5 things you need to know Wednesday
So what health bill amendment will the Senate consider next?
The Senate's plan to create a clean repeal of the Affordable Care Act will take another roller-coaster turn Wednesday, a day after it narrowly approved a "motion to proceed" vote and rejected an amendment that would have repealed and replaced Obamacare. Senators are expected to vote on an amendment that would repeal Obamacare that wouldn’t take effect for two years. The delay is intended to give lawmakers time to come together on a replacement plan before people lose their health care. But even with conservative support, the clean repeal is not likely to pass because at least three Republican senators have all said they wouldn’t vote for a repeal without a replacement.
Cardinal appears in court to answer sex abuse allegations
One of the Vatican’s most senior officials made his first court appearance in Australia Wednesday as part of the ongoing child sex abuse scandal that has shaken the Catholic church since the early 2000s. Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis’ chief financial adviser, became the highest official to be involved in the scandal when he was charged with sexual offenses against "multiple complainants" in late June. A native Australian, Pell has vehemently denied the allegations.
Fed could signal interest rate plans
The Federal Reserve most likely will not raise its key short-term interest rate as its two-day meeting ends Wednesday, but markets will be watching closely for indications of the Fed's future plans. Most economists believe the Fed will leave rates unchanged after hiking them in March and June. Earlier this month, however, Fed Chair Janet Yellen told Congress the Fed plans to gradually raise its benchmark short-term rate. She also indicated the Fed plans to begin selling off its huge portfolio of bonds and securities acquired during the 2008-09 financial crisis, which could nudge long-term interest rates higher.
Contaminants in water pose big health risks, but are legal, data says
Contaminants detected in water samples throughout the country pose health risks but are perfectly legal under the Safe Drinking Water Act, a new report released Wednesday finds. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) collected data from drinking water tests conducted from 2010 to 2015 at more than 48,000 water facilities throughout the U.S. and found 267 contaminants present in water supplies, many at levels above what scientific studies have found pose health risks. If you decide to drink tap water, — it's surprisingly fine to do so in some cases — the EWG recommends using a filter. Consumers can review the data in the form of a public database.
Ohio will perform its first execution in three years
Using a controversial three-drug combination, Ohio will execute its first prisoner in more than three years Wednesday, convicted murderer Ronald Phillips. Gov. John Kasich pushed back all scheduled executions because of difficulties obtaining the necessary drugs, legal battles, and controversy surrounding one of the drugs: midazolam. Opponents of the drug say it isn’t capable of rendering inmates unconscious and could cause unconstitutional infliction of pain. Midazolam was one of the drugs used in the last execution in Ohio in January 2014, when an inmate reportedly gasped and seized during the 26-minute procedure. The Supreme Court upheld the use of the drug in a landmark case out of Oklahoma but could step in to block this execution as it did in Arkansas earlier this year.
Bonus: CONCACAF Gold Cup title up for grabs
The United States men's soccer team aims for their sixth Gold Cup title on Wednesday when they go head-to-head against Jamaica in Santa Clara, Calif. (9:30 p.m. ET, FS1, Univision). USA coach Bruce Arena has used the CONCACAF Gold Cup — a biennial tournament that crowns the top team in the North and Central America and Caribbean region — to audition U.S. players who might be called up for future World Cup qualifiers. The U.S., which remains unbeaten since Arena replaced Jurgen Klinsmann in November, will face a Jamaican team eager to claim their first Gold Cup trophy after they stunned Mexico on Sunday.
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