January 1, TRUMP: WE’LL HAVE A BETTER PLAN THAN OBAMACARE

President Donald Trump is vowing to have a plan “far better than Obamacare” if the Supreme Court eventually sides with his administration and tosses out the Affordable Care Act.

“It’s a disaster for our people,” Trump said of the healthcare law, according to Politico. “If the Supreme Court rules that Obamacare is out, we will have a plan that is far better than Obamacare.”

Trump gave no indication what the plan could look like, Politico noted.

Trump reverses Plan to scrap Special Olympics Funding

President Donald Trump overrode his budget team and backed funding for the Special Olympics on Thursday after his proposed cuts to the athletic program drew heavy fire from both Republicans and Democrats.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Wednesday defended a proposal to eliminate funding for the Special Olympics, pushing back against a storm of criticism from athletes, celebrities and politicians who rallied to support the organization.

DeVos became a target on social media after Democrats slammed her plan to remove the group’s funding as part of nearly $7 billion in budget cuts for next year. The Special Olympics received $17.6 million from the Education Department this year, roughly 10 percent of its overall revenue.

Smollett Case Draws Harsh Light on Chicago Prosecutor, Ex-Obama Aide

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx on Wednesday defended the decision by her staff to drop charges that “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett staged a racist, anti-gay attack in January.

Foxx recused herself before Smollett was charged last month because she had discussed the case with a Smollett family member. The case was handed to First Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph Magats.

Foxx didn’t directly answer the question when CBS 2 TV in Chicago asked if she believed Smollett was innocent, as Smollett has continued to contend, saying only that the matter was handled properly. She pointed to Smollett forfeiting his $10,000 bond and doing community service in return for dropping the charges. Magats has said that he does not believe Smollett is innocent and Chicago police say he faked the attack.

Air Force Needs Billions For Repairs to US Bases

The Air Force is in need of nearly $5 billion, including $1.2 billion in the current fiscal year, to make necessary repairs to Tyndall and Offutt Air Force Bases, the service has confirmed.

According to an Air Force document cited by Defense One, the Air Force is looking for an immediate $1.2 billion. If the money is not allocated by May 1, cuts to aircraft repairs, flight operations, and general repairs and recovery to the two aforementioned bases would have to be made.

Dems Roll Out New Climate Bill

A day after Senate Republicans shunned the controversial Green New Deal, House Democrats unveiled legislation to cut carbon emissions and address climate change by binding the United States to the Paris climate accord.

President Donald Trump has said the Paris accord threatens the economic prosperity of U.S. industries, and that he intends to withdraw from the agreement in November 2020.“The American people know that the … crisis is an existential threat of our generation, of our time, a crisis manifested in natural disasters of epic proportions,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, The Hill reported.