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| TUESDAY, APRIL 3 |
| HHS MANDATE IS FINALLY DEAD Amen! Judge David Russell of the U.S. District Court for Western Oklahoma permanently enjoined the federal government from enforcing the HHS contraception mandate against the Catholic Benefits Association and issued a declarative judgment to the effect that the mandate violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. READ |
| FIGHT OVER EPA REFORMS? California’s attorney general threatens to sue the Trump administration for rejecting Obama’s strict car pollution rules. READ |
| LACK OF OVERSIGHT Mick Mulvaney is the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. And Mulvaney is calling on Congress to dramatically reduce the power of the agency he commands. “The Bureau is far too powerful, with precious little oversight of its activities. The power wielded by the Director of the Bureau could all too easily be used to harm consumers, destroy businesses, or arbitrarily remake American financial markets.” READ |
| FIGHT OVER CONFIRMATIONS President Trump called out Senate Democrats for stalling the confirmation of judges and executive branch appointments. “39% of my nominations, including diplomats to foreign lands, have not been confirmed due to Democrat obstruction and delay. At this rate, it would take more than 7 years before I am allowed to have these great people start working.” READ |
| THE ‘NUTTY’ NINTH The Ninth Circuit has been the most radically liberal federal court for decades. The death this week of 9th Circuit Court Judge Stephen Reinhardt gives President Trump the first step in reforming this bench. READ |
| LOYALTY Fox News is standing by Laura Ingraham. If you didn’t hear, Laura Ingraham attacked David Hogg, the very controversial student from Parkland High School who has called Republicans ‘murderers.’ Shortly afterward, she apologized for what she said. Didn’t matter. Hogg started a boycott, and he did not relent even after her apology — which he rejected. In a statement, Fox News said: “We cannot and will not allow voices to be censored by agenda-driven intimidation efforts.” READ |
| WOW A Jesuit priest, last living son of Irish revolutionary leaders, dies at 104. READ |
| SACREDNESS OF THE SABBATH Taking Sunday seriously: Poland leads the way by sharply restricting shopping to let families spend time with each other. READ |
| POPE’S HEALTH Pope Francis to have surgery for cataracts next year. READ |
| SAINT OF THE DAY Saint Benedict the African, also called Saint Benedict the Moor and Saint Benedict the Black, lived the life of a slave until he was 18. After joining the Franciscans, he held positions of leadership. He was known for his poverty and humility. READ |
| DAILY MASS READINGS “The earth is full of goodness of the Lord.” (Ps 33:5) READ |
| TRUTH |