Six minutes of news from around the nation.

House passes funding bill ahead of Friday shutdown deadline in win for Republicans; High moral stakes of proposed cuts to federal programs; AR food tax could be going away; Nursing homes close as Montanans age.

Transcript

The Public News Service Newscast March the 13th, 2025.

I'm Mike Clifford.

First, from the Washington Post, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate for a Wednesday that not enough Democrats support the Republican-led funding measure that passed the House on Tuesday.

With days to go until the shutdown deadline, Democrats are seeking a bill known as a CR to keep the government open through April the 11th, while the two parties complete work on their long-stalled spending bills.

Schumer said our caucus is unified on a clean April 11 CR.

Meantime, President Trump welcomed Michael Martin, the Prime Minister of Ireland, to Washington for an annual trip ahead of St. Patrick's Day.

The two leaders also got a chance to air differences on several issues.

During an Oval Office meeting, Trump complained about Ireland attracting U.S. business with low tax rates.

We head next to Colorado, where farmers and ranchers are feeling frustrated and concerned since the Trump administration froze USDA funding.

Mike Lavender with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition says a number of critical programs remain paused and under review.

Others, such as the Environmental Quality Incentive Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program, could again get funds from the USDA for existing contracts.

Lavender says these reimbursements are critical to keep farms above water.

So in many cases, farmers have already paid out of pocket and are now being told that they won't be reimbursed by the federal government on the timeline they had expected, threatening their financial viability.

The White House says the administration is looking to make agencies more efficient, which includes better service for farmers.

But Lavender says many farmers have been left wondering if they could still be on the hook if reimbursements don't come now or in the future.

I'm Eric Galatas.

Some 5,700 companies in Colorado exported goods to Canada and Mexico in 2022, and the number one export was food.

Activists who believe that Tesla CEO Elon Musk is overstepping his role in the Trump administration will protest today at a Tesla dealership in New Mexico's San Ysidro County.

Similar protests have taken place in Albuquerque and at Tesla dealerships nationwide.

Musk, the world's richest person, leads the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, tasked with saving money by firing federal employees and dismantling agencies.

Terry Eisenbart with Sandoval County Indivisible says many who've lost their jobs live in New Mexico.

It is time to stand up and fight back with whatever is at our disposal.

So peaceful protests are a huge way to gain the traction of the people that want to express themselves but don't even know where to begin.

I'm Roz Brown.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was instrumental in establishing the independent agency.

DOGE claims total government savings of at least $105 billion so far.

News agencies have not been able to verify the savings.

This is Public News Service.

Missoula and its 75,000 residents have seen a rapid change in industry in recent years, and groups in the community are finding creative ways to adapt.

After the 2008 recession disrupted the area's timber-focused manufacturing economy, groups launched the Missoula Economic Partnership, or MEP, to focus on new sectors.

Construction was added to the list after the pandemic caused a statewide housing shortage.

MEP is currently supporting a pilot program from GRIT, or Girls Represented in Trades, called Women's Workforce Montana.

Noli Anderson-Hendron is GRIT's program specialist.

We're really marketing that program towards young women who are just coming into the workforce, single mothers who might be looking for a career change, or any woman who is just looking for a way into construction.

It's a very well-paying field.

According to Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis, Montana has seen a 10 percent population growth, but only a 7 percent growth in housing.

I'm Kathleen Shannon.

And as federal funding for climate initiatives face deep cuts, nonprofits and philanthropic organizations are stepping into the breach, calling out the urgent need for private support to address what they see as an existential crisis.

The issue took center stage Wednesday in Orlando at the Climate Correction Conference.

With federal grants paused or canceled due to recent executive orders and legal challenges, nonprofits grapple with uncertainty, making private philanthropy more critical than ever.

Dawn Sheriffs is with the Environmental Defense Fund.

We don't have time.

In fact, one of the things that Environmental Defense Fund is sort of known for is that we don't have an endowment because we don't feel we have the time to wait in the battle on climate change to have money sitting in a bank.

We need to get our greenhouse gas emissions down now so that we have a planet to fight for.

Sheriffs says it's time to rethink philanthropic giving.

She says there's a critical need for strategic multi-year funding rather than one-time donations to sustain climate efforts.

I'm Tramell Gomes.

And finally, Republicans in D.C. remain focused on greatly reducing federal spending.

But a backlash is mounting in congressional districts, including Minnesota, and some constituents feel ignored.

The dramatic downsizing of federal agencies, programs, and services has led to heightened concern about the impact on a host of populations.

Grand Rapids resident Brian Roman says he's worried about the possibility of steep Medicaid cuts.

He says even if it's uncomfortable for House Republicans, they still should have face-to-face conversations.

There's a lot of pent-up anger and frustration and I think that the only way to alleviate that is to start having honest dialogue.

Roman's congressman, 8th District Republican Pete Stauber, cannot be reached for comment.

Protesters have gathered outside his office to demand a town hall.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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