SUMMARY: A Georgia House subcommittee has recommended a $500 tax break for married couples filing jointly, as part of a broader $1 billion tax relief plan proposed by Governor Brian Kemp. The plan includes $250 for single filers and $375 for heads of household for tax years 2023 and 2024. Additionally, the subcommittee approved a bill to gradually reduce the state’s flat income tax rate from 5.49% to 4.99% by 2025, contingent on meeting certain financial criteria. With $16.5 billion in excess reserves, the bills await approval from the House and Senate before being signed into law.

Read the full article

The post Subcommittee approves income tax breaks | Georgia appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

SUMMARY: Reps. Gregory Steube and Marjorie Taylor Greene have introduced bills to immediately cease all federal funding for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), transferring its duties to the Department of State. This action follows USAID’s operational pause under Trump, who appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as Acting Administrator. Greene criticized USAID as a “slush fund,” alleging it promotes a radical agenda and wastes taxpayer money. While some Republicans support the bills, others, like Rep. Don Bacon, argue for reform instead, highlighting USAID’s role in aiding the needy and advancing national security interests.

Read the full article

The post Lawmakers push legislation to abolish USAID entirely | National appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

SUMMARY: Winnie Byanyima, head of the U.N. AIDS agency, warned that halting American support for HIV programs could lead to a surge in new infections, potentially rising to 8.7 million by 2029, a tenfold increase in AIDS-related deaths, and millions more orphans. Byanyima emphasized the U.S. funding is crucial, as it finances about 90% of HIV efforts in affected countries. The recent freeze in aid has caused job losses among HIV workers and uncertainty in African nations. She highlighted a new prevention tool, lenacapavir, that could help control HIV but stressed the urgent need for U.S. leadership to avoid catastrophic outcomes.

Read the full article

The post HIV infections could jump over 6 times if US support is dropped and not replaced, UNAIDS chief says appeared first on www.wsav.com