Maybe you saw those words on a
 company’s website or in a commercial promoting a product or treatment. 
Some marketers may say their products are “FDA approved.” But how can 
you know for sure what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has 
approved?

The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by 
regulating human drugs and biological products, animal drugs, medical 
devices, tobacco products, food (including animal food), cosmetics, and 
electronic products that emit radiation.

But not all those 
products undergo premarket approval — that is, a review of safety, 
quality, and effectiveness by FDA experts and agency approval before a 
product can be sold to consumers. In some cases, the FDA’s enforcement 
efforts focus on products after they are already for sale. That is 
determined by Congress in establishing the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-basics/what-does-fda-regulate">FDA’s authorities</a>.
 Even when FDA approval is not required before a product is sold, the 
agency has legal regulatory authority to act when safety issues arise.

Here is a guide to how the FDA regulates products for people — and what the agency does (and doesn’t) approve.

The
 FDA does not “approve” health care providers, including physician 
offices, or laboratories. The FDA does have authority to inspect 
regulated facilities to verify that they comply with current good 
manufacturing practices.

Although manufacturing facilities and 
contract manufacturers are often inspected as part of a product 
application for certain products that require premarket approval, the 
agency does not approve manufacturing facilities independently. The FDA 
does have authority to inspect regulated facilities to verify that they 
comply with applicable current good manufacturing practices and other 
requirements, including an adequately designed and controlled production
 process.

Unless an exemption applies, owners and operators of 
domestic or foreign food, drug, and most device facilities must register
 with the FDA before exporting products to the U.S. Owners and operators
 of establishments that manufacture blood products or cells, tissues, 
and cellular and tissue-based products must also register with the 
agency.

Mammography facilities must be FDA-certified and must 
display their FDA certificates where patients can see them. The 
certificate indicates that the facilities have met stringent standards 
for providing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfMQSA/mqsa.cfm">quality mammography</a>.

The
 FDA does not have regulations specific to good manufacturing practices 
for cosmetics. Cosmetic companies are not required to register their 
products or facilities with the FDA but may do so voluntarily.

The FDA approves new human drugs and biological products.

New
 drugs and biological products for people must be FDA approved before 
they are marketed in interstate commerce. This means that a company must
 demonstrate that its drug or biological product is safe and effective 
for the intended use, and that it can manufacture the product to federal
 quality standards. If the FDA grants an approval, it means the agency 
has determined that the benefits of the product outweigh the risks for 
the intended use.

Some examples of biological products that 
require approval are therapeutic proteins, vaccines, allergenic 
products, cellular and gene therapies, and products manufactured from 
plasma. Manufacturers must also prove that they are able to make the 
drug or biological product according to federal quality standards.

The
 FDA does not develop products before approving them. Instead, FDA 
experts conduct a careful evaluation of the results of laboratory, 
animal, and human clinical testing done by manufacturers. The FDA does 
perform lot release testing of many biological products, which provides 
the agency with a real-time system to continuously monitor product 
quality, through review and testing.

The FDA doesn’t approve compounded drugs.

Compounding
 is generally a practice in which a pharmacist or a doctor combines 
ingredients to create medications that meet the needs of individual 
patients, including those who are allergic to ingredients in 
FDA-approved medicines or who cannot swallow an FDA-approved pill.

Be aware that compounded drugs are not FDA approved.

This
 means that the FDA does not conduct premarket review for compounded 
drugs to evaluate their safety, effectiveness, or quality.

The FDA uses a risk-based, tiered approach for regulating medical devices for people.

The
 FDA classifies devices according to risk and the level of regulatory 
controls needed to provide a reasonable assurance of the safety and 
effectiveness of the devices. The highest-risk devices (Class III), such
 as mechanical heart valves and implantable infusion pumps, generally 
require FDA approval of a premarket approval application before 
marketing. To receive FDA approval for these devices, manufacturers must
 demonstrate with sufficient, valid scientific evidence that there is a 
reasonable assurance that the devices are safe and effective for their 
intended uses.

Generally, the FDA “clears” moderate-risk medical 
devices (Class II) (for example dialysis equipment and many types of 
catheters) for marketing once it has been demonstrated that the device 
is substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate device that 
does not require premarket approval. Class II devices are generally 
subject to special controls, which may include specific testing or 
labeling requirements for that device.

Devices that are low risk 
of harm to the user (Class I) (for example non-powered breast pumps, 
elastic bandages, tongue depressors, and exam gloves) are subject to 
general controls only, and most are exempt from premarket notification 
requirements.

The FDA uses a risk-based approach for human cells and tissues.

All
 human cells and tissues intended for use in people — collectively 
referred to as human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based 
products (HCT/Ps) — are regulated to prevent the transmission of 
infectious disease. Examples of HCT/Ps include bone, skin, corneas, 
ligaments, tendons, dura mater, heart valves, and reproductive tissue.

Those HCT/Ps that pose an additional risk because of their processing or use also require FDA approval before marketing.

The
 FDA does not regulate the transplantation of vascularized human organ 
transplants such as kidney, liver, heart, lung, or pancreas. The Health 
Resources Services Administration (HRSA) oversees the transplantation of
 vascularized human organs.

The FDA doesn’t approve tobacco products.

There’s
 no such thing as a safe tobacco product, so the FDA’s safe and 
effective standard for evaluating medical products does not apply to 
tobacco products. Instead, the FDA regulates tobacco products based on a
 public health standard that considers the product’s risks to the 
population, including users and nonusers of tobacco products.

To 
legally sell or distribute a new tobacco product in the U.S., 
manufacturers must receive authorization from the FDA. There are three 
pathways available to bring a new tobacco product to market:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/premarket-tobacco-product-applications">premarket tobacco product applications</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/substantial-equivalence">substantial equivalence applications</a>, or exemption from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/exemption-substantial-equivalence">substantial equivalence requests</a>.

A
 marketing authorization does not indicate that the tobacco product is 
either safe or “approved.” It means that the manufacturer has complied 
with the requirements under the law to bring its product to market.

The FDA approves food additives in food for people.

Although
 the FDA does not have premarket approval of food products, it has the 
authority to approve certain ingredients before they are used in food or
 intended to contact food. Those include food additives (substances 
added intentionally to food, as well as substances that migrate to food 
from food contact products such as food packaging), and color additives.

Companies
 that want to add new food additives to food are responsible for 
providing the FDA with information demonstrating that the additives are 
safe. FDA experts review the results of appropriate tests done by 
companies to ensure that the food additive is safe for its intended use.
 An approved food additive must be used in compliance with its approved 
uses, specifications, and restrictions.

Certain food ingredients, 
such as those that are considered “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) 
for their intended conditions of use by scientific experts, do not 
require premarket approval by the FDA. The FDA has a voluntary 
notification process under which a manufacturer may submit a conclusion 
that the use of an ingredient is GRAS.

The FDA approves color additives used in FDA-regulated products.

This
 includes those used in food (including animal food), dietary 
supplements, drugs, cosmetics, and some medical devices. These color 
additives (except coal-tar hair dyes) are subject by law to approval by 
the agency before market entry, and each must be used only in compliance
 with its approved uses, specifications, and restrictions.

In the approval process, the FDA evaluates safety data to ensure that a color additive is safe for its intended purposes.

Examples
 of cosmetics are perfumes, makeup, moisturizers, shampoos, hair dyes, 
face and body cleansers, and shaving preparations. Cosmetic products and
 ingredients, and their labeling, do not require FDA approval.

There’s
 one exception: color additives (other than coal-tar hair dyes). 
Cosmetics must be safe for their intended use and properly labeled.

A
 medical food is formulated to be consumed or administered enterally and
 intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition 
for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized 
scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation. An example
 of a disease or condition that a medical food could be used to manage 
is phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder. Someone with this disorder may 
need medical foods that are formulated to be free of the amino acid 
phenylalanine.

A medical food is intended for use under the 
supervision of a physician. It doesn’t include products such as meal 
replacements or diet shakes, or products for the management of diseases,
 such as diabetes, that can be managed through modification of the 
normal diet alone.

Medical foods do not undergo premarket approval
 by the FDA. Still, medical food companies must comply with other 
requirements, such as current good manufacturing practices and 
registration of food facilities. Medical foods do not have to include a 
Nutrition Facts label on their labels; however, any statements on their 
label or in other labeling must be truthful and not misleading.

The FDA doesn’t approve infant formula.

The
 FDA does not approve infant formulas before they can be marketed. But 
manufacturers of infant formula are subject to the FDA’s regulatory 
oversight.

Manufacturers must ensure that their infant formula 
complies with federal nutrient requirements and other regulations. 
Manufacturers must register with the FDA and provide the agency with an 
infant formula submission before marketing a new formula.

The FDA 
conducts yearly inspections of all facilities that manufacture infant 
formula and collects and analyzes product samples. The FDA also inspects
 new facilities. If the FDA determines that an adulterated or misbranded
 infant formula presents a risk to human health, the manufacturer of the
 formula must conduct a recall.

The FDA doesn’t approve dietary supplements.

The
 FDA is not authorized to approve dietary supplements for safety and 
effectiveness.&nbsp;In fact, many dietary supplements can be marketed without
 even notifying the FDA.

But companies are required to submit a 
premarket safety notification to the FDA at least 75 days before 
marketing dietary supplements containing certain “new dietary 
ingredients” (that were not marketed in the U.S. before Oct. 15, 1994).

Dietary
 supplement companies must ensure their products are safe before 
marketing and comply with other labeling and quality requirements, such 
as good manufacturing practices.

The FDA inspects facilities for 
compliance and monitors adverse event reports. When public health 
concerns arise about the safety of a dietary supplement or an 
ingredient, the FDA has the authority to take action to protect the 
public.

The FDA doesn’t approve the food label, including the Nutrition Facts label.

The
 FDA does not approve individual food labels before food products can be
 marketed. But FDA regulations require specific labeling elements, 
including nutrition information, to appear on most foods, including 
dietary supplements. Also, any statements on food products must be 
truthful and not misleading – and must comply with any regulatory 
requirements for the type of statement, as applicable.

Manufacturers
 must provide the serving size of the food and specified information 
about the nutrient content of each serving on the “Nutrition Facts” 
label (or on the “Supplement Facts” label for dietary supplements).

The FDA doesn’t approve structure-function claims on dietary supplements and other foods.

Structure-function
 claims describe the role of a food or food component (such as a 
nutrient) that is intended to affect the structure or function of the 
human body. One example is “calcium builds strong bones.”

Dietary 
supplement companies that make structure-function claims on labels or in
 other labeling must submit a notification to the FDA. 
Structure-function claims on dietary supplements carry a disclaimer 
stating that the claim has not been evaluated by the FDA, and that the 
product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any 
disease.

The FDA does not require conventional food manufacturers 
to notify the FDA about their structure-function claims or to carry a 
disclaimer. &nbsp;By law, all such claims must be truthful and not 
misleading.

Misuse of the FDA’s logo may violate federal law.

The
 FDA’s logo is for official government use only. The FDA’s logo should 
not be used to misrepresent the agency or to suggest that the FDA 
endorses any private organization, product, or service.

These are just some of the many ways the FDA is responsible for protecting the public health.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600893091335.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FDA“FDA approved!”Maybe you saw those words on a
 company’s website or in a commercial promoting a product or treatment. 
Some marketers may say their products are “FDA approved.” But how can 
you know for sure what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has 
approved?The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by 
regulating human drugs and biological products, animal drugs, medical 
devices, tobacco products, food (including animal food), cosmetics, and 
electronic products that emit radiation.But not all those 
products undergo premarket approval — that is, a review of safety, 
quality, and effectiveness by FDA experts and agency approval before a 
product can be sold to consumers. In some cases, the FDA’s enforcement 
efforts focus on products after they are already for sale. That is 
determined by Congress in establishing the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-basics/what-does-fda-regulate">FDA’s authorities</a>.
 Even when FDA approval is not required before a product is sold, the 
agency has legal regulatory authority to act when safety issues arise.Here is a guide to how the FDA regulates products for people — and what the agency does (and doesn’t) approve.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve facilities.</h2>The
 FDA does not “approve” health care providers, including physician 
offices, or laboratories. The FDA does have authority to inspect 
regulated facilities to verify that they comply with current good 
manufacturing practices.Although manufacturing facilities and 
contract manufacturers are often inspected as part of a product 
application for certain products that require premarket approval, the 
agency does not approve manufacturing facilities independently. The FDA 
does have authority to inspect regulated facilities to verify that they 
comply with applicable current good manufacturing practices and other 
requirements, including an adequately designed and controlled production
 process.Unless an exemption applies, owners and operators of 
domestic or foreign food, drug, and most device facilities must register
 with the FDA before exporting products to the U.S. Owners and operators
 of establishments that manufacture blood products or cells, tissues, 
and cellular and tissue-based products must also register with the 
agency.Mammography facilities must be FDA-certified and must 
display their FDA certificates where patients can see them. The 
certificate indicates that the facilities have met stringent standards 
for providing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfMQSA/mqsa.cfm">quality mammography</a>.The
 FDA does not have regulations specific to good manufacturing practices 
for cosmetics. Cosmetic companies are not required to register their 
products or facilities with the FDA but may do so voluntarily.<h2>The FDA approves new human drugs and biological products.</h2>New
 drugs and biological products for people must be FDA approved before 
they are marketed in interstate commerce. This means that a company must
 demonstrate that its drug or biological product is safe and effective 
for the intended use, and that it can manufacture the product to federal
 quality standards. If the FDA grants an approval, it means the agency 
has determined that the benefits of the product outweigh the risks for 
the intended use.Some examples of biological products that 
require approval are therapeutic proteins, vaccines, allergenic 
products, cellular and gene therapies, and products manufactured from 
plasma. Manufacturers must also prove that they are able to make the 
drug or biological product according to federal quality standards.The
 FDA does not develop products before approving them. Instead, FDA 
experts conduct a careful evaluation of the results of laboratory, 
animal, and human clinical testing done by manufacturers. The FDA does 
perform lot release testing of many biological products, which provides 
the agency with a real-time system to continuously monitor product 
quality, through review and testing.For more information, see:<ol>
 <li>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/national-drug-code-directory">directory</a>&nbsp;of approved and unapproved finished drugs on the market.</li><li>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/complete-list-licensed-products-and-establishments">complete</a>&nbsp;list of licensed biological products.</li>
 </ol><h2>The FDA doesn’t approve compounded drugs.</h2>Compounding
 is generally a practice in which a pharmacist or a doctor combines 
ingredients to create medications that meet the needs of individual 
patients, including those who are allergic to ingredients in 
FDA-approved medicines or who cannot swallow an FDA-approved pill.Be aware that compounded drugs are not FDA approved.This
 means that the FDA does not conduct premarket review for compounded 
drugs to evaluate their safety, effectiveness, or quality.<h2>The FDA uses a risk-based, tiered approach for regulating medical devices for people.</h2>The
 FDA classifies devices according to risk and the level of regulatory 
controls needed to provide a reasonable assurance of the safety and 
effectiveness of the devices. The highest-risk devices (Class III), such
 as mechanical heart valves and implantable infusion pumps, generally 
require FDA approval of a premarket approval application before 
marketing. To receive FDA approval for these devices, manufacturers must
 demonstrate with sufficient, valid scientific evidence that there is a 
reasonable assurance that the devices are safe and effective for their 
intended uses.Generally, the FDA “clears” moderate-risk medical 
devices (Class II) (for example dialysis equipment and many types of 
catheters) for marketing once it has been demonstrated that the device 
is substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate device that 
does not require premarket approval. Class II devices are generally 
subject to special controls, which may include specific testing or 
labeling requirements for that device.Devices that are low risk 
of harm to the user (Class I) (for example non-powered breast pumps, 
elastic bandages, tongue depressors, and exam gloves) are subject to 
general controls only, and most are exempt from premarket notification 
requirements.<h2>The FDA uses a risk-based approach for human cells and tissues.</h2>All
 human cells and tissues intended for use in people — collectively 
referred to as human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based 
products (HCT/Ps) — are regulated to prevent the transmission of 
infectious disease. Examples of HCT/Ps include bone, skin, corneas, 
ligaments, tendons, dura mater, heart valves, and reproductive tissue.Those HCT/Ps that pose an additional risk because of their processing or use also require FDA approval before marketing.The
 FDA does not regulate the transplantation of vascularized human organ 
transplants such as kidney, liver, heart, lung, or pancreas. The Health 
Resources Services Administration (HRSA) oversees the transplantation of
 vascularized human organs.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve tobacco products.</h2>There’s
 no such thing as a safe tobacco product, so the FDA’s safe and 
effective standard for evaluating medical products does not apply to 
tobacco products. Instead, the FDA regulates tobacco products based on a
 public health standard that considers the product’s risks to the 
population, including users and nonusers of tobacco products.To 
legally sell or distribute a new tobacco product in the U.S., 
manufacturers must receive authorization from the FDA. There are three 
pathways available to bring a new tobacco product to market:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/premarket-tobacco-product-applications">premarket tobacco product applications</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/substantial-equivalence">substantial equivalence applications</a>, or exemption from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/market-and-distribute-tobacco-product/exemption-substantial-equivalence">substantial equivalence requests</a>.A
 marketing authorization does not indicate that the tobacco product is 
either safe or “approved.” It means that the manufacturer has complied 
with the requirements under the law to bring its product to market.<h2>The FDA approves food additives in food for people.</h2>Although
 the FDA does not have premarket approval of food products, it has the 
authority to approve certain ingredients before they are used in food or
 intended to contact food. Those include food additives (substances 
added intentionally to food, as well as substances that migrate to food 
from food contact products such as food packaging), and color additives.Companies
 that want to add new food additives to food are responsible for 
providing the FDA with information demonstrating that the additives are 
safe. FDA experts review the results of appropriate tests done by 
companies to ensure that the food additive is safe for its intended use.
 An approved food additive must be used in compliance with its approved 
uses, specifications, and restrictions.Certain food ingredients, 
such as those that are considered “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) 
for their intended conditions of use by scientific experts, do not 
require premarket approval by the FDA. The FDA has a voluntary 
notification process under which a manufacturer may submit a conclusion 
that the use of an ingredient is GRAS.<h2>The FDA approves color additives used in FDA-regulated products.</h2>This
 includes those used in food (including animal food), dietary 
supplements, drugs, cosmetics, and some medical devices. These color 
additives (except coal-tar hair dyes) are subject by law to approval by 
the agency before market entry, and each must be used only in compliance
 with its approved uses, specifications, and restrictions.In the approval process, the FDA evaluates safety data to ensure that a color additive is safe for its intended purposes.<h2>The FDA does not approve cosmetics.</h2>Examples
 of cosmetics are perfumes, makeup, moisturizers, shampoos, hair dyes, 
face and body cleansers, and shaving preparations. Cosmetic products and
 ingredients, and their labeling, do not require FDA approval.There’s
 one exception: color additives (other than coal-tar hair dyes). 
Cosmetics must be safe for their intended use and properly labeled.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve medical foods.</h2>A
 medical food is formulated to be consumed or administered enterally and
 intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition 
for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized 
scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation. An example
 of a disease or condition that a medical food could be used to manage 
is phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder. Someone with this disorder may 
need medical foods that are formulated to be free of the amino acid 
phenylalanine.A medical food is intended for use under the 
supervision of a physician. It doesn’t include products such as meal 
replacements or diet shakes, or products for the management of diseases,
 such as diabetes, that can be managed through modification of the 
normal diet alone.Medical foods do not undergo premarket approval
 by the FDA. Still, medical food companies must comply with other 
requirements, such as current good manufacturing practices and 
registration of food facilities. Medical foods do not have to include a 
Nutrition Facts label on their labels; however, any statements on their 
label or in other labeling must be truthful and not misleading.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve infant formula.</h2>The
 FDA does not approve infant formulas before they can be marketed. But 
manufacturers of infant formula are subject to the FDA’s regulatory 
oversight.Manufacturers must ensure that their infant formula 
complies with federal nutrient requirements and other regulations. 
Manufacturers must register with the FDA and provide the agency with an 
infant formula submission before marketing a new formula.The FDA 
conducts yearly inspections of all facilities that manufacture infant 
formula and collects and analyzes product samples. The FDA also inspects
 new facilities. If the FDA determines that an adulterated or misbranded
 infant formula presents a risk to human health, the manufacturer of the
 formula must conduct a recall.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve dietary supplements.</h2>The
 FDA is not authorized to approve dietary supplements for safety and 
effectiveness.&nbsp;In fact, many dietary supplements can be marketed without
 even notifying the FDA.But companies are required to submit a 
premarket safety notification to the FDA at least 75 days before 
marketing dietary supplements containing certain “new dietary 
ingredients” (that were not marketed in the U.S. before Oct. 15, 1994).Dietary
 supplement companies must ensure their products are safe before 
marketing and comply with other labeling and quality requirements, such 
as good manufacturing practices.The FDA inspects facilities for 
compliance and monitors adverse event reports. When public health 
concerns arise about the safety of a dietary supplement or an 
ingredient, the FDA has the authority to take action to protect the 
public.<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve the food label, including the Nutrition Facts label.</h2>The
 FDA does not approve individual food labels before food products can be
 marketed. But FDA regulations require specific labeling elements, 
including nutrition information, to appear on most foods, including 
dietary supplements. Also, any statements on food products must be 
truthful and not misleading – and must comply with any regulatory 
requirements for the type of statement, as applicable.Manufacturers
 must provide the serving size of the food and specified information 
about the nutrient content of each serving on the “Nutrition Facts” 
label (or on the “Supplement Facts” label for dietary supplements).<h2>The FDA doesn’t approve structure-function claims on dietary supplements and other foods.</h2>Structure-function
 claims describe the role of a food or food component (such as a 
nutrient) that is intended to affect the structure or function of the 
human body. One example is “calcium builds strong bones.”Dietary 
supplement companies that make structure-function claims on labels or in
 other labeling must submit a notification to the FDA. 
Structure-function claims on dietary supplements carry a disclaimer 
stating that the claim has not been evaluated by the FDA, and that the 
product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any 
disease.The FDA does not require conventional food manufacturers 
to notify the FDA about their structure-function claims or to carry a 
disclaimer. &nbsp;By law, all such claims must be truthful and not 
misleading.<h2>Misuse of the FDA’s logo may violate federal law.</h2>The
 FDA’s logo is for official government use only. The FDA’s logo should 
not be used to misrepresent the agency or to suggest that the FDA 
endorses any private organization, product, or service.These are just some of the many ways the FDA is responsible for protecting the public health.

Get the facts: Is it really 'FDA Approved'?

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Campaigns to legalize recreational marijuana use in Missouri on Sunday turned signatures they'd gathered to get the measure on the ballot.

In order to get a proposal on the ballot, campaigns need to collect enough voter signatures from six of the state's eight congressional districts.

This year's campaign needed to collect about 170,000 voter signatures by Sunday's deadline.

The recreational pot campaign, Legal Missouri 2022, had already collected nearly twice the required number of signatures by mid-April, and it turned in more than 385,000 signatures.

Campaigns typically collect more than enough signatures to balance out invalid signatures from voters who misidentify which congressional district they live in.

Adults age 21 and older could buy and grow weed for personal consumption as early as this year if voters approve the amendment.

Backers of the ballot proposal are highlighting a provision that would erase past weed-related convictions for nonviolent offenders and those whose conviction didn't include selling to minors or driving while high. Local NAACP chapters, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, criminal defense lawyers and other civil rights advocacy groups endorsed automatic expungement, and it could broaden support for the initiative among Republican criminal justice advocates. Seven other states with legal recreational marijuana have also adopted automatic expungement policies.

Marijuana sales would be taxed at 6% under the Missouri measure. The tax is estimated to bring in more than $46 million during the first full year the amendment is in effect and close to $70 million the following year. Revenues would be earmarked for veterans' homes, drug treatment programs and public defenders.

Cities and other municipalities could enact local sales taxes on recreational marijuana up to 3% or enact local bans on non-medical weed sales by a public vote.

Missouri lawmakers pitched similar legislation that would legalize recreational marijuana in law, without enshrining it as a right in the state Constitution. But pot policies have failed to gain traction in the GOP-led Legislature for years, and time is running out before lawmakers' May 13 deadline to pass bills.

Legislative proposals include a lower 4.2% tax on recreational marijuana sales and would set the money aside for deputy sheriffs, the state's police training oversight agency, small business loans and a work training program.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Campaigns to legalize recreational marijuana use in Missouri on Sunday turned signatures they'd gathered to get the measure on the ballot.In order to get a proposal on the ballot, campaigns need to collect enough voter signatures from six of the state's eight congressional districts.This year's campaign needed to collect about 170,000 voter signatures by Sunday's deadline.The recreational pot campaign, Legal Missouri 2022, had already collected nearly twice the required number of signatures by mid-April, and it turned in more than 385,000 signatures.Campaigns typically collect more than enough signatures to balance out invalid signatures from voters who misidentify which congressional district they live in.Here's a rundown of the ballot measure:RECREATIONAL MARIJUANAAdults age 21 and older could buy and grow weed for personal consumption as early as this year if voters approve the amendment.Backers of the ballot proposal are highlighting a provision that would erase past weed-related convictions for nonviolent offenders and those whose conviction didn't include selling to minors or driving while high. Local NAACP chapters, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, criminal defense lawyers and other civil rights advocacy groups endorsed automatic expungement, and it could broaden support for the initiative among Republican criminal justice advocates. Seven other states with legal recreational marijuana have also adopted automatic expungement policies.Marijuana sales would be taxed at 6% under the Missouri measure. The tax is estimated to bring in more than $46 million during the first full year the amendment is in effect and close to $70 million the following year. Revenues would be earmarked for veterans' homes, drug treatment programs and public defenders.Cities and other municipalities could enact local sales taxes on recreational marijuana up to 3% or enact local bans on non-medical weed sales by a public vote.Missouri lawmakers pitched similar legislation that would legalize recreational marijuana in law, without enshrining it as a right in the state Constitution. But pot policies have failed to gain traction in the GOP-led Legislature for years, and time is running out before lawmakers' May 13 deadline to pass bills.Legislative proposals include a lower 4.2% tax on recreational marijuana sales and would set the money aside for deputy sheriffs, the state's police training oversight agency, small business loans and a work training program.

Ballot measure to legalize marijuana in Missouri advances 

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of fires at an abandoned motel in Garden City and have made an arrest.

Just after 5:30p.m. Friday, police and fire crews were dispatch to the Dusty Trail, 2808 West Taylor Avenue in Garden City, according to police. First responders observed large flames coming from the second floor on the west side of the building.

Crews were able to bring the fire under control in approximately 30 minutes. There were no injuries. Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set.

After an investigation, officers arrested 25-year-old Enrique Ismael Sanchez, a transient.&nbsp; Police believe he was also responsible for setting the fire at the motel on April 26. He is being held on requested charges of arson and burglary, according to police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651943892393.png" alt="Sanchez-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Sanchez-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of fires at an abandoned motel in Garden City and have made an arrest.Just after 5:30p.m. Friday, police and fire crews were dispatch to the Dusty Trail, 2808 West Taylor Avenue in Garden City, according to police. First responders observed large flames coming from the second floor on the west side of the building.Crews were able to bring the fire under control in approximately 30 minutes. There were no injuries. Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651068082835.png" alt="Fire crews on the scene of the fire at the motel on April 26." />
 <figcaption>Fire crews on the scene of the fire at the motel on April 26.</figcaption>
 </figure>After an investigation, officers arrested 25-year-old Enrique Ismael Sanchez, a transient.&nbsp; Police believe he was also responsible for setting the fire at the motel on April 26. He is being held on requested charges of arson and burglary, according to police.

Man accused of setting fires at SW Kansas motel

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Abortion rights protesters rallied in cities around the United States on over the weekend vowing to fight to ensure that abortion remains a legal option for women nationwide.

Hundreds gathered in Kansas City, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and other cities days after a draft&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-religion-public-opinion-congress-b4df45938f55a5ae6e8aacbe5e36059f">U.S. Supreme Court opinion was leaked to the public</a>&nbsp;suggesting the court is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. The draft opinion, which comes amid nearly 50 years of federal abortion protections, could change before the ruling is finalized in coming weeks.

On Aug. 2, Kansans will vote on an amendment that would say there is no right to abortion in the state constitution.

&nbsp;If Roe is overturned, Missouri, along with 12 other states, has a trigger law that bans all abortions except in medical emergencies.

“To think that, after all this time, people still want to control what women can do and our rights to make our personal healthcare decisions is just really outrageous,” Carole Levin, chair of Courts Matter Illinois, told WMAQ-TV during the rally in Chicago.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker attended the rally and vowed to protect reproductive rights in Illinois.

“I’m proud Illinois is an island for reproductive freedom in the Midwest,” he said. “Our shores remain open for any person left marooned by these extremist politicians.”

In the nation’s capital, abortion rights protesters stood outside the Supreme Court, holding signs that said abortion is a human right, or “Abort the Court.” Protesters who oppose abortion demonstrated across the street.

In Atlanta, demonstrators carried signs in favor of abortion rights as they marched through that city’s downtown and chanted, “Not the church and not the state, women must decide our fate.”

In Houston, thousands attended a reproductive rights rally headlined by Democrat Beto O’Rourke, who is running for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-politics-d01b0bbc93c485625236154ac39c023a">Texas governor</a>. Texas is one of several states that would automatically ban abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-idaho-1020bba25a4103a1526a0db0f325d1bd">leaving no exceptions for rape or incest</a>, if the high court overturns the nationwide right to abortion.

An investigation is underway to determine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-crime-john-roberts-278946fa3a44e20aee99337a4fe69dc1">who leaked the Supreme Court draft opinion</a>&nbsp;to Politico.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652092402070.png" alt="Protesters during a rally Saturday at Mill Creek Park in Kansas City -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Protesters during a rally Saturday at Mill Creek Park in Kansas City -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Abortion rights protesters rallied in cities around the United States on over the weekend vowing to fight to ensure that abortion remains a legal option for women nationwide.Hundreds gathered in Kansas City, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and other cities days after a draft&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-religion-public-opinion-congress-b4df45938f55a5ae6e8aacbe5e36059f">U.S. Supreme Court opinion was leaked to the public</a>&nbsp;suggesting the court is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. The draft opinion, which comes amid nearly 50 years of federal abortion protections, could change before the ruling is finalized in coming weeks.On Aug. 2, Kansans will vote on an amendment that would say there is no right to abortion in the state constitution.&nbsp;If Roe is overturned, Missouri, along with 12 other states, has a trigger law that bans all abortions except in medical emergencies.“To think that, after all this time, people still want to control what women can do and our rights to make our personal healthcare decisions is just really outrageous,” Carole Levin, chair of Courts Matter Illinois, told WMAQ-TV during the rally in Chicago.Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker attended the rally and vowed to protect reproductive rights in Illinois.“I’m proud Illinois is an island for reproductive freedom in the Midwest,” he said. “Our shores remain open for any person left marooned by these extremist politicians.”In the nation’s capital, abortion rights protesters stood outside the Supreme Court, holding signs that said abortion is a human right, or “Abort the Court.” Protesters who oppose abortion demonstrated across the street.In Atlanta, demonstrators carried signs in favor of abortion rights as they marched through that city’s downtown and chanted, “Not the church and not the state, women must decide our fate.”In Houston, thousands attended a reproductive rights rally headlined by Democrat Beto O’Rourke, who is running for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-politics-d01b0bbc93c485625236154ac39c023a">Texas governor</a>. Texas is one of several states that would automatically ban abortion,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-idaho-1020bba25a4103a1526a0db0f325d1bd">leaving no exceptions for rape or incest</a>, if the high court overturns the nationwide right to abortion.An investigation is underway to determine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-crime-john-roberts-278946fa3a44e20aee99337a4fe69dc1">who leaked the Supreme Court draft opinion</a>&nbsp;to Politico.

Abortion rights protesters rally in cities across the United States

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two separate homicides that occurred in Kansas City, Kansas on Mother's Day.

Just before 9p.m. officers responded to a shooting in the 200 Block of North 27th Street, according to a media release. They found a man with gunshot wounds deceased outside a residence.

Just before 9:30p.m. police responded to a second shooting in the 7300 Block of State Avenue. They found a man with apparent gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police released no additional details early Monday and have not reported an arrest.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two separate homicides that occurred in Kansas City, Kansas on Mother's Day.Just before 9p.m. officers responded to a shooting in the 200 Block of North 27th Street, according to a media release. They found a man with gunshot wounds deceased outside a residence.Just before 9:30p.m. police responded to a second shooting in the 7300 Block of State Avenue. They found a man with apparent gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.Police released no additional details early Monday and have not reported an arrest.

2 deadly shootings on Mother's Day in Kansas City

SCOTT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after a high-speed chase in western Kansas.

Just after 4p.m. Saturday, police in Scott City attempted to stop a pickup for traffic infractions, according to a media release.

 The vehicle failed to stop and officers pursued.  The pursuit traveled over 50 miles through rural Scott County and ended in Finney County at 4:55 p.m.&nbsp;

Braden Timothy Mitchell, age 20, of Holcomb was arrested by Scott City officers on requested charges of felony flee and elude, reckless driving, driving under the influence, transportation of an open container, minor in possession of alcohol, possession of THC, criminal possession of a firearm, illegal window tint and multiple traffic violations.

KHP and Finney County Sheriff assisted with the pursuit.  Mitchell is currently in the custody of the Scott County Sheriff and the case has been forwarded to the Scott County Attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652094015787.png" alt="The pursuit traveled over 50 miles through rural Scott County a Finney counties-photo Scott City Police." />
 <figcaption>The pursuit traveled over 50 miles through rural Scott County a Finney counties-photo Scott City Police.</figcaption>
 </figure>SCOTT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after a high-speed chase in western Kansas.Just after 4p.m. Saturday, police in Scott City attempted to stop a pickup for traffic infractions, according to a media release. The vehicle failed to stop and officers pursued. The pursuit traveled over 50 miles through rural Scott County and ended in Finney County at 4:55 p.m.&nbsp;Braden Timothy Mitchell, age 20, of Holcomb was arrested by Scott City officers on requested charges of felony flee and elude, reckless driving, driving under the influence, transportation of an open container, minor in possession of alcohol, possession of THC, criminal possession of a firearm, illegal window tint and multiple traffic violations.KHP and Finney County Sheriff assisted with the pursuit. Mitchell is currently in the custody of the Scott County Sheriff and the case has been forwarded to the Scott County Attorney.

Man arrested after 50 mile, western Kan. high-speed chase

SALINA–Police investigating a fatal shooting in Salina have identified a person-of interest as 28-year-old Dalton Levi Palmer, according to a media release from police. Palmer is described as being 5-foot-6 and weighs 140 pounds.

Palmer currently has an unrelated warrant from Saline County District Court.

&nbsp;Police identified the victim killed early Saturda as Dylan Eugene Garman, 25, of Salina.

Due to Palmer’s past criminal behavior, he should be considered armed and dangerous.

According to police, if you have any information about the location of Palmer or if you observe Palmer, do not approach and immediately call law enforcement.

SALINA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a violent night of crime in Salina.

Just before 3:30 a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 400 block of South College Avenue, in Salina, for a report of several gunshots in the are, according to a media release from police. Officers located multiple spent ammunition casings lying in the street. They did&nbsp;not find any victims or witnesses at the scene.

A short time later, officers were dispatched to the Salina Regional Health Center (SRHC) Emergency Room, 400 South Santa Fe Avenue, Salina, for a report of two gunshot victims, an 18-year-old girl and a 25-year-old man arriving at the Emergency Room

&nbsp;Medical staff pronounced the 25-year-old man deceased, according to police.&nbsp; Police did not released their names.

Just after 3:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 500 block of East Cloud Street, in Salina, for a report of a person, later identified as a 23-year-old man, lying in the front yard who had been shot multiple times.&nbsp;

EMS transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment of multiple gunshot wounds. This victim underwent emergency surgery and has been subsequently transferred to a hospital in Wichita, according to police.

&nbsp;It appears all shooting victims are related to the incident which occurred on South College Avenue, according to police. This investigation is a homicide case, and more information will be released when available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651958808690.jpeg" alt="Palmer-photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Palmer-photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA–Police investigating a fatal shooting in Salina have identified a person-of interest as 28-year-old Dalton Levi Palmer, according to a media release from police. Palmer is described as being 5-foot-6 and weighs 140 pounds.Palmer currently has an unrelated warrant from Saline County District Court.&nbsp;Police identified the victim killed early Saturda as Dylan Eugene Garman, 25, of Salina.Due to Palmer’s past criminal behavior, he should be considered armed and dangerous.According to police, if you have any information about the location of Palmer or if you observe Palmer, do not approach and immediately call law enforcement.--------SALINA—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a violent night of crime in Salina.Just before 3:30 a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 400 block of South College Avenue, in Salina, for a report of several gunshots in the are, according to a media release from police. Officers located multiple spent ammunition casings lying in the street. They did&nbsp;not find any victims or witnesses at the scene.A short time later, officers were dispatched to the Salina Regional Health Center (SRHC) Emergency Room, 400 South Santa Fe Avenue, Salina, for a report of two gunshot victims, an 18-year-old girl and a 25-year-old man arriving at the Emergency Room&nbsp;Medical staff pronounced the 25-year-old man deceased, according to police.&nbsp; Police did not released their names.Just after 3:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 500 block of East Cloud Street, in Salina, for a report of a person, later identified as a 23-year-old man, lying in the front yard who had been shot multiple times.&nbsp;EMS transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment of multiple gunshot wounds. This victim underwent emergency surgery and has been subsequently transferred to a hospital in Wichita, according to police.&nbsp;It appears all shooting victims are related to the incident which occurred on South College Avenue, according to police. This investigation is a homicide case, and more information will be released when available.

Search continues for suspect in fatal Salina shooting 

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man following an incident near an elementary school.

Just after 10 a.m. Friday, police responded to the 3600 block of Cole Circle in Garden City for a report of a suspicious person, according to a media release. Officers were notified that a man had been walking through yards in the neighborhood.

Upon arrival, Officers located 43-year-old Louis William Gomez III&nbsp; who stated he was picking up trash in the neighborhood as a good deed. Officers warned Gomez to stay off other people’s property without permission and left.

At around 11:00 A.M., Officers were dispatched to Victor Ornelas Elementary School,&nbsp;3401 E. Spruce Street, for a disturbance. The reporting party notified Officers that a man matching Gomez’s description was hitting vehicles in the school parking lot with children outside. 

Officers located Gomez in the area and arrested him. Victor Ornelas Elementary School, as well as Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center, were placed on lockdown as a precaution until Gomez was located by law enforcement. The schools were in lockdown for approximately 30 minutes.

Through further investigation, it was revealed that Gomez had been looking through windows of residences in the 600 block of Warrior Street, prior to the incident at Victor Ornelas Elementary School. Witnesses told Officers that Gomez attempted to access one of the residences through the back door. 

Gomez was being held on requested charges of Disorderly Conduct and Window Peeping. He is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651926018319.png" alt="Gomez-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Gomez-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man following an incident near an elementary school.Just after 10 a.m. Friday, police responded to the 3600 block of Cole Circle in Garden City for a report of a suspicious person, according to a media release. Officers were notified that a man had been walking through yards in the neighborhood.Upon arrival, Officers located 43-year-old Louis William Gomez III&nbsp; who stated he was picking up trash in the neighborhood as a good deed. Officers warned Gomez to stay off other people’s property without permission and left.At around 11:00 A.M., Officers were dispatched to Victor Ornelas Elementary School,&nbsp;3401 E. Spruce Street, for a disturbance. The reporting party notified Officers that a man matching Gomez’s description was hitting vehicles in the school parking lot with children outside. Officers located Gomez in the area and arrested him. Victor Ornelas Elementary School, as well as Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center, were placed on lockdown as a precaution until Gomez was located by law enforcement. The schools were in lockdown for approximately 30 minutes.Through further investigation, it was revealed that Gomez had been looking through windows of residences in the 600 block of Warrior Street, prior to the incident at Victor Ornelas Elementary School. Witnesses told Officers that Gomez attempted to access one of the residences through the back door. Gomez was being held on requested charges of Disorderly Conduct and Window Peeping. He is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

Man accused of window peeping near Kan. elementary school

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with the April 12, fatal shooting of Alfred Brown in Kansas City outside a Family Dollar store, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Lionel L. Bolton, 23, faces charges of Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal Action

According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to the area of 39th and Indiana on a shooting. Officers located a vehicle, with the victim inside, outside the Family Dollar store near 39th and Indiana. 

Witnesses told police that Bolton had gone into the store and withdrawn cash before he went to the victim's car. A witness said the sound of gunfire was heard, and the defendant left the vehicle. Detectives confirmed a card associated with the defendant was used at the ATM and phone records showed the defendant phone was at the homicide location. Prosecutors requested a bond of $250,000 cash only.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651878576613.png" alt="Bolton-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Bolton-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with the April 12, fatal shooting of Alfred Brown in Kansas City outside a Family Dollar store, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Lionel L. Bolton, 23, faces charges of Murder 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and two counts of Armed Criminal ActionAccording to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to the area of 39th and Indiana on a shooting. Officers located a vehicle, with the victim inside, outside the Family Dollar store near 39th and Indiana. Witnesses told police that Bolton had gone into the store and withdrawn cash before he went to the victim's car. A witness said the sound of gunfire was heard, and the defendant left the vehicle. Detectives confirmed a card associated with the defendant was used at the ATM and phone records showed the defendant phone was at the homicide location. Prosecutors requested a bond of $250,000 cash only.

Kansas City man used ATM moments before fatal shooting

UZHHOROD, Ukraine (AP) — Jill Biden made an unannounced visit to western Ukraine on Sunday, holding a surprise Mother’s Day meeting with first lady Olena Zelenska to show U.S. support for the embattled nation as Russia presses its punishing war in the eastern regions.

She became the latest high-profile American to enter Ukraine during the war, while Zalenska’s public appearance was her first since since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24

“I wanted to come on Mother’s Day,” the U.S. first lady told Zelenska. “I thought it was important to show the Ukrainian people that this war has to stop and this war has been brutal and that the people of the United States stand with the people of Ukraine.”

Biden spent about two hours in Ukraine, traveling by vehicle to the town of Uzhhorod, about a 10-minute drive from a Slovakian border village where she had toured a border processing facility.

Zelenska thanked Biden for her “courageous act” and said, “We understand what it takes for the U.S. first lady to come here during a war when military actions are taking place every day, where the air sirens are happening every day -- even today.”

The first ladies met at a school being used to temporarily house Ukrainian migrants. Zalenska arrived first and waited in her black SUV until Biden arrived in similar fashion. The women stepped out of their vehicles and embraced, with Biden — who wore a wrist corsage for Mother’s Day — handing over a bouquet of flowers before they entered the school.

The women came together in a small classroom, sitting on either side of a wooden table and greeting each other in front of reporters before they met in private. Zelenska and her two children have been staying at an undisclosed location for their safety.

The visit allowed Biden to conduct the kind of personal diplomacy that her husband would like to do himself.

President Joe Biden said when he visited Poland in March that he was disappointed he could not cross the border and go into Ukraine to see conditions “firsthand” but that he was not allowed, likely due to security reasons. The White House said as recently as last week that the president “would love to visit” but there were no plans for him to do so at this time.

The meeting came about after Jill Biden expressed interest in visiting the region, including the school where she and Zalenska met, and settled on the idea of spending Mother’s Day with Ukrainian moms, said Michael LaRosa, the first lady’s spokesperson.

He said the Ukrainian government informed the United States that Zalenska would like to meet, if possible, and that a meeting was finalized in recent days. The first ladies also had recently exchanged correspondence, according to U.S. officials who declined to provide further details because they were not authorized to discuss those private communications.

After meeting privately for about a half hour, the first ladies joined a group of children who live at the school in making tissue-paper bears to give as Mother’s Day gifts.

LaRosa described their conversation as “more of a personal mother-to-mother exchange” and said Biden was interested in how Zalenska was coping “through that lens.”

He said Zalenska told Biden that she was able to hold her children’s hands every night even though she could not be with her husband.

The Bidens spoke by telephone afterward, he said.

Biden’s visit followed recent stops in the war-torn country by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of Congress, and a joint trip by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.

Her visit was to western Ukraine; Russia is concentrating its military power in eastern Ukraine, and she was not in harm’s way. On the same day as Biden’s visit, a Russian bomb flattened a school in eastern Ukraine that had been sheltering about 90 people in its basement, with dozens feared dead. Also Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Ukraine to meet with the president and “reaffirm Canada’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people,” according to his office.

Earlier, in the Slovakian border village of Vysne Nemecke, Biden toured its border processing facility, surveying operations set up by the United Nations and relief organizations to assist Ukrainians seeking refuge. Biden attended a religious service in a tent set up as a chapel, where a priest intoned, “We pray for the people of Ukraine.”

And before that, at a school in Kosice, Biden offered support to Ukrainian mothers in Slovakia. She assured them that the “hearts of the American people” are behind them.

At a bus station in the city that is now a 24-hour refugee processing center, Biden found herself in an extended conversation with a Ukrainian woman who said she struggles to explain the war to her three children because she cannot understand it herself.

“I cannot explain because I don’t know myself and I’m a teacher,” Victorie Kutocha, who had her arms around her 7-year-old daughter, Yulie, told Biden.

At one point, Kutocha asked, “Why?” seeming to seek an explanation for Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine on Feb. 24.

’It’s so hard to understand,” the first lady replied.

Biden also dropped in at a Slovakian public school that has taken in displaced students. Slovakian and Ukrainian moms were brought together at the school for a Mother’s Day event while their children made crafts to give them as gifts.

She went from table to table meeting the mothers and kids, telling some of the women that she wanted to come and ”say the hearts of the American people are with the mothers of Ukraine.”

“I just wanted to come and show you our support,” she said before departing for Vysne Nemecke.

Biden is on a four-day visit to Eastern Europe to highlight U.S. support for Ukrainian refugees and for allied countries such as Romania and Slovakia that are providing a safe haven for them.

She spent Friday and Saturday in Romania, visiting with U.S. troops and meeting with Ukrainian refugee mothers and children.

With her trip, the American first lady followed the path of prior sitting first ladies who also traveled to war or conflict zones.

Eleanor Roosevelt visited servicemen abroad during World War II to help boost troop morale. Pat Nixon joined President Richard Nixon on his 1969 trip to South Vietnam, becoming the first first lady to visit a combat zone, according to the National First Ladies’ Library. She flew 18 miles from Saigon in an open helicopter, accompanied by U.S. Secret Service agents.

Hillary Clinton visited a combat zone, stopping in Bosnia in 1996. Laura Bush visited Afghanistan twice, in 2005 and 2008, during the U.S.-led war there. Melania Trump accompanied President Donald Trump to Iraq in December 2018.

UZHHOROD, Ukraine (AP) — Jill Biden made an unannounced visit to western Ukraine on Sunday, holding a surprise Mother’s Day meeting with first lady Olena Zelenska to show U.S. support for the embattled nation as Russia presses its punishing war in the eastern regions.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On this Mother’s Day, my heart is with you, First Lady Olena Zelenska, and all of the brave and resilient mothers of Ukraine. <a href="https://t.co/tCMXCXhgiY">pic.twitter.com/tCMXCXhgiY</a>&mdash; Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1523314688288694272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>She became the latest high-profile American to enter Ukraine during the war, while Zalenska’s public appearance was her first since since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24“I wanted to come on Mother’s Day,” the U.S. first lady told Zelenska. “I thought it was important to show the Ukrainian people that this war has to stop and this war has been brutal and that the people of the United States stand with the people of Ukraine.”Biden spent about two hours in Ukraine, traveling by vehicle to the town of Uzhhorod, about a 10-minute drive from a Slovakian border village where she had toured a border processing facility.Zelenska thanked Biden for her “courageous act” and said, “We understand what it takes for the U.S. first lady to come here during a war when military actions are taking place every day, where the air sirens are happening every day -- even today.”The first ladies met at a school being used to temporarily house Ukrainian migrants. Zalenska arrived first and waited in her black SUV until Biden arrived in similar fashion. The women stepped out of their vehicles and embraced, with Biden — who wore a wrist corsage for Mother’s Day — handing over a bouquet of flowers before they entered the school.The women came together in a small classroom, sitting on either side of a wooden table and greeting each other in front of reporters before they met in private. Zelenska and her two children have been staying at an undisclosed location for their safety.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This Mother’s Day, I wanted to be with Ukrainian mothers and their children. Over the last few months, far too many Ukrainians have had to flee their homes – forcing them to leave behind their loved ones. <a href="https://t.co/zjtMv5ey0B">pic.twitter.com/zjtMv5ey0B</a>&mdash; Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1523270562818060291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The visit allowed Biden to conduct the kind of personal diplomacy that her husband would like to do himself.President Joe Biden said when he visited Poland in March that he was disappointed he could not cross the border and go into Ukraine to see conditions “firsthand” but that he was not allowed, likely due to security reasons. The White House said as recently as last week that the president “would love to visit” but there were no plans for him to do so at this time.The meeting came about after Jill Biden expressed interest in visiting the region, including the school where she and Zalenska met, and settled on the idea of spending Mother’s Day with Ukrainian moms, said Michael LaRosa, the first lady’s spokesperson.He said the Ukrainian government informed the United States that Zalenska would like to meet, if possible, and that a meeting was finalized in recent days. The first ladies also had recently exchanged correspondence, according to U.S. officials who declined to provide further details because they were not authorized to discuss those private communications.After meeting privately for about a half hour, the first ladies joined a group of children who live at the school in making tissue-paper bears to give as Mother’s Day gifts.LaRosa described their conversation as “more of a personal mother-to-mother exchange” and said Biden was interested in how Zalenska was coping “through that lens.”He said Zalenska told Biden that she was able to hold her children’s hands every night even though she could not be with her husband.The Bidens spoke by telephone afterward, he said.Biden’s visit followed recent stops in the war-torn country by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of Congress, and a joint trip by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.Her visit was to western Ukraine; Russia is concentrating its military power in eastern Ukraine, and she was not in harm’s way. On the same day as Biden’s visit, a Russian bomb flattened a school in eastern Ukraine that had been sheltering about 90 people in its basement, with dozens feared dead. Also Sunday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Ukraine to meet with the president and “reaffirm Canada’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people,” according to his office.Earlier, in the Slovakian border village of Vysne Nemecke, Biden toured its border processing facility, surveying operations set up by the United Nations and relief organizations to assist Ukrainians seeking refuge. Biden attended a religious service in a tent set up as a chapel, where a priest intoned, “We pray for the people of Ukraine.”And before that, at a school in Kosice, Biden offered support to Ukrainian mothers in Slovakia. She assured them that the “hearts of the American people” are behind them.At a bus station in the city that is now a 24-hour refugee processing center, Biden found herself in an extended conversation with a Ukrainian woman who said she struggles to explain the war to her three children because she cannot understand it herself.“I cannot explain because I don’t know myself and I’m a teacher,” Victorie Kutocha, who had her arms around her 7-year-old daughter, Yulie, told Biden.At one point, Kutocha asked, “Why?” seeming to seek an explanation for Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine on Feb. 24.’It’s so hard to understand,” the first lady replied.Biden also dropped in at a Slovakian public school that has taken in displaced students. Slovakian and Ukrainian moms were brought together at the school for a Mother’s Day event while their children made crafts to give them as gifts.She went from table to table meeting the mothers and kids, telling some of the women that she wanted to come and ”say the hearts of the American people are with the mothers of Ukraine.”“I just wanted to come and show you our support,” she said before departing for Vysne Nemecke.Biden is on a four-day visit to Eastern Europe to highlight U.S. support for Ukrainian refugees and for allied countries such as Romania and Slovakia that are providing a safe haven for them.She spent Friday and Saturday in Romania, visiting with U.S. troops and meeting with Ukrainian refugee mothers and children.With her trip, the American first lady followed the path of prior sitting first ladies who also traveled to war or conflict zones.Eleanor Roosevelt visited servicemen abroad during World War II to help boost troop morale. Pat Nixon joined President Richard Nixon on his 1969 trip to South Vietnam, becoming the first first lady to visit a combat zone, according to the National First Ladies’ Library. She flew 18 miles from Saigon in an open helicopter, accompanied by U.S. Secret Service agents.Hillary Clinton visited a combat zone, stopping in Bosnia in 1996. Laura Bush visited Afghanistan twice, in 2005 and 2008, during the U.S.-led war there. Melania Trump accompanied President Donald Trump to Iraq in December 2018.

Surprise: Jill Biden spends Mother's Day in Ukraine 

Kan. senator demands warnings on shows exploring gender issues

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/07/marshall-demands-special-parental-warnings-on-television-shows-exploring-gender-issues/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall
 wants a television monitoring board to expand a ratings system to warn 
parents about content in youth programs relating to people with a desire
 to be another gender.

The Kansas Republican joined four U.S. Senate colleagues on a letter 
urging the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board to push back against 
“left-wing sexual politics” embodied in Walt Disney Co.’s opposition to 
the Florida “don’t say gay” law prohibiting educators from delving into 
gender issues with children in kindergarten through third grade.

Marshall and U.S. Sens. Mike Lee of Utah, Mike Braun of Indiana, 
Steve Daines of Montana and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota recommended the
 board update guidelines to feature ratings on content tied to gender 
dysphoria so parents or guardians could more easily block kids from 
viewing LGBTQ content.

In the past, the television board has focused on rating programs in terms of obscene, violent or sexual material.

“To the detriment of children, gender dysphoria has become 
sensationalized in the popular media and television with radical 
activists and entertainment companies. This radical and sexual sensation
 not only harms children, but also destabilizes and damages parental 
rights,” the senators’ letter said.

The American Psychological Association reported some people who are 
transgender experience gender dysphoria, a form of psychological 
distress about the difference between an individual’s gender assignment 
at birth and an individual’s gender identity. The condition must be 
associated with clinically significant social, occupational or other 
impairment to meet criteria for the diagnosis.

Marshall’s letter continued: “The motivations of hyper-sexualized 
entertainment producers striving to push this content on young audiences
 are suspect at best and predatory at worst.”

The letter signed by Marshall also said parents across the United 
States should outraged that educators wade into sexual orientation and 
gender identity in classrooms.

In 1997, most broadcast and cable networks implemented the board’s 
television content rating system in response to public concern about 
explicit sexual content, graphic violence and profanity on screen.

The Kansas Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly tangled over a bill last 
month that would have banned transgender girls or women from 
participating in school or college sports programs in Kansas.

The Democratic governor vetoed the bill, but the House failed to gain
 the two-thirds majority necessary to override her decision. The Senate 
had the votes for an override.

GOP legislators in the House and Senate said
 transgender athletes would have an unfair advantage if involved in 
sports competitions for girls or women. Rep. Barbara Wasinger, a Hays 
Republican, said identifying as transgender was evidence of a mental 
health problem among “people that are confused.”

Opponents of the bill said the prohibition was part of a political campaign to shame people and undermine transgender Kansans’ identities.

“If you disapprove of who I am or who a young trans person is, take that up with our creator,” said Rep. Brandon Woodard, a Lenexa Democrat and one of four LGBTQ legislators in Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651942047141.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., joined four other GOP senators calling for new parental warnings on television shows to pinpoint content raising issues of gender dysphoria. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. Senate YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., joined four other GOP senators calling for new parental warnings on television shows to pinpoint content raising issues of gender dysphoria. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. Senate YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kan. senator demands warnings on shows exploring gender issues</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/07/marshall-demands-special-parental-warnings-on-television-shows-exploring-gender-issues/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall
 wants a television monitoring board to expand a ratings system to warn 
parents about content in youth programs relating to people with a desire
 to be another gender.The Kansas Republican joined four U.S. Senate colleagues on a letter 
urging the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board to push back against 
“left-wing sexual politics” embodied in Walt Disney Co.’s opposition to 
the Florida “don’t say gay” law prohibiting educators from delving into 
gender issues with children in kindergarten through third grade.Marshall and U.S. Sens. Mike Lee of Utah, Mike Braun of Indiana, 
Steve Daines of Montana and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota recommended the
 board update guidelines to feature ratings on content tied to gender 
dysphoria so parents or guardians could more easily block kids from 
viewing LGBTQ content.In the past, the television board has focused on rating programs in terms of obscene, violent or sexual material.“To the detriment of children, gender dysphoria has become 
sensationalized in the popular media and television with radical 
activists and entertainment companies. This radical and sexual sensation
 not only harms children, but also destabilizes and damages parental 
rights,” the senators’ letter said.The American Psychological Association reported some people who are 
transgender experience gender dysphoria, a form of psychological 
distress about the difference between an individual’s gender assignment 
at birth and an individual’s gender identity. The condition must be 
associated with clinically significant social, occupational or other 
impairment to meet criteria for the diagnosis.Marshall’s letter continued: “The motivations of hyper-sexualized 
entertainment producers striving to push this content on young audiences
 are suspect at best and predatory at worst.”The letter signed by Marshall also said parents across the United 
States should outraged that educators wade into sexual orientation and 
gender identity in classrooms.In 1997, most broadcast and cable networks implemented the board’s 
television content rating system in response to public concern about 
explicit sexual content, graphic violence and profanity on screen.The Kansas Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly tangled over a bill last 
month that would have banned transgender girls or women from 
participating in school or college sports programs in Kansas.The Democratic governor vetoed the bill, but the House failed to gain
 the two-thirds majority necessary to override her decision. The Senate 
had the votes for an override.GOP legislators in the House and Senate said
 transgender athletes would have an unfair advantage if involved in 
sports competitions for girls or women. Rep. Barbara Wasinger, a Hays 
Republican, said identifying as transgender was evidence of a mental 
health problem among “people that are confused.”Opponents of the bill said the prohibition was part of a political campaign to shame people and undermine transgender Kansans’ identities.“If you disapprove of who I am or who a young trans person is, take that up with our creator,” said Rep. Brandon Woodard, a Lenexa Democrat and one of four LGBTQ legislators in Kansas.

Marshall takes aim at Disney, calling for parental warnings

WASHINGTON (AP) — Record-low mortgages below 3% are long gone. Credit card rates will likely rise. So will the cost of an auto loan. Savers may finally receive a yield high enough to top inflation.

The substantial half-point hike in its benchmark short-term rate that the Federal Reserve announced Wednesday won’t, by itself, have much immediate effect on most Americans’ finances. But additional large hikes are expected to be announced at the Fed’s next two meetings, in June and July, and economists and investors foresee the fastest pace of rate increases since 1989.

The result could be much higher borrowing costs for households well into the future as the Fed fights the most painfully high inflation in four decades and ends a decades-long era of historically low rates.

Chair Jerome Powell hopes that by making borrowing more expensive, the Fed will succeed in cooling demand for homes, cars and other goods and services and thereby slow inflation.

Yet the risks are high. With inflation likely to stay elevated, the Fed may have to drive borrowing costs even higher than it now expects. Doing so could tip the U.S. economy into recession.

Here are some questions and answers about what the rate hikes could mean for consumers and businesses:

I’M CONSIDERING BUYING A HOUSE. WILL MORTGAGE RATES KEEP GOING UP?

Rates on home loans have soared in the past few months, mostly in anticipation of the Fed’s moves, and will probably keep rising.

Mortgage rates don’t necessarily move up in tandem with the Fed’s rate increases. Sometimes, they even move in the opposite direction. Long-term mortgages tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which, in turn, is influenced by a variety of factors. These include investors’ expectations for future inflation and global demand for U.S. Treasurys.

For now, though, faster inflation and strong U.S. economic growth are sending the 10-year Treasury rate up sharply. As a consequence, mortgage rates have jumped 2 full percentage points just since the year began, to 5.1% on average for a 30-year fixed mortgage, according to Freddie Mac.

In part, the jump in mortgage rates reflects expectations that the Fed will keep raising its key rate. But its forthcoming hikes aren’t likely fully priced in yet. If the Fed jacks up its key rate to as high as 3.5% by mid-2023, as many economists expect, the 10-year Treasury yield will go much higher, too, and mortgages will become more expensive.

If you’re looking to buy a home and are frustrated by the lack of available houses, which has triggered bidding wars and eye-watering prices, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

Economists say that higher mortgage rates will discourage some would-be purchasers. And average home prices, which have been soaring at about a 20% annual rate, could at least rise at a slower pace.

The surge in mortgage rates “will temper the pace of home price appreciation as more would-be homebuyers are priced out,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Record-low mortgages below 3% are long gone. Credit card rates will likely rise. So will the cost of an auto loan. Savers may finally receive a yield high enough to top inflation.The substantial half-point hike in its benchmark short-term rate that the Federal Reserve announced Wednesday won’t, by itself, have much immediate effect on most Americans’ finances. But additional large hikes are expected to be announced at the Fed’s next two meetings, in June and July, and economists and investors foresee the fastest pace of rate increases since 1989.The result could be much higher borrowing costs for households well into the future as the Fed fights the most painfully high inflation in four decades and ends a decades-long era of historically low rates.Chair Jerome Powell hopes that by making borrowing more expensive, the Fed will succeed in cooling demand for homes, cars and other goods and services and thereby slow inflation.Yet the risks are high. With inflation likely to stay elevated, the Fed may have to drive borrowing costs even higher than it now expects. Doing so could tip the U.S. economy into recession.Here are some questions and answers about what the rate hikes could mean for consumers and businesses:___I’M CONSIDERING BUYING A HOUSE. WILL MORTGAGE RATES KEEP GOING UP?Rates on home loans have soared in the past few months, mostly in anticipation of the Fed’s moves, and will probably keep rising.Mortgage rates don’t necessarily move up in tandem with the Fed’s rate increases. Sometimes, they even move in the opposite direction. Long-term mortgages tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which, in turn, is influenced by a variety of factors. These include investors’ expectations for future inflation and global demand for U.S. Treasurys.For now, though, faster inflation and strong U.S. economic growth are sending the 10-year Treasury rate up sharply. As a consequence, mortgage rates have jumped 2 full percentage points just since the year began, to 5.1% on average for a 30-year fixed mortgage, according to Freddie Mac.In part, the jump in mortgage rates reflects expectations that the Fed will keep raising its key rate. But its forthcoming hikes aren’t likely fully priced in yet. If the Fed jacks up its key rate to as high as 3.5% by mid-2023, as many economists expect, the 10-year Treasury yield will go much higher, too, and mortgages will become more expensive.HOW WILL THAT AFFECT THE HOUSING MARKET?If you’re looking to buy a home and are frustrated by the lack of available houses, which has triggered bidding wars and eye-watering prices, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.Economists say that higher mortgage rates will discourage some would-be purchasers. And average home prices, which have been soaring at about a 20% annual rate, could at least rise at a slower pace.The surge in mortgage rates “will temper the pace of home price appreciation as more would-be homebuyers are priced out,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.Still, the number of available homes remains historically low, a trend that will likely frustrate buyers and keep prices high.WHAT ABOUT AUTO LOANS?Fed rate hikes can make auto loans more expensive. But other factors also affect these rates, including competition among car makers that can sometimes lower borrowing costs.Rates for buyers with lower credit ratings are most likely to rise as a result of the Fed’s hikes, said Alex Yurchenko, chief data officer for Black Book, which monitors U.S. vehicle prices. Because used vehicle prices, on average, are rising, monthly payments will rise too.For now, new-vehicle loans average about 4.5%. Used-vehicle rates are about 5%.WHAT ABOUT OTHER RATES?For users of credit cards, home equity lines of credit and other variable-interest debt, rates would rise by roughly the same amount as the Fed hike, usually within one or two billing cycles. That’s because those rates are based in part on banks’ prime rate, which moves in tandem with the Fed.Those who don’t qualify for low-rate credit cards might be stuck paying higher interest on their balances. The rates on their cards would rise as the prime rate does.Should the Fed decide to raise rates by 2 percentage points or more over the next two years — a distinct possibility — that would significantly enlarge interest payments.WILL I BE ABLE TO EARN MORE ON MY SAVINGS?Probably, though not likely by very much. And it depends on where your savings, if you have any, are parked.Savings, certificates of deposit and money market accounts don’t typically track the Fed’s changes. Instead, banks tend to capitalize on a higher-rate environment to try to increase their profits. They do so by imposing higher rates on borrowers, without necessarily offering any juicer rates to savers.This is particularly true for large banks now. They’ve been flooded with savings as a result of government financial aid and reduced spending by many wealthier Americans during the pandemic. They won’t need to raise savings rates to attract more deposits or CD buyers.But online banks and others with high-yield savings accounts could be an exception. These accounts are known for aggressively competing for depositors. The only catch is that they typically require significant deposits.Still, savers are starting to see some better potential returns from Treasurys. On Tuesday, the yield on the 10-year note was 2.96%, after having briefly topped 3% for the first time since 2018.Financial markets expect inflation to average 2.83% over 10 years. That level would give investors a positive, if very small, return of about 0.13%.“All of a sudden, we end up in this position where fixed income is way more competitive than it was before,” said Jason Pride, chief investment officer for Private Wealth at Glenmede.