Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Hegseth orders Pentagon to cut number of senior generals by 20%; House Committee takes up 'drill, baby, drill' budget today; WA voting rights advocates push for democracy vouchers statewide; NYS Jewish students speak to Congress; IN '50501' movement expands summer protests; Trump order targets marine monuments for commercial fishing.

Transcript

The Public News Service daily newscast for May the 6th, 2025.

I'm Mike Clifford.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered senior Pentagon leadership to cut the number of four-star generals and admirals by at least 20 percent across the military, according to a memo signed by Hegseth dated Monday and obtained by CNN.

As of 2023, there were 37 four-star generals and admirals across the entire military.

CNN reports in his memo, Hegseth wrote the cuts are a critical step toward removing redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership by reducing excess general and flag officer positions.

And today, the Republican budget package on the nation's energy policy gets a closer look from the House Natural Resources Committee and the Congress.

The proposals include reducing royalty rates paid by energy companies to federal and local governments, limiting opportunities for public participation, and mandating the sale of oil and gas leases on all available public lands within 18 months.

New Bridge Strategies surveyed Western voters on the importance of various public land uses, and pollster Lori Weigel says there's a trend.

It stands out really that providing land to be leased for oil and gas development was significantly lower than every single other attribute that we tested.

Among Montana respondents, 92 percent said keeping air and water clean is an important function of public lands.

Outdoor recreation and providing wildlife habitat were about equally important at roughly 86 percent.

Only 34 percent of Montanans said they think providing land for oil and gas development is important.

I'm Kathleen Shannon.

Next up to Seattle, where the City Council voted last week to put the city's Democracy Voucher program on the ballot to be renewed in August.

Supporters of the program are looking to take it statewide.

Launched in 2017, the program gives each resident four $25 vouchers to donate to participating candidates.

Data shows the program has boosted voter turnout, increased small donors five-fold, and encouraged more women and people of color to run.

Spencer Olson of the non-profit People Powered Elections Seattle says voucher programs counter nationwide voting rights rollbacks and model a more inclusive democracy.

It's proof that we can reduce the influence of big money, can expand participation, and can give regular people a stronger voice in who represents them.

People Powered Elections has been working on a bill for next session that would bring democracy vouchers to Washington's state legislative races.

Participating candidates must get a minimum number of signatures and small donations to qualify and must adhere to contribution and spending limits.

I'm Isabel Charlay.

And from the Associated Press, the Trump administration says it's going to pay immigrants in the United States illegally $1,000 plus travel costs if they leave voluntarily as it accelerates its mass deportation agenda.

This is Public News Service.

Jewish students from Columbia University and Barnard College are speaking with members of the Congress today, and they've got a lot to say.

They'll be addressing the encampments and protests against the Israel-Hamas war, the Trump administration's attacks on Columbia University, and sharing their views on freeing international student Mahmoud Khalil.

Columbia undergraduate student Sarah Boris says politicians and media outlets spread misinformation about life in the encampments, particularly that they were anti-Semitic.

It was really interesting to hear that when, as a Jewish student, I was literally doing Chag Dala through the gate because I wasn't allowed on campus to practice my religion.

And I was doing it with all these Jewish students that were part of the encampments, and I found so much meaning in it.

She says she was part of the first encampment, which lasted about three days.

Boris says it was a spiritual time being part of a movement aligning with her values.

She wants members of Congress to understand what life was like in the encampments and how it shouldn't be used in attacks on free speech.

I'm Edwin J. Vieira.

And next to Indiana, where activists with the 5501 movement will hold new protests this summer against the Trump administration.

More now from our Joe Ulori.

Elisa Advati with Indiana 5501 says local organizers will lead the new events.

Advati says the movement wants to fight government overreach and protect constitutional rights.

It's a national group.

It was designed specifically so that there would be coordinated protests in every state on the same day.

And it's grown exponentially.

Now we've had protest groups pop up by the 10s, 20s, 30s across every state.

Critics say the protests exaggerate federal actions.

Some argue they turn legal and policy debates into political fights.

And finally, President Donald Trump signed an executive order which could open national marine monuments to commercial fishing.

This includes the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off the coast of Cape Cod.

The protected area holds an abundance of aquatic plant and animal species and serves as an ideal feeding ground for squid, whales, dolphins and sharks.

Priscilla Brooks with the Conservation Law Foundation says it's called the Serengeti of the Sea for a reason.

It's truly an amazing place and it supports an incredible diversity of marine wildlife.

She says opening the area to fishing would sacrifice decades of scientific progress for short-term gain.

Fishing groups say restrictions hurt their bottom line and that the gear they use remains far from the protected monuments below.

The executive order states that America should be the world's dominant seafood leader and calls for the suspension of any regulations that burden America's commercial fishing industry.

Trump has also signed an executive order specifically targeting the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, one of the world's biggest ocean reserves just west of Hawaii.

I'm Catherine Carley.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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