5 things you need to know Thursday
Senate bill to repeal and replace Obamacare is unveiled
Senate Republicans are unveiling their health care bill Thursday, and a vote could happen as early as next week, according to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Republicans can’t vote on the bill until the Congressional Budget Office analyzes how many people will be affected by it and how much it will cost. Democrats say they will try to draw out the legislative process to show their opposition to the bill. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have criticized the Republican leaders crafting the bill for a lack of transparency. The bill will likely be more moderate than the version the House passed in May, which President Trump described as “mean.”
Gulf Coast faces 'life-threatening' flash flood threat from Tropical Storm Cindy
Tropical Storm Cindy made landfall on Thursday morning in southwestern Louisiana. The storm, which has already caused flooding in Gulf Coast cities, could cause “life-threatening flash floods,” according to the National Weather Service. On Wednesday, a 10-year-old boy died in Alabama as governors of Louisiana and Alabama declared states of emergency in anticipation of the storm. Texas’State Operations Center has been put in a state of increased readiness.
Expect surprises at the NBA Draft
When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver takes the stage Thursday night at the 2017 NBA Draft, who will be the first name called? With the Philadelphia 76ers on the clock, will they take consensus No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz from Washington, or look elsewhere in this year’s talent-loaded draft class? It’s all but guaranteed that Fultz will go to Philly at No. 1 and L.A. native Lonzo Ball will land with his hometown Lakers at No. 2, but it’s a bit of a mess after that. Multiple trades have taken place this week, while other trade rumors involving high-profile stars are swirling.
Otto Warmbier laid to rest in Ohio
With a funeral scheduled for Thursday, family and friends will say goodbye to Otto Warmbier after the former University of Virginia student died just days after returning to the U.S. from North Korean imprisonment. The funeral will take place at Warmbier's alma matter, Wyoming High School, in Ohio. Mystery still surrounds what caused Warmbier's death, and no autopsy is planned at his family's request. After more than a year of imprisonment in North Korea, Warmbier returned home June 13 in a state of unresponsive wakefulness and died six days later.
Problems plague student loan forgiveness program, new report says
An official with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is scheduled to address a new federal report that detailed issues with a student loan forgiveness program Thursday at a North Carolina event. A CFPB report focused on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, an Obama administration initiative that allows student-loan borrowers to seek forgiveness of their debt if they work in public service jobs, has resulted in many complaints ranging from processing errors to certification problems.To help borrowers, the CFPB said it is launching a "Certify Your Service" education campaign that includes guides showing "how to get on the path to loan forgiveness."
Prefer to listen? Check out the podcast version below: