Here is a selection of article the Office of Federal Relations is reading this week.
Trump Calls Comey “Nut Job” – The latest news the Trump-Russia saga: President Trump told Russian officials in the Oval Office this month that firing the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, had relieved “great pressure” on him, according to a document summarizing the meeting. “I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job,” Mr. Trump said, according to the document, which was read to The New York Times by an American official. “I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.” Mr. Trump added, “I’m not under investigation.” Read more from The New York Times.
Tracking the Trump Administration’s Russia Ties – Following the revelation late this afternoon that law enforcement is now investigating a senior White House advisor in the Russia-probe, we thought you may find this excellent infograph, which maps relationships between White House officials and Russian officials, from The Washington Post interesting. Check it out on the Washington Post.
Widening the Gap in U.S. Life Expectancy – IHME got a great shoutout on NIH Director Francis Collins’ blog this week. The post notes that recent gains in longevity aren’t being enjoyed equally in all corners of the United States. In fact, depending on where you live in this great country, life expectancy can vary more than 20 years—a surprisingly wide gap that has widened significantly in recent decades. Read more from the NIH Director’s Blog.
Trump’s ED Budget is Leaked! – Funding for college work-study programs would be cut in half, public-service loan forgiveness would end and hundreds of millions of dollars that public schools could use for mental health, advanced coursework and other services would vanish under a Trump administration plan to cut $10.6 billion from federal education initiatives, according to budget documents obtained by The Washington Post. Read more at The Washington Post.
Capitol Cat Watch – In case you didn’t already understand how crazy this town is these days, check out this cat on a leash (and with a stroller) in the Russell Senate Building. Bravo! Read more from Time.