  

But Twitter took it one step further. The company’s chief financial officer, Ned Segal, confirmed to CNBC in February that Trump is officially banned from Twitter. 

“The way our policies work, when you’re removed from the platform, you’re removed from the platform whether you are a commentator, a CFO, or you are a former or public official,” Segal said. 

The rulings by the major social media platforms puts the Republican Party’s kingpin in a tough spot to reach voters in 2024—a reality that already has GOP lawmakers and operatives feeling “panicked.” And Trump, who still holds an iron-like grip over the party for his commitment to shifting both congressional chambers red in the 2022 midterm elections, would have to ignite a potential White House run without access to Facebook’s massive fundraising abilities.

“This is a huge decision, makes it infinitely harder for him to raise money,” a source close to Trump told Politico. “Facebook was the main way he raised money. He’s now going to have to spend far more in the future to find other ways to raise money. . . . It was the main way he found donors.” 

But the former president’s immediate response to the news didn’t indicate that he was concerned over the financial implications of being banned or temporarily suspended, though he did appear fearful over how he could rally support from voters without the ability to digitally communicate with them.  

While Trump and other GOP lawmakers have expressed concern over the former president being blacklisted from Twitter and potentially Facebook, some Republicans said that Trump still has vast financial and political resources even without access to the two biggest social media platforms. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich argued that the Facebook ruling would allow Trump to be seen as a tech “martyr.” 

And some GOP groups, like the National Republican Senatorial Committee, have already taken advantage of the news, as the group launched a Facebook ad with the headline, “Big Tech Is Out Of Control.” The ad upholds Trump’s significance over the party, while also attempting to reach voters and draw in donors on a platform that the former president has no access to. 

But with a rumored presidential primary playing field that has nearly a dozen GOP candidates, the social media ban and suspension could be damaging to Trump’s potential 2024 White House bid. 

“It makes it more difficult for him and it gives everyone from Tim Scott to Nikki Haley to Mike Pompeo to Ted Cruz the ability to go out and begin to win over the Trump donors and voters that exist in a vacuum that Trump is not filling,” a top GOP operative told Politico. 

Trump’s suspension from Facebook and Twitter ban came after the Capitol riots in January, which is when the former president was pressed for his involvement in inciting the violence among his MAGA following.

Trump has been looking into launching his own social media platform or using alternative outlets to connect virtually with voters, but the Trump operation has not committed to one publicly. A source close to Trump said the team was depending on getting back onto Facebook to reach his following. 

Prior to the decisions by the social media giants, Trump held the third-largest political following on Facebook with over 32 million followers and nearly 88.7 million followers on Twitter. 

Rachel Bucchino is a reporter at the National Interest. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and The Hill. 

Image: Reuters.

Peter Suciu

Taxes, Americas

For those who know they owe money, a better solution is to file and set up a payment plan, make an “offer in compromise” or even request a temporary collection delay.

Sometimes you just can't meet deadlines, including the one for the federal income tax. While the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has already extended the normal deadline from April 15 to May 17, some people will still need a bit more time. This year you can file for an extension request using IRS Form 4868, which gives you additional time to file your personal tax return.

There are several pros and cons to consider.

In most cases, the extension request will be honored automatically and you don't even have to explain a reason with the IRS for why you need an extension. Instead, just fill out the form—but be sure to double-check important details such as Social Security number and other data. It is erroneous information that results in the rare extension rejection.

By filing for an extension you'll have until Oct. 15 to file your return. This will give those who have been unable to prepare their tax return a little extra breathing room. When it comes to taxes it is always better to be correct and accurate than early.

So if you've suffered an illness, been in an accident or had to deal with lost records from a computer crash it can be best to file an extension to reduce the need to rush. You can also avoid any late filing fees by filing an extension. Victims of some winter storms in the south have already had their filings extended—and that includes residents in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

However, the extra time doesn't always work for some people and just causes more time to stress, and if you're waiting for a return, it won't come until after you file. If you need the money, then you need to file as soon as you can.

Likewise, if you know that you owe, filing an extension is certainly not going to make the problem go away and even delaying it won't help the situation. The extension is only for filing your tax return, not for paying the taxes you owe. If you fail to pay by the original deadline, the IRS will charge you interest on the unpaid balance and can even add-on penalties for paying late.

For those who know they owe money, a better solution is to file and set up a payment plan, make an “offer in compromise” or even request a temporary collection delay.

“An extension of time to file your return does not grant you any extension of time to pay your taxes, according to the IRS. “You should estimate and pay any owed taxes by your regular deadline to help avoid possible penalties. You must file your extension request no later than the regular due date of your return.”

However, the IRS has provided a “Free File” to electronically request an automatic tax-filing extension, which gives you until Oct. 15 to file a return. To receive the extension, you will need to estimate your tax liability on the form and also pay any amount due.

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He regularly writes about military small arms, and is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com.

Image: Reuters

Stephen Silver

Gas Price Spike,

Earlier this week, following the cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline, exports worked that spikes in gas prices could be on the way. Now, it appears that’s exactly what has happened.

Earlier this week, following the cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline, experts warned that spikes in gas prices could be on the way. Now, it appears that’s exactly what has happened.

Per WSB, the prices have already begun to rise in the Atlanta area, frustrating local motorists. Florida, per WJCT, also saw gas prices rise 10 cents in just a week. And the Lexington Herald Leader reported that the Lexington, Kentucky, area, had posted the second-largest gas price increase in the United States. North Carolina has declared a state of emergency related to the gas issue.

Once the ransomware attack shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which experts described as the nation’s most important, experts declared that disruption of supply, and ultimately higher gas prices, was likely in the near future unless the pipeline was back online quickly. Also, it was expected that the Southeast would see prices rise first.

“At this time, our primary focus is the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation,” Colonial Pipeline said in a statement immediately following the recognition of the attack.

“This process is already underway, and we are working diligently to address this matter and to minimize disruption to our customers and those who rely on Colonial Pipeline.”

The Russian ransomware group known as Darkside has claimed responsibility for the hack, while claiming their only motivation is money and that they are not political actors. The FBI also considers them responsible for the attack.

“Our goal is to make money, and not creating problems for society. From today we introduce moderation and check each company that our partners want to encrypt to avoid social consequences in the future,” the group said on its website, according to NBC News.

Until now, gasoline had stayed below an average price of $3 a gallon for most of the year so far.

The White House, Tuesday night, released a fact sheet touting what it called “an All-of-Government Effort to Address Colonial Pipeline Incident.”

“The Administration is focused on avoiding potential energy supply disruptions to impacted communities, the U.S. military, and other facilities reliant on gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined petroleum products. The Administration is continually assessing the pipeline shutdown’s impact on the U.S. fuel supply, as well as what additional actions are available to mitigate the impact of the pipeline’s shutdown,” the White House said.

That has included the establishment of an interagency response group, while also establishing “a targeted, one-week waiver allowing multiple states to temporarily use noncompliant fuel in an effort to boost available supply.” The White House also vowed to secure “critical infrastructure,” in the wake of the ransomware attack.

Stephen Silver, a technology writer for The National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.

Ethen Kim Lieser

Stimulus Theft,

Amid the ongoing pandemic, it appears that greed and desperation are pushing people to steal—even from highly vulnerable senior citizens.

Amid the ongoing pandemic, it appears that greed and desperation are pushing people to steal—even from highly vulnerable senior citizens.

Two people in Ohio are facing charges after police say they stole a home and other funds, including a coronavirus stimulus check, from an elderly woman. They are accused of deceiving the victim into signing over a quitclaim deed to her residence and then placing her into a nursing home.

According to the mortgage lending company Quicken Loans, a “quitclaim deed can be one of the simplest methods of transferring a property to a new owner. In other words, the property owner (also known as the grantor) can offer this type of deed and transfer the entire interest in the property to the recipient, or the grantee. Generally, no money is involved in this transaction, there’s no need for title insurance and no title search is conducted to verify the property owner.”

Throughout the disbursement of three rounds of stimulus funds, these types of criminal activities have occurred regularly. In a more extreme example, an Indianapolis man in March fatally shot four people after he and his girlfriend argued because he wanted a share of her stimulus payment, according to a court document.

Although there might be that temptation to try to deposit a stimulus check that is under a different name, the law office of Stechschulte Nell says that one should always be aware of the consequences.

“If you have tried to deposit a dead or fraudulent COVID-19 stimulus check you may be charged with a federal crime such as bank fraud, mail fraud, or wire fraud. All of these are serious crimes, with long sentences of imprisonment or large fines,” writes the law office.

“In some cases people have been defrauded of their stimulus check, and when they try to deposit what they think is their real money, they may find that they have been a victim of a scam. Even though they are the victim, they may nonetheless be charged with a crime. Regardless of why you have been charged with fraud, you need to contact an attorney as soon as possible,” it added.

Stechschulte Nell added that sizeable fines and even possible imprisonment that could span decades await those who commit check fraud.

“There are serious consequences for committing check fraud. This can include a fine of up to $1 million, or you can be imprisoned for up to thirty years (or both),” it said.

“If you have been charged with depositing a dead or fraudulent COVID-19 stimulus check, this may be one of the charges you are faced with.”

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Minneapolis-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek, and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn.

Eli Fuhrman

Tax Refund, Stimulus Payments,

The IRS is facing a major backlog of unprocessed tax returns as it struggles to manage a number of demanding tasks.

Here's What You Need to Remember: Contributing to IRS delays is the agency’s role in distributing the third-round of direct federal stimulus payments. To date, the IRS has sent out 164 million payments worth $386 billion.

The IRS is facing a major backlog of unprocessed tax returns as it struggles to manage a number of demanding tasks. In addition to processing recently filed 2020 tax returns, the IRS also finds itself faced with unprocessed 2019 tax returns and the added mission of distributing the third-round of direct federal stimulus payments. The result has been a delay for many people in receiving their 2020 tax refunds.

This year’s tax season is proving to be particularly daunting for the IRS. The IRS is now reportedly in possession of nearly 31 million returns for manual processing ahead of the May 17 tax deadline, an increase of 2 million from just a few weeks ago in mid-April. The problem will likely get worse, with 121 million returns filled out so far out of the expected total of 160 million.

Part of the problem that the IRS is facing is that it is still working through some returns from last year. The IRS is still working through some 2.4 million unprocessed 2019 tax returns. These returns remain unprocessed because of the IRS’ three-month shut down of its tax processing centers last spring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The IRS has been playing catch up ever since, and was further hindered by the fact that even after they reopened, many tax processing centers were not operating at full capacity because of social distancing requirements. The IRS is also processing returns at a slower rate this year, with the number of returns processed down 16%.

But it is not just last year’s returns that are tripping up the IRS. This year’s returns are particularly significant, with a number of valuable COVID-relief measures tied to 2020 tax returns. Working through these added credits and rebates and determining eligibility for them is likely contributing to delays, with two measures in particular causing a slowdown. Both the recovery rebate credit and the earned income tax credit require extra verification of information, which means it will take the IRS longer to process returns in which people are claiming on or both credits. The recovery rebate credit allows people who did not receive all the money they were eligible for during the first two rounds of stimulus payments to claim the money on their 2020 tax return, while the earned income tax credit is designed to benefit people with lower incomes.

Also contributing to IRS delays is the agency’s role in distributing the third-round of direct federal stimulus payments. To date, the IRS has sent out 164 million payments worth $386 billion. Many of the payments that still need to be made are to those people eligible for what the IRS calls “plus-up” payments, or supplemental payments sent to people whose 2020 tax returns indicate that they are eligible for larger stimulus payments.

Eli Fuhrman is a contributing writer for The National Interest. This article first appeared earlier this year.

Image: Reuters.

Trevor Filseth

Stimulus Payments,

Not all Democrats are in favor of the proposals

Here's What You Need to Remember: All of these things remain progressive priorities, and Biden will likely try to address them later in his term. However, it is crucial to remember that, even in its restricted form, the American Families Plan’s goals are simply ambitions. And the plan is not likely to pass Congress, at least not without significant alterations.

Within two months of the signing of the “American Rescue Plan” – the new administration’s initial $2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill – President Joe Biden has already set his sights on bigger things. Last Wednesday, on the eve of his hundredth day in office, he announced two new spending plans – the “American Jobs Plan,” which would focus on creating new jobs, and the “American Families Plan,” which would focus on alleviating poverty and placing money directly into American families’ hands.

Of the two plans, the second is far broader in its ambitions – it contains a long checklist of welfare programs, including free community college, universal pre-K education, an expansion of the Child Tax Credit, and subsidized childcare.

Here’s what it left out.

Student Loan Forgiveness. Student loan debt in the United States hovers at around $1.7 trillion, with the average loan size at approximately $30,000 – making student loan debt a larger problem than auto loans and credit card debt. One of Biden’s campaign proposals involved cancelling $10,000 in debt for all students. Other progressive sources have proposed higher numbers.

However, it is unclear if the President actually has the authority to unilaterally cancel the debt with the stroke of a pen. There is also the matter of how to compensate the creditors, who would either stand to lose billions of dollars overnight or else be compensated through taxpayer money.

A $15 Per Hour Minimum Wage. In recent years, the issue of a $15 per hour minimum wage has pushed to the forefront of – in part due to the influence of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. The measure has been enacted locally in a number of local areas, and Biden passed an executive order mandating a $15 per hour minimum wage for federal contractors. However, not all Democrats are in favor of the proposal; some, including Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), favor a lower, $11 per hour proposal.

A Fourth Stimulus Check. Speculation has surrounded the idea of a fourth stimulus check, with many Democrats in favor of recurring payments for the duration of the pandemic. However, Biden did not address this idea in his speech on Wednesday night.

All of these things remain progressive priorities, and Biden will likely try to address them later in his term. However, it is crucial to remember that, even in its restricted form, the American Families Plan’s goals are simply ambitions. And the plan is not likely to pass Congress, at least not without significant alterations. It is unclear if all fifty Senate Democrats support the measure. Even if they did, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was quoted as saying that Senate Republicans were “100 percent committed” to fighting Biden’s agenda, suggesting that the plan would not be able to pass without filibuster reform.

In reality, though, if Congressional horse-trading works the way it has always worked, McConnell’s “100 percent” opposition will probably translate to a smaller plan with fewer benefits – but also one that is less likely to break the bank.

Trevor Filseth is a news reporter and writer for the National Interest. This article first appeared earlier this year.

Image: Reuters.

Caleb Larson

Drones, Middle East

Back in the day, drones were more likely to fly without an escort than they are now, and this incident is why.

Here's What You Need to Remember: Yes, the F-35 Lightning II program has been plagued by cost overruns, production setbacks, and tech hick-ups. The F-22 Raptor is far from perfect. Still, these two incidents demonstrate that stealth platforms, despite the teething issues they’ve had, provide a valuable capability that is worth the investment.

Way back in 2012, an American General Atomics MQ-1, typically called “Predator” was flying in international airspace, approximately 16 miles from Iran’s coast and conducting surveillance (Iran also flies a Predator knock-off).

Back in those days, drones were more likely to fly without an escort than they are now, and this incident is why.

Two Iranian jets were scrambled and attempted to intercept and shoot down the drone. Using onboard guns, both jets opened fire on the Predator. Although the Iranian pilots conducted several passes, both were unable to hit the drone. The drone was able to return to base untouched.

American officials were subsequently able to identify the aircraft that attempted the intercept. Both were Su-25 Frogfoot bombers, essentially flying tanks. Oddly enough, the Su-25 Frogfoot (yet another example of how heavily Iran leans on foreign tech, particularly for their airframes) is not typically used as an interceptor, but rather for close air support or as a bomber.

In these roles, Su-25 pilots would be unlikely to be particularly efficient air-to-air gunners, having in all likelihood trained on stationary, ground-based targets.

Likely as a consequence of this incident, Predator drones would later fly with a fighter escort, either F-22 or F-18 Hornets. Although this would, in theory, make the drone more easily identifiable to ground-based radar, the extra firepower was deemed necessary.

Another Day, Another . . . Bomber?

Just a year later, another QM-1 Predator was flying on some sort of intelligence-gathering mission near Iran. This time, it came with an escort.

During the mission, two IRIAF (Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force) F-4 Phantoms were scrambled to interdict the drone, apparently unaware that this Predator was accompanied by a lone F-22 Raptor, likely one of the stealthiest aircraft in the world.

The F-22 was able to maneuver Top Gun-like underneath one of the F-4 Phantoms, according to reports,

“He [the Raptor pilot] flew under their aircraft [the F-4s] to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there, and then pulled up on their left wing and then called them and said ‘you really ought to go home.’” How embarrassing.

Stealth Is King

Yes, the F-35 Lightning II program has been plagued by cost overruns, production setbacks, and tech hick-ups. The F-22 Raptor is far from perfect. Still, these two incidents demonstrate that stealth platforms, despite the teething issues they’ve had, provide a valuable capability that is worth the investment.

Caleb Larson is a defense writer for the National Interest. He holds a Master of Public Policy and covers U.S. and Russian security, European defense issues, and German politics and culture.

Image: Reuters

Rachel Bucchino

Student Loan Debt,

The president’s $1.8 trillion American Families Plan, however, calls for free community college and invests more than $300 billion in expenditures toward higher education.

Here's What You Need to Remember: In the meantime, the White House has provided federal student loan borrowers with a forbearance program, with the interest set at zero percent. That means the borrowed amount will not grow during this time, but the program expires Sept. 30, 2021.

President Joe Biden addressed a joint session of Congress last week for the first time, where he called on Democrats and Republicans to pass his ambitious proposals that inject federal funds into infrastructure and a number of family-related policies. Since then, the president, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other key players in the infrastructure and jobs fight have been traveling across the country in efforts to sell the administration’s big-spending plans.

But the efforts omit a massive promise that Biden echoed on his presidential campaign trail—whether the administration will forgive student loans for federal borrowers.

The president’s $1.8 trillion American Families Plan, however, calls for free community college and invests more than $300 billion in expenditures toward higher education. Biden has also previously asked Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to put together a memo on the president’s “legal authority” to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt through executive order, which wouldn’t require Congress’ approval, but the administration has reportedly not completed its review of the president’s legal authorities.

And while student loan borrowers and advocacy groups await the administration’s findings and Biden’s ultimate decision, lawmakers have ramped up efforts to implement a massive student loan forgiveness measure.

At a Senate subcommittee hearing last month on student debt, the subcommittee’s chair, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), opened the meeting with a striking statistic—36 million out of the 43 million federal student loan borrowers, or 84 percent, would have all of their debt cancelled if the president cut $50,000 in loans per borrower.

A number of congressional Democrats, including Warren, have continuously pressured the White House to unilaterally forgive $50,000 in federal student loans per borrower through the Higher Education Act, a measure that Biden rejected at a town hall event in January. Instead, he’s expressed support for a $10,000 cancellation.

The White House also found itself under seething pressure recently after 416 community and professional organizations signed a letter to Biden, pushing him to eradicate student debt. The letter was first sent in November and then again in January, which has been updated with 85 additional signatures.

“During the campaign, you endorsed $10,000 of relief while Congress negotiated the CARES Act, and subsequently promised to provide broad student debt cancellation ‘immediately’ as a coronavirus response. Administrative debt cancellation will deliver real progress on your racial equity, economic recovery, and COVID-19 relief campaign priorities,” the groups wrote. Signers include the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), American Federation of Teachers, the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the Sunrise Movement.

“Cancelling student debt would disproportionately help borrowers of color, respond to the coronavirus crisis, and provide much needed economic relief and stimulus. We call on you to deliver on the promise of the Biden-Harris Racial Economic Equity plan by cancelling federal student debt by executive action immediately,” they added.

In the meantime, the White House has provided federal student loan borrowers with a forbearance program, with the interest set at zero percent. That means the borrowed amount will not grow during this time, but the program expires Sept. 30, 2021.

The Education Department also cut student debt for borrowers who were defrauded by their colleges, as well as those with total and permanent disabilities.

But even with these major measures in place, Biden has still failed to resurface his campaign promise to cancel some form of student debt for federal borrowers.

Rachel Bucchino is a reporter at the National Interest. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and The Hill. This article first appeared earlier this year.

Image: Reuters.

Caleb Larson

U.S. Navy,

It's trying, but there are a couple of obstacles to overcome.

Here's What You Need to Remember: If a workable design is created, this solar energy gatherer could harvest enormous amounts of energy, at much greater efficiency than Earth-side solar arrays.

In a recent press release, the Department of Defense explained the United States Space Force will be using the X-37B reusable space plane in the future for conducting experiments in space. The report detailed a rather bland experiment involving the effects of radiation from space on seeds—not exactly an attention-grabber.

It then casually and quietly mentioned how the Naval Research Laboratory is planning to harvest the sun’s energy for use on Earth. “A third experiment, designed by the Naval Research Laboratory, transforms solar power into radiofrequency microwave energy, then studies transmitting that energy to Earth,” the press release said.

Essentially the X-37B will carry an array of solar panels that can be deployed once the space plane is in orbit around the Earth. Once stretched out, these panels could gather solar energy from the Sun and send it back down to Earth.

High in the Sky

If a workable design is created, this solar energy gatherer could harvest enormous amounts of energy, at much greater efficiency than Earth-side solar arrays. The anticipated jump in efficiency would be thanks to the conditions in space—cloud cover wouldn’t be a problem and dust would likely cover the panels only very lightly, if at all. 

Harvested solar energy would then be beamed back to Earth in the form of microwaves. Microwaves could be used to power a variety of equipment, possibly even onto any location on Earth. The energy harvesting system could be used to provide emergency power to crisis-stricken areas—and there is also a military application, of course.

Troops at remote outposts or inaccessible locations could in theory be provided with a powerful, unlimited supply of energy. With an effective delivery system, it may have the potential to virtually eliminate some types of energy supply lines, like fuel for trucks, tanks, or other vehicles.

Additionally, solar energy could also be used to power objects in orbit, like space stations, space aircraft, or even other satellites. 

Challenges

There are a couple of obstacles to overcome though. Dr. Paul Jaffe, an aerospace engineer with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory explained that one of the non-material difficulties is simple physics—it is expensive to launch things into space. And the heavier an object is, the more propellant it needs to get airborne, and the bigger the price tag gets. In order to keep weight to a minimum, internal components would need to be made as small and light as possible, itself not an easy engineering feat.

The other issue is not specific to the solar harvesting concept, but to all satellites in general. Once aloft, satellites orbit the Earth at incredible speeds. Getting them into a different orbit for directing energy elsewhere on Earth is challenging. It remains to be seen if this project will be feasible, costs and technical difficulties aside.

Caleb Larson holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy. He lives in Berlin and writes on U.S. and Russian foreign and defense policy, German politics, and culture.

Image: Flickr