House Republicans propose $14.3 billion in aid to Israel, cut IRS funding: The Morning Rundown, Oct. 31, 2023

HOUSE REPUBLICANS UNVEIL THEIR PLANS TO AID ISRAEL WITH A BILL CUTTING FUNDING FOR THE IRS

AND —  HAVE YOU PURCHASED YOUR HALLOWEEN CANDY YET? YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME STICKER SHOCK WHEN YOU DO.

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31ST.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

NEWLY ELECTED HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON AND HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE UNVEILED A PLAN FOR THE U-S TO PROVIDE FOURTEEN POINT THREE BILLION DOLLARS IN EMERGENCY MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL — BY CUTTING THAT SAME AMOUNT FROM IRS FUNDING —

WHICH WAS PART OF LEGISLATION SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN LAST YEAR.

BIDEN’S INFLATION REDUCTION ACT — WHICH FOCUSED ON CLIMATE CHANGE, HEALTH CARE COSTS AND TAXES —  ALLOTTED EIGHTY BILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR THE IRS.

THE MONEY IS FOR THE AGENCY TO HIRE THOUSANDS OF AGENTS, IMPROVE TAXPAYER SERVICES AND TARGET WEALTHY TAX EVADERS.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH FOX NEWS ON MONDAY – JOHNSON DEFENDED THE GOP’S BILL –

SAYING HE KNOWS IT WILL BE UNPOPULAR WITH DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE – AND PLANS TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER.

“I understand their priority is to bulk up the IRS. But I think if you put this to the American people and they weigh the two needs, I think they’re going to say standing with Israel and protecting the innocent over there is in our national interest and is a more immediate need than IRS agents.”

EARLIER THIS MONTH – THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ASKED CONGRESS FOR A 105 BILLION DOLLAR AID PACKAGE THAT WOULD SEE FOURTEEN BILLION DOLLARS GOING TO ISRAEL AND SIXTY ONE BILLION DOLLARS FOR UKRAINE.

JOHNSON HAS SAID HE WOULD WANT AID FOR ISRAEL AND UKRAINE TO BE HANDLED SEPARATELY.

THE HOUSE PLANS TO VOTE ON THE ISRAEL FUNDING BILL ON WEDNESDAY.

IF IT PASSES THE HOUSE – IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE REJECTED BY THE DEMOCRATIC-CONTROLLED SENATE.

IN A STATEMENT — WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KARINE JEAN-PIERRE CALLED THE BILL A “NON-STARTER.”

ISRAEL’S PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAYS HE IS REJECTING CALLS FOR A CEASEFIRE IN ITS ONGOING WAR WITH HAMAS.

SPEAKING AT A NEWS CONFERENCE IN TEL AVIV MONDAY – NETANYAHU SAID “ISRAEL WILL FIGHT UNTIL THE BATTLE IS WON.

ADDING “THE FUTURE OF CIVILIZATION IS AT STAKE.”

TWO SENIOR UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS SPOKE OUT HOURS LATER – CALLING FOR A PAUSE IN FIGHTING.

THE OFFICIALS SAYING CIVILIANS IN GAZA ARE DESPERATELY SEARCHING FOR FOOD, WATER AND SHELTER AMID ISRAEL’S CONTINUING AIRSTRIKES.

EARLIER IN THE DAY – THE ISRAELI ARMY SAID – DURING A GROUND RAID IN GAZA — IT HAD FREED ONE OF THE MORE THAN 230 HOSTAGES TAKEN BY HAMAS MORE THAN THREE WEEKS AGO.

OFFICIALS SAID THE ISRAELI SOLDIER WAS FOUND TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION AND SHE WAS REUNITED WITH HER FAMILY.

NETANYAHU SAID THE SOLDIER’S RELEASE IS A TURNING POINT IN THE WAR – AND CALLED FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL HOSTAGES.

CROSS-EXAMINATION BEGAN IN THE TRIAL OF FTX FOUNDER SAM BANKMAN-FRIED ON MONDAY.

PROSECUTORS USED STATEMENTS MADE BY THE 31-YEAR-OLD FORMER CRYPTO BILLIONAIRE IN PAST INTERVIEWS – IN CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY – AND ON TWITTER – TO MAKE THEIR CASE.

BANKMAN-FRIED IS ACCUSED OF DEFRAUDING FTX CUSTOMERS AND INVESTORS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

IN ONE INSTANCE — THE PROSECUTION BROUGHT UP STATEMENTS HE MADE ON SOCIAL MEDIA PROMISING THAT CUSTOMERS’ ASSETS WOULD BE SAFE.

BANKMAN-FRIED RESPONDED MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE QUESTIONING WITH A ONE-WORD ANSWER OF “YEP” OR “NO.”

HE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL FRAUD AND CONSPIRACY CHARGES.

IF CONVICTED, BANKMAN-FRIED COULD FACE DECADES IN PRISON.

THE JUDGE IN THE CASE HAS TOLD JURORS THE TRIAL MIGHT WRAP UP THIS WEEK.

THE FEDERAL DRUG ADMINISTRATION HAS ISSUED A WARNING TO CONSUMERS TO STOP USING CERTAIN  OVER-THE-COUNTER EYE DROPS THAT COULD CAUSE EYE INFECTIONS.

THE WARNING COVERS 26 EYE DROP PRODUCTS AND INCLUDES SOME MARKETED UNDER STORE BRANDS LIKE C-V-S HEALTH – RITE AID – TARGET AND WALMART… IN ADDITION TO DROPS FROM RUGBY AND VELOCITY PHARMA BRANDS.

THE FDA SAYS USING THESE PRODUCTS COULD LEAD TO EYE INFECTIONS AND RESULT IN VISION LOSS OR BLINDNESS…

ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTED CASES OF INFECTIONS AS OF NOW.

THE FDA ADVISED MANUFACTURERS TO RECALL THE PRODUCTS  —

AFTER INVESTIGATORS FOUND “UNSANITARY CONDITIONS” AND HARMFUL BACTERIA IN THE FACILITY THAT MANUFACTURES THE EYE DROPS.

THIS MARKS THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF WARNINGS AND RECALLS FOR EYE DROPS ISSUED THIS YEAR.

ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY THESE RECALLS IS URGED TO CONTACT THE FDA.

TONIGHT —  TRICK OR TREATERS WILL BE HEADING TO HOUSE AFTER HOUSE FOR SOME CANDY AND CHOCOLATE – FREE OF CHARGE. BUT THOSE SAME TREATS ARE COSTING SHOPPERS A LOT MORE AT THE GROCERY STORE THIS YEAR.

ACCORDING TO THE LATEST DATA FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS — CANDY PRICES ARE UP SEVEN POINT FIVE PERCENT COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

LOOKING AT THE INGREDIENTS — COCOA PRICES ARE TRADING AT A 44-YEAR-HIGH AND GLOBAL SUGAR PRICES ARE AT 12-YEAR HIGHS.

ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS BEHIND THE RISE IN COST – WEATHER.

WEST AFRICA — WHICH PRODUCES MOST OF THE WORLD’S COCOA — IS FACING ONE OF ITS WORST DROUGHTS IN TWENTY YEARS.

AND MEXICO SAW ITS SUGAR PRODUCTION FALL MORE THAN 15 PERCENT THIS YEAR DUE TO DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

SHOPPERS ARE EXPECTED TO SPEND THREE POINT SIX BILLION DOLLARS ON HALLOWEEN CANDY THIS YEAR – UP SIXTEEN PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR — PER THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION.

OUR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT SIMONE DEL ROSARIO HAS MORE SPOOKY STATS IN HER LATEST FIVE FOR FRIDAY SEGMENT ON SAN DOT COM.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – LET’S GIVE YOU ONE MORE HALLOWEEN STORY.

FOR THIS ONE — WE HAVE A QUESTION — HOW OLD IS TOO OLD TO GO TRICK OR TREATING?

WELL — IF YOU LIVE IN JACKSONVILLE, ILLINOIS —

IT’S UNLAWFUL TO GO TRICK OR TREATING FROM AGE 13 AND UP.

– SAME IF YOU’RE IN RAYNE, LOUISIANA.

AND UP UNTIL A FEW YEAR AGO —

THERE WAS A LAW IN CHESAPEAKE VIRGINIA FROM THE 1970S THREATENING JAIL TIME FOR TEENS WHO WENT TRICK OR TREATING.

IT WAS NEVER ENFORCED AND EVENTUALLY TOSSED IN 20-19…THOUGH AN AMENDMENT PASSED SAYING TRICK OR TREATERS SHOULD BE 14 YEARS OLD OR YOUNGER.

ANYONE OLDER COULD BE FINED UP TO 250 DOLLARS – BUT NO JAIL TIME.

ACCORDING TO A RECENT NBC NEWS SURVEY, 46 PERCENT OF PARENTS BELIEVE CHILDREN ARE NEVER TOO OLD FOR TRICK OR TREATING.

THE NEXT HIGHEST NUMBER – 16 PERCENT OF ADULTS – FELT THE TRICK OR TREATING SHOULD STOP AROUND AGE 17 OR 18.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS TUESDAY.

AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE MORNING RUNDOWN NEWSLETTER  TO GET THE TOP STORIES EACH WEEKDAY MORNING.

JUST GO TO SAN DOT COM SLASH RUNDOWN TO SIGN UP.

UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS. THAT’S STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!