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U.S. NEWS Thursday 29 augusT 2024
Biden pushed Gaza pier over warnings it would undercut other aid

routes, watchdog says

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER tarian situation in Gaza is,
Associated Press the United States has left
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- no stone unturned in our ef-
dent Joe Biden ordered the forts to get more aid in, and
construction of a temporary the pier played a key role
pier to deliver humanitarian at a critical time in advanc-
aid to Gaza this year even ing that goal,” Savett said
as some at the U.S. Agency in a statement Tuesday.
for International Develop- The Defense Department
ment expressed concerns said the pier “achieved its
that the effort would be goal of providing an ad-
difficult to accomplish and ditive means of delivering
undercut the effort to per- high volumes of humani-
suade Israel to open “more tarian aid to the people of
efficient” land crossings to Gaza to help address the
get food into the territory, acute humanitarian crisis.”
according to the agency’s The U.S. military knew from
internal watchdog. the outset “there would be
Biden announced plans to challenges as part of this in
use the temporary pier in this complex emergency,”
his State of the Union ad- the department’s state-
dress in March to hasten ment added. Its inspector
the delivery of aid to the general also is conducting
Palestinian territory be- U.S. Army soldiers stand next to trucks arriving loaded with humanitarian aid at the U.S.-built an evaluation.
floating pier Trident before reaching the beach on the coast of the Gaza Strip, June 25, 2024.
sieged by war between Is- Associated Press The USAID watchdog’s
rael and Hamas. report alleged that the
But the $230 million military- detract from the Agency’s tually all of Gaza’s 2.3 mil- ended cooperation with United States had failed to
run project known as the advocacy for opening lion people were struggling the project after an Israeli honor commitments it had
Joint Logistics Over-the- land crossings, which were to find food and more than rescue operation used an made with the World Food
Shore system, or JLOTS, seen as more efficient and a half-million were facing area nearby to whisk away Program to get the U.N.
would only operate for proven methods of trans- starvation. hostages, raising concerns agency to agree to take
about 20 days. Aid groups porting aid into Gaza,” the The Biden administration set about whether its workers part in distributing supplies
pulled out of the project inspector general said in a a goal of the U.S. sea route would be seen as neutral from the pier into Palestin-
by July, ending a mission report published Tuesday. and pier providing food to and independent in the ian hands.
plagued by repeated “However, once the Presi- feed 1.5 million of Gaza’s conflict. The U.S. agreed to condi-
weather and security prob- dent issued the directive, people for 90 days. It fell National Security Council tions set by the program, in-
lems that limited how much the Agency’s focus was to short, bringing in enough to spokesman Sean Savett cluding that the pier would
food and other emergency use JLOTS as effectively as feed about 450,000 people said the project “had a real be placed in north Gaza,
supplies could get to starv- possible.” for a month before shut- impact” of getting food to where the need for aid was
ing Palestinians. At the time Biden an- ting down. High waves and hungry Palestinian civilians greatest, and that a U.N.
“Multiple USAID staff ex- nounced plans for the bad weather repeatedly despite the obstacles. member nation would pro-
pressed concerns that the floating pier, the United Na- damaged the pier, and the “The bottom line is that vide security for the pier.q
focus on using JLOTS would tions was reporting that vir- U.N. World Food Program given how dire the humani-

Congresswomen press FDA on why a proposal to ban hair-

straightening chemicals is delayed

By KENYA HUNTER for banning certain salon- ed Press that Black women It isn’t uncommon for the regulatory agenda for
AP Health Writer grade and at-home hair look to straightening treat- FDA to have items on the years. q
Two U.S. House members straighteners. Rep. Nydia ments in part because of
who first pushed the Food Velazquez of New York hair discrimination.
and Drug Administration joined Pressley and Brown “If you do a Google search
in 2023 to investigate the in spearheading the letter, right now of unprofessional
health risks of hair straight- which was dated Tuesday. work hairstyles, you’ll be be-
eners used primarily by The FDA gave notice of a sieged by images of Black
Black women are now ask- possible rule in 2023 with an women,” said Pressley, who
ing the agency why it has initial target date to release also believes another delay
twice delayed its target the proposal in April. That could cause more health
date to propose a ban on was then moved to July be- issues for communities of
products containing form- fore jumping to September. color. “Everything from pro-
aldehyde, which studies The letter from Pressley, tective styles, Senegalese
link to increased rates of Brown and Velazquez all twists or braids like I wore
cancer. of whom are up for re- for many years, or afros or
Democratic Reps. Ayanna election this year asks FDA locs ... I just want everyone
Pressley of Massachusetts Commissioner Robert Califf to be able to show up fully,
and Shontel Brown of Ohio to provide specific reasons authentically and unapolo- This combination of 2021-2023 photos shows U.S. Reps. Shontel
pressed the FDA in a letter for the delay. getically, without fear and Brown, D-Ohio, left; Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Nydia
Velazquez, D-N.Y.
to finalize the proposed rule Pressley told The Associat- without discrimination.” Associated Press